Finishing your own DIY project is one of the most satisfying things you and your family can do together.
All the long hours spent planning, building and decorating have come to an end. You have created a new and completely unique home, patio, outdoor area or renovation from nothing – without spending the cash you’d need for the experts to do the job.
You can finally kick back, relax and admire your handy work.
Your hands created something new and functional – plus, no one else can say they have the same thing at their place. This item is entirely your own, and every time you use it, you have a unique origin story to tell.
Chilling out on your deck on a spring or summer afternoon is the domestic dream – a warm breeze and a cool drink mixed with a lush garden view? Heaven!
The only way to improve this picture is with a collection of quality, home built outdoor furniture. DIY outdoor furniture is a creative way to deck out your patio, giving you a completely unique style.
Looking for some inspiration to get your DIY furniture project started?
We’ve collected five of the most fascinating, one-of-a-kind outdoor furniture ideas on the internet to transform the look of your patio.
#1 Build a table complete with an inbuilt succulent planter from wooden pallets
Image source: Far Out Flora
Thinking of environmentally friendly ways to upgrade your patio furniture? Look no further than wooden pallets.
Pallets are a popular material choice for DIY-enthusiasts and gardeners alike. The wooden crates are typically used to transport stock to shop owners.
Here’s the seasoned renovator’s tip…
Once they’re emptied, perfectly strong wooden pallets are often discarded or sent to the tip – free for anyone to collect at absolutely no cost.
You can find wooden pallets at nurseries, pet stores, megastores, grocery shops and even on Gumtree, often sold for cheap or given away free!
Wooden pallets are a cheap material to recycle and revamp into a brand new table for the patio. Most stores are keen to ditch their pallets, so take advantage and take the wood off your local store’s hands before their furniture potential is wasted.
Self-proclaimed “plant nerd” and blogger, Far Out Flora, turned her wooden pallets into a rustic, natural looking table with a plant pot built into the centre for her succulents.
Here’s the rough five-step process Flora uses to turn wooden pallets into beautiful outdoor furniture:
- Deconstruct the pallets
- Sand back the wooden boards
- Build the base of your wooden table
- Attach some old table legs
- Lastly, lacquer the table for a glossy finish
Afterwards, the blogger planted succulents throughout the centre – and voila – the table compliments the garden and looks like it was specifically made for the outdoors.
You can check out Far Out Flora’s tutorial here!
Looking for something more barbecue-friendly?
You may want to check out idea number two…
#2 Add a drink cooler to your pallet table for the ultimate summer experience
Image source: Ana White
Yep, pallet tables can be just that good.
Building and DIY project guru, Ana White, created a brand new table from wooden pallets complete with a luxurious drink cooler in the centre.
Summer is about to get a whole lot fancier with Ana’s booze box table tutorial.
Ana deconstructed a few wooden pallets (just like Far Out Flora), sanded them down, and reconstructed them into a table before sealing them with wood stain and teak oil for a darker, more expensive look.
She then installed a waterproof container in the place Far Out Flora’s more subdued planter box installation. In summer, throw in a couple bags of ice into the boxes and add your drinks to chill on the patio.
You can build outdoor furniture to have a range of functions – much like Ana’s wooden pallet table/drink cooler.
Check out Ana’s step-by-step tutorial here.
#3 Build comfy, Moroccan-style chairs
Image Source: Ana White
There are a million ways to build your own chairs for your very own backyard patio.
You could create laise chairs to chill out on the deck, purchase cushioned footstools or sow some patchwork blankets for a bohemian outdoor fee. You could even knock a soft wooden dining chair together with some spare lumber and DIY cushioning (fabric of your choice, of course).
Moroccan chic is a stylish and popular theme choice for homeowners looking to deck out their patio. The rich, natural timber colours matched with vibrant Moroccan printed pillows and throws are perfect for patios.
What’s more inviting than relaxing on a laid-back chair in the summer sun with an abundance of soft, plump pillows?
It’s just asking to be napped on.
Ana White created these gorgeous chairs with cheap lumber from her local DIY store and a few pre-bought, Moroccan print pillows. She also added a woven mat to sit under the chairs to protect the patio floor and compliment the coloured pillows.
Get creative and build your own patio furniture. It’s an easy, cheap, fun project to take up with your whole family this summer. You can check out Ana’s simple tutorial here for more details.
#4 Create a tree stump serving table and give some scrapped timber new life
Image source: The Home Depot
We all love entertaining on the patio in summer. You could serve food and drinks off your brand new pallet table – but wouldn’t you love to top things off with a designated tree stump serving table.
A serving table is a creative way to give an old, discarded tree stump new life with a stunning new feature piece for your backyard.
The Home Depot blogger, Kristin Jackson, explored using natural wood and tree stumps to build new outdoor furniture and the result is filled with whimsical fairytale style.
The tutorial is simple and easy on the wallet too!
- Find a tree stump around bar height
- Sand down the top and bottom for a strong, sturdy base
- Construct a round table top from cheap lumber
- Nail the circular table top to the stump
- Invite your friends around for drinks
Add an extra natural touch and incorporate untouched tree stumps for your DIY project. The textured bark and unique design will complement your modern patio and save you the stack of dollars you would have spent on a ready-made feature piece.
#5 Install a hammock for relaxing in the afternoon breeze
Image source: Design Milk
Imagine your perfect afternoon relaxing at home.
There’s a red hot chance you’re gently swinging in a comfy hammock strung up across your backyard on a warm summer’s day. Just add a book, some sunglasses and an ice-cold cocktail – it’s paradise on a patio.
DIY installation is a breeze, and if you don’t want to spend big, you can fashion your own out of some sturdy canvas fabric.
Online hammock store, Yellow Leaf Hammocks, outlines the simple hammock installation process. You can hang a hammock from the overhead beams on your patio – wrap two ropes around the beam or post, then attach each rope to an eye of the hammock (using a knot or carabiner).
Make sure the hammock is secure and then take a well-deserved nap in your new outdoor relaxation haven!
Our Eclipse linear opening roofs are the perfect addition to help you maximise your patio hammock chill time.
Attach your hammock to the patio poles and you can control the amount of sunlight shining down on you as the sun passes across the sky with a handy remote control.
You can create completely unique outdoor furniture by doing it yourself
You can design the look of your patio to maximise savings and nail your own personal style by building your own unique furniture from scratch.
There are endless options you can conjure up with the right DIY outdoor furniture project:
- Turn wooden pallets into outdoor drinks tables
- Make serving tables from tree stumps
- Fashion Moroccan style chairs from cheap timber or
- Hang a rope hammock from your patio pillars
Just grab some timber, some nails, some wood glue and a lick of paint, and bring your entire family in on a fun and exciting group DIY project.
You’ll have unique, one-of-a-kind outdoor furniture in next to no time, for next to no cost.
PS. You’re job’s not quite done yet! No backyard renovation is complete without an impressive outdoor entertainment system. Check out our guide to installing the ultimate outdoor music system and get inspired to revamp your patio!
Get in touch with the HV Aluminium team today on (02) 49033388 to kickstart your patio renovation in Newcastle or the Hunter.Image source: Pexels