Easy DIY Projects to Enhance Your Outdoor Space
Give your yard and garden a fresh new look with these easy DIY projects. From beginner-friendly woodworking projects and furniture plans to outdoor decor ideas, these backyard improvements will add lots of style and functionality.
Pretty up your patio with a flowering container garden. Plant a combination of thrillers, fillers and spillers–one tall plant to provide height, smaller plants for color and trailing flowers for drama.
Create a Fire Table
When it comes to creating a cozy and inviting outdoor living space, nothing does the trick like an outdoor fire feature. The heat from these features extends outdoor seating areas and dining spaces, allowing you and your guests to enjoy them even as temperatures drop.
While most homeowners choose to install fire pits, a fire table takes things one step further. These tables combine a fireplace with a patio table, making them the perfect place for guests to gather and sip cocktails and hot cocoa on cool evenings.
You can build your own custom fire table by using a pre-built concrete form or you can buy a fire pit kit. Whichever option you choose, make sure you follow all safety precautions for your space. For instance, be sure to keep any flammable materials away from the flames and always extinguish your fire before going inside. This will help avoid any potential damage from rogue embers or burnt patches of grass.
Build a Garden Trellis
Trellises are an essential gardening tool for enticing blooms, including roses and trailing nasturtiums, as well as vegetables such as beans and cucumbers. While vertical trellises are available at most nurseries and hardware stores, this simple-to-assemble DIY project allows you to create an expandable garden structure that grows with your vines or flowers.
To create your trellis, start by measuring how high you want it to stand and marking the size on the wall with a tape measure and marker. Next, use a drill or post-hole digger to dig two holes 24″ deep. Drive a treated wooden fence post into each hole.
To make the trellis, cut 1″ x 2″ lumber from the hardware store to the length of the gap between the posts (the gap will be determined by the height of your trellis). Install the horizontal slats across the gaps, and nail or screw each piece to the vertical pieces. The slats should form a latticework of 6″ squares when the trellis is complete.
Update Your House Numbers
Adding or changing your house numbers is one of the easiest home improvement projects that can make an immediate impact. This affordable project can also be a fun way to express your creativity. For example, if you’re using a trellis to showcase your favorite climbing flowers, you can use the vines to cover the house number sign for an updated look.
Other homeowners like the idea of displaying their house numbers in a flower pot, which gives them a more professional and tidy look. Just make sure to keep any flowers that could obstruct the numbers pruned regularly so they’re always visible.
If you’re looking for a more permanent upgrade, try creating a walkway with edging made from gravel, bluestone or bricks to separate areas of the garden, lawn or patio. This is a project that can be completed in a weekend and will give your outdoor spaces a sense of definition and purpose. You can even create a pathway that leads to the front door for a more welcoming entrance.
Create Outdoor Candleholders
As the warm weather arrives, it’s time to turn your attention to your outdoor space. Amplifying your backyard is a great way to add value to your home and enjoy more time with family and friends. With some simple DIY outdoor ideas, you can refresh your backyard without overspending or overcommitting to a major landscaping project.
Build a fire pit to create a cozy seating area for summer gatherings. This backyard idea is an easy DIY project that you can complete in a weekend, and your family will love spending summer nights around the fire. Remember to check with your local municipality and homeowner’s association about regulations for outdoor fires.
Lay a new garden path to make your backyard feel more welcoming. Whether you choose mulch, gravel or bluestone, this yard improvement can be done in just a few days and will enhance your landscape. For a unique twist, make your own DIY birch candle holders from pieces of wood found in your own backyard.