Want to transform your outdoor space on a budget? These 7 DIY backyard ideas offer creative and affordable ways to enhance your outdoor living area.
Budget-Friendly DIY Projects
Whether there is a tiny balcony or a huge backyard, here are some of the best DIY projects to help transform an outdoor space into a true Oasis.
A ceramic candle stand was purchased for just over three dollars. It was thought to be the perfect base for a small bird bath. A couple coats of white spray paint are applied. A bowl could be used for the top, but instead, a pretty blue and white serving dish which was a previous thrift store find is used. The two pieces are joined together using a combination of super glue and E6000. For a little something extra, a ceramic bird is also attached from stash to the serving plate. The base is distressed a bit with some sandpaper to bring out the pretty design.
There were a couple of holes in the base, so some rocks were put in to give it extra weight and to keep the bird bath from blowing over. Duct tape is used to cover up the holes. This cute little bird bath cost less than ten dollars to make. The bird bath sits on an old tree stump which is right next to the water spigot which will make it easy to keep it filled with water. A resin base to an old bird bath was gifted a long time ago, but nothing had been done with it because its concave surface had stumped initial plans.
Bird Feeders and Houses
A coat of cement colored spray paint is applied and followed by dabbing on some mineral chalk paint to make it look a bit more like concrete. Then the black paint on this old outdoor lantern that was previously gutted is touched up. Its curved bottom fits perfectly into the pedestal. The two pieces are attached together using star Bond super glue. There was a hole in the bottom of the lantern which is plugged up with a small cork. Then it was ready for bird seed. It actually holds a lot more than one might think, and the birds had no trouble finding it because after just two days it was completely empty.
For something a little different, a thrift store basket is used to create a birdhouse. The handle is taken off the basket and a small entrance hole is cut for the birds. Then some jute rope is glued around the hole to make sure that the basket doesn’t start to come apart. A wood round in stash that fit the Basket opening perfectly was found. It is stained with some antiquing wax and then used a combination of wood glue and hot glue to secure it in the basket opening. Because it was going to be used outdoors, something sturdy was needed for the roof, and a cute plastic pot at Dollar General was located. A couple coats of green apple spray paint are applied, and then so that it could hang it from a tree branch, a hole is drilled in the center of the bottom and an eye hook is run through a random lamp part and attached to the pot using a nut on the inside.
Construction adhesive is applied to the bottom of the basket and then the plastic pot is firmly pushed onto the basket. Then it is flipped over and a good amount of hot glue for extra adhesion is applied. For decoration, a small metal flower that had broken off of something else is hot glued on. Then a hole is drilled for a bird perch and whittled down the end of a stick and hot glued it in place. However, it has since been learned not to add perches to birdhouses because Predators use this to get at birds and their eggs. At the last minute an IOD white trans transfer to the roof was added, and some Spanish moss inside to make it comfy for the birds.
Outdoor Decor
To create some outdoor dishware, a watermelon tote bag in the checkout aisle was purchased. A serving tray at the thrift store was also purchased and given a couple coats of leafy green spray paint. When the paint was dry, the bag is cut in half and pressed it into the tray to create creases. Then the crease lines are gone over with a pencil. This made it very easy to cut out. The tray is given a good coat of spray adhesive and then the cut piece of tote bag is pressed onto the tray. The bag’s vinyl coating makes it perfect for outdoor use.
For the next project thrift store coasters or wood slices could be used. A circle about a fourth of an inch in from the edge of the coaster is drawn. Then a second Circle this time about half an inch in from the Edge is drawn. Whatever craft paint is on hand should be used and the outer rim is painted green and the large Inner Circle pink or red. This paint should be allowed to dry, then the remaining ring should be painted white using a Sharpie marker or black paint. Some seeds are painted onto the red circle. When that is done, the coasters are sprayed with a couple coats of a clear top coat to protect your paint.
To add the watermelon theme to this thrift store utensil basket, it is first given a couple coats of leafy green spray paint. When the green paint was dry, about an inch and a half along the bottom of the basket is taped off. Then the basket is rotated and a band of white spray paint is sprayed on just above the tape. When the white paint was dry, it was taped off and the top of the basket was sprayed red. When the tape was peeled off it the green and white bands were not satisfactory, so those sections were gone over using the same acrylic paint that had been used on The Coasters. The basket needed watermelon seeds so some little black pebbles were located in stash which were just hot glued to the red portion of the basket.
Half of the watermelon tote bag was still left so it was decided to cut it up to create sleeves or cozies for some drinking glasses. Four empty jars were located and the bag was cut up into strips to fit around each of the jars. Then The Binding was cut off where the sides of the bag had been sewn together. The Binding is hot glued along the top and bottom edges of each of the sleeves. Due to the stitching on The Binding it will look like these have actually been sewn onto the sleeves. Then the sleeves are wrapped around the jar and hot glued in place. Make sure it’s snug but not so tight that you can’t slide it off the jar.
Coordinating napkins and paper plates are acquired, so preparation can commence for the first summer barbecue. These projects can easily be adapted to anything, such as lemons bumblebees or flowers. Rather than buying a new patio umbrella it was decided to dress up an existing one, so the outer edge was measured around the outer edge and purchased eight and a half yards of Fringe. The Fringe is hot glued along the edge of the umbrella using gorilla glue sticks. Despite being exposed to all types of severe weather two years later that Fringe is still perfectly attached to the umbrella.
Lighting and Planters
A large chandelier at the Habitat Restore was acquired and it will be a great addition to the patio. The top part was taken off by unscrewing several nuts. This allowed removal of the inner portion that held the light bulbs. The top section was reassembled but on the underside instead of returning the nut the finial from the ceiling cover was used so that there would be a circle on which to hang a basket. Then it was taken outside and given a couple coats of a black spray paint with a rust protector. Then it was ready for a giant fern. It makes a very interesting planter.
The inner portion of the chandelier might just make a very interesting combination candelabra wind chime. First, the socket covers are slid off, the wires cut, and the sockets removed to create room for a votive candle. The nuts holding the candle cups are loosened and then the cups are slid up to the top of the screw and re-tightened the nuts. To create Chimes, two holes are drilled on opposing sides of each of the metal socket covers. A long piece of heavy duty thread is run through each of the holes and knotting the ends of the thread together to create a long Loop. Then one chime is looped around each of the chandelier arms. Some citronella votive candles were ordered for the candle cups, but first a little wax was poured into each cup to make sure that the candles stayed put. This is another project that has stood the test of time and still looks great.
A two-tier table was purchased and a cooler was also acquired with plans of marrying the two together. The cooler was thought to be the perfect size to fit in the space where the drawer had been but the cooler was much larger than anticipated and the drawer had to be removed completely and a hole large enough for the cooler to fit inside was cut. The cut edges are sanded smooth and then the entire table is sprayed down with sensor primer. That is followed with three separate light coats of black spray paint. The exterior of the cooler is also spray painted. The table is finished with two coats of outdoor polyurethane. This project didn’t end up the way it was originally envisioned, but it’s still a handy place to store a cool beverage.
For the next project a piece of wood was needed, so the drawer from the cooler table was taken apart and the back piece was just the size needed. A couple coats of black spray paint are applied and when the paint was dry an outdoor thermometer is screwed on that had been purchased. To dress it up, some metal wall art was purchased and painted with leafy green spray paint. The wall art is attached to the thermometer by putting screws in between the metal branches. The thermometer is hung on brick wall using adhesive velcro strips. However, after a couple weeks the velcro pulled away from the brick so you may want to use a nail or a screw instead.
To create some wall art for the patio, a large leaf Decor was purchased. First, the stems are spray painted black. A large piece of sheet Moss is bought, but the Dollar Tree variety could also be used. A Sharpie is used to trace around each of the individual leaves onto the sheet moss and then they are cut out. It is recommended doing this outdoors or at least on a drop cloth because it was very messy when all the leaves were cut out. They are hot glued to the metal gluing one little section at a time. To hang the wall art, a hole is drilled in brick wall using a concrete drill bit. A plastic anchor and a screw are inserted and then it is ready to hang. To help the Moss last as long as possible, a good coat of outdoor polyurethane is sprayed on. If the Moss is in direct sunlight it will only last one season and it will be mostly Brown by autumn.
A wicker Lantern was to be turned into a water feature and a watertight container that would fit inside was needed. An umbrella stand was located and spray painted white. A plastic pot in the garage was located that fits snugly in the top of the umbrella stand. The top portion of the pot is cut off creating a small tray. The bottom of the umbrella stand is filled with some rocks so it wasn’t quite so deep and then a ten dollar electric water pump is added. The umbrella stand is filled about three-fourths of the way full of water. Then the bottom of the plastic pot is added. Make sure it has a hole in the center for the pump to fit through and additional holes for water drainage. Then add some decorative rocks to fill up the plastic tray. Then the lantern is slid on to hide the cord and to make it look pretty. Most water pumps come with various nozzles to create different effects. They also come with a plug-in so a hole can be drilled to have the cord run out the side or the bottom of the container, but it was decided to keep it simple because there was no desire to risk cracking the ceramic container trying to drill a hole.
Vegetables and herbs can be a nice addition to a patio. Here are herbs growing in old paint cans that were painted white and put in a wooden tote. These metal baskets were on clearance. Two cocoa liners are acquired and they fit perfectly in the bottom basket. It just needed to be trimmed up a bit to make it fit into the smaller top basket. Then some herbs are added and there is now a little herb garden right outside the patio door and next to the grill.
Whimsical elements can be added to a patio and yard. A broken down purple baby buggy at a thrift store was acquired. The buggy is spray painted white and its two remaining wheels black and then one of favorite flowers geraniums is added. It is thought that this is going to be even more adorable once these geraniums really fill in. A metal chair was located on the curb and put on the patio and as far as it has been known no one has ever sat on it so operation commenced with a Sawzall cutting a large circle out of the seat so that a wire hanging basket could just fit inside. Then an angle grinder is used to remove any sharp edges. A cocoa liner is added to the basket and spray adhesive is used to attach pieces of sheet Moss to the remaining sections of the chair seat. This sheet Moss held up nicely throughout the entire summer. Some flowers are planted in the basket and a couple small ivy plants are also added which was hoped would grow up and around the chair back.
There was really no good place to store firewood on the patio so it was decided to see if something could be built just using the wood scraps. For the top and bottom of the box two pieces of wood are cut to the width of an old bench back that was in possession. Two shorter pieces are also cut for each side of the Box. Using wood glue, the two sides are attached to the top piece then two rectangular strips of wood are cut and glued those into each corner where the two boards joined for extra support. Next the bottom piece is glued on and then all the pieces of wood are attached together using a brad nailer. Then the bench back is glued and nailed to the top piece of wood. For additional support another scrap of wood is cut to the width of the box and attached just below the bench back to keep the box from sitting directly on the ground. Two strips of scrap wood are attached to the bottom of the box one at either end. A few furring strips were left over from a different project which are nailed to the edges to finish off the front of the box. The wood box is lightly sanded with an orbital sander and then the entire piece is sprayed with sensor primer. When the primer was dry, some semi-gloss black paint that was on hand is first rolled on and followed that up with a brush to get in between the lattice work of the bench back.
Mushroom Decor is adorable so it was decided to make a couple to add to the patio. Wood glue and wood screws are used to attach dowel rods to Thrift Store salad bowls. The stained dowel rods are left but the salad bowls are painted over. One is painted with white chalk paint and the other with dark purple chalk paint. Two coats of paint are applied and when the paint was dry, polka dots are applied using a sponge dauber.
Here is another unexpected idea for a plant pot. A plaster column was acquired. A hammer is used to bust out a hole in the top so that a plastic pot would fit inside. A little Ivory spray paint on the outside is used to tone down the gold accents. When the paint was dry, the pot and a small fern are added. It looks like a planter you would see at a pricey Garden Center not a three dollar thrift store find. If you want a planter with more Farmhouse appeal check out the thrift store for old kettles and teapots. Some packing styrofoam is put in the bottom of the large pot so that so much potting soil does not have to be used to keep the cost down. A hosta plant that was dug up from the yard is added. These metal Stars would make a cute decoration for the pots so they are cut apart using an angle grinder but they could just be bent back and forth and eventually they would break off. Super glue is used to glue a star to one of the pot lids to stick in the pot for additional decoration.
To create a vignette on the front porch the enamel pots are used in combination with some other unusual Planters like a plastic thermos and an old red toolbox. It is often noticed that there are birds in these arborvitae trees, so it was desired to make a bird feeder that could hang from one of the branches. An outdoor wall mount Lantern was thrifted and all of the glass and electrical wiring was removed. A large knot is tied in a piece of rope and thread the Rope through the hole at the top of the lantern where the finial had been. Gorilla Glue is used to attach a small tin to the inside where the light bulb had been, then the 10 is spray painted with some black spray paint so that it would match the rest of the lantern. A s hook is used through the loop in the rope to hang it from a branch and an old watering can filled with bird seed is used to fill the tin inside the lantern.
A hose stand was needed near the patio and it was thought to try to make one using an old spindle. A couple holes are drilled on either side of the spindle and then screws are used to attach some shelf brackets that were on hand. There was no repainting performed. A hole is dug near spigot and the new hose stand is stuck in the ground. This was the perfect size for a lightweight hose however if a larger hose stand is needed use a fence or porch post instead of a spindle.
To create a cottage style chandelier for the patio, four small birdhouses were purchased and spray painted. A thrift store chandelier was previously gutted removing the light bulbs candle tubes and candle cups. To attach the birdhouses to the chandelier, a small hole is drilled in the bottom of each birdhouse and Gorilla Glue is applied to the screw at the end of each chandelier arm and then the birdhouses are screwed on. The chandelier needed to light up at night so a package of patio umbrella solar lights are purchased. The way these lights Branch out from a Center Point made it easy to wrap each branch around one arm of the chandelier. After each chandelier arm was wrapped, the end of the light strands are stuck inside the birdhouses. Once that was done it was decided to go ahead and cut off the wood spindles which should have been done before it was started because wrapping the lights would have been so much easier.
To disguise the cords and dress up the chandelier, a wreath at the Amazon Clearance Center was acquired. It is cut apart and its stems were attached to the chandelier using zip ties that had actually come in the package of solar lights. They are attached to the chandelier arm just behind the birdhouses. Some small stems are also attached to the top of the chandelier. Now with the addition of the greenery the Chandelier looks pretty during the day and provides ambient light after dark. In addition to the chandelier some solar lights are always added to plant pots and this year it was desired to add some fairy lights to the patio in a very interesting way. A set of solar-powered rainfall fairy lights are acquired. The lights are run through the spout of a thrift store ceramic teapot and then using florist wire, the teapot handle is attached to some metal Decor that had already been hung. To make the lid look like it had fallen off of the teapot, it is wired to the metal wall decor too. The solar panel comes attached to a small stake so it is stuck in the planter just below the teapot and it looks magical at night.
There is a little pathway that was overgrown with grass and weeds so first it was cleaned up using an electric weed burner. To add some interest to the pathway a small gardening trowel is used to clear away some of the gravel and the top layer of dirt in a few small areas. A large bag of River Rocks at Home Depot was acquired. They are dumped out and sorted by color. Five larger rocks of the same color were chose to create flower petals and then one smaller rock in a different color for the center of the flower. The stones are pressed down into the dirt and then the smaller pea gravel is brushed back over the dirt. Some stones are also arranged in the shape of a butterfly. Some skinny stones are even located for the antenna. If it is desired for the stone shapes to stand out spread mulch around them instead of pea gravel.
A fairy door set was recently purchased. Instead of attaching it to a tree some Flex glue is used and it is adhered to house. The bottom of the door is also glued to a river rock to create a little stoop. A miniature birdhouse and some fencing in stash was located and those are stuck in the dirt on either side of the door. The plastic flower that came on the door was not desired so it was popped off and replaced with a little wreath that was made from some faux Greenery.
The look of a two-tiered planner is appealing but the price tag is not so it was decided to make one for much much cheaper. An old lampshade is located and all of the fabric is ripped off then the metal frame is spray painted with a couple coats of white spray paint. A terracotta pot is located that fit in the top of the lampshade perfectly then a pot that was the right size for the base of the lampshade is located. It sits on the rim of the pot but if a larger pot was accessible the lampshade could have sat inside on the dirt.
Here’s another idea for repurposing old lampshades for outdoor use remove the fabric and cover the frame with colorful clothesline going in circles around the shade. The Rope is wrapped around each metal rod as it is approached and then went to the next metal rod wrapped around it and went to the next metal rod and so forth. When the body of the shade was completely covered the clothesline is wrapped around the bottom metal circumference of the shade. If the desire is to use this as a unique lampshade you’d want to wrap the top metal circumference in the same way but because the desire was to use this as a basket planter the top was wrapped using the same technique as was had on the body of this shade. This created a base for the basket exactly two skeins of clothesline were used to cover this lampshade so this basket only costs two dollars and fifty cents.
