Looking for some fun, new DIY outdoor woodworking projects to build this season?
You’re in the right place! Whether you’re wanting to outfit your patio with outdoor furniture, upgrade your garden with planters, or make it more convenient to grill out, you’ll find a project for that below.
Over the years, some of my all time favorite projects have been for the backyard, patio, garden, or porch. So while summertime isn’t really my favorite (I prefer the autumn vibes), I do always look forward to the weather getting warmer because that means it’s outdoor project season!
I’ve shared some of my top outdoor picks plus some helpful tips to consider when building for exterior use in the post below. I hope they inspire you to get outside and get building!
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What type of wood should you build outdoor projects with?
Untreated pine is the most budget friendly option to build with, but I personally don’t recommend it for outdoor projects unless it’s going to be under cover (like on a covered porch).
It can last several seasons outdoors if properly finished (sealed and/or painted) and kept under cover, but will deteriorate quickly if exposed to a lot of sun and moisture.
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One of the great things about untreated pine, though, is that it is inexpensive and readily available. So it’s not a major investment even if you do have to replace your project every couple of years.
Pressure treated wood is another budget friendly option and is intended for use outdoors. It will last a long while even when exposed to the elements. However, it’s heavy and is treated with chemicals you may not want to handle.
It’s a great option for furniture and fencing, but you may not want to use it for vegetable gardens or raised beds you’ll be eating out of.
Cedar, red wood, and teak are all naturally decay and insect resistant wood options that look really nice. But, that comes with a price tag. These wood types can be quite expensive and sometimes hard to find depending on where you live.
So when building for outdoors, consider your budget, availability, and the pros and cons of each option before choosing your wood type.
Don’t forget when building outdoor projects–make sure the hardware (screws), glue and finish you use are rated for exterior use.
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DIY Outdoor Projects for the Garden
It doesn’t matter whether you’re starting from scratch, or looking to upgrade, these fun builds are perfect for the garden!
Raised Garden Beds
The great thing about raised garden beds is that it’s a simple and inexpensive way to start a garden even if you have limited space.
They can come in all shapes and sizes depending on what you’d like to grow. When we decided to grow cucumbers in our garden, I built these raised beds with an arbor trellis between them.
The trellis gave the cucumber vines plenty of room to spread out and grow, and we still had room inside the beds to plant other things like tomatoes and squash!
But if you’re looking for a simpler or smaller garden bed idea, this simple DIY raised garden bed was made from inexpensive pine 2x boards and can be made in under an hour.
The optional trellis is fun to customize with any design you’d like, but you can skip adding it and just leave more room for larger plants to spread out–like pumpkins or watermelons.
DIY Garden Arbor
Whether you’re growing flowers, vegetables, or fruits, a garden arbor is a great way to let your plants spread out (or spread up, I guess).
But even if you don’t have anything to grow around it, you can use it to break up a fence and make it an entrance to the back yard. This simple arbor is a quick build and I’m sharing the plans for this garden arbor both with AND without a gate here.
DIY Enclosed Garden
If wildlife is a problem where you are, an enclosed garden might be the solution! A few years ago, we planted several berry bushes and some grapevines.
But as you can see in the photo, we have a lot of nearby woods and the deer, rabbits and squirrels are frequent visitors. So I built an enclosed garden fence to keep the critters out.
So far, so good–we’ve had zero problems with animals getting into our fruit since we built it. Plus–it’s beautiful! Check out how to build your own enclosed garden here.
Easy to Build Outdoor Furniture Projects
Whether you need seating for the porch, a place to set drinks on the patio, or a table for the deck, these outdoor furniture projects have been fan favorites over the years.
A porch swing bed is the perfect place to relax on a summer afternoon or to drink your coffee in the mornings.
To keep things simple, I designed the DIY porch swing bed plans to be made in either a crib or a twin size, so you can use an inexpensive foam mattress for the cushion!
Or if a hammock is more your style, this unique hammock stand offers both privacy and a bit of cover.
Grab the plans to build a floating deck hammock stand here.
Gather around the fire pit in a classic Adirondack chair. This modern take on a long-time favorite is lightweight so you can carry it from the porch to the yard, if needed.
Build a few to share with your friends at your next summer hang out. Check out the plans to build your own modern Adirondack chair here.
Looking for a simple way to add some seating to your garden or small porch? This planter bench is a fun way to add some greenery and seating without taking up a lot of floorspace!
Grab the plans to build a simple DIY planter bench here.
Invite your friends over for dinner outside at this trestle table with benches. A simple, but sturdy design provides the perfect place to gather and enjoy grilled burgers while watching the sun set.
Build your own outdoor dining table and benches with these plans.
DIY Outdoor Furniture Collection
This matching outdoor furniture collection has a little of everything! The sturdy, modern, and sophisticated design makes the chair, loveseat, or sofa a cozy place to hang out. Plus, you can add a matching side or coffee table to complete the set.
If you prefer to print, grab the 5 piece outdoor furniture collection printable plan bundle here.
Or you can check out the individual pieces here:
And if sectionals are your thing, this matching set includes two different styles–an L shaped sectional sofa (shown below) or a chaise sectional.
Mix and match the pieces to customize your own design. Grab the modular sectional printable plans here.
And finally, one of my favorite pieces to the matching set–the chaise lounge. This is the perfect place for lounging on the deck or by the pool.
Build your own DIY chunky chaise lounge chair with plans here.
DIY Outdoor Décor Ideas
Simple and stylish, these quick projects can add outdoor charm to any space. Even better–many of them can be made from scraps!
These simple arched outdoor lanterns are my all time favorite scrap wood project! They’re SO cute and only take a few minutes to build. Mix and match sizes and stain colors to add some adorable décor (and solar lighting!) to your gathering space this season.
Learn how to build these simple arched lanterns here.
I know we have been focused on summer, but pumpkin season will follow shortly and this little wooden wheelbarrow is such a fun project to build to display your picks.
Or, if you’re more of a flower person, fill it with your favorites all spring and summer long.
Whether you need a potting bench, a grilling cart, or an outdoor cart for entertaining and drinks, this one fits the bill.
Grab the plans to build a versatile garden cart here.
While they’re perfect for mums in the fall, they’re also perfect for ferns in the summer and mini trees in the winter.
These adorable X trim planter boxes are a year round favorite that I love to keep on each side of my front door!
DIY Projects for Outdoor Grilling
Summertime is grilling time and if you’re looking for something to make grilling out a little more convenient, here are a couple projects that can help.
This mobile cart is pretty large, so it provides extra work surface to prep, grill, and serve from, but is easy to roll out of the way when not needed.
The shelf below provides space for charcoal, ice, drinks and whatever else you may need to make the most of your grill out.
The best part? You can make it with just a few basic tools! Grab the mobile grill cart plans here.
If you’ve got a ceramic grill (or two!) this mobile grill cart is designed for it to be built in, plus provides worksurface for prepping your food and storage below and inside for accessories and more.
And–it’s on wheels so you can easily move it as needed. Grab the ceramic grill cart plans here.
How should you seal outdoor projects?
When you build a piece of furniture for use outdoors, you want to make sure it’s properly protected from weather damage from sun, rain, and snow.
For outdoor furniture, I recommend using an outdoor stain and sealant combo (these are often referred to as deck stains).
These come in a wide variety of brands, colors, and opacities. Thompson’s Water Seal, Olympic, Cabot, Valspar are all common outdoor stain and sealant brands you can find readily available in the big box store or local hardware stores.
Most of the options you see available off the shelf come in a clear transparent, a tinted transparent, a tinted semi-transparent, and a tinted solid.
Basically anything with a tint is a stain and sealant all-in-one and the “less transparent” you go, the more protection it provides. Solids provide more protection than transparent. However, transparent allows you to see the wood grain more.
So choosing one is mostly based on how you want it to look and how often you want to reapply. Transparent stains will need to be reapplied more often than solids. But, none of these products will last forever, so be prepared to reapply every 2-5 years regardless.
Once water no longer beads up on the surface, it’s time for another coat.
To apply/re-apply, make sure to read to manufacturer’s instructions as applications will vary brand to brand. In most cases, there’s no need to follow up with a clear coat or any additional sealant since this is already built into the stain.
NOTE: If you are staining an OUTDOOR project, you CAN use an indoor stain as long as you cover it with an exterior rated sealant. However, both are likely to fade over time and will need to be refinished often.
Looking for more outdoor project ideas?
If you’re hunting for more even DIY outdoor projects you can build this season, I got you!
Check out the full list of all of our outdoor DIYs here!
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Until next time, friends, happy building!
