50 Incredible DIY Home Projects

If you have a stack of firewood, grab a couple pieces and a saw and make one of these simple firewood projects. Whether you make coasters, a stool or a shelf, you can create something in just a couple hours.

This super-simple potting bench will make your gardening projects much more enjoyable—and it’ll help you stay organized, too! Get the plans here.

Need outdoor seating in a hurry? This simple bench, based on author and ecologist Aldo Leopold’s classic design, can be constructed in a couple of hours, even if you are a novice woodworker. All it takes is two boards and 18 screws, for a cost of less than $25. You’ll find the simple how-to instructions here.

Have you ever wondered if you can stain pressure-treated wood? The answer is, yes. Here’s how!

Build this simple seating/planter/arbor project to create a quiet, private space in your yard or on a deck. It provides shade and comfort as well as a welcome screen from neighbors. You can install it on an existing patio or build it on your deck. Get the full plans for this arbor and benches here.

For large outdoor gatherings, copious seating is a necessity. This outdoor couch can fit several adults, and oversized arm rests act as end tables for drinks. Before getting started, you’ll want to pick up the cushions for the couch first; depending on their size, you can make any adjustments to the cut list necessary for the perfect fit. Once you have the cushions, all the materials you need can be found at local home centers. We used treated lumber, but you can splurge for a naturally rot-resistant wood like cedar or cypress. We’ve got the full plans here.

A fire table is a beautiful addition to your outdoor living space—and an invitation to gather around. It’s also a stylish centerpiece that gives you a great opportunity to showcase your DIY prowess. Click here to find out how to build it.

Combining woodworking, metalwork and tiling techniques, this Italianate tile-top table makes a lovely addition to any deck or patio.

The top is made from plywood, with mosaic tiles added for a Mediterranean feel. Adding the tiles is simple when you follow our expert tiling tips. The legs are hand-bent metal. Full instructions are given, but you’ll need to make a gig to ensure accurate shaping.

This is a straightforward DIY outdoor furniture project but it will take you several days. And the instructions tell you exactly what to complete each day. It will cost between $100 and $500.

 

Although it certainly doesn’t seem like it would be a quick project, this gorgeous concrete table-top builds faster than you’d think. And it’s an excellent introduction to working with finished concrete.

The longest part of forming a concrete top is building the form. But once you’ve mastered that skill the rest moves along easily. Working on a smaller scale—such as the coffee table shown here—allows you to put custom detailing into the DIY table while also providing your guests with a beautiful conversation piece on which to rest their drinks.

 

This beautiful faux marble table looks like stone, but has the strength and durability of concrete because you make it with Quikrete Countertop Mix. Learn how to make your own outdoor table as you follow along with the builder as he explains each step of the process.

If you’d like a more refined picnic table, one that will fit right in at a dinner party for adults as well as at an afternoon barbecue with the kids, here’s the design for you. The Craftsman style is timeless and no one has to sit with a table leg in their way. Learn how to make this table yourself with no nails or screws visible in the top.

Build this attractive, durable stone look-alike table in a day, using inexpensive concrete products available at many home centers. You simply mold and pour the top, then assemble the wooden legs. When sealed, it’s stain-resistant and can be used indoors or outside.

With simple design and elegant lines, this beautiful garden bench is the perfect place to sit and enjoy your backyard. And the design is strong and stable, and the curved seat adds a touch of originality to the look.

This DIY outdoor furniture project requires moderate skills, for example making biscuit joints with a biscuit joiner, although a router makes a good alternative if you don’t have a biscuit joiner.

This bench can be completed in a weekend, and costs between $100 and $500 to build, depending on your choice of wood.

This foldable outdoor chair is the perfect project for a complete beginner. And it boasts a very simple design, with a carrying handle cutout in the back for easy portability. Also it has an interlocking design where the seat fits into the back.

This project require mainly basic woodwork tools, although you’ll need a table saw and a belt sander for best results.

It costs $20 to $100 to make, depending on the wood you choose. The chair shown is made from cedar, but you could also use Cypress fir or pressure-treated wood.

You can make this easily in a day.

Sipping a cool drink in the shade of a patio umbrella is the ideal way to spend a hot afternoon. And this stylish umbrella table (and how to build a table story) will set your umbrella off beautifully and provide a stable base to avoid accidents when the wind picks up.

The base is made from plywood and No. 2 cedar, with the top made from knot-free cedar or pressure-treated deck boards. And the cost varies depending on your materials.

You’ll need moderate skills to complete this project. For example, using pocket screws and operating a miter saw, but you should be able to finish it over a weekend.

 

This Adirondack chair and matching love seat are designed for outdoor comfort. It’s one of the wood projects designed for easy assembly, so that a novice can build them. And you can build them from inexpensive, durable wood that, once stained, looks beautiful.

Learn how to make an Adirondack Chair and Love Seat.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have all your gardening tools and supplies in one handy location? This pine hutch holds long-handled tools like shovels, rakes and hoes on one side, and smaller tools and supplies on shelves on the other side. Follow these simple project plans to build this good-looking garden hutch.

The design of this shaker style coat and mitten rack is easy to build with butt joints connected by screws that get hidden by wooden screw-hole buttons and wood plugs. The coat and mitten rack mounts easily to the wall with screws driven through the hidden hanging strip on the back. The five large Shaker pegs are great for holding hats, umbrellas and coats, and the hinged-hatch door at the top keeps the clutter of gloves and scarves from view. And you can build this project in a few hours, with an additional hour to apply a finish.

To learn how to build this project and construction drawings click here.

Build this handy stool in one hour and park it in your closet. You can also use it as a step to reach the high shelf. All you need is a 4 x 4-ft. sheet of 3/4-in. plywood, wood glue and a handful of 8d finish nails. Cut the plywood pieces according to the illustration. Spread wood glue on the joints, then nail them together with 8d finish nails. First nail through the sides into the back. Then nail through the top into the sides and back. Finally, mark the location of the two shelves and nail through the sides into the shelves. Don’t have floor space to spare? Build these super simple wall-mounted shoe organizers instead!

The steel cable and shaft collars add style and strength to this bookshelf. Build this simple set of book or display shelves in a single weekend. They’re strong and stylish. By changing materials or finishes you can easily customize them to fit the décor of any room.

Get the project plans here.

Strong, quick to build, no visible supports and made from only two parts!

These shelves are handsome, easy to build and inexpensive. And they’re strong even though they have no visible supports. They appear to float on the wall, no clunky hardware or brackets. We made them from only two parts—half of a hollow core door and a 2×4.

Get the project plans here.

Nightstands are just not big enough for everything: lamp, alarm clock, phone, photos of your kids … so books, magazines, your tablet or your cup of tea ends up on the floor. This shelf unit gives you about 10 times more space for decorative and essential stuff. And its dazzling design will transform your room. Best of all, it’s easy to build with basic tools.

Get the project plans here.

No complex wood joints, no tricky techniques—simply glue, screw and nail the parts together. Learn how to use inexpensive materials like birch plywood and standard trim to build this classic, built-in wooden bookcase.

Get the project plans here.

This built-in Mission Oak bookcase features loads of shelf space, vertical grain wood, solid oak construction and a design that can be easily altered to fit your room.

Get the project plans here.

Create this distinctive display shelf in minutes! Make this twig furniture style shelf from all-natural materials. Just cut the supports from branches, screw on a shelf, attach it to the wall and you’re done!

Get the project plans here.

Plus: How to hang shelves.

Build this simple pine bookshelf in one day with a miter saw, biscuits—and a young helper. It’s a great way to teach your son or daughter about woodworking and tool use.

Get the project plans here.

This stylish but sturdy shelf unit will neatly hold your stuff – and you can build it in a day. The shelves are tough enough to hold books, while its whimsical look makes it a perfect addition to almost any room. It’s a great woodworking project to give as a gift or use in your own home.

Get the project plans here.

As far as built-in bookshelves go, this is one of the easiest projects to build yourself. We used basic building techniques and cabinets from a home center to make the construction as simple as possible. But despite its simplicity, the shelves have a custom-built look that will enhance any room.

Get the project plans here.

In one weekend morning you can build this wall cabinet for your books. Pull out your table saw and we’ll show you how to build a simple, sturdy wall-mount cabinet.

Get the project plans here.

Box shelves are inexpensive, easy to make and highly versatile. You can build a bunch for less than $100! Make the combination of sizes and depths you need for any room, from the living room to the laundry. Box construction techniques are always the same.

Get the project plans here.

his versatile cherry shelf goes together in a few hours, and with a quick-drying finish you can have it on the wall in a day. The extra-wide top makes it perfect for books, antiques and collectibles.

Build it before lunch—spray on the finish after dinner.

Get the project plans here.

A wall-bed combination or drop-down bed helps save a lot of room in a tight basement, so consider installing this Murphy bed and bookcase. It’s one of many great basement bedroom ideas. Further, a Murphy bed can be super simple: Some are just an upright box that contains a folddown bed. But this is a deluxe version because it includes ample storage.

Get the full project instructions here.

A veteran woodworker and a beginner team up to build a classic bookcase. Craftsman-style furniture designs are still popular today, and with modern tools you can build a bookcase like this classic from the Stickley catalog in a weekend.

Get the project plans here.

This built-in entertainment center mixes architectural simplicity with a pop of color to make it stand out. To create this showstopper of a bookcase in your home, check out the complete DIY how-to instructions check out the complete DIY how-to instructions here.

Build a display shelf over the door to show off your knick knacks, books or to add storage space to a small room. As a bonus, if you increase the height and depth of the “box” that forms the core of each shelf, these shelves can double as valances for window curtains or blinds.

Need a great-looking bookshelf with classic lines by tomorrow? Using clever shortcuts and standard materials, you can build a bookshelf like this in a day.

Get the project plans here.

A floor-to-ceiling bookcase shows off a small room’s height while adding a lot of space-saving vertical storage. Click here to get detailed plans for building this Greek Revival-style wood bookcase.

Organize the clutter. These simple, but handsome, box shelves will store books, hats, shoes, and all kinds of knick-knacks. You can even sit on them!

Get the project plans here.

You can easily create a hidden storage space that is concealed with a bookcase. When you need to get into the space, just pull the bookcase out and then push it back to hide your treasures when you are finished. Plus: How to build a bookcase

Use this project for built-in shelves to unlock hidden storage space between the studs in your walls. Install a single, open box of shelves, or install two boxes and add a set of glass doors to make a cabinet.

Get the project plans here.

We wanted to design a shelf that anyone with basic tools could build. This shelf is a great project for a beginning woodworker, and since it’s so easy to adapt to different uses, a more advanced DIYer can have a lot of fun customizing it.

Get the project plans here.

This modular masterpiece is a stunning wall unit that’s infinitely flexible-customize it to suit your space and your stuff.

Back when I was just starting out in my first apartment, I piled up milk crates to store all my worldly goods. It was a simple idea, and it worked like a charm. Fast-forward many years: Faced with a need to store and display lots more stuff, I made plywood boxes in two sizes and mixed them up, adding doors to some and painting the inside backs of others the same color as my wall. The result was a stunning showcase that’s adaptable to any situation and includes useful storage space.

Get the project plans here.

 

It’s shelving, storage, a desk and work surface combined! Make your own stackable shelves. A simple shop-made jig makes this project simple to build and a snap to assemble.

Get the project plans here.

Cut a hallow PVC fence post ($8 at home centers) to the length of your bookshelf and push it to the back of the shelf. This creates a second tier for paperback storage, doubling the number of books you can put on display.

For more handy hints click here.

Rustic barn doors have become popular recently and we’ve got the plans to create your own rustic barn door. Getting that distressed look is one of those DIY home projects that can be done without spending a lot of money and still looks great.

Who doesn’t love a tree house? It’s the perfect place to let your imagination run wild and you can do so by checking out some tree house plans. Build your little getaway for your kids or yourself.

If you have a miter saw and some boards laying around, then you can make this enjoyable backyard game. It can be great for tailgating before football games as well. Check out how to build a backyard Jenga game.

These end tables fall on the higher end of difficulty for DIY home projects but if you’re up to the challenge they’ll be pretty rewarding. Create your own take on Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s design with our plans.

A dual purpose step stool like this flip flop step stool is perfect to have around the house for little kids to help them reach places like the sink and counters. It’s one of the handier DIY home projects you can do. Plus, it works as a little chair for them. Find out how to build a flip flop step stool.

Pour a cup of coffee instantly with this DIY pour over coffee maker. It’s one of those DIY home projects sure to perk you up. With a handful of tools, this project can be completed quickly and inexpensively.

A porch swing is one of those DIY home projects perfect for a first-time DIYer and with our easy-to-follow plans, you can get it done for your home. Pick some knot-free boards and get cutting.