18 Outstanding One-Day Backyard Projects

Fold-Up Grill Table

After building this collapsible cedar table, your family will wonder how they ever grilled without it. The legs nest under the top for quick storage or carrying to all kinds of other jobs, indoors or out. Learn how to build this handy companion for your barbecue that collapses for easy storage.

DIY Wood Workbench

This DIY workbench is simple enough and cheap enough that you can make it in a morning, and yet it’s big enough for serious woodworking and hobby projects. Add pegboard, a bench vise and a few other accessories and you’ll have a serious work center.

Storage Bench

This outdoor storage bench is a place to tuck a bag of charcoal, stick a pair of work shoes, hide an extension cord or watering can and hey, you can even sit and take a breather on it, too. Even if you’ve never taken on a woodworking project, you can build this bench. You can never have enough storage space, especially on a deck or patio, so learn how to build this outdoor project storage bench.

A-Frame Picnic Table

Here’s a great-looking, sturdy picnic table that’s strong enough to support eight or more bulky NFL linemen, even after a pregame feast. This A-frame picnic table is easy to build and inexpensive because it’s made from construction-grade Douglas fir lumber. And this isn’t a project that’ll take weeks to build. You can buy the lumber, build the table, and apply the finish all in one day. Here’s the how-to.

Space-Saving Tool Holder

If you are constantly contending with backyard-tool clutter, this handy holder is just the ticket. It’s a great way to organize your rakes, shovels and other long-handled tools. Organize your gardening tools in an afternoon! Get inspired by these DIY garage storage projects.

Timber Bench

Building this timber bench is surprisingly fast. If you have some experience with power tools, you’ll have it built in just a few hours, though staining it may add a couple of hours more. You can build it with just a drill/driver, circular saw and basic hand tools, but you’ll get faster, better results if you also have a router and a random orbit sander. Here’s how to build a timber bench.

Stone-Top Patio Table

Tile makes an instant tabletop that’s easy, inexpensive and durable. This project is simple enough for a beginner to build and is inexpensive. Tile stores carry a wide selection of beautiful stone tile. And that’s the inspiration for this table. We chose a slate tile, but you’ll also find granite, limestone and marble tiles. You could also use manufactured tile, though the edges may not match the face of the tile.

Stair-Step Plant Display

If you’re as hungry for spring as we are, maybe this simple plant stand will help. You build it from boards that are cut into just two lengths, stacked into squares and nailed together. You’ll only need seven 8-ft. long 1x2s, exterior wood glue and a few dozen galvanized 4d finish nails. We used cedar for its looks and its longevity outside, but any wood will do. Build this handsome, durable plant stand in one morning.

Pint-Sized Water Gardens

These pint-sized water gardens are extremely low-maintenance. Top them off with water before you go on vacation, and they’re still beautiful when you come home. Container water gardens are inexpensive and easy to build, too.

Planter Box for Your Deck Railing

Got leftover wood? Try this compact project for making your own planter box . It takes about a day to build and you don’t need a lot of woodworking skills to give it a try. Here are a few more DIY planter boxes that make for a great one-day backyard project.

A Paver Path That Grows

Weave this Trustone paver path just about anywhere in your yard. There’s no thick base to install or difficult cutting and fitting; you just lay the stone over a simple dirt bed and lay sod squares. This easy-to-build paver path will last a lifetime and looks great, too!

Add Color to Treated Wood

If you want to apply a colored finish to new furniture, choose one that you can renew fairly easily, because no finish is likely to last more than three to five years. We recommend either a semi-transparent or a solid exterior stain. The solids will protect the wood longer than the semi-transparent stains.

Back-Stoop Boot Scraper

Build a Compost Bin

Why not turn your yard waste into yard gold by building this compost bin? You can build it now, then start your compost pile this fall with leaves, end-of-the-season garden plants and some grass clippings. (Leave most of the clippings on the lawn to return nitrogen to the grass as they decompose.) This “log cabin” bin will keep your compost pile from becoming an eyesore.

Garden Archway

You can make this metal garden arch trellis from just $25 of steel rebar. And you won’t have to weld a thing. We’ll show you how to bend the arches and attach the decorative circles with wire. When you’re done, cover it with climbing plants for an attractive addition to your garden.

A Gazebo for the Birds

This fly-through gazebo-style bird feeder has a simple yet attractive “hatbox” design. The materials for the gazebo for the birds are all available at local home centers. It only takes part of an afternoon to build, without any fancy tools. If you want, you can build several assembly-line style

Entertaining Squirrel Feeder

This feeder provides an unusually clear view of the squirrels that frequent it, because the bold critters actually climb inside the feed jar to eat! This entertaining squirrel feeder requires only a minimum of materials. All that’s needed is a 6-ft. fence board, a handful of screws and a 1-gallon glass jar. If you don’t have the glass jar, or don’t want to eat a year’s supply of pickles to build this feeder, ask local restaurants, schools or other establishments that buy food in bulk if they have a jar to spare.

Build a Bluebird House

Bluebird populations declined during the first half of the last century as habitat loss and the introduction of “pest” bird species claimed many of the bluebird’s natural nesting sites. Now, however, bluebirds are making a dramatic comeback, thanks to thousands of dedicated folks who have put up bluebird nesting boxes. Here’s how to build one for your yard.

FAQ

What kind of finish should I use on DIY furniture?

“Oil-based finishes tend to be more forgiving for beginners,” Niemela says. “They give a richer color and soak in slowly so you have time to fix mistakes. Water-based ones dry faster, which is tricky when your brush control is shaky. I like a satin polyurethane if you are going for clean and classic.” And when it comes to application? Niemela recommends applying at two coats minimum, sanding in between with 220-grit, and do not skip the tack cloth.

Do I need a workshop to build furniture?

Yes, if you’d like to up your odds of success. “If someone is dead set on building or restoring furniture, taking a class is actually more about learning what not to do,” Niemela says. “It trains your eye to spot warping, weak joints and wood flaws before they ruin hours of effort. In fact, two hours of hands-on instruction saves at least two ruined pieces and $150 worth of botched materials. You do not need a certificate. You need reps under someone who knows what failure looks like before you get there. That kind of shortcut is worth every dollar!”

Expert

Danny Niemela is the Vice President and CFO at ArDan Construction, a luxury home remodeling company in Scottsdale, Arizona. As a professional home designer and remodeler, Danny has been leading high-end kitchen, bathroom, and whole-home remodels since 2007. He is also the current Board Chairman and former President of the Greater Phoenix Chapter of National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI).