20 of the Best DIY Patio Furniture Projects
Some of the very best outdoor furniture designs and trends increasingly favor unique personal touches rather than the complex and contemporary. If you’re interested in adding a degree of originality to your patio furniture but you lack the budget to buy your dream furniture, these 20 DIY patio furniture projects should inspire you to repurpose to your heart’s content.
Turn Delivery Pallets Into Vibrant Outdoor Social Spaces
If you’ve been left some pallets by a delivery driver, make them part of your next DIY patio furniture project. This Hometalker used a variety of wooden pallets to create a beautiful patio seating area that is super colorful and social to host family and friends. Even the DIY outdoor table was made out of pallets, with wheels fitted for easy transportation. A start-pallet sectional base was used to keep things nice and sturdy. The colorful pillows were machine-sewn using outdoor fabric. Get tutorial here
This Dazzling DIY Patio Furniture Required Paint and a Little Elbow Grease
s your outdoor patio furniture faded and dated, but you don’t have the funds to replace them outright for the summer? This Hometalker gave their existing patio furniture a fresh look using only ready-mixed chalk paint. Using a Krud Kutter, she stripped the frames of the furniture with “nasties” and rust before spray painting using Rustoleum paint. The cushions were then patterned and painted using vibrant chalk style paint. Get tutorial here
DIY Corner Bench With Built-In Table
This front patio was in serious need of a makeover, so Hometalker Pinspired to DIY opted to build her own corner bench. It is the perfect spot to display seasonal decor or to set your coffee mug on a lazy Sunday morning. After building the frame and cutting the legs for the bench, she attached the legs to the inside of the frame using wood glue and exterior wood screws. The corner table was attached to make up the corner of the frame. The frame and legs were sprayed with Rustoleum Heirloom White paint while the bench was stained with Minwax Dark Walnut stain. Get tutorial here
Easy Transformation of Used Wicker Outdoor Patio Furniture
This wicker patio set was still in great condition but it didn’t suit our Hometalker's personality or taste. After being inspired by some outdoor patio cushions that she’d seen in-store last year, they opted to transform her wicker furniture using Rustoleum all-in-one paint and primer, turning the weathered brown resin wicker into a deep, rich teal color. The paint took just an hour to dry before a second coat could be applied, making it an easy weekend project. Get tutorial here
Creating a Stained Glass Feature Out of Patio Furniture Clearance Items
Alicia W found this cute glass-topped patio table at a flea market for just $5. Although she liked its height, it was too plain and lacked personality. The table itself was in reasonably good condition and just needed a clean-up from the rust and dirt it had accumulated over the years. They then proceeded to stencil a bold, orange sun on the glass top as a stained glass feature, creating a showstopping patio accessory. Get tutorial here
How to Get That Fun Ice Cream Parlor Look for Your Patio Furniture
This laid-back coastal theme can transform your back yard by giving your patio furniture an ice cream parlor makeover. If you have young children that want a fun garden to play and explore, this ice cream parlor look is guaranteed to put smiles on faces. Sue @ Housekaboodle made the tabletop herself but repainted the two wrought iron sweetheart chairs that she purchased from a garage sale years ago. Once again, the Rustoleum Seaside Blue paint made an appearance. Get tutorial here
Building a New Patio Table from an Old One
Hometalker Lydia desperately wanted a patio table to wrap around a pergola post, so she decided to build one from scratch. Lydia and her husband bought a second-hand patio table that was promptly cut in half to fit around the pergola post, before being put back together. They used leftover wall and floor tiles from other home improvement projects to add a mosaic tabletop. Once the thin set was dry on the tiles, it was grouted using bathroom grout to future proof the mosaic design and weather-proof it against the outside elements. Get tutorial here
Turning Old Patio Furniture Into a French Rustic Café Space
These new homeowners had to settle for their tired '90s patio furniture, with a definite DIY twist. This hand-me-down outdoor patio set lacked character and a personal touch. These Hometalkers eventually opted to redefine the table with a new wooden tabletop and black spray painted chairs to create a new French-style café scene in their very own back yard. The tabletop was stained and sealed, with a hole cut for a charming striped umbrella. Get tutorial here
DIY Dual-Purpose Lounger and Bench
Hometalker, Zac Builds opted to build wooden deck furniture that acted as a comfy lounger whilst offering ample seating space. Zac decided to create a new piece of dual-purpose outdoor patio furniture that could offer comfy, relaxed seating for one or practical seating for a group of four. He assembled the frames and the structure of the lounger-cum-bench before cladding it with 22" long 5/4 boards. To create the lounger, Zac added a garden gate hinge to keep the end of the bench in an upright position for lounging. Get tutorial here
Ombre Paint Styles Create Calming Coastal Vibes for Your Back Yard
The ombre painting style cleverly blends and fuses complementary colors together to create a calming effect. Mary conducted her own DIY patio furniture project to try and cover her tired bistro set in various shades of blue, creating a cool coastal theme. Her handheld electric sander made working off the rust and dust a breeze, ensuring a perfectly smooth surface. She then combined Ocean Mist, Seaside and Light Turquoise Rustoleum gloss paint to the table and chairs. Get tutorial here
Get That Vintage Bistro Look Just Five Cans of Rustoleum Later
This vintage bistro set looks like it has been airlifted out of a French vineyard after its recent DIY makeover. HoopHaslt was another lifelong fan of wrought iron outdoor living furniture. This vintage bistro set was purchased at auction and then refurbished using a vibrant red Rustoleum. Instead of using outdoor fabric as a seat cover, this Hometalker opted to create classic wooden seats out of cedar decking, with curved comfy slats. Get tutorial here
Six-Seater DIY Wooden Patio Table Built in Three Hours
Hometalker Karen opted to build a six-seater wooden patio table one weekend with her husband, costing less than $100. After buying the wood and supplies, they sanded down all the wood by hand and successfully but the frame and tabletop together within a few hours. Karen picked a beautiful dark Varathane stain that was touch dry within one hour. The stain has weather-proofed the wood for the summer season at a fraction of the cost of a brand-new six-seater patio table and chairs from a retailer. Get tutorial here
Redefine Rusty Iron Outdoor Patio Furniture Using Spray Paint and a Wire Brush
Tara @ Lehman Lane had no budget for new outdoor patio furniture and had to be creative with what they had. Their next door neighbor had kindly asked if they would help them put some tired patio furniture in the trash, but Tara insisted that she would take the set off her hands for their new bricked patio. After sanding off the peeling paint and rust, she got creative with spray paint to bring this vintage patio set back to life using just six cans and less than $50. Get tutorial here
Stenciled Plexiglass Tabletop for an Outdoor Patio Table
This old patio table and chairs were in desperate need of a transformation and this Maloca stencil did the job. Hometalk user Vicki Rogers thought the Maloca stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils would look effective on the table’s Plexiglass top. The table frame and chairs were sprayed with aged copper metallic paint before focusing on the tabletop. She stenciled the circle onto the tabletop before loading a 2” foam roller with metallic craft paint to roll over the stencil, lifting each corner carefully to check the color. Get tutorial here
This DIY Patio Furniture Has Breathed New Life Into This Vintage Glider
Last summer, Bonnie discovered a vintage glider and chairs for sale for only a fraction of the cost of Lowe's patio furniture. The glider was in relatively good structural condition but had a little rust. The glider and the chairs were taken apart and sandblasted before being primed and painted. Each piece of furniture also had new nuts, bolts and washers fitted to ensure longevity. The contrasting yellow and white paint helped to accentuate the wonderful basket-weave patterns. Get tutorial here
Rewoven Outdoor Patio Furniture for That Boho Appearance
These wooden patio chairs were destined for the landfill, but the bamboo frame was sturdy - they just needed reweaving. After cutting the seat and removing heaps of upholstery staples, Hometalker Zest it Up was able to get to work. A coat of varnish was applied to the bamboo frame and then it was time to get down to reweaving. She wore gloves to avoid unwanted rope burn and opted for a horizontal weave, saving the traditional weave for each chair’s seat. Get tutorial here
From Pallets to Pretty Outdoor Patio Furniture
After being challenged to make DIY patio furniture out of three pallets, this was the outcome for Caroline. This Hometalker was able to make not only a bench and table but another chair and even a small wine holder from all the pallet wood; creating fun, characterful items that you just couldn't get from Lowe's patio furniture. The furniture was painted, and the tabletop saw the creation of a noughts and crosses board. The bench required one entire pallet, as well as four pieces of 2 x 2 to use as sturdy legs. Get tutorial here
DIY Patio Furniture Stencil Transforms This Weathered IKEA Table
This IKEA table had seen better days with too much moisture and sun leaving it weathered. After cleaning the table from top to bottom, Hometalk contributor Yolanda used black glazing paint to coat the table once. After letting it dry overnight, she opted for a motif stencil that acted as the centerpiece for her stylish table. After spray painting the stencil onto the tabletop, she painted to coats of clear gloss for a luxurious sheen to help the table cope with the elements better too. Get tutorial here
Drop Sheet Outdoor Patio Furniture Makeover Adds Back Yard Beach Vibes
If you can't find ready-made seat cushions that you like for your outdoor patio furniture, make them yourself! Hometalker Joanne Miller decided to use some lateral thinking and make her own cushion covers. After purchasing a canvas drop sheet, a small roller, two sample pots of Dulux paint and some glycerol, she got to work with creating these coastal-style cushion covers. A Hawaiian-style bamboo runner and some rustic lanterns helped complete the beachside look for her patio. Get tutorial here
Turning a Sad, Distressed Table Into a Bold Mosaic Garden Table
Hometalker Natasha failed to appreciate the importance of looking after her patio furniture in winter until it was too late. The top of her garden table had crumbled badly due to years of neglect, so she opted to try her luck at renewing the top herself rather than buying a brand-new table. Once removing all the rust, dirt and grease she repainted the tabletop and chairs black. Her chosen tiles were smashed using a hammer and then the pieces were laid out and grouted and buffed. Get tutorial here
