Your dream patio is just within reach—and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Going the DIY route, you can build everything you need for a stylish outdoor oasis you’ll want to lounge in all day long. Find ways to cut costs, design quality handmade furniture, and learn basic construction methods.
While building your patio furniture might seem tedious at first, you would be surprised at how easy some of these projects are. Not only will they upgrade and reinvigorate your space, but they also make for a fun, creative activity that will hone your construction chops—from the DIY connoisseur to the novice woodworker.
Below, you’ll find plans for seating such as benches and sofas, small-scale to grand tables, and recreational additions to amp up the relaxation, like a porch swing and minibar. Here are 42 ideas to get you started on creating your very own open-air sanctuary.
#1. Easy Lounging Sofa
Seating is a must when it comes to building an outdoor space. A patio sofa can be constructed almost entirely out of pallets. The cushions are made from foam and covered with a drop cloth as a finishing touch. It’s casual, a breeze to maintain, and can spruce up a corner depending on your desired shape. As a bonus, use any leftover square pallets to create a mini coffee table to complete the area.
#2. Reclaimed Wood Patio Farm Table
Don’t let a small space limit you from having a well-decorated patio. This plan takes an existing compact table and upgrades it with reclaimed wood from pallets to the top. The outcome is a beautiful farmhouse-inspired table that’s just the right size. It still accommodates room for movement and other furniture in a limited area. Use it as a workspace or warm up in the morning as an alfresco breakfast nook with your favorite coffee.
#3. Outdoor Side Table
Big or small, every space needs a side table. It’s handy to set food and drinks down for gatherings or double down on décor as a chic plant stand. This plan is an alternative to bulky end tables and is incredibly affordable and beginner-friendly, with only a 2×4 size to build. Finish yours with vibrant paint for a pop of color, or make more in different shades to serve as extra seating when you have guests over.
#4. Coffee Table and Sofa Combo
A good conversation space isn’t complete without the sofa and coffee table duo. Start your patio makeover by building this bench combo in two sizes. The large sofa is sizable enough to seat several guests and decorated well with cushions and pillows. At the same time, the small but wide table accommodates enough items like food and ambiance-enhancing knick-knacks. The best part? The sides of the bench can serve as drink holders. Make sure to weather-proof both furniture with the right treatments to withstand any condition.
#5. Patio Umbrella Stand
Spending balmy days in the shade is the best when the weather warms up, but as soon as temperatures decline, everyone with an umbrella in their backyard can relate to the struggle of keeping it from flying off from harsh winds. Good stands often come at a hefty price, so this stabilizer is cost-effective if you’re on a budget. It relies on a planter and PVC pipe to hold the umbrella in place, which, you might be surprised, is very durable. Coordinate everything together by choosing a planter that matches your outdoor furniture’s style to double as an accent.
#6. Mid-Century Slatted Bench
Mid-century design is a timeless aesthetic that you can apply indoors and outdoors. This slatted wood bench looks strikingly contemporary and would look great on a patio, deck, or even a gazebo. Its materials are 1×4 pine boards secured with wood glue for a polished, stacked look. Expect to be wowed at how it looks straight out of a catalog, especially when set against dark walls and greenery. Make it unique with paint or keep the wood in tip-top shape with treatments.
#7. Porch Swing
One element we all look for in a patio is its homey ambiance. Step up the relaxation by adding a porch swing to your setup. This project is a bit more challenging but still approachable for beginners who have tried their hand at building simple furniture. It uses just one 2×4 piece of wood, rope, and a few pieces of hardware to make it work. You can even repurpose wood from an old bench to build it—talk about cost-efficient!
#8. Coffee Table With Planter
Who doesn’t love multi-purpose furniture? This unique outdoor coffee table checks all the boxes for a functional and stylish accent to your patio, and it does dual work with shelves and a plant stand to show off your green thumb. The asymmetrical design matches well with a modern mid-century home. It is the perfect size to pair with L-shaped sectionals for roomy conversation areas or as a centerpiece on quaint decks.
#9. Modular Bench With Storage
Perfect for conversation spaces—this modular bench offers ample room for seating and storage. It’s a simple build that costs less than $200 and would go well with a shaded patio. It’s convenient for smaller spaces, too, with the bench doubling as a secret stash under the seat. Building two allows an L-shaped setup to serve as a table for snacks and refreshments.
#10. Outdoor Bar
What better way to utilize all that patio space than to add your bar? It gives a similar feel to an outdoor kitchen for a portion of the price and calls for much less space. The bar’s base is constructed from wood and has a complete half shelf for bottles, glassware, and storage. The concrete top gives it an industrial touch and is convenient for BBQ parties to set beside your grill. It’s a bit more challenging to build, but this will better sort out your outdoor parties.
11. 2-in-1 Coffee Table
This outdoor coffee table has a secret. More than being a nice functional centerpiece, it also tucks in four small side tables that can make for more table space. This table is super helpful when you’re lounging with a couple of guests and need to set things down. Stash the side tables back inside once done. Expect to impress after you’ve built this multitasker.
12. Rustic Sofa
Now that you’ve acquainted yourself with pallets and their magical DIY nature, this farmhouse sofa should be a breeze to make. The wood used to make this piece was salvaged from leftover pallets. The base cushion is a thrifted mattress—so any small unused mattresses you have around the house can be put to good use again. Adorn it with shabby chic pillows and cozy accessories as a finisher.
13. Corner Bench with Built-In Table
This corner bench is as homey as it is functional, with an accompanying table in the center. Increase your curb appeal by placing it on your porch beside the doorway for a welcoming touch or on a deck for added seating without giving up too much space. Make it even more welcoming by decorating your steps or adjacent corners with plants.
14. Crate Table With Wheels
Moving your patio furniture throughout the seasons can be daunting. This outdoor crate table gives you more flexibility to rearrange it easily. It includes two stained wooden crates put together to form a wide rectangular coffee table; the base itself has add-on wheels. Get creative and change the look to match your design style depending on the stain and paint of your choice.
15. Modern Outdoor Chairs
These modern chairs look straight out of a furniture shop with their clean lines and geometric design. It’s made entirely from 2x4s and fashioned from redwood. This type is naturally resistant to decaying, shrinking and insects. It’s a great choice when choosing wood for open-air spaces as it’s able to withstand the elements—definitely worth the investment. All that’s left is staining plus some comfy cushions and voila!
16. Cedar Bench With Planters
This bench would complement a homely patio to make it more welcoming. Its material is cedar wood with two built-in planters on both sides of the bench. One side features an elevated design that gives it an asymmetrical touch—which would look superb in modern homes. And because it’s made of high-quality wood, it will last you for years with the right maintenance. It’s going to be a conversation piece when lounging around with guests.
17. Side Table With Cooler
What’s better than multitasking décor? This side table offers a surprise for hot summer days or when you need to cool off at a family cookout. Use it to set your beverages down or house them inside to keep them chilled. The cooler is a square planter inside the hidden storage that you fill with ice—enough to keep essential food items cold for a few hours. It’s a very straightforward weekend project that only requires basic woodworking skills and standard tools.
18. Farmhouse Style Wood Spool Table
There’s something about the farmhouse style that gives a space warmth. Do something different for your patio by making a wooden spool table. This piece resembles a wire spool that holds threads, yarns, and cables. Not only does this offer a characteristic dash to your patio with its geometric shape, but it’s also an ideal size for smaller spaces. Make it a bistro-style dining table or pair it with Adirondack chairs as a two-tier coffee table.
19. Ornamental End Table
DIY crafters, rejoice! Because this quick project requires no power tools and only needs a bit of your creativity. This end table is made from an upcycled planter and follows a similar plan to the side table cooler that doubles as storage. All you have to do is cut a piece of wood to serve as the tabletop—be sure not to attach it to the planter to utilize the space inside. Stain the wood and decorate it with a stencil as a finishing touch. Use hot glue to attach a jute rope to the sides and give it a rustic appeal.
20. Upcycled Beverage Station
Here’s a unique addition to your home’s mini bar. This DIY beverage station uses an old door connected to two tiers of shelves and two porch spindles to create legs that support the last shelf. This project is also a great way to repurpose an unused wire rack to hang all your wine glasses. It’s attached to the underside of the shelf and allows more room for larger bar equipment. You need some scraping to paint it smoothly, but all the effort is worth it when you see the result!
21. Wooden Porch Chairs
For welcoming guests, increasing curb appeal, or just lounging about, porch seating is just as important as it is for its backyard counterparts. These modern outdoor chairs are light on the pockets and cost over $100 to build. If you’re new to woodworking, this project is easy enough to be your first DIY furniture.
22. Budget-Friendly Dining Table
Building a dining area on your patio doesn’t have to be expensive. This square table is large enough to accommodate standard-sized patio chairs and only costs about $20 to construct. The bistro-style farmhouse design is simple, sturdy, and won’t overpower a small space. Embrace the rustic charm by adding pendant and string lights to your alfresco setup, and add a hole to the table’s center for an umbrella.
23. Macramé Lawn Chair
This creative weaving project gives an old chair frame a new lease on life. It’s DIY furniture and crocheting all in one with just three materials for the webbing process—6mm craft cords, two crochet hooks, and scissors. This project is a great way to reuse what you already have and makes for a fun weekend activity. Explore more weaving styles and techniques to create or upcycle chairs; soon, you’ll have enough for a whole set of guests.
24. Bench Table Set
This table set looks so professional. It includes a table and bench that’s spacious and sturdy enough to gather the whole family comfortably. It’s made from repurposed and refinished pallet planks from cedar wood—which is an excellent choice for wooden furniture as it’s exceptionally durable and has natural anti-microbial properties. Building this set takes a bit of effort, but if you’ve tried a hand at other wood assembling projects, this should go swimmingly.
25. Upcycled Hammock Frame
When sunny days come around, there’s nothing better than unwinding in your outdoor hammock. Unfortunately, most hammock frames come at a hefty price, and some have cheap materials. Making your own ensures that you know the quality from the inside out. This version is constructed from wooden pallets and can fit any standard-sized hammock quite nicely. Make the lateral posts longer than the suggested dimensions if your hammock material is stretchy.
26. Ornate Porch Bench
If you’re looking to do something a little more different from the usual farmhouse style, spruce up your porch with this ornamental bench fashioned from an old headboard and bed frame. Use the frame legs to support the bench and paint with your color of choice, Don’t forget to accessorize accordingly with outdoor pillows to make it cozy.
27. DIY Outdoor Cushions
When you’re building a lot of wooden benches and chairs, the costs can go up when buying pricey cushions. This affordable option only requires a bit of your sewing skills. Used couch cushions are available at thrift stores—look for ones with zippers to repurpose later. All left are yards of outdoor-friendly fabric, a sewing machine, and a matching thread to get to work. Keep them in tip-top shape past summer by spraying each one with a waterproofer.
28. Sturdy Outdoor Countertop
Pallets are one of the easiest materials to use for DIY furniture. This classy bar table is made of 2×4 wood and is very versatile for any use—whether it’s an addition to your outdoor bar, kitchen countertop, dining table, or creative workstation. All you need are basic building tools such as a miter saw, pocket hole jigs, bar clamps, decking screws, and measuring instruments. Decorate it with some plants and matching stools to complete the setup.
29. Revamped Adirondack Chairs
Adirondack chairs never go out of style. They’re classic and so comfortable to lounge in, especially during the summer. If you have an old pair lying around or manage to score one at a thrift store, you can make it look brand new with the right staining and sealing treatments. Make sure to clean the wood first before applying anything to avoid locking in all the dirt and mold. The best thing about this project? It’s completely free of power tools and only requires a few steps. Prepare to be wowed by this transformation.
30. Kids’ Picnic Table
It’s always nice to have a place for the kids during outdoor parties. This cute little picnic table will let them do fun activities like coloring and craft projects and eat their own food at cookouts. Despite this bench set looking store-bought, it’s not tricky to make at all. It involves eight 2x4s and is a breeze to assemble if you have any woodworking experience, as 2x4s are standard in DIY furniture. Leave it in its natural color or stain it for a fresh new tint.
31. Wide-Bottomed Patio Chair
Laying under the sun with a good book and beverage sounds like heaven when the temperatures rise. This chair is a great addition to your patio and can serve as a reading nook for solo lounging. Recreate this with just a few hand tools and match it to the rest of your setup by painting the wood and embellishing it with some cushions for comfort.
32. Steel and Wood Rolling Console
Rolling furniture is always convenient. Not only does this console offer ease of movement when rearranging, but it also provides portability and multi-use for when you want to convert it into a mini bar in the warmer months or make it a part of an outdoor kitchen. It’s made of wood and strong-tie metal connectors for an extra solid build. It’s a piece of furniture that will last you a long time.
33. Basket Swing
When it comes to DIY swings, we usually think of benches. This version is a cozy, circular shape that looks oh-so-enticing to lay in. The project starts with a large metal ring sewn with a canvas fabric as a cover, hanging from sturdy straps for safety. It requires a little woodworking and sewing skills together but is easy enough to execute. All you need are some colorful throw pillows and a good book for the final touch.
34. Vintage Lattice-Hatch Bench
Give your porch some love with this outdoor bench. It’s made from basic materials you probably already have if you’ve worked on DIY furniture for some time—2x4s, wood glue, sand paper, stain, and your usual power tools. We love how this has a vintage feel to it with the painted white wood. You can even rough it up further with a corner cat sander for a distressed finish. You’d be surprised that this only costs $13 to make. What a steal!
35. Patio Table With Double Ice Box
If you loved the side table-cooler combo, challenge yourself further with your own ice chest that also functions as a wide bench table for gatherings. It opens up to reveal two coolers in the center made of planters—able to hold up plenty of drinks for multiple guests. Make sure to measure well to cut the boxes in their right places. Want to experiment? Add a hole to accommodate an umbrella or use the cooler spots to house rectangular meal trays during cookouts.
36. Rocky Mountain Fireside Bench
There’s nothing like lounging on a cozy bench in front of a firepit when it gets cold out. Create something unique with this diagonal curved bench that will take your patio to the next level. You’ll need three sizes of pressure-treated lumber—1x6s for seating, 4x4s for legs, and 2x6s for framing. Paint it, throw in some cozy accessories, and coordinate with accent chairs and side tables on opposite ends for a complete setup.
37. Dreamy Cabana Lounge
If you’ve been creating your furniture for a while and want to take on a challenge, this cabana lounge will be your ultimate project. It’s like having a vacation right in your backyard, especially when you make it feel homey with greenery, fairy lights, and other décor to give it personality. All it takes is wood assembly and awning fabric to make the roof. Set up a bed from an air mattress and get ready to relax.
38. Tahitian Style Reclining Chaise
A cool lounge chair makes a patio even more inviting. This reclining chaise brings resort style back with an attractive curved shape you can achieve with a miter saw. You can do this by cutting cedar boards at a particular angle and assembling them. It’s a great way to hone your woodworking skills and upgrade from coffee table and chair projects. And come summer, you’ll be so glad you made it.
39. Bohemian Sectional Sofa
Another big project to add to your list is this sectional sofa. It sports an L shape with a chic low back that can accommodate several guests. It’s constructed from a sturdy redwood beam and covered in sheets of plywood. This one accommodates 24″ cushions and is separable if you want to change your setup—such as making it two benches for a deck. Place them across each other with a coffee table in the middle and a nice big area rug to pull them all together.
40. Chevron Pallet Divide
This divide serves as a little privacy wall for your patio and a pretty yet practical decoration that can hide parts that you don’t want anyone to see from view. Since this is a relatively large piece, you’ll need twenty-four 1x6x5 and three 2x4x8 lengths of pressure-treated lumber, 4x4x8 posts, and your good ol’ power tools. Consider this one your own “green screen” that checks both boxes for safety and style.
41. Wire Basket Side Table
Building this side table needs no power tools and can be finished in less than an hour. The foundation is an upcycled wire basket—usually used as a trash can or a laundry hamper—but in this case, it will be a decorative patio piece that’s just as functional. Paint it with the color of your choice and attach an 18-inch round wood panel on top using cable staples once dry. It’s quite possibly your most straightforward DIY project yet!
42. Decorative Grass Bed
Complete your patio’s green oasis with the ultimate conversation piece. It’s a lounger constructed like a platform bed frame and finished with artificial grass from geofabric. Like any DIY project involving wood, assembling a wood pallet is needed for the base and the slatted headboard—plus some dirt, fertilizer, and sold under the “grass.” And when you think it can’t get any cooler, the headboard also functions as a planter, allowing you to place decorative greenery into the vertical panel.
