Reinvent Your Backyard: 5 Awesome Weekend Projects

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A lot of people consider weekends as days to relax, do all the things they weren't able to because of the work, studies or any other all consuming obligations during the week days. But relaxing is individual and not the same for everyone. Some people love to spend their weekends reading and enjoying peace and quiet, while others like to be active and on the move. And when it comes to your backyard, there's always something to be done and taken care of, but instead of seeing it as another boring responsibility, why not turn it into your own DIY project and have fun. So here are five suggestions of awesome ways to help you turn your weekend into a project but in an enjoyable and yet productive way.

Colourful stone patio


One of the easiest ways to turn your backyard patio into more cheerful space is by adding some colour. This DIY suggestion is something you can do with your kids and turn it into the family fun day. You won't need a lot of money and you'll work mostly with what you already have in your yard. The first you're going to need is paint, primer, sealer, and brushes. Make sure you tell the seller in the store that you need to paint the stone patio outside, so he can put some latex porch and floor paint into the mix.

The next step is to choose the colours and this depends on your taste, yard chairs, and table, as well as plants and outer walls of the house. Don't be afraid to choose more than two, because the point is to make your backyard colourful and inviting. You will also need some gloves to protect your hands and mask to avoid paint vapours, as well as some chalk if your patio is not in square tiles, but one big block of undivided stone.



Draw the squares with the chalk and put primer on random ones. Once it dried, paint each differently by applying three coats of paint on each. Lastly, seal the tiles with concrete protective sealer and your work is done. It might take the whole day to finish this project but it's only because the time needed for each paint coat to dry. The good thing about this project is that you can repaint the tiles in other colours and patterns whenever you want.

Romantic fire pit


Having a fire pit in your backyard will create a place where you can hang with your friends, melt marshmallows with your family or just stargaze while comfortably sitting in your chair. This one is also an easy one, though it will require some digging and put those muscles to work. First choose a spot far away from trees and overgrown bushes. At this stage, you will need a spade, concrete blocks moulded to look like the real stone which you can buy at any home centre, chisel, and brick hammer.

Place the blocks in the circle where your pit will be and in the diameter you wish. Use chisel and hammer to split the bricks to needed size so the circle would be perfect. Using the spade, start digging on the outer edges of the circle and make a hole. When the hole is deep enough, make an inner trench wide and high as the blocks. Then fill the trench with gravel and compact it using the hand tamper until it's levelled and even.

Start placing the first block row, and then lay another on it and so on until you create the wall of the pit. All blocks must be glued together with the concrete adhesive. Then fill the pit with the gravel until it reaches the top of the pit and bricks. Then continue gluing two more rows of blocks. Insert the campfire ring in the circle so it sits even with the top block wall. You can glue natural stones on top of the brick wall or any other decoration you think would give it the finishing touch. Wait for two days until it's all dried, and then enjoy the beautiful backyard fire.

Wagon planter

Wagon planter is something you can make in a couple of hours and it will be a beautiful addition to your yard. First, create drainage holes at the bottom of the wagon with the drill. Spread gravel on the bottom and level it. Add spoil until reaching about 25 mm from the top. Plant herbs and top them with mulch. Make sure that the herbs have similar needs so they can grow evenly and undisturbed together. In the end, wheel the wagon to the desired, preferably sunny spot and enjoy their growth.

Sun shade



You are well aware how scorching the Australian sun can be, and that it can be quite the party breaker if you want to entertain friends in your backyard. Cities like Sydney need awnings even more than the country due to its lack of natural shades. But don't worry, the solution is very much doable in just half an hour. It will cost you a trip to IKEA and buying the balcony privacy white screen, and extra rope. Tie the rope to the tree or anything high enough and stretch it to the place where you need shade.

Put the ropes through the holes in the canvas screen and stretch it to its full-length. In the end, tie the rope above and enjoy the shade with some lemonade and homemade cake.

Outdoor theatre



Having an outdoor movie screen will not only be one of the best ways to use your backyard but the talk of your neighbourhood. You'll need hanging wire, narrow boards for the frame, screen fabric, staple gun, drill, staples, and screws. Hang the wire between the trees or posts, whatever is convenient. Build the frame out of the boards and staple the screen fabric to it. Make sure to stretch out any wrinkles and obtain a smooth surface. Lastly, hang with hooks on the wire and connect the bottom of the frame to the tree trunks to avoid swinging. Now, just place those lawn chairs in the rows, wait the night to fall and hit play.



There's nothing better than being responsible for the improvement and upgrade of your backyard. With a little time and work, you can achieve great results and ensure having wonderful weekends in your backyard for a long time.

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