at home DIY Projects to Heat Up Your Summer

Full disclosure, I am not handy. I am decidedly unhandy. R ecently, my teenage son’s 20-gallon fish tank leaked, poured through his floor, my ceiling, and down the wall of my living room, giving the damaged red paint a decidedly brain-looking pattern. Being unhandy, I called in some experts. They arrived, took out their moisture meters and one-by-one told me the grim news: my wall and ceiling were a toxic morass of moldy fish water and if I didn’t pay $6,000 to repair it, my whole family would die. Even for an admitted home improvement coward, $6,000 seemed a bit much, so I thanked each one, sent them on their way, and decided I’d rather die of fish wall illness than get soaked (no pun intended) for six grand.

Long story short, to save a few bucks, I put my fears of botching the job aside and did the work myself. Months later I am fish mold free, $6,000 richer, and have covered up my so-so repairs with a large painting. I tell you this not to brag, but to illustrate the truth: I am no expert, I am cheap, I am unskilled, and I don’t like a challenge.

But now that summer is here, there are things I would like to do to beautify my yard without breaking the bank or making me think too much. With that in mind I will offer a couple of summertime backyard Do-It-Yourself projects that will be:

A) Easy

B) Quick

C) Fun

D) Not cost $6,000

Put Pallets to Work

One of the more enjoyable aspects of summer is getting together with friends and family and relaxing outside with a nice cool drink. What better way to serve your guests than from your own handmade bar? Buying an outdoor bar can be pricey, and building one on your own can be time consuming and complicated. For a cheap, quick, and easy bar build, nothing is better than the humble shipping pallet.

From planters to benches to shelves and bars, shipping pallet DIY projects have become super popular over the last few years and for good reason. You can usually pick up used pallets from behind stores for the low, low, cost of $0. (Of course, always ask first if it’s okay to take them.)

There’s a reason pallets are free or almost free—the wood is not top shelf—but if you aren’t too choosey and can find three good pallets, you can make a great looking bar with basic tools, sandpaper, and some paint or stain. Beside the pallets, you’re also going to need a few pieces of lumber for the bar top and shelves. The best way to get cheap lumber is to sort through the cull wood at your favorite lumber retailer or hardware store. Cull wood is imperfect wood that is warped or unusable for professional building projects and sold at a discount. While pallets and cull wood might not be suitable for high-end furniture or homebuilding, they are perfect for a DIY outdoor bar.

The process is relatively simple: start by sanding down the pallets, attach two standing pallets together to form the center, cut the third pallet in half to use for the sides. Attach the sides using screws and brackets, measure and cut 2x12 boards for the bar top, attach with wood screws, and use corbels or brackets to support the bar top. Paint or stain to your liking, add shelving if desired, and you now have a bar and can start pouring.

For a more detailed description, there are hundreds of YouTube videos that can show you the process in detail.

Pizza Party

After you build your bar and start serving up drinks, you might get a hankering for some food. Nothing is better than a rustic, woodfired pizza made in your very own backyard. You might be skeptical, but with a pile of bricks you can build a working pizza oven in 20 minutes for less than $60 bucks. Start with 53 8x4 paving bricks, seven 18x6 rectangular pavers, and two smooth 15x15 paving stones. To build your oven, find a level spot away from your house; use gravel to level the base if needed. Do not build this on a wooden deck.

To form a base for the fire, lay down five of the 18x6 pavers about a half-inch from each other to allow for airflow. Start stacking the 8-inch pavers 14 inches apart, lay down two going back, three across the back, and stack them four high. Place one of the 15x15 slabs on top; this will be your oven floor. Make sure the back bricks are slightly offset to create a chimney effect for heat to enter the oven. Stack the remaining 8-inch pavers three high and place the remaining two 18x6 pavers on the sides. Cover with the remaining 15 x15 slab. Your oven is now done.

For the best results, use small pieces of dry wood and only insert the pizza into the oven after the fire is burning clean and there is a good pile of coals. Use a long-handled pizza peel since the oven will get very hot. To avoid making a mess of your pizza, look for tips on YouTube. After some trial and error, you will be amazed by the results.

Light it Up

Lastly, for some charming lights on the cheap, try making mason jar oil lamps with cut flowers or fruits. Just fill jars with water, cut flowers, lemons, limes, or oranges, top with a few tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil, and place a large, round, floating wick (available online) on top. Drop the wicks into the oil and light them up. One tablespoon will burn for about two hours.

With your new bar, pizza oven, and pretty candles, your summer is now set and all for less than the price of a fish water wall.

—Gerry McGuire