Wood Patio and Deck Crafts

Birdhouses

• Birdhouses are ideal wood crafts for those who like to sit on the deck or patio and observe nature. Adding one or more birdhouses gives birds a place to call home, increasing the chances of bird sightings around the outdoor space. Birdhouse designs vary greatly, but all you really need is a six-sided box with a small hole through which birds can enter. Some wood craftsmen build elaborate birdhouses with several levels and entrance holes, sometimes taking on the appearance of a famous house or the homeowner's property. Mount birdhouses to the side of the deck or in the yard around the patio so birds don't fly around the entertaining space.

Wood Planters

• Adding plants is the ideal way to soften the hard features of a deck or patio and tie in the space with the surrounding landscape. Wood planters help to echo the natural features of the landscape. Planters can be built in a wide range of sizes, from small, tabletop planters to large deck planters that define the corners or line the sides of the deck. Build long, narrow rectangle planters to line the edges of a patio, but be sure to leave some space open for easy passage. Cedar planks can be built around a circular, metal frame to create a planter that looks like a barrel. Wood planters must be lined to protect them against water damage; plastic sheeting or containers work well for this.

Furniture

• Build your own patio or deck furniture from wood to create a custom look designed specifically for your space. Build a table and chairs from wood and then stain or paint them to match the decor. You can build a picnic table for entertaining; picnic tables have the advantage of being movable as a single unit. Adirondack chairs are a popular option for decks and patios, and a side table to sit between two Adirondacks is the perfect complement. A wood glider is an alternative to a porch swing that can be used on a patio or deck. Gliders move on a self-supporting frame and don't require a roof overhead.

Decorative Signs

• Make decorative wood signs to add some personality to the patio or deck. You can paint the wood or burn letters and pictures into wood with a wood burner. Seal the sign with polyurethane to protect the design and the wood finish. One popular option is to make a sign with the family name on it, perhaps with the parents' anniversary included as the date of establishment. You can paint signs to look like old-fashioned garden signs or with other country themes. If the family likes to travel, paint the names of favorite places on pointed wooden pickets, including their distance from home and then arrange the arrows on a post, pointing in the correct direction.