DIY Garden Windmill: 10 Creative Steps

How’d you want something as adorable as this in your garden?

Gone were the days when all gardens looked almost the same. Nowadays, there are people who offer their services as landscape artists or garden decorators. They’re experts at creating beauty out of chaos, so to speak. However, there are some of us who have not allocated a budget for professional landscaping or garden decorating. Fortunately, there are a lot of DIY options available on the internet.

Take my case: I do not have extra money to pay for someone to do my garden. But during my free time, I’m constantly searching the web for ideas. I came across this DIY garden windmill project. This is going to be a great addition to my garden – and yours, too.

This garden windmill will make a great addition to your backyard.

Fabulous DIY garden windmill designs ideas

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DIY Garden Windmill: 10 Creative Steps

This guide will show you how to build a simple garden windmill using inexpensive materials. You can find everything you need to build your own windmill at your local hardware store. Here are the supplies you will need to build your own garden windmill:

• plywood
• wood glue
• screws/bolts
• wood filler
• pallet lats
• popsicle sticks
• paint (color of your choice)
• clear varnish

• Jig saw
• Table saw
• Sharpie/marker
• electric drill
• paintbrush
• chop saw
• hand saw

How to create a DIY garden windmill

Building a garden windmill is a fun and easy weekend project that will add charm and whimsy to your outdoor space. In just a few hours, you can have a beautiful and functional garden windmill that will add personality to your garden.

We’ll walk you through the steps to build your own, so you can enjoy the breeze and the beauty of your own backyard windmill.

1. Make the garden windmill pattern

On a piece of plywood, draw the body of the windmill

2. Cut the plywood

I then cut out the sections using a jigsaw, I did this to make it easier to run the wood through the table saw. I then ran the wood through the table which I set to 30 degrees on both sides. I then marked out where the door and window were going to go on the front panel and cut them out using a jigsaw.

3. Make the body

Then I glued all six sections together using good quality wood glue.

I then drew around the top of it onto another piece of board, added an inch to it and cut it out.

I then ran Pallet lat through the table saw to make some small blocks to attach to the top of the windmill.

To attach these I used glue and then once it had dried and drilled a hole in each one and screwed a small screw into them.

I then placed it on the board and drilled it into the blocks and screwed them to the body.

All the screw holes I have countersunk so the screw was under the wood which I later covered with wood filler.

4. Make the base & window decorations

I then made the edging around the base. To do this I ran a few Pallet lats through the table saw and cut the size of the base. I also used 30 degrees on the chop saw.

I then made another 7 blocks for the base and glued and screwed them in place like before.

Then I glued lollipop sticks all around it for decoration and used lollipop sticks for the window.

5. Make the second tier and roof

I then made the second tier using another piece of plyboard.

I cut the wood at 10cm in width and 8cm in height and cut at a 30-degree angle on both sides, I made 6 of these panels.

I then glued it all together and cut some smaller pieces of wood which I also glued inside for strength, I cut these to 8cm in height.

I then drilled a hole in the front of it for the bolt to go through.

I then drew around the second tier on a piece of board and added an inch. I then cut out the roof and glued it and screwed it on.

6. Attach the second tier to the body 

To attach the second tier to the body I glued it on then turned it upside down and screwed in a few screws from underneath on the inside.

I then made the roof section, I cut 5 pieces to the desired measurement and cut both sides at a 30-degree angle. I then glued the 5 pieces together.

I then cut a piece of wood and glued it inside the top and then screwed it down to the roof of the 2nd tier through the hole in the top.

7. Make a little hut and roof

I then made a little hut at the back of the second tier. 

This was made with a plyboard that I cut using a chop saw and then all glued together.

I then glued lollipop sticks around the second tier.

Then I made the roof itself, I did this by drawing around the top onto a piece of board which I cut and then glued on.

I then cut some thin strips on the table saw and using a chop saw, cut them to length and glued them around the top creating a slight lip.

I then put another edging around the bottom of the base. I did this the same way I did the first one. The cuts were at a 30-degree angle.

I then gave it a coat of paint.

8. Make the sails

I then made the sails. I did this by running Pallet lat through the table saw to create two long stems.

Then I cut a groove out of each piece in the center so when I joined them together they were the same thickness. 

To cut the groove out I marked out the size in the center and marked it halfway. I then cut to the halfway point with a jigsaw.

I then drilled a hole in the center big enough for the jigsaw blade and cut it outwards.

I then cut out a square piece of board and screwed it over the join and drilled a hole through it.

I then trimmed down the stems but left the bottom the original thickness.

I used a hand saw for this.

I then made the edging for the sails. I did this by cutting some small strips on the table saw and gluing them together.

Then I glued it to the stem. I drilled two holes in each one and screwed them to the stem top and bottom.

I then forced lollipop sticks over the stem and glued both ends.

I then painted it white.

9. Make the base

Then built the base for the windmill to sit on.

I did this by drawing around the base of the windmill on a piece of plyboard.

I didn’t have a piece left so I joined two off-cuts together. I then added an inch to it and cut it.

I then ran Pallet lat through the table saw and cut six sections all at the same width.

I cut the edges at a 30-degree angle and screwed them through the board. I then ran a router around the top edge of it, I then filled the gaps with wood filler and then sanded it. After that, I painted it black.

10. Attach the windmill to the base

To attach it to the windmill I covered the blocks at the base in glue and sat the windmill on the base. When the glue dried I turned it upside down and screwed in six screws, one each block.

I then bolted on the sails and gave them several coats of clear varnish. 

Then it’s complete!

Now that you’ve finished your DIY garden windmill, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labour! This charming addition to your yard will not only add a touch of whimsy but it can also be used to help aerate your garden beds – giving your plants a little boost.

You can watch the DIY garden windmill tutorial here…