Patio ideas on a budget – 18 cost-effective ways to transform your outdoor space

Sprucing up your patio area doesn't have to cost the earth – there's plenty of room for creativity if you're looking for patio ideas on a budget.

Whether you're searching for unique ways to decorate your space or simply want to zone your patio ideas without spending a fortune, there are so many ways you can transform your patio area. If you've got a spare weekend or even some free time after work, there are plenty of budget garden ideas you can get stuck into, especially with a bit of DIY know-how.

So, whether your garden is large or small, we've rounded up our favourite budget patio ideas.

Patio ideas on a budget

If you're looking to make use of items you already have at home, there are so many upcycling ideas for the garden to help you repurpose old furniture and kick off new projects.

We've asked DIY and garden design experts for their top patio ideas on a budget to help you transform your space.

1. Zone an area with bunting

Strip bunting is the boho update on tidy little triangles, and it's useful for more than just garden party ideas.

'Bunting is a creative, visually appealing and cost-effective way to define different areas of your garden patio,' says Lee Trethewey, general manager at Sustainable Furniture. 'It can offer a clear divide between different sections of your patio, or make an ideal decorative feature when hung around a seating area. You can even enhance your bunting by combining it with fairy lights.'

Knot strips onto lengths of cotton rope and string them up from your parasol pole to nearby fencing, trees or shrubs. Use fabric in different shades of one colour to create bunting with an ombre effect. It's one of the best ways to zone your patio ideas on a budget.

Lee Trethewey

Lee Trethewey is general manager at Sustainable Furniture, a family-run, Cornwall-based furniture retailer specialising in sustainable, high-quality furnishings for both the home and garden. Working in the industry for 10+ years, Lee is an expert in all things interior and garden design, as well as eco-friendly practices and sustainable sourcing. His key eye for design and decoration, and his commitment to environmental responsibility, make him a trusted advisor for anyone looking to create beautiful, sustainable living spaces.

2. DIY a canopy

Try out full-coverage garden shade ideas for a seating or dining area with landscaping poles, which you can find at a timber yard or Total Poles. Fit each pole into a parasol base and screw in hooks near the tops to support horizontal dowels over which you can drape a length of voile. Or, swap light white voile for a weatherproof outdoor fabric.

Shade sails are another option to consider. 'Shade sails are the latest garden trend to hit the UK,' says Simon Wardle, paved patio expert at Armstrong Cheshire. 'The main benefit is the ability to shelter from harmful UV rays with thicker fabric.

'Canopies are excellent DIY projects to uplift your shade options, especially if you’ve already managed to self-install a patio or decking area.'

3. Make a candlelight centrepiece

Any deep planter, bowl or dish can do double duty as a candle holder. Simply fill it with play sand and poke in several long beeswax tapers, ready to light when dusk falls.

If you dislike the look of sand, cover it with florist’s moss. Use multiple identical bowls and line them up along a table to add to the effect. Beeswax tapers create a rustic look, or swap in pastel or fluoro brights to suit your style.

4. Set up a potting station

Basic shelving can make a great modular storage area near the back door for potting up plants or herbs. Add things you’ll want to grab on your way down the garden, such as blankets and lanterns.

'Repurpose an old desk, table or countertop on your patio area to provide space for potting plants,' says Lee from Sustainable Furniture. 'Ideally, you should choose a desk or table that has drawers to provide an area for storing tools. However, you can also place a small set of drawers under the table if necessary.

'I recommend using bunting, fairy lights or a range of plants to decorate your potting area and make it visually appealing.'

Paint each unit to match for a more formal, uniform look. You could also create a rustic display with aged terracotta and weathered earthenware.

5. Tile an outdoor side table

Use leftover tiles to cover a ply storage cube for a weatherproof table or plant stand. You could learn how to make a mosaic table, or, if you have rectangular tiles, try laying them in blocks of three vertically and then horizontally for a basketweave effect.

Make it simpler by painting the sides in exterior gloss and just tiling the top. Create a border effect with tiles in a contrasting colour or pattern.

6. Build your own mud kitchen

Transform freecycled pallets or old furniture into an outdoor playset, as long as the wood is thoroughly sanded to remove splinters.

'A mud kitchen can be a great addition to any family-friendly patio or outdoor decking space,' says Glenn Peskett, DIY and Multitool expert at Saxton Blades. 'Start by looking at what you already have – for instance, an old set of drawers or small table can be a great starting point.

'However, the best method we’ve seen is using old pallets, which can be found for free at most retail parks, supermarkets and Facebook marketplaces. Take two identically sized pallets, and cut the first across the horizontal. Use the other for the back of the unit, then screw (using brackets if necessary) the other two halves at a right angle. This gives you your frame. Cut out the batons on one side to make a hole for your basin (an old washing up bowl), then use the offcuts to make shelves.'

Add cut sections of branch as pegs for holding utensils and toy food, then paint or stain the wood a fun colour that will stand out against a green garden backdrop.

Use log slices as hob plates and chopping boards for play, as well as trivets for your outdoor table.

7. Put together an easy hanging basket

Creating your own hanging basket can work out far cheaper than buying pricey ready-made arrangements from garden centres. Late spring is the perfect time to plant up, after all risk of frost has passed. Buy summer bedding plants when they’re small and cheap, which will give them a chance to establish first, before coming into glorious full bloom in early summer.

Use a combination of upright and trailing plants in complementary colours. Trailing varieties like petunias, begonias, fuchsias and lobelia always work well. For longer-lasting blooms, frequent watering and regular feeding is key. Deadheading fading flowers will also encourage continuous booms throughout the summer.

8. Paint the patio with a pop of colour

Instead of sticking to ‘safe’ neutrals when it comes to painting outdoor masonry, brickwork or fence panels, adding a splash of bolder colour can have a big impact and make a great foil for colourful flowers and lush foliage.

Less is more when it comes to super-bright colours for patio decor ideas. Instead of painting the patio wall-to-wall, keep to key areas to make a greater visual impact. Try painting a feature wall in bold sunshine yellow, hot pink or Mediterranean blue and using the area as a contrasting backdrop for patio tubs and planters. Raised beds are another opportunity for adding colour, painting the masonry or wood in a standout shade. Or, paint a feature wall at the end of the garden to create a focal point that invites further investigation.

9. Create your own garden hideaway

A summer house escape at the end of the garden is the dream. But if you need to adapt it for patio ideas on a budget, there are more affordable alternatives that can create the same hideaway vibe.

A corner-style arbour with a slatted roof will create a quiet patio cover idea positioned in a sheltered area of the garden. By opting for a DIY design like this one, it can be assembled easily over a weekend (with the help of a friend) to cut down costs.

Brighten up timber with a colourful paint treatment that will make your retreat blend in with the surroundings. Paint the interior in a pale colour to lighten the mood inside and provide contrast. Add a comfy seat pad and bright scatter cushions.

10. Make your own mobile outdoor kitchen

Upcycle an old trolley or potting bench and turn it into an outdoor serving station as part of your small outdoor kitchen ideas. A great accompaniment alongside a barbecue or pizza oven, it will provide plenty of extra prep and storage space when you’re cooking outdoors. Plus, it can be wheeled away into a shed or garage for storage when it’s not in use.

Spruce up the timber using weatherproof exterior paint in a bright, cheery shade, with natural wood on top for a hardwearing work surface. Add hooks and rails on the wall for storing barbecue tools and utensils, plus boxes underneath for tableware, then add a few potted herbs on easy-to-access shelves.

11. Jazz up a plain garden parasol

A shady area is a must outdoors during the hottest part of the day. Try an easy upcycle that will transform a plain canvas parasol. It'll make the perfect patio centrepiece when you’re entertaining outdoors over the summer months.

Use ribbon remnants, selecting a few bright complementary colours and cutting lengths approximately 30cm long. Tie three or four strips of ribbon together in a knot and secure to the underside of the parasol at each point, using small safety pins and tucking them out of sight. Brighten up the parasol pole by wrapping it with coloured washi tape in a co-ordinating shade.

12. Spruce up shabby seating

Try a nifty upcycling idea by repurposing a mismatched collection of kitchen and dining chairs with garden paint ideas. Most types of wooden chairs and even dining tables will work outdoors, with the right outdoor paint to protect them from the elements. Mismatched chairs painted in toning pastel shades or colour-pop brights creates a fun, quirky look that is fab for brightening up a plain patio.

‘To get started, bare wood is best, but old coatings can be painted over if they are water-based and correctly prepared,’ says Becky Rackstraw, director at Protek. ‘Simply clean the wood with a damp cloth, strip off any loose paint then sand down and wipe clean before painting.’

13. Get clever with upcycled planters

Repurpose indoor items to create quirky outdoor planters and baskets. They'll add bags of personality to your outdoor space, not to mention they cost nothing to put together. An old shower caddy that’s no longer needed in the bathroom makes the perfect tiered storage for holding a selection of flower-filled pots and adding colour to wall space. Using the wall is a great trick for small patio ideas to add colour and character when floor area is limited.

If it's a metal shower caddy and it’s looking a little rusty, just brush off any flaking areas and use spray paint to refresh the finish. There’s bound to be a leftover can lurking in the shed or garage. Look to other household items that can also be upcycled for outdoor planters. Old colanders make fab hanging baskets, vintage teapots and watering cans make fun planters, or use an old wheelbarrow filled with compost and plant it up with bright blooms.

14. Make a tiled table protector

Entertaining outdoors is one of the highlights of summer. Keep your patio table looking shipshape by making your own tiled table protectors so that the surface won’t get scorched if you place hot dishes or barbecue platters on it.

Use patterned ceramic tiles left over from indoor tiling projects for great patio ideas on a budget. Arrange tiles to cover a square of corkboard until you’re happy with the layout. Then, one at a time, spread tile adhesive onto the back of each tile and stick them back down onto the cork. Use waterproof grout to finish, pressing it into the gaps and wiping off the excess with a damp cloth.

15. Knock up an easy outdoor mirror

Upcycle an old wooden window frame and try out a garden mirror idea to brighten up a patio seating area. Adding a mirror can be an instant space-brightener in a small patio area or gloomy spot, helping to bounce incoming light around and making the area feel brighter and more spacious. Position lights where they will be reflected in the mirror to add extra sparkle after dark.

Use an old window frame with broken glass panes safely removed and disposed of first. Use a single sheet of mirror as backing behind the wooden frame with outdoor grab adhesive on the reverse side of the frame to secure the two together.

16. Fake a tiled table top with paint

Breathe new life into an old wooden table by giving it a chic faux-tile effect top created using a simple stencil technique. With a pale base colour and a darker contrast colour stencilled on top, it will give the look of a Mediterranean-style tiled table for a fraction of the cost.

Using chalk paint makes the job even easier as it requires no major prep work before painting, just a quick wipe-clean and removing any peeling or flaking paint first. Apply the paler-coloured chalk paint to start and then, once dry, stencil a darker colour to create the tiled effect. Work a small area at a time until the entire surface is covered. Once dry, apply two coats of chalk paint lacquer to protect the finish against the elements.

17. Make a mini hanging garden

Create instant colour on an empty area of patio by setting up a living wall idea. An easy way of brightening up plain trellis or bare brickwork, an inexpensive pocket planter like the Verve 9 pocket black fabric growing bag from B&Q can be attached to the wall with hooks. Fill it with flowering plants, succulents or herbs to add instant colour.

Spring is the perfect time to plant up a living wall outdoors. Young plants or plugs are inexpensive to buy and will establish quickly once planted. Choose a mix of flowers and plants in different colours, shapes, forms and textures to provide year-round interest.

18. Use old crockery to make pretty bird feeders

Try another easy upcycling idea to provide somewhere for the local wildlife to hang out, as well as brighten up trees and foliage. Use an old tea cup and saucer to create the bird feeder – mismatched items you no longer use or cheap charity shop finds are perfect.

Start by turning the cup on its side with the handle pointing up and placing it in the middle of the saucer. Secure it in position using grab adhesive and fix it with tape to hold it in place overnight until set. Once stuck, remove the tape and loop a length of twine through the cup handle, suspend it from a sturdy branch and then fill it with birdseed.

FAQs

What is the most affordable patio option?

Patio doesn't have to be expensive – thankfully, there are a few tricks that can help keep spending to a minimum.

'A useful guide to follow is the 80/20 rule, where you can expect that roughly 80% of the overall patio cost is in the installation, and about 20% is on the paving material you choose,' explains Alice Turner, a garden and driveway specialist at Marshalls PLC.

'When it comes to material, as it may only take up 20% of the overall cost, you may have more cost options than you realise. Still, there are plenty of good-quality options to choose from that aren’t too expensive. From natural stone slabs to concrete block pavers, the key is to find materials that work with your chosen aesthetic and complement your property.

'When it comes to Indian sandstone, responsibly sourced options are still affordable, and the natural appearance provides a rustic feel to the space. The varying tones of the stone mean that this paving choice will suit almost any setting and aesthetic, a great material choice for a classic patio look.'

What can I use instead of slabs for patio?

If you're looking for patio ideas on a budget but don't want to go for slabs, there are other popular options to consider. Gravel and shingle are among the cheapest materials, but there are alternatives if you still want to create a paved look.

'Block paving is another popular option for patios, offering an alternative to large paving slabs,' says Alice from Marshalls PLC. 'The range of colours allows for borders and patterns to be created through different layout choices. Block paving can also complement other materials, maintaining consistency throughout a space whilst still elevating the look.'

Hopefully, you'll be able to make good use of these patio ideas on a budget – even the simplest ideas can transform an outdoor space.