Undoubtedly, we’ve all read about wishing wells in folktales, but what about in real life? Now, all your wishes can come true with this unique and stunning addition to your outdoor area.
Best of all, you can make one on your own DIY wishing well! It’s easy to build and isn’t something that will take you too long to complete- but you do need some decent woodworking skills. We have compiled a list of some of the best Instructable guides to help give you some inspiration for your next DIY activity.
9 DIY Wishing Well Plans
1. Standard Design
Here is the perfect tutorial for anyone in your life to whom you want to give a thoughtful and unique present to. This will surely be something that they won’t forget, and best of all, they will be able to have many uses for it.
For example, the author of this Instructable guide gave the well to their friend for her wedding cards as part of the wedding decor. Anyone in your life who loves a rustic theme will surely enjoy this design. For the materials, the author used a Kingsland, Marine ply, rough cut, dowel, off cuts of pallet wood, wood glue, bark sheets for shingles, screws with eyes, rough rope, babybell wax, air dry clay, waterproof glue, epoxy, chamomile tea for the moss effect, outdoor wood paint in different colors, patio sealer, drill, counter sink screw bit, scroll saw, and a burning tool.
You could get creative with the design and kingspan (the foam insulation for the walls and roofing). This could be a stunning addition to your backyard, patio, or anywhere else you want to add some special decor with its fashionable roof shingles.
VIEW PLANS2. Additional Plan
For those looking for yet another standard plan for this project, here is a great video that provides images of the different steps the author took to create it. They used wood and rearranged the wood pieces in a pattern to make something stunning yet personalized.
Using wood as your main material is never a bad idea due to the fact that you can easily find some recycled materials at your disposal. This will save extra money and time, and you will be able to customize the design as you please. In addition, this features a nice roof, and the addition of the stones around the wishing well provides an extra touch that will make your backyard stand out- it’s one of our favorite garden projects!
VIEW PLANS3. Cedar Material
For this woodworking project, the author decided to rebuild their old, rotting well, turning it into a gorgeous planter box with weather-resistant lumber. The one thing to take away from that is they mentioned the vast number of pieces and screws in the original, as well as the horizontal pieces that kept in the rain, which caused the original to completely rot.
In the end, they came up with something made entirely from scratch using an old cedar log, and they measured all the other parts themselves. As the photos suggest, you can paint the final product however you please, so feel free to get creative with the paint.
And although you may have read in fairytales that these are meant for water, the design options here show that there are flowers planted in the hollow section, so you could showcase your green thumb for a pop of color in your yard. It provides great curb appeal and some of that country “vibe” to your landscape.
VIEW PLANS4. Burn Barrel
Do you enjoy those warm summer nights where you sit outside near the chiminea? Or perhaps those nights in the fall where you want to warm up and catch the last warm days of the season with your family? If so, here’s another way you can bring that fire to your home.
When you use a burn barrel, you can have a safe and convenient source of fire on site whether you’re in your own yard, at a campsite, or on the beach. Best of all, you don’t need to spend too much to find the materials and resources for this; with this specific blueprint, the author found an old washing machine drum to use as the burn barrel.
This is another way for you to get completely creative and reinvent this outdoor garden project completely. The metal basket from the washing machine drum can be filled with foil-wrapped food, such as meat and veggies, then lowered into the fire for cooking. You could also swap it out for any other hanging pot that would enable you to cook outdoors.
It can be built within a matter of minutes, making it one of the most inexpensive and simplest designs on our list. Now, your patio is going to be one of the best hang-out spots in your neighborhood!
VIEW PLANS5. Simple and Functional
For those who want something that is basic yet functional and convenient, you’ve come to the right place. While this might not be too fancy, the fact is that it is still going to look wonderful in your backyard, adding a personalized and unprecedented touch to your home’s overall curb appeal.
And, you will be able to use the final product for a variety of different purposes, such as for housing plants, vegetables, or any other designs. The best part is that this specific instructions guide calls for using scrap wood, including wood found from pallets, junk piles, and unfinished projects.
So, you won’t have to make a dent in your wallet as you try and find the materials; anything that you have lying around will do. Aside from the scraps, you will also need exterior wood screws, nails, a nail gun, spirit level, galvanized screws, roof rafters, compressor, planer, drill, and impact. Be sure to follow the directions carefully to get the perfect results.
VIEW PLANS6. Planter or Aljibe
What better way to spend your weekend or break than making a fun project that’s simple and easy for your home using scrap materials that you have no need for? Many people associate DIY projects and home improvement tasks with spending lots of money on new materials and gorgeous wood, but that definitely does not have to be the case.
In many of the options we have provided on this list, you can use scraps that you have no purpose for, which not only means not having to spend an arm and a leg, but it is also good for the environment in the sense that you are recycling goods without letting them rot in a landfill. So, everyone wins!
This bucket planter wishing well plan specifically uses reclaimed tires, wood, and buckets to create a stunning result. An empty paint bucket was specifically used, as well as the circular support of the washing machine. The bucket standalone planter ended up becoming a self-watering planter, so anyone with a green thumb will undoubtedly get a lot of enjoyment from this charming piece.
VIEW PLANS7. Garden Planter
As we’ve mentioned before, one of the many reasons why people want to have a wishing well in their yard is that it can double up as a planter, providing an attractive and cute way to display your plants outside.
You can do whatever you want as the design, but its multifunctionality and relative affordability makes this conversation piece of the most pleasing options available. All the author of this next instructions guide did is gather a pallet and reclaimed bits of tinder to make the final outcome.
As seen in the video, the product was painted a bright blue, bringing a touch of color to the outside of their home, also making this something that you can use to spruce up your yard and home.
VIEW PLANS8. Use a Dumpster
We’ve often emphasized the importance of recycling materials for any of your DIY projects. This will make any of your plans much more desirable simply due to the fact that you won’t be so inclined to spend too much, but it also is better for the environment to make use of things you already have in your collection.
However, this one is especially unique because the author used a dumpster to make their wishing well. They made the framing out of wood, and then Airstone, which is a concrete and styrofoam composite, to surround the frame. After using mortar, trim painting, and a mylar vortex with colored LED lights to provide a glow at night, the creator then ordered a dumpster and organic compost.
The purpose? To create a small “garden” for themselves where they could place the well and plant some of their favorite things. Just thinking outside of the box could result in a decorative piece that is definitely worth all the trouble! Who would have thought that a dumpster could create something so beautiful?
VIEW PLANS9. Hide an Eye Sore
Undoubtedly, there are spots in your yard that, well, aren’t the most pleasing to look at. And, unfortunately, you can’t always do a lot about them. The purpose of this final idea is to give you something to think about if you’re looking to cover up an unsightly spot outside your home.
As we mentioned before, the well could be used for many different purposes. So, it’s definitely easy and convenient to turn something ugly, just scrap pieces, into a functional piece that’s beautiful as well!
VIEW PLANS
Hi, my name’s Elena Coolidge. I’m a DIY enthusiast who loves building fun woodworking plans. These DIY plans are fun hobby projects for enthusiasts or even more advanced builders that want to build things like bunk beds, end tables or even a duck box!
