One of the most astonishing things about living in the internet age is the ease of finding great websites to help us with do-it-yourself projects. Doing projects is a great way to stay busy, whether for a hobby, money, or bond with a loved one.
An excellent idea for a project is to build a lighthouse. Lighthouses can vary in size and purpose. Some are made for the garden, while others might be just a decoration in the front yard. You do not have to be a pro to build a lighthouse, and many sites have plans to help you achieve it.
We have listed a few websites to get you going on your project:
Craftsbycourtney.com’s lighthouse is a lighter project, which is great to do with your kids or even by yourself as a hobby.
Courtney shows us how to make a terra cotta pot DIY garden lighthouse. It is a straightforward but wonderful little project.
It is a beautiful lighthouse made from terra cotta pots, with a solar light on the top. It is a fun project, and it looks lovely in the garden or anywhere else inside or outside the house.
Supplies Needed for the project:
- Clay Pots in various sizes (think of the shape of a lighthouse, thicker at the bottom, thinner at the top)
- Solar Light (any garden solar light will)
- E6000 Glue
- Paint Brush
- Americana Decor Outdoor Living 2oz – Picket Fence (or any white paint, but for this project, Courtney is using two DecoArt paint products)
- Americana Decor Outdoor Living 2oz – Poolside (blue color)
- Black Paint for windows and door
Here are the steps to build your lighthouse:
- Paint the pots white (they might need three coats)
- Paint the top lips blue (use the tops as the bottoms)
- Glue the pots together (you will stack them in the shape of a lighthouse)
- Add the solar light to the top (you can get the light anywhere, make sure it is flush at the top and then glue it on)
- Add windows (you can look at a picture of a lighthouse and then paint the windows in a pattern you see fit with black paint)
- Put the lighthouse on white round paver, and boom! It is ready to be shown off in your yard.
This project is a great way to build a lighthouse fast. There are, of course, other websites with more detailed and more extensive builds.
The lighthouseman.com lighthouse plans come in numerous designs and sizes to draw attention to your lawn, deck, garden, or porch. The DIY lighthouse Plans come with step-by-step instructions, as well as photos so you know what each step should look when it is all set, and a painting plan to help you make it look aesthetically pleasing.
There are many different types of lighthouse styles to choose from, including:
- Cape Hatteras: black and white candy-cane with a black beacon
- Assateague: red and white striped with a black beacon
- Montauk: black and white lined with a black beacon
- St. Augustine: black and white candy-cane with a red beacon
- Barnegat: white and red striped with a red and white beacon
- American: red, white, and blue candy-cane with white and blue stars at the bottom
- Old Saybrook: a snow-white, with black windowsills and a black and white beacon
- Fenwick: white with black windowsills and a black beacon
- Split Rock: a white and tan with black on the beacon
- Cape Henry: checkered black and white with a black beacon
- Cape Lookout: black and white ovals with a black beacon
- Latimer Reef: black base, white and red, with a red beacon
- Bodie Island: black and white striped with a long black beacon
- Cape May: white with a candy apple red beacon
- Yaquina Head: a house in the front bottom, white, and a gray, black and red beacon
- West Quoddy: a place in the front bottom, red and white striped, with a black and red beacon
- East Quoddy: with a cross and a red beacon
- Seul Choix: gray base, white, and a black beacon
- Hilton Head: hexagon shaped with red and white stripes and a black beacon
- Cape Neddick: thick white, with a small black beacon
There are also different options for the material used to make the lighthouses:
- Deluxe Stucco Lawn Lighthouses
- E-Line Stucco Lawn Lighthouses
- Wooden Lawn Lighthouses
- Polywood Lawn Lighthouses
- Hybrid Lighthouses
- Stone Lawn Lighthouses
- Lighthouse Tier Lights
- Lighthouse Storage Sheds and Playhouses
There are plenty of lighthouse building plans to choose from, including the standard lighthouse plan, which is easy and fun to make, nothing too big or too small.
Lighthouseman.com also has plenty of lighting options to choose from, so you can put the light into the lighthouse. You do not have to be a master to follow these plans, but the result will make you feel like one. Each kit has a design to make your beacon glow.
The lighting options include:
Lighthouse Cast Aluminum Light Kit 01: This light is designed and manufactured exclusively for The Lighthouse Man. This light features a 12-sided design and is 100% constructed from high-quality maintenance-free cast aluminum.
Lighthouse Cast Aluminum-Light 02: this is a brilliantly styled Hexagon light. It has six posts and is a stunning add-on. It is made out of aluminum, which means it will not rust.
If you are looking for fun and beautiful designs, thelighthouseman.com is an excellent option.
This plan is for a 10ft tall wooden lighthouse, built in three sections for easy transport. The detail in this beautiful woodwork is impressive, and anyone can do it. There are different lighting options, which makes this lighthouse a working model and the real deal. This lighthouse is another excellent design for decorating your yard or even putting this on your boat dock.
The project uses regular lumber and supplies found at all local hardware stores. It is a sturdy build using 3/4 inch thick plywood, 2x4s, and 4x4s.
The finished Dimensions:
- Height: 120 inches (304.8 cm)
- Width: 36 inches (91.4 cm)
Supplies needed to build the lighthouse include:
- two 4 x 4 x 96 inch lumber (actual 3.5 x 3.5 x 96 inches)
- five 2 x 4 x 96 inch lumber (actual 1.5 x 3.5 x 96 inches)
- three pc 3/4 x 48 x 96-inch plywood
- one 3/4 x 48 x 48 inch plywood
- 344 2-1/4 inch long wood screws
- 250 ml of wood preservation like End Coat or similar brand
- Jigsaw and other common workshop tools
The step-by-step directions come with the plans on the website.
Here you will find the plans to build a 4ft treated lumber lawn lighthouse.
If you have intermediate woodworking skills and standard shop tools, you will build this beautiful lighthouse. It has a natural and unpainted appearance. It is made with standard pressure-treated lumber and a solar beacon or low voltage light. The plan is better than blueprints as it includes photos and illustrations every step of the way.
The lighthouse features:
- An authentic-looking railing.
- It is made entirely of pressure-treated lumber.
- Stain it or leave the lighthouse a natural color.
It is hollow, so you can place it over pipes or anything else that is an eyesore and want to hide in your yard.
Chesapeakcrafts.com has many other lighthouse designs to choose from, as well as many suggested paint schemes. There are different sizes and even some that are made strictly by 2×4’s. The cost of materials varies, but some are as low as $30 and look fantastic.
There are over 12 different plans to choose from, each with detailed instructions and lists of everything needed.
There are many other great websites where you can find lighthouse plans. Lighthouses are some of the most beautiful buildings we have seen worldwide for thousands of years, so it is no wonder why people love to make them and collect them.
Each of the sites I have listed has shown you some of the different possibilities for making one. They can be tall or tiny, but each one is as beautiful as the last. You do not have to be an expert to build one of these lighthouses, but with just basic knowledge and some practice, you can be an expert in no time.
