DIY Patio Umbrella Stand (Hide The Ugly!)

On the few days that the weather has cooperated...and I mean very few...I've had the chance to spruce up my patio...which usually follows by me sprinting inside to hide from the wind, rain, and lightning.  My patio became pretty drab over the winter. So, I decided to change it up a bit starting with this little project...my patio umbrella stand. Even though this was just on a whim project, and literally took me 10 minutes to do, I felt like it made a huge impact on this area.

 This is how it used to look. It's heavy as heck and made of granite. I think 40 or 50 pounds, and wouldn't you know that our winds still blow the thing over. Anyway, I got this one because it was the most sturdy one out there. I never cared for how it looked though.

 So, I decided to create a little box for it. My first step was to use 4 pieces of 2x4s, and case it in. The diameter of this stand is 18", so my 2x4s were two at 22" and two at 19". The 19" pieces sat inside the 22" pieces. I secured these with 2 1/2" screws.

 I then cut some scrap would 1x4s to go over the top. These were all cut at 22". The middle section was a little smaller than a 1x4, so I did some digging and found some 1x3s. I cut these to fit pretty close to the vertical part of the stand, but enough that it could come off if needed.

 Since these 1x3 pieces were only going to be connected on one end each, to prevent them from sagging, I added a scrap piece of 1x3 to the bottom portion so that it can rest on the granite. I secured all the top pieces of wood with 1 1/4" nails.

I then stained the entire piece Dark Walnut by Minwax.

 Besides hiding a complete eyesore, this gives a great extra place to add some patio decor. I was really have a problem with placement of that bamboo lantern, and now it fits on here perfectly!

 Here's a little sneak peak at more of the patio which I'll be sharing with you all next week....if it ever does stop raining. I'm telling you, 40 degrees in May is not cool... I feel like we are in the beginning of March. I want my hot temps back! So, weather depending...I'll show you the rest of this area with sources :) I also have big plans for the opposite side of this patio, which I can't wait to get started on!

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