This fun DIY project keeps my garden hose hanging in style. I’m so happy the idea in my head translated into a fun and affordable design. Most of all, I am happy I am not tripping over my garden hose all the time. Let me show you how to make one!
At first I looked into attaching a metal hose holder to the wooden post, but after seeing that it would cost another $15, I decided to make the holder out of wood as well. There is an awning above this holder and the sprinklers are far enough away that the only water exposure comes from mother nature, which isn’t a ton when you live in the desert.
Regardless, I opted to buy a cedar post and I cemented it in the ground, for longer durability. I am pretty happy with the results and kicking myself for not doing it sooner!
DIY Chunky Garden Hose Holder
Materials Needed
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Lumber
- (1) 4×4 Cedar Post
- (1) 4×4 Post Cap
- (1) 1×12 board cut at 10 1/2″ and beveled at 45 degrees on both ends
- (2) 1×6 board cut at 10 1/2″ and mitered at 25 degrees on both ends
Tools I used
Hardware
- (4) 1- 1/4″ Pocket Screws
- (2) 2″ Wood Screws
Other Materials
- Wood Glue
- Matte Finish spray paint
- Quick Set Concrete
- Water and a Level
Step 1: Make your Cuts
I had Home Depot cut my 4×4 cedar post in half before I brought it home, enough to make 2 holders. I used scraps I had on hand for the front portion and I made cuts with my miter saw.
Below is a labeled photo with measurements. I used a 1×12 for the bottom portion of the hose holder, and a 1×6 for the sides. If you aren’t comfortable cutting angles you can make straight cuts and it will work as well. I cut the angles simply because I wanted the design to somewhat resemble a garden hose holder.
The 1×12 piece is cut at 10 1/2″ and beveled at 45 degrees on both ends. The short side pieces are also 10 1/2″ long but they are mitered at 25 degrees on both ends.
Step 2 Assemble the pieces
I used my K4 Jig to drill pocket holes on the underside of the 1×12. In case you haven’t heard me rave about this tool, let me just sum it by saying it’s AWE-some and among the top 5 tools I recommend to begin woodworking. I still consider myself a beginner and use the K4 for almost everything I build (I am not getting paid to say this).
Make sure you drill the pocket holes on the longer, non beveled side. I also used wood glue at the seams.
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After the pocket holes were drilled, I put the pieces together using my cordless drill
This is what you should end up with! Isn’t she pretty?
Step 3: Sand and Paint
I gave all of the pieces a good sanding using my cordless sander, which I LOVE! Once it all felt smooth and the edges were rounded, I spray painted all of the pieces black.
Step 4: Cement the post in the ground
After everything was painted, I decided to cement in the post before I attached the holder, for easier handling. It turned out to be a good idea because you need to make sure it’s level. This was my first experience with concrete and it was easy. I used quick set concrete and some water.
Here is how to do it.
First, dig a 10-12 inch deep hole. Set your 4×4 post in there and fill the hole with water about a third of the way. Then add the concrete mix and mix it with a paint stick until the consistency is similar to oatmeal. If you add too much concrete, you can add more water to compensate.
It’s better for the mix to be a little watery, than too thick. Quick tip: Since the smallest concrete bag available in my local store was 50 lbs, I filled an old ice cream bucket with concrete, then I poured from there into the hole. I ended up using about 2/3 of the 1-Gallon ice cream bucket.
Once the cement starts to set (we’re talking minutes here), grab a level and position the post right where you want it. Hold it there for a few more minutes until the it doesn’t move after you let go. Again, this is a process that takes 5-10 minutes, if you get the quick set concrete.
Step 5: Attach the holder to the post
I let the post sit overnight before I attached the holder, just to be sure it wouldn’t move when I drilled into it. I attached the holder using my cordless drill and 2″ Wood Screws. I wanted to use 3″ screws for added security, but as you can tell it was hard to get the drill in there. In hindsight, I could have used a 1×12 for the back piece to get more clearance. So, learn from my mistakes!. However, the holder seems to be pretty secure as it is, with the 2″ screws.
After this, all that was left was to put the post cap on and clean up! I simply glued the cap on and it fit pretty snug.
All in all, this was a quick project and I’m so happy with it!
I made another one for the back garden hose and went for a two-tone look!
If you have any questions, or if you have come up with clever ideas to store your garden hose, tell me in the comments. I love to chat with my readers.
And if you like this project I hope you will join our DIY community and stay in the loop of new projects and free plans!
UPDATE!! (don’t let this happen to you)
After 4 weeks my holder got a little tired.! It turns out the hose in my backyard was too heavy. So, I added a support piece. I think it looks pretty cute still! So, unless you have a pretty light weight hose, make sure you add the extra piece. It’s simply a 2×3 beveled at 45 degrees on both ends. I attached the piece with 2″ wood screws.
Don’t forget to pin this for later!
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Novice woodworker and serial Popcorn eater, Janice Thomas writes detailed tutorials that motivate others to “dare to try”. Originally from Puerto Rico, Janice is fluent in Spanish and dreams of owning a beach house on the island someday! Janice currently lives in Utah with her husband and children, where she works as a university professor.
Great article! We will be linking to this great content on our site. Keep up the great writing.
Stopped by to Stumble, but got distracted by this fabulous idea and tutorial. Love your work so much! XOXO Susie from The Chelsea Project
Thank you, Susie! You made my day!
This is such a great idea for the garden hose. It looks good and is so practical. Thanks for sharing at Snickerdoodle. Pinning.
Thanks Beverly!