Simpson Strong-Tie Free DIY Projects & Plans

Simpson Strong-Tie offers a collection of free DIY plans to build strong wood structures and furniture around the home. The projects are split into four groups: Outdoor Structures, Garage Organization, Outdoor and Indoor Furniture, and Garden & Yard. 

Each section’s plans are designed for do-it-yourself builders, using Simpson connectors and hardware to make the projects sturdy and durable. Below is an overview of each section, along with a description of every plan within it. All plans come with step-by-step instructions and materials lists. 

The Outdoor Structures section covers yard buildings that add shade and style, like pergolas, arbors, patio covers, and pavilions. These free plans show how to build sturdy outdoor frames with Simpson Strong-Tie connectors. 

They range from small backyard pergolas and privacy arbors to large party pavilions and roofed patios. Whether you want a quiet nook or a big covered area for gatherings, these designs help you add strong, attractive structures to your yard.

1. 17′×25′ Meadow Premier Pergola: A classic, large pergola built with Outdoor Accents decorative hardware. This roomy pergola is engineered to be very strong (even for high winds or earthquakes). It’s ideal for big backyard get-togethers or family events, providing shade and a focal point for guests
2. 18′×18′ Freestanding Pergola: A large free-standing wood pergola. Designed with hidden Simpson connectors and decorative hardware, this expansive 18×18 pergola makes a dramatic yard feature. It provides a big shaded area for seating or play.
3. Pergola with Privacy Screen: Similar to a pergola, but with one side fitted with a privacy screen wall. This design gives shade overhead and blocks neighbors or wind on one side. The screen adds visual interest and extra privacy.
4. 10′×10′ Backyard Pergola: A smaller square wood pergola perfect for a medium backyard. It’s built with Simpson Outdoor Accents hardware. This plan creates a cozy shaded spot for reading, eating or lounging, giving “a respite from the sun” in your yard.
5. 10′×8′ Freestanding Pergola: A simple, stylish pergola (10×8 feet) that offers ample shade for a modest outdoor space. It’s a straightforward build that adds shelter over a deck or seating area.
6. 10′×14′ Party Pavilion: A free-standing pavilion roof (10×14 feet) meant for entertaining. Think of it as a covered picnic area for parties and reunions. It provides generous shade for tables and guests. The design uses code-listed decorative hardware so the pavilion looks great and stays strong.
7. 12′×16′ Attached Patio Cover: A large patio cover that attaches to the house. It creates a covered patio space out of your home wall. The plan uses Simpson decorative hardware for beauty and strength. It lets you “enjoy outdoor get-togethers under this attached patio cover,” building in long-lasting support.
8. 10′×12′ Attached Patio Cover: A sturdy, medium patio roof attached to your house. This shady structure features hidden Simpson connectors so more of the wood beams are visible (for a clean look) while still being very strong.
9. 14′×16′ Floating Deck with Pergola: A deck that sits just above ground with an attached pergola frame. The design “elevates your perspective” by raising the floor a few steps, then adding a pergola on top for shade. It’s perfect for an outdoor living space – you get deck height plus a overhead beam structure for lights or climbing vines.
10. 11½′×15½′ Party Pavilion: A large free-standing pavilion (about 12×15 feet). It provides serious shade for big gatherings like backyard games or parties. Built with Simpson decorative hardware, it’s designed as a strong “eye-catching centerpiece” for your yard. Think of it as an open-sided roof to host BBQs or family events.
11. 14′×14′ Sloped Patio Cover: A freestanding patio cover with a pitched metal roof. This solid structure gives relief from sun and rain. The sloped metal roof looks modern and contrasts nicely with the wood posts. You can park under it or set up chairs for outdoor living.
12. 8′×18′ Freestanding Porch Pergola: A narrow pergola (8×18 feet) designed for a porch or side yard. It’s like a porch extension: open on top for light but with beams for partial shade. The plan uses Simpson’s Outdoor Accents connectors for extra strength in a long, slim design.
13. Three-Post Trellis: A triangular corner trellis with three vertical posts. It’s made to fit neatly into a yard corner. The triangular shape and lattice allow vines to climb and create a quiet nook. It adds a bit of shade and visual interest without taking up a lot of space.
14. 5′×14¾′ Shade Arbor: A simple latticed arbor about 5 by 15 feet. It’s a tunnel-like arch structure made for shade. Designed with decorative hardware, it’s perfect for hanging a hammock or putting a bench underneath. It gives an “escape from the sun” in style.
15. BBQ Shade Cover: A small pergola or roof built over a barbecue grill. It provides cover over the grill area so you can cook even if it rains. The design is basically a mini-pavilion to protect your outdoor kitchen.
16. Garden Gazebo: A classic freestanding gazebo structure, usually polygonal or octagonal. This plan lets you build a covered, open-sided shelter in the yard. It’s ideal for relaxing or dining in the garden. (Simpson’s gazebo plan uses the same strong connections and gives a decorative outdoor room.)
17. Porch Portico: A small roof structure that attaches over an entryway or porch steps. It’s like a mini-pavilion covering just the front door area. This plan adds flair and rain-cover to your home’s entry.
18. Pool Bed Cabana: A small open hut or roof built by a pool or lounge area. The pool bed cabana provides shade for sunbeds next to the pool. Think of it like a mini-pergola with curtains where you can lie in a pool daybed out of direct sun.
19. 10′×12′ Pergola without Knee Bracing: A 10×12 pergola like others, but engineered “without knee bracing.” It uses Simpson’s MPBZ post base so it needs no diagonal braces. It’s built with decorative connectors and the special post base to be very sturdy while having a clean look

These Garage Organization projects help build storage shelves and workspaces to tame the clutter. Plans include heavy-duty workbenches, shelving units, and holders for tools and gear. 

Each plan uses Simpson connectors so it can hold up to heavy loads (like tools, boxes, or lumber). Building these will give you strong tables and racks for your garage or shop, making projects easier and clean-up faster. The plans come with material lists and instructions for constructing each piece.

1. Heavy-Duty Workbench: A sturdy 4′-wide workbench that serves as a dedicated workspace. It has a solid wood top and shelf underneath. This plan turns 2×4 lumber into a strong bench, using Simpson Rigid Tie connectors for the corners. It’s perfect for working on projects and storing tools. (“Create a dedicated workspace … with this heavy-duty workbench… perfect for the garage”.)
2. Heavy-Duty Shelving Unit: A strong storage shelf for your garage or basement. Built from 2×4 lumber and Simpson Rigid Tie brackets, this shelving is “sturdy enough to support your heaviest boxes,” and you can make it as long as you need. It has multiple shelves and is perfect for bins, tools, and gear.
3. Over-the-Car Shelving Unit: A high garage shelf designed to fit above a parked car. It mounts to your wall or ceiling above the vehicle, giving extra storage space. This “nifty unit” is great for storing bulky, rarely used items (like holiday decorations) safely out of the way
4. Log Holder: A simple raised wood rack for firewood. It keeps your firewood off the ground and organized. Built in under an hour, this sturdy log rack has slatted sides and a base to hold stacked logs.
5. Heavy-Duty Work Table: A robust garage table similar to the workbench, but with a large work surface. It uses Simpson connectors for strength. This work table supports heavy tasks and provides additional tabletop space for cutting, assembly or as a toolbox platform.

The Outdoor and Indoor Furniture plans feature rustic wood furnishings suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. You’ll find plans for things like a backyard bar, dining tables, carts, benches and even a bookshelf. These projects let you build furniture that’s both functional and eye-catching, often using Simpson decorative hardware or strong fasteners. 

For example, you can make a party bar with wide counters, a picnic table for the patio, or a sturdy bookshelf for the living room. Each plan shows you how to assemble the pieces to create durable furniture that looks great in your home or yard.

1. Rustic Bar: A large wood bar counter for outdoor entertaining. It has wide serving counters and built-in shelves for glasses and supplies. Finished with Simpson Outdoor Accents hardware, it makes a “showstopping” entertainment hub for backyard parties. The plan shows how to distress lumber for a rustic look and build a strong bar frame.

2. Faux Barnwood Table: A classic farmhouse-style dining table built to look like old barnwood. In this plan, new lumber is finished with paint and distressed to mimic antique wood. The table is simple and sturdy, with clean lines and black hardware accents. It’s essentially a solid wood table that seats 4–6, giving the feel of reclaimed barn planks

3. Mobile Cooler: A rolling cart built around an off-the-shelf cooler. This plan turns a standard cooler into a stylish movable bar cart. It has a wooden frame and shelves on wheels, blending a cooler with Simpson Outdoor Accents hardware. It “allows you to host outdoor gatherings in style” and keeps drinks cold for hours so guests can help themselves.

4. Picnic Table: A traditional wooden picnic table with attached benches. Made of common lumber and Simpson Strong-Drive screws, it provides lots of seating and table space for outdoor meals. This plan shows you how to cut and join 2x4s and larger timbers into a durable table. A completed picnic table adds extra seating for barbecues and parties

5. Mobile Cart: A small wheeled wood cart (like a bar or utility cart). It’s built with wood planks and Simpson connectors and can hold a pitcher or serveware (as in the example photo with a drink pitcher). The cart is on casters so you can roll it around. Use it as a drink trolley, a plant stand, or for any mobile storage.

6. Garden Bench: A large outdoor bench with a backrest and armrests. It seats two or more people and gives a comfortable place to sit in the garden or patio. This plan uses 2×4 lumber and Rigid Tie brackets, making the assembly fast and easy. You can customize the size, and choose cedar/redwood or paint it for color

7. Leaning Ladder Bookshelf: A five- or six-shelf ladder-style bookcase that leans against a wall. This space-saving shelf displays books or knickknacks without needing much floor space. It’s built like a ladder with shelves between the rails. The plan uses Simpson gusset angles at the joints so the shelf is strong. It’s great for a living room or office.

The Garden and Yard section includes projects for growing plants and improving your landscape. Plans here let you build things like raised planter beds, arbors and storage benches. 

For example, you can build a chicken coop to raise hens, a lattice arbor for climbing vines, or a raised wood bed to plant vegetables. These projects help you “grow greener” and make your outdoor space more useful. The designs focus on being functional – for instance, letting you fill raised beds with rich soil or cover and organize garden tools – all while looking neat in your yard.

1. Chicken Coop: A modern chicken coop that houses up to six chickens under one roof. This plan combines an enclosed coop and an attached run (5′×12′) in a single unit. The run is fully roofed for winter weather and high enough to stand in; the coop above has two roosts and three nesting boxes with access doors. This coop even includes a feed storage compartment. The design is clean and sturdy so your flock stays safe and comfortable.

2. Lattice Arbor: A decorative wooden arbor covered in lattice panels. Vines can climb the sides and roof of this open arbor, providing a bit of shade and a lovely green tunnel. It’s assembled with Simpson Outdoor Accents connectors for strength. This tall arched structure adds “shade and style” to a garden and gives plants room to grow up high

3. Rolling Planter Box: A portable cedar planter on wheels. This is essentially a raised planter box built from wood that you can roll around. It’s used for vegetables or flowers. You can move it to catch the best sun or protect it in bad weather. The plan shows how to attach caster wheels to a wood planter so you can easily roll your garden patch.

4. Raised Garden: A large box-style raised bed. It creates an elevated garden box where you can plant vegetables, herbs or flowers. The raised design lets you control the soil and drainage (and avoid poor yard soil). It’s easy to build in one day with Simpson Strong-Drive timber screws. Adding one or more of these “stylish raised garden beds” greatly boosts your garden’s productivity and looks neat in the yard

5. Outdoor Potting Bench: A sturdy wood bench for potting plants. It has a tabletop for working with soil and pots, plus shelves below to hold tools and pots. You can build it using the Strong-Tie workbench kit or connectors. This bench provides a dedicated gardening workspace for planting or storing seed trays.

6. Wood Fencing: A wood privacy fence panel plan. This project shows how to build fence sections using wood pickets or boards. It may include lattice or trellis on top for decoration. The plan uses Simpson brackets to connect posts and rails. It lets you build a sturdy wood fence or privacy screen around a yard.

7. Garden Lattice: Similar to a fence, a wooden lattice panel is shown (a criss-cross frame you can walk through or use as a backdrop). Use it as a standalone decorative screen or part of a fence. It can support climbing plants or vines. (The Simpson project site has a lattice arbor and fence plan.)

Each of these plans comes from Simpson Strong-Tie’s DIY project library. Wherever possible, the descriptions above cite the official plan posts (for example, the pergola plans and garden bed plan). These resources make it easy to get detailed instructions to build anything listed. All plan pages link to PDF plans you can download from Strong-Tie’s site for step-by-step guidance.