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Jaime Costiglio

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Build an Outdoor Cabana Lounge

September 28, 2016

One of the awesome things about DIY means you can dream up wild and crazy projects like this outdoor cabana lounge.  I’ve always wanted a lazy lounge space in our backyard and with the help of my friend Ana White my dreams have come true.
diy outdoor cabana lounge

Make a backyard retreat space fit for kids or adults. This is a DIY tutorial to build an outdoor cabana lounge space, a relaxing hideout for anyone.

I first spotted this cabana idea in my buildy friend Liz from Smart Girls DIY Instagram feed:
Smart Girls DIY palapa inspiration

Palapa Inspired Structure

She was on vacation in Mexico and they have these beautiful palapa structures on the beach.  Clearly this looks like a perfect vacation destination spot.  And of course I want my backyard to feel like a vacation!  But looking at that frame and considering the support and angles I knew I needed Ana to step in and sketch up plans.  Lucky for us she made the plans!
kids outdoor cabana
My goal was to complete this project over the summer.  But time has a way of slipping and now summer has turned to Fall.  That’s okay.  We can still make use of the outdoor cabana lounge and boy is it ever cozy!
diy outdoor cabana lounge fort

Outdoor Lounge

I do prefer the cabana lounge with the awning cover but it I took some photos without so you can see the structure.  Ana designed the build using lap joints so the beams overlap and intersect then I used hex lag bolts to hold it altogether (similar to the bolts used in my outdoor truss style coffee table).
diy outdoor covered cabana lounge
* This post contains affiliate links below. 

Interior Area:

The platform deck boards run 8′ so no waste here.  Also you have a little walking space in front of the queen size camping air mattress.
queen size camping mattress in cabana
queen size camping mattress in cabana
diy outdoor cabana lounge structure

Outdoor Retreat

  • private space
  • playhouse
  • beach front palapa
  • reading nook
It’s a little relaxing space carved out of our backyard.  If my kids were younger it would make a great playhouse too.  You could even add solid roofing material to make it more waterproof for a playhouse.  Or for another playhouse idea – try this open frame idea or this bungalow playhouse.
build an outdoor cabana lounge

Cabana Awning

The awning is a super easy addition.  I used 80″ wide Sunbrella awning fabric so it fits the length of the cabana without having to finish the edges.  On the ends I made a pocket for 3/4″ steel conduit pipe, fold the raw edge of the fabric over 1/2″ and then 2″ and sew a seam then slide the pipe into the pocket.
diy outdoor cabana awning with pipe weight
The pipe acts as a weight to keep the awning in place and is easily removable.  Also you can raise the awning sides to let in more air and light by placing the pipe up on the side post:
diy outdoor cabana awning with pipe weight
outdoor lounge cabana with fabric awning
Personally I prefer the awning sides down to make it more private.
outdoor lounge cabana with fabric awning

Cabana Deck Platform

This was my first time building a true deck platform and it won’t be my last.  I used the Kreg Deck Jig and you cannot see a single screw head!
deck style floor in outdoor cabana
diy outdoor cabana lounge with globe lights

Supplies:

  • free plans – lumber listed here
  • miter saw or circular saw
  • measuring tape
  • WORX Compact Circular Saw
  • multi-tool
  • drill and drill bits
  • lag screws
  • Kreg deck jig
  • Kreg pocket hole jig
  • queen camping air mattress
  • 6 yards – 80″ wide Sunbrella awning fabric
Be sure to stop by Ana’s place to get the free plans.  Below are some of the steps I took to build this cabana lounge.  Scroll down for a few in process building tips and notes.
lap joints using mini circular saw

Making the Lap Joints

It sounded way worse than it actually was.  I used my handy WORX Compact Circular Saw to make all the cross cuts.
lap joint using multi-tool
And then went in with my Rockwell Sonicrafter multi-tool to remove all the little slices.
connecting lap joints with lag bolts

Step 2:

To join the laps I predrilled a recessed hole then inserted 3/8-Inch x 3-Inch Hex Lag Screws.
outdoor cabana lounge frame
Above is the basic frame assembled.
Kreg deck jig to install deck boards
Attach the deck boards using a Kreg Deck Jig.  In the photo below you can see how the Kreg 2-Inch 8 Coarse deck screws are buried at an angle into the sides of each board.  This keeps your deck surface free from any screw heads.
Kreg deck jig to install deck boards
For the large 4×4 cross supports I opted to use Simpson Strong-Tie post caps which wrap around two sides of each 4×4 making the join strong and tight:
Simpson Strong-Tie hardware

Cabana Headboard:

Use pocket holes and Kreg Blue-Kote 2-1/2″ pocket hole screws.   Place a scrap piece of 4×4 to act as your spacer and hold the board in place while you attach the headboard slats.
headboard spacer with scrap 4x4
Up on the roof line use a scrap 2×4 and clamp to give your cross support a resting spot while you attach both ends.  I work alone so maneuvering and attaching these long supports can be tricky.
scrap wood support while installing roof cross supports
removable globe string lights
To fancy up my outdoor lounge cabana I added clear globe bulb patio string lights.  This style of outdoor lights has a small clip on the housing.  I hammered in a cord support then slipped the clip through the open space and this allows me to easily remove the lights in the winter.

Thanks for joining me for this outdoor cabana project.  Please leave any questions in the comments below and be sure to follow me on social media for sneak peeks, tools and project inspiration:

Instagram / Pinterest / Facebook / Youtube / Twitter

SHOP THIS PROJECT:
free plans diy outdoor cabana lounge

diy outdoor cabana lounge plans

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Filed Under: BEDS, BUILD, DIY, EXTERIOR, FURNITURE41 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mindi Carwin says

    September 29, 2016 at 3:03 AM

    This is sooo much fun!! Amazing job! I better not show my kids yet, they will want it NOW! And that Kreg Deck jig?! AWESOME!!

    Reply
    • jcprime1 says

      May 29, 2017 at 12:04 PM

      Thanks Mindi. That deck jig is wonderful especially if you don't want to see screw heads.

      Reply
    • Stacy says

      March 14, 2022 at 11:49 AM

      So cool, you are so blessed with talent! I could not do it for a million bucks.

      Reply
  2. Cristina Garay says

    September 29, 2016 at 2:01 PM

    Oh my, this is awesome! Pretty soon you're gonna be building an entire house! 😀 You rock!

    Reply
  3. Connie says

    September 29, 2016 at 2:08 PM

    WOW!!! That totally describes my opinion of your cabana. You amaze me! I can see this bringing your family a lot of pleasure. Children using it as a fort, clubhouse or reading nook and you and hubby having a romantic backyard get-away, a place to discuss your day or make plans for the future (away from the earshot of the kids). You did a beautiful job. I like it better than your prototype 🙂

    Reply
    • jcprime1 says

      May 29, 2017 at 12:03 PM

      Thanks Connie. I like to hide in their myself to get away from my kids 😉

      Reply
      • Paula says

        May 6, 2020 at 3:50 AM

        How do you keep bugs and critters out?

        Reply
        • Jaime says

          May 6, 2020 at 7:45 AM

          Hi Paula, The bugs and critters are free to come in. I suppose you could add screening if you’d like.

          Reply
  4. Jewels says

    September 29, 2016 at 11:09 PM

    wow, love this!

    Reply
  5. Deanna says

    October 26, 2016 at 8:10 PM

    I tried all the different links available and could not find a way to download or even read the outdoor cabana plans. I am so intrigued by the idea and the project looks terrific. I just can't get to there from here. Any help would be appreciated.

    Reply
    • jcprime1 says

      May 29, 2017 at 12:03 PM

      http://www.ana-white.com/2016/09/free_plans/outdoor-cabana-backyard-retreat

      Reply
  6. Crackletops says

    April 23, 2017 at 4:36 AM

    Plans are here (scroll to the bottom):

    http://www.ana-white.com/2016/09/free_plans/outdoor-cabana-backyard-retreat

    Reply
  7. Crackletops says

    April 23, 2017 at 4:37 AM

    How many yards of sunbrella fabric?

    Reply
    • jcprime1 says

      May 29, 2017 at 12:02 PM

      I believe I purchased 6 yards.

      Reply
  8. Thomas says

    May 29, 2017 at 6:42 AM

    CCA treated pine?

    Reply
    • jcprime1 says

      May 29, 2017 at 12:05 PM

      Mostly pressure treated fir.

      Reply
  9. Holly Cat says

    March 2, 2019 at 10:46 PM

    Would it be easy to make this about two feet taller? I want to hang my yoga trapeze from the top center beam and would like a little more height.

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      March 3, 2019 at 8:10 AM

      Great idea Holly, yes you could easily increase the height for more clearance.

      Reply
  10. Matthieu says

    April 1, 2019 at 5:00 AM

    Hi,
    I’ve just made my outdoor cabana in Lille, north of France.
    I got inspired by your & Ana White’s pictures. Thank you for sharing them.
    I adapted the dimensions to the materials I found, it’s 240cmx250cm (7.8ft x 8.2ft). Height is about 230cm (7.5 ft).
    I wanted to build a cabana for the kids, We thought about it and decided to build an open model.

    Here is a picture of it :
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/17PUtAowqrcID-KclI9OYVy84BNJ3JYgM/view
    Now I just have to cut and lay the fabric.

    Thank you for the tips, they really helped me.
    Matthieu

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      April 1, 2019 at 6:27 AM

      Hi Matthieu, it’s beautiful and I love seeing my project ideas built around the world! Great idea for the cement blocking on the base. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
  11. evan says

    May 14, 2019 at 12:37 PM

    Hi. I’m planning on building this as a playhouse for my daughter and looking at the picture it looks like the decking boards are 1x6s but the shopping list has 2x6s. Can you please confirm before i go out and buy the wood?

    Many thanks!
    Evan

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      May 14, 2019 at 3:42 PM

      Hi Evan, I used decking boards (5/4) for the deck portion and 2×6 for the ‘headboard’ area. You could use 1×6 for the deck – cedar may be a good option. Or decking or 2×6 PT. Whatever you desire.

      Reply
  12. Allison Fiscus says

    June 20, 2019 at 2:44 PM

    Are the 2 poles 80 inches as well or a bit longer? I thought you had a list of supplies on you website. I can’t seem to locate them. If I could please get that list or a link to that list.
    Thank you,
    Allison

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      June 20, 2019 at 3:49 PM

      Hi Allison, The list of supplies is on Ana’s site here: https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/outdoor-cabana-backyard-retreat I believe the poles are 8′ or maybe a tad shorter.

      Reply
  13. Travis Johannes says

    July 9, 2019 at 8:12 PM

    How long would you say this project takes start to finish?

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      July 10, 2019 at 6:54 AM

      Hi Travis, I’m estimating it took two full days to complete. Good luck!

      Reply
  14. Jada says

    November 5, 2019 at 10:44 AM

    Roughly how much do you think this project cost you to build? I know prices will fluctuate from store to store, but do you have a guesstimate on how much you spent on materials?

    Reply
  15. mike kolek says

    January 3, 2020 at 1:04 PM

    The links to the plans are no longer working. Is there a Place i can go to get the plans??

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      January 3, 2020 at 1:19 PM

      Thanks Mike, I have fixed the links and the plans are here: https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/outdoor-cabana-backyard-retreat

      Reply
  16. Brooke says

    March 31, 2020 at 10:37 PM

    Hi! I love this so much!! Curious if it would work to use a solid piece of plywood for the flooring instead of boards? Thinking of painting a fun geometric tile as a “floor” for my kids and a solid surface would be preferable not only for that, but also insuring they don’t lose things between the slats. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      April 1, 2020 at 7:20 AM

      Hi Brooke, Thank you. Yes you could use a solid flooring if your cabana has the awning covering or other type of roof system. The deck boards allow for drainage and with solid plywood you’re susceptible to rot but it all depends on your roof. And definitely use exterior grade plywood. Good luck!

      Reply
      • Brooke says

        April 1, 2020 at 9:16 AM

        Thank you!!

        Reply
  17. Holly says

    May 18, 2020 at 6:07 PM

    Thank you so much for this post!
    I am wondering how many yards of the sunbrella fabric you ended up needing to purchase?
    We are planning on building this during our vacation in June!
    Thanks again!!

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      May 19, 2020 at 6:59 AM

      Hi Holly, I believe I ordered 6 yards which is more than enough for a seam for the pipe and I think I still had some excess. Good luck!

      Reply

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