CharlotteJoy's Profile

My husband and I did this! It was easy! We got wood poles from Lowe's, 4 metal screw hooks (with a little latch on it), outdoor fabric, grommets, and some concrete.

The grommets were really easy to hammer into the fabric at all four corners, then you cut the fabric out inside the circle of the grommet. Then we dug about a three-foot deep pole (not too wide, maybe about 8 inches across), stuck in the pole, some concrete about three-quarters of the way up, then covered back up with dirt. The concrete REALLY stabilized the poles and made them sturdy, and I don't think they will be too hard to remove with a little digging and a hammer & pick.

The hooks were screwed right to the top of the poles, and then we hooked the fabric on! Make sure the curve of the hook faces inward, and the latch faces outward. (You could spray paint the pole and the hooks so they coordinate and look finished as sarahrae suggested).

Easy, this is a good afternoon project you can have done in time for dinner! You could even use some string lights to hang around the edges of the canopy, just make sure you get the hooks with the little latches and they will hold the canopy AND the string lights right in place!

My husband & I don't smoke, but we know plenty of people who do. For parties we put out a little bowl my sis made in ceramics class in high school with a little kitty litter in it on the patio table. It ends up being the spot where everyone gathers anyhow.