Eleven DIY wheelbarrow plans to build for fall. Fill a full-size one with mums and pumpkins on the porch, or display a tabletop version on the counter.
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What is it about mums showing up at the roadside stand that flips a switch and tells us it’s time to grab a pumpkin spice coffee and get ready for fall? Whatever it is, once it hits, that voice in the back of your head says the porch could use some cornstalks, maybe a fall sign, and a wheelbarrow filled with pumpkins! Well, I rounded up 11 plans to build, from larger options for the porch and yard to a tabletop version for the counter.
A few of these were made during a Home Depot event, so they have a similar starting point. But I wanted to include them because each shows subtle variations that you can use to inspire your build.
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Full-Size Rustic Wheelbarrow
Mindi built this full-size wheelbarrow from scratch, and it has a deep box you'd want for a pile of pumpkins. A solid wooden wheel sits up front, the handles angle up to braced legs, and the whole thing wears a dark, rustic tone.
Cara went industrial with hers, framing the whole barrow in galvanized pipe with a slatted bin sitting on top. The wooden wheel is banded with metal strapping, which is the detail that sells the old-cart look. She keeps a mum planted in the bin out on the porch.
The wheel of Shar's actually spins, so it rolls wherever you want it, and the bin holds a good load of pumpkins. It wears a weathered brown tone that looks right at home in the yard or on the porch.
Kristi finished hers in a weathered gray and hung a hand-lettered ‘Harvest’ sign on the side, like something off a farmer’s market cart. Diamond-plate metal caps on each end give it a little worn-industrial edge. The sign and caps come off, so it can shift into other seasons without much fuss.
Susan built this one with staved sides and an open back for a more authentic, farm-worn look. The top back corners are rounded off, a small touch that softens the whole shape, and a solid round wheel sits up front.
Shelly's is finished in crisp navy with sides that flare out like the real thing. The wheel spins, and there are drainage holes in the bottom of the bed so a live mum can sit right in it.
Cristina's has a real antique-cart feel, clad in gray weathered plank siding with a faded old logo stamped on the side. The back is rounded and the details all carry that rusted, aged patina.
Elisha kept hers simple, with a slatted bin riding on two long handles. The standout is the spoked wheel, which she says does most of the work of making it look like an actual old wheelbarrow. It's sized to sit on a step or a small porch and hold a few pumpkins.
Ana's is the one your kids will actually push around, a child-sized working wheelbarrow with a roomy open bin and a wheel that really rolls. It's mini size pulls double-duty as fall decor when the gardening's done.
Jen went with a barn-red barrow, worn at the edges so the wood shows through for an aged look. Up front is a genuine antique iron wheel she'd been holding onto for years, which gives it a one-of-a-kind, salvaged character.
Jaime scaled hers down to tabletop size, small enough to sit on a kitchen counter or run down the middle of a table. There’s a little wooden wheel up front and a framed chalkboard sign on the side you can letter however you like. It’s just the right size for a pile of mini pumpkins or apples from the orchard.
Hi there – I’m Scott, a woodworking enthusiast and creator of Saws on Skates, a site I started in 2015 to share easy-to-follow tutorials, space-saving shop tips, and project inspiration for DIYers at any skill level. Learn more about my woodworking journey here.
