DIY Gingerbread House Yard Decoration

Deck the yard with this adorable DIY gingerbread house. No baking required! Easy tutorial for a festive decoration that will wow your neighbors.

Want to add a pinch of holiday cheer to your front yard? This DIY gingerbread house looks good enough to eat… but don’t! Made from wood and painted with festive colors, follow my simple step-by-step tutorial for this adorable yard decoration that will have passersby doing a double-take.

Inspiration for This Project

You might have heard me mention my volunteer work at the local historical society in a few of my tutorials. One of our annual traditions is decorating the gazebo on the property for Christmas. The other day, I received a text from Sandy, a volunteer who shares my passion for history and holiday cheer:

We should decorate the gazebo for Christmas on our next volunteer day. I had an idea, but it fell through. Any thoughts?”

Sandy’s gingerbread theme for the museum’s interior had me brainstorming, and as a woodworker, I couldn’t resist the challenge. I opened SketchUp and began designing a nearly five-foot-tall, adorable wooden gingerbread house to be the star of our outdoor display.

Sandy said it “looks terrific” and thinks the spot above the door is perfect for a wreath with lights.

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What Wood Should You Use?

I designed the gingerbread house so you could make it using pine boards. They’re usually pretty cheap and easy to find at most home improvement stores.

But I decided to go a different route. I had some T1-11 (a type of plywood siding) lying around from a repair project. So, instead of buying new wood, I ripped the plywood into strips using my circular saw and Kreg Rip-Cut. 

A commenter on my YouTube video pointed out that fence pickets could be a good alternative to pine boards for this project, and it’s a fantastic suggestion. 

There are a couple of things to keep in mind if you plan to use pickets. The cedar ones I’ve used for other projects had a rustic, rough-sawn texture, which might not provide the desired “cookie-like” smoothness. You could use a sander or planer to smooth the surface to achieve that look. 

Be careful when working with cedar. Some people (like me) are allergic to it. Always wear a dust mask or respirator when cutting or sanding any wood.

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What Tools Do You Need?

I made my yard decoration with five common tools:

• Sliding miter saw or circular saw and a speed square
• Jigsaw
• Drill
• Pocket hole jig
• Brad nailer or hammer

I also used some optional tools:

Kreg Straightedge Guide: Since I was repurposing plywood with uneven edges, I used a circular saw and Kreg Straightedge Guide to rip a straight edge. You won’t need these tools if you’re using pine boards.

Related: Kreg Straight Edge Guide: How to Use and Review

Circular saw and Kreg Rip-Cut: Again, since I was repurposing plywood, I also used a circular saw and Kreg Rip-Cut to cut it to the correct width. You won’t need these tools if you’re using pine boards.

Router: I used a trim router and a roundover bit to give the boards a rounded appearance, but you can use sandpaper if you don’t have one.

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How Do You Mount the Gingerbread House in Your Yard?

As I mentioned earlier, we plan to display the gingerbread house at our historical society’s gazebo. Because we can’t fasten it to the gazebo’s floor, we’ll attach it to an old pallet with screws. 

You might consider a similar approach for your yard, or you could secure it to a few metal fence posts like these. Yes, ten is too many. You might only need two. I just wanted to show you the style of the post I was talking about.

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Before You Begin

I designed the gingerbread house so you could make it with store-bought boards. However, I had some T1-11 (a type of plywood siding) lying around. So, instead of buying new wood, I ripped the plywood into strips. You can skip this step if you’re using pine boards.

I removed the sheets’ uneven edges using a circular saw and a Kreg Straightedge Guide.

Along the straightedge I created, I used a circular saw and Kreg Rip-Cut to cut it to the correct width.

Step 1. Cut the House Parts

Following the diagram in the printed plan, I cut the boards for the house.

To make the angles on the middle board, I used my Kreg Multi-Mark to locate the board’s center.

I adjusted my miter saw to 45 degrees and made a cut at the mark. Then, I flipped the board and made the second cut.

From the peak, I measured and cut it to length.

I cut the remaining parts in a similar way. First, making the 45-degree cut, measuring, and cutting to length.

NOTE: I used a sliding miter saw for these cuts. If your miter saw doesn’t slide, the cuts may exceed its capacity. Instead, consider using a jigsaw or circular saw and a speed square to make them.

I used a trim router and a roundover bit to give the boards a rounded appearance, but you can use sandpaper if you don’t have one.

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Step 2. Assemble the House

I added supports to each side of the house for stability.

Cut two pieces of wood to length for the supports. I also cut a 45-degree angle on the top edge to remove the sharp corner.

Following the diagram in the printed plan, I marked the location for pocket holes and drilled one at each mark.

Related: How to Use a Pocket Hole Jig (Beginner Pitfalls to Avoid)

Position the support on the house’s side, clamp, and attach using pocket hole screws. Repeat for the other side.

To assemble the house, I laid down a scrap piece of wood along the bottom to ensure the house sections’ alignment. Then, I cut eight pieces of scrap wood to use as spacers between the house sections.

Cut three pieces of wood to length for the braces.

Following the diagram in the printed plan, I positioned the braces and traced their outline with a pencil. Then, I removed them, applied glue within the pencil lines, and repositioned the braces. Attach using brad nails.

I mentioned earlier that I would attach the gingerbread house to a pallet and need a way to do that. So I attached a 2×4 to the house, then I’ll drive screws through the 2×4 into the pallet.

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Step 3. Attach the Roof Trim

Following the diagram in the printed plan, I cut the trim for the roof and chimney.

Using a compass, I marked the rounded ends. No compass? No problem. You can trace a paint can or even a dinner plate for a rounded shape.

With a jigsaw, I cut the rounded shape. I used a disc sander to smooth the saw marks, but you can use sandpaper instead.

TIP: To make the painting process easier, I didn’t attach the trim at this time. Instead, I painted the house and trim before attaching it.

After the paint dried, I positioned it on the house. Attach using brad nails.

I made discs for peppermint candies using a drill press and a 2” hole saw.

TIP: I clamped a sacrificial board on my drill press to protect the bit from drilling into the table. Then, I clamped the workpiece to the sacrificial board.

After painting them white, I placed the candy template (included with the printed plan) and used a stencil brush to transfer the design onto the disc.

I positioned them on the roofline when the paint was dry. Attach using brad nails.

TIP: The brad nailer caused the discs to jump out of place, so I recommend using painter’s tape to hold them in place temporarily.

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Step 4. Attach the Door and Window Trim

Following the diagram in the printed plan, I cut the trim for the door and window using a miter saw.

TIP: To make the painting process easier, I painted the trim before attaching it.

After the paint dried, I positioned the door trim on the house. I placed a board above the door trim to help align the window trim. 

Attach using brad nails.

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Video

Watch now, and I’ll show you how to make the gingerbread house.

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Final Thoughts

This DIY gingerbread house is a fun way to add some holiday magic to your front yard and will surely bring smiles to everyone who passes by.

Don’t wait. Get your PDF plan (including the detailed instructions and measurements) now!

Thank you for stopping by. If you enjoyed this tutorial, would you please take a moment and pin it to Pinterest? I’d really appreciate it!

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