The Dazzling Patio Decor You Can DIY Using Leftover Bricks

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When building just about anything out of brick, it's helpful to have some extra bricks on hand in case of breakage. Those leftover bricks might end up sitting around in your yard for a while if you don't have an immediate use for them. One way to incorporate them into your outdoor living area is to transform them into contemporary patio lighting that brightens up your patio. Perforated bricks, sometimes called 3-hole bricks or cored bricks, have just the right amount of space in the holes to fit battery-powered tealight candles. Dollar Tree carries a three-pack of Luminessence flickering LED white tealight candles, so there's enough in one pack for one brick. 

You aren't limited to tealights, either. Any small light source that fits within the holes in the bricks will work, such as strands of miniature fairy lights. Whichever lights you use, these brick lanterns can be placed on a side table or patio table, or spaced along the perimeter of the yard every few feet to designate the boundary for an evening soiree or small garden party.

The simplest way to make this brick lantern is to stand the brick up vertically. Turn the tea lights on, insert one light per hole, and place the brick on a table near your seating area for some ambient light. For extra convenience, consider upgrading to remote-controlled tea lights so you don't have to switch them on and off individually. 

If you're short on spare bricks to create this DIY with, perforated bricks often cost less than a dollar each at stores such as Home Depot. Choose bricks that have smoother holes if possible, as some can be quite coarse and may create an uneven surface for your light. If you're not a fan of the earthy red hue, you can always color your bricks with a brick stain or acrylic-based masonry paint to make them match your outdoor decor.

For a slightly different take on the brick lantern, set a brick flat on a metal tray so the three holes in the brick face upward. Fill each hole with a small amount of sand, then insert a taper candle or other small candle. Fill the remaining space in the brick holes with more sand to stabilize the candles. Place the candle tray on a patio table that's far away from anything flammable, including tree branches. Only leave the candles lit while you're outside to keep an eye on them.