Wind power generators, also known as windmills are a useful power saving devices as well as beautiful garden decoration units. While building a power generator is a complicated and time consuming task, building a windmill for your garden décor is a simple and enjoyable task.

To build a windmill for your yard you need proper plans first. At this stage you need to choose the style for your windmill. The good news is that there are numerous windmill plans available both online and in DIY stores so it is a matter of taste and budget. If you are eager to spend some extra time looking you might be also able to find good windmill plans online that are free to use.

Similar to building a wind power generator, you will need to decide if you are looking for wooden windmill or one made of aluminum. Outdoor decorations made of wood look much more natural and usually fit well in any garden décor and style.

The basic components of any windmill are base, tower, wind blades and the gearbox that makes blades rotate.

It is recommended that you build the base first. This is the construction component that will keep the whole structure so it is of utmost importance that it is strong and heavy enough. In case you are planning to build a windmill of bigger size it is best to use concrete for the base. Otherwise sand bags or wood frame filled with stones can be used.

The tower can be constructed from wood or metal depending on your preferences and budget. In both cases you need to proof it with paint to make it durable to all weather conditions.

Windmill blades can be purchased or made by you. If you are going to craft your own blades use some light material such as light wood or plastics.

Finally you need to build the gearbox. This is the unit that will make windmill blades rotate. It is enough to connect windmill blades with the tower using a shaft to make them rotate when it is windy.