Party tents let you bring the indoors to your yard, protecting you from the elements. These tents can cost hundreds of dollars to rent for a single day. A much more practical alternative is to make your own. The materials cost far less than a rental fee, and you get to break down and keep the tent once the party is over. You can make a party tent with materials found at your local hardware store.

Connect four 10-foot PVC pipes together into a square using three-way PVC corner joints. The third flange should point up on all corners. Push the connections together tightly so that they do not fall apart.

Connect a 7-foot PVC pipe into the third flange of each corner to form the side posts, supported by the base created in Step 1.

Connect two 5-foot pieces of PVC pipe into the sides of a PVC T-joint to create 10-foot pipe with a flange in the middle. You may have to trim the ends slightly with a hacksaw to get 10 feet depending on the thickness of the T-joint.

Repeat this process to create a second pipe.

Build another square as outlined in Step 1, using two 10-foot pipes and the two pipes created in Step 3. The corner flanges should point down, while the side flanges should point up.

Insert a 3-foot pipe into each side flange.

Connect the 3-foot pipes with a 10-foot pipe, fitted with 90 degree angle elbow joints at both ends.

Attach the completed second square to the top of the side posts.

Drape a colorful, high-quality tarp over the top of the tent frame, letting it hang down evenly over the roof opening. Secure the tarp to the upper square with zip ties.

Cut additional tarp to form sides for the tent if desired. Attach them to the side posts with more zip ties. Leave one side open so people can get in and out.

Place a sandbag at each corner of the base square to hold the tent in place.

Decorate the tent with balloons, ribbons, strings of party lights or any other decoration that you want.