Behind the magic Recreate the Make

Home makeovers

Behind the magic

Inspired by the Make it Happen makeovers? Here’s how to tackle some of the clever DIY tasks…

The Bunnings Make It Happen team delivered some super stylish updates to a backyard, living room and front garden (see page 38), and everything they did could be taken on by a confident DIYer. Read on for step-bystep instructions to some of the projects tackled.

A path to the deck means dirt is less likely to reach it – or the house

STEPPING STONE PATHWAY

Here’s a fab solution for high-traffic areas where grass struggles to thrive. Before starting, ensure the area around your pathway is level and clear, with no obstructing weeds or debris. Tip: Check the weather forecast, as rain may cause issues when waiting for the mortar mix to dry.

Your DIY toolkit

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1 WestStone 6mm-16mm NZ stone pebbles in White, $16.02/15kg, I/N: 0319813. 2 WestStone 600mm x 300mm x 37mm paver in Slate Grey, $18.57, I/N: 0237522. 3 For hire: Mikasa 74kg plate compactor, $60/24hr, I/N: 0998735. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered. TOOLS & MATERIALS Safety equipment (gloves, mask, ear and eye protection) Metal rake Tape measure Circular saw Claw hammer Compactor Bricklayer’s line and stakes Wheelbarrow Bucket Shovel Rubber mallet Level Sub base Garden edging Garden edging pegs Mortar mix Pavers Decorative pebbles

1Pour sub base over the area to form a 50mm-thick layer, spreading it evenly with a metal rake. Cut garden edging to run around the area, joining the ends and positioning it vertically. Tap in garden edging pegs to hold it.

4Wearing a mask, pour mortar into a wheelbarrow and add water gradually, mixing into a thick paste-like consistency with a shovel. 2Wearing safety equipment, use a compactor to compact the sub base, providing a solid base to keep the pebbles and pavers from moving.

5Shovel mortar onto the paver area, position a paver on top and tap in place with a mallet, checking with a level. Repeat shovelling mortar onto each paver area, add the pavers and leave to dry for 24 hours. 3Tap stakes into the sub base to run bricklayer’s line for indicating the position of the pavers, ensuring there’s at least a 100mm gap between the pavers and the edging.

6Use a bucket to pour a layer of pebbles carefully between and around the pavers, raking them evenly for a neat finish. }

Before

MAKE A FEATURE WALL

A painted wall is a quick and easy way to transform a space, adding life to a neutral scheme, or it can be used to define a separate zone, like this study nook within a larger living area.

TOOLS & MATERIALS Safety equipment (mask and eye protection) Spatula  50mm paintbrush  Sponge Roller with extension pole and tray Gap filler 180-grit abrasive paper with sanding block  Sugar soap wipes  Painter’s tape  Drop sheet  Wall paint 1Prepare the area by moving furniture away, taking down pictures and fixtures, and putting a drop sheet against the skirting board. Using a spatula, scrape away any flaking paint, and smooth over holes with gap filler, leaving to dry. 2Wear a mask to smooth over the filler and any bumps with 180-grit abrasive paper – use a dry paintbrush to remove dust from skirting boards and corners. Clean the entire wall with sugar soap wipes, leaving to dry thoroughly. 3Mask around the outside of the wall to be painted, positioning painter’s tape along the ceiling or cornice, over skirting boards, around window and door trim, power points, switches and other non-moveable fixtures.

Your DIY toolkit

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1 Selleys ‘Spakfilla Rapid’ gap filler, $13.50/180g, I/N: 1231864. 2 Marshalltown 100mm joint knife, $21, I/N: 0839881. 3 Monarch 50mm cutting in and framing synthetic paintbrush, $14.28, I/N: 0503592. 4 Monarch 230mm 13mm nap roller on a pole, $9.98, I/N: 1661240. 5 Porter’s Paints ‘Eggshell Finish’ paint in Aniseed, $99/2L, I/N: 0163027. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered. 4Using a 50mm brush, cut in along the edges with the wall paint (use masking tape for a neat line). Tip: Apply an even coat of paint by holding the brush vertically to cut in downwards and horizontally to paint sideways. 5Apply paint with a roller, starting at the top and moving down in a W pattern, in metre-wide sections, then leave to dry. Apply a second coat, remove tape and leave to dry. Tip: Seal the roller in plastic wrap between coats to stop it drying.

DIY A DESK

A work or study zone is a great asset to any home. As the MIH team showed, you can borrow space from a living zone to create a study nook – and even make a desk to suit your space! It’s a relatively simple project, especially if you have the timber panel trimmed in store to the size you want.

TOOLS & MATERIALS  Safety equipment (mask, eye and ear protection)  Tape measure and pencil  Drill with driver and 3mm drill bits  Masking tape  1200mm x 600mm x 18mm timber panel  Four 700mm-high table legs  180-grit abrasive paper with sanding block  Cloth

1With the best face of the panel facing down, at the corners, mark 15mm in from both edges. Use a leg as a template, positioning the plate between the marks to transfer the screw holes with a pencil. 2Set up the drill with a 3mm bit, wrap tape 15mm up from the tip to act as a depth gauge and predrill the holes. Smooth all over both sides of the panels with 180-grit abrasive paper, then wipe away dust with a damp cloth. 3Position a leg at each corner over the screw hole marks and secure with the supplied screws. }

This desktop has been left natural, but you can accentuate the grain using furniture oil applied with a cloth

Your DIY toolkit

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1 Taskmaster 700mm x 50mm x 0.8mm steel table leg in Black, $9.49, I/N: 0064721. 2 SpecRite 1200mm x 600mm x 18mm hevea finger jointed panel, $40, I/N: 8330181• . 3 Ryobi ‘ONE+’ 18V drill driver, $99/skin only (battery not included), I/N: 0096074. Tips for creating a study nook  Find the right place Make sure you have plenty of room to spread out, that there’s at least one power point nearby and adequate (but not glaring) natural light.  Sort storage To help keep the desktop clear, install storage – perhaps wall shelving or a small cabinet under the desk.  Style it up Personalise the space with meaningful but practical touches, such as a lamp for task lighting, an ergonomic chair, and a spot of potted greenery.

Before

INSTALL A LETTERBOX

This quick and easy project takes just a couple of hours. Your mail will make it safely home with no lost letters!

TOOLS & MATERIALS  Safety equipment (mask and eye protection)  Shovel  Tape measure  Wheelbarrow or bucket  Level  Letterbox and post  Concrete mix

Your DIY toolkit 1Choose a spot within easy and safe reach for you and the postie, but avoid obstructing 1 access to the driveway, house or garden. Tip: Check your local postal service recommendations.

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1 Cemix ‘Multicrete’ general purpose concrete, $8.80/20kg, I/N: 0232228. 2 Sandleford heavy duty letterbox post in Woodland Grey, $29.98, I/N: 3200628. 3 Spear & Jackson timber handle garden spade, $27.98, I/N: 0193354. 4 Stanley ‘FatMax 43-524’ 600mm non-magnetic level, $58.95, I/N: 0307036. 5 Sandleford ‘Magnum’ post mount letterbox in White/Silver, $49.98, I/N: 3210370. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered. 4Pour concrete mix into a wheelbarrow or bucket and add the recommended amount of water, mixing with a shovel. Fill the hole to halfway with concrete.

A simple project such as installing a new letterbox can make a huge difference to the front of the home

2Assemble your new letterbox and attach it to the post by following the instructions provided. 3Dig a hole the same width as the shovel and about 500mm deep, so the letterbox’s finished height will be just over a metre. Keep soil to refill the hole later.

5Centre the post’s base, pushing it down through the concrete so the top, from ground level, is about 800mm. Fill the hole with concrete, using a level to check for plumb. 6Leave the concrete to cure. Backfill the top of the hole with soil until it is level with the surrounding ground. ◆

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