A deck for Dad’s retirement

Josh Edwards, 27, a student from East Ryde, NSW, says, ‘Dad wanted a deck to enjoy his retirement so I designed one to blend with the existing landscaping. It comes directly out from the back room to extend the living room into the yard. ‘When everything was level the joists were put in and the decking laid. I staggered the joints and ran stringlines for the nails that were all hand drilled, countersunk and nailed through ironbark. ‘The stairs I designed had lots of angles to cut. A glass balustrade avoided obstructing Mum’s view of the pool.’

A grandson’s first birthday gift

Lou Solari, 50, a mechanical supervisor from Karratha, WA, says, ‘I made this rocking horse over 10 months for my grandson’s first birthday. Using 19mm marine plywood, I cut out a stepped pattern with a bandsaw and removed the inside sections to reduce the weight. ‘The base is built from Oregon pine for strength and stability with a pendulum swing pinned to the hooves for rocking. For a smooth finish and to protect the timber I applied two coats of Estapol and found horsehair at a craft shop for the mane and tail.’

Bath room makeover with mosaic tiles

Craig Sproul, 37, a picture framer from Brisbane, Queensland, says, ‘I installed and levelled the bath, waterproofed the walls then made a timber frame to support the long side of the bath and a glass-block feature panel. I made the framework for twin recessed niches and a third one with glass shelves. Then I installed a glass bifold shower screen. ‘After sourcing an old hardwood bar top from a demolition yard, I cut it to size to make the shelf, with several coats of marine varnish to waterproof. I fitted mosaic tiles then added an aluminium trim.’

A new outdoor retreat

John Kovac, 53, a pharmaceutical representative from Glenning Valley, NSW, says, ‘Our backyard of aging pebblecrete with a sloping area was unusable and levelling it was too difficult. ‘I used the most basic tools, circular saw, cordless drill, screws and my imagination. Now we have paved areas we can use, one for barbecuing with seating for friends to relax while I’m cooking, and an area in front of the water feature where we quite often eat.’

Renos to sell the house

Scott Wilson, 39, an events manager from Adelaide, SA, says, ‘I wanted to sell my investment property. There wasn’t much interest so I embarked on a three-month renovation that included removing a wall, replacing floors, ceilings and wall boards, and plenty of other tasks. ‘I reused materials such as the hardwood timbers from the wall and the dado panelling. When the property was relisted it sold immediately.’

Front Yard Makeover

Amanda Twomey, 38, a nurse from Broken Hill, NSW, says, ‘I took inspiration from where I live and tried to work with natural materials that were already on my property. ‘I covered existing concrete with crackerdust then collected rocks to lay stepping stones. Local pirie rock was spread over the top. ‘I painted the house a colour that toned with the surroundings then cemented concrete panels with engraved native animals onto pebble panelling at the front.’

Bigger and better kitchen

Cassandra Shephard, 28, an office manager from Logan Village, Queensland, says, ‘When the old oven finally gave up I ordered a flat-pack kitchen online. I assembled the cabinets and initially installed just one side of the kitchen. I got the professionals to fit the stone benchtop. ‘Because the cabinets were in a different position I had to jackhammer up the border tiles, find a tile that was a good match and lay the new ones. ‘I widened the doorway by 600mm, giving a more open feel, then finished with a tiled splashback and new paint.’

Beds for happy dogs

Lindy Marie, 36, a nurse from Concord, NSW, says, ‘Our dog was always trying to get away from our new puppy so I built a bed high enough for it to get some peace. ‘Trying to be as eco-friendly as possible I used timber from an old slat bed and cut it to size. I made mattresses by cutting up an old kids’ lounge and covered them in recycled bed underlay.’

An entertaining deck

Sally Pratt, 32, a stadia coordinator from Corrimal, NSW, says, ‘My backyard was just a flat area of grass so I decided to build a low-lying deck from stringybark timber and landscape the area around it with a variety of plants. ‘I designed and constructed the deck myself and got a bit of help from Mum when it came time to lay the decking. ‘The base was constructed using treated pine sleepers on footings of gravel and pavers. The hardest part was digging the trenches to ensure that the base was level.’

A verandah to suit the neighbourhood

Lucia Eather, 57, a sales manager from Long Jetty, NSW, says, ‘I wanted to add character so I chose a look that would suit the house and fit in with the style of the neighbourhood. ‘I used my tile cutter to cut the tiles, laying them in a diamond pattern and putting contrasting colours in the centre. With the help of a local timber supplier I calculated the amount of material needed for the project just about spot on. A compound mitre saw with a laser light ensured it was angled correctly and my husband was a great help with the heavy lifting.’