Stuck at home while the winter weather rages down on your custom covers, or just wanting to spend some quality time at home with your family? Here are five fantastic DIY projects that you and your loved ones will get a kick out of.
Why DIY?
First, let’s define DIY. Do It Yourself (DIY) projects involve building and repairing products by hand without assistance from a professional and without purchasing a ready-made product from a retailer.
Statistics show that the global eCommerce revenue of the DIY market reached a value of $413.5 billion in 2019, and one in every two homeowners are interested in DIY projects. Building a bookshelf or a box, painting a wall, and making accessories to match your bbq covers are just a few of the many DIY projects at your disposal.
DIY projects are accessible to all age groups, which makes it a great way to bond with your family. They also develop your fine motor skills and help you learn new a new skill or two.
Products made using DIY techniques promote sustainability as well. Reusing materials that you already have at home helps you contribute towards a greener world. DIY can also help in reducing the waste generated by mass production.
Picture This
Wall-mounted photos can be found in nearly every household. But having to drill holes into the walls to hang every new addition can get a bit tiresome. DIY picture ledges are a great option for displaying photos without having to constantly drill.
For this project, you will need:
- Scrap wood
- Miter or circular saw
- Countersink bit
- Wood glue, nails, screws, and clamps
- Wood paint or stain
Begin by determining the desired length of your shelves. Use the saw to cut the scrap wood to the chosen length. Next, cut two right triangles from the leftover wood.
Attach the triangles at both ends of the ledge using the wood glue and clamps. Once dried, countersink two holes into the hypotenuse through the base of the triangle that is not attached to your shelf. These you will use to attach your shelf to the wall. Sand down the wood for a smooth surface and give it a colorful paint job.
All that’s left to do is to hang your new ledge on the wall and fill it with photos of your favorite people, places, and things.
An Organized Entryway
Need to keep your keys, sunglasses, and other accessories organized by the front door? This easy-to-build organizer (see photo) will keep your entryway in top shape. You will need:
- Common 2.5cm x 10cm boards
- Drill
- Wall hooks
- Oil-based wood stain
- Screws and nails
- Rope
- Sanding block (or palm sander)
Measure out boards to your desired length for both the width and height of the organizer. Cut them down to size and sand until surface is properly smooth. Nail horizontal boards to the vertical boards.
Drill a 1.25cm hole at the top of each backing board. These will be for your rope. Once the holes are drilled, measure out how much rope you will need by placing your organizer on a table and run the rope through the holes, leaving the right amount of slack to produce the desired look and hanging depth you desire.
Drill hooks into the bottom board. Once your hooks are secured, stain the wood to your desired shade. Let dry, tie your rope in place (knots in the back of the boards), and mount in your entryway using either a hook or a screw with anchor (or into a stud) and your drill.
Lovely Ladder
This blanket ladder is a simple DIY project that you and your family can complete in a few hours and for under $10. Apart from blankets, you can also use this ladder to hang custom covers such as outdoor table covers.
- Two 2.5cm x 5cm boards
- Miter saw or circular saw
- Orbit (palm) sander
- Drill
- Countersink bit
- Wood glue
- #4 flat head wood screws
- Paint or stain
Cut two side pieces to the desired height of your ladder. Then, cut your rungs to 40cm each from the remaining wood. Sand both sets of pieces. From the top of each long piece, measure 7 cm down the width of the piece to mark where the rungs will go. Repeat every 30 cm.
Using these marks as reference, put glue on the butt end of a rung and screw it into one side. Repeat the process with the other side, being sure that the wood used for the rungs is attached vertically with the width edge facing you.
Your ladder can now be stained or painted to match your outdoor ottoman covers.
Planters, Perfected
Hanging Planters are an aesthetically pleasing method for displaying your plants. This easy to assemble hanging planter can be used in your indoor garden or in your backyard above your grill. Just make sure you have grill covers to keep dripping water off your cooker on watering day. All you need is:
- A rope
- Any square-shaped item – a piece of wood, tile, board, etc.
Place your board on a table. Join 4-8 pieces of rope by tying a knot at one end. Then, place the knot at the center of your base. Next, lay each piece out, bisecting the four sides of the square. Make a knot in each rope approximately 5cm out from each edge.
Now take your ropes and tie them in a loop at the other end of the ropes so that you can hang it onto a hook. Hang your loop on a hook, slip your wood base into position, and it’s ready for a plant.
The entire process can be completed in a matter of a few minutes using materials at home. The result is a sturdy, eye-catching plant hanger you can proudly tell friends you made by hand.
All In the Alcove
If you have an empty alcove in your home that’s becoming an eyesore, adding DIY shelves is the simplest way to spruce it up. These alcove shelves are an innovative way of utilizing the alcove and increasing the storage space in your room without having to purchase a new shelving unit. You’ll need:
- Scrap wood for shelves (at least 2.5cm x 15.25cm boards as you need at least 15cm for shelf space – though 20cm is ideal)
- Wood screws
- Miter saw or circular saw
- Level
- Pencil
- 5cm x 2.5cm wood pieces to support your shelf
Start by measuring the width and height of your alcove. Using the saw, cut the scrap wood to the width of your alcove. Find the location of the wall studs and use a level to you’re your placement with your pencil. Next, use wood screws to attach the 2.5cm x 2.5cm pieces on your pencil marks, always leaving room between shelves for items to be stacked on them. Be sure to put support pieces on all 3 sides to give your shelf the support it needs.
From there, you can paint or stain your shelves with your favorite color or a hue that best matches the color scheme of the room.
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