15 DIY Projects You Can Do Over A Long Weekend

Large enough to span a path and act as an entranceway, this timber arbour is made from treated pine for durability with no special tools required for building.

Most of the cutting and joinery can be done in the workshop, then it will take about half a day to assemble the arbour in its final location.

Allow a full weekend to build the arbour, applying an oil-based stain to protect the timber, then plant climbers to train over the lattice.

A swimming pool is the source of hours of family fun and lots of splashes.

But often, it’s this water splashing over the paved pool surround that can lead to sinkage.

Get the pool area ready for the warmer months by fixing sunken and lifted pavers to save money and eliminate trip hazards on a wet surface.

Decks finished with oil should be cleaned and re-oiled twice a year to keep the timber protected.

If decks aren’t refinished regularly, the surface will become rough and appear discoloured and dirty.

Check if a deck needs refinishing by splashing water on the boards.

If the water soaks in instead of beading off, then resealing is required.

A good workbench is a valuable asset for DIY, especially if you’re just starting out.

Even more useful is a bench with space to store a growing tool collection.

This sturdy 1800 x 750mm workstation includes pegboard backing for hanging tools, and storage on shelves above and below the bench.

At first glance, this lightweight ladder-like shelving looks like it might topple over, but it’s actually very stable and sturdy.

The legs are cut at a 10º angle, and the incline against the wall keeps the 2100mm high shelving solidly upright.

The tray-like shelves can hold items up to 330mm high, and each shelf is less deep than the one below to follow the angle of the unit.

The shelving can be constructed from a more expensive timber, such as maple, jarrah or Tasmanian oak, to showcase the grain.

Or, it can be made from plywood or pine and finished with a timber stain to keep costs down.

Garden dining settings and deck chairs have their place, but nothing tempts you outside like the prospect of a peaceful afternoon curled up on a supremely comfy, well-built day bed.

This simple project might be the most luxurious outdoor furniture you will ever own. It is built from primed H3 LOSP (light organic solvent preservative) finger-jointed pine, and is designed to fit a single mattress.

Sometimes a lawn reaches a tipping point where it has become too badly worn and you need to do some serious work to get it looking good again.

You can try to refresh a seriously degraded lawn, but you’ll likely end up investing more time and money without ever getting a quality result.

Sort out a sloping garden by installing a retaining wall in a day.

Here’s how to replace a damaged flyscreen to keep mosquitoes out of your home.

Put the screen down on a flat work surface and prise up the beading.

Pull it out and the flyscreen just comes away.

Now the frame’s clean and ready to roll out the new screen.