Cabin fever Try your hand at our ‘Winter escape’ DIY projects

DIY furniture

Cabin fever

Rustle up these rustic pieces for indoor comfort and entertainment

Wild winter weather curtailing your outdoor activities? Head to the shed, take out your toolkit and turn timber into tables, a cute little weaving loom and a nifty boot rack.

Rock a retro vibe with black, solid steel hairpin legs

Your DIY toolkit

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1Smooth over the top and sides of the pine panel using an orbital sander with 180-grit abrasive disc, rounding over the corners slightly. 2Turn the panel upside down. Position a hairpin leg in each corner, with the plates 50mm from the sides, securing with 30mm timber screws. 3Wipe away dust with a damp cloth, then seal the top and sides with varnish using a wide brush, leaving to dry thoroughly. Sand lightly with 240-grit, wipe away dust, apply a second coat of varnish and leave to dry. 

1 Monarch ‘Woodcare’ 75mm paintbrush, $24.47, I/N: 0022591. 2 Taskmaster ‘Hairpin’ 700mm x 10mm steel table leg, $26.95, I/N: 0038471. 3 Ryobi ‘ONE+’ 18V drill driver kit, $129, I/N: 0023212. 4 Selex 2100mm x 900mm 30mm laminated pine panel in Clear, $123, I/N: 0290007• . 5 Intergrain ‘UltraClear’ interior finish in Satin, $72/1L, I/N: 0190868. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.

DINING TABLE

TOOLS & MATERIALS  Safety equipment (mask, eye and ear protection)  Random orbital sander with 180- and 240-grit abrasive discs  Tape measure and pencil  Drill with Phillips head bit  75mm-wide paintbrush  2100mm x 900mm x 30mm laminated pine panel•  Four 700mm hairpin legs  30mm timber screws  Cloth  Timber varnish

The low design of our coffee table sits perfectly with the long bench seating, but you could adapt the measurements to work with your space and furniture

Safety tip Choose sleepers that are free of toxic chemicals and suitable for interior use

Timbers vary by region, contact your local store for further information. •

RUSTIC COFFEE TABLE

TOOLS & MATERIALS  Safety equipment (mask, eye and ear protection)  Quick-grip clamps  Pair of sawhorses  Circular saw with a straightedge  Random orbital sander with 80- and 120-grit abrasive discs  Tape measure and pencil  Impact driver with T40 bit  Paintbrush  Two 2.4m lengths 200mm x 95mm untreated redwood sleepers•  Six 75mm x 75mm x 40mm x 3.5mm heavy angle brackets  5.6mm x 89mm structural timber screws  Cloth  Timber stain (we used Cabot’s oil-based interior stain in Deep Mahogany)

1Clamp the sleepers to the sawhorses, then use a circular saw to cut them into 1m lengths. Halve one piece to make two 500mm base pieces. Tip: A standard blade isn’t wide enough to cut right through. So make the first cut, unclamp and turn the sleeper, to line up the blade of the saw with the groove and complete the cut from the opposite side.

2Smooth all over each piece using a random orbital sander with 80-grit abrasive disc to remove the breakout and splinters. Repeat with a 120-grit disc. 3Position the three long pieces together on the sawhorses, right sides facing down, then position the base pieces across them, 100mm in from the ends and 50mm in from the sides.

4At both ends, centre a bracket over each outside piece of the tabletop, positioned flush against the base. For the middle piece, position a bracket on the inside of the bases. Secure through the holes with timber screws.

5Wipe the table all over with a damp cloth to remove dust and leave to dry. Apply two coats of stain with a paintbrush, leaving to dry thoroughly after each coat. 

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Your DIY toolkit

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1 Ozito 185mm circular saw, $59, I/N: 0314984. 2 Carinya 75mm x 75mm x 40mm x 3.5mm heavy duty zinc plated angle bracket, $7.98, I/N: 0521628. 3 Irwin ‘Pro Performance’ 57mm T40 impact bits, $4.98/pack of 2, I/N: 0209786. 4 Simpson Strong-Tie ‘Outdoor Accents’ 5.6mm x 89mm structural timber screw, $31.98/pack of 12, I/N: 0193754. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.

MINI WEAVING LOOM

TOOLS & MATERIALS  Safety equipment (mask, eye and ear protection)  Ruler and pencil  Handsaw  Drill with Phillips head and 3mm bit  Hammer  900mm length 40mm x 18mm premium pine•  180-grit abrasive paper with sanding block  Timber adhesive  8G x 30mm timber screws  25mm x 1.6mm wall panel nails

To create simple patterns, choose contrasting twines for the weft threads 1From the pine, measure and mark two 160mm end pieces and one 230mm spine. Use a handsaw to cut pieces, then smooth all over with 180-grit abrasive paper.

3Dab adhesive onto the end-grain of the spine, then position it against the holes in the end pieces, securing with 30mm timber screws. 2On the 160mm ends, measure and mark along 70mm and 90mm, and 10mm in from the side. Pre-drill through the marks with a 3mm bit.

4Along the top of the end pieces, use a ruler to mark 10mm intervals, leaving 20mm at either end. Hammer wall panel nails into the marks, leaving them to protrude about 10mm.

Tip We used Zenith cotton shop twine for the warp, and Whites twist tie jute twine and twisted cotton twine for the weft

HOW TO WEAVE

The vertical threads on the loom are the warp of a weave; the thread woven under and over it to create the textile is the weft. You’ll need a variety of twine and cord, scissors and a large tapestry needle (from a haberdashery store).

1To make the warp, knot the shop twine around the top left nail of the loom. Pull it down to wrap around the first nail at the base, then pull up to the top and wrap around the second nail. Repeat, keeping the twine taut, until the loom is strung, knotting at the last nail.

2Thread a 3m-length of jute through a large needle. Leaving a 50mm tail, weave the needle over and under the warp. For the next row, weave back, alternating the over-under. Repeat, pressing the rows down as you go. Tip: If changing twine, leave a tail at the beginning and end of each change.

3To tie off the weaving, turn the loom over to pull the tails through to the back. Working on one tail at a time, thread it through the needle to make three or four stitches back through the warp. Trim the excess with scissors.

4To finish the piece, snip the warp twine just under the nails, leaving length either side of the weaving. Separate the first two strands and tie them together with a simple knot. Tie the next two together and continue knotting along both ends. Trim to neaten both ends.

TOOLS & MATERIALS  Safety equipment (mask, eye and ear protection, gloves)  Tape measure, pencil and felt-tip pen  Mitre saw or handsaw  Drill with 25mm spade bit, 3mm bit and

Phillips head bit  Pair of sawhorses  Three 900mm lengths 40mm x 18mm premium pine•  Five 900mm lengths 25mm pine dowel•  180-grit abrasive paper with sanding block  Timber adhesive  8G x 30mm timber screws  Danish oil  Cloth

BOOT RACK

1From the pine, measure, mark and cut two bases 800mm long and two sides at 300mm. From the dowel, cut six 400mm lengths and six 300mm lengths. Smooth over all the pieces with 180-grit abrasive paper.

Keep outdoor footwear up off the deck and neatly stored on a good-looking peg-style boot rack

2On the bases, measure and mark along 100mm, 220mm, 340mm, 460mm, 580mm and 700mm. Drill halfway through the marks using a 25mm spade bit. Tip: Mark the depth on the bit with a felt-tip pen and use it as a guide to avoid drilling right through.

3To install the dowel, apply adhesive into the holes, position the 300mm dowels in one base and the 400mm dowels in the other. Secure the dowel through the bases with 30mm timber screws. 4On the side pieces, measure and mark 20mm in from the ends and 10mm in from the sides, then pre-drill holes with a 3mm bit. 5Position the bases upside down between the sawhorses. Apply adhesive to the ends, position the sides so the ends are flush with the bases, and secure with 30mm screws. Wear gloves to apply Danish oil with a cloth. ◆