Practical projects and tips for the backyard DIY fanatic
Peppermint Foot Rejuvenator – The French Alternative If you’re a no-shoes person at heart, you may need Jackie’s Peppermint Foot Rejuvenator to keep your feet in tip-top condition. Ingredients 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp full cream powdered milk 2 tbsp...
Pool Room Makeover Several weeks ago on Burke’s Backyard we completed one of our best makeovers ever. A weed-infested site was cleared and then planted with fabulous tropical fruit trees and colourful foliage plants. An aviary resembling a Thai temple was built...
Rocking Horse Restoration Christopher Woolcock is a professional toy maker who specialises in rocking horses. He both restores old rocking horses and makes new ones. He also makes carousel horses, hobby horses, walkers, tricycles and other toys with a horse motif....
Scott Cam showed how easy it is to install a shade sail in the garden. You can have your sails custom-made, or buy them ready-made. Most shade sails are designed to suit a specific area, so they will vary in size, shape and number. Several small sails may look better,...
Backyard Blitz builder, Scott Cam, was helping out at home when a floorboard gave way beneath his foot! Floorboards often fail because of damp rot or termite attack. However, in this case the floorboard had become loose and slipped off the joist underneath. Scott said...
Scott Cam demonstrated how to fix a leaking toilet by either replacing the perished washers or installing a new cistern outlet valve. What to do Turn the water off at the tap just beside the pan. Flush the toilet to drain the cistern. Unscrew the button on top of the...
Floor cubes or ottomans are great for kids and adults alike. In bright colours they’re fun in a playroom, while in stylish tones they’re the perfect footrest for the lounge room. You will need Cardboard to cut the templates. About 1.5m fabric for a 50 x 50...
Rita Hill used special porcelain paints to jazz up some plain white serving platters. You will need: ceramic platters methylated spirits Pébéo Porcelaine paints paintbrushes (soft taklon or sable) Pébéo Porcelaine outliner or felt tip pen a soft lead pencil Clean...
Scott Cam demonstrated how to turn a secondhand door into a dining table. Scott’s table is cheap, easy to make and it looks great! Measurements Door: 2100 x 850 x 40mm Framework: 1800 x 450 x 810mm Table: 850mm high Timber Sizes 4 x legs 100 x 100mm –...
Louise and Barry Brooks have 9 children under the age of 12, and another child on the way. To accommodate their growing family they bought a huge, ugly brick house built on a double block. Although the Brooks describe the house itself as unattractive, they say it has...