Check out these DIY masterpieces. Our readers have built it all. From pallet patio settings to cubby houses to coffee carts. Learn about how they achieved DIY success and get motivated to tackle your own dream project.
The house numbers were cut from scraps of spotted gum
Subscriber Rob Middenway needed a new letterbox that would be watertight in subtropical rainstorms and also big enough to fit his copy of Handyman.
He settled on a rectangular design made out of exterior ply, trimmed with offcuts of Tasmanian oa...
Beautifully crafted, the bed has created a demand to build more
As his daughter and her partner were unable to find a reasonably priced new bed, Handyman reader Graham Schleicher agreed to take on the challenge of building them a king-sized one from scratch.
A fan of recycling timber, he knew old pallets wou...
Find out how this handyman reader built a 10-seater dining table
Handyman reader Damien Ryan’s girlfriend gave him the difficult task of building her a 10-seater dining table in time for Christmas.
He didn’t make the deadline but did deliver a beautiful piece of furniture for future family gatherings.
Afte...
Recycled material was given a new role as an organised workspace
Handyman reader Brent Adcock crafted a foldaway workbench for next to nothing by salvaging all the materials for the project from skip bins on new-home building sites.
He used boards left over from roof construction to build the main frame, wi...
Buttons and joysticks connect to the keyboard inside
Handyman reader, Mark Seaton turned a Space Invaders machine into a jukebox.
Says Mark, ‘I bought some classic Space Invaders machines and parts to fix them up, and got the idea to make a jukebox.’
‘I used scrap MDF to make the box. Inside is an...
This bar was built by a DIYer as a birthday gift for his wife
For June Sunman’s birthday, he husband decided to build her a bar.
Says June, ‘It’s made from jarrah and Tasmanian oak, and he routed all the panel surrounds himself and bought some architraves for trimming.’
‘He laminated the top and floorboard,...
The drawers in this cabinet are on sliding tracks for easy access to DVDs
Darren Sadler was inspired to make his own TV cabinet after having no luck finding a suitable product at the shops.
Says Darren, ‘Our house style is provincial chic, with lots of painted wood, corbels and detailing finishes. I couldn’t find a TV ca...
Tracey Smith and her boyfriend Adrian loved spending time outdoors and decided to make their backyard more appealing.
Says Tracey, ‘Being a chef, I love to cook and wanted to grow vegetables and herbs, but the garden was turning into an overgrown m...
When Handyman reader John Kelly came across secondhand jarrah house studs, inspiration struck. He had the studs planed with a thicknesser and reworked them into solid timber stools.
‘I removed the old nails from the jarrah house studs, then had a p...
This DIYer built a cubby house for his daughter with a cafe-style window and secret trapdoor
Handyman reader Mike Bruni used his DIY skills to build a cubby house for his daughter Maya.
The project had an added level of difficulty as Mike and his family resided in hilly terrain.
‘We live in the hills so when I began building a cubby hous...
Handyman reader Siobhan built this day bed with the guidance of her grandfather
Inspired by the New Zealand Handyman Dec 2013/Jan 2014 issue, reader Siobhan Lenehan built the day bed that was featured on the cover.
This was an ambitious project for 18-year-old Siobhan, but she had the support and guidance of her grandfather...
In this reader project pallets were upcycled into outdoor patio furniture
It took an empty patio and a pile of discarded pallets to motivate Sven Proescher to build a full set of unique outdoor furniture, for a total cost of just $180.
This pile of discarded pallets inspired Sven to DIY
‘I like the idea of usin...
This coffee cart was created using recycled timber sleepers
Coffee lover Tom Neivandt took inspiration from daily coffee runs to build his own barista station.
By attaching redgum sleepers that he had in his garden to two kitchen cabinets, Tom created his unique feature piece for his home for just under...
