D.I.Y - Small Greenhouse

I Googled "Build a Tiny Shed" to find a basic idea of how to proceed.  I chose the rustic shed from Reader's Digest - one, because it looked like fairly simple construction and two, because I want a tiny rustic shed too!!! (coming attraction).

The angled stuff was too complicated for my liking, so I ignored that part and built a box frame out of 2x4s (I have this greenhouse against my house and under the eaves so a pitched roof isn't as necessary). The depth and the height are an inch bigger than the window measurements.  The width is 6 inches larger than the window I planned to use for the door to allow for the 2x4 frame on each side of the doorway.

I used screws to attach the 2x4s together.  When I had the box put together, I added two 2x2 cross pieces to the sides so I could run a shelf across them.  I wanted to allow for vents along the sides of the back wall, so I centered a piece of plywood by adding crosspieces at the inside top and bottom of my frame to secure the plywood to.  The crosspieces run on the inside of the 2x4s so the back of the panel is set in slightly from the outside edge of the  2x4s - see below:  (I apologize to any carpenters who may be reading this!)  I added another piece of plywood to the bottom 2x4s for my floor.

I then ran two additional pieces of wood across the base to account for the fact that my pallet supports run parallel to the sides of my greenhouse.  With the extra "legs" in place, I can shift the greenhouse to any position on that pallet without it falling through the cracks.  It also allows for the door to sit inside the frame.

When I was done building the frame, I primed & painted it.  Then I attached the windows using more screws.  The door is attached with two medium weight T-hinges and I put a latch on it so I can keep the door closed when I want to.  I also had to add a 1x4 piece of wood to the door window because there wasn't enough wood surface on the window to allow for the latch to be attached to the window & because the latch wasn't long enough to reach the outer edge of the greenhouse where the catch was to be installed.

For the moment, my roof is just a pane of glass with a plastic frame (it was another storm window).  It doesn't quite extend far enough over the edges to keep the rain out, so I plan to build a wood frame for it and attach it with hinges to the back of the greenhouse so I can prop it open when I want to.

Via: http://designdreamsbyanne.blogspot.ca/2011/09/how-i-built-baby-greenhouse.html

D.I.Y - Deck Day Bed

Here's how we did it and how to possibly build your own.

It's easy, I promise!!

The Fast Five Details (love that movie!!)

- we built a frame to the size we wanted attaching it to our existing deck flooring as we went
- we screwed on our reclaimed hardwood to hide the frame
-we cut chipboard to fit on the top of the frame
- we attached foam to the chipboard and upholstered with an old sheet
- we made a washable, removable slipcover in our chosen fabric.

The Nuts And Bolts Of The Build


1. Work out the size you want your day bed to be. (ours is roughly 1200 x 1400 x 380)

2. The frame.

We used pine 2x4's and made frames to suit our measurements.
2 x for each end and 3 x for the remaining ends and one to go through the middle for support.
You need to think about where you'll need support to suit the size you're building.
Tony used his nail gun to join all the pieces together, and most hardware stores can cut it all to size for you.

Remember to subtract the width of the pine each end off your width (or Length) measurement for the 3 frames running through the middle. (see below)

We tried it out to make sure it fit, then screwed it to the deck and also the frames to each other.

Other alternatives to this would be - attaching chip board to the base and screwing 4/6 casters for a moveable day bed

or

- screwing down chipboard to the deck then screwing the frame to it to make it more weather proof so you could use inside as storage. Just add a hinge to the top!

3. The Sides.

Next we attached our reclaimed hardwood which Tony cut to size after measuring  the frame once it was screwed down.

He attached by screwing it from the inside so no screws are visible.

We left the hardwood as it was, we wanted the old, grey weathered look!

4. The Top

Once the sides were on, we measured the inside and cut a piece of chipboard to fit.

You might notice we made the frame a little lower than the hardwood sides are, so that part of the 'bed' (upholstered bit) will sit down inside for a nicer profile!

You could build the frame the same height as your sides so the upholstery sits right on top, you would need to do this if you were attaching hinges and having storage underneath.

Our way is to hard to get the top on and off...it's a snug fit! Which is what we wanted :)

An 'un-dressed' photo.

1. Adding foam

This part is relatively easy. All you'll need is some craft glue and an electric knife. Oh, and your foam of course! I used 2 lots to get the thickness I wanted. Both thrifted! I think I paid $26 for all the foam I used which isn't bad considering a single bed sized foam mattress is about $80 new!

First I layed the foam onto the day bed so I could mark where I needed to cut.

I knew I was going to have a few joins, but once it's upholstered you don't notice them at all.

Make sure to draw your line around onto the side as well.

Grab your trusty electric knife and lets get cutting!

I found the best way to cut was through the narrow side, looking down on your work as pictured above. If you do it looking at the flat wide side, the cut would tend to be quite wavy and not nice and perpendicular to the top.

Repeat this step until you've got your little foam puzzle pieces fitting nice and snug together. It's better to cut them a little bigger rather than smaller, you can always cut a bit more off. Once it's gone, its gone...kinda like a hair cut!!

Next, grab your glue and drizzle it on, as below.

Sit the foam on and let it dry. I didn't press it down much, the glue seems to hold it there pretty well.

Then you'll have something like this...

I then repeated the same steps with my next layer of foam. I just made sure the joins were in a different place.

I just remembered, you need to glue the edges of your foam together as well as the bottoms. Helps it all stay together!

Next I put on some wadding/batting to help cover any joins and make it a little softer.

It wasn't quite wide enough but I found it just kinda sits there in place, so I stapled it on. You can just see the joins near the middle :)

Here's where it gets a little sad.

You see, I like nice sheets. (this is relevant, bare with me!)

There's nothing like climbing into a bed freshly made with 1000 thread count sheets. A little sateen into the mix, you can't go back to poly/cotton after these babies!

Anyway...of course they're expensive, so I just have two pairs. One on the bed, one in the wash. It all worked out quite nicely...until....one of my fitted sheets ripped.

Bummer.

So, lets not waste a perfectly soft, luxurious sheet I think to myself. I couldn't bare to throw it out.

Onto the daybed it went. which is the next step..

stapling that baby soft sheet on.

Luckily the rip worked to my advantage, I just continued it on, cut off the ends then stapled away!

Now a lot of people may flip this over so it's upside down and pull and staple...but not me.

I like to see that it's nice and tight and there's no bunching in the corners. It takes a little practice to staple from underneath, but it's doable. And it takes a little strength as well to pull it all tight as you can, guess that comes from all those years holding a hairdryer!

You gotta do what works best for you :) An extra pair of hands is always helpful!

I start in the middle on one side and staple almost to the corner both ways, then spin it round and do the opposite side. Then do the same on the other two sides so you've left the corners for last.

Remember hospital corners for making a bed? It's now kinda like that for your corners. Fold some of the excess in out of the way then smooth the rest over until your happy with it. Then get a staple or two in it quick before your arm falls off from pulling it all so tight!!

Now it's time for the slip cover.

It's like it's own fitted sheet that you can take off and wash. Or that was the plan until I discovered that I really dislike sewing. It's still removable, just...a little different.

Put your fabric on upside down. I discovered mine wasn't wide enough so I had to add some more to it, which is the ugly brown you can see!

Then pin each corner, making sure it's on tight.

Now sew each corner, following your pins, then cut off the excess.

Turn it right way out and try it on for size!

Now this is where it got difficult. My sewing skills are pretty basic and I envisioned hemming and threading elastic through...and hopefully I'll sit down and give it a try one day. 

Via: http://apprenticeextrovert.blogspot.com/2012/02/day-bed-tutorialpart-two.html

D.I.Y - Space-Saving Entertaining Center for Outdoors (or Anywhere!)

source

The construction was very simple. There weren't any instructions with the original picture so we just had to make it up as we went along. Ours is built of pine, stained Rustoleum red mahogany, and I gave it three coats of polyurethane to protect it from the Canadian weather (update: it's already been rained on several times and is holding up great!)

The corners are reinforced with brass angle brackets and then Tom mounted the bar to the brick wall with tapcon screws. We also used brass hinges to attach the fold-down shelf to the base. The side ropes keeps the shelf from dropping below horizontal and puts less stress on the hinges.

Note: if you decide to use rope, tie it off a little shorter than you think you need - the shelf is slightly above horizontal - as the rope will stretch over time.

To keep it closed when it's folded up we attached a hook and eye on each side. It's very secure yet easy to open. And when it's folded away it barely takes up any room. You'd hardly even notice it was there!

Via: http://turtlesandtails.blogspot.ca/2012/06/its-five-oclock-somewhere.html

D.I.Y - Recycled Wind Bottle Torch

[****Safety Note: This is for outdoor use only. Tiki brand recommends that the wick never be set higher than 1-inch, and I recommend that you exercise the same discretion and common sense that you would with any small open flame.*****]

Recycled Wind Bottle Torch

1. Empty Wine Bottle (You can use any bottle you like as long as it’s glass and the neck is 1” in diameter. Be clever!)
2. Teflon Tape 1/2”
3. Copper Top Plate Connector (threaded for 3/8”-16 thread rod)
4. 1” Split Ring Hanger (threaded for 3/8”-16 thread rod)
5. 1/2” x 3/8” Copper Coupling
6. 1/2” Copper Cap
7. Two Hex Nuts (threaded for 3/8”-16 thread rod)
8. Two #10 x 1” Zinc Plated Wood Screws (if your mounting it to wood)
9. 3/8”-16 Zinc Plated Threaded Rod (I bought a 3’ rod and cut it down to 8, 4-1/2” rods with a hacksaw.)
10. Tiki Replacement Wick
11. Torch Fuel (For safety reasons, only use fuel made specifically for outdoor torches. i.e. Tiki brand)

Helpful Tools: Channellocks, adjustable wrench, hacksaw, power screwdriver, and a funnel

****Safety Note: This is for outdoor use only. Tiki brand recommends that the wick never be set higher than 1-inch, and I recommend that you exercise the same discretion and common sense that you would with any small open flame.*****

Building Instructions

The Hanger

1. Decide where you want to mount your Recycled Bottle Torch. Position the Top Plate Connector on your mounting surface and mark the holes for where the screws will go. It’s easier to keep it level if you pre-drill your screws first.

2. Once you have your Top Plate Connector mounted you can screw in the 3/8”-16 Rod until it stops. Channellocks are helpful for this part.

3. Thread the two Hex Nuts on to the Rod and tighten one all the way down at the point where the Rod meets the Top Connector Plate. Leave the other Hex Nut at the front end so it can be used to secure the Split Ring Hanger.

4. Thread on the Split Ring Hanger just enough so that the Rod is flush with the inside of the ring. Turn the 2nd Hex Nut counter-clockwise to snug it up against the Split Ring Hanger.

If you’d prefer your hardware to keep its shiny, unweathered look you can always give it several coats of clear polyurethane before you mount it. Personally, I think a weathered patina will add a nice element of character.

The Bottle

1. Carefully and tightly wrap the 1/2” end of the Coupling with your Teflon Tape. You’ll want to keep each wrap nice and clean so that it creates a smooth, even surface. Continue building up the tape until it fits very snugly into the opening of your bottle. You obviously don’t want it to fall in.

2. Insert the Wick into the Coupling until it sticks out about 1/4”. The Tiki brand replacement wicks are about 3/8” in diameter so they fit really well. Once they absorb the torch oil they’re even tighter.

3. Unscrew the Split Ring Hanger on one side and position the bottle neck into the ring.

4. Flip the front half of the ring back into place and tighten down the Hanger evenly on both sides. You may need to loosen the other side to make sure both sides are an even tightness. (Don’t over tighten the Hanger. You don’t want to break the glass.)

5. Use a funnel to fill the bottle with your favorite torch oil. (I use Tiki’s BiteFighter because it’s clear and seems to do a good job of keeping the mosquitoes away.)

6. Insert the Coupling & Wick into the top of the bottle and twist it snugly into place. Give the Wick a few minutes to absorb the oil before you try to light it.

7. I typically just blow my torches out. Use the Copper Cap to keep the Wick dry when you’re not using your torch.

Via: http://www.designsponge.com/2009/08/diy-project-eriks-recycled-wine-bottle-torch.html

D.I.Y Elegant Fire Pit

Materials You Need

marine silicone - $5

cheap glass frames - $4

small rocks - $2

any kind of metal mesh - $2

gel fuel - $4

any metal planter with a lip (edge) on it - $8 (on sale)

Step #1

once you buy your planter, you need to find cheap frames with glass that will fit around the edges of your planter. i used glass document holders from the dollar store for $1 each.

Step #2 – Making a Glass Box

you need to make a glass box. so ... run a thin bead of silicone along the edge of one glass panel.

place another piece of glass over the siliconed edge

press edge into silicone and hold for a few minutes

silicone the 2nd edge, propping both sides up with anything to keep them straight until they dry.

once the silicone on the 2 sides has dried flip the box over so it looks like this.

run a thin bead of silicone along both exposed edges of glass.

gently place the final piece of glass between the 2 siliconed edges being careful *not* to smear the silicone.

now you have a box. a glass box. wasn't that easy? let the silicone dry for 15 minutes or so. go have a cookie.

don't be alarmed if your silicone squeezes out like this. clean it up with a razor once it's dried.

run a final bead of silicone around the entire edge of the glass box.

flip the box over then place silicone edge on top of metal planter, making sure there's enough edge near the center left over for some metal mesh to rest on it.

** DISCLAIMER!  I have used my picture frame glass over and over in this firepit WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS AT ALL!

It is sudden temperature changes that causes glass to break, not necessarily heat.    So if you were to take your  hot, hot fire pit and throw it in the freezer, chances are it would break.  Uneven heating and cooling of the glass is the secondary cause of breakage because it puts stress on the glass.  Thin glass is LESS likely to be susceptible to uneven heating and therefore less likely than thick glass to break.  This is not my opinion, it is scientific fact.

However, if you’re still frightened by this then go to a glass cutting facility and have tempered glass cut to size for your fire pit.

Also, I have purposely made this fire pit large to keep the glass away from any direct flame.  Remember to do the same.**

Step #2 – Making the Pit

now that you have the structure, it's just a matter of tweaking it a little so you can have fire.

cut a piece of mesh (i used a cheapo grill grate from dollar store) to fit *exactly* inside your glass box. it will rest on the lip of the planter.

place your opened can of gel fuel in the centre of the planter.

place as much mesh as you need to cover the entire surface of the planter, resting mesh on the small edge of planter you've left inside the glass box.

it'll look something like this.

cover mesh loosely with rocks (you need some space in between the rocks to allow for oxygen so the fire will stay lit).

you're almost done

firsty ... admire what you've done for $25.

Step #3 – Light your fire

clear the rocks away from above the gel fuel can and carefully light the gel fuel. i use an advanced technique. i light the end of a piece of spaghetti. whole wheat of course.

i would rule on survivor, provided i'm allowed to bring a piece of spaghetti.

there you have your fire pit! $25. plus as an added bonus, depending on what type of fuel you use, you can also use this fire pit *indoors*!!!

What makes this fire pit so amazing is the glass. The flames reflect against it creating dancing flames all over the place! Before I get to the final pictures with the fire pit in it’s rightful home in my back yard I wanted to let you in on a few tips.

1.  Make sure you buy gel fuel that’s meant for gel fireplaces.  Gel cooking fuel will not work because it usually only creates heat, not an actual flame.

2. Like I said, if you use a proper gel fuel (Real Flame for example) you can actually use this fire pit indoors. Be careful to place it on heat resistant fabric so it doesn’t scorch your furniture. The metal conducts the flame heat a lot!

3. Make sure your rocks are heavy for their size. Rocks that are light are full of air and may explode!

4. You can use any metal planter for this. This was on sale, so this is the one I got for this little fire pit experiment. Black metal square planters that are probably on sale at garden centres right now would look fantastic with white rocks.

5.  The gel cans last for about 3 hours, if you’d like to stop the flame earlier, just place something non flammable over the glass box to snuff out the flame.  Cans can be relit at a later date or time.

.

That’s it! That’s all it takes to make your own personal fire pit. $25, about an hour, and a piece of spaghetti. Oh … and a beautiful, golden, flaming match. Heh heh.

Via: http://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/how-to-make-a-personal-fire-pit-for-cheap/