Harper Hale

Small holes, dents, and cracks in plasterboard walls are inevitable in any home, whether caused by a doorknob, a moved piece of furniture, or the simple settling of the house over time. Engaging a plasterer for minor repairs is rarely necessary; with a few basic tools and the right materials, you can restore the wall to a flawless finish over a weekend. The approach depends on the size and type of damage, so start with a thorough inspection. A simple dent or popped nail might only need a skim of filler, while a hole larger than a few centimetres will require a patch. Run your hand over the surrounding wall to feel for any raised edges, and use a utility knife to trim away loose paper and crumbled gypsum until you have a clean, slightly recessed surface. Vacuum the area and wipe with a lightly damp cloth to remove dust, which would otherwise prevent the filler from adhering.

For small dings, nail pops, and hairline cracks, a pre-mixed, lightweight joint compound is your best friend. Scoop a small amount onto a 150-millimetre plasterer’s knife and press it firmly into the recess, smoothing it in one direction to leave the compound slightly proud of the surface. The filling will shrink as it dries, so a second or even third skim is often necessary to achieve a perfectly flat plane. Allow each layer to dry completely – typically a few hours in a heated interior, more in damp weather – before sanding with a 120-grit sanding sponge. Use a handheld work light held at a shallow angle to the wall; shadows instantly reveal imperfections invisible in perpendicular light. Patience at this stage saves the frustration of seeing a crater show through fresh paint.

Medium-sized holes, up to about 50 millimetres in diameter, call for a mesh patch or a self-adhesive fibreglass tape. After cleaning the hole, peel and stick the patch over it, then apply joint compound in thin, feathering coats that extend at least 100 millimetres beyond the patch on all sides. Feathering means gradually thinning the compound as you move away from the centre, blending the repair seamlessly into the surrounding wall. Use a wide 250-millimetre trowel or knife for the final coat, holding it at a shallow angle to avoid digging into the compound. Between coats, resist the temptation to overwork the surface; minor ridges will sand flat, but persistent trowel marks become permanent. Let the final coat dry overnight, then sand with a fine 180-grit paper wrapped around a sanding block to maintain a flat plane.

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Floating shelves vanish visually, drawing the eye straight to the objects they display, yet they pack serious utility in a home where floor space is at a premium. Unlike traditional brackets, floating shelves use concealed internal rods or a cleat system to anchor securely to the wall, creating the illusion that the shelf hovers unsupported. This makes them ideal for displaying ceramics, books, or small potted succulents in hallways, above desks, or in awkward alcoves that otherwise gather dust. The project requires careful planning and accurate drilling, but a confident DIYer can install a set of three shelves in a weekend. Begin by deciding on the configuration: measure the wall space, consider the shelf depth relative to the items you will place, and use masking tape to map out the proposed positions on the wall. Stand back and assess the layout from different angles, adjusting until the spacing feels balanced both horizontally and vertically.

Material choice influences both aesthetics and load-bearing capacity. Prefabricated floating shelf kits from hardware stores often come with a metal bracket that bolts to the wall and a hollow shelf that slides over it. These are convenient and generally support up to 15 kilograms per shelf if fixed into studs. For a more custom look, solid timber slabs – Victorian ash, blackbutt, or reclaimed messmate – can be drilled to accept heavy-duty floating shelf rods. These rods, essentially steel pins up to 12 millimetres in diameter, are anchored into the wall studs and project outward into blind holes in the shelf, requiring precise drilling. Whichever system you choose, locating wall studs with an electronic stud finder is non-negotiable; mounting into plasterboard alone with toggle anchors might hold a few photos but risks catastrophic failure under the weight of books or heavy ceramics.

Marking and drilling are the most anxiety-inducing steps, but a methodical approach eliminates errors. Hold a piece of shelf material against the wall in the marked position and use a spirit level to draw a horizontal line that defines the top edge. For bracket systems, the manufacturer’s template is invaluable; tape it to the wall, align it with your reference line, and punch the screw points with a nail to guide the drill bit. Drill pilot holes with a timber bit slightly smaller than the screw shank if going into studs, or use a masonry bit with wall plugs if you must anchor into brick or concrete. When drilling into tiles, apply a strip of masking tape to prevent the bit from skating, and use a diamond-tipped tile bit without hammer action until you clear the tile layer. Insert the brackets or rods, checking for level at every step, and tighten all fixings firmly but without overdriving and stripping the stud.

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Macrame, the art of knotting cord into decorative patterns, has surged back into Australian homes as a way to display trailing plants, save precious shelf space, and add a warm, textural element to interiors. A simple plant hanger is the perfect beginner project because it teaches the few fundamental knots that form the basis of countless designs. To start, you will need approximately 30 metres of 4mm cotton macrame cord, a 50mm wooden or brass ring, a pair of sharp scissors, and a measuring tape. Cotton cord is ideal: it knots reliably, has a soft matte finish, and feels gentle on your hands through the hours of work. Choose a natural cream hue for an earthy look, or a dyed cord in mustard, ochre, or dusty blue to match your interior palette. Working on a flat surface or hanging the ring from a hook at a comfortable height will save your shoulders and keep the tension consistent.

Begin by cutting eight lengths of cord, each about 4 metres long – generous excess is better than running short. Fold each length in half and attach it to the wooden ring using a lark’s head knot: fold the midpoint behind the ring, pull the ends through the loop, and tighten. This will give you 16 working strands hanging down from the ring. Group them into four sections of four strands each. The square knot, the workhorse of macrame, is formed by taking the left outer strand, crossing it over the two middle filler cords and under the right outer strand, then taking the right outer strand under the fillers and up through the left loop. Tighten the knot, then repeat the process starting from the right to complete one full square knot. Practise a string of square knots until your hands find a rhythm; the tension should be firm but not so tight that the cord buckles or distorts.

The hanger’s body is built with a series of alternating square knots that create a net-like cradle for the pot. From the ring, leave a 20-centimetre space of untied cord to form a graceful hanging loop, then tie three square knots down the first group, five down the second, and so on, keeping the counts consistent. After the first set, skip the first two strands of the next group, take the next four strands, and tie a square knot roughly 10 centimetres below the previous row. This staggered spacing produces the classic open diamond pattern. Continue this alternating pattern around the circumference for at least three or four rows, periodically holding the work up against a pot of your chosen size to check the fit. The cord will stretch slightly over time, so aim for a snug rather than baggy cradle.

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A raised garden bed lifts soil aboveground, easing strain on the back, improving drainage, and marking out a defined space that can transform even a patchy rental lawn into a productive veggie patch. Building one from recycled timber is both economical and aligned with Australia’s growing enthusiasm for resourceful, sustainable gardening. Begin by sourcing suitable wood; demolition yards, online marketplaces, and even kerbside finds can yield solid hardwood sleepers, old fence palings, or framing offcuts. Avoid timber treated with CCA (copper chrome arsenate) for beds that will grow edibles, as arsenic residues can leach into soil over time. Instead, look for untreated hardwoods like redgum or ironbark, which naturally resist rot, or use ACQ-treated pine, a safer modern treatment. Whatever you choose, plan for a bed no wider than 1.2 metres so you can reach the centre from both sides without stepping on the soil, and aim for a height of at least 30 centimetres for vegetables, deeper for root crops.

Construction begins with cutting the timber squarely to length using a circular saw or, for a quieter afternoon, a sharp handsaw with a mitre box. For a sturdy rectangular bed, you will need four corner posts – chunks of 75x75mm hardwood about 50 centimetres long – and horizontal boards to span the sides. A simple stacked design uses two or three rails per side, screwed directly into the corner posts. Predrill all screw holes with a countersink bit to prevent the timber from splitting, especially when working with dense, seasoned hardwood. External-grade batten screws, 75 to 100 millimetres long, hold everything together tightly. Assemble the frame upside down on a flat surface like a lawn or driveway, squaring the corners with a builder’s square and adjusting until both diagonal measurements match exactly. This ensures the bed will sit true when flipped over.

Site preparation is as important as the carpentry. Clear the intended patch of grass and weeds, then level the ground roughly using a shovel and a long spirit level. Worms and soil organisms will gradually move up into the raised bed, so there is no need to lay a solid weed mat that blocks this exchange. Instead, place a layer of unprinted cardboard or thick newspaper directly over the cleared soil to suppress grass and weeds. The cardboard will decompose within months, enriching the soil structure. Position the timber frame onto this base and tap the corner posts a few centimetres into the ground with a mallet; because it’s freestanding, the bed’s own weight and the filled soil will anchor it securely. For a steep site, consider terracing or digging the high side in slightly so the top edge remains level.

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Breathing new life into a tired piece of furniture with paint is one of the most satisfying and budget-friendly DIY projects an Australian household can undertake. Whether it is a solid timber dresser from a garage sale or a dated laminate bedside table, surface preparation is the foundation that determines whether the finish will last years or peel within weeks. Start by removing hardware such as knobs and hinges, then clean the piece thoroughly with sugar soap to dissolve grease, wax, and years of accumulated grime. If the surface is already painted and appears sound, a light scuff with 180-grit sandpaper creates a mechanical key for the new paint. For glossy varnished timber, more thorough sanding is needed to knock back the shine, but you don’t need to strip it to bare wood unless the existing finish is failing. Wipe away all dust with a tack cloth, because even a speck of grit will be magnified under fresh paint. Spending an unhurried afternoon on these preparation steps transforms the final result from amateur to professional.

Primer selection can make or break the project on tricky surfaces. Laminate and melamine, common in flat-pack furniture, reject regular paint and demand a high-adhesion primer such as Zinsser B-I-N or a dedicated laminate undercoat. Apply it in thin, even coats with a short-nap mini roller for a smooth finish, and allow the full curing time specified on the tin – often 24 hours – before sanding lightly and moving to colour. For raw timber, a stain-blocking primer prevents tannins from bleeding through pale topcoats, which is especially important when painting pine or oak. Tinting the primer toward your final colour can reduce the number of finish coats required. When working outdoors, choose a day with moderate humidity and temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees, as extreme heat can cause the paint to dry too fast and compromise adhesion.

Water-based enamel paints have become the go-to choice for furniture because they offer low odour, easy water clean-up, and impressive durability once cured. Brands like Taubmans Water Based Enamel or Dulux Aquanamel provide a hard, scrub-resistant shell that stands up to daily use on tabletops and chair legs. Apply with a combination of a high-quality synthetic brush for edges and a foam or microfibre roller for flat surfaces, laying the paint on in thin coats rather than glooping it. Two or three thin coats, lightly sanded with 320-grit between each, produce a finish smoother and stronger than a single thick coat. Patience here is vital; recoating too early can pull up the underlying layer and create a wrinkled mess. In cooler Australian climates, allow each coat at least four hours of drying time, extending to overnight in damp conditions.

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