Jennifer Sheahan: Five fun and easy DIY projects to transform a room in a weekend
Resealing your shower or bath is laborious but not difficult, says Jennifer Sheahan whose upstairs bathroom is pictured here. Picture: Moya Nolan
DIY seems to split people into three camps — those who love it, those who have zero interest in it, and those who want to try their hand at it but aren’t sure where to start. If you’re in the latter group, my advice to you is to start small, build up your confidence, and see where it takes you.
You may be surprised at your ability, and little beats the pride of accomplishing something that seems hard. Here are five easy DIY ideas which you can complete this bank holiday weekend using some basic tools.
Recovering a dining chair is one of those deceptively simple DIY jobs that has a huge impact. It’s also something you can do if you are renting, as it is easily reversible. You will need a length of sturdy fabric, a staple gun, and a screwdriver.
Turn the chair upside down and unscrew the seat base. Lay the base in the middle of your fabric and cut to leave about 10cm-20cm of overhang on each side. Kneel on the base to flatten the foam underneath (which will expand out to fill the fabric when you are finished).
Pull the centre of each edge taut and staple underneath. Work from the centre of each side outwards, smoothing as you go. Fold the corners neatly like you’re wrapping a present. Reattach the seat and voilà — brand new dining chair!
If you have an awkward cabinet that’s full of items that are hard to access, you can easily transform it by installing pull-out drawers or baskets. You don’t even need to remove the cabinet door! You will need a drill, a measuring tape, and a drawer insert kit.
First, measure your cabinet — most kitchen cabinets are 60 cm wide, but double-check to be sure. Next, buy a drawer kit to fit the size of your cabinet — you will find these in any major hardware store or in Ikea — the Ikea Hjälpa wire drawer insert is a great place to start at €12. Measure and mark where to drill to install the drawer runners — always measure twice or use a level to ensure each runner is installed at the same height. Attach the runners with the provided screws, insert the drawers, and enjoy your new organised cupboard.
If you have smooth walls that do not need sanding or refilling, then wallpapering is a quick transformation that you can easily do yourself this weekend with minimal equipment. My key piece of advice is to buy “paste the wall” wallpaper. This is exactly as it sounds — you apply the paste to the wall and smooth on the wallpaper, rather than pasting the wallpaper and ending up with it stuck to every possible surface.
You will need a measuring tape, a bucket or paint tray, a paste brush and roller, a smoother, a level, a ladder, and a sharp utility knife.
Carefully measure your room, including doors and windows, and search online for a “wallpaper calculator” (available for free on many sites) to determine how many rolls of wallpaper you will need to buy. Add 10% contingency to be safe.
Clean your walls and let them dry. Choose your starting point in the least conspicuous part of your room — for example, the corner behind the door. Draw a level line from top to bottom, using your level (or a laser if you have one).
Cut a few lengths of wallpaper the height of your wall, lining up your pattern as you do so, and leave a few centimetres on each end to allow for error. Mix your paste and apply to the wall, going a little wider than the strip. Hang your first strip of wallpaper along your level line, smoothing with your hand as you go. Go back over with your wallpaper smoother, pushing out any bubbles. Trim the excess at the top and bottom. Continue around the room, lining up the pattern and checking that your wallpaper is level as you go. I recommend using a shower cap to cover the paste in between applications to prevent it from drying out too quickly.
In my previous home, I wanted a brass unit with marble shelves. I couldn’t afford it so I found a second-hand Ikea Vittsjö on adverts.ie, then repainted the frame and wrapped the shelves with marble-effect contact paper. Contact paper is a brilliant way to easily transform shelves, desks, and countertops. It is quite durable and best of all removable — perfect if you are renting. I bought mine in Lenehan's (Lenehans.ie).
You will need a knife or scissors, and something flat with a blunt edge to smooth the contact paper as you apply it — a squeegee or a ruler will work perfectly.
Cut your paper to size and clean your intended surface. Start at the edge, leaving enough overhang to wrap underneath. Remove the backing slowly as you go, smoothing to push out air bubbles. If there are any air bubbles, first leave them overnight to see if they flatten by themselves. If not, use a very thin needle to release the air and then smooth it out flat.
If you have dark spots of mould or peeling edges around the rim of your shower tray or bath, it’s time for a re-seal. This is one of those jobs that is labour-intensive but not difficult, and you will be surprised what a difference it makes. Plus, it will save you from costly moisture damage! You will need a silicone caulk, a caulk gun, a utility knife, and a plastic scraper. The first part is the hardest part — use the knife and scraper to remove all of the existing sealant.
This is satisfying but laborious work, and you will need to thoroughly remove all traces to ensure proper adhesion of the new sealant. Once fully removed, clean the area with rubbing alcohol or a degreaser. Cut the nozzle of your caulk at a 45-degree angle. Apply along the edges, maintaining a steady pressure.
Dip your finger in soapy water and run it along the sealant to create a smooth edge, pushing sealant into cracks or corners as needed. You can use a smoothing tool here, but I find using my finger much easier. Check that there are no gaps or cracks. Allow to cure for 24 hours and enjoy your sparkling new shower!
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