DIY Weekend Jobs

The Easter long weekend is the perfect time to get to all these odd jobs around the house to make no place feel like home. Here, Trojan experts share some easy DIY projects to spruce the home this Easter long weekend, that will still leave you time to relax.

Revamp the front yard by installing a new letterbox (30 minutes)
Tools and supplies needed: Spanner, Trojan Individual Hand Held Screwdriver, spade, concrete, spirit level and letterbox.

A quick way to refresh your façade is installing a new letterbox. If your mailbox is secured to a cement base, you will need to attach legs or posts using your spanner and Trojan Individual Hand Held Screwdriver (RRP $3.98 - $5.98). Using your spade, dig out a level area of at least 40mm for your letterbox to sit in. Pour concrete into the hole and push the mailbox into the concrete. Use your spirit level to check if it is installed correctly and then leave it to dry.

Make use of space with floating shelves (1 hour)
Tools and supplies needed: Trojan 100mm Scraper, stud finder, electronic wire and pipe detector, brackets, tape measure, spirit level, pencil, drill, shelves, Trojan Individual Hand Held Screwdriver, screws and hammer.

Floating shelves are stylish, space-savers and easy to install. Remove any flaky or cracked paint from the wall with the Trojan 100mm Scraper (RRP $7.90). Consider the weight of the shelf and weight of each item you intend to place on top. For denser shelving, use a stud finder to see if there's stud in the area you want to hang the shelf. The lowest shelf should be at least 90cm from the floor and there needs to be at least 30cm in-between shelves. Use an electronic detector to check the wall area is free of hidden pipes or cables. Place the first bracket against the wall and ensure it's even with a spirit level. Mark the fixed spots with a pencil, then drill these holes into the wall and screw the brackets into place with the Trojan Individual Hand Held Screwdriver (RRP $3.98 - $5.98). Slide the shelf onto the bracket to make sure it's level and fix into place with small screws.

Rejuvenate the walls with paint (40 minutes – 1 hour per coat)
Tools and supplies needed: Trojan 6 in 1 Multi-Scraper, Trojan Medium Paint Mixer, paint rollers, tray, paint and Trojan Brush & Roller Cleaner.

Freshly painted walls are one of the cheapest investments in improving a property. Embrace a pop of colour with an accent wall in your living room or make a statement with a painted ceiling. Before painting, remove any flaking paint, nails, silicone or loose material with Trojan's 6 in 1 Multi-Scraper (RRP $8.30).

Mix paint thoroughly with the Trojan Medium Paint Mixer (RRP $8.00) to improve the colour and consistency of the finish. Push your roller forward on the tray and make sure the paint is spread evenly then proceed to roll across the wall. When you've painted a section of 3-4 metres, place a clean roller at the top left corner and roll straight down the wall and across the entire area with no pressure. This process is known as laying-off and will give the wall a smooth finish. Finally, remove paint residue from rollers with the Trojan Brush & Roller Cleaner (RRP $8.30).

Transform a kitchen countertop into faux granite counters (2-4 hours)
Tools and supplies needed: Trojan 220 Grit Sponge, primer, black paint, Trojan Medium Paint Mixer, sponges, glitter and polycrylic sealer.

You don't need to tear down kitchen countertops to give them a new look, but can revive the appearance with faux granite counters. Sand down the countertops with the Trojan 220 Grit Sponge (RRP $6.69) and wipe off extra debris. Prepare the counters with primer – this may require two coats. Mix black paint and primer with the Trojan Medium Paint Mixer (RRP $8.00) to create a few different shades of grey. Using a sponge, dab the counter with the darkest shade first then slowly move onto the lighter shades. Do touch-ups for any areas where more colour is needed. To make the countertop resemble actual stone, sprinkle a bit of glitter on the surface while the paint is wet. Finally coat the counters with polycrylic sealer.

Relax at home (3-5 hours)
Tools and supplies needed: Couch, home-cooked meal and a warm drink.

After all your hard work completing DIY renovations, the only project left to do this Easter long weekend is to sit back and relax. While you're at it, make yourself a delicious home-cooked meal and warm drink to enjoy while you admire your handywork!

Photo by Jonathan Wolf on Unsplash