The Upcycler’s summer DIY projects

Party at your place! Get inspired and flex your creative DIY skills and build one of these super cool projects for your place this summer. Covering drinks, food and furniture, they’ll be sure to impress your mates and you’ll save yourself money instead of buying the items brand new. 

Jacob Leaf, also known as The Upcycler, is here to show you how to make these practical projects, covering exactly what Resene products, equipment and tools you’ll need, plus he shares some handy hints along the way. Jacob often repurposes old wooden pallets, breaking them down and reimagining the boards and stringers into a huge array of custom pieces that he then elevates with a coating of Resene paint or stain. Luckily free pallets are usually readily available – check with local bulk stores or supermarkets if they have any they can pass onto you.  

Adirondack chair

Brighten up your deck and add a pop of kitsch colour by building your own Adirondack chair. American Thomas Lee knew the importance of comfort when he designed the Adirondack chair in the early 20th century. He was looking for something that was comfortable to sit on but sturdy enough to cope with the rugged elements of the Adirondack Mountains where he lived – the same goes for the changeable conditions in our part of the world! Jacob has painted his with Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel in Resene Parsley, while allowing the natural beauty of the timber to shine through in the backrest by using Resene Furniture and Decking Oil. Of course you can paint or stain yours in any Resene colour you like to work into your particular outdoor setup. 

Tips :

• If you prefer a higher gloss finish, use Resene Enamacryl gloss in place of Resene Lustacryl. Or for a lower sheen finish use Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen.
• If you’re choosing a dark colour, opt for the Resene CoolColour version to keep your chair cooler.
• You can stain the whole chair if you prefer to see the timber grain on all of the chair.  Use Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain in your chosen colours to contrast on the handles and frame.
• If you can’t choose a favourite colour, use multiple colours to paint the back upright part of the chair – it’s a great way to enjoy more than one colour and brighten up your deck or backyard.

Learn how to make your own Adirondack chair with the step-by-step instructions and video here.

Fence bar

Creative, functional and cost effective, this fence bar is designed and built to straddle the balustrade of your balcony or deck and sits flat, creating a handy table. It’s also particularly useful for narrower areas that don’t have enough room for outdoor furniture.  

This fence bar offers an endless amount of uses – think a place for your drinks and nibbles when hosting your next summer soiree, setting up your computer to enjoy a home office with a view for the day, to sit at with a morning cup of coffee and the paper, or as a bar leaner for a catch up with friends. Jacob uses two pallets to build the structure and gives it a pop of colour with Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss in Resene Rapture.  

Check out the step-by-step instructions and video to help you make your own fence bar here.

Drinks cooler

Cracking open a cold one at home never looked so good! This deck drinks cooler is a super practical piece that can be finished in any Resene colour you like, and Jacob has given his an aged look by first coating the box in Resene Mocha, then painting over it with Resene Home Run and adding retro lettering in Resene Wild Thing, before using steel wool to enhance the distressed look. He also screwed on a bottle opener and a magnetic tin to catch stray bottlecaps – no need to get up and go inside to dispose of them!

Make your own handy drinks cooler by following the step-by-step instructions and video here.

Bench seat

Jacob made this simple, stylish and oh-so-practical bench seat using old 10-litre Resene plastic paint buckets. Jacob used the buckets as moulds to make two concrete bases which he sealed with Resene Concrete Clear waterborne coating, then used a piece of timber finished with Resene Furniture and Decking Oil as the bench. These products give it a very professional looking finish and the modern form means that it’ll work with almost any outdoor setting. 

Top tip: For a darker stained finish, use Resene Woodsman in place of Resene Furniture and Decking Oil. Or if your timber hasn’t been cleaned up that nicely, you could paint it instead with Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel.

Learn how to make your own bench seat with the step-by-step instructions and video here.

BBQ buddy

Take your outdoor cooking game to the next level by building this barbecue shelf. The handy cupboard keeps all your oils, rubs, sauces and utensils tucked safely away, and the drop-down door also doubles as a table! This practical storage unit means you’ll have everything you need right on hand, so there’ll be no need to keep dashing inside to the kitchen. 

While you can tailor the shelving to suit your specific condiments and equipment, Jacob’s design offers a universal layout to display a wide range of products, as well as an area to hang your tools. Jacob has given his shelf a punchy pop of sunny colour with a coating of Resene Lustacryl in Resene Carpe Diem on the outside, and a fresh wash of Resene Woodsman Whitewash on the inside, but you can paint yours in a shade to suit your house and style. If you want it to blend in, paint it in the same colour as your home.

Check out everything you need to make your own BBQ buddy with the step-by-step instructions and video here. 

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