Summer retreat

If the new year means a new shed, why not turn the old one into a traditional summer house?

You will need: 20mm clouts, bucket, clean water, craft knife, hammer, mineral turpentine, old shed (ours was cedar – previously painted exterior and unpainted interior), paintbrushes, Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Alabaster, Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Unwind, Resene Moss & Mould Killer, Resene Paint Prep and Housewash, Resene Quick Dry, Resene Walk-on flooring and paving paint tinted to Resene Inside Back, Resene Wood Primer, rubber gloves, saw, screwdriver, stiff-bristled brush, 2 x trellis panels.

To get the look: Mark painted the chair frames with Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Escape.

Handy tip: If you have opening windows and doors, use Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel instead of Resene Lumbersider so doors and windows open and close without sticking.

Step one
Remove the old doors and hinges from the shed.

Step two
Remove any builders’ paper from the walls with a craft knife and cut out two openings on either side wall of the shed, cutting between vertical supports, as shown.

Step three
Fix the sections of trellis into each of the openings using 20mm clouts.

Step four
Mix one part Resene Moss & Mould Killer to five parts clean water.

Step five
Brush the solution onto the exterior painted surfaces of the shed and leave for 48 hours.

Step six
Mix one part Resene Paint Prep and Housewash to three parts clean water.

Step seven
Scrub the solution onto the exterior painted surfaces of the shed and rinse off with clean water. Allow to dry.

Step eight
Apply two coats of Resene Unwind to the roof and door surrounds, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.

Step nine
Apply two coats of Resene Alabaster to the exterior walls, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.

Step ten
Apply one coat of Resene Wood Primer to the interior cedar walls and allow to dry. Clean brush in mineral turpentine.

Step eleven
Prime the trellis with Resene Quick Dry and allow to dry.

Step twelve
Prime the floor with Resene Quick Dry and allow to dry.

Step thirteen
Apply two coats of Resene Alabaster to the exterior walls, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.

Step fourteen
Apply one coat of Resene Wood Primer to the interior cedar walls and allow to dry. Clean brush in mineral turpentine.

Step fifteen
Prime the trellis with Resene Quick Dry and allow to dry.

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