Outdoor shelves

Create a smart outdoor shelving unit that’s perfect for displaying pieces of garden art or summer potted colour.

You will need: 1800mm fence palings (x 6), 1500mm fence paling (x 1), 1200mm fence paling (x 1), 50mm exterior screws, electric screwdriver, paint stirrer, pencil, tape measure, paintbrush, Resene Waterborne Woodsman tinted to Resene Uluru, sandpaper (coarse), saw, set square.

Top tip: For safety reasons, securely attach the shelving unit to a wall or fence with 50mm screws.

To get the look: Mark painted the background fence with Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Sandy Beach.

Step one
Measure and mark an 1800mm fence paling into two 900mm pieces.

Step two
Use the set square to rule a cutting line.

Step three
Using the pencil line as a guide, cut fence paling into two 900mm pieces. Smooth any rough edges with coarse sandpaper.

Step four
Measure, mark and cut an 1800mm fence paling into three 40mm wide strips, as shown.

Step five
Measure, mark and cut the strips into lengths measuring 1500mm, 1200mm and 900mm. Smooth any rough edges with coarse sandpaper.

Step six
Using 50mm screws, fix two 1800mm fence palings together at 90 degrees, as shown, to form the bottom shelf.

Step seven
In the same way, fix the cut strips from step five to the 1500mm, 1200mm and 900mm fence palings, as shown.

Step eight
On a flat surface, fix the four shelves to an 1800mm fence paling using 50mm screws. Ensure the shelves are equally spaced and use a set square to make sure they’re at right angles.

Step nine
Measure, mark and cut the remaining 1800mm fence paling to create the end supports for each shelf. Smooth any rough edges with coarse sandpaper and then fix into position with 50mm screws.

Step ten
Carefully stir the Resene Waterborne Woodsman with a paint stirrer.

Step eleven
Apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman to the shelving unit, allowing two hours for each coat to dry

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Resene Paints Ltd – www.resene.com