- Now look, I know clotheslines
aren't the most sexiest things going around
and there's ours, how embarrassing.
Slack, absolutely, I'm hopeless.
Gotta get on to it.
Do you like it?
I'll sell it to ya.
But they are a necessity,
and as was evident from that last shot,
in the last 18 months since we've moved into this house,
I am yet to instal a clothesline.
A bit naughty, but that's not the purpose of today's video.
Today's video, I'd like to show you how to instal
a recycled timber screen to go behind the clothesline
to one, support the clothesline,
and two, to make that whole area look a little bit sexier.
Alrighty, good day folks, my name's Uncle Knackers,
and you're watching D.I.Y. for Knuckleheads.
Let's do this.
(upbeat happy music)
Okay the first job is to instal three
metal galvanised posts.
One, two, and three.
The two outside posts, they're there to attach
our fold-down clothesline to,
and the one in the centre here,
that's there to help support the weight
of that recycled timber screen.
Good stuff.
Now this is the recycled material
that we'll be using for our screen.
It's old hardwood, and I'm really excited to be using it
because these old boards here are actually the old
floorboards that I managed to salvage
when we demolished our bungalow in the backyard
a couple years ago.
So that's going to be really nice to be recycling it.
I've given all the boards a good sand,
and also cut them up into a couple of different widths
just to add a bit of interest.
Need to hang these boards, I've got the treated pine here
which we'll make a frame out of,
and then bolt that frame to those three steel posts
in the backyard.
All right, let's stop mucking around
and build that frame.
(mid-tempo jazz music)
Now just a quick tip.
Before we nail this frame together,
it's always a good idea
especially on outdoor jobs,
that you give the cut ends a bit of a hit
with a timber treatment or a timber preservative.
That way you'll get much longer life out of your timber.
(can rattling)
It's a good idea.
Too easy.
(can rattling)
Now like I said before,
we're using treated pine for the frame.
Now the bottom plate and the top plate,
I'm using 70 millimetres by 35 millimetres,
which is three inch by one and a half inch.
And for the studs I'm using 70 millimetres
by 45 millimetres, which is three inches by two inches.
(nail gun clacking)
Don't you just love a good nail gun?
It makes is so much easier.
Okay that's good.
The frame's now built, now all we have to do
is to pick it up and then bolt it
to those three metal galvanised posts.
Once it's up there, then I'll run a row of noggins
through the centre of the frame.
Let's do it.
Because I'm doing this job myself,
it's a bit difficult to get that big timber frame
and bolt it up against these steel posts.
Especially when the frame is up and off the ground.
So to make it easier, all I've done,
is I've levelled a line across the bottom
of those three posts,
where I want the bottom of the frame to sit,
and then just cut some supports that line up
with that level line and go down to the concrete footing
just there, and then all I need to do is to get the frame,
place it on top of those supports,
which takes all the weight,
and that makes it easy for me to manoeuvre
that frame around, getting it in the right spot
so I can bolt it in place.
Good tip.
Okay let's get this frame up.
We put it on those supports, and oh!
Hang on a second, it fell off.
Back on the support like that and then clamp it in place.
Too easy.
What did I tell ya?
Okay the bottom of that frame is now in the right spot,
so all I need to do is to drill a hole through
the frame, through the steel post,
and bolt the whole thing together.
Once the bottom row's done,
then I'll plumb up that frame
and do the same to the top.
So first of all I'll just countersink in a hole here.
(drill whirring)
And then drill a whole
through the timber and the steel.
(drill whirring)
Okay now all we have to do is to tap that bolt in.
(hammer clanging)
And then do up the nut,
and we're done.
Once you've finished that, do the rest of that run,
plumb the frame and then bolt the top off.
Beautiful.
Okay I just need to get this frame plumb,
and then I'll bolt the top.
(upbeat happy music)
Spot on.
(drill whirring)
Okay so all we need to do now is put that bolt in,
and do it up.
(bolt clanging)
And don't drop the spanner over the fence.
(spanner clangs)
Oh, that was close.
Done.
Okay the frame's up and it's looking really good,
and we're on track.
And the next job we need to do
is to instal these noggins
through the centre of that framework,
and the purpose for the noggin is to stiffen the frame
to stop those studs from twisting around.
Once these are in, then I'm going
to paint the whole thing black.
Yep, black, with this exterior grade self priming paint,
and the reason for the paint is twofold.
First of all, I want to protect that framework
to make it last a bit longer,
and I'm painting it black because between the slats,
I want to see a black strip.
So hopefully it's gonna turn out okay.
Let's give it a go.
(mid-tempo jazz music)
Now whenever you find yourself installing noggins,
it's always good to stagger them.
That way it makes it so much easier
to get a nail directly into the end of that noggin.
(nail gun clacking)
Now onto that black paint.
I always paint my outdoor timber structures,
whether it be with a paint or an oil,
or a varnish, and I think it's a really good idea
because it helps preserve that timber.
A lot of people can't be bothered,
but I highly recommend it.
And that
is the painting all done,
and it looks really good,
and the timber's well-protected.
Now all we need to do is to let that dry,
and then come back and start installing
those recycled hardwood timber slats.
Too easy.
Now what I'm doing here is I'm adding a picture frame
to the outside of the screen,
and the reason for that is that the picture frame
just gives a bit of depth.
So it just makes that screen a bit more interesting.
I like it.
Okay so there you have it.
The screen has now had a picture frame put right
around all four sides, and before we start
to instal these slats, I just want to give
the inside of the picture frame
where these slats are going to sit,
a good couple of coats with a
good quality clear satin varnish.
And the reason for that is that I want to protect
this timber for as long as possible.
And once these slats go on,
I'm not going to be able to apply that varnish
right on the inside edge there.
So now's a great time before slats are installed
to get that job done.
Beauty.
Now don't be shy with the varnish either.
The more you can get in there, the better protection
you're going to have, so slop it in there.
All right, it's about time, but we can now finally
start installing these slats.
And when I do, I always make sure
that around the edges I always leave the width
of a three inch nail.
And that way, no water pools up between those two surfaces,
which will prolong the life of that structure.
Initially when installing the slat to the frame,
all I'll be using is a single nail from my nail gun.
(nail gun clacks)
And the reason for that is that I'm going to come back
later and screw that slat to the frame,
and I don't want the face of that board covered
in nails 'cause that might get in the way of the screws.
Also, when you start, make sure you use a string line.
You want that first board to go on beautiful and straight.
That way all subsequent boards should follow suit,
and you'll finish up with a beautiful job.
Now it's always a good thing to remember that
whenever you're doing a screen or a deck,
that you stagger all of your joins,
because you don't want all the joins
to finish up on the one stud or the one joist.
Also sanding before installation is always
a bit of a time saver,
and also using a clamp is a great way
of getting your spacing correct.
(upbeat happy music)
Now what I have in my hand now is just a template
which I'm using to space and mark out all of my screws.
It makes it so much easier,
and the screws all finish up in the same spot.
And this little tool is a countersinking tool,
and when the yellow thing stops spinning,
the countersinking depth has been reached.
It's absolutely fantastic.
I love it.
And because this is an outside job,
I'm using stainless steel screws.
They last longer, and they look really good.
(upbeat happy music)
Now this is a good tip.
When you're four or five boards away from finishing,
take a measurement on either end.
That way you can adjust your spacings
so that when the last board goes on,
it's the same width from end to end.
And don't forget from time to time
to use your string line to keep
those boards nice and straight.
You little beauty, last one.
Now I have to say that this job has taken me a bit
longer than I expected.
Working with the old floorboards
is always a little bit tricky,
and with close to 500 screws that need to be pre-drilled,
countersunk and driven, your day's gone before you know it.
You little ripper.
We are now all done.
Now all we need to do,
is to give that a bit of a sand,
wash it down with some water.
Let that dry, apply a couple of coats
of that clear satin varnish,
and Bob's your uncle.
Once that's all done, then I'll hang the clothesline.
Love it.
I tell you what, this job has really been a good workout
for my new Makita sander.
And once the sanding's been done,
I just got out the house and gave it a good wash down
to get rid of all that dust,
and then it was on with that first coat
of the clear satin varnish,
mixed in with 10 to 15% of turps
because this is the sealer coat.
Okay, that's 24 hours later.
The wall outside is dry.
I've given it a quick sand with a 240 grit paper,
and now all we need to do
is to apply the second and final coat
of this clear satin varnish.
And once that's dry,
then it's just instal the clothesline,
and we're done.
Too easy.
Those old floorboards really sucked up that first coat.
You can hardly tell that it's even been done.
But the second coat, that's really making the colours pop.
Beautiful.
And that's it, the painting all done.
Now time for the clothesline.
Righto, time for the clothesline.
Uh, instructions.
Don't need them. (laughs)
All right, what have we got here?
(metal clanging)
Ha ha, step one.
Push through the female Chicago bolt bracket long,
positioning two arm spaces between outer and inner arms,
securing with males Chicago bolt bracket short.
Okay.
All right, with those instructions being as clear as mud,
let's have a stab at putting this thing together.
The first thing we need to do is drill the holes
for our mounting brackets,
and then bolt the mounting brackets on,
followed by the retractable arms,
and then the front cross-member
which holds the whole thing together.
And to finish the job,
we just need to tie off and thread through
25 metres worth of clothesline cord.
And I tell you what, it must have been getting
pretty close to knock off time,
because I haven't worked this fast
in quite some time.
(upbeat happy music)
So that's it folks, all done.
The clothesline works really well,
and the wall looks absolutely fantastic.
It took awhile to build,
but I think the end result was well worth it.
Looks good.
So there you have it, I hope you enjoyed
and found that video useful,
and as per usual, a big thumbs up
is always greatly appreciated.
Now if this if your first time to my channel,
please hit that subscribe button
for more handy tips.
Alrighty, I think I need to get my first load of washing
up on that line.
But first of all, I really need a cup of tea.
So til next time, I'm out of here.
Cheers.