Home-DzineIDEAS AND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR HOME

July 2013

online

Craft • DIY • Food • Green • Home Decor & Design

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Home-Dzine Online is written and compiled by Janice Anderssen. All projects in this issue remain the property of Home-Dzine and Janice Anderssen, or the respective copyright holders, and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.

This issue was inspired by the article on page 51. The year of mud documents the building of a home - from mud - that really got me to thinking how we could all be doing more. Not necessarily building a mud home, although it did pique my imagination on what it would be like to live totally independent - but definitely on the lines of restore - repurpose - re-use - revamp - recycle.

Janice

a word or two

5 LEED DESIGNGreen is the driving force

22 RESTOREFurniture restoration tips

28 REVAMPMakeover dated furniture

31 WAX ON - WAX OFFAntiquing effects

16 ECO-FRIENDLY OPTIONS

18 RE-PURPOSE & RE-USE

20 RECYCLE

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42 NATURAL COB OVENBuild an oven for zero cost

47 EASY PIZZAA treat the whole family will love

51 YEAR OF MUDBuilding an organic home

38 METROSHEDGarden shedsgo designer DIY

35 THE HOUSE THAT HEMP BUILTGrow your house finishes

40 A LOOK AT ECOLIGHTING DESIGN

62 COMPOUND MITRESAW

64 SPRAY ON FRESH COLOURMakeover garden furniture

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Home-Dzine are proud to introduce a totally new concept to the South African DIY enthusiast. We now

offer a range of kits that include all the element essential for assembling your own furniture. All you

have to do is finish it off to match your own decor style.

DIY KITS

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

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eco homesLEED is driving

the green building industry

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LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification is the recognized standard for measuring building sustainability. The LEED rating system - developed and administered by the U.S. Green Building Council - is designed to promote design and construction practices that reduce the negative environmental impacts of buildings and improve occupant health and well-being.

The LEED rating system offers four certification levels for new construction:

Silver, Gold and Platinum, with the latter being the highest.

Each level corresponds to the number of credits accrued in five green design categories:

Encourage strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources.

Water efficiency promotes smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water consumption.

Promotes better building energy performance through innovative strategies.

Encourages using sustainable building materials and reducing waste.

Promoting better indoor air quality and access to daylight and views. Anchored to the sloping hillside, this home, designed by butler armsden architects, was executed to achieve LEED

Platinum – the highest regarded designation for sustainable buildings. Through open conversation between the design team, building materials were selected to maximize sustainability and add to the aesthetics.

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LEED is a constantly evolving rating system and its international components are no exception. Global consistency and applicability is essential to achieve the goal of accelerating adoption of sustainable and green building development practices worldwide.

Anchored to the sloping hillside, this home, designed by butler armsden architects, was executed to achieve LEED Platinum – the highest regarded designation for sustainable buildings. Through open conversation between the design team, building materials were selected to maximize sustainability and add to the aesthetics.

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Located on a previously developed site where the existing structure was deconstructed by hand and 95% was reused or recycled, including 10 tons of lumber.

The new house was designed to enhance the use of the site and minimize excavation and maximise space efficiency.

Orientation of the house to the south and use of passive solar design for optimal heating, cooling and daylighting.

Floors with thermal mass to facilitate passive heating and cooling.

Concrete foundations using a minimum of 30% flyash and recycled aggregate, both locally sourced.

Engineered and sustainable framing materials such as recycled steel, OSB, LVL, Timberstrand and FSC wood products.

Solar electric power providing close to 100% of electrical needs.

Solar hot water system providing all hot water needs.

In-floor hydronic heating using solar hot water.

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Double-glazed windows allow in plenty of natural light and a tinted film reduces solar heat gain. Deep eaves shield the home from the sun’s glare. Concrete floors throughout the home act as a thermal mass, retaining heat from the day and releasing it in the cool of the evening.

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Double-glazed windows allow in plenty of natural light and a tinted film reduces solar heat gain. Deep eaves shield the home from the sun’s glare. Concrete floors throughout the home act as a thermal mass, retaining heat from the day and releasing it in the cool of the evening.

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Deep eaves shield the home from the sun’s glare and, while there is also a radiant heating system, it’s only needed on the coldest days. The concrete floors throughout the public areas are part of the passive solar design and act as a thermal mass, retaining heat from the day and releasing it in the cool of the evening.

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The home features passive solar design - the orientation of the building and the way the sun interacts with it to produce warmth and light - as its biggest energy conservation booster.

Rainwater is conserved in two underground tanks installed in the garden, and the combination of energy-efficient insulation, low-energy-consumption fixtures and appliances, roof top photovoltaic system and solar hot water system all add up to a lower carbon footprint, as well as lower energy bills any homeowner would love.

The house itself concentrates all the systems in a central core area with nothing - water, energy or people - having to travel very far. And every system, including temperature, sound, lighting, window shades and the garage door, is controlled through a home automation system. A whole-house circulation system changes the air inside the almost completely airtight home every few hours.

A 5-kilowatt photovoltaic system on the roof is connected to the city’s energy grid.

ENERGY-EFFICIENT DESIGN:

• Materials and services sourced within a specified radius.

• Interior air quality management system.

• Zero VOC paints.

• Smart house automation features to minimize energy use and maximize convenience.

• Low energy LED lighting.

• Energy Star appliances and fixtures.

• Construction site management to include reduction and recycling of construction and demolition waste and erosion control.

• Native, drought tolerant landscape and high efficiency irrigation using greywater.

• Permeable paving.

• Rainwater harvesting for indoor use in toilets and washing machine.

• Greywater (collected from showers, lavatory sinks and washing machine) collection used for irrigation.

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All of the materials used in the project are recycled or sustainable and in some cases - such as the retaining walls - were salvaged from the foundations of the original house.

Landscaping makes use of drought-tolerant plants native to the region. The garden is maintained with efficient irrigation using greywater from the house.

Permeable materials, in this case gravel, are laid across walkways and driveways to ensure water flow, drainage and runoff to the surrounding natural vegetation.

Rainwater is harvester and stored in tanks installed in the garden. This rainwater is used for water features and indoor utilities, such as toilets and washing machine.

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It’s time that every household looked at greener options for a home. And that doesn’t mean forking out more money for ‘organic’ options or spending more on expensive ‘green design’ furniture and accessories.

If you are planning to do any interior decorating, home improvements, or simply want to become more green, here are a few ideas to get you started.

LOW VOC PAINTS When shopping for paints it’s important to look for paints that are low VOC (volatile organic compounds). The smellier the paint - the more chemicals in that particular brand of paint.

Paints have toxic compounds that can be dangerous both during and after their application. Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions are the predominant health concern for paints and lacquers because they can cause significanthealth impacts, including cancer.

Plascon Double Velvet has considerably low VOC content , which highly reduces the risk of VOC affecting human health.

Plascon Double Velvet dries to a hard, velvet sheen that withstands repeated washing. Use on primed new cement plaster walls, fibre-board,ceiling board, gypsum plaster, metal and wood. It is also ideal for kitchens, bedrooms, passages, and areas where a hard wearing luxurious finish isrequired.

ABOVE: Colourwashed walls in different tints and shades give walls a faux textured look. Click here for how to instructions on Home-Dzine

Eco-friendly options

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HANDY TIPS FOR PAINTING

• Prior to painting your walls a new colour, it’s important to paint a white base coat beforehand. Especially when your original colour is yellow!

• It is essential to paint a white background on your painted or raw plaster wall when painting up colour samples for the true colour. Having painted your colour samples, allow the colour to settle for at least 2 to 3 days and view the colours at different times in the day.

• All lighting (natural sunlight and artificial light) affects the colour of your paint as do shadows in a room.

• Stir paint with a flat-surfaced paddle to mix it properly.

• Fix up walls with Polycell crack filler and let this dry before sanding smooth.

• Wash walls with Polycell sugar soap. This removes any grease or grime and prepares the surface for painting.

• A matt finish has the effect of making a small room with lots of light appear larger.

• Paint walls from right to left if you’re right-hand-ed (left to right if you’re left-handed) so that you don’t place your free hand on the wall when applying more paint to a brush or roller.

• Choose the right paint roller for your walls. Use a short pile roller on smooth walls and a long nap roller on textured walls.

• Mask off any areas not to be painted with masking tape.

• Use a dropcloth to prevent floors from drips and spills.

• Dampen a paintbrush before use to protect and make it easier to clean.

ABOVE: Colourwashed walls in different tints and shades give walls a faux textured look. Click here for how to instructions on Home-Dzine

Eco-friendly options

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Re-purpose & Re-use

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RE-PURPOSE & RE-USEIn today’s modern world everything has become disposable. Need new light fittings- throw the old ones away. Want a new lounge suite - sell or dispose of the old one, and so on. We have come to believe that an item no longer required can simply be disposed of and replaced.

Perhaps, instead of throwing out, we should look at ways to re-purpose and re-use items no longer required.

Treat yourself to an upholstery workshop that shows how you can recover that old lounge suite. With new padding and fabric, even an old dingy sofa can become a loved-again piece for the home.

Hone your woodworking skills to be able to restore or makeover. Today’s power tools allow you to be creative in so many ways - without working up a sweat.

The biggest problem with starting any project is the fear of making a boo-boo - or doing it the wrong way. If you are scared - start with a small project and gain the confidence to tackle thatbigger piece of furniture. If you were planning to dispose of it anyway, who cares if you make a mistake. But there’s no harm in giving it a try.

Re-purpose & Re-use

As you learn new skills your confidence grows and you will wantto do more. We all have to start somewhere, and even I have had more than my share of mistakes.

Restoring or revamping furniture allows you to not only makeover furniture you already have, but you can shop around for secondhand bargains, auction sales - or dig into the occasional skip!

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RecycleRECYCLERecycling is not just about household waste, recycling covers anything and everything thrown out or disposed off that can be upcycled in a new way.

Reclaimed timber is one good example of a material that can be used in many ways for home decor projects. Salvage yards deal in materials stripped from demolished homes and this can be anything from oregon pine floorboards, to Rhodesian teak railway sleepers.

Before using reclaimed timber products inspect for signs of woodworm or fungus rot. Fungus can be treated with a wood reviver product. For woodworm you need to determine the amount of damage done, as the larvae burrow down inside timber and thereby weaken the strength.

If you come across veneered furniture (not to be confused with laminate), bear in mind that you will probably have to replace the thin veneer, as it’s almost impossible to sand.

There are timber merchants who supply sheets of veneer in various wood types and this is then cut to size and glued down.

Most wood furniture that you want to revamp will need sanding to remove layers of paint or varnish, some might simply need wiping down with

fine steel wool and mineral turpentine to remove built up wax polish.

On the following pages you will find some helpful tips on restoring and revamping wood furniture.

For laminate or melamine furniture you will find plenty of tips, tricks and techniques on Home-Dzine. Click here to view the Decorating Section.

Whatever project you want to revamp you’re sure to find instructions on Home-Dzine or the Internet to help you along. Do a local search, so that projects make use of products available in South Africa.

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Recycle

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While you may think that some pieces of furniture are beyond repair and restoration - think again.

If you are prepared to put in the time and effort required you can transform pieces that look ready for the trash into beautiful treasures for the home.

This Shaker cabinet is a good example of trash to treasure. Literally falling apart, the cabinet was given plenty of TLC and some new hardware to restore to its original condition.

Restore

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Furniture restoration has never been easier or more eco-friendly than with Plascon RemovALL. Simply brush on a thick layer of paint remover and allow it to sit for 30 minutes before applying a second layer over the top.

Leave the product on overnight where thick layers of paint need to be removed.

Use a plastic paint scraper to remove the lifted paint and then wipe with a squeegee to remove any remaining paint. Wipe clean with a slightly damp rag to clean off and prepare for painting.

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These days it’s difficult to come across furniture that hasn’t been treated in some way, unless you buy raw pine furniture. Most furniture is either sealed, varnished or coated with layers of wax and it is important to remove this - or most of it - before you paint.

Unless you want to spend hours and hours sanding, invest in a decent sander. Here on Home-Dzine we have a selection of sanders that we use - each for a different task. But you can easily get by with an orbital sander for larger pieces with flat surfaces.

You can pick up a Skil Sander for around R380 and these sanders take normal sandpaper as opposed to velcro pads, which means you can sand up to 1200-grit or higher if you need to.

For sealed, varnished or waxed finishes start off with 120-grit sandpaper to remove as much ‘gloss’ as possible.

You don’t need to sand down to bare wood if you are going to be painting over the top but you do need to remove the glossy finish in order for the paint to adhere properly.

Always finish off the sanding process with 240-grit sanding pads or sandpaper. This smooths the surface in preparation for painting.

Click here for tips on sanding detailed areas, grooves or hard-to-reach spots.

GOOD TO KNOW

Because of its age, some vintage furniture will have layers and layers of wax build up on the surface.

If you find that the sandpaper clogs quickly during sanding you may need to wipe down with Woodoc steel wool and mineral turpentine to remove any remaining wax after sanding.

In many cases old wax degrades with age and can simply be wiped off with steel wool and mineral turpentine.

Newer layers of wax are a bugger to remove and there are times when I have had to resort to using a heat gun to dissolve the wax before wiping down with steel wool and mineral turpentine.

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Find all the products and supplies you need to restore furniture at your local Builders Warehouse.

ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES FOR STRIPPING WOOD

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Repair damage

While some dents and dings add to the character of a vintage piece, some don’t.

You can fix up any unattractive cracks with wood filler, and chips with Alcolin QuikWood. This 2-part epoxy putty fills gaps and hardens so that you can sand away any excess for a smooth, invisible repair.

GOOD TO KNOW

Cracks or chips in furniture can easily be fixed.

Fill smaller cracks with wood filler. Choose a tinted wood filler that matches the finished tint you want if you are going to be staining wood. If you are painting the piece, use white for a light finish and black for dark.

Wood filler is available in a range of wood colours to match most wood species, as well as white and black.

Only apply enough filler to fill up cracks - too much and you end up sanding for longer!

Once dry, sand smooth with 180- or 240-grit sandpaper.

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GOOD TO KNOW

Take care when working with veneered furniture.

Veneer is a layer of thin wood that is applied to chipboard or cheaper woods to make them look more expensive.

Due to the fact that a veneer is so thin (around 3mm) it is very easy to sand off a veneered layer. Specialist timber merchants supply veneer in a variety of wood species and is glued onto the surface.htt

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Restore

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Apply primerWhenever sanding furniture down to the wood, or if painting raw furniture, you need to apply a wood primer before painting.

Plascon Wood Primer penetrates and seals wood, and creates a strong bond for subsequent coats of paint.

You can apply with a paint brush or foam roller depending on the final finish you want.

A paint brush will obviously provide a rougher finish than a foam roller andbe harder to sand smooth. I use a combination of both; using a paintbrush around edges and detail and then smoothing with a foam roller.

After the primer, you can ap-ply two thin coats of paint, two thin coats are better than one thick one - just let each layer dry before applying the next – this makes for a tougher finish.

Choosing the right paint

If you are just painting without any added effect you can use Plascon Double Velvet or Plascon Velvaglo (enamel) depending on how durable you want the piece to be.

Where you want to distress or glaze, the best paint to use would be Plascon Polvin. as it’s easier to work with a matt finish.

I like the look of painted furniture. I know a lot of folks roll their eyes when someone says they are going to paint a piece of furniture, feeling that the wood should be left alone. Painting furniture is a good way to cover up cheaper timber, such as pine, or finishpieces to blend in with a particular style.

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GOOD TO KNOWSand the primer coat once dry and also sand between subsequent coats of paint with 400-grit sandpaper. Now you know why it’s a good idea to get yourself a sander - and one that uses regular sandpaper rather than sanding pads !

Revamp

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Distressing

When painting with a matt paint, let the paint dry for 24 hours before you apply either a clear acrylic sealer or antique wax for added protection.

If you are going for a distressed or shabby chic look you have a couple of options:

Prime and paint in your choice of colour and then use 120-grit sandpaper to rough up the edges and any detailed areas.

The idea is to create the worn areas that would occur naturally over time. After you have distressed, go over the sanded areas with 400-grit sandpaper for an ultra smooth finish.

Clean the furniture to ensure all dust is removed before applying wax.

ABOVE: Here is a close up view of the detailed area after sanding with 120- and 400-grit sandpaper.

Waxing

Apply antique wax to the piece with a soft cloth. Only a small amount of wax is required and this is buffed to a soft lustre once dry. The wax also protects the finishand the furniture.

GOOD TO KNOW

Mix a small quantity of raw umber oil paint to antique wax to make an antiquing glaze.

Mix antique wax and polvin matt white together to make your own liming wax.

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Find all the products and supplies you need to paint furniture at your local Builders Warehouse.

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Wax OnWax Off

From painting furniture to designing her own range of paints, Marian of Miss Mustard Seed has established herself as an expert on painting furniture.

Unfortunately her paint range is not available locally, but you will find a recipe of Home-Dzine for making your own milk paint, if you want to give it a try. Click here for details.

In this feature she discusses adding an antique wax finish to painted furniture and I have substituted a local alternative .

After painting and sanding or any distressing that you want to do, get yourself a paper plate.

On the paper plate, mix a tiny amount of raw umber oil paint into a large dollop of antique wax. Combine the two together. If you want a darker effect you can add more oil paint - only small amounts at a time. Always rub in well.

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Step 1

The best way to apply the wax is with a stencil brush or stiff-bristle paintbrush.

Dab the brush into the mixed wax - you only need a small amount on the tip of the paintbrush.

GOOD TO KNOW

Add a small dab of oil paint - I use raw umber - to colour the wax.

Step 2

Use the stiff brush to push the wax into crevices and detail that you want to enhance.

You don’t need to be gentle or careful, as any excess can easily be wiped off.

Step 3

Use a soft rag to wipe away the excess wax, leaving behind just enough to leave an antique or aged effect.

At this stage, you can always apply another layer if you want more effect.

Let the wax coating dry for 24 hours.

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One of my favourite bloggers is Dianne at infarrantly creative. She keeps her projects simple and instructions easy to follow.

Since this issue is all about re-purpose. re-use, restore and revamp, I had to include an article about transforming pine furniture.

Diane refinished the top onher yellowy-orange pine dining table, transforming the table into a wonderful centrepiece.

The products used in this project are not available locally, but you can easily substitute with products that are on the shelf at your local Builders Warehouse.

What I do like about this project is that the new finish on the diningtable no longer has the trademark ‘pine orange or yellow’ colour, but is now a more natural finish.

Because it’s finished withwax and not varnish, you do have to be careful and use coasters, but keeping the table looking good is as easy as giving it a regular polish with wax.

Varnish OffWax On

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Here’s the table before. Not in perfect condition with its dings and dents, but the idea is not to restore but to refinish tomatch in with Diane’s new kitchen.

The varnish is removed with Plascon RemovALL paint stripper. Follow the instructions to the letter to strip off all the old varnish (or paint).

Any remaining stain, and more than a few minor scratches, can be removed by giving the table a lightly sanding with 180-grit sandpaper before wiping clean.

Diane then added a light coat of Woodoc Antique Wax, buffed up and then a coat of Liming Wax to bring out the grain in the wood.

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Grow yourhousefinishes

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The house that hemp built

The home is owned by Tony Budden, founding member of Hemporium.com, a company that manufactures and sells a wide range of hemp products.

Whoa there..! Before you jump to any conclusions, hemp is not to be confused with it’s closely related and narcotic counterpart - marijuana. For centuries hemp has been used for fibre, paper,

fabric, lighting oil, medicines, as well as food oil and protein for both humans and animals.

In conjunction with Perfect Place Architects, Tony built his new home using various hemp components, as a showcase for sustainable and eco-friendly building.

At first glance, this house looks like any other modern house. Situated ona hillside in Noordhoek, Cape Town, this house is anything but ordinary. In fact, this is one extra-ordinary house.

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Hempcrete bricks form the foundation for the house, which also features natural materials such as cork floors.Hemp is also the insulation material in wall cavities and floors, and as a plasterfinish on the walls.

Hemp has been used throughout history for durable applications such as ropes and clothing due to its robust nature and resistance to corrosion. It is these benefits that make hemp theideal insulation product for residential homes.

Although currently imported, there are several projects under way in South Africa to research the viability of hemp and to boost the agri-fibre industry in South Africa.

The main problem lies in the confusion between Cannabis sativa L and C. sativa subsp. indica, the former being used in building and industry, and the latter being the cultivar used in the production of marijuana.

What is important is the opportunity for local growth of hemp as an industry, and for the use of hemp in the manufacture of clothing, building and industrial products.

Hemp is sustainable, it’s eco-friendly, and hemp fibres are extremely strongand durable and shown to be used in replacement of wood for many jobs including creating very durable and breathable homes.

For more info visit www.hemporium.com

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MetroShed, designed by David Ballinger, goes to show that simple design can be stylish and original - even when it comes to sheds.

The MetroShed is a pre-fabricated multipurpose structure that can be placed indoors or outdoors to add extra space. Assembly is done in a day.

Who needs a boring garden shed when you can buy (or make) a MetroShed as a modern alternative.

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Constructed using plywood on a timber frame, the MultiShed has transparent corrugated poly-carbonate roof panels to allow in plenty of natural light, although you can add tinted or coloured panels.

Mounted onto concrete blocks, the shed is protected from moisture ingress and fittings arealuminium for a rust-free design.

Ideal for use as a guest room, pool house, studio or office or forstorage.

Visit http://metroshed.com for more information.

GARDEN SHEDS HAVE NEVER LOOKED THIS GOOD!

Fancy making your own MetroShed? You’ll find everythingyou need for this project at your local Builders Warehouse.

eco design

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eco design

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Allison Patrick of Zipper8Lighting took some time off after finishingschool and focused on learning all she could about selling online before opening her online lighting business, Zipper8Lighting.

Where does your inspiration come from?Truly anywhere and everywhere, both in my daily life and online. Whether I walk into a hardware store, my mind just starts whirling, wondering what I can make next. I love rethinking a material and seeing how I can transform it beyond its standard function into something new and wonderful. Sometimes I feel like I keep a digital catalogue in my head of all the inspirational ideas I’ve seen.

What does handmade mean to you?It means that someone has sat down and put real human thought into making this product for me. Maybe it was one of 100 identical items that they made, but at some point they thought through each and every little detail and step. I think this is also true of great product design; even if an item is now widely produced, you can always tell when there was real love and attention behind the design of something.

Who has been most influential in yourcraft?I have always been a crafty person, but growing up I was lucky enough to have the most amazing babysitter who really taught me most of what I know. She is one of the most crafty people I’ve ever met, and we were constantly creating things together. She gave me my first glue gunwhen I was eight or so, and we used to make decorative wreaths and flour doughand all sorts of different art projects. I’m lucky enough to still see her and sometimes we even sit down and craft together!

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glorious gardening

Cob is an ancient earthen building technique and is the simple combination of sand, clay, and straw. Mixed together, these ingredients create a super durable, long-lasting, heat-tolerant material for building outdoor ovens.

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Pizza oven made from cobLast summer, I got hooked on the idea of baking pizza and bread outdoors in a wood-fired oven.Baking outside, in a super hot oven with a brick hearth, (the way bread is really meant to be baked) was a hugely appealing thought.

You can build your own cob oven for as little as what you might spend on a pizza delivery on a Friday night!

Compared to masonry ovens, which can cost a fortune and usually require cement in their construction (which has a huge embodied energy), a cob oven can be made from very simple, recycled, and locally available materials. They require little more than some sand, clay, straw, sawdust, some bricks, and a pile of rocks and few other recycled materials.

With little more than some clay, sand, sawdust, brick, some recycled beer bottles and old cinder blocks, I had everything I needed to make my own oven. I began building the foundation for my stove from the reclaimed cinder blocks and a few chunks of rock. A foundation raises the oven off the ground and places it at a more convenient working height. (A hearth 90cm off the ground is a good average working height.)

An insulating layer of beer bottles in a sawdust/clay mortar was assembled on top of the foundation in a ring of cob and beneath the firebrick hearth. htt

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The hearth, a simple arrangement of 17 recycled firebricks, would serve as thebottom of the cob oven, where breads and pizzas would bake directly. The hearth bricks were carefully laid on a thin bed of sand, so that they could be gently tapped to be firm and level.

I chose to construct a 60cm diameter oven, deciding that anything bigger would be beyond my current needs, and after using it, it’s definitely proven to bethe perfect size.

You can fit three medium-sized loaves ofbread, or one or two small personal-sized pizzas in it at once. And at this small size, the entire mass can be heated to about 700 degrees in two hours of solid firingwith good wood.

Before building the actual dome, I laid down the design for the shape to see how the bricks would fit together nicely. Iwould be using reclaimed brick to make the arched doorway.

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Once the shape worked out to my satisfaction, the arch was mortared together with a sand/clay mix. (The doorway is a little narrow at 30cm wide, but so far everything I’ve wanted to fithas slid right in. And it can’t make really big pizzas, but I’m liking the smaller size)

The cob dome (nothing more than a mix of sand and clay at a 3:1 ratio) was carefully built up around a moist sand form covered with wet newspaper and up against the brick arch. The sand was piled out of the doorway after the dome had dried a bit.

IMPORTANT NOTEOne more note about the door: the door is a critical 63% of the cob dome height, or 25cm high. (The dome is 40m high, a recommendation for cob ovens across the board.) This one measurement is the most critical because it allows the oven to actually draw.

The door is left open while the oven is firing, so that cool air is drawn in, andhot air and smoke can pass out the top half of the door. (Larger ovens frequently have a chimney, or you can make a simple firing door to help with draw, too.)

A thick (between 5 to 6cm) layer of insulation (a mix of sawdust and clay slip) went over the whole dome.

This layer helps to keep the heat longer, allowing for longer heat and longer bakes.

Cob ovens built strictly for pizza don’t require such a layer, and more serious bread bakers may want to double up on insulation thickness, since it will allow for the baking of many loaves.

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Finally, a thick layer of earthen plaster covers and protects the whole thing.

There is nothing quite like wood-firedbread and pizza. Feeding the oven with wood, and watching the fire burn is anawesome experience. When the draw is just right, you can hear a low rumbling of the burning wood within the dome, which is rather powerful.

You need only simple natural and recycled materials for its construction, and wood to keep it baking.

If you have an interest in baking, especially baking really damn tasty bread and pizza, or baking without fossil fuels, check out Kiko Denzer’s Build Your Own Earth Oven for complete details and how you can get started.

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To make a pizza base you will need:

2 cups plain flour1 x 8 g sachet of dry yeast1 teaspoon caster sugar½ teaspoon salt2 tablespoons olive oil¾ cup warm water

Once you discover how easy it is to make your own pizza base you’ll never buy pizza again. Plus, making your own pizzas means that you can add your own delicious toppings to please the entire family.

Fun food

Like everything else, buying take-away pizza has become expensive. What used to be a weekly treat for many family has become a costly exercise.

Making your own pizzas costs a fraction of the cost, plus you can make them with different toppings to please everyone.

You only need a few basic ingredients for the pizza base, and then whatever toppings you want to add.

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Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl and add oil and water and mix to a soft dough.

Knead on a floured surface until soft andpliable.

Return to the mixing bowl and cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm spot for 30 minutes. The dough should double in size.

When it has risen, ‘punch’ the dough once to remove air bubbles.

Remove from bowl and knead gently for 1 minute.

Roll the dough out to desired size and add favourite toppings.

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The Humble Pizza is anything but humble. Loads of salami, green peppers, onions, and mozzarella makethis simple pizza a pizza pie piled high.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza is filled with mince, onions, mozzarella, and cheddar cheese topped with baconbits and sliced pickles.

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Chicken strips, Bacon Bits, Mozarella cheese dribbled with creamy ranch sauce or mayonnaise.

Here’s a pizza especially for veggie lovers. Mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, black olives, green peppers, and mozzarella cheese — all crisp and fresh.

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Follow Ziggy and April’s ‘Year of mud’ as they build a home using natural materials found locally. This remarkably story shows how you can build a house from the ground up using sustainable materials.

Sustainable home design

Chicken strips, Bacon Bits, Mozarella cheese dribbled with creamy ranch sauce or mayonnaise.

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With limited building experience, this couple decided to being their own cob house. The spiral-shaped home would be a single room dwelling, with a reciprocal living roof, a rocket stove connected to a heated cob bed, and earthen floor.

All materials used in the construction were obtained locally and as cheaply as possible. Few synthetic or manufactured materials would go into the building.

The first step was to dig out the rubbletrench for the rock foundation. Although only a single room dwelling, enough room was needed to accommodate comfortable living with basic amenities, such as a living and sleeping area, a place to cook and wash.

The first batches of cob were mixedand applied to the completed rock foundation.

Cob is a building material consisting of clay, sand, straw, water, and earth, similar to adobe. Cob is fireproof, resistant to seismic activity,

and inexpensive. It can be used to create artistic, sculptural forms and has been revived

in recent years by the natural building and sustainability movements.

The walls of a cob house are generally about 60cm thick, and windows correspondingly deep-set, giving the homes a characteristic

internal appearance. The thick walls provide excellent thermal mass that is easy to keep warm in winter and cool in summer. Walls

with a high thermal mass value act as a thermal buffer inside the home.

The material has a long life span, even in rainy climates, provided a tall foundation and

large roof overhang are present. [wikipedia]

This is a remarkably story about Ziggy and his partner April who live in an Ecovillage in Missouri. The feature follows their timeline for building a cob house from the ground up, using organic materials.

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After a long summer spent stomping, building the cob walls was completed and it was time to start adding the roof frame.The roof is constructed of timber beams

and timber shingles topped off with EPDM pond liner. An old tractor tyre tops off the spiral and provides an interesting skylight. This will eventually have a glass panel fitted and sealed.

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After fitting the door and windows, theearthen floor was started.

Earth plaster was applied on the interior and exterior walls.

The living sod roof was completed, and the finish interior earthen plaster wasapplied.

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Although originally installing a rocket stove, this did not work as expected. I installed a small wood stove instead, and sent the stovepipe through the living roof.

Moisture was a significant concern thatneeded immediate attention. To alleviate, a curtain drain was dug to move excess water away from the house site.

A small mud room addition was also added as an airlock, and as a space to keep muddy shoes.

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The earthen floor was replaced with a terracottatile floor with insulation, and a vapour barrierunderneath - a big improvement for indoor

humidity.

Other changes included replacing the front window with an operable one, and doing a lime plaster

design on the bottom half of the interior wall.

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You can find out more about building a cob house by visitinghttp://www.small-scale.net

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diy tools

If you are serious about DIY, it’s necessary to invest in one or two serious power tools. The Bosch GCM10J Sliding Compound Mitre Saw is one of those tools.

With a GCM10J you can cut angles accurately for picture frames and small boxes - cut bevels for cornice and skirting - perform accurate repeat cuts on small strips of timber or board - cut aluminium - and more.

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ON PROMOTION

R2997Until 28 July 2013

Use the Bosch GCM10J Sliding Mitre Saw to cut accurate bevels up to 45 degrees.

Perfect for bevel-corner edging, skirting boards and cornice.

The GCM10J allows adjustment up to 47 degrees.

The sliding saw means that you can cut sections up to 250mm wide.

Cut long sections of PAR pine with ease.

The GCM10J is lightweight and portable, which means that you can set up anywhere.

This model has efficientdust extraction, high stability, easy bevel setting, and detailed, clearly visible scales for efficient and precisecutting.

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Step 1Use a stiff bristle brush to dry-scrub down before you start to remove any loose of flaking paint and oxidised rust. Treat with Rust-Oleum Rusty Metal Primer if you need to.

Step 2Hose down or brush clean to remove all traces of dust before you spray. Leave the furniture out in the sun to dry.

Step 3If you have already applied Rusty Primer for rust you can move onto spraying. Otherwise spray on a primer coat and let dry.

spray onfresh colour

Step 4Spray on light even coats of fresh colour.

You shouldn’t need more than two coats, allowing drying time between each coat, and a little extra for any touch ups here and there that you might have missed.

Transform heavily-rusted metal into a paintable surface with Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Rusty Metal Primer. This primer bonds tightly to rust and forms a surface top coats can adhere to - while driving out the corrosive air and moisture other primers leave behind.

It’s so easy to refresh patio furniture with a couple of coats of Rust-Oleum spray paint. Put your furniture outdoors on a dropcloth - or on some sawhorses.

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More great projects for you to make and take homeBeginners & Advanced Workshops

Basic Electrical and Plumbing WorkshopsBasic Welding | Career Workshops

Saturday & Sunday mornings from 09:00 to 12:00

www.DIY-DIVAS.co.za

Join the Fun

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IF YOU ARE TACKLING ANY TYPE OF DECORATING, HOME IMPROVEMENT OR DIY PROJECT - WE WANT TO KNOW! IN FACT, WE WANT TO SHARE YOUR PROJECT AND ENTER YOU INTO THE QUARTERLY DRAW FOR BOSCH, SKILL AND DREMEL TOOL HAMPERS.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS USE YOUR BOSCH, SKIL OR DREMEL TOOLS TO MAKE, REPAIR OR INSTALL AND SEND US A FEW ‘BEFORE’ AND ‘AFTER’ PICS. THEN TELL US HOW YOU TACKLED THE PROJECT.

SEND IMAGES AND DETAILS TO: home-dzine@iburst.co.za