DIY: caravanning projects to try yourself

Words: Terry Acreman

Caravan stuck on your drive? Looking for a quick project? A magazine rack is simple to make and provides some much-needed storage – a place for not only magazines but maps and all those bits and bobs, too.

You will need:

• Wood saw
• Jigsaw
• Staple gun
• Drill plus bits
• Sandpaper
• Screwdriver and screws
• Scissors
• Spray glue
• Material to match your existing trim
• Dacron wadding
• Strong elastic
• Plywood offcuts

What to do:

1. Using magazines as a gauge to the size you need, cut out the plywood base to size and round off the corners with sandpaper. The plywood needs to be thick enough to screw into for fixing later.

2. You’ll need to use spray glue to attach the wadding (I used some Dacron).

3. Place the plywood over the Dacron wadding and trim the wadding so that it’s a couple of inches larger than the plywood. Then spray the edge of the plywood with glue, wait for it to go off (see the tin for time – normally a few seconds) and then push the wadding taut over it.

4. Cut suitable fabric for the lower section and sew in a strong elastic tensioning strip to the hem before the final edge is sewn. Attach the inner material by stapling it over the plywood panel. Then attach the outer elasticated panel and staple it in place at a suitable height.

5. With the panel complete, attach it to your chosen panel using self-tapping screws (you may need to drill pilot holes through the panel first). I fixed mine from the inside onto the side of a seat box. Make sure that your screws do not protrude through fabric – they must not be no longer than the combined thickness of the furniture panel and the plywood you’re using.