Sunday DIY: Air your clean laundry

Handy year-round, this clothes drier on convenient castors is not hard to make. Photo / Doug Sherring

Air your clean laundryTurn off the tumble dryer and knock one of these up, says Greig Morgan.

Winter power bills are high enough without having to run the clothes dryer non-stop, and the clothes seem to take ages to dry on the clothesline. So I made a clothes airer, and put castor wheels on it for ease of mobility. Position it in the corner of a warm room, move it outside, or hide it away when you have visitors.

Step 1

Place legs together two at a time. Measure down 220mm from the top, mark and drill using 16mm bit. Dowel rods will fit into these holes. Measure down another 220mm twice more for other dowel rods.

Step 2

Cut three bottom rails at 510mm. Cut three top rails at 600mm. Cut nine dowels 16mm at 540mm. Attach the bottom rails to the legs using 70mm screws (pre-drill legs 220mm down from bottom dowel with 5mm bit).

Step 3

Fit doweling into the holes. Screw down top rail using 40mm screws.

Step 4

Fix the castor wheels to the bottom of legs.

Step 5

Make separate racks to insert as needed.

Cut five, 12mm dowels at 540mm. Cut two, 40x18mm frames at 550mm. Put together. Measure in 15mm from each end, mark and drill using a 12mm drill bit. For the other three holes, measure 130mm and drill 12mm deep. Repeat for the second frame.

Step 6

Attach one frame to another by using two hinges on the inside, then do the same to the other side with hinges facing the outside. Then screw on hinges about 60mm in from either end of inserted frame.

Step 7

Screw the inserted frame to the underside of the top rail. Measure down 650mm for the bottom rack and fix hinge to front leg, flush with front of rack. Fix a packer to the inside of the 16mm rail for the other hinge to hang on.

Step 8

Cut two pieces of 40x18mm to 70mm, and screw the underside of the top rail, keeping flush. The top rack will sit on top of these. Holding the bottom rack level, mark the inside of the front leg and the back leg. Drill 12mm holes for pieces of dowel to fit into. The bottom rack will sit on these.

Now you're ready to paint.

Materials

45x45mm clears x6 @ 1400mm (legs)
40x18mm clears x10 @ 600mm (rails, & frame for inserted rack)
16mm dowel rod x 3 @ 1800mm (side & back rails)
12mm dowel rod x3 @1800mm (inserted frame rack)
40x25mm butt hinge x8
Castor wheels 30mm x4
70mm screws
40mm screws
20mm screws
Primer & paint

Tools

Sharp handsaw
Screw gun
Tape measure
12mm drill bit
16mm drill bit
5mm drill bit
Paint brush