How to make your own driftwood ladder

• 2 x dowel, 30mm diameter, 1.8m long
• Saw
• Sandpaper
• Resene Quick Dry
• Pencil
• Electric drill, drill bit, countersink
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Driftwood, 5 pieces, 35cm – 60cm long
• 10 x screws
• Resene paint tinted to your choice of colour, Fleur used Resene Rhino

Instructions

Step 1:  Cut both of your lengths of dowel down to 1.6m long.  Sand any rough bits.

Step 2:  With a pencil, draw a straight line down the length of both dowels.  Then from the bottom, measure up 30cm and make a mark.  This is where the bottom rung of the ladder will go.  From this mark, measure up 26cm.  This will be the second rung.  Measure out the spacing for the remaining three rungs, each 26cm apart.  Use an electric drill to drill holes part way into the dowel but not the whole way through.  Use a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the diameter of your screw thread. (Photo 1).

Step 3:  Using Resene Quick Dry, prime the dowels.  Once dry, use a fine sandpaper to lightly sand the dowels. (Photo 2). 

Step 4:  Next, paint the dowels in Resene Rhino.  Apply two coats, allowing for the first coat to dry before applying the second coat. (Photo 3).  

Step 5:  Collect five lengths of relatively straight driftwood, ranging in length from 35cm to 60cm. (Photo 4).

Step 6:  Use an electric drill to drill through both ends of the driftwood, followed by countersinking the holes. (Photo 5).

Step 7:  Screw the driftwood rungs onto the dowel uprights. (Photo 6).

Step 8:  Stick a rubber grip pad to the bottom of the dowels so that the ladder won’t slip on a smooth floor. (Photo 7).

Top tip: For a natural look finish, sand and clean a timber ladder, wipe clean and then apply Resene Colorwood in your chosen wood stain finish followed by Resene Aquaclear, or apply Resene Colorwood Whitewash for a scandi style finish.

Styling and images by Fleur Thorpe. August 2020 .