🖼️
The project:
Saving the old house for a future project.
When we demolished our house four years ago, I couldn’t stand the idea of throwing away materials that might still have some life in them. I kept anything that looked remotely useful: steel beams, roofing sheets, gutters, floorboards, windows, doors and assorted pieces of timber. At the time, I didn’t have a definite plan for it all—I simply knew that good materials shouldn’t automatically become landfill.
- Materials:
Building Items
Lighting & Electrical
Storage & Workshop Furniture
Pinnacle Pegboard System
- Tools:
Ryobi ONE+ System Ryobi 18V ONE+ Drill Driver
Measuring & Layout
Digging & Outdoor
Hand Tools
Painting & Finishing
Fastening
- Step 1:
Fast-forward four years and that collection of salvaged building materials became the starting point for my new workshop and creative studio. I built the frame using reclaimed steel beams, clad the exterior with reused roofing sheets, refitted the original gutters, and laid sections of the original hardwood flooring from our demolished home as the workshop floor. While some roofing sheets had developed random holes over the years and needed replacing, the vast majority of the building was constructed using materials that otherwise would have ended up in landfill. Every door, window, pane of glass and frame was reused or upcycled, giving the workshop both character and a genuine connection to the home that once stood there.
The result is a workshop that not only preserves part of our family's history, but also demonstrates how thoughtful reuse can transform what many would consider waste into something practical, functional and built to last.
- Step 2:
Turning the shell into a practical workspace
Once the basic structure was weatherproof, I headed to Bunnings to turn the recycled shell into a comfortable and functional workshop.
I bought some new Merbau Decking to build a small deck around the entrance, creating a welcoming entry to the workshop.
I insulated the walls with Earthwool Wall Insulation Batts, then lined the inside with OSB Structural Board. The OSB gave the room warmth, texture and a rugged workshop character, while also providing a practical surface for mounting storage and shelving.
I used Formply Sheets for durable work surfaces and shelving, added Rack It Black Wall Shelving for storing miscellaneous workshop supplies, and installed Wall mounted racking to neatly organise lengths of timber and reusable offcuts.
To create a proper working area, I added Pinnacle Stainless Steel Rolling Tool Chest & Trolley, Inabox 60L Stackable Storage Crates, Small Parts Organisers, and CordTech Self-Gripping Storage Straps to keep tools, fittings, extension leads and hoses organised and within easy reach.
I also had a licensed electrician install all of the electrical wiring, ensuring the workshop had plenty of conveniently located power outlets. A dedicated sub-board with easily accessible circuit breakers was fitted to improve both safety and convenience. We also included a dedicated 15-amp power circuit for heavier workshop equipment, along with a separate air-conditioning circuit, making the space comfortable and practical to use all year round.
- Step 3:
Building the tool wall and organising the studio
The main feature of the workshop is the large black tool wall. I used Pinnacle 900 × 450mm Matte Black Metal Pegboards, extending them around the walls to create a flexible storage system. The powder-coated steel panels gave me the strong, clean and slightly industrial look I wanted, while keeping frequently used tools visible and easy to reach.
The wall now holds my Kincrome K3100 8 Piece Metric Gear Spanner Set, Kincrome Metric Hex Key Set, Kincrome Torx Key Set, Kincrome Precision Screwdriver Set, Kincrome Combination Pliers, Kincrome Adjustable Wrenches, Socket & Bit Sets, Impact Driver Bits and ToolPRO VDE Insulated Screwdriver Set.
The storage system itself uses a combination of Pinnacle Magnetic Tool Bars, Pinnacle Heavy Duty Single Prong Hooks, Pinnacle Tool Clips, Pinnacle Storage Trays and Pinnacle Pegboard Storage Bins, ensuring every tool has its own dedicated place.
It has completely transformed the room visually. The Pinnacle Pegboard System, OSB Structural Board walls, Pinnacle Stainless Steel Rolling Tool Chest & Trolley and LED Strip Lighting give the workshop the feel of a modern design studio rather than a typical backyard shed.
I ve even forud a spot for the old Split System Airconditioner from the Demolished house so its going to be super comfortable, no matter what the weather..
- Step 4:
Solving the LOW raked-ceiling insulation challenge
The final major challenge was the ceiling. I deliberated over the insulation for months because the workshop has a relatively low raked ceiling. I wanted to improve the temperature inside without framing and lining the ceiling in a way that would make the room feel noticeably lower.
I eventually chose Foilboard Green 25 Insulation Panels (2400 × 1200 × 25mm). The rigid, lightweight panels are ideal for workshops and sheds, allowing me to follow the existing roofline without sacrificing valuable headroom.
I purchased 15 panels and sacrificed one sheet to make a series of small spacers. I attached those spacers to the underside of the roofing sheets using the Gorilla 1.5mm, Double-Sided Mounting Tape (good for up to 120C) and Selleys Heavy Duty Liquid Nails, (good for up to 100C) then left them for several days to cure before installing the full Foilboard Green 25 Insulation Panels.
The tape-and-adhesive method worked surprisingly well. The Double-Sided Mounting Tape provided the immediate grab needed to hold everything firmly in position, while Selleys Heavy Duty Liquid Nails created the strong, long-term bond. Its no-slump formulation proved particularly useful for overhead applications. The installation was much easier than I had anticipated and preserved both the height and the open feel of the raked ceiling. I have estimated that i should get a R- Value range of between 2.5 - 2.7 with the 25mm air gap.
- Step 5:
My next step will most likely be applying a Paint & Primer in One in white using my Kärcher Airless Paint Sprayer. That should brighten the ceiling, reflect more light and give the studio a clean, finished appearance.
What began as a pile of materials rescued from our demolished house has become a practical, organised and highly personal workshop. It combines recycled materials with carefully chosen new products from Bunnings Warehouse to create a space that is functional, comfortable and built to last.
This project has reminded me that good DIY isn't always about starting with brand-new materials. Sometimes it's about seeing the potential in what you already have, solving problems along the way, and taking pride in creating something with your own hands.
Looking around the finished workshop, I don't just see a place to work—I see part of the story of our old home living on. Every reused beam, sheet of roofing, floorboard and window tells a story, while every new product from Bunnings Warehouse helped bring that vision to life.
It's taken four years of collecting materials, planning ideas and many weekends of hard work, but I'd do it all again. I can't wait to start creating, repairing and building new projects in a workshop that is every bit as rewarding as the journey it took to build.
