NEARLY 12 months ago I was working up a sweat mowing the lawn when Jess came running out with our kids, yelling "we are on The Block".

What a shock to the system.

What a ride we have been on in the past year. We went from one day raising our two beautiful kids and running our own cabinetmaking business on the Gold Coast, to slogging it out renovating Unit 3, No. 27, Darling St in the sought-after suburb of South Yarra, Melbourne, on The Block Triple Threat series.

Thirteen days later after a 14-week intense, fast, renovating apprenticeship, we backed it up for a further six weeks to become fully fledged do-it-all renovators and designers and take out the number one spot on Reno Rumble.

We would love to share our knowledge and experience with everyone and hopefully entice you to Do It Yourself. There is nothing more rewarding than at the end of the day standing back to see what you have accomplished over a cold beer.

For our first week we are going to show you how to create your own floating shelves, whether they are out of pine, hardwood, Craftwood or an old piece of solid timber you found in the shed.

Step 1: SETTING OUT

Find your stud locations in the wall. Your studs are generally 400mm or 600mm apart. I usually measure out from a corner either 400mm or 600mm and tap on the wall. If it's solid you have found a stud. This will help set out where your shelves will go. Once the studs are found set out with a pencil and a spirit level on the wall the desired positions for your shelves.

Step 2: CUT TO LENGTH

Measure and cut to length your shelves using a handsaw or circular saw. Using a set square mark a line through the centre of the shelves at the back face (40mm thick timber mark 20mm), measure stud widths on the wall and correspond them to the back face of the shelf.

Step 3: PREP THE FIXINGS

Drill a 10mm hole through plaster and into studs and into the back face of the shelves, about 85mm deep. Using a hacksaw, cut 10mm threaded rod into 160mm lengths.

Step 4: FIXING OFF

Squeeze about 10ml of glue into your timber shelf holes and wall holes and two lines of glue on to the threaded rod. Using a hammer, tap the threaded rod into the timber shelf. Now line up your timber shelf with your wall holes, and using a timber block (to protect the face of your timber), hammer tap the front face of the shelf until it is flush with the wall.

Step 4: THE FINISH

Clean off excess glue using a white spirit and a rag. After two hours you are able to give your shelves a light sand and coat them in your desired paint or lacquer. For an easier finish you can sparingly wipe on some household vegetable oil for a real matte natural look.

Ayden and Jess Hogan won The Block Triple Threat and Reno Rumble this year. Follow them as they build their dream home on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AydenAndJess

Tools:

 Set square

 drill

 10mm drill bit

 hand saw or circular saw

 pencil

 hammer

 tape measure

 Selleys Aquadhere Durabond

  acetone

 rags

 spirit level.

Materials:

 Timber lengths between 200mm and 300mm in width and 20mm to 40mm thick

 10mm threaded rod.