Old cubby transformed into a dream doughnut shop

Before & after: A worn out cubby turned dream doughnut shop

Nothing will encourage your kids to get outdoors than their very own cubby house to play in. While this home already had a structurally sound cubby in the backyard, it was drab, lacked windows and desperately needed a fresh coat of paint.

No wonder the kids didn’t feel like spending time in it! Luckily, the Better Homes & Gardens team came up with a plan to turn it into a doughnut-themed play paradise.

If you're thinking of giving your kids' cubby a much-needed renovation, choosing a decorative theme helps. While this cubby doubles as a doughnut shop, you can also take inspiration from one mum who created an entire street of cubbies, a dad who built a two-storey cubby house and a mum who created an epic playground for less than $350.

Gather your supplies:

• 150 x 50mm treated pine sleepers

• Treated pine to match existing frame

• 12mm exterior plywood

• Polycarbonate roof sheeting (translucent) and polycarbonate roofing screws

• Checkered vinyl flooring

• 140 x 22mm merbau decking

• 140 x 45mm treated pine

• 4mm marine plywood

• 4mm dia. dowel

• Craft letters

You’ll also need:

Various-sized screws; Dulux 1 Step Primer, Sealer & Undercoat; Dulux Weathershield Low Sheen Acrylic; double-sided tape; Dulux Design Chalkboard paint.

Here’s how...

STEP 1

Remove parts of the cubby house that have seen better days and can’t be repaired, such as rotting plywood wall linings, as here. Remove other parts of the cubby to make them easier to renew, such as window awnings and the door.

Adam Dovile removing awning from old cubby house

STEP 2

With the help of a couple of mates, move the cubby to its new site in your backyard. Use a few lengths of timber under the floor to act as handles for the lift.

STEP 3

To lower elevated cubby, first screw 3 lengths of 150 x 50mm treated pine sleepers to underside of cubby floor. Using a length of timber as a lever, demolish legs, then slowly drop cubby to ground. Repeat for other cubby legs.

Adam Dovile securing cubby house foundation

STEP 4

Replace any rotten timber of frame with treated pine in similar size. Cut pieces of 12mm plywood to fit over frame. Screw through plywood into frame to secure.

STEP 5

To let more light into cubby, remove a solid roof sheet from centre of roof and replace with polycarbonate roof sheet cut to same length. Use polycarbonate roofing screws to hold in place.

Installing polycarbonate roof sheet to let light into cubby

Drilling new cubby house roof into place

STEP 6

Sand old timber to remove loose paint, then paint with 1 Step Dulux Primer, Sealer & Undercoat. Let dry. Use Dulux Weathershield Low Sheen Acrylic to complete cubby transformation into a shop. (We used Vivid White, Symphony Red and High Blue.) Paint 2 coats, allowing to dry after each coat.

STEP 7

Cut vinyl flooring to fit. Run double-sided tape around floor, then press vinyl flooring onto it to secure.

Paint cubby exterior with primer, sealer and undercoat

Installing vinyl flooring in a cubby house

STEP 8

Use merbau decking to create a counter bench at window. Install second shelf on outside wall of cubby/shop using 140 x 45mm treated pine. Screw through frame into counter and shelf to secure.

Attaching merbau timber to window frames

STEP 9

Prepare and paint items removed in Step 1, such as door and awnings. If possible, spruce them up – for example, replace old polycarbonate sheeting on window awnings with new sheeting.

STEP 10

Attach renewed window awnings and re-painted door to shop. Cut menu boards out of plywood and paint in Dulux Design Chalkboard paint. (We used plain black outside and Colossus on the board inside.) Screw chalkboards to shop.

Red and blue cubby house with chalkboard sign

STEP 11

Make a simple shop sign and screw to the top of the shop. We used 2 pieces of 4mm- thick plywood, cutting 1 into an icing shape and painting in Dulux Smooth Chocolate, then adding pre-painted craft letters and brightly painted lengths of 4mm dowel for sprinkles.