More than three out of four men — 77 percent — plan on tackling some sort of DIY project in 2012, according to a survey commissioned by Kelton Research and the Craftsman brand.

And nearly seven of 10 female respondents — 69 percent — said they have a project “laundry list” for their spouse or significant other around the house this year.

Given today’s real-estate challenged economy, interest in do-it-yourself projects is not surprising. Many homeowners are choosing to repair their home rather than sell it for less than its perceived worth.

Nearly half the men in the Craftsman survey — 49 percent — named landscaping as their top priority, followed by property improvements such as building retaining walls, laying patio bricks and fixing a deck.

Other respondents cited indoor projects such as installing shelves/storage systems (30 percent) or light fixtures (27 percent); assembling, repairing or refinishing furniture (24 percent); and installing or repairing appliances (23 percent).

Whatever the numbers, it’s a good bet these and other even more ambitious DIY projects will prompt some frustration and a visit — or two or three — to a local hardware store.

In an effort to forestall some of the anguish and, even better, to offer inspiration to the do-it-yourself crowd, we’ve perused a stack of recent DIY books and offer up five of our favorites.

And even if you don’t actually do the projects, reading about them should help make these cold winter days pass faster:

“DIY Furniture: A step-by-step guide” by Christopher Stuart (Laurence King Publishing, $24.95) Detailing 30 unique projects by design-makers from across the world, this collection of creative design solutions shows how to build everything from tables, desks, beds and chairs to lighting, storage and garden furniture — all from common, low-cost materials found in hardware stores. My favorite is a simple newspaper table made from black PVC pipes and rubber straps; it stores periodicals in vertical rolls, rather than the usual flat stacks, and uses the publications as a design element. The author, an industrial designer and artist in Indianapolis, includes easy-to-follow, hand-drawn instructions and diagrams, as well as short biographies of the featured international designers and their websites.

“Jamie Durie’s The Outdoor Room”by Jamie Durie (Harper Design, $25.99)

From the host of HGTV’s popular series “The Outdoor Room” comes this hefty companion guide that shows how to create a personal and unique garden — a fresh-air room — that Durie promises will reconnect you with nature. Start by identifying your passions, hobbies and interests, then follow this transplanted Australian’s landscape design principles and techniques. His projects range from an exotic Balinese-inspired dining pavilion and a private English-style garden with an adjoining children’s play area to his own private garden. Brimming with lush photography, including some of Durie’s personal travel photos, the book includes detailed site plans, zonal plant lists and gardening and eco-tips.

“Practical Green Remodeling: Down-to-Earth Solutions for Everyday Homes” by Barry Katz (Taunton Press, $24.95)

Designed for anyone who wants to go green but isn’t sure how to begin, this pretty trade paperback is a veritable blueprint for “recycling” your house through remodeling, rather than starting from scratch and building a new one. Katz, a veteran Connecticut builder, outlines the three fundamentals of sustainable construction — energy efficiency, resource conservation and healthy living environments — and details strategies to achieve them. Readers learn about topics such as natural ventilation, passive solar heating, rapidly renewable materials, chemical-free materials and water-saving plumbing fixtures, all of which contribute to more comfortable, energy-efficient homes with lower maintenance costs.

“Same Place, More Space” by Karl Champley (Chronicle Books, $24.95) Lists of materials and dozens of illustrations by Arthur Mount accompany the text in this down-to-earth guide by the host of the DIY Network’s “DIY to the Rescue” and “Wasted Spaces.” Subtitled “50 Projects to Maximize Every Room in the House,” it tells in nitty-gritty detail — and up to five hammers of difficulty — how to build, for example, a recessed medicine cabinet into a bathroom wall, construct a fold-down changing table, utilize wasted attic space, build a mezzanine floor and tuck a home office under the hall staircase.

The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Room Additions by Chris Peterson (Creative Publishing, $24.99) Feel like expanding something other than your waistline? This photographic manual, part of the Black & Decker DIY Series, is a real workhouse. It shows through 800 step-by-step color photos and instructions how to design and build garage conversions, attic add-ons, bath and kitchen expansions and bump-out additions. Nine case studies combined with practical information on topics such as installing asphalt shingles and laying a concrete block foundation pave the way for such projects as creating a breakfast nook, new bedroom, rec room, basement office or a mother-in-law apartment.

spollack@detnews.com

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