Blocking Up Doorways in Brick Walls
When blocking up a doorway or entryway in a brick wall, it is important to make sure that the new section is tied into the existing wall. This can be done in a variety of ways, as we will show here.
Building Guides
Load-bearing Walls
Whenever you are planning on doing major work on the walls of your house, you need to know if they are load-bearing or not before you start. Load-bearing walls are holding up your house, and even slight alterations to their structure can cause big problems.
Fitting an Airbrick
Too few or blocked airbricks can cause serious ventilation problems in the home (there should be one airbrick to every 2 meters of wall), but fitting a new one isn’t beyond the Diy-er.
Carpentry Guides
Sanding a Wood Floor
Having sanded wooden floors can make a big difference to the look and appeal of your house.
Fitting Classical Architrave
Fitting a classical-style architrave rather than a standard one can really add a touch of class to your home. There are perhaps houses which would not suit classical-style architrave, but in period houses and houses with larger rooms, this more ornate style can look great.
Decorating Guides
Renovating Fireplace Surrounds
Rather than simply ripping out and replacing old or tired fireplace surrounds, it is often a fairly simple job to renovate them. This will save you money and, if the surround is original, be more in keeping with your property.
Papering a Ceiling
In most cases it is better to paint a ceiling rather than papering it. Applying wallpaper to ceilings is tricky as you are working at awkward angles and against gravity.
How to Choose the Perfect Tiles for Your Kitchen
As with any home decoration, choosing your materials carefully can be the difference between an unprofessional and flawless finish. This choice becomes even more important when it comes to choosing tiles
Plumbing Guides
Fitting a Cold Water Storage Tank
Checking the condition of the cold-water storage tank in your loft is important. Not only does this tank supply a lot of your water, it also has the potential to cause a lot of damage should it spring a leak.
Plumbing Pipes
The majority of the pipework in your house will probably be made of copper and in most cases it is best to use the same material when making additions or repairs. However, there are other options available to you.
Rainwater Drainage System
In the UK, as in many other Northern European countries, an efficient and well maintained rainwater collection and drainage system is essential.
Tiling Guides
Preparing Walls and Floors for Tiles
Tiling can be daunting to the DIY-er, it seems like a far more complex task than hanging wallpaper for instance. However, if you prepare correctly, tiling should be both an easy and rewarding job. Before tackling any tiling, be sure to follow these simple rules.
How to Choose the Perfect Tiles for Your Kitchen
As with any home decoration, choosing your materials carefully can be the difference between an unprofessional and flawless finish. This choice becomes even more important when it comes to choosing tiles
10 Tips for Perfect Tiling
Tiles provide a tough and durable finish to floors and walls, and can make a tired kitchen or bathroom look much better. Tiling is a skill that any keen diy-er should have, but it certainly takes a bit of practice to become proficient.
Garden/Exterior Guides
Building a Patio
Laying a Patio successfully requires planning and preparation, along with a solid foundation. Learn how to lay a simple paving slab patio that will look fantastic and last for years with little or no maintenance. The advice and tips shown here can be applied to a patio two metres square, or 20 metres square. Marking [...]
Setting Timber Posts in Concrete
Whether you are putting up a fence or building a raised deck, being able to securely set wooden posts into concrete foundations is a useful skill to have.
Building Ground-Level Decking
Building a ground-level deck is by far the easiest option if your available space is flat and sound enough to take it. There are no real foundations to create, not posts to fix and you won’t usually have to worry about creating steps or balustrade. It could potentially even be taken with you when you [...]
Other Recent Posts
Asbestos Guide
Asbestos is a mineral which occurs naturally in the form of thin, strand-like crystals. It has been used for hundreds of different things for hundreds of years. It was even used in the first filtered cigarette.
Concrete Pads
There are several reasons why you might need to lay a concrete pad in your garden. You could be creating off-road parking or erecting a garden shed. Each situation will require a different thickness pad.
