Brick and Stonework Archives | DIY Extra

There may be one of several reasons why you would want to remove your fireplace, from simply wanting to replace it with another to just wanting to get rid of a fireplace altogether to update the look of the room.

Brick and Stonework Outdoor

Laying Wall Foundations

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DiyEx garden, walls

Any wall not built on a solid surface must have a firm and level foundation. Standard wall foundations consist of a layer of concrete on a bed of hardcore, but if the ground is particularly firm, you can get away with just a thick bed of concrete.

Brick and Stonework DIY Spotlight

Building a Brick Pier

April 9, 2015July 19, 2018 DiyEx brick, pier, wall

Building a pier into a wall not only looks good, but it also adds to the structural strength of the wall as a whole, particularly on Half Brick Walls (walls which are only one brick thick).

Brick and Stonework Building Guides DIY Spotlight

Lintels

April 9, 2015July 19, 2018 DiyEx 0 Comments lintel, lintels, walls

If you are planning to add a doorway or window to a load-bearing wall, you will almost always be required to support the load of the wall above the planned opening with a lintel.

Brick and Stonework Featured Stud Walls

Load-bearing Walls

April 9, 2015July 19, 2018 DiyEx 0 Comments stud wall, 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.

Brick and Stonework Garden

Building a Paver Path

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DiyEx bricks, paths, pavers

There are several different ways to create garden paths, but one of the most attractive is to use pavers.

Brick and Stonework Building Guides Carpentry Guides DIY Safety Plumbing Stud Walls

Home Improvement Safety Tips

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DiyEx safety

These Home Improvement Safety Tips cover the very least you should think about before even opening your toolbox.

Brick and Stonework Building Guides Carpentry Guides

Understanding Internal Partition Walls

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DiyEx block, brick, partition wall, stud

When you are planning DIY jobs which involve altering or fixing to internal partition walls, it is important to understand

Brick and Stonework Featured

Filling Gaps Around Window Frames

April 9, 2015July 27, 2018 DiyEx frames, windows

Gaps can appear around any type of window frame, on a house of any age. They may be caused by natural settling of the house cracking existing mortar or just by bad workmanship when the window was fitted.

Brick and Stonework Building Guides

Replacing a Cracked or Spalled Brick

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DiyEx bricks, cracked brick, spalled brick, wall

If you live in an old brick built house, it is inevitable that at some point some of the bricks will need replacing. Assuming that the area to be replaced is not too large this is a relatively easy job.

Brick and Stonework

Cutting Bricks and Blocks

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DiyEx blocks, bricks

Cutting bricks or blocks cleanly and accurately takes a little practice, but once you have the knack you should be

Brick and Stonework

Building a Wall

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DiyEx brick, wall

Building a wall is a fairly easy task, building a wall well is a lot tougher. Bricklaying is a job that can only be mastered by practice. Building the odd wall here and there does not make you a bricklayer.

Brick and Stonework Concrete and Render Outdoor

Building a Concrete Driveway

April 9, 2015July 29, 2018 DiyEx 1 Comment concrete, drive, driveway, gravel

Adding a driveway to your property makes very good sense and if you have the room, this is a summer project you should really consider. Driveways are a good idea for several reasons, not least the added security they offer for your car.

Brick and Stonework

Fitting an Airbrick

April 8, 2015July 18, 2018 DiyEx airbrick, walls

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.

Brick and Stonework

Cleaning Brick and Stone

April 8, 2015July 18, 2018 DiyEx brickwork, stonework

Before painting or treating the outside of your house, you need to make sure the stone or brickwork is clean and free from lichen, mould and Efflorescence.

Brick and Stonework Building Guides

Planning a Solid Block Wall

June 27, 2014July 18, 2018 DiyEx block, blocks, concrete, wall

There are several reasons why you may want to build a partition wall from solid blocks, rather than the potentially easier and quicker stud partition wall. Solid walls will give far greater acoustic and thermal insulation than a stud wall (even if the stud wall has insulation fitted) and will certainly feel more solid.

Brick and Stonework Building Guides Stud Walls

Guide to Wall Construction

February 21, 2013July 24, 2018 DiyEx brick, stud, walls

A complete guide to the many different types of wall construction you may encounter in your house.

Brick and Stonework Building Guides

Blocking Up Doorways in Brick Walls

February 21, 2013July 18, 2018 DiyEx brick, doorway, wall

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.

Brick and Stonework

Repointing Brick Walls

February 8, 2013July 18, 2018 DiyEx bricks, repointing

The natural action of wind and rain will cause mortar between the bricks of your house to loosen, crumble and wear down. This not only looks bad but can also allow water to penetrate the bricks.

Brick and Stonework

Spanning Openings in Brick Walls

June 18, 2011July 18, 2018 DiyEx bricks, lintel, wall

When planning on adding a doorway or window to a brick wall, you need to make sure that the wall does not lose its strength. Window and door frames are not designed to carry heavy loads so you should always support the opening with a lintel.

Brick and Stonework Building Guides DIY Spotlight

Building Block Partition Walls

May 17, 2011July 29, 2018 DiyEx 0 Comments blocks, partition, wall

Non-loadbearing Partition walls are usually constructed from wooden studs and plasterboard, and in many cases you will not need to look for another solution. If, however, you are planning to build a partition wall on a solid concrete floor, it is worth considering using concrete blocks for the construction.