Building Guides Archives

Floor levelling, or levelling a concrete floor, using a flooring compound is a quicker and easier way to create a usable floor surface than laying a whole new floor.

Building Guides DIY Spotlight

How to Soundproof a Room

August 29, 2018August 29, 2018 DIY Guides

No matter the reason, soundproofing a room is a perfectly manageable project, and one which can be done in stages until you get to the level of peace and quiet you need or want.

Brick and Stonework Building Guides DIY Spotlight

Types of Lintel

August 27, 2018August 27, 2018 DIY Guides 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.

Building Guides Plastering

Applying Finishing Plaster

August 23, 2018September 8, 2018 DIY Guides plaster, plasterboard, plastering

If, you want to apply finishing plaster yourself, there are several basic rules you can follow to help ensure the result is as good as possible.

Building Guides Plastering

How to Apply Undercoat Plaster

August 23, 2018August 23, 2018 DIY Guides plastering, walls

When plastering walls, getting the undercoat plaster layer right is an important part of the process.

Building Guides Insulation Plastering

What is Insulated Plasterboard?

July 28, 2018July 29, 2018 DIY Guides

Insulated plasterboard is a commonly used building material, which is comprised of a sheet of standard plasterboard or gypsum board,

Building Guides Plastering

Fitting a Plasterboard Ceiling

April 9, 2015August 31, 2018 DIY Guides 0 Comments ceiling, plasterboard

Replacing an old plasterboard ceiling is a messy task, but can often be necessary one. Ceilings, especially those on the ground floor, can be subject to a lot of stresses over time and can often crack.

Building Guides Stud Wall

10 Tips for Building Stud Walls

April 9, 2015 DIY Guides featured

Planning, building, altering or removing a stud wall are all home improvement projects that are manageable by most competent DIY-ers. Being able to completely change the layout of a room, add storage space or a bathroom or turn two rooms into one, without having to call in an expensive builder has got to be worth considering.

Building Guides Plastering

Plastering Corners with Mesh Bead

April 9, 2015June 17, 2019 DIY Guides

Unless you know what you are doing, plastering external corners (such as a chimney breast) can be difficult. If you do not use mesh angle beading on the corner, this will be almost impossible and any knocks will quickly break the plaster away.

Building Guides

Skip Hire

April 9, 2015 DIY Guides skip hire

A guide to skip hire in the UK. Including what to look out for when hiring and how skip hire works.

Building Guides

5 Tips for Avoiding Cowboy Builders

April 9, 2015 DIY Guides dodgy builders, rogue traders

If you have decided that a project is too difficult, dangerous or time consuming to do it yourself, it is

Building Guides Concrete and Render

Ready Mix Concrete

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DIY Guides 1 Comment concrete, ready mix

There are a few DIY jobs which might require large amounts of concrete at one time, including creating concrete driveways or laying the concrete slab foundation for a garage or outbuilding.

Building Guides Plastering

Applying Joint Compound

April 9, 2015June 17, 2019 DIY Guides joint, jointing compound

Whenever you use plasterboards as the finished surface of a wall (when no plaster is going to be applied over the top) you need to seal and disguise the tapered joints where the boards meet.

Building Guides

Self-Build Guide

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DIY Guides planning, self build

Building your own home can be both one of the most rewarding and the most stressful things you will ever do in your life. There are numerous benefits to building your own home, as well as many pitfalls waiting to catch out the unprepared.

Brick and Stonework Building Guides Carpentry Guides Plumbing Stud Wall

Home Improvement Safety Tips

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DIY Guides safety

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

Building Guides

Planning Permission

April 9, 2015 DIY Guides planning permission

A guide for DIY-ers needing to apply for planning permission in the UK.

Building Guides Stud Wall

Fitting an Insulated Wall Lining

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DIY Guides dry lining, insulation, stud wall

There are several ways to insulate a party wall to cut the sound that is transmitted, but one of the most effective is adding an insulated lining.

Building Guides Stud Wall

Stud Wall Regulations

April 9, 2015June 19, 2019 DIY Guides 3 Comments regulations, stud wall

Although you generally do not need to seek planning permission to build an internal stud wall, you will need to follow certain building regulations. Building regulations are in place for the safety of the householders and anybody visiting the property.

Building Guides Concrete and Render

Types of Foundation

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DIY Guides construction, foundations

Using or being able to identify the correct types of foundation needed for a particular building project can mean the

Brick and Stonework Building Guides Carpentry Guides

Understanding Internal Partition Walls

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DIY Guides 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

Building Guides Concrete and Render

Using a Cement Mixer

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DIY Guides 0 Comments cement, concrete, mixes, mortar

Mixing concrete and mortar by hand is fairly easy to do and offers a good amount of control over the consistency of the mix. However, if you have a large amount of concrete or mortar to mix, it is often worth hiring a small cement mixer to make things easier.

Building Guides

Basement Waterproofing

April 9, 2015 DIY Guides basement, waterproofing

Keeping your basement dry can be a difficult task. But it’s not surprising when you consider that your house is surrounded by water. The soil surrounding your house contains water from rain and snow.

Brick and Stonework Building Guides

Replacing a Cracked or Spalled Brick

April 9, 2015July 18, 2018 DIY Guides 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.

Building Guides Carpentry Guides Stud Wall

Finding Wall Studs

April 9, 2015June 17, 2019 DIY Guides featured, stud walls, studs

When hanging a picture, putting up shelves or attaching anything to a partition wall, it is important to find and fix into one of the wooden studs that make up the wall structure. There are several methods you can use to find the studs in a partition wall, depending on what tools you have to hand.

Building Guides Roofing

Roofing Tiles and Materials

April 9, 2015August 22, 2018 DIY Guides 0 Comments pitched, roof, slates

If you are replacing your current roofing material, it is best to use a replacement similar to that which is already there.

Building Guides

Home Insurance and DIY

April 9, 2015 DIY Guides home insurance

Many people try and tackle their own home improvements in an attempt to add value to their homes. However; insurers are warning people that over-ambitious DIY projects can actually result in causing more damage that costs a huge amount of money to put right.