Clearing a blocked waste pipe

Method Blockages are mainly caused by hair being washed down plugholes in bathroom appliances. Larger debris blocks the kitchen sink and often the blockage is due to a build up of grease or fat in the pipe. Both these type of blockage build up gradually and the flow of water leaving the appliance becomes slower […]

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Replacing a felt roof

First layer of felt Make sure the decking is in a good condition before starting to cover with felt. If any boards are found to be in a poor condition or rotten, remove and replace with new boards. The new boards should be coated with preservative before fitting into their positions. It is important to

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Nailed T joints

Nailed T joints The T joint is the simplest joint to make, where a side meets a cross piece. The cross piece must be cut exactly to form a perfect flat, square base. Place the piece onto the flat piece and nail together. Try to nail from the surface of the flat piece into the

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Gravy

Washable Fabrics Grease is often one of the ingredients in gravy. Gently work neat washing up liquid into the stain, rinse with warm water. Mop up as much as possible, then sponge with warm water containing biological detergent. Any stain remaining can be treated with a grease solvent. Wash as normal. Non Washable Fabrics Dry

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Sash-window lock

Sash-window lock The most unobtrusive and cheapest way of securing the windows is to immobilise the sashes. Use a bolt to pass through both meeting rails. Close the window firmly and drill through the inner meeting rail until you reach the outer rail. Measure the depth of the bolt by marking the drill with tape.

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Cement based paint

Cement based paint Cement based paint gives a matt finish which can be used as an inexpensive way to cover large areas, such as cellars and garages. It is sold in powder form which has to be mixed with water before application. Related Pages Selecting the correct paint

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Hanging wallpaper

Hanging Wallpaper Take the folded length to the wall adjacent to the window. If there are more windows in the room, start next to the largest one. It is always advisable to work away from the source of light, to help diminish any slight overlaps casting shadows and making the seams obvious from the doorway.

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Papering by radiators

Radiators It is not necessary to hang wallpaper to cover the entire wall behind a radiator. If you want to cover the complete area, it may be possible to lower the radiator and rest it on the floor below. Then remove any old wall covering, size the wall and paper the section in the same

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Removing vinyl wallpaper

Method If the wallpaper is vinyl remove a corner at the lower end of the seam. The length can then be slowly pulled away from the wall, leaving the backing paper attached to the wall. Depending on the condition of the backing paper it can either be left on the wall and used as lining

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Linoleum

Introduction Linoleum is warm to stand on, comfortable and quiet to walk over. Linoleum is available in a variety of coloured and shaped tiles or room lengths. It is a resilient surface covering. Linoleum is easy to cut and suitable for areas where complicated cuts have to be made. It comes in a smooth or

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