Introduction Cold to stand on, but durable and water-resistant. They are available in sheets in numerous colours, patterns and shapes and made of natural clay, decorated on one side with coloured glaze. The surfaces are normally glazed, but are not as highly polished as wall tiles, while others are matt or have an unglazed finish. […]
Introduction Once you have decided on the tile, note its length and width and measure the room carefully. Measure its length and divide it by the length of one tile. Round up the number of tiles to the next whole number. Now measure the width of the room and divide that by the width of
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Washable Fabrics Unless the material is acetate, use methylated spirit then wash as normal. In all other cases the article should dry cleaned. Non Washable Fabrics Dry clean. Carpets and Furnishings Use a commercial stain remover then use an upholstery or carpet shampoo. Otherwise dry clean where possible.
Plywood The majority of plywoods used come from abroad. Bonding constructional veneers together face to face making sure the grains run in alternative directions make up sheets of plywood. Sheets are bonded on both sides of the original piece in order to keep the tensions equal. The basic number required is therefore three sheets, which
TOP TIPS Plug the hole – Always insert the plug in the hole. This saves any small objects that might fall from the tap during repair. When reassembling the tap apply some silicone grease to the spindle to aid removal in the future. Identifying the source of the leak The majority of dripping taps can
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What to look for Buying, hiring or borrowing – What to look for: All ladders should meet the required British or European standards. Is it strong enough? New ladders are generally marked according to their safe working load. This classification however, can vary slightly in the values given, and has caused confusion. The variation is
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1. Don’t be a DIY disaster Don”t wait until disaster strikes to find your stop-cocks and gate valves. Opening and closing them four times a year will ensure they easily work when you need them to. Don”t let a blown fuse leave you in the dark: keep a repair kit near your mains fuse box,
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Short ladders Short ladders can be raised by one person. Whenever you are carrying a ladder, keep the front end above head height. Turn carefully – it is not just in slapstick comedies that people get hit by swinging ladder ends! Place the base against a solid surface. Lift the top of the ladder and
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Before you start Planning the task ahead can save time, money and, potentially, your well-being. We are often tempted to by-pass obvious advice, so just to refresh your memory….. More haste, less speed… Don”t under-estimate how long a job will take. If you start to run out of time, do not be tempted to rush
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Introduction Power to the elbow makes light work of many DIY jobs but electricity can be a killer unless we use it safely and sensibly. Keep water away from anything electric. Do not even wash walls without turning off the power at the mains switch. Never be tempted to use a socket or plug or
