North Leeds Plumbing & Heating – Home Improvement and DIY Advice

Archive for the ‘How to Guides’ Category

Wet rot on a window sill is best dealt with quickly because it penetrates wood, weakening it and making it less secure.

First, locate all the rot. Some areas will be obvious and spongy, but others may lurk beneath the surface. Press a fingernail against the wood, if it sinks in, you have found more rot.

Next, use a chisel and hammer or slot head screwdriver to remove crumbly wood. If it is soft but relatively intact, a reinforcing wood hardener product can be applied.

If the rot is too serious for this, chisel out until you reach sound wood, then rebuild with new wood cut to fit. Use exterior wood adhesive and brass screws to attach new wood firmly, as any movement could allow water in. Once fitted, paint new wood with primer. Obtain a smooth surface using a plane.

Once wood is dry fill holes and cracks with exterior wood filler, using a palette knife. Any big holes can be filled with a two-part epoxy wood filler.

Once filler has dried, sand to a smooth surface with coarse sandpaper and then paint.

It is essential to fit a radiator into place before running the pipework in as the pipework can be adjusted with ease later on. The radiator should be placed about 25 millimetres above the skirting board and there should be a clearance of 100 millimetres between the top of the radiator and any sill.

Galvanised screws should be driven into wall plugs to fix the brackets onto solid walls. On stud partition walls you may have to use a bit of plywood to provide anchorage in the event that the bracket positions do not coincide with the studs. The plywood can simply be screwed to the studs and the radiator brackets screwed onto the plywood mount. This mess will be hidden following the hanging of the radiator. Any insulating foil will be fitted after the brackets have been positioned.

The position of the middle of each hanger is first marked out on the top edge of the radiator with a pencil or felt pen and the radiator then held against the wall so that the marks can be transferred to the wall’s surface. These marks are then extended downwards using a spirit level.

The brackets are then hooked onto the hangers and the distance between the top of a bracket and the lower edge of the radiator measured, with 25 millimetres added for clearance. Mark the top of the bracket’s position on the wall and trace around its baseplate. Finally, drill the brackets onto the wall and hook the radiator onto them.

Custom blinds can be purchased cheaply from a range of DIY stores and designer curtains stockists and you can fit them easily yourself. This article offers information and advice regarding how to install your new custom blinds. 

First, lay out the blinds, along with the tools you will need to complete the task, screwdriver, electric drill and spirit level. Take a pencil and mark on the wall, just below the headrail on your blinds; these marks will be needed when positioning the left and right brackets. Take the mounting brackets and position them in line with the pencil marks you made, below the header. Mark the location of the screw holes, before removing the brackets, drilling the holes and screwing them into place. A great trick is to rub soap around the screw thread, as this will make it easier to screw. 

You can now hang the side mounting brackets onto the wall, using a spirit level to check that they are horizontal. Following this, locate the front lip of the headrail and snap the valance clips in. Place the headrail into the side mounting brackets, closing the swivel brackets to keep the blinds in place. 

Finally, snap the lower and upper edge of the valance into the bracket at the bottom of the blind. All that remains is for you to check that the blind opens and closes correctly, make any minor adjustments that may be necessary and the job is finished.

Tiles have a hard-wearing, tough surface. However, sometimes a hard knock can damage a tile.  Replacing a cracked or chipped tile is an easy enough task – made easier if when originally tiling the area you put aside a couple of spare tiles for just such an eventuality. If not, take the old tile with you to a tile supply outlet and try to buy a matching replacement.

Removal of the Old Tile

Scrape out the grout from around the tile(s) you want to remove. Then, to prevent the drill from slipping, stick some tape on the middle of the broken tile and drill three or four small holes into it. This should help prevent damage to the surrounding tiles.

With a small chisel, chip the broken tile away – beginning from the holes in the centre. Be careful when nearing the edges, to avoid damaging the tiles surrounding the damaged one.

Remove the underlying tile adhesive from the wall using a chisel, doing so carefully to prevent damage of the wall below. Brush or vacuum away any remaining dust or dirt from the wall.

Putting up wallpaper is not the easiest of DIY tasks, but it is possible for almost anyone to do it and have the finished job look great.  The main things that are required for a professional and tidy look are that the paper is cut neatly, and hung without any creases or air bubbles.

To start with, you should measure the wall from the ceiling to the top of the skirting board, and add between four and six inches so that you can trim the paper for a snug fit.  The extra length will also make it easier to match the pattern precisely as you work your way around the room.  To help you get a straight edge, you can fold the paper and cut along the crease with a knife.  It should be noted that you can cut more than one piece of wallpaper before you start to hang it, and this is often a good idea.

To hang the wallpaper, start by attaching it to the wall at the top and work your way down, smoothing it as you go, ensuring that there are no creases or air bubbles.  It is best to take your time when doing this, and it is particularly important to ensure that you use the proper amount of wallpaper paste according to the instructions that are provided with the product.

Allow the wallpaper paste to soak into the wallpaper before hanging it on the wall, according to the product instructions.

Measuring and marking out accurately are essential and basic skills that every DIY enthusiast will have to master before long, and time spent on them is never wasted. The more accurately you can mark and measure, the better and more professional the results will be, so think of time spent on these as an excellent investment of time. The rule to bear in mind is that you want to measure twice and cut once for any operation. To do these things effectively you will need to purchase good quality tools, as cheaper ones will quickly wear out and lose their accuracy and will in the long run prove to have been a false economy.

Large sheets of manufactured board like plywood, block board and MDF (medium-density fibreboard) can be marked out with a T-square. This has to be used on a perfectly straight edge, and any discrepancy will be magnified across the sheet’s width and length.

A spirit level is essential when fitting cabinets that have been previously assembled to a wall.  Existing lines such as architraves around doors should not be used as guides, because they will probably not be truly horizontal.

Use callipers to mark off a series of equal spacings, together with a flat wooden or steel ruler to step off the divisions.

A marking knife with a bevel along one edge is ideal for marking out fine work, and it is always worth having one of these in your toolbox, as it can be used for all sorts of jobs.

There are two ways to cut tiles, either by using a tile scriber or a ceramic tile cutter, both of which can be bought in any DIY shop.

Using a Tile Scriber

Lay the tile, glazed side up, on a solid flat surface, such as a table or wooden board and mark off the dimensions required.  Take a steel rule or similar straightedge and align it with the marks on the tile.  Using the tile scriber, score a deep line across the face of the tile, keeping as close to the straightedge as possible.

Place the tile, face up, on a flat, thin straight piece of wood or similar material, with the score mark running along its edge.  Press firmly down on either side of the groove and the tile will snap along the length of the scored line.

Using a Tile Cutter

This is a more efficient option, especially if you are cutting a number of tiles.

Lay the tile on the cutter board and align the cutter with the score marks previously made by using a scriber.  Position the cutter blade on the edge of the tile and draw it towards you.  This creates a groove in the tile.  Finally, bring the handle down to split the tile.

Using a tile cutter takes a little getting used to, so it is advisable practice on old or broken tiles, before moving on to new ones.

There are various different ways of joining plastic pipes, depending on the material and whether you’re dealing with a supply pipe or a waste pipe. You have to use the correct technique for each situation to get a sound watertight joint.

The push-fit fitting is the simplest type of join for plastic pipework. These can be easily dismantled if necessary to do repair work and remove blockages, and they are used for both waste and supply pipes.

Polybutylene supply pipes can be connected, using push-fit joints that incorporate a steel grab ring or collet, after first cutting the pipe ends square.

In the case of grab-ring fittings, a metal support sleeve is first inserted into the cut ends of the pipe and some silicone lubricant applied to the insides of the fitting and the outside of the pipe ends. The pipe end is then pushed into the fitting and, at this point, you should try gently withdrawing it to ensure the grip is effective.

With collet-type fittings, the pipe is pushed into the fitting until it abuts the internal depth stop, and the grip checked by trying to withdraw it.

Waste pipes should be connected using fittings that use a flexible O-ring seal, especially when working with PP fittings, as these cannot be solvent-welded. Push the end of the pipe onto the fitting to the depth stop and be sure to withdraw it by 10mm or so to allow for expansion when hot waste water flows through it.

When you are about to begin painting it is essential to do some groundwork first.  If you try to cut corners here the results will invariably turn out to be disappointing.  It is a bit of an irony that some groundwork might take longer than the painting itself, but it can make the whole process of decorating a lot easier and the finish you end up with will look truly professional, so it is worth doing.

You need plenty of room to manoeuvre, so clear out as much furniture as possible.  Pack ornaments away, take down curtains, shelves and mirrors and give yourself room to think.  Bigger pieces of furniture can be covered with dust sheets and moved to another part of the room.

Protect light switches and other appliances with masking tape and cover all the radiators with dust sheets.  Also protect the floor with old sheets or newspapers, but avoid using plastic sheeting as it is easy to slip on it.

Keep all tools and equipment within easy reach, and also get a stepladder ready for accessing higher parts of the walls and the ceiling; it is also handy to have a tray attached to it for holding tools and paint cans.

Always wear a pair of safety goggles when painting ceilings, or a pair of old spectacles.  In older houses that have lead paint on the walls you will need to take care when stripping this.  Never use a heat gun on lead paint; wet abrasive paper is best for sanding it down to keep dust to the minimum.  A face mask should also be worn.

Many of us have had the unfortunate experience of having a ring slip down the drain.  Fortunately, there is a way to get that jewellery back without having to hire someone to tear your pipe-work apart.  Doing this job yourself will take about 15 minutes and will save you around £100.

The first thing to do is find the trap section of the pipe beneath the plughole.  These are very easy to take apart and put together again.

Get a bucket and place it beneath the trap to catch any water that spills out.  Unscrew the plastic fitting that holds the trap in place.  If you cannot unscrew it with your hands, you will need pliers to grip the plastic piece.

When released, tip the trap over the bucket.  Your jewellery will most likely be there provided it has not been flushed completely through the pipes.  Once you have found your jewellery, reassemble the trap.  Make sure to replace any washers that you removed, as these will help to prevent leaks.  You can usually tighten the plastic joint by hand, but if you cannot, feel free to use the pliers again.  Make sure not to over tighten the joints because the plastic could break.

Retrieving lost items from the drain is a fast and simple do it yourself project that will reward you with your lost jewellery, minus the expense of hiring a professional, in just a few minutes.