In all my years of woodworking, there’s nothing more satisfying than the feel of a sharp chisel cutting through wood. Whether you’re a time-served joiner or a keen amateur, your choice of chisel depends on the job at hand. This guide will show you the best wood chisels in the UK for general usage and …
Best Wood Chisels in the UK (2022 Reviews & Buying Guide) Read More »
I’ve worked with many structural engineers, and I know how much value they bring to commercial projects. But they’re also helpful in domestic projects, such as opening up ground floor space to create a kitchen-diner and taking down walls. To find out the cost of a structural engineer for load-bearing walls, read on. In a …
Cost of Structural Engineer for Load Bearing Walls in 2022 (UK Price Guide) Read More »
I spent 40 years as an architectural technologist, and in that time, I’ve seen the best and worst techniques for roofing. How much for a pitched roof on a garage may seem like a simple question, but trust me, there are many variables to consider. In a Hurry? Find top-rated builders in your area by …
How Much for a Pitched Roof on a Garage? (2022 UK Price Guide) Read More »
Tiling is my favourite DIY project because you see the effects immediately. You can cover large areas of the wall or floor in just a few hours, but then you have to stop and play the waiting game. It’s frustrating, I know, especially with flooring because you can’t walk across it until the initial set …
How Long Does Tile Adhesive Take to Dry Before Grouting? (plus how to speed it up) Read More »
I’m always using my mitre block when cutting trim or replacing damaged skirtings, but is the mitre joint the best option for all situations? In this guide, I’ll explain the different types of joints used in joinery work and explore the pros and cons of each. So, let’s look at mitre joint advantages and disadvantages …
Mitre Joint Advantages and Disadvantages (plus 5 best use cases) Read More »
I remember boarding out my loft by laying boards on quilt insulation. Not only did I lose lots of headroom, but I also created a bouncy castle! In a Hurry? Here’s our Best Thermal Underlay for Laminate Flooring in : So when it came to laying laminate flooring in my lounge, I decided to investigate …
Best Thermal Underlay for Laminate Flooring in 2022 (UK Reviews & Buying Guide) Read More »
Growing up in the northwest of England, I was well aware of scant timber and its use. However, when I grew older and travelled to construction sites all over the country, I learned the term had different meanings in other regions. So, what is scant timber? Is it the rough, warped, and twisted pieces that …
What is Scant Timber? (plus 5 ways to use it in 2022) Read More »
Builders typically apply a screed to get a completely level floor on a concrete slab. Once the screed has dried, they add the flooring finishes such as tiling, vinyl or carpet. The only problem with this approach is that it slows down the process because you have to allow the screed to dry, and drying …
How Long Does Screed Flooring Take to Dry Before You Can Lay Carpet? Read More »
Colour on a wall can make or break the desired effect, but it’s no good creating the perfect design if the application is poor. In all my experience of room makeovers, one thing I discovered is never scrimp on the finish. In a Hurry? Here’s our top pick for the best paint brush for cutting …
Best Paint Brush for Cutting In 2022 – UK Reviews & Buying Guide (Updated) Read More »
There are plenty of chemicals on the market for this job, but I’m going to show you how to remove paint from textured glass WITHOUT harming the environment and your health. If you’ve ever painted bathroom windows, you’ll know that removing paint splashes from textured or obscure glass is more complicated than ordinary glass. The reason …
How to Remove Paint from Textured Glass in 2022 – Step-by-Step DIY Guide (UK Edition) Read More »
I’ve been in the property business for over 20 years. I’ve bought and renovated many houses in that time, so I know how removing emulsion paint from plaster walls is painful, not to mention hazardous. In this step-by-step guide, I’ll explain when you should remove old emulsion paint before repainting and how to avoid the …
Removing Emulsion Paint from Plaster Walls in 2022 (Step-by-Step DIY Guide) – UK Edition Read More »
So, you taped up around your window frame to protect it while you painted the wall, stripped off the tape, and found, to your horror, that paint has bled under the tape and is now firmly adhered to your nice white uPVC frame. Paint should be easy to remove when wet, but it takes on …
How to Remove Paint from uPVC Window Frames in 2022 (DIY Guide) – UK Edition Read More »
I moved into an apartment a few years ago where the previous owner was a chain smoker. The walls and ceiling were so badly stained with nicotine; you could see the outline of the TV! In a Hurry? Here’s our Top Pick for the Best Stain Block Paint in : I washed the walls and …
Best Stain Block Paint in 2022 (Reviews & Buying Guide) – UK Edition Read More »
I’m going back many years now, but I remember helping my dad paint our garage, and I couldn’t figure out why it never seemed enough, no matter how much paint we put on the walls. Of course, the paint we were applying was utterly unsuitable for painting breeze blocks; it was more of a whitewash. …
Painting Breeze Blocks Like a Pro in 2022 (Step-by-Step DIY Guide) – UK Edition Read More »
The angle grinder is one of the most versatile tools you can have in your tool shed, and I wouldn’t be without one. In a Hurry? Here’s our Top Pick for the Best Angle Grinder in : As a DIY enthusiast for many years, I’ve used my angle grinder to cut paving slabs up to …
Best Angle Grinder UK (2022 Reviews and Buying Guide) – The Top 3 Read More »
So why buy an angle drill? Just ask a plumber or an electrician. Angle drills are powerful tools that are great for drilling holes through floor & roof joists for cables and pipes. Kitchen fitters also use them for drilling larger holes in cupboards for ventilation pipes. In a Hurry? Here’s our Top Pick for …
Best Angle Drill Reviews (2022 UK Buying Guide) – The Top 3 Read More »
During my time as an architectural technologist, I often inspected old houses on behalf of potential buyers. In many cases, the first thing that hit me as I entered the house was the smell of dampness. In a Hurry? Here’s our Top Pick for the Best Anti Mould Paint in : As I walked through …
Best Anti Mould Paint in 2022 (UK Reviews & Buying Guide) – The Top 3 Read More »
The bow saw is a handy tool to have in your toolkit, even though power tools do the same job quicker. I.e. bow saws weigh a lot less than chainsaws, making them much easier to handle and manoeuvre. This feature is beneficial when you’re perched precariously in a tree, as I have on many occasions. …
Best Bow Saw UK – 2022 Reviews & Buying Guide (The Top 3) Read More »
When I think back to my building-site days, concrete breakers were giant machines that created massive amounts of noise and vibration. In a Hurry? Here’s our Top Pick for the Best Concrete Breaker in : These oversized concrete breakers were connected to compressors and typically operated by a big, burly man who undoubtedly suffered from …
Best Concrete Breaker Reviews (2022 UK Buying Guide) – The Top 3 Read More »
Painting a metal roof is something you should only do a couple of times in your life, so it’s vitally important to pick the best metal paint. In a Hurry? Here’s our Top Pick for the Best Paint for Corrugated Metal Roof UK in : Trust me, you don’t want to buy cheap paint and …
Best Paint for Corrugated Metal Roof UK (2022 Reviews & Buying Guide) Read More »
I remember my woodwork teacher telling me about various saws and which one to use in a particular situation, but I just used whatever I could get my hands on. Typically, this boiled down to my trusty hacksaw. In a Hurry? Here’s our top pick for the best tenon saw in : However, as I …
Best Tenon Saw UK (2022 Reviews & Buying Guide) – The Top 3 Read More »
There is nothing new about insulating cavity walls. We’ve been doing it since the oil crisis in the 1970s. Still, people only started taking it seriously in the mid-80s when changes to the Building Regulations forced housebuilders and designers to re-think construction methods. I know because I was one of them. I’ve based this cost …
There are several reasons you should know how to seal concrete floor with PVA – to keep down the dust, provide a waterproof seal, and give a bond for a finishing layer of paint, tile, or screed. I once helped a friend convert a garage into a guest room. The first thing we had to …
How to Seal Concrete Floor with PVA in 2022 (Complete DIY Guide) – UK Edition Read More »
With over 30 years of experience carrying out building surveys, I know damp when I see it, and it isn’t just the black spores of mould growth that give it away – it’s the pungent smell! Damp in the home is terrible for your health – you can even feel it in your bones after …
How to Treat Damp Walls Before Painting in 2022 (Complete DIY Guide) – UK Edition Read More »
I remember my dad using a hand brace to drill holes in a piece of wood and thinking, ‘there’s got to be an easier way’. Sure enough, there was, and when I was old enough to buy power tools myself, I wanted all types of drills going. These days, there are more types of drills …
With over 40 years of experience as an avid DIYer, I only recently found out I was using the wrong saw most of the time. I knew there were many types of saws out there – I do remember some of the things I was taught in woodwork class at school – so I decided …
