Home DIY

What's that greek guy I'm thinking of? Just when I dust my hands off with a smug grin, there's more stuff somewhere. Fuck me there's a lot of crap hidden away in random boxes and cupboards from the house move and various projects around the new house these last 7 months.

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Nope none, it sticks really well to anything. I painted over old paint, actually I did use a watered down bit for new sections. It dries with a kind of acrylic-like finish, but not shiny.

I previously used dulux weather shield, then bloke in paint supplier recommedned this, about half the price too and its great.

On the plus side, there's a guy coming to pick this old kitchenette up tomorrow so we can get started on fixing this room up. Spare bedroom? Drumkit room?

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You're doing some kind of pegboard behind the bench?
Though a full-width mirror would work too.

full-width mirror

Obvs. And ceiling mirror ball.

Definitely drum kit room.

Sisyphus

Finally finished both daughters rooms. Only thing I didn't do was paint the skirting board but it's taken me since April to get this far. Happy with how they've turned out. Going to get a modern style picture rail to hang some pictures.

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Right, this is how I rennovate floors:

You will need

1. Floor sander.
   
2. Edge sander.
   
3. Range of sandpaper going from 24 grit through to 120 grit for both machines ( I would normally buy three of each if not more, if they are not used HSS will refund you for any unused sheets when you return the machine).
   
4. Dust mask.
   
5. Hearing protection (I have a pair of isotunes headphones which are good quality ear plugs combined with bluetooth headphones).
   
6. A detail sander, with the same grits as the floor and edge sander (optional, but makes sanding the corners much quicker and easier).
   
7. Water based or resin filler (you need quite a lot).
   
8. A grout squeegee.
   
9. A clean bucket.
   
   

How to do it:

1. Go over the whole floor thoroughly with a vacum cleaner, any protruding nails etc need to either be removed or pushed down past flush with a centre punch. If you do not do this and are using a hired sander you run the risk of taking a gouge out of the drum and will lose the deposit that you paid on it, so it is worth being anal here.
   
2. Start with the sharpest grit sandpaper that you have (should be 24grit). Use the floor sander first, I work from left to right along the longest axis of the room, start in the bottom left hand corner of the room and slowly push the floor sander as close to the top left as you can get then pull it back along the part of the floor you've just sanded. This strip should now be back to bare wood, if not repeat, once it is back to bare wood move the sander along to the right overlapping with the strip you've just sanded and start again. Continue like this until you have done the whole floor as best you can with the drum sander, now its time to move onto the edge sander. With the edge sander, load it up with the grit of paper you have just used on the drum sander and work your way around the room getting as tight into the corners as you can. When using the edge sander start just on the edge of the sanded bit and putting pressure on the machine push it tight to the wall and then along the wall before bringing it back in a horseshoe shape, continue until you are back to bare wood all the way round the room.
   
3. Repeat step 2 with the next grit up of sandpaper, only this time you want to change the direction you are working by 90 degrees so work from bottom left to bottom right with the drum sander.
   
4. Keep repeating the process until you have worked through the grits each time you change the grit, change the direction that you are working by 90 degrees.
   
5. When you move to the highest grit on the edge sander, make sure you change the bag. Once complete put some of the sawdust from the bag into the clean bucket and mix it with your filler of choice until it reaches a thick paste. Work this into any gaps in the floor, I find that the best way to do this is to put a large dollop on the floor and use the squeegee to sweep it from side to side working backwards, do this in strips on the floor until you have worked filler into any / all gaps. Leave the filler to go off and then sand one last time with the finest grit sand paper that you have.
   
6. Sand the corners with the detail sander working up the grits in the same way that you did with main floor.
   
7. Thoroughly vacum the floor
   
8. Apply your finish of choice.
   
9. Stand back and marvel at how fucking amazing you are!
   
   

I know that reading it seems like a lot but its one of those jobs where you work yourself into a trance-like state and come out the other side feeling pleased with yourself. There is nothing like standing back and looking at your work when you've finished a job like this.

Would strongly advise that you take your time and dont rush it.

This video is pretty good and the guy is working in a similar way to what I have tried to describe, but if you click on the links he's trying to get you to click on you will be asked to buy his e-book about sanding floors.

https://youtu.be/co2ac-Q-0F4

Thanks, you're a star. That's answered lots of questions.

Feels good, doesn't it? Don't bother with the skirting boards, I kept meaning to paint them in our old house but never did and then we sold it. Bye bye skirting boards!

Who are you? A wizard?! These well written guides to stuff are amazing.

Lifted some insulation to get some wiring redone before topping up insulation and overboarding. The old stuff between joists was obviously there before the roof was redone and is covered with crap. Is it worth replacing this with new while I'm at it? Seems like it may be compromised by being compressed/dirty.

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We had similar, ancient insulation. Not very effective. Got chaps in to board part of the loft and put in a ladder after laying more insulation over the top. It’s too messy to take out the old. All advice I found online was just to put new over the top (at right angles). House noticeably warmer!

What primer would be suitable to give water-based external masonry paint good long-term adhesion to cast stone and old oil-based paint?

A few years back I stripped some of our windowsills mainly using a heat gun to soften the old paint and a scraper. The smooth sandtex that I used is peeling off in places. If I redo it, can I prime first to stop that happening again?

I'm not sure but Gardz from zinnser might be right for that. They have a few different primers that could be an improvement on what you have. These days I use all coat from them for exteriors. It's held up well on where it was put on 5 years ago, that's as long as I've been using it though.

Just had a quote from Sharpes for a built in wardrobe that was, unsurprisingly, staggeringly expensive
I'd attempt building what they suggested myself, but a) the walls aren't very straight and it's in a fiddly alcove, and b) I can't be fucked

Has anyone used a good, or are themselves, a south London based carpenter who fancied coming to have a look and quote?

I've got a bit of a dent in my beech kitchen worktop. Can I fill it with resin mixed with sawdust to get a colour match? If so, what resin (obviously needs to be food-safe).

Yes but if it's relatively small and shallow get a wet cloth and an iron. Put the cloth over the dent and hold the hot iron over the cloth for a couple of minutes the steam should penetrate the wood and expand pushing the dent out.

I can help but I'm busy at the moment so it will be a while before I can get to you. I can ask a couple of good carpenters I know who work in that area if they can give you a quote.

Modern exterior paints can cause issues in traditional masonry as they form an impermeable barrier trapping moisture behind them.

That'd be great, thanks

Funnily enough I think that was the exact problem with the oil-based paint. Although it hadn't affected the underlying masonry, which is basically concrete. My understanding is that Sandtex is breathable, so it wouldn't cause any issues, it would just be great it if adhered better.

Sisyphus

That's the fella

drum kit room

Tried it, too noisy. Instead I've put them in what we've dubbed the horror movie room, at some point to be converted into a bathroom. I know e-drums aren't very metal but what's a marginalised middle aged man to do.

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