Home DIY

Agreed, I need to cut a hole this evening and see what's there. It was done 25 years ago, so I'm presuming it's minor. If we had the space I'd just stick a blanket across the inside and sacrifice the couple of inches, reality is it's tight already.

We stuck blackouts on the windows last year, made a difference. This is stage 2!

jellybaby 3/4" BSP is the external measurement of the pipe

Materials sound OK but the details of how it is insulated are crucial and the insulation must be continuous. Judging from the photo the problem is that the pitched roof has not been insulated.

Made a hole this evening, 100mm of space on the pitched section, no insulation. Thinking 75mm celotex and then fibreglass for the lower section. Is 25mm enough of an air gap do you think?

I don't know the building regs requirement, but 50mm is recommended, if I recall.

That also assumes that there is airflow into the eaves.

Insulating blanket might get you a lower u-value for the and depth (or same u-value for a shallower depth)

Finally got a quote for the repair. Looks like very few companies want to work on pivot windows, preferring to install new sashes. Anyhow, I've got a quote for raking out all the mastic etc and installing hardwood plates to bridge the gap between timber window frame and wall. Comes to around £2k for the bay, two single windows on the back, and a bit more mastic renewal elsewhere. Chap who quoted didn't think there was much rot, thought - as I thought/hoped - that the blackened colour was in the sand mastic. Fingers crossed...

Edit: re-painting is additional to the quote.

hardwood plates to bridge the gap between timber window frame and wall.

I just packed the space with more mastic.

I probably did it wrong, as I have no idea...

A tip for the mastic, prior to removing it, is to oil it (with boiled linseed oil) - This should be done as a matter of course, every 10 years or so, but will soften it a little and make it easier to remove.

Any circular saw blade tips for cutting 18mm ply?

I understand good practice is good side down and a fine tooth blade. How many teeth should I be aiming for?

There are proper woodworkers here with way better experience, but 48t works for me.

Having a sacrificial surface help to prevent tearout. I use an old PIR board.

Thanks, will try that too. Do you clamp them together or just lay them down?

edit - didn't realise what PIR is so guess not

I've got some fairly dated fitted wardrobes in the spare room. They got a nailed on trim. I've been thinking about removing said trim and giving them a paint. They are melamine or whatever wardrobes are made of. Would I be better off wrapping them or some combo of primer and paint?

I want to try and get some skirting that matches my existing stuff. I reckon it's pretty modern, fitted in the past year.

Anywhere good to look to try and find something that matches and how do I tell if it is MDF or real wood?

Also, how much hassle is it for someone to make something that matches?

Looks like 'roof room insulation' is covered by the new green homes grant. You might be able to get some financial help…
https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/pages/green-homes-grant

Let's assume the mastic option and the timber plate option are both decent.

I'd not thought about any options other than mastic until the chap turned up and pointed out that many of my neighbor's flats have the hardwood timber plate/bead detail. Looks neat enough to me.

Cork?

Nowt wrong with MDF if you’re painting it. Loads cheaper, easier to cut and more forgiving if your walls aren’t 100% straight.

Yes, I don't care what it is, just trying to work out what the existing one is so I can narrow it down when trying to match it. Hard to tell under the paint so wondering if there was some giveaways.

lads... I'm going to bleed a radiator and take it off the wall. pray for me

That's the easy bit no? Pressurising the system after, is the bit that is easy to fuck up.

aw naw ! don't say that...

(heating engineer is coming at some point soonto move the pipes in this room anyway so hopefully he'll handle that bit)

It's all a lot easier than you think. Probably worth draining the whole system first as refilling is really a doddle.

Basically plumbers can manage it so it can't be that hard right :)

Did anyone manage to find 3m dust filters for their masks? Prices on eBay are totally insane now. Wish I’d bought when I last checked. Got one pair left but I’ve started some new work where it looks like it’s gonna be dusty as fuck all the time.

What's the best filler to use before painting walls? Poly filler has always taken a while to paint over.

When painting walls around upvc windows do I paint and then silicon or fill the gap with something then paint?

Also, any opinion on my question from previous? What primer/paint combo is best to renovate some melamine fitted wardrobes. Or wrap with something?

Paging @Airhead

I’m gonna guess;
Toupret
calk > paint
Zinsser