Home DIY

Think you may be referring to Timbabuild (my preference), or Repair Care (which airhead prefers). Both of these systems are heavy duty epoxy based filler / glue hybrid systems, they are designed for repairing rotten windows or door frames. Both are also fairly expensive and require the purchase of kit, such as their own brand dual tube mastic gun, to be able to use them.

I think that these may be overkill for what you want, if it's just a couple of smallish holes Brummer or similar would be my preference.

Is there enough air getting into the bathroom, so the extractor fan can remove steamy air.

You need a 1cm gap under a door to be near a 100mm round duct.

That’s a good point. There ‘should be’, certainly the door isn’t air tight and there is a small vent in the window.

I use car body filler on all wood now - Upol Easy 1 is what I use.

Pleasing

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Mildly terrifying

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What's the 6mm for?

I'm not wiring it in fully yet. I was going to use the 6mm with a plug on the end to plug into an extension lead.

I don't quite understand, but it's probably best I don't ask any more questions, lol.

Best to distance yourself before the inevitable fire

Good answers already. I use Toupret wood filler ready mixed in a pot for smaller repairs on exterior wood. I don't use the 2 part car body type fillers anymore but did for years and understand the advantages of quick drying etc.

Repaircare has a 'normal' filler which can be used with a contractors gun as long as the gun is fairly heavy duty. That's a handy alternative to the body filler type.

There is also a new offering similar to timbabuild and repaircare from county chemicals. I think it's cheaper than the other 2. Timbabuild is more fluid and I use it if I'm filling a hole where I can pour it in. Repaircare can be shaped and has the perfect consistency for most wood repairs where a chunk of wood is missing.

Timbabuild is more fluid and I use it if I'm filling a hole where I can pour it in.

That's the erc10 which remains highly flexible once cured but is only recommended for 10mm deep repairs or splicing in new timber, cures in less than an hour though. The ebh60 is much more firm but takes longer to cure ~ 4hrs depending on ambient temperature and is less flexible once cured. Timbabuild also do a normal filler (called finish filler) that is good - they also do a cartridge based window putty that is much more convenient than trad linseed oil based stuff.

Didn't know about the new offering from county chemicals. Interesting though may give it a look next time in ordering from them.

Spot on about the ERC10. In Repaircare the consistency is pretty constant across different cure times. I usually carry the ERC10 because there are times when 4hrs is too long and the 1hr repaircare is expensive. I do carry the 1hr repaircare but only use it where I need that consistency and fast drying.

I've used a lot of the repaircare putty 'dryseal'. Masking the glass and wood and using a silicon tool to apply it. It's expensive but goes quite a long way.

I rarely use linseed putty anymore. The drying time before painting is months realistically. You can't use linseed with laminated glass either and that's a lot of what I'm doing is upgrading the glass to acoustic or security laminate. The cheap putty in a tube that I can recommend is Top Gun. Quite easy to form, drys really well. With either of those I'd recommend using a mastic wetting agent in the water, makes it much easier to get a good looking smooth bead.

I do prefer the Dryseal to Top Gun though it does come at a premium. Certainly it's easier to patch up putty with the dryseal. It blends better with old putty, shrinks less and skins for decorating really quick.

Most of the time I wind up puttying windows its heritage jobs for museums or listed properties and trad putty is specified by the pedants at English Heritage, no point arguing with them as you'll get nowhere. I always find it amazing how many people get grossed out when you spit on your hands before you start working with that stuff, I am also frequently amazed how many people don't feel confident using it - even galziers.

It's great for moisturising the hands.

How long do you leave the putty before decorating for EH jobs?

I have worked it out and do not ask any more…

Please do it correct first time. Don’t do what you’re going to do.

Don’t.

Do not do it.

Couple of weeks, basically as long as I can. It's not too bad if you're gentle with the brush and leave it to form a decent skin. Quite often though I'll spray (with linseed oil paint) which means that disturbing the putty is less of an issue.

I keep meaning to try linseed oil paint. I used to mix it for fine art purposes but it's been a while.

Of course, 6mm will never fit in a plug.... Used 2.5mm to the plug.

Wired up the lighting circuit last night. Apart from spending far too long to realise the first strip light was dead out if the box (didn't have fixings or instructions so must have been a return), it all went swimmingly.

My central heating doesn't switch off properly if the hot water is on. The radiators will still get hot, unless the local TRV turns it off. I think it's might be crap in the motorised valve preventing it from closing fully. The valve head is turning as it should, motor is fine.

Should be easy to swap? Turn off. Drain system. Swap valve. Re-fill. Anything else I should be thinking about?

Check that the motorised valve is even attempting to switch off - if the motor or switch is faulty, swapping just the head is a lot simpler than swapping the whole valve

Swapping the syncro motor is also a lot cheaper than swapping the head unit

Top of reddit right now. What an excellent video.

https://youtu.be/QZTt8PxEwbo

Checked that. The motorised valve is currently in the not open position - pulled back by the spring, hard to tell if it has moved all the way but most. When the timer/thermostat activates the motor runs, the valve moves and the switch gets pushed to trigger the boiler.

I think I just need one of these and a spanner or two: https://www.screwfix.com/p/honeywell-home-v4043h-2-port-motorised-valve-22mm-22mm-compression/31480