Home DIY

Could just leave it once you’ve done stripping the old finish.

Motors are more efficient (as I understand brushless only draws what power it needs from the battery, brushed draws max power regardless). Because of this, the motors can be made more powerful and still achieve good battery life. In theory you get a more powerful tool AND the battery can last longer.

Plus no brushes to change! (Not that it’s generally an issue for us DIYers)

Impressive, looks like my kitchen floor, grim SLC on top of grim concrete.

I did the first dry fit of the shower tray last night. Nearly absolutely no swearing involved. That thing is effing heavy.

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Thanks and also @withered_preacher

Both options look good. Annoyingly Screwfix and Wickes seem to have all the liberon range except the finishing oil.

This one might be a bit controversial but todays project was glueing the tip of a stuffed foxes tail back on. Found in a flea market, tail tip fell off. Giving the thing to a friend for his birthday tomorrow to annoy him basically.

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Took me months to resolve

Hope your username is an indication of your attitude towards them

shower tray

Been meaning to ask for years but always forget- these are uncommon in Sweden where I live, mostly a shower space floor here will be tiled or have a plastic mat, sometimes there’s a sort of booth where the tray is on little feet with a pipe going to the (much larger diameter) floor drain. The things you have look like they’re fixed into the floor permanently. How do you get at the drain to clear it if need be, it looks very narrow?

The waste sits under the tray between the joists, and runs out to the external wall. You don't, although fortunately I can get at it from outside as the pipe has access hatch thing.
Also if I have a problem I'll just cut into the plasterboard ceiling downstairs as it'll be compromised at that point anyway.

In a well organised system you have access to the trap via a removable grate or even entirely removable trap. Outside you should have rodding access.

In practice there are a lot of showers with too little fall on the waste because the joists are not that wide and sometimes they are running in the opposite direction you would wish them to. Those showers can be prone to slow running.

Would it be more cost effective to have a LED light panel? Even considering the electricity cost over lifetime?

Not the same of natural light of course, but a small porthole might not make enough of a difference for the cost.

Is this stuff any good?

https://www.toolstation.com/zinsser-peel-stop-primer-paint/p44309

We've got a section of internal wall that's next to a big window that opens fully for an extra access route to our back garden.

The plaster on that one section has some fairly long, thin cracks. Some sections around the cracks sound blown but mostly the wall seems OK.

It's been like that since we moved in and the paint is peeling on small (hand sized) areas around the cracks.

I'm decorating that room this week and have filled the cracks / sanded but obvs there's sections of bare plaster after my sanding as well as from the already peeling paint which I've scraped off. I don't really want to put a mist coat over the whole thing so wanted a shortcut.

Scrape anything loose back, slap that stuff on, paint over as normal?

I've never used it. Never had a product of theirs not work though. My concern would be the surface being uneven unless you fill it. Hard to tell exactly what you're dealing with without seeing it in person though.

Short of sorting out the problem which isn't always possible I like lining paper for 'problem' walls.

Ah, the pipes are on the outside of the exterior walls?

Yes eventually, eg

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Harder if it is a “flush” shower tray, I.e. same level as the floor. Easier if there is a step up into the shower. Sometimes it runs above floor level, through boxing. Always looks worse

Lining paper is a good shout I hadn't thought of, thanks

After getting quotes of around a grand to add a ladder and board 10sqm of the loft, I’m going to take the plunge and DIY it.

Plan is to counter-batten the current joists to give enough room for the insulation - but was wondering, for 18mm t+g chipboard, are 600mm centres fine for the battens they’ll sit on? Or is 400mm preferable?

Chipboard, or OSB? The former at 18mm is usually only rated up to 450mm centres?

Edit: actually some T&G chipboards do go up to 600mm centres, seems to depend on the manufacturer.

the former yep, good to know, cheers!

As it's not a habitable room, you can go with your gut really... are you storing xmas decorations on it, or using it for skipping practice, etc.

I'd be looking at costing 18mm osb at 600 Vs p5 boards at 450.

Taking up the 'loftboards' that previous owner had laid in lounge was a pig.

counter-batten

Is this so you can fill the depth of the joists and then have a gap above? Which means you can vary the spacing.
Or just batten on top of the existing joists (not 'counter')

I’m probably using terminology wrong here - essentially there’s rockwool type insulation atop the joists at the mo, so will use timber at 90 degrees so the insulation doesn’t get squashed.

going off travis perkins’ 2.4*0.6 OSB, price per sqm is almost the same (both about £15, OSB a quid more per sqm)

So probably a good shout, ta!

No you're right then, if you're laying battens 90deg across the joists. But then you can space them as you like, doesn't have to be the same as the joists spacing.