Home DIY

Got the pair for a tenner! So I don’t want to remove the veneer? Just lightly sand where I can see it is veneer and then where it’s just wood can afford to be a bit less careful

That is a steal!

It’s difficult to tell from the photo what is veneer and what isn’t. But no, you don’t want to remove it.

I was sat in the garden this week, during a rare spell of sunshine, and what looked like a swift zoomed straight towards the house, tucked his wings in and slotted straight through a previously unseen hole in a brick towards the top of the wall. From what I can see the hole is about 4cm round, in the middle of the brick, just level with the top of the upper floor windows. What do I do?! It's obviously a nest, so I don't want to just plug it up with something. And even if I could, that feels like a bodge. I don't understand how the hole formed or how it's big enough inside for a nest.

Leave it in peace!

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/18/securing-their-swift-return-how-a-simple-brick-can-help-migratory-birds-aoe

Maybe wait until nesting season is over (autumn/winter?), block it up and stick a nesting box next to the hole for when they come back next year?

Yeah just leave it unless you think it's damaging the building, in which case repair late in the year and supply alternate accommodation for your lodgers.

We had a hole where an old toilet overflow had been removed which birds used. I Blocked it when winter hit and once our kitchen refurb started the wall got opened up and I filled 2 bin Bags with old nesting material.

I've since added bird houses to the side of the house.

worth trying something like this in the first instance?

https://www.howardproducts.com/product/restor-a-finish/

Not sure if @Howard approved, despite the name ;)

First off, I don't want to evict them unless I have to. And I already plan on littering the garden with bird boxes and feeders (I've just moved in).

I don't think it's an overflow because the house still has a downstairs bathroom and I don't think it's ever had one upstairs. But I have no idea how to determine if they're damaging the house. I think the hole lines up with a lath and plaster partition wall so it's possible that they've got a 12-bed mansion back there.

If it needs fixing I'd happily replace the brick with a special nesting brick.

Almost guaranteed they will have masses of nesting material in some sort of cavity. I doubt there will be any damage though.

Might the hole be an overflow for water tanks in the loft? I've seen recently people piping the overflow into the vent stack. Or it might just be a cavity vent that failed?

That’s what I thought but they are surprisingly expensive compared to online places but I have no idea whose product is decent or if they are all the same.

In other news the insulation is finally going in. It’s a fiddly job and had to cut the boards in half as they don’t fit in the lift. Getting them in the garage on my own was an event in itself, they weigh a fair bit.

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Leave it! You have been blessed. We are lucky enough to have house martens under our eaves and the noise in summer is lovely - a constant burbling. Our neighbours had swifts in an old marten nest, so we put up a swift box in hopes they would move into that - but the swift box has been stolen by sparrows, so will have to put up another.

4cm is a small hole - possibly too small for a swift, as they are pretty big birds, really. Also a bit early for swifts (usually late April-May, although stranger things have happened), but I saw a marten just last week. Any chance it's a house marten?

A swift nest is not necessarily large, as they are very able to make do (see comment about house marten nest). A small cavity would be sufficient. They'll be gone by September, they won't do any damage (they poo outside the nest - worst case you'll have a lot of poo directly beneath the entrance to the nest) and if you're lucky you'll be able to see the chicks fledge.

Enjoy!!

Any tips for hanging these frames on plasterboard? The usual plastic hooks you tap in aren’t deep enough to reach the hangers because of the frame depth.

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You could try a couple of eyelets in the sides and some wire and ignore the existing fittings.

Excellent idea! Thanks

I recently just tied some picture wire around the existing frame mount and over the wall hook.

Obviously I had to mount the wall hook higher

I hear you. The guy who did our room went to wickes. It looks ok.

Thanks for this. Got it changed over yesterday and it worked a charm. Took me a while as the first place I ordered it from failed to inform me that it was out of stock and due the end of April.

How much wobble should an SDS wobble if an SDS could wobble wobble?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-dch273n-xj-2-5kg-18v-li-ion-xr-brushless-cordless-sds-drill-bare

with

https://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-extreme-2-dt9542-qz-sds-plus-shank-bit-10-x-260mm/4293V?

Going through:

Skim, thermal board, render, into stone. Prob about 10cm travel all in.

Haven't started yet because the thing looks too wobbly for a clean hole.

I plan to use these: https://www.screwfix.com/p/corefix-metal-plastic-100-heavy-duty-dot-dab-wall-fixings-10-x-95mm-24-pack/344HG?

To attach 3 cupboards (1 floor standing, 2 hanging)

I find that kind length is fine, its when you've got longer bits that it wanders like fuck.

What are you actually supposed to do in those situations? Just use a bigger screw to fill the gap?

I'm talking about drilling through a thick wall, not hanging something on the wall. For soemthing like that I drill the depth i want, chap the plug in and then use big screws. Works fine for hanging boilers.

I don't remember having a particular issue with this

Could your drill bit beeeeee any longer?

Spotted when I was in France in Jan.

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