Home DIY

Not Fuel, don't talk to me or my son ever again.

True, but they are brushless, so perf. for DIY stuff.

Thnx for this tip! Found bed bugs in my daughter’s room last week and was a bit annoyed. Immediately steamed her bed with a handheld steamer and put diatomaceous earth everywhere which killed a few but also contacted Bed Bug Ladies. They were very nice to deal with and came around today for the first time. They use micro-encapsulated pesticides that take a few weeks to work. Return visits are included in the price, fingers crossed it’s not necessary.

Hi, we have Victorian wooden windows which we tried to repair minor rotten bits by cutting out and filling with filler like this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/ronseal-wood-filler-white-1kg/261gy

The windows are south-facing and the expansion of the filler doesn't match the wood. It means the repairs have cracked and have either fallen out or the paint has broken.

What is the correct product for filling and fixing?

There are a few 2 part epoxy resins made for this purpose. My preference is DryFlex from Repaircare. Cost of entry to the 'system' is quite expensive, if you plan on doing this kind of work again in the future it is worthwhile and the epoxy resins lasts at least a couple of years in an open tube.

Perfect, thank you very much. I can get that from Dulux Decorator Centre, and keep the other half happy by doing it tomorrow.

Do I just paint over the top of it as normal? I have used the Weathershield paint set previously.

I usually prime it with Zinnser 123 or Coverstain. It seems paintable with pretty much anything, Weathershield should be fine.

Once it's dried I usually shape it with a plane or chisels as much as possible then sand lightly to make it smooth. If you have to sand it a lot it can heat up and gets a bit messy.

If you need to fill small surface imperfections you're supposed to use the repaircare fine surface filler. I've used toupret wood filler in the past and it's not failed after 6+ years.

They have some useful videos :-

https://www.repair-care.co.uk/category/how-to-video/

finally managed to get the second coat of stain onto our decking, only took since the start of july to have enough consecutive days of uninterrupted sunshine to get the whole job done.

sidenote: is there a law i'm unaware of that dictates all decking stain brushes and pads (kit or otherwise) must be made to the barest minimum useable standard? they're all fucking shite. every other bit of diy kit at least has a sturdy variant that will last for a bit extra. everything i could find was so flimsy or didnt offer refills which basically made the whole thing one time use only (per coat, not even per job).

my mum's front door sticks quite badly, it needs trimming at the bottom. Probably 3/4mm need taking off the bottom right hand side. Is there any way I can do this without removing the door from it's hinges?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/evolution-minibelt2-1-2-electric-thin-belt-sander-230v/54960?tc=IB5&gclid=CjwKCAjwr_CnBhA0EiwAci5sigZnireIrYcfx5SnKLlWqKPu8LOksousG5uV3RBfZfIFBkdSuWMwJRoCfdgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I've done it with an oscillating multitool. It was pretty annoying though

Can you get it in to a position where you can slide a single sheet of sandpaper (lowish like 80 grit or something) under it and sand in a motion akin to the popular dance move 'flossing'?

Otherwise take it off the hinges if you can, loads simpler

Take it off and do it properly, removing and refitting doors is not very difficult, even without help.

go buy a pack of marlboro red, undo the lower hinge and replace the obligatory 1980s tare- off packing, (but what might help is clamping on a straight edge offcut guide )

I did the same, now I take them off the hinges and use a handsaw/jigsaw/multi-tool as it’s easier and more precise.

Anyone need a mitre saw?

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/390035/#comment17118749

I need to trim the bottom of my shed door. It weighs 80+kg though...

Is that 3/4 of one mm or 3-4mm?

If less than a mm, I just used the sandpaper trick as said above. If 3-4mm if have it off and saw it.

Ha, just came to cross post this here! Great little saws.

Eldest had a tantrum and fucked the already precarious decking of the Wendy House.

Replacing with these seems like the easiest and acceptable option price wise.

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Premium-Natural-Pine-Deck-Board---28-x-140-x-2400mm/p/101000
Product details
Length: 2400 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Width: 140 mm
Material: Pine
Colour: Natural

Do people think a 1cm "expansion gap" on 5 boards will be OK? Or will it look a bit shit/pose a risk?

Cheers.

Can’t really comment on your plan but I had to replace the same boards on my daughters Wendy house some time ago and I got boards (very similar to the ones you have posted) with fake grass stuck to them. They looked well and worked well. Might be something to consider.

Cheers

I have use Wickes boards before, they're ok but will vary wildly in dryness, so whatever gap you start with will invariably change. I would only worry that 10mm could quickly become 12-13mm if they dry out. Little fingers could easily find their way in there. What span are you covering? I'm assuming the 1cm gap is to avoid buying additional/ripping an extra board?

Exactly.

It's 74x96cm*

I want to run them long ways as I don't think over that span I'll need any support midway (they're much thicker boards than present).

I think you've made a really good point, so I should just suck up the extra £6. It's just that thing of a fix feeling closer to £20 and buying an extra board juet for 1m of it.

I'm sure the remainder will get used.

I had a look on FBM, but it's just people wanting all their rotten decking removed for them with the draw of a couple of salvageable bits. I'm also shocked by seeing posts recommending it for wood burners.

*well the span is a bit under that

https://fulhamtimber.co.uk/32x150mm-castle-groove-decking-board-softwood-treated-27x-145mm-finished-size/