Home DIY

A photo would help. But personally if it's just a small brick hole I'd fill it with expanding foam. I'd properly get a bin bagpush that into the hole somewhat cut to size, then fill into the bin bag. But mixing mortar and shoving a brick in isn't hard, and no one will see th ebad job if it's up high.

Sorry, that would have helped, wouldn't it!

On zooming I can see that it's not just a brick out. It's actually been cut out. So correct fix is remove what looks like 2 bricks and then mortar them in.

Also in the plan is to knock out the stud wall to the right, and then build a new insulated stud wall to the left, to bring all of this void into the thermal envelope.

I think your idea of bin bag or similar filled up with expanding foam could be a good idea. It'll very quickly fill the hole to prevent drafts for right now, and then be easily taken out later when I want to do the right fix. Thank you!

It's an old house with lime mortar, and I've got some pointing work to do elsewhere. I've told myself it's a job for the spring once the weather is better, though. I'll probably do this at the same time.

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remembered i have a box of outlets and switches sitting around to replace all the awful ones around the house from previous owners.

gf is away a few times in next couple of weeks so will take opportunity to be able to shut power off in the day and get them changed over.

any recommendations for a decent socket tester or is a £10 jobbie gonna be fine?

I bought one like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Display-Electrical-Receptacle-Detector-Inspections/dp/B0CZD5PJ7R and it works well enough.

The electricians that did my EICR recently saw it and said "ooh, that looks fancy". Worked well enough to diagnose a few miswired sockets in the house (one L/N swapped and one faulty earth).

Their testing with a ££££ Megger found a few more things that this socket tester didn't find.

Or just do the same with some fabric insulation, if you have some spare.

Hoping someone can help suggest how best to repaint this wall, or rather section of wall with paintwork issues. Moved into this place just over 2 years ago. Over the last 6/8 months or so, have noticed these spots coming through more and more. The spots aren’t wet, I’ve put tissue against them and nothing sticks or comes onto the tissue. The colour of the spots hasn’t changed, just more coming with time. It’s only this one section, above the level of the window, and only on this one wall in the whole house. About 18 months ago I scraped back some peeling paint in the top left of this wall, came off in flakes back to the plaster. I sanded the edges and repainted quickly as it was only a small section. That section doesn’t show any of these spots. What is it, does it matter, and what’s the best way to strip/repaint this so it doesn’t come back? Thanks.

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it is something underneath causing a stain, right? where i have had similar I have used something like Zinser primer. If it is some form of oily or greasy substance, it might take a couple of coats.

Looks like mould to me. The cracking makes me think so too, being in corners etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEhhNqYkmAE

Thanks. I did wonder if it was mould, but doubted myself as the wall isn’t damp to the touch, we have very rarely any issues with condensation on the window, and the spots are not black like in the video above. However, I’ve just read that mildew can be lighter than mould so maybe that.

Is there any better hardware for achieving this opening mechasim? Using a brass chain currently but it breaks very easily.

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Tricky with the shelf there

Something like this

Have a look at lid stay hinges. Various sizes to be had

could notch the shelves on each corner to give it clearance.

Flap stay is the search term ye need

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cabinet-Guide-Nickel-Plated-Handed/dp/B01BSPYTKM/ref=asc_df_B01BSPYTKM

More planning for spring. But possibly over Xmas...

My youngest is still in their little bed. They've probably got 3-6m left in it.

On one side of the room there is a protusion from the staircase into the room, so it seems sensible to turn this into a built-in bed.

Points to consider:

• external cold wall (going full-Hovis and knocking back to brick isn't realistic/has been vetoed)
  
• sockets currently underneath
  
• radiator
  
• laminate floor
  
  

Questions:

1. Material? - I think MR MDF is more sensible due to the cold wall and risk of damp, or will regular be aok?
   
2. Insulation? - I was planning on putting insulation against the wall around the bed (green) to make it warmer but is there a risk of mould?
   
3. Sockets? - can I move and mount them in the bed frame? If I wanted a plug on the top for a lamp, what is the safest method?
   
4. Radiator? - the bed would intersect with the radiator, so I'd either have to a) leave a recess, b) have some sort of not shit looking unifyied radiator cover, c) install a smaller rad 😕 , d) something else.
   
5. Air gaps? - does there need to be some sort of air gap, and are slats best vs a full sheet?
   
   

Cheers.

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Something like this looks cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbKLnWPbQAw

If it were me I'd be tempted to customise something (these for instance are easy to chop to size and pretty cheap https://www.strictlybedsandbunks.co.uk/product-category/bed-frames/ or one of the cabin beds) rather than try and build it all new. Mattress sizes will be your restriction.

For sockets I'd just use an extenstion rather than trying to do anything fancy.

Cheers.

Now looking on FBM for beds to mod.

For me the radiator is quite a big potential blocker. It is 18cm too far to the left.

I hear your point about sockets. But it'll be a bit of a fucker to loose access.

Tired of shit masking tape. Who makes a good one?

Not in a hurry so internet order is ok.

Green wide frog tape is good if applied properly.

For painting, both Frog Tape and ProDec Advance seem decent, from your DIY retailer of choice. But I think application (both of the tape and the paint) and removal, when the paint is dry enough but not too dry, are also key to success

I'd start with one or two chest of drawers, ikea malm beeing the obvious.
Then have a slatted frame on top. No idea how to make the radiator side look nice, box it in with enough ventilation, maybe mirroring the other end? Also depends on the lenght you have. Probably wouldn't bother with isolating as it looks narrow already.

Everbuild filler worked a treat, thanks for the recommendation.

I'm pleasantly surprised by how this turned out, it was by far the worst of the chairs I bought but it looks gresg now. The water stain looks like natural variation in the wood.

1 down, three to go.

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