Home DIY

I'm going to build myself a new kitchen. Is this a stupid idea?

It's what I'm doing after I finish the bathroom.

It's just a frame, ultimately.

I figured that. I'm not planning on moving any appliances either so even easier. I just went in to Magnet and got sneered at for asking if the acrylic worktops (you can mould sinks in to) were expensive. More than granite was the reply.

I'm still thinking about what how I'm going to handle the sink issue.

I've currently got a sort of Belfast trough, but the girlfiend hates it.

I like the idea of sinks/bowls sitting on the worksurface, and possibly being re-configurable.

I'm actually debating a sort of shower tray style thing inset into the worktop, then bowls that can be placed on that, with a very easily positionable tap that could cover the whole area.

I'm going to end up building my own kitchen as space is so tight. Not sure if I should try and use standard doors from B&Q, Ikea etc or just use the router to make a simple moulding.

I'm going for option 2 on that list.

I'll take my measurements to B&Q and get them to use their "big saw"* to cut to size, then finish the plywood doors myself.

*This, I am sure, has a proper name

Most people just clamp a level to the piece of work to use as a guide. Those tend to be straighter than a bit of tarry old board and less time consuming to make, because they are already made.

But yes, circulars are practically useless for precision work without them.

That would certainly win in the convenience stakes.

With my bit of board you can see exactly where the saw will cut, without having to measure it, which is why I made it.

I used the edge of my level as a guide to cut the bits of wood for the guide, if that makes sense.

Have you put rubber on the bottom of that or do you have to clamp it every time?

I always clamp it, but you could use (for example) that matting that stops carpets slipping or as you suggest a bit of rubber to stop it moving around.

Being a massive blouse I feel a bit safer clamping it.

Looks like a cracking saw- few quid though.

^Give me a shout if you want to try one

It'd probably make the creation of kitchen cabinets easier, thinking about it.

Does any one know where to buy a sliding door kit like this, all the ones i find are in the USA, just want simple barn door style.

The steelwork can be sourced easily enough and the rollers look like lift door rollers such as these

I can probably point you in the direction of someone who can bend the metal if you can paint it.

Get Armortex to powder coat it?

Thanks for the cellar replies all.

^ Replacing the pipe might also give you the opportunity to run it in a less conspicious place although looks like you also have a gas pipe running along the same wall?

Correct. Getting the gas meter moved at the same time as it's in a silly place.

On the proofing/breathability front it depends what you intend to use the space for. For storage etc I would be tempted to seal it up or else whatever you are storing will get moldy/mildewing over time. Not too familiar with brick sealants but imagine you can probably get a breathable one.

Yep storage primarily, workshop secondary (for which being insulated to 'garage standard', i.e. a little cold and drafty, but not too bad, is fine).

Fella, get rid of your lead pipe, for peace of mind if nothing else.

Yep, definitely happening now. It would have caused other problems with the work keeping it, so it was a no brainer in the end.

It was banned in the 70's becuase it is a serious health risk and that is coming from an era when smoking, drinking and fry ups were deemed as an "acceptable" lifestyle.

Drinking and fry ups aren't acceptable? :(

so 147 years later, the bricks need sealing?

re-point it and leave it alone.

as for the pipe, i'd replace it.

Well what my builder has told me is that over time the moisture gets into the wall and causes the pointing to crumble out, which is what's happened and is the problem I've got at the moment.

He reckons if he just repointed it should last about 15-20 years, or thereabouts, but then it would start doing the same thing, so he's proposing a Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) made of bitumen, which will then be covered with masonry paint (more because it's black and I don't want black walls than anything else). Apparently this keeps the moisture in/behind the wall, and add considerably to the life of the pointing, which is why he thinks its a better option, and it will keep the cellar dry too because it traps any moisture behind.

My only worry about this was what happens if the water builds up behind this layer, but as he has pointed out an underground wall is always going to have moisture in it, and it's actually very dry for a cellar anyway, so I think I'm happy to do it this way.

I'm getting him to pour a new concrete floor too, and he's going to put a DPM under that too in case water ever came up from below.

If it's dry now, what is the point of extensively sealing it?

Other than stopping the pointing from crumbling in 20 years?

Honestly, I'd move the pipes around, blast the walls (I have a Karcher you may borrow) then re-point and whitewash.

Unless you have a problem to solve, such as damp, then this sounds a bit like an exercise in lily-gilding.

Well, we quite possibly may well still be living here in 20 years. In the long term if we want a bigger place it would be much cheaper to extend the cellar out under the house and make it habitable than buying a new place, and if we did that three of the four walls we're doing will remain so we'd be glad we'd done them properly.

He said that often people don't bother with the sealing bit if they are just looking to shift the place in the short term, but as we're planning to stay long term he'd recommend it.

To be honest, it's really not going to cost a lot more, so there is an element of might as well too. Thanks for the offer of the Karcher, but I'm getting a builder to do this bit cos it's a messy, boring, dirty job :)

I also don't see the point of sealing walls which aren't damp.

It seems to me that the system (bricks, outside world etc) is in a nice state of equilibrium right now- no damp problem, basically.

I'd tend to adhere to the "why mess with success" line of thinking on this.

In my block we've had a massive (in some cases comically dreadful) issues in some flats with damp caused by condensation.

It's due to the flats being sealed too effectively- double glazing replacing old steel framed windows, with no trickle vents.

Also, if you are going to possibly extend at a later date why limit what you can do then, now? It's going too be a lot easier to dig down (for example) without there being a fresh concrete floor in the way...

But that said, if you want a nice fresh space, why not?

I imagine that the builder is happy to give some guarantees that the new space will be dry etc once the work is done?

We won't be digging down - sideways! The floor is highly uneven at the moment, if there's an affordable alternative to concrete I'd consider it (although God knows where I'll put the body then, it's starting to smell).

Yes, am aware of issue with sealing up Victorian flats too well. Fortunately this definitely isn't a problem - there's a grate thing underneath the step which lets lots of air in and will be staying, and there are air bricks at the back of the cellar which are unblocked. If anything it's probably a bit too drafty but at least condensation won't be a worry.

Oh and yes, he offers a good long guarantee if he does it this way - I get the feeling it's as much to cover him as anything, it's not going to boost his profit much. Which seems a good reason to go with it too.

We're now at the stage of fixing up before we decorate the upstairs.

Question regarding the doors - they're lovely white Victorian doors and I'd love to keep them.

They'll all need re fitting though from years of movement in the screw holes and I think one may need adding to the bottom - is that possible?

Adding material to the bottom of the door?

I'd just add a strip of hardwood, then paint the whole thing.

I'd also glue rather than nail the strip on, to prevent someone having a nasty surprise if they need to shorten the door again with a circular saw at some point in the future!

Yes that's all I meant - adding material to the bottom of the door, glad to know I can do it and I'm not imaging something.

Then I guess I have to have someone re hang them as they've been up years so the hinges will probably need moving to another position in the door.