Home DIY

I'm sure there was a discussion about this a while back but...

Last night I was helping a friend hang a new curtain rail. When drilling the holes for the bracket above the window we hit something very solid. The wall is brick/block so had a drill on hammer setting using a masonry bit. Several holes stopped at the same depth (about 20mm) so I think we've hit a steel beam.

Can I just drill into this using normal HSS bits? I only need to go another 5mm or so. Or are the beams used in construction hardened or anything that will make drilling into it hard work?

low water pressure. can anything be done? we've replaced the boiler which has improved things somewhat i want more pressure!

low water pressure. can anything be done? we've replaced the boiler which has improved things somewhat i want more pressure!

My parents used to have an electric pump in their airing cupboard for the "power" showers upstairs. It was noisy but worked well...

We have one, it's a noisy fucker but works fine, we only turn it on for showers because the baby's room is on the other side of the boiler cupboard.

D

I'm sure there was a discussion about this a while back but...

Last night I was helping a friend hang a new curtain rail. When drilling the holes for the bracket above the window we hit something very solid. The wall is brick/block so had a drill on hammer setting using a masonry bit. Several holes stopped at the same depth (about 20mm) so I think we've hit a steel beam.

Can I just drill into this using normal HSS bits? I only need to go another 5mm or so. Or are the beams used in construction hardened or anything that will make drilling into it hard work?

You can drill into a steel beam with HSS in theory, but in practice they are tough fuckers. This is why new builds often have a wooden batten nailed/gripfilled to the wall above the window for mounting curtain rails on. Perhaps doing this is a better approach?

Can I just drill into this using normal HSS bits? I only need to go another 5mm or so. Or are the beams used in construction hardened or anything that will make drilling into it hard work?

If it's the same as I had before you can drill into it but you might want to start with a smaller bit and graduate up.

Cheers guys. I had thought about a batten, but having taken the old rail down I'd like to get the job finished sooner than the weekend (when we'll be able to get some timber).
I always pilot with a 3mm bit (because that's the smallest I have) when drilling metal. The hole only needs to be about 5mm wide so stepping up to that should be fine.

I will give it a go this eve and see how tough the steel is. If that's a no go then batten it will be!

Time to tile the kitchen...
Removing the tiles leaves me with this mess of bare plasterboard, plaster and tile adhesive. My plan is to use a power sander to remove the old adhesive.

Can I tile straight over that or should I
A) re-skim to make it level
B) remove the remaining plaster?

After 7 years of complete inactivity when it comes to doing anything in my house it has got to such a state where things are literally falling apart around us and water is starting to leak from a pipe somewhere in he wall it seems.
DIY is not what I do in any way or shape. My question is where does one start if one wants a new kitchen and bathroom. I have a reputable guy to install and I know a good plumber but where is a good place to purchase a kitchen and or bathroom and would 10K be enough to get decent fittings, design and fitted?

I really have no idea about any of this. Cheers

The money's in the the frippery customers want to give the finished look. Wickes is good enough place to start, although if you know trade guys do they have any contacts?

Ask your reputable guy?

I bought our kitchen with appliances from IKEA, tiles from Wickes, for sub £5K, but DIY installed. Our 3 piece bathroom was from Wickes for £600, but we didn't like the sink, after adding tiles and a couple of cupboards was £2k, but again DIY installed.

@bq - it'd be quicker to rip off the old plasterboard wall and re-do.You then get a nice even surface to tile on. Cutting and fixing pb to battens is a piece of piss and as you're tiling over you don't need to worry about taping and skimming, just wash over with pva before commencing tiling. Only area that will need attention is at the joints between other walls and ceiling. Tips, invest in a powered tile cutter table, get the joints spot on, and take your time with grouting

Time to tile the kitchen...
Removing the tiles leaves me with this mess of bare plasterboard, plaster and tile adhesive. My plan is to use a power sander to remove the old adhesive.

Can I tile straight over that or should I
A) re-skim to make it level
B) remove the remaining plaster?

Sanding that would be a nightmare- take the old adhesive off with a cold chisel and just get it roughly flat, don't remove the remaining plaster unless it's blown, and don't bother skimming it.

Mind you, the landscape goes a long way towards making up for the weather and the poor build-quality of housing.

Oh it absolutely does, but only if you are into the outdoors lifestyle. For us it's just amazing but if you're young, old, sick, or poor, then New Zealand is a real shithole of a country. Incidentally even down here in Dunedin the weather is warmer, drier, and more settled than most of the UK (and Kiwis call us whiny!)

Anyway, I bought a cheap dehumidifier which has been running for a few hours and has filled up once already. I've found a source of cheap Mylar (tough flexible clear plastic) which'll allow me to diy-double-glaze the place for about $100 (that's fifty quid), if the landlord lets me. So it looks like our shack will be bearable this winter without having to resort to sleeping in our sleeping bags.

After 7 years of complete inactivity when it comes to doing anything in my house it has got to such a state where things are literally falling apart around us and water is starting to leak from a pipe somewhere in he wall it seems.
DIY is not what I do in any way or shape. My question is where does one start if one wants a new kitchen and bathroom. I have a reputable guy to install and I know a good plumber but where is a good place to purchase a kitchen and or bathroom and would 10K be enough to get decent fittings, design and fitted?

I really have no idea about any of this. Cheers

Victoria Plumb for bathroom, utility fixtures and fittings, Howdens for kitchen although the later only sell to trade so you need to get your man to go down there with a list. 10k should see you right depending on size, tiles, taste, blah blah blah

Wickes are worth a squizz at their showroom if you're looking for inspiration.

My flat roof appears to be leaking so I could do with going up to take a look. Is it safe to walk on one or should I be using crawl boards? Cheers

Theres only one way to find out, have a go!

I'm interested in this as we live on the top of a big hill and the water pressure is not great.

Would you not have to have a header tank though? I am aware that this might be a silly question.

How best to prep gloss pain for a fresh coat? I'm laying some new on the stairs and landing so it needs to adhere properly

break tank not always required > http://www.salamander-pumps.com/salamander-home-boost.html

rub down, undercoat, 2 top coats

Spirit based not water based / acrylic crap, whatever it says on the tin.

Where can I get hold of blue engineering bricks for finishing the top course of a brick barbecue?

from pretty much any builder's merchants

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Blue-Engineering-Brick-215x102-5x65mm/p/213636