Home DIY

That was already on my list 👍🏻
Although, I'd prefer rigid ducting to minimise length and keep it smooooooooth,.

Which wall plugs should I use to attach shelves to plasterboard which has 90mm rigid insulation attached to it? Would it be better to find the metal studs behind and use very long screws (not sure if this will be possible with shelves layout?)

Would you replace this clay pipe for a pvc one, given it’s going under concrete (again).

I was about to smash it up and remove it but then realised it’s ventilation from an air brick on the outside through to the edge of the room adjacent that has a suspended floor.

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Yes, just looked and there are concealed grub screws.

Unvented cylinders?
Project flat could either go.... regular hot water tank in attic, already has one of these hateful things.
Hot water boxes (mini unvented tanks in bathroom + kitchen + electric shower*

*Have extra hatred for UK warm dribble type showers. You can have a 5 minute shower and parts of your body are still dry. No thanks. I could happily live in an abandoned bus shelter so long as I can get a proper shower, speaking from experience living in abandoned buildings back when life was like that.

Place has massive water pressure + flow, don't know the exact numbers but way better than our existing flat and it has enough for everything.

Unvented cylinder in bathroom, probably 150 litres is enough? Its for us for a few days a fortnight but also guests (upto 4). Figured bigger cylinder better when lots of folk have showers back to back. Most showers on this system are gonna flow > 10 litres minute, so 150 litres at 60c only really gives 2 x 10 min showers at 40/45c (or whatever mix most folk would set the temp to) before needing to recharge. And a 3kw element is going to take a while. But, more often that not it will be enough water.
https://www.heatershop.co.uk/gledhill-stainless-es-unvented-150-litre-cylinder-direct-connection?gclid=Cj0KCQiA95aRBhCsARIsAC2xvfx5q57EfcFCuYieamkpTYERxFhw46g4reZFt8LkX_Hb1dasRbkstTUaAmAqEALw_wcB
These guys seem popular, stainless and full shebang for £330 inc fit kit, element etc. Seems OK?
'Rointe' make one that the immersion is on a Wifi controller (useful as it is a sporadic use flat) for not much more, but folk have said its enameled steel instead of stainless which is less ideal, and high failure rate of the electronics. Guess there is some magic plug in wifi controller that will run an immersion heater out there?

It's all Qs and no As today!

I like ours although after 5 years we still haven't got round to installing solar panels and connecting them to the second heating coil which was part of the original reason for doing it. I think ours is more like 200l. It's got a bit of heft - Telford Tempest

Were I in your position, having excavated this much,
I would reposition the airbrick so the pipe runs in a straight line,
parallel with the (front?) door, so you know where the ventilation point is.
Would also repace with plastic.
Is the distance short enough you can run an unjointed section of plastic pipe?

I don't think so, unless it's broken you have no reason to replace it.

That back door's getting bricked up shortly :)
But the distance from the back wall to where the suspended floors start is 2m give or take.

Its for us for a few days a fortnight but also guests (upto 4)

Unhygienic or golf club?

The surface on firedoors usually has quite a distinct grain. Sanding through the veneer to make them smooth is a possibility, they are designed to be painted after all. Normally a bit of sanding with some build up of primer and paint gives them a smooth appearance. I would try cleaning up the darker marks with ct1 multisolve or everbuild wipes (not just any wipes though, they are the only ones I use based on experience). Maybe a bit of light sanding with the grain.

The other door. Don't risk heat because the risk of cracking the glass is too high and it would be very difficult to replace. Tape the glass before you sand (150 ish grit) then use a decent primer like zinsser 123+, should be able to put anything else on top of that.

Did that lead you to take the handles off and see what's going wrong underneath?

Hard to say, depends on the load bearing for the shelves, number of fixings etc.

My favourites for most plasterboard applications are these but they have their quirks.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/easyfix-self-drill-plasterboard-fixings-metal-32mm-100-pack/2422h

Golf club adjacent!

Thanks. Having looked at it again yesterday the top rail is massively on the piss so I have more issues than I first assumed!

Not yet, I felt just before bathtime may not be the time to do that.

Maybe a question for the knife thread, but does anyone have a recommendation for a folding Stanley knife?

Coming to the conclusion that Stanley knives are often better for most uses than a proper knife. But I've misplaced my cheap retractable one (which is a bit shit anyway) and my fixed one is, well, fixed.

Cheers.

I quite like the Magnusson one from B&Q. Has a regular serrated/plain knife blade on one side and a stanley type on t'other. Cheap and seems robust. Easy to use with one hand.

https://www.diy.com/departments/magnusson-2-5-lockback-knife/1782696_BQ.prd

I've got this one, it's fine. You can change the blade just by pushing the red button which is a bonus. Think I picked it up for less than a tenner.
https://www.ffx.co.uk/Product/Get/Stanley-Sta010825-3253560108250-Fatmax-Retractable-Folding-Knife

Not sure if it's much better than the classic though
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-99E-Retractable-Blade-Knife/dp/9820372690

Thank you for this. Expertise always very gratefully received. I have bought the everbuild wipes and some zinser 123 in prep....

I have this - the knife blade is very useful too.

Stanley 010813 Sport Quickslide Utility Knife https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002TVMVF0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_A13B59G1S5RFPRD26K59?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Just replaced the Bessey one I had for a decade before losing it. Got a Milwaukee fastback.
https://www.protrade.co.uk/product/milwaukee-fastback-knife-c-w-blade-storage/

There’s a new version but I didn’t fancy it.

https://www.protrade.co.uk/product/milwaukee-6-in-1-fastback-flip-utility-knife/

Rolson.

This style

https://www.ffx.co.uk/product/Get/Bessey-Dbkwh-Eu-4010220030516-Bladed-Wood-Handle-Jack-Knife

Cheers all.

I was looking at the Gerber Edge TacHide - Utility Knife and also that ^ one above, but I'll check the others out.