Home DIY

I was in the same boat and bought some cheap carpet tiles off ebay as a temporary solution. No underlay underneath so not the most comfortable. I did 3 bedrooms for £90

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Thats bloody good! Having threshold issues too despite me banging on about their importance from the very beginning. 5MM cork tiles may the solution.

any recommendations for specific expanding foam to fill the larger gaps between walls and ceilings where they've not bothered to make it join property and hid it with coving, will be re- covered in coving afterwards but would prefer to try and get it mostly ok behind if i can.

How much of this are you going to have to do?

If it's just a one off get one of those massive cans from Screwfix.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/soudal-gap-filling-foam-hand-held-750ml/46137

I found this Soudal one fine and the applicator worked.

If you're likely to do a lot, get a separate gun, cleaner and canisters based on the use case - e.g. Cheap, fire resistant, etc.

I've done it for clients. It works but then they find the sealant around the edges is not opaque enough. It never seems necessary and thick curtains would do the job.

Do you mean they later decide it's too dark?

The problem is our current blackout curtains don't seal against the window tightly enough and so light gets around the edges.

Not sure if forum approved... @middleofnowhere ?

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Please buy these - for the graphic design alone..
or
Maybe order a sample of some osmo floor oil - see how that looks on the chipboard - might work.

Also - don't paint the chipboard - it will be horrible and you will hate yourself and it.

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What does that review actually mean though? They used expanding foam to hold up tiles?

I used it to fill in pipe work. This is what it looked like after it hardened and I sawed off the excess.

(Fwiw someone suggested putting card over the plastic fittings to prevent foam sticking - if anyone tries this, make sure to put a weight or blocker of some sort to hold the card as the expansion from the foam moves/pushes it out. In the end it was sawn off, but I guess largely did the job.

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Note that instructions say it needs to be clean and dust free otherwise it won't adhere. Think of dusting a worktop before laying dough. If its anything you can't get 100% dust free you spray it with water (I guess dilute pva would be the best?). But from previous experience if the surface is dirty it just falls away and makes a mess everywhere. I'd put a tenner on that being the reviewers issue.

As I said you've got to weigh up the amount of use. If one can will do, then just spend the £8 or whatever, don't over think it and follow the instructions.

If you've got loads and will be using it a lot, then spend the £20 on a gun, £10 on cleaner, and £10 on one that matches the exact requirements for each purpose.

Cheers. I guess 3M are probably big enough that there's a good chance of a lengthy supply of issues.

Admittedly given I have a bit of a beard that isn't on 3M's list of approved facial hair then whatever I use probably isn't going to be perfect.

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If you search this thread there was a conversation about masks for beards.

They're more expensive, but honestly it's worth just getting something decent from the getgo

@Sheppz

adjustable plastic pedestals

Something like this?
https://www.wickes.co.uk/Jouplast-Plastic-Adjustable-Decking-Risers---50-to-80mm---Pack-of-10/p/149406

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Yup

could be more of a bonding plaster or standard powder filler job

Your work?
Bricolor samples ordered.

Not dark enough, i.e. there is still a very small amount of light that can show around the sides because the sealant between the u channel and the wall is not absorbing it all.

Personally I don't understand why the 90% reduction in light from daylight blinds despite the leakage at the sides is not enough, I don't really get why people want 100% darkness during daylight hours. Seems to be a new requirement. Each to their own though.

As you are asking about the practical problems achieving that though, in my experience people are rarely satisfied with the results and don't achieve 100% blackout without a lot of work.

Re: kneepads bodge. When I was renovating our house I had a couple of pairs of these cheap Site kneepads . Problem was they get sweaty and annoying so in a fit of pique I cut the thinner top strap off and just use the fatter bottom strap. They flap a bit but pretty much stay put and 7 years later I'm still using them!

I pretty much require 100% darkness and silence to sleep, which has been a problem for a while with a snoring SO – and now we've finally moved up to somewhere with two bedrooms the house is [oh woe is me] bathed in glorious sunshine from every angle by 4am. There are worse problems to have, I'll just not sleep in summer I reckon. Stupid bay windows.

Probably best to get some heavy blackout lined curtains if you really need darkness then. When I've fitted the u channel it's seemed very very dark in the rooms but once your eyes adjust to the darkness it's likely that you will still detect some light leakage.

roman blinds and blackout curtains still gives so much light haha. i'm kind of over it though, i'm sure i can train myself to deal with it eventually. The bay is tricky for bleed around the edges but I'm going to bury magnets in the wall, and sew some into the curtain, to hold it a bit tighter. My interim method of command-stripping a steel ruler to the wall, with magnets on the outside of the curtain, isnt that great

the velcro attached blackout panels marketed for babies to sleep during the day work pretty well.

Probably didn't make it clear that I'm recommending the normal type of curtains that we all used to have before blinds etc. became so popular. They are very good if they're made properly at cutting out all the light. Expensive though.

Thanks for clarifying.

Right now there is a huge amount of light blead. No doubt the type of curtains which are blackout, but unfortunately a bit stiff.

But it's the pleats that create the passages for the light.

Personally I'm fine without blackout blinds. Less fine with my kid fucking around until 9pm and waking at 5.30.

100% darkness isn't needed. But if DIY u channels + ikea blackout blinds = 70% blockage for 70% of the cost then that'll work.

tried the tommee tippee sucker pad blackout thingy?
attaches to the glass - defo not perfect, but might help?

fencing advice needed - we have a 3ft-ish of brick wall between us and some noisy neighbours.

i'd like to put a more solid fence above the brickwall to block out a bit of noise/chatter.

my idea had been to use some bolt-down fence post holders and then add another 3ft of fence panelling above the wall.

The wall is in pretty good condition, the top course are laid on their sides and it's either been repointed or rebuilt with cement mortar rather than some old victorian guff.

Even though the wall is right between buildings so wind is fairly minimal, i think i should be more worried about the windloading and fence pulling off the top course of bricks?

I'm not keen on posts against the wall, which would probably be more sensible, becauese aesthetics.

any advice welcome