Sealing the Flue An unused flue can be draughty and allow rain to enter the stack. If you have no intention of using the fire place and chimney facility, it is possible to seal the flue. However care must be taken to allow ventilation inside the stack to keep it dry and avoid a build […]
Mortise lock By fitting a mortise lock on your door, it is difficult to force open as it is fitted into the thickness of the door. It is cut into the edge of the door and only the faceplate is visible when the door is opened. The door stile needs to be at least 45mm
Temporary Repair Working on the roof It may not be possible to replace a tile immediately. In order to minimise any water damage, weather proof the tile temporarily. Prop up the tiles that overlap the cracked one with wooden wedges, and use a wire brush to clean the surface round the crack. Using a piece
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Ceramic tiles Ceramic tiles are durable, water-resistant and resistant to stains and spillages. They are available in numerous colours, patterns and shapes and are made of natural clay, decorated on one side with coloured glaze. The surfaces are normally glazed, but do not have such a highly polished shine as wall tiles, while others are
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Caution Electricity is dangerous and can be hazardous. In doubt? Call a qualified electrician. Replacing a one way light switch SWITCH OFF ELECTRICITY AT THE MAINS First switch off the mains supply at the consumer unit and remove the fuse for the circuit you are working on. Undo the two fixing screws on the switch
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Wallpaper If there is a prominent pattern, matching the pattern can mean quite long ends going to waste. Make sure that enough wallpaper is bought to complete the job. When buying the rolls, check that they come from the same batch, to avoid slight colour variations. If you are planning to hang the wallpaper immediately,
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Caution Electricity is dangerous and can be hazardous. In doubt? Call a qualified electrician. Preparing flex for connection You will require a sharp knife to strip the flex. Lay the end of the flex on a firm surface and with the knife cut lengthways through the sheathing to the end of the wire, ensuring not
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Hardwood Ash, Beech, Cherry, Chestnut, Elm, English Oak, Imported Oak, Japanese Oak, Lime, Mahogany, Rosewood, Teak, Walnut. Hardwood is both strong and durable. It is more expensive than softwood because of its longer life span. It is often used for furniture making. Take care to choose wood with established growth. Younger sapwood is softer to
Introduction Insulating walls will help to conserve energy, but the methods employed are more expensive. Insualting cavity walls Insulation can be injected into cavity walls. Cavity walls can be filled with moisture-resistant plastic foam or mineral wool. Unless the cavity walls have been filled during the building stage, a contractor will have to be employed
Rack bolt Rack bolts are particularly popular fitted to sliding doors, at the top and bottom of the frame as extra security locks. These bolts are mortised into the edge of the door and therefore prevent somebody forcing the door open. If someone breaks the glass to force entry, it is difficult to see where
