Recent content by David_DIY_idiot

Sadly true!

Thanks everyone - absolutely smashed the replies. Amazon are now getting a grilling from me about selling dangerous, non-compliant crap - I doubt they'll listen, but they may at least punish this specific seller or pull this product. I'm glad there's folk out there who will chip in to advise on...

Purchased from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F3XHRBQK?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1 Made in China I'm sure!

Yep, that's metal. They expect the cardboard to keep the wires and metal separate I expect, like this: But that just looks dodgy to me - hardly precision engineering.

I do appreciate the help btw! Not to sound ungrateful, I'm just annoyed they're potentially selling something not fit for purpose. So if I it was you you'd just stick it up and it would probably be fine? Doesn't look particularly dodgy?

Thanks eric, so what you're saying is, even though the bit I included in the photos MIGHT be safe, the bit that attaches to the wall needs earthed aswell, so it may aswell go in the bin as that would look orders of magnitude beyond ugly?

I know *nothing* about electrics. I bought a plug-in wall light. While I was attaching the shade to the lamp holder and screwing in the bulb, I noticed a cardboard tube. I assumed this should be removed, but second guessed myself when I seen the wiring and thought it might be there for a...

So the tiler finished grouting the other day and I've decided I'm not mad keen on the colour - it's a medium grey (I thought it was much lighter going by the stuff in the bag). I've heard rumours of tinted grout sealant which might kill two birds with one stone - improve the look and protect...

Thanks RandomGrinch!

I ripped out an old cupboard to turn it into an alcove for a fridge. I need to remove a small section of what looks like horse hair lathe and plaster (see photo). As the house is 100 years old, and I don't know if this is original, should I be concerned about any dangerous materials or should i...

Great feedback all - really useful. Thanks a lot. An old doorbell seems a really likely suggestion considering the old wired one has been removed and replaced with a wireless one. I'll do as you suggest and put them in a terminal block for now until my electrician can get out.

Was cleaning the understairs cupboard in our new house and this popped out at me. It's setting off my wee detector, but only on low, not the big alarm you get when you touch plug sockets. It's a 100 year old house so could be from any era! Can't trace it back any further as it goes right under...

Just noticed a little problem. Each row is almost exactly 2.5 boards. I think this means I can't just keep using the last cut of one row to start the next row, or I'll end up with an H-pattern / H-joints. Came up with a solution where for the third row I take a cut off the first board and last...

Can you explain what this means please, Daz? Thanks for all this, Blue. Feeling confident. It's a new build room and it's never had skirting, so I have the luxury of worrying about that later. Great tip about starting at the door. There's just enough of a gap between the inside of the french...

Good point, I'll experiment with both layouts.