Recent content by womble69

Thanks, that's exactly what I needed to know. :)

As it flooded a year a ago, I put in a basic French drain across the front of my workshop. Just stone, no pipe or liner. It did the job, but it's now silted up. I've dug it out again and am now ready to do a better job. It's only 9ft. I just want to fill it with stone, no pipe. What's the best...

I have a small new outbuilding built of blocks. I'm noticing the start of water penetration. It seems to be mainly along the odd mortar joint, but that may not actually be the point of entry. The blocks are quite coarse - not fine faced. As the entry seems to be quite selective, I also suspect...

Thanks for replies. It will be inside the new workshop. Spontaneous combustion? What are you trying to do to me? :eek:

I'm building a workbench and using 18mm hardfaced ply as the top (there will be copious strengthening below. I have a lot of surplus 4"x2"). Should I seal it? If so, what's the best product? The outer edge (it butts to the wall), will probably have a softwood edging strip to protect it. The...

I'm building a small single storey garden outbuilding. The first four courses are 6" hollows filled with concrete. Thereafter I will use 7N lightweight blocks (weight is an issue). The manufacturer tells me these are OK for outside use but need to be painted. Can anyone recommend a suitable paint?

Another candidate for the Darwin Awards.

Thanks for the replies. I think a retaining wall might be going too far - the cut-in is only 5ft - although I'm wondering about 6" hollow blocks for the rear (the side cut into the slope), just to be sure. Plain blocks for the other 3 sides. (What sort, demnsity of blocks?). Will the hollow...

I've finally got around to putting the base in. I've put a heavy duty DPM under the slab and around up to ground level (thick black line on plan). Will brieze blocks be ok for the walls? Or should I maybe at least use blue brick up to ground level? Or brieze and tank/otherwise treat as well...

Workshop cut into and built into clay slope. Brieze bocks on a concrete base. Diagram below. Will the rear wall and the concrete base resist damp penetration, or do I need to take additional measures?

What was the purpose of such a thing?

No future at all.

Change to Linux. It's free, it's better, and it doesn't spy on you. Microsft is also rumoured to be looking to change to a subscription model.

It was revealed many years ago that hospitals sell organs to each other. It's a nice earner for hospitals with busy A&E departments. When this was exposed, the going rate for a kidney was £400. You may even remember the great Blood Bank Scandal, when the country 'ran out of blood' and there was...

I'm building a workshop (floor for footfall only. No vehicles). About 10' by 8'. First in will be a concrete base. For reasons of economy, the walls will probably be blocks. Here's the problem. It's on a 1:10 slope, most of which is clay. It has been terraced however. I could build it at the...