Search results

I wouldn't pull them up, you'll ruin the boards. Find where they are squeaking and put screws in with a powered screwdriver. That'll pull them down tight to the joists and stop the squeaking. Watch out for water pipes and electric cables underneath though, but that's standard advice when laying...

Now that the block paved drive is finished I'm going to make a pair of 6ft x 4.5ft driveway gates and wondering what size of timber to use. Each gate will have a Z frame and a t&g cladding. Should the Z frame top and bottom pieces be at the extreme top & bottom or set up from the bottom of the...

I finished the drive 2 weeks ago so I thought I'd better post some before and after photos. I'm pleased with it and had several passers-by say it looked great so it must be passable ! Thanks for all your help and advice guys, much appreciated (y)

My Mums bungalow has a valley and it's been leaking for a while. I have been up and can't see any cracks in the lead and last winter re pointed 1 or 2 places under the concrete tiles but it is still leaking. So I'm going to have another go, and check the lead again very carefully. I'm going to...

A neighbour had his drive block paved by a local firm just 2 weeks ago and its rutting in the drive entrance already. I mentioned your advice about the lean mix concrete in the first 4 ft so he's going to get them back to fix it. What mix would you suggest I use for that first 4ft strip in the...

Thanks guys, that makes sense as when I walk around looking at older drives, they are almost always rutted within the 1st yard or so of the entrance.

So I've got a guy starting Monday to dig out and stone up for me and I'll do the block paving myself. I know that unsupported edge blocks should be laid on a damp grit sand / cement haunch so they won't move but I'm wondering if the first row of blocks that will be right across the driveway...

thanks guys :)

I need to calculate how much MOT I will need to order for the sub base of my block paved drive. I will be able to work out the m3 once it's dug out but does anyone know the conversion factor from cubic metre to loose tonne "40mm Down MOT" Is 2 tonne compacted per m3 about right ?

After digging out the lawn and tarmac drive I'm going to compact the 100mm crusher run in my residential driveway in 2 x 50mm stages. If I roll it with a walk behind roller first will it compress harder than just a plate compactor or will several passes of a plate compactor / wacker do the job...

John - thanks for that I'm tempted to buy a used wacker then I can take my time as I have 66 m2 to do on my own otherwise the rental could add up to a bit. As an aside, does anyone know if these are Red pavers or Brindle, I would have said Brindle but they look too red to me

Just looking at Wacker / Compactor plates, wondering what size to get as they come in different sizes, a small wacker will take forever up & down the crush, a heavy one is perfect for the crush but will it be too much for running over the finished blocks ?

I was thinking of using these metal conduits from Screwfix "DETA CLASS 4 CONDUIT TUBE GALVANISED 20MM X 3M" hopefully they will be strong & straight enough. But then this week I saw a paving firm using thin flat plates as rails. He carefully placed a block under a string which was at finished...

Hi, I'm planning on block paving my drive and front lawn. I'm going to get lads in with a digger to do all the scraping off and then I will put the crush down myself and level it etc. When it comes to screeding the sand, I have read the excellent site http://www.pavingexpert.com/bpvseq01.htm...

I'm going to board over the bathroom floorboards prior to laying Vinyl flooring and wondering which type of board I should use. I originally thought of using WBP plywood but I have read comments that it's not as waterproof as it used to be 10+ years ago and just use ordinary plywood instead...

Well I went ahead and bought the 8 lb version of the Roughneck today and it looks fine to me. For my needs I rekon it should be OK. I've split a couple of rounds of wood as a test but the wood is newly cut, like a week ago, so its soaking wet inside. Should I leave it for a few months to dry...

I am thinking of buying a Roughneck 6lb Log splitting maul from Toolstation, item code 14628, but then I noticed it's a fibreglass handle. The last logs I split I borrowed a maul with a wooden handle, possibly Hickory handle and it did the job. Unfortunately I can't remember what make it was...

Thanks guys, I just spoke to my local Building Control as I have recently finished an extn so they were happy to give advice. Seems his first call should be to the Tree Preservation officer at his local Council in case there's an order on it, plus that guy will know the type of soil in the...

To be honest I don't know, early days yet, I doubt he will know as he only got the keys to the house last week. It's in Manchester. The brickwork is in good condition, no cracks and I can't see any signs of movement in the bricks or any repointing / repairs. But we don't want to do anything by...

My son has just bought a 1930's house and there is a very large, 30ft Willow tree just inside his front garden wall which is about 8m from the front of his house. At the very least it needs some branches taking off as it's obscuring the front of the house and preferably chopping down and...