Search results

Hello, I'm making some plinths and furniture for an art gallery. They want to install a sculpture weighing 1400kg on a floor that has a max load of 6kn per m2. The floor can only have 600kg per square metre. The existing (reinforced) base of the sculpture is 1m2. (Makes it way over max load). In...

We’ve had some water damage from a leak at the side of the house. There was quite a bit of vegetation growing up there. Leak is repaired and I’m removing plaster from the damaged area. I’m finding long, thin roots under the plaster. Should I be worried?

Hello, I need to wire an LED driver/power supply to a mains plug in order to power a bluetooth lighting timer (see photo) It seems to be a pretty simple job, but can anyone advise on the way I would shield the wires going to the plug? Is it possible to use heat shrink? Many thanks, Sam

Hello, I need to install a new ladder + loft hatch in my 1900's house. The opening for the old loft hatch is cut across the joists, rather than running along them, so two joists have already been cut. Because of high ceilings I will need a quite long folding ladder with a 1300mm opening, so...

Hello, I’m building a small stud partition and I’ve miscalculated the skirting. Not sure how to sort this out, other than use very high new skirting. I was going to use a small, lower skirting board on the new wall rather than trying to match the Victorian skirting. What’s the best way to tidy...

Hello, I'm looking for a neutral polish/wax/oil that I can apply to the worn areas of this floor that will match the rest. The grey is obviously caused by high traffic, as its a public area. I don't think it's ever been treated before. Can anyone recommend a natural/clear product that I can...

Hello, I need to wire up four different LED strips at points along a 15m wall. The power socket is about 5m away from the nearest set. Ideally I wouldn't have four individual extension cables. Is it possible to wire 4 x trailing single sockets along one cable, as per the attached sketch? Or...

Hello, Can anyone identify what the steel fitting used for attaching the handle in this photo are? I need to make one in a similar fashion but am stumped! Is it some kind of rivet? Many thanks, Sam fitting is

Hello, The part of the cistern in my toilet indicated with the red arrow in the photo is spraying water as a fine mist when filling. This gathers on the underside of the lid and drips down the side of the cistern. Can anybody give me a link to the part I need to replace it? I’m assuming it’s...

Hello, Could anyone advise how I make some more of this skirting? I’m not sure which router bit to buy, or whether I should even buy an old moulding plane? Many thanks

Hello, I want to put a dimmer switch across 3 x 5m lengths of LED strip. The electrical shop sold me a dimmer, some LED strip and a transformer that should work together to achieve it. I plan to wire a plug into the dimmer, then from the dimmer to the transformer. I want to check the correct...

Hello, I want to put a dimmer switch across 3 x 5m lengths of LED strip. The electrical shop sold me a dimmer, some LED strip and a transformer that should work together to achieve it. I plan to wire a plug into the dimmer, then from the dimmer to the transformer. I want to check the correct...

Hello, I recently varnished a cork floor with rustins water-based polyurethane varnish. I gave it alight sand beforehand with 180 grit. It had three coats and is now fully dry. Unfortunately I’ve noticed that any gentle abrasion to the surface now (like moving a chair) means that the varnish...

Hello, my boiler has been making a strange noise sporadically. It doesn’t do it all the time, just comes on for a few minutes most days and then goes back to its normal quiet hum. I’ve attached a video so you can hear it. Any ideas what is causing this would be really helpful. Many thanks!

hello, Does anyone know what people generally use to white-out shop windows while they’re being done up? Is it watered down emulsion?

Hello, apologies if this is a very basic question... Our front door is a standard pvc with multi point lock. When you close it it doesn’t automatically lock but you lock it manually with a thumb turn from inside or key from outside. I’d like to replace the lock with one that locks as soon as...

hello, I have a reasonably sized basement under our kitchen that is damp and filthy. I'd like to make it into a workshop. I'm not looking for an immaculate dry space, just sonewhere that isn't totally wet and will rust my tools too much. I'm wondering what could be fine in the way of basic...

Hello, Yesterday I found that two ceiling lights downstairs and one upstairs were not coming on. I checked the bulbs and they're fine. The consumer unit looks fine, no switches flipped. I've also noticed this evening that the lights in several rooms have been flickering a bit, both upstairs and...

Hello, I've extended my washing machine waste hose using one of these: Wickes anti siphon part I used this part, as a standard waste hose connector didn't give me a very tight fit and leaked slightly. This one fits really tightly. I've blocked up the small hole on the valve and jubilee...

hello, I've torn off some old wallpaper in order to re-do it. It's left what I presume is lining paper stuck onto the walls. It's quite a soft paper surface which is well adhered to the walls. Should I use a wet sponge and remove this, or would it be better to just put my new lining paper on...