Search results

My combi boiler does not respond to the hot tap in my kitchen when my central heating is off. It responds slowly when the central heating is on. So in order to wash the dishes, I need to make sure the heating is on. The pressure from the tap generally feels low. I have no problems with the...

I recently replaced the flush valve in my cistern because the previous one (pretty old) began leaking a constant trickle of water from the cistern into the pan. I bought a fairly standard one from Wickes (push-button dual flush with a cable, internal overflow) but, having fitted it, it appears...

I wish to lower my kitchen ceiling. In doing so, I want the new ceiling joists to run at right angles to the existing joists. I propose to insert joist hangers into the walls on either side of the room and insert the new joists into these. The span of the new joists is 3 metres. What...

Can a polyurethane finish (specifically Bonkemi spectra) be applied over a coat of Danish oil ? I want to finish a pine floor with the lacquer but the boards may need some tinting before finishing and I thought the Danish oil would darken them by just enough. Danish oil can, after all, be used...

Whilst looking at the range of softwood internal doors in the likes of B&Q, Wickes etc.., I noticed that the finishing instructions not only state that the doors can be painted or varnished, but also clearly state that they "are not suitable for finishing with waxes or oils". Anyone know why...

Whilst looking at the range of softwood internal doors in the likes of B&Q, Wickes etc.., I noticed that the finishing instructions not only state that the doors can be painted or varnished, but also clearly state that they "are not suitable for finishing with waxes or oils". Some are more...

Wish to install a T4 strip light under a kitchen unit connected to the mains and operated by an existing light switch (essentially, I am extending an existing circuit). I cannot connect the mains cable directly to the light; instead, the light has a short length of flex to which I need to...

Can I apply gloss paint (oil-based) on top of: a) Varnish (both water and solvent based) ? b) Danish oil ? without completely removing the original finishes ? What sort of preparation is required - just a light sanding or primers/undercoats etc… ?

I wish to skim over a wall which currently has several coats of emulsion on it. Plasterer suggested that I coat the surface with PVA (he suggested undiluted !). He will then apply another coat of PVA immediately prior to applying the skim. Is this sufficient preparation to prevent the skim...

Applied boiled linseed oil to a door that I stripped and sanded. After about 6 coats (the first 2 were thinned with white spirit), the finish has begun to go glossy but is also quite sticky and doesn't show any sign of drying completely. Also, the finish is still quite uneven with the knots...

I recently sanded my floor with a drum sander thinking I would save a few quid rather than pay someone to do it for me. The problem is that you cannot really assess the quality of the job until it's varnished and reflecting the light back at you. Of course, I made a complete pig's ear of it...

I hope this isn't a totally stupid question. I am having my internal Victorian 4-panel doors stripped of paint. In the process of restoring them, I want to replace the original rim locks with spindle and mortice latches which will require new holes to be drilled for the position of the new...

My ground floor area is made up of half original pine boards (~100yo) at the front and half new softwood (redwood, I think) at the back. When sanded to bare wood, there is a clear difference in colour between the two, the new softwood being particularly pale. I want the entire floor area to...

I wish to block up the entrance to an upstairs cupboard. This entrance is built into a brick wall and I would like to block it up with masonry rather than with studwork (I thought aeriated blocks would do). This means building on top of the timber wall plate. Can I just lay the first row of...

I replaced a couple of socket face plates - straightforward like-for-like replacements - and when I came to test the sockets, the RCD tripped. I now cannot switch the RCD on even when the individual MCBs that it protects are all swiched off no matter how often I try or how long I wait. I even...

I want to install a shower but am not sure whether to go electric or mixer. I have a Worcester 28SiII combi boiler. My questions are: In general, how does the flow rate of a mixer shower compare with that of an electric shower ? Does a thermostatic mixer shower have a lesser flow rate...

What is the 'typical' power rating of the 'average' chimney hood ? More specifically, can they be powered from a lighting circuit ?

I posted a thread some weeks ago concerning connecting an outside light by making all the connections at the light switch. //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=36924&highlight=looping+switch I followed the instructions I was given and it worked perfectly. I now plan to connect an...

Can you have more than one appliance connected to the same FCU ? I have an electric oven, gas hob (electric ignition) and a cooker hood and would rather not have three separate FCUs above my worktop. I was thinking about having the hob and cooker hood connected to one with the oven connected...

I want to connect an outside light for my patio. I have a nearby interior light from which I can take the power. Obviously, one solution would be to take the power from the interior light to a junction box and from there have two cables running to the exterior light and light switch...