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    Flooring advice for L-shaped hallway

    Hi all Above diagram shows hallway in my parents' new house. They want to replace existing carpet with either laminate or vinyl. I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about this. I've previously laid laminate in basic rooms with 1-2 doors and in connecting rooms thru doorways, but this...
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    Material for deep window board

    I need to construct a particularly deep window board (around half a metre) for an extruded window. What is the best material to use? I was thinking of using a piece of 25mm hardwood ply, with a hardwood beading glued and nailed to the exposed edge.
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    Shower cable rating

    I have a 9.5kw shower and have just noticed that it is wired in on 6mm. By my calcs the shower should need 41.3A, so 6mm is pushing it given that a couple of metres of the run is in conduit. But then I noticed it has a 32a breaker on it to protect the cable, which has never tripped - even when...
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    Studwork puzzle

    I've noticed that none of the upstairs internal stud walls in my house have the top plate fixed to the ceiling joists. In fact, there is a good 20mm clearance between the top plates and the underside of the joists. Would anyone like to hazard a guess as to why it has been built this way? My...
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    Timber frame wall insulation

    I've had to remove some damaged sections of plasterboard on external wall of a bedroom. The house is timber-framed, so even the external walls are studwork on the inner leaf. Behind the plasterboard I've found fibreglass insulation between the studs. It is pretty lacking in many places - it...
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    Position of cable in stud wall

    I've discovered a cable in a wall of my house. The wall is external, but inner leaf is still constructed from studwork/plasterboard, as it is a timber framed house. The cable isn't currently in a permitted zone. It is protected by RCD. It is buried less than 50mm from the surface. I wanted to...
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    Partially failed plasterboard joints

    I've got an issue with joint between ceiling and wall that is partially failing. It looks like it has been taped with fibreglass mesh, then the ceiling has been fully skimmed whereas the wall seems to be finished with some kind of jointing compound. The wall side of this joint is failing in a...
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    Sconce light without wall switch?

    Hi all, just wanted to check something. As I understand it, there is no requirement for a sconce light to have a separate wall switch, is this right? E.g., if the light fitting itself has an integrated switch, it can just be wired direct into the live feed. Many thanks.
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    Fitted wardrobe construction

    Hi all I'm aiming to construct a built-in wardrobe in one of my bedrooms and looking for any recommendations for how to go about it. It will go into the corner of the room, and be part-width, so I'll need to construct a side wall. It will be full-height, tall doors at the bottom into the main...
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    Shed roof structure

    I'm currently designing a shed and have a question about how to structure the roof. I need to keep the height under 2.5m as it's close to a boundary. The shed is 5' 6" x 11' and will be built out of 3x2. I was aiming for an apex roof with 6/12 slope. This would make the rise about 1' 5", plus...
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    Blocked sink waste

    My kitchen sink has quite abruptly become blocked, to the point it is taking an hour to drain away when full. It has 2 basket strainers and both are equally blocked. After unsuccessfully trying one of those bottles of sink unblocker, I ventured under the sink to remove the trap. However, I...
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    Unexpected material between wall and floor

    I live in a timber-framed house. The upstairs external walls are sitting on top of the plywood subfloor, which in turn sits on a joist. I have noticed that there is actually an additional material sandwiched between the wall sole plate and the subfloor. It is an approx 2mm thick rubber or...
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    New shed base options

    I have an area in the garden around 10ft x 20ft. I am thinking of putting a 6ft x 10-12ft shed on it. The area is bordered by neighbour garden wall on 1 side, neighbour garage on 1 side, and my own fence on 1 side, and is just dirt at the moment. I'd appreciate advice on the best way to cover...
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    Removing part of subfloor under stud wall

    A section of upstairs ply subfloor was lifted for some plumbing that I had done. The board was cut flush with a stud cupboard wall that is sat directly on a joist. Time has come to re-lay the floor and I need something to fix onto. I was hoping to somehow cut out the ply to about 25mm depth...
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    Easifill sanding issue

    I've used Easifill 45 a lot over the years but having a problem with sanding it flat on a particular wall. Had a fairly large patch (6" x maybe 1') of blown paint on a wall, so got the 10" taping knife and Easifill out to patch it flat. I'm not too fussy about feathering because usually this...
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    Best way to install shed on existing slab

    There's a 6ft square shed in my garden which was here when I moved in, and I'm looking for some advice on how to restore it to its former glory! The shed is situated on a concrete slab which is far too big (probably 10ft x 8ft), and this means that surface water can run / pool under the shed...
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    Soldering stainless steel

    I need to solder a stainless steel nut onto a stainless steel bolt for a hobby project. It needs to be completely sealed, so not just a 'spot solder'. I haven't soldered anything since my school days and I'm not sure how to go about this. I have quite a few questions! I know you can get...
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    Wall switch on plugged-in lights

    Hope somebody can tell me if this is against regs... In my kitchen, previous owners have put over-cabinet lighting that plugs into a wall socket. However, they've added a cabinet-mounted switch between the plug and the light. Is this acceptable? If so, what is the alternative? Take a fused...
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    Light circuit power test

    I've had a series of problems with dimmer switches for lounge lighting. I've now had 3 failures where the switch runs incredibly hot and eventually gives up. My lamps are well within the rated range of the switch and the manufacturer is scratching their head too. Clutching at straws, but I can...
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    Dimmer problems

    In my lounge I've got 2-gang 2-way dimmer switches, 1 gang is for wall lights and the other is for ceiling. They are Varilight V-Plus, 1 master and 1 slave unit. I previously had issues with 1 gang (https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/dimmer-switch-issue.528383/ for reference), and got a...
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