DIY Newbie

Archive for the ‘Exterior DIY’ Category

Don’t wait until the mercury heads below zero before winter-proofing your home. Planning ahead could make all the difference in making sure your home is prepared for all the cold weather has to throw at it.

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During the winter, many of us rarely venture into our gardens, unless it’s to build a snowman. For this reason, we rarely get chance to have a look at our guttering during this part of the year, especially if we leave and return to our homes in darkness.

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An old door can really date and cheapen the look of a room, but by hanging a new door you can transform a room from tired to timeless and it couldn’t be easier, quicker or cheaper to do if you follow these simple instructions!

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It’s impossible, especially with children, to use a house to it’s full potential without the odd knock and bang here and there. Annoyingly lots of these bumps make small indentations that we all to often leave ‘until we’ve got time’.

Now, with these simple to follow instructions, and a spare twenty minutes your home can be blemish free.

What tools you’ll need for fixing plaster damage

This list of what you’ll need couldn’t be simpler, just grab: a plastering trowel, a paint brush, some fine sandpaper, a screwdriver or hammer and chisel and some plaster filler (this can either be bought ready made or in a raw form which will need mixing as per manufacturers’ instructions).

Preparing the wall

The key to this job, as with many DIY tasks, is in the preparation. Using the hammer and chisel or screwdriver break off any loose plaster and removing all debris and dust away. Use the paintbrush to lightly dampen the hole and the surrounding area – this will provide a gripping surface – vital for the filler to set properly. Do not to skip this small job as older plaster will be bone dry, simply sucking any moisture from the filler meaning it does not set and grip the wall properly

Get filling

It’s time to get filling. If you’ve bought filler in a raw form it will need to be prepared as per manufacturers’ instructions. Otherwise, it’s a lot easier to be buy ready made. Simply fill the hole and the smooth over using the plastering trowel. If you’re a filling a deeper hole (say greater than 1cm) it is advised not to fill to the wall. Instead leave a small indentation and scratch the surface with your trowel – this will provide a griping surface. Then add a final coat an hour or two later.

Give a neat finish

The job isn’t worth doing unless you finish it properly. Use the trowel to make sure the filler lies as flush to the wall as possible. Don’t worry if there is a slight overlap. Once you are satisfied that it is completely dry use some fine sandpaper to sand over the filler ensuring a smooth finish and a clean join between filler and wall. A bit of touch up paint can now be used at the stage if you’re filler is a different colour to the wall. Diluting the paint with a small amount of water or using a damp sponge to apply will ensure that it blends in as naturally as possible.

And there you go, too easy – fault free walls in no time!