posted07/06/11
Most of the flooring in older homes consists of separate floorboards nailed down onto joists, although in more modern homes flooring-grade chipboard is usually used; this is also either nailed or, more often, screwed onto the joists. The floor has to be in good condition if you are planning to lay a new covering, and if any boards are to be left exposed, their condition has to be immaculate, otherwise defects will be painfully obvious.
A few existing floorboards will have to be raised to inspect the underlying space and its condition. Some of them will already have been cut into, which will make the job easier, but with others you need to check if they are tongued-and-grooved first, and if this is the case you will need a circular saw to separate them before lifting. A bolster chisel can be used to actually lift them up. Unscrewing sheets of chipboard is simple, although you may need to cut through some tongued sections.
Dampness is the main problem afflicting floor joists, and affected sections will need to be replaced by joists of the same size; if the old joist is rotten the repair will be more extensive. All wood affected by dry rot will have to come out, and woodworm damage will have to be treated.
Hammer loose floorboards back into place, but be careful to avoid underlying pipes, and replace damaged sections of floorboard with sections of the same size. It is wise to leave inspection hatches to gain access to cables and pipes at a later date.
posted01/06/11
Plungers or rods do not always clear blocked drains successfully and in such cases it may be necessary to remove the water trap. Traps come in two forms, tubular and bottle.
Unblocking a Tubular Trap
These are the most common and easiest to clear.
Before you start, have a bowl handy to collect excess water. If the trap has an access point, simply remove the cap and dislodge any blockage with an implement, such as an old knife or bent wire coat hanger and then replace the cap.
If there is no access point, which can often be the case in older properties, you will have to dismantle the trap. This is easily achieved by unscrewing the top and bottom nuts that connect it to the waste pipe. Pull the whole thing away from the rest of the pipe and remove the blockage. It might also be a good idea to flush it out with clean water.
Reconnect the trap; making sure the nuts are on tight, to prevent water leaks. Also, take care not to cross-thread when replacing the nuts, as this will damage them.
Unblocking a Bottle Trap
Before you start, have a bowl handy to collect excess water. Unscrew the bottom or base screw by turning it anti-clockwise. This will release the collection pot or bottle. Remove the blockage and clean out the bottle. Replace the bottle, taking care not to cross-thread the screw, which is easily done. Finally, run water down the drain to ensure that any waste material you have not removed is flushed away.
posted20/05/11
Since there is little preparation needed for timber preservative, you can apply it quickly and easily. This is one of the simplest DIY jobs, as well as one of the most important, if you do not want external woodwork to rot in a few years.
A highly polished finish is not necessary, regardless of whether the wood is rough or polished. You can easily apply the majority of wood preservatives to a very large surface area, using wide or large brushes to speed up the process.
The preservatives used with timber are relatively thin, and tend to drip and run, so wearing some form of protective clothing is necessary, along with goggles and gloves, depending on the instructions on the tin.
It is important to use dust sheets to protect flower beds and grass for the same reason, because the chemicals contained in the preservative can damage plants.
As with all jobs of this kind, before beginning work, the surface of the wood needs a good cleaning to get rid of all the debris, dirt, and cobwebs that have accumulated over the years. Dead plant material and lichen can be a particular problem, but a stiff brush can effectively remove these and other blemishes.
You should liberally apply the preservative so it saturates the wood as much as possible. The preservative will penetrate deep into the wood, which will soak up most drips, so you typically do not need to be too fussy or precise.
