Choosing the Perfect Conservatory Blinds
by diysuper on Jan.18, 2012, under DIY Tips, Home Improvements, Interior Design
Conservatories are an expensive addition to any home, therefore great care needs to be taken when choosing and installing blinds for a conservatory. The manufacture of blinds for conservatories is more complicated than for normal windows due to the angle of the roof and the different sizes of blinds required. Conservatories require blinds that can insulate well against the heat and the cold, as well as keep out direct sunlight, while still letting sufficient light through.
Conservatory blinds are usually made out of specially fabricated material that optimises insulation.
Usually, conservatory blinds are fitted by specialists. It is important that reputable professionals carry out installation, as fitting the blinds means drilling holes in the conservatory structure in order to mount brackets and it is vital that the conservatory is not damaged in any way in the process.
Blinds on a conservatory roof may be out of reach and not be able to be closed manually. The blinds are designed to be opened and closed either electronically, or by a long pole or extra-long cords that hang down within reach.
The most popular blinds for conservatories are pleated blinds, followed by roman blinds.
Refurbishing Fireplace Surrounds
by diysuper on Jan.17, 2012, under DIY Tips, How To Guides, Interior Design
Many homeowners do not realise how easy it is to refurbish fireplace surrounds. Refurbishing the surround will almost always be cheaper than replacing it. An attractive fireplace is an excellent selling point, and improves the look and character of any home.
Fireplace surrounds are most commonly made of wood, marble, or cast iron.
When refurbishing a wood fireplace surround, use coarse sandpaper to remove any old varnish and paint from the wood, and then sand it smooth with fine sandpaper. You can also use a chemical stripper, but this will remove some of wood’s natural oils and dry it out. Use filler that is the same colour as the wood to repair any holes or large cracks. When the filler is completely dry, you should sand the surround again. Coat the wood with two or three layers of wax to finish.
Marble surrounds must be thoroughly cleaned with a coarse cloth and warm, soapy water. Combine kaolin powder with epoxy glue to fill in any cracks or small holes. When the filler is dry, use silicon carbide paper to rub down and polish the marble.
If possible, it is usually worth it to have cast iron surrounds professionally stripped. If this is not possible, use a chemical blanket stripping kit to remove all layers of paint from the cast iron surround. Do not scrap or chip at the paint as this will damage the soft iron. Once all the old paint is removed, apply a rust converter and then iron paste to restore the cast iron to its original silvery-grey colour.
Repairing Rusted Gutters
by diysuper on Jan.15, 2012, under DIY Tips, Home Improvements
The regular maintenance of the gutters on your home is important, and you should check them every year. Many older homes still have metal gutters, and these tend to rust over time. If caught early enough, rusted gutters can be saved, and will not need to be replaced. Always make certain to use a sturdy ladder when you are checking and/or working on your gutters.
You can remove small patches of rust with sandpaper or an emery cloth. If there are large areas of rust, you will want to use a wire brush; you can also use a wire brush wheel attached to a drill. Rub the rusted area until you see clean metal. Once all the rust is gone, liberally coat the gutters with a rust-neutralising primer, and let it dry thoroughly.
If you see cracks or small holes where the gutter has rusted through, fill them with roof and gutter sealant. Larger holes should be repaired with glass fibre filler or gutter repair tape. Only apply these after the area surrounding the damage is free of rust and dry.
When all your repair work is dry, paint the gutters with either black bitumen paint or gloss paint suitable for exterior use.
About Polycarbonate
by diysuper on Jan.14, 2012, under DIY Tips
Polycarbonate is becoming increasingly popular with many DIY enthusiasts. Widely used for roofing sheets, this manmade substance is an exceptionally strong plastic, and is also used as a replacement for glass in porch windows, and in the construction of greenhouses. It is a versatile and durable material, and many DIY enthusiasts are using polycarbonate sheets to roof their garden supply sheds; there are even those who are using polycarbonate sheets to build outside playrooms for their kids to use throughout the year. Triple walled polycarbonate is so durable and strong that it is starting to replace wired safety glass.
Polycarbonate looks more attractive than corrugated plastic, and is not difficult to install. This material contracts and expands, and so is usually fitted ‘loose’ by being clipped in glazing rods. Clipping the material in is a lot quicker and easier than conventional glazing.
There are many advantages to using polycarbonate sheets in a variety of DIY jobs. For example, the sheets are shatterproof, and two hundred times stronger than glass panes. Polycarbonate is flexible, and five times lighter than glass. The sheets let in about ninety per cent of natural sunlight, and provide standard grade UV protection. The level of insulation provided depends on whether you use dual, triple, or five-walled sheets, and the material can be cut easily using a fine-toothed saw.
It is very easy to clean polycarbonate sheets; when there is a build-up of noticeable grime, all that is needed is a quick hose down. If the dirt is stubborn, you can use a little mild detergent in warm water with a sponge and wipe the sheets down. It is important to use a mild detergent as the use of a strong detergent will risk permanently scratching the polycarbonate surface. The use of solvents is out of the question, but a little white spirit can be used get rid of paint splotches.
Child Safe Blinds
by diysuper on Jan.12, 2012, under DIY Tips, Home Improvements, Interior Design
There have been incidents where children have been injured by cords and chains attached to blinds. The cords and strings associated with blinds can cause accidents by strangulation in children. Slatted blinds can cause harm to children in the form of trapped fingers. This has created a market for the manufacture of blinds that eliminate the use of such cords and chains to lower and raise the blinds.
Other than the risk of harm to children from blinds and their parts, there is also the risk that children can cause the blinds to become damaged by tangling the cords, which can jam the rolling and tilting mechanisms. Child safe blinds are also more suitable for children’s bedrooms as they are simply and easily operated.
Child safe blinds are roller blinds that have no cords or poles and whose winding mechanism is on a return spring. The blind is pulled down by a tab and when it is released stays where it is. In order to raise the blind, the blind is pulled down slightly and then springs back up of its own accord.
Child safe blinds come in an array of bright designs that go well in a child’s bedroom, and they can be lined with blackout material preventing light entering the room and ensuring improved sleeping conditions.
Child safe blinds are also appropriate for places such as hospitals and nursery schools.
Child safe blinds are suitable for older people whose hands may not be so dextrous and who would find cords fiddly and cumbersome.
Sheep Wool Insulation
by diysuper on Jan.09, 2012, under DIY Tips, Home Improvements
If we want to reduce home energy costs, insulation is the key ingredient. Increasingly, we are making energy choices with environmental concerns in mind too. If you are insulating your home and want to try a natural, sustainable and effective method, why not try sheep wool insulation?
Sheep wool is an eco-friendly insulation material with a smaller carbon footprint than many of its more well-known rivals. Sheep wool insulation is easy to install and does not require the usual protective measures of goggles, gloves and mask, often required when handling mineral fibre insulation products.
As a material, wool breathes and this valuable feature helps reduce humidity and condensation. Coming straight off a sheep’s back it has the unique ability of being able to absorb and desorb moisture whilst remaining totally thermally efficient.
As well as being an environmentally friendly option, sheep wool insulation is resistant to fire and vermin. It is a non-toxic material that resists mould growth and is an effective acoustic insulator as well.
Whether you are insulating floors, walls or loft, sheep wool insulation offers a viable environmentally friendly alternative to the usual tried and tested materials. Sheep wool insulation is sold in large, easy to handle rolls. It is pleasant to use and cut down to the size you want using a craft knife, scissors or even an electric carving knife.
Once its useful life is over, sheep wool insulation continues to be environmentally friendly as it can be composted or incinerated for energy use when you need to dispose of it.
Contemporary Mirrors – a stylish look!
by diysuper on Jan.07, 2012, under Interior Design
The look of any room can be enhanced by adding a mirror. A sizeable mirror will make your rooms look larger because of the reflection that they create. It is only an illusion, of course, but a few large mirrors and some contemporary decorating with a reduction in clutter is just the thing to give you some visual space.
Cabin fever from too many days and hours spent indoors through the inclement weather? Try a bit of spring remodelling and use contemporary mirrors to enhance the size and spaciousness of your home. They are available in a number of designs at fine furniture stores. You can purchase contemporary furniture for your redecorating needs and be sure to include mirrors for every room in which you want to create a larger look.
The design of the mirrors is what constitutes their designation as contemporary mirrors. Those without frames or with simple lined frames will work. Unusual shapes with clean lines are great too. Try a circular mirror or a slightly angled mirror with wavy lines at the top and bottom or on the sides. This makes them interesting and will draw the eye to them. Your room will appear larger from the moment you mount the mirror to the wall.
At the same time, remove the overstuffed furniture and replace it with a clean white modular sofa from a design centre and add a few bright, plainly coloured cushions and you will have a new contemporary look.
Re-pointing Exterior Walls
by diysuper on Jan.06, 2012, under DIY Tips, Home Improvements, How To Guides
The mortar between brickwork can deteriorate over the years and need replacing. Re-filling these joints with mortar is known as re-pointing. Small areas of pointing on exterior walls can be taken on as a DIY project. It can sometimes be tricky achieving an accurate mortar colour-match on larger expanses, and so bigger projects are sometimes better left to the professionals.
That said, a small area of re-pointing on an exterior garden wall, for example, is a pretty straightforward exercise.
Check the weather before you start pointing, if it is raining put it off until another day. Rain and pointing do not mix.
Start by raking out the mortar between the bricks using a mortar rake. A depth of approximately 15cms should be enough. Use a cold chisel to chip out any stubborn bits. Remember to wear protective goggles and a mask to guard from dust and flying pieces of mortar. Heavy-duty gloves are advisable to protect your hands.
Next, dampen the joints by spraying them with water. This helps the new mortar to bond with the old.
Read the instructions on the mortar packet and mix up accordingly. Do not allow the mix to get too sloppy as this risks staining the surrounding bricks and ruining the finish.
Once you are happy with your mortar mix, use a jointing tool to carefully work it into the gaps between the bricks, creating a smooth recess. Fill the ‘beds’ (vertical joints) first, then follow up with the ‘perks’, (horizontal joints).
Leave the mortar to harden for a while, then any excess should be scraped away. Before it is totally dry, using a soft brush gently sweep away any bits of loose mortar remaining, taking care not to dislodge any of the fresh mortar you have just applied in the joints.
Roman Blinds, the Attractive Option
by diysuper on Jan.05, 2012, under DIY Tips, Interior Design
Roman blinds are a window covering made out of a single piece of cloth, made to measure and usually lined. A series of strings through loops on the reverse of the blind, which is attached to a main rail at the top of the window, enables the blind to be raised and lowered by a cord that hangs down the side of the blind. As the blind is raised, the material forms soft pleats that are attractive to look at.
Roman blinds can be made out of any fabric. This makes roman blinds an attractive option as people can choose to have blinds made from fabric that matches their interior décor. Roman blinds are usually made from silk or linen or soft cotton, in fact any fabric that will be complemented by the soft pleats of roman blinds.
Roman blinds are more ornate and decorative than roller blinds and therefore are a more popular choice for bedrooms or living rooms. Roman blinds are also used in conservatories and in patios or summerhouses as an insulator. The fabric, which is usually lined, is excellent at keeping the sunshine out and keeping the room cooler and less bright, or in the winter, keeping the cold out.
Although many types of fabric tend to let in light, roman blinds can be lined with blackout material making them an ideal choice for a bedroom. Since the blind is made to measure the window, if the aim is to keep the room as dark as possible then a roman blind in this case may be more appropriate than curtains.
Hobbled or teardrop roman blinds have much more exaggerated pleats when the blind is up, making it a more elaborate window covering than the standard roman blind. This style, due to the greater amount of material used, may also cover more of the window when the blind is raised.
Wiring a Plug
by diysuper on Jan.04, 2012, under DIY Tips, How To Guides
The Basics of Wiring
All domestic electrical devices operate using plugs and sockets. Because of the degree of wear and tear many plugs are subjected to, they are often the first component that fails. The good news is that wiring a plug is actually fairly straightforward; nevertheless, it is crucial you accomplish this correctly, for safety reasons as much as getting that hoover or hairdryer working again.
Step by Step
The obvious sign that you will need to give an electrical plug some attention is when the device it is attached to stops working. Firstly, to access the plug you will need to unscrew the large screw. This will reveal a plastic clamp, positioned over a thick conductor wire, protecting the three wires beneath.
It could well be the case that the wires have become detached from their terminals within the plug. Often the ends where the plastic coating gives way to bare metal will have become frayed and broken free. Simply expose more of the wiring by cutting away the coloured plastic, but not enough to sever it and then feed the metal back into the terminal. Stripping the wire is made much easier with wire-cutters, which are specifically designed for this task.
When unscrewing at the terminals, take care to do so carefully, as the retaining screws are tiny and easily lost. You should not need to completely unscrew them, just ease them out far enough to allow the wire to nudge back into position. Finally, replace the cover and tighten the large retaining screw.