Safety tip :-   Do not attempt to remove wall tiles without safety goggles (not safety specs) and protective gloves, fragments of the tiles being removed will shoot off in every direction and they can have extremely sharp edges.

Safety goggles

Before you start work, if you are removing wall tiles above, around or near sinks, baths, worktops etc, protect these surfaces with several layers of dust sheets, old towels or whatever you have available to avoid the surfaces being scratched. If you are removing wall tiles from above, as an example a bath, extra protection may be needed as a wall tile dropping from height may do a great deal of impact damage on whatever surface it lands on.

Start by lining up the edge of the bolster chisel with the tile grout line, angle the bolster chisel as close to the wall as possible and strike the chisel with your hammer (the first tile is usually the hardest to remove), you will soon get a ‘feel’ for how hard you need to hit the chisel in order to remove the tile. When you have removed several wall tiles the others should hopefully start to chisel away much easier, this does depend on the original adhesive used to hold the wall tiles in place, if the adhesive is standard tile adhesive, the wall tiles should come away fairly easily, the adhesive can then be removed from the wall using a strong paint scraper or wallpaper scraper, if the wall tiles are stuck in place on a cement render or adhesive then it would be a good idea to let your friends and family know you may be busy for a while.

If the cement adhesive is on a solid brick or block wall you can remove it using a bolster chisel and hammer/lump hammer but this will take some time, if the cement adhesive is on a partition wall , then removing the cement may damage the partition wall surface so much that it may need to be re-boarded with an appropriate board such as Aquapanel. I had this problem at home and after attempting  to remove several wall tiles and cement adhesive I decided it would be far easier to tile over the original tiles on this particular section of wall.

Tile grout, especially in wet and damp areas such as showers and around baths does tend to discolour after a period of time and if left alone will eventually turn Black and become very unsightly. I have the same problem in my own bathroom but rather than re-grout the tiles (one of my top three don’t want to do it jobs) I tried a grout pen which basically colours the grout white.

The discoloured grout should be cleaned as much as possible, I used an old toothbrush and liquid soap with hot water, this takes quite a while but it did remove some of the grout discolouration, then rinsed off the tiles and grout with clean water. Dry the tiles and grout with a towel or cloth and wait several hours or more if possible so the grout is completely dry.

Safety Tip :-  If you decide to use cleaning agents wear gloves, avoid splashes and keep the room well ventilated.

When you are confident the grout is dry (read the instructions first) run the grout reviver pen along each of the grout lines you want to whiten, depending on how badly discoloured the grout is, you may have to repeat this along the grout lines to achieve the desired result. I used a Unibond grout reviver pen which I purchased for £4.99 and although it is not cheap, it did the job and made a huge difference to the appearance of my bathroom, I have used other cheaper brands in recent years, but this is the best one I have used so far.

To prolong the life and colour of both tile grout and sealant it is worth trying to get everyone who has a shower or bath just to spend a minute or two drying off the tiles and around the bath or shower base with a dry towel when they have finished, doing this will reduce any mold growth and therefore reduce the discolouration. If, like me you have teenagers at home who leave the bathroom looking like a water park this might take some persistance on your part.

Garden ponds are an excellent feature to have in any garden, a pond combined with a water feature, such as a small fountain enhances your garden, they help to create a relaxing atmosphere where you can just sit and chill out, listening to the sound of running or trickling water in the background. The pond can become the main feature of your garden, you just need to decide where to site it, as there are a few things to take into consideration before you start work.

How big and what shape do you want your pond.

Do you want to use a pond liner to create your own pond shape, or are you going to purchase a preformed fibreglass pond.

Do you want the pond to be sited in a sunny position (sunshine apparently encourages algae growth).     

Is your favourite site for the pond beneath any over hanging trees, as you will be constantly removing leaves from the water during the autumn months.

Do you need to consider child safety, will you need to build a fence around the perimeter of the pond and reduce the depth of your design to reduce any risks to young children.

Where do you want to site the pond in relation to where you sit out in the summer.

Do you want to add a water feature such as a fountain or waterfall.

What depth do you want the pond, do you want it to have different levels (Black pond liners give the pond a deeper look).

The pond will require an electrical supply for the pump, so check if it is practical to do this with regard to installing the cable from the pond to your property. (see pond electrical supply post)

When you have decided on the pond type (liner or fibreglass), size, shape and where to site it, you can mark out its position on the ground using small sticks and string. Make sure that you have a plentiful supply of rubble/strong bags if you intend to get rid of the dug out soil yourself, you may wish to order a small skip as it is quite surprising, depending on the size of your pond, how much soil you have to excavate. If you want to re-use any turf from the pond location, cut through the turf with a spade using the string line as a guide, remember to cut approximately 8 inches (200mm) out from the string line around the whole circumference, this is to allow for the pond liner overlap (which can be covered later with turf or stone slabs etc, then cut through the turf across the pond in straight lines approximately a spades width apart, now remove the turf by cutting through the soil just below the turf surface.

Excavate the soil to either the required shape and depth for the fibreglass pond, or to suit your own design for the pond liner, remove an extra 1 inch (25mm) of soil from your excavation and remove any sharp stones etc. Check your excavation is level using a spirit level, if not add or remove more soil as required. Now lay a soft base of damp building sand and pond felt or even old carpet, at least 1 inch (25mm) deep all around your excavation, this protects the pond shell or liner from any sharp stones, etc, that may puncture the pond base or liner.

Now place the fibreglass pond in the hole and fill any gaps around the sides with soft soil and sand and fill it with water to around 1 inch (25mm) below the top edge, if you have a pond liner, drape the liner over the hole, at this stage just get the liner in roughly the right position with an even overlap around the edges taking care not to punture it, place bricks or weights on the overlap edges to hold the liner flat and in position (see fig 1 below) then start to fill the liner slowly with water from a hosepipe, as the liner fills, lift the bricks slightly to allow the liner to slide slowly down and bed against the sides and base of your excavation, smooth out any folds in the liner as well as you can and fill it to around 1 inch (25mm) below the top edge of the liner. 

Allow several hours for the pond liner to bed into the excavation, then trim off any excess liner around the pond edge, I would leave an overlap of around 7 inches (180 mm) which can be covered with either turf or stone slab, etc. The pond can be lined with carefully placed smooth large pebbles (take care not to puncture the pond base or liner) which creates a rock pool effect, like the one in the video below which I think looks very effective.

All electrical circuits in a garden have to be protected by a suitably sized fuse/miniature circuit breaker and an RCD device, any cable supplying a pond pump or water feature and any electrical equipment must be suitable for outdoor use, ideally small wire armoured (SWA) cable should be used for an electrical supply from your property out to the garden pond pump or water feature, it should be buried in the ground at a depth of 20 inches (500mm). The cable should be bedded in sand and then covered with approximately 6 inches (150mm) of soil, then a ‘Live cable below’ warning tape should be ran the length of the cable trench, the trench can then be completely filled to the ground level, the 6 inch (150mm) difference in depth between the warning tape and cable allows anyone who is excavating soil in the vicinity of the cable to dig up the warning tape first, hopefully without damaging the cable at the same time. You can run cables outside through conduits, but I think if there were any savings to make they would be negligible against the cost of SWA cable.

I would get advice from an electrician and see what they recommend, you can always save money by excavating the cable trench yourself rather than paying the electrician to do it (I am confident the electrician would appreciate it being done by others), there are outdoor/garden electrical kits available which might suit your requirements but again check with your electrician. As I always suggest, try and use an electrician recommended by friends or family members

The coals or briquettes can be purchased from DIY stores, garden centres, food stores etc.

To achieve a good wall surface on which to hang the lining paper, fill all knock marks, holes and cracks using a filler knife and flexible filler, remove any loose plaster and re-plaster if necessary (see wall plaster repair post). Go back over areas you have filled several times as I was amazed how much I had missed on the first pass. Let the filler/plaster dry hard, then sand the wall down, concentrating on a small area at a time, sand the filler level and remove any loose flecks of old paint and bits of wallpaper, this does take time to do but it is well worth the effort. I used an electric sander and sanding block to do this but you could always use a small block of timber wrapped with sandpaper to enable you to sand down using a flat surface and not your hand. Don’t forget to use dustsheets to cover furniture and floor coverings, and I would also recommend using safety goggles and a face mask to avoid breathing in any small particles of dust.

Safety tip :- Keep children and pets clear of the walls/room being sanded down to avoid them breathing in any dust present in the air. Ventilate the room by opening windows, if possible close the doors to adjacent rooms to avoid the dust spreading throughout your home.

If you have used a lot of filler or plaster to patch up the wall it is worthwhile sizing the wall prior to hanging the lining paper, size is basically diluted wallpaper paste (the dilution ratio can usually be found on the packet), this is applied to the wall to stop the filler or plaster from removing too much water from the pasted piece of lining paper too quickly and therefore reducing its adhesive properties. Sizing a wall also allows you to slide the paper more easily into position when you start papering the wall.

Should you decide to hang the lining paper horizontally across the wall, mark a level line, preferably with a chalk line and spirit level, see fig 1 below. If your lining paper has a width of 24 inches (600mm) mark the line approximately 20 inches (500mm) below the ceiling, this should easily take into account any discrepancies in the existing ceiling level. Measure the width of the wall and add 6 inches (150mm) to the length for trimming in the corners. You will need two pairs of steps and a walk board or planks supported where necessary in order to reach the work area, the lining paper is pasted and folded in the same way as normal wallpaper (see hanging wallpaper post) the only difference being you are hanging the lining paper horizontally rather than vertically.   

Safety tip :-  Great care must be taken when working at height, especially as you will no doubt be concentrating on hanging the paper correctly rather than looking where you are placing your feet as you move along the walk board or planks. An assistant is invaluable, if only to watch your step for you and pass any decorating tools you may need.

  

fig 1

As shown in fig 1 above, hang each piece of lining paper in position butting the joints together, try to ensure there are no overlaps as these will show through your wallpaper eventually and spoil the finished look. Cut the lining paper into the corners of the wall and trim as required along the ceiling and skirting board edges, once again don’t let the lining paper overlap anywhere if possible. Let the lining paper dry out for approximately 24 hours and then you can start to hang your wallpaper. Have a look for other tips and advice in the main decorating section on hanging wallpaper etc.

I overcame this problem by using lining paper on every wall and I was very pleased with the results. Lining paper is relatively inexpensive and can be obtained from most decorating suppliers or DIY stores, the rolls come in different weights, usually 1200, 1400, 1700 and 2000, basically the higher the number, the thicker the lining paper. I chose the 1400 paper to cover my walls, they were reasonably flat but had lots of knock marks and old patches of emulsion on them. I found the 1400 lining paper was easy to hang and of a suitable thickness to cover any slight discrepancies on the walls I wanted to paint. Depending on the condition of your own walls you may need to use a heavier lining paper to suit your needs.

To achieve a good wall surface on which to hang the lining paper, fill all knock marks, holes and cracks using a filler knife and flexible filler, remove any loose plaster and re-plaster if necessary (see wall plaster repair post). Go back over areas you have filled several times as I was amazed how much I had missed on the first pass. Let the filler/plaster dry hard, then sand the wall down, concentrating on a small area at a time, sand the filler level and remove any loose flecks of old paint and bits of wallpaper, this does take time to do but it is well worth the effort. I used an electric sander and sanding block to do this but you could always use a small block of timber wrapped with sandpaper to enable you to sand down using a flat surface and not your hand. Don’t forget to use dustsheets to cover furniture and floor coverings, and I would also recommend using safety goggles and a face mask to avoid breathing in any small particles of dust.

Safety tip :- Keep children and pets clear of the walls/room being sanded down to avoid them breathing in any dust present in the air. Ventilate the room by opening windows, if possible close the doors to adjacent rooms to avoid the dust spreading throughout your home.

If you have used a lot of filler or plaster to patch up the wall it is worthwhile sizing the wall prior to hanging the lining paper, size is basically diluted wallpaper paste (the dilution ratio can usually be found on the packet), this is applied to the wall to stop the filler or plaster from removing too much water from the pasted piece of lining paper too quickly and therefore reducing its adhesive properties. Sizing a wall also allows you to slide the paper more easily into position when you start papering the wall.

Lining paper is sometimes hung horizontally if it is being used as a base for wallpaper (see how to hang lining paper before wallpapering post), but as I was using the lining paper to obtain a good surface for painting I hung the lining paper vertically just as you would when wallpapering a wall (see pasting and hanging post), when all the strips of lining paper were hung in position, I allowed 24 hours for the lining paper to dry out, I then filled any noticeable small gaps in the joints between the strips of lining paper using a filler knife and flexible filler, where the joints had overlapped a little I cut out the excess paper using a Stanley/craft knife and filled the gap, again using the filler knife and flexible filler. Allow the filler to dry out fully, then lightly sand the filler surface flat, if you are not happy with the finish, refill the joint and repeat the process until the joints have a level flat finish. Now you can start to paint the wall and hopefully you will be pleased with the results. I used an inexpensive base coat of White emulsion, as the first coat tends to soak into the lining paper, then finished off with two coats of coloured emulsion using a paint brush for around the edges and a roller for the larger surface area. 

Preparing the walls, filling the paper joints etc, does take quite a lot of time and patience, but the difference to the end result is very impressive and well worth all of your efforts, when I had finished my walls, several of my family members thought the walls had been re-plastered prior to painting.

A little bit of home maintenance before winter sets in can save a lot of unecessary repair costs so its worth spending a few hours checking over your home to see if anything requires attention.

Outside the home : -

1. Remove all debris and leaves from gutters, downspouts and grids.
2. Check paving and driveways for cracks and repair as necessary to avoid frost causing more damage.
3. Clean paving and driveways of leaves and moss to prevent slips and falls.
4. Check fencing panels and posts are in good condition and have been treated with a wood preserve.
5. Repair any loose or missing pointing and rendering on walls as this will allow water in the joints which may cause more damage should it freeze.
6. Any garden furniture should be cleaned and stored until the weather improves.
7. Give all padlocks and locks on sheds, etc, a spray of WD 40 or light oil to prevent them from seizing up.
8. Check all pipes have sufficient protection against cold weather to prevent them from freezing, use pipe insulation where necessary.
9. Check outside lighting is working correctly and clean if required.

Inside the home : -

1. Check all draught proofing around windows and doors is in good condition, replace any that is inefficient or missing.
2. If you can afford to or have a maintenance contract, have the heating system serviced prior to the winter season.
3. Bleed the radiators around the home so they are working efficiently.
4. Fit an electronic wall thermostat to control the room (s) temperature more accurately than the old bi-metal strip ones, they are much more accurate and programmable and can be purchased for less than £20.
5. Take precautions if you are using portable electric / calor gas heaters, making sure they have sufficient clearance from surrounding surfaces and objects and adequate ventilation as may be required.
6. Replace smoke alarm batteries and if you don’t have one install a carbon monoxide alarm.
7. Show capable members of the family where to turn off the water and gas supplies in the event of an emergency.

Tools required :-  Side cutters (snips), a medium posi and flat screwdriver depending on the plug top, a Stanley knife and if you have them a pair of wire strippers.

Remove approximately 5cm of outer sheath from the flex, to do this score around the flex with your knife taking care not to cut into the conductors inside, just bend the flex at the score mark once or twice and it should pull off (fig1).

fig 1

Prepare the plug top by unscrewing the top and loosening the cable grip inside. Now place the flex where the cable grip will hold it in place and mark the live conductor (Brown) for cutting, cut and strip sufficient insulation from the conductor to provide enough copper for the terminal screw to screw down on securely.

If you are connecting a small flex, say for a portable stereo, then it is good practice to strip twice the length of insulation you need and double back the copper conductor on itself, to give a better connection (more copper will help the terminal screw to achieve a tighter connection on the conductor). 

Once the live conductor (Brown) is terminated I normally fit the cable grip around the flex to hold it in place ( fig 2 ), this is down to personal preference, you can of course fit it last if you prefer. Now measure the neutral conductor (Blue) to length, strip and connect (fig 3), and finally measure the earth conductor (Green / Yellow) to length and again strip and connect (fig 4).

Now fit the appropriate fuse to suit the appliance (see fuse ratings in plug tops post) and put the top back on securely (fig 5).

fig 2

fig 3

fig 4

fig 5

WATTS ÷ VOLTS = AMPS

1 KILOWATT = 1000 WATTS                  VOLTS = 240v

So if you have a 240 volt heater rated at 3 KW (3000 watts) it will have a load of 12·5 amps, therefore it requires a fuse rated at 13 amps.

Fuses rated at 3, 5 and 13 amps are easily purchased from most DIY stores, fuses rated at 2 and 10 amp are more difficult to purchase unless you go to an electrical wholesalers.

The problem in most homes is that if a replacement plug top is fitted to an electrical item it will more than likely be fitted with a 13 amp fuse, regardless of what the wattage is.

The one item in the house that is usually fused incorrectly is the table / bedside lamp, it probably has a lamp of no more than 60 watts so has a load of 0·25 amps and could be fitted with a 13 amp fuse, if the lamp develops a fault there’s a good chance the cable will melt before the fuse blows and could even cause an electrical fire. So fit the lowest rated fuse available either 2 or 3 amp.

• Fit a fuse that is rated correctly for the electrical item it is protecting.
• Kettle 13 amp
• Table lamp 3 amp
• Hi-fi system 5 amp
• 3 kw heater 13 amp, 2 kw heater 10 amp
• Radio 2 or 3 amp
• 500 watt – 3 amp,1kw – 5 amp, 2 kw – 10 amp, 3 kw – 13 amp

Fortunately the majority of household electrical items bought today are fitted with a moulded plug and the correct rated fuse, but it is worth having a selection of different rated fuses at home, then at least when they need replacing you have a suitable fuse available.

Always check connections are correct and tight if you have to replace a plug top. (see how to fit a plug top post ).

The following are colours used to identify conductors in a 3 core flex.

• BROWN = LIVE
• BLUE = NEUTRAL
• GREEN/YELLOW = EARTH