Tools required :- Bolster chisel, preferably with a hand guard, 16 oz hammer or small lump hammer, paint scraper, old towels or dust sheets, hand brush and scoop, safety goggles and protective gloves. 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. 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 … [Read more...]
BARBECUE DESIGNS AND IDEAS
Below are three barbecue layouts with some design ideas you may wish to incorporate when you build your brick barbecue, they are straight forward 'add ons' to the basic grill rack in the building your own brick barbecue section. The first in fig 1 shows a double grill with a useful shelf which can be constructed using an ornamental paving stone or concrete flag. The second in fig 2 shows the original grill with twin shelves, again constructed using ornamental paving stones or concrete flags, the shelves are handy to store grill tools and coals on, for food preparation, or … [Read more...]
CREATE A STEPPING STONE PATH
Tools required :- Spade, spot board, trowel, markers i.e. sticks, rubber mallet Placing stepping stones across a garden lawn is a great way to create easy access to sheds, flowerbeds and patio areas, with the minimum of disruption to the lawn itself. First walk the route you wish to cross your lawn and at each step leave a marker such as a short stick, stuck in the ground. This will give you the number of stepping stones you will need and a guide for where to eventually lay them. Now you can spend some time at your local DIY store choosing some suitably coloured / shaped … [Read more...]
BRICKLAYING TIPS & ADVICE
Tools required :- Spade / shovel, spot board, bucket, bricklaying trowel, 150mm boat spirit level, 600mm - 1000mm spirit level, lump hammer, bolster chisel, tape measure, plumb line (a length of string with a couple of nails attached), a piece of metal or rubber tube 20 - 25mm dia, soft hand brush. Bricklaying usually requires a bit of practice in order to 'gain the knack' (Most DIYers, myself included usually ' jump in with both feet' and start the project straight away), if you have never laid bricks before it is good practice to build a sample wall first, e.g. a four brick course, … [Read more...]
MIXING CONCRETE OR MORTAR BY HAND
Tools required :- Spade / shovel, spot board and bucket. Safety tip :- Bags of sand, cement and aggregate are heavy so care should be taken when lifting them, squat down and gripping the bag lift the weight with your legs rather than your back. Use gloves as cement can irritate and burn skin. To mix concrete or mortar by hand you will first need a spot board, (a piece of wood board approximately 3 ft square) placed on the ground, a spade or shovel, the ingredients for the mix and water. Use the spade to place the sand, cement and aggregate if required on to the board in the … [Read more...]
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