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.

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 simply somewhere to put your beer if you have been nominated as the grill chef.   

The third in fig 3 shows the original grill with two shelf sections built on, the shelf on the right is again a twin shelf design whereas the one on the left has cut lengths of PVC or clay pipe set in cement to create a bottle or wine rack, it is simple to create and keeps your beer or wine a little cooler.

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 paving to suit your taste and garden.

To lay the stepping stones start by placing each one in the positions you have already marked out, have a walk across them in case any need adjusting to suit your length of stride, when you are happy with their position cut around each one with a spade and remove the turf and soil to a depth of three times the thickness of each of the stepping stones / pavers you have chosen, i.e. if the paving stone is 1 1/2″ ( 38mm) thick, dig down to 4 1/2″ (114mm). At the base of each hole try to dig under  the turf with a small trowel, at least three inches (75mm) as shown in fig 1, this will create a wider base for the stepping stone / paver and therefore reduce the chance of it wobbling when it is stepped on, as it will be standing alone rather than being ’locked’ in to other paving that would normally surround it, i.e. on a driveway.

fig 1

Use a cement mix (See mixing cement post) with a little aggregate added (stone chippings) as the base / foundation for each stepping stone / paver, tap each one down and as level as possible gently with a rubber mallet (ornamental paving can crack if hit too hard) and fill any gaps around each stepping stone / paver with some of the previously excavated soil. Let them set in place for 24 / 48hrs and you have a stepping stone path. If you were to lay the stones / paving  directly on the soil they will more than likely start to rock when they are stepped on, especially if the ground has a tendency to hold water due to its composition or poor drainage.

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, three bricks high, the bricks can always be cleaned and re-used later. When you are happy with your ‘practice’ wall finish, you can start your DIY project with more confidence and know how.

Have a ready supply of bricks near the work area, mix the mortar (see post), using four parts sand to one of cement (4 : 1), add a plasticiser to the mix, this makes the mortar easier to trowel and it adheres better to the bricks. Don’t make the mortar too ‘wet’ as the weight of the bricks will push it out of the seam when you start bricklaying and only mix sufficient for say one hours bricklaying (even less if the weather is hot), as it will dry out before you can use it. Don’t add water to a mortar mix if it becomes too dry / stiff to use, throw it away and mix again. Place the mortar as near to the work area as possible.

Safety tip :- Use gloves when mixing / using cement as it can irritate and burn skin, use gloves / safety goggles when handling / cutting bricks.

Always lay bricks so the vertical joints are staggered, this gives the brickwork added strength and support. If the bricks you are using don’t have holes through them but have an indentation (known as a frog), lay the bricks with the ‘frog’ at the top. The last course of bricks can be laid with the ‘frog’ at the bottom to give the brickwork a smooth finish on the top.

Lay one brick at each end of the course with a string line stretched between them along the top edge, this will give you a guide as you lay each course of bricks. See fig 1.

fig 1

When you place the mortar on the foundation or next course of bricks make a V shaped trough along the mortar with your trowel, this allows the bricks to be tapped into position / level more easily, spread (butter) mortar onto the end of each brick as you lay them for the vertical joint. Once you have laid the first course of bricks check the level along the top of the course and along the face or outside edge (it isn’t necessary to check each brick as you lay them). With your spirit level in position on the brickwork, tap each brick level, either using the edge of your trowel or by hand. Remember most bricks aren’t always square when manufactured so they may not line up perfectly level with each other, use your judgement as minor discrepancies won’t be noticeable when you ‘step back’ and look at the finished brickwork.

You will no doubt have to cut some bricks to size (e.g. half bricks to obtain the staggered vertical joints), to do this mark the cut on the brick (allowing for the mortar seam) and place it on firm ground or a solid base, align the cutting edge of your bolster chisel with the mark and give it a sharp blow with your lump hammer, any rough edges can be chipped off  using the bolster and lump hammer. Don’t forget the safety goggles.

Lay each course of bricks using the string line as a guide and check the levels as each course is completed. Don’t forget to strike / point the seams on each course before the mortar sets, fill any holes in the seams then strike / point them with either the piece of pipe or the trowel to give your brickwork a professional finish, brush the brickwork down with a soft hand brush to remove any excess mortar from the brickwork face.

Remember you can always add a colouring agent to the mortar mix if you think it would improve the finished look of your brickwork. Colouring agents are simple to add, just make sure you note the quantities of sand, cement and agent that go into each mix. Use the same sand for each mix as different ones can produce variations in the shade of colour. The agents come in various colours. (See post)

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 ratio you need for your mix, eg  four sand and one cement,(4 : 1 ) mix it all together thoroughly with the spade and pile it in the centre of the board. Make a hole in the centre of the pile with your spade and then add some water, push the sides of the mix into the water and mix with the spade, repeat this until the mix is the correct constituency you require and it has a consistent colour throughout. The mix is now ready to use.

If you are unsure how much water to add to the dry mix, add a little at a time until you have the required amount, after doing one or two mixes you will have a rough idea of how much to add each time.

There are two common ways DIYers lay flags, the first is the spot method where five dollops of mortar are put on the ground and the flag is positioned level on top. This method, which is used a great deal usually leads to problems with the paving / patios after a few months. The flags are not fully supported and may be prone to breaks if any load is placed on them, also water underneath the flags can cause them to start to rock and become uneven.

Safety tip:- Laying flags / paving and screeding is very heavy work, you should take great care when lifting any heavy weight and if possible have assistance when doing so. Wear appropriate footwear and gloves to suit the task.

The screed method gives the flags a sturdy bed on which to lay them and I think it produces a much better finished job. The first thing you need to do is prepare the ground ready for the screed, you will need to ascertain if the flags or paving will require a ‘fall’  to allow rainwater to drain away without leaving puddles, once you have the ground levelled off correctly run a plate vibrator (whacker plate, see tool hire post) over it several times.

Now you need to set up two screed level boards, I would normally put down a screed of approx 50mm (2 inch) so use timbers of 100mm x 50mm, (4 x 2 inch) set  these level with each other using a piece of timber to span between them and a spirit level (1mtr level is ideal). Cut another piece of 100mm x 50mm (4 x 2 inch) timber long enough to span the screed boards, notch this out so its edge is around 45mm (1 3/4 inch) below the top edge of the screed boards as shown in the drawing below. This timber will be used to level off the screed mix.

The screed is made up of sand and cement, do not use building sand as it will wash away and weaken the screed mix, grit sand is ideal to use and can be purchased for delivery in one ton bags from the larger DIY stores such as B & Q, this may sound like a large amount but with a dry mix ratio of 1 part cement to 6 parts grit sand at a 50mm (2 inch) depth it will cover an area of approximately 10 to 12 sq mtrs. If you think the flags  / paving may have to stand heavier use, such as a vehicle, then do a dry mix ratio of 1 part cement to 3 parts grit sand. Grit sand does tend to be moist to the touch, this combined with moisture in the ground will set the cement which in turn binds the grit sand together and stops any movement.

So now your ready to screed and lay your flags / paving, fill between the screed boards with approximately 75mm (3inches) of screed mix, then slide your levelling piece of timber along the screed boards so you have an even layer, run over this layer with your plate vibrator once only, now top up the compacted screed with loose screed mix and slide the levelling timber over it again. If your flags / paving stones are heavy walk them (along the ground corner to corner) to the work area, make sure you have the flag / paving stone the right way round then place it down on the screed, do this from the crouched position rather than the standing position to reduce any risk of back injury, once it is in position knock it down level with a 24oz rubber mallet, (screwfix sell them for around £5) the loose screed should allow the flag / paving stone to sink around 5 to 8mm, (1/4 to 3/16 inch) continue with each flag / paving stone leaving space between each one of approximately 6 to 8mm, (1/4 to 3/16 inch) use pieces of hardboard or anything that has a similar thickness to create uniform space around each flag / paving stone. Check your flag / paving stone level as you go, adding or removing a little screed mix with a trowel as required. When all your flags / paving stones are in position, spaces in between can be filled carefully using mortar mixed with a waterproofer, it is a time consuming task but a little patience and cleaning up as you go along can give a very professional finish.

Flags / paving stones can be finished off with edging stones to stop any screed from escaping and they can also compliment your flags or paving.

Safety tip :- Wear gloves when mixing mortar and concrete as cement can irritate and burn skin.

Concrete posts need to be bedded in the ground and set in place using concrete. As a rough guide I would recommend having 25% of the post below ground level to provide good stability and strength. As an example I would use an 8ft post for a 6ft high fence or a 4ft post for a 3ft high fence.

Once you have dug out the hole for the post to the required depth, have some bricks or wooden stakes readily available for when you site the post in position. The 6ft and 8ft posts are very heavy and having some assistance, just from the safety point of view wouldn’t be a bad idea. Site the post in position and stand it level, you can use a spirit level on the sides of the post to get your vertical levels set, having a post level ( fig 1 ) makes the task easier to carry out.

Fig 1

 When you are satisfied with the siting of the post have your assistant wedge the bottom of the post in the hole using the bricks or wooden stakes ( fig 2 ). Double check your levels and then back-fill the hole with concrete, I normally make a mix of 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 2 parts stone ( aggregate ).

Fig 2 Concrete post