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.

If you find that the top half of a radiator is not as hot as the bottom, the cause is most likely to be trapped air in the heating system. This can be easily remedied by bleeding the air from the radiator.

First of all, turn off the central heating system, you will need a radiator air bleeding key, which are available at  DIY stores such as B & Q, Focus, etc and an old towel or absorbent cloth. Locate the air bleed valve at the top end of the radiator and hold the towel / cloth just beneath it.

Radiator air bleed key

Radiator air bleed valve

SAFETY POINT – Any water that comes out of the bleed valve may be very hot, so take care to avoid being scalded.

Using the key turn the valve anticlockwise just enough to release the trapped air ( a low hiss can usually be heard ) when water starts to dribble out of the valve close it tightly and wipe away any drips or runs of water from the radiator.

Switch the heating system on and check the radiator. If the radiator still feels cooler at the top repeat the procedure.

Remove all the doors, drawers and shelves first, then remove any screws that are fixing the worktop(s) to the base units. If the worktop edges are under tiles you may have to remove some, if not all of them to ‘free up’ the worktop. Some old kitchens have the worktop glued to the base units so the only removal solution may be a lump hammer and crowbar.

The units themselves should be relatively easy to remove and come apart fairly easily, especially with ones trusty lump hammer, but watch out for hidden cables and pipes, an indoor pool is not always appreciated. Once the water is turned off, the pipes cut and the sink unit removed, it is a good idea to fit in-line / gate valves to the remaining pipes, at least this enables the water to be turned back on, and fitting new pipework should hopefully not have to interrupt the water supply. Try and get some assistance when removing the wall units as they may be heavy or simply awkward to handle by yourself.

If you are disconnecting any electrical supplies, switch off the consumer unit and remove the fuse / miniature circuit breaker as well, this reduces the chance of the circuit becoming ‘live’ if the consumer unit is switched back on by accident, double check the supply is ‘dead’ at the point of disconnection, if in doubt use the services of a qualified electrician as electric shocks can be fatal. Don’t attempt to disconnect any gas supplies, the law says this can only be carried out by a Gas Safe registered  plumber / engineer.

So now the kitchen area is cleared, any repairs to existing walls and floors can be carried out. Holes in walls for air extraction and waste pipes can drilled / knocked through, electrics and plumbing can be installed to suit your new kitchen, don’t forget electrical supplies for wall unit lighting and the extract fan if they aren’t already in position, usually when an oven and separate hob is installed the oven comes fitted with a 13amp plug top and may require the installation of an extra socket outlet, the electric hob is then connected to the cooker switch, as this can have a much higher current demand.

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Fitting a new kitchen isn’t a ‘two minute job’ and requires a lot of tools :-

Battery drill / driver plus wood and masonry drill bits, electricians screwdrivers, power / pipe detector, claw / lump hammers, bolster chisel, spirit level, pliers, side cutters, pump pliers, saw, Jigsaw, tape measure, sealant gun, square, marker pens.

Don’t forget safety equipment such as goggles, face mask and gloves. If you are using 240volt power tools use an RCD protection device.

Always remember Safety comes First, check before starting work where the services are in the kitchen, use a power / pipe detector to check for hidden live cables and water / gas pipes before removing the old kitchen units, drilling holes or chasing out walls.

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