Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

To fix a leaking kitchen tap, or indeed any leaking tap, you must know where to turn off the water supply to the tap. First, check for isolation valves close to the tap, on its supply pipes. If you cannot find one, you will have to turn off the supply with a stop tap further down the pipe run. The main stopcock for a house is often found under the kitchen sink. It’s important to know where these taps are to turn off water supply if a leak is severe. read more »

The following sequence shows a good course of action for unblocking a kitchen sink. However, it is always best to try and stop blockages occurring in the first place. Most blockages can be avoided by using items like plug strainers which will catch unwanted food crumbs so that they do not accumulate in the kitchen waste pipes. Fat and oil can also collect in pipes if you pour excess down the sink – they simply settle, solidify and cause problems that are easily avoided if you recycle fats in another way. read more »

Kitchen unit hinges tend not to break, but the hinge plates will often loosen through wear and tear. Sometimes you can use a strong adhesive to fill the hinge plate holes before pressing the plate back in position. However, if this doesn’t work or the fixing holes for the plate are too damaged, another option is to move the plate slightly making new fixing holes – this also means you have to move the hinge on the door. read more »

Drawer fronts and the mechanism by which they are held in place can sometimes break, and therefore require replacement. Drawer runners can generally be adjusted if the drawer is not running smoothly. Another common problem is simply that the handle fixing holes wear out, and a good technique for repairing a kitchen drawer handle is shown below. read more »

Repairing a laminate kitchen worktop is often a pretty tricky DIY job. These types of worktop can be chipped or scratched with sharp or heavy objects, and placing hot pans on them will normally end up with scolding of the laminate surface. In all cases, there are few options for repair; some manufacturers will supply various repair compounds, but I must admit I’ve had limited success with such laminate worktop repair kits. read more »