Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

Fox paint brushes are a distinctive range of brushes on the market that are definitely making a few waves with both pros and DIY enthusiasts alike. Paint brushes are certainly an area of the DIY and home improvement market place that seems to continue growing, and keeping up with developments can be a time consuming occupation. Therefore when the nice people at Fox brushes asked me to take a little look at their range – how could I refuse! And my guide below should help you make up your mind on any potential purchase. read more »

Redbacks are a relatively new type of knee pad, which are certainly revolutionary in design, and therefore well worth reviewing to see if I think they’re a ‘must’ for the DIY market. Knee protection is often an area that is overlooked, or not considered essential, in both DIY and trade circles. However, for me, it’s always a necessity to wear knee pads when carrying out any DIY work - trust me, even if you’re not doing a flooring job, it’s amazing how often you find yourself on your knees – so let’s see if Redbacks are the answer to all our knee protection needs. read more »

Zinsser 123, or Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 to give it its full name, is a type of primer sealer that can help with all manner of DIY decorating jobs in your home. It’s slightly different in composition to my normal ‘go-to’ primer, Zinsser BIN, and in the guide below, I’ll explain why Zinsser 123 is sometimes the best choice when priming and sealing surfaces prior to decoration. read more »

Grip It is a type of fixing designed for use in hollow walls around your home. By hollow walls, we’re talking about stud walls where plasterboard is attached to timber uprights, or drylined walls where plasterboard is secured to the blockwork below using dabs of adhesive. In both instances, there are large voids below the plasterboard and so you need a special design of fixing to ensure that whatever fitting you’re going to hang on the wall, it’s safely held in place. Now there are plenty of designs of fixing on the market that do cater for this need – some are shown in my guide – ‘Fixing into hollow walls’. read more »

Choosing exterior paint is a task that shouldn’t be taken lightly, as not only are you making a decision from a decorative view point, but you’re also picking products that will actually protect your home. Paint really doesn’t like rain, and extreme weather conditions, so buying quality exterior paint that deals best with these issues will give you the most longlasting, and hardwearing finish. For instructions on application see my guides ‘Painting exterior masonry’ and ‘Painting exterior wood’ read more »