Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

Decorating fillers occupy row upon row of shelf space in most DIY outlets, which I always imagine provides a very confusing message to most experienced DIY enthusiasts, let alone some poor soul considering their first decorating project. I appreciate that there are different manufacturers, and different package sizes, but that aside, the overwhelming choice seems to encourage buying a different filler for every occasion, when in fact you can do every decorating job you’ll ever come across with a far, far smaller range requirement. read more »

Screws or nails for your DIY project? Which do you choose? To be honest, using nails has now become a comparatively rare occurrence, as you can be much more accurate with screws, they are easy to pop in and out if you need to make adjustments, and in most cases, create stronger fixings than nails. Also, one of the main reasons I, and indeed any builder, or DIY enthusiast uses more screws than nails these days is a direct result of the invention, and general uptake of the cordless screwdriver. Effectively, screws can now be inserted much more quickly than a nail, with far less effort.

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How much do extensions cost? Or, what will it cost to add on an extra room? Both these questions appear fairly high on my “frequently asked questions” list, and on a basic level, there is a simple answer, but this is quickly followed by advice containing much greater detail, that will immediately start pushing the initial figure up. This guide therefore looks at finding your initial starting estimate, as well as pointing out the factors that will impact on this estimate to determine how much your extension may finally cost. read more »

Decorating the exterior of your home is a DIY task that can range considerably in size, depending on your circumstances. You may literally have  a few small details that require painting if you live in a uPVC double-glazed unpainted brick home, or alternatively, re-decoration will be on a much larger scale if your house is rendered with wooden windows, for example. My list below can be applied to all outside decorating, but it is probably of most interest to those people with lots of wood, and lots of walls to paint! read more »

Planting a hedge is a great way of creating a boundary, whether it be around the edge of your land, or, between you and your neighbour, or even as a decorative division between different parts of your garden. Box hedges, as shown below, are very easy to plant and maintain, and can be trimmed to stay small for a more a decorative option, or allowed to grow much higher in order to create a larger boundary feature. read more »