Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

Zinsser BIN is a primer sealer that I feel outshines all ‘equivalent’ products on the market because it has so many applications, and can solve so many problems in all manner of decorating projects around your home. It has come across the pond from the US (along with so many other great decorating products!), and after I first became aware of it, maybe 10 or so years ago, it has become a stock item in my decorating supplies. In this guide I’ll explain a little more about what makes Zinsser BIN special, and a few areas of decorating where I find it to be an invaluable aid. 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 »

Buying screws for your next DIY project is not a job that should be taken lightly, as making the right choice will have you purring with satisfaction when every screw is driven home with ease. However, make the wrong choice and you’ll be screaming in frustration when screw heads snap off, or you just don’t seem to be able to get any purchase on the screws as you desperately try to force them into place. You’ll find more information about different screw types in my ‘Household fixing kit’ read more »

Drill dust can be a niggling DIY problem when making holes for wall fixings. It’s not a huge issue if the holes are made pre-decorating, but if you’re hanging pictures or curtain poles as finishing touches to your newly decorated room, then spouting a load of surface staining brick and mortar dust over the walls and skirting boards is not ideal. My simple masking tape technique below is one method I commonly use to catch drill dust and dispose of it, before it has a chance to sprinkle itself over surrounding surfaces. read more »

Shims are quite simply little pieces of plastic that you can use for any number of ‘packing out’ jobs in your DIY activities. Why am I giving over an entire blog post to shims you may be wondering, well, call me sad, call me obsessive, but give me a pack of shims, a pile of wood, and a job to do, and I really am the proverbial pig in muck. Why? Because they make jobs easier, quicker, more accurate, and save enormous amounts of time. My primary use for them are as aids for fitting a door lining, but there are any number of predominantly carpentry based jobs where I find shims to be invaluable. read more »