This blog is the result of over 20 years of working in building and renovations and a growing career in writing guides, columns and books.
Posted in Buying Guides, Gardening Reviews on September 24th, 2012 by Julian Cassell – 2 Comments
Decking screws have often been sources of disappointment for me. They’re packaged with big claims about corrosion resistance, sharp points, self countersinking ease of use etc. etc. but in most cases, I’ve found them to fail on more than one of these promises. However, following a recent decking project, I believe I’ve found the best decking screws on the market, that certainly live up to all the manufacturer’s claims. read more »
Posted in 'How-to' Guides, Preparing Surfaces for Decoration on September 19th, 2012 by Julian Cassell – Be the first to comment
Filling ceiling cracks prior to painting is an essential part of the decorating preparation process. The main problem with filling ceiling cracks, is that the cracks often reappear very quickly after they’ve been painted. This can be due to a number of reasons, and diagnosing those reasons can generally help in filling them successfully, and providing a good chance of them not returning in the near future. There is no surefire permanent fix for filling ceiling cracks, but the advice below should help you in deciding on the best option to take. read more »
Posted in 'How-to' Guides, Preparing Surfaces for Decoration on September 11th, 2012 by Julian Cassell – Be the first to comment
Caulk or silicone sealant? So, what’s the difference? Visually there’s not a lot between these products. Both caulk, and silicone sealant, are supplied in a tube, which is inserted into a cartridge gun where it is then squeezed out along cracks and junctions between all manner of different surfaces in your home. Both products are designed to cope with slight movement between adjacent surfaces, but for the best results in all of your DIY endeavours, there are big differences as to where specifically you should use caulk or silicone sealant. read more »
Posted in 'How-to' Guides, General Plumbing on September 7th, 2012 by Julian Cassell – 4 Comments
Plumbing isolation valves are quite simply some of the most useful devices that a DIY enthusiast can find in their home. These small valves allow you to turn off the water supply in one area of the plumbing system, so that you don’t have to drain down the whole system in order to carry out some work on a plumbing fixture or fitting. read more »
Posted in Buying Guides, Power Tool Reviews on August 31st, 2012 by Julian Cassell – Be the first to comment
Buying an SDS drill for DIY has the potential to be an expensive activity, and one which is not altogether necessary, if you have a good quality cordless combi drill, or standard power drill. Therefore before taking the plunge, I’ve put together a few points to explain exactly what extra an SDS drill has to offer, and tell you what I feel is the best DIY SDS drill on the market, which also happens to be one of the cheapest. read more »
