Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

When deciding where to start tiling a floor, you can employ a number of techniques that will help in your decision-making process. The aim is to produce a tile layout that provides the most balanced effect, in terms of cut tiles around the edge of the room, as well as trying to establish any areas where you ideally need to centralise the design, such as at a door entrance, for example. In reality, your tile layout will normally have compromises read more »

Cordless drills are without doubt amongst the most useful tools that any DIY enthusiast will own, and therefore it is essential to know how to use a cordless drill correctly. Before I begin, forget all the hundreds of different terms you’ve read or seen describing this type of tool as there really are only three main categories of cordless drill. Firstly there’s a cordless drill driver, secondly there’s a cordless combi drill, and thirdly there’s a cordless SDS drill. Forget the SDS drill for this guide, as it’s a more heavy duty option. read more »

Asbestos safety is a topic that needs to concern all homeowners, as the wrong type of asbestos exposure is a serious health risk. However, with any material that is potentially dangerous to health, as long as we all know what dangers are actually presented by that material, then it becomes more straightforward to deal with it in a safe way. Many of us have asbestos present in or around our homes, and the key thing to remember is that in most cases, it only starts to present a health risk once it is cut and/or disturbed. read more »

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 »

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 »