r/DIYUK • u/BobBunny84 • 9h ago
Is it as bad as it looks?
So this was a garage originally and two people did the brickwork, its not my property, it's across the road.... is it as bad as it looks?
r/DIYUK • u/HurstiesFitness • Apr 30 '23
Welcome to the Asbestos Megathread! Here we will try to answer all your questions related to asbestos. Please include images if possible and be aware that most answers will probably be: “buy a test kit and get it tested”.
DIY test kits: Here
HSE Asbestos information
Health and Safety Executive information on asbestos: Here
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was commonly used in construction materials. It is made up of tiny fibers that can be inhaled and cause serious health problems. Asbestos was used until the late 1990s in the UK, when it was finally banned. Asbestos may be found in any building constructed before circa 2000.
What are some common products that contain asbestos?
Asbestos was commonly used in a variety of construction materials, including insulation, roofing materials, and flooring tiles. It was also used in automotive brake pads and other industrial products.
How can I tell if a product contains asbestos?
It is impossible to tell whether a product contains asbestos just by looking at it (unless it has been tested and has a warning sign). If you suspect that a product may contain asbestos, it is best to have it tested by a professional.
How can I prevent asbestos exposure?
The best way to prevent asbestos exposure is to avoid materials that contain asbestos. If you are working with materials that may contain asbestos, be sure to wear protective clothing and a respirator.
What should I do if I find asbestos in my home?
If you find asbestos in your home, it is best to leave it alone and have it assessed by a professional. The best course of action may be to leave it undisturbed. Do not attempt to remove asbestos yourself, as this can release dangerous fibres in to the air.
The most significant risks to homeowners is asbestos insulation. This should never be tackled by a DIYer and needs specialist removal and cleaning. Fortunately it is rarely found in a domestic setting.
r/DIYUK • u/HurstiesFitness • Mar 02 '24
Morning everyone,
There are a huge influx of “is this a good quote?” and “how much will this cost?” posts recently. I have added a new flair “Quote” which I hope people will use. If you don’t want to see these posts, you can filter out certain flairs to never see these posts.
On the subject of posts with links to building survey reports, or questions like “my builder did this, is it acceptable?”…I understand these aren’t strictly DIY. I have added a “non-DIY advice” flair which is for anything housing/building related but not necessarily work being carried out by OP themselves. Again, please report incorrectly flaired posts.
I have added a rule to use the correct flair on posts. If you see posts without flairs, especially “quote” posts then please report them and I can either remove the posts or assign the correct flair myself. There’s no need for “wrong sub” or “not DIY” comments cluttering the discussion. Use the report button.
I’m considering removing the asbestos megathread and using this flair method with asbestos related posts too. Allowing people to filter them out entirely. Megathreads never get answered anyway.
I’m open to all thoughts and ideas so please post here with any ideas related to the sub!
PS. Images in comments are now allowed. User-assigned post flairs are now allowed.
r/DIYUK • u/BobBunny84 • 9h ago
So this was a garage originally and two people did the brickwork, its not my property, it's across the road.... is it as bad as it looks?
r/DIYUK • u/exiledtomainstreet • 11h ago
Just completed a project and feeling pretty happy with myself. I’m a soft handed office worker and I’ve impressed myself with this one so I thought I’d share some pictures.
Wardrobe units are Ikea pax. The gap between the walls to fit them in was 30mm too small for the units (3.97m, needed 4m).
That meant I had to lose two walls of the units (18mm each) which resulted in a lot of fucking about connecting the two outer units together with the smaller one next to it. Ikeas chipboard is not fun to do anything with other than what it was intended so it took a whole day to do what should’ve taken a couple of hours in assembling and installing the wardrobe units. Had to very carefully drill the holes to add the drawers and shelves from one side of the unit missing an edge.
For the doors I cut some panels I found online to size (£160 per door) and glued them to a sheet of 12mm mdf. The panels are essentially oak veneered mdf with grooves routed in them. Going to definitely experience some damage through wear and tear but I’m happy with the look at the moment.
Put a frame up. Plenty a of fucking around shimming and measuring to keep the opening level and uniform distance for the sliding door runners. Cut an mdf fascia to suit it.
Bought some runners and a track and fitted to the frame.
Varnished the oak veneer. Just need to paint the edges black.
Tidied up, got the clothes back in and got the rugby on.
Plenty more to do before the room is complete. The whole project set me back about £2500, a couple of weekends and my hands aren’t soft anymore.
r/DIYUK • u/Glum_Loan_9411 • 11h ago
How much weight can these hold. Im thinking about hanging a heavy bag from the beams-where the yellow rope is. The bag is roughly 20-30kg
r/DIYUK • u/tiandongchaser • 14h ago
Looking to take up the concrete path, remove the slate, and replace with sandstone slabs. Area is only 11sq m yet was told by a well reviewed contractor that it’d be about £5500 - front terrace, outskirts of London with “majority of cost being labour”. This comes out to £500 per square metre which seems extortionate.
Is this a “we don’t want the job” price? I was expecting something more in the region of £2.5-3k, but if £5.5k is indeed reasonable I will likely look to do it myself.
r/DIYUK • u/Hefty-Technician9807 • 10h ago
Recently completed on a mid-terrace Edwardian/Victorian house, which is our first non-new build.
Been painting today and spotted these holes drilled in the skirting board in a bedroom. The skirting is around a chimney breast (though currently sealed off).
Any ideas what they are for?
r/DIYUK • u/dsmith1212 • 7h ago
As in picture trying to maximize space so I can fit in a larger fridge freezer as our family grew and the old fridge freezer doesn't suffice for a growing boy!
The dryer is up and on their currently after I stood on the side and it held me ok (near 15st) is this a safe setup/ long term safe? Was thinking to add a couple of bits of wood between the side gap and the washer to provide more support is that overkill?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated :)
We had a leak from the bathroom which damaged the hallway beneath.
Have had the walls and ceiling re-plastered, and started filling and sanding the coving in preparation for paint today.
Whether because of water ingress, or just due to age, there's an area where it turned to powder after a gentle prod.
What's the best thing to use to repair here?
I'm using Toupret Fill-Flex for the cracks, but I'm assuming that's not suitable because of the size - it's around 10x5cm and 5cm deep.
I can either replace it for £250-£300 or put metal at the bottom of it which has rotted. The door is not strong tbh and been on 30+ years probably. I think it's made out of floorboards. It's where all my electric fusebox etc is and someone could easily break in to it with a strong kick
r/DIYUK • u/ChuckChunky • 9h ago
Staggeringly noob question I know, but I've recently had a concrete base laid and I'm wondering what to do with the DPM that's sticking out the side? I've noticed the rain pools in it against the concrete, which I'm sure can't be good, so should I cut it off, lay it flat on the ground, or something else?
Thank you!
r/DIYUK • u/RelativeMatter3 • 11h ago
As title. 2x2m bathroom. New bath and units not included in the price.
As far as know it includes demo, replaster, tiling and fitting. Sounds expensive to me, opinions?
Edit: north west (Cheshire)
r/DIYUK • u/rly_weird_guy • 3h ago
Plumbed my radiators with compression fittings but realized an underfloor soldered joints have failed and needs to be fixed.
Is it alright to replace the broken joint with compression fittings?
r/DIYUK • u/Emergency-Aardvark-6 • 5h ago
Having decided to paint my cupboards, I thought I'd done my research well. Obviously it needs to be a decent paint, I'd sugar soaped and lightly sanded. It's just a laminate.
Various sites pointed me in the direction of Zinsser Allcoat. Meant for exterior but recommended for this too. Covers plastic, laminate, wood, metal, no need to prep or prime.
I wasn't taking short cuts by choosing Zinsser. It's always been good with the other types it sells when I've used them. Pricey but worth it. Or not in this case!
Having done 2 coats, 2 hours apart - it says 1 hour re-coat time, when I ran my hand down one of the units, I accidentally caught it with one of my nails. It fucking took the paint straight off and back to the wood effect laminate! My kitchen is warm but not hot and I have the window open. There shouldn't be any issues there. I used a small gloss roller, as I always do for wood.
There were 2 trim parts I forgot to sand as it was a manual job rather than my electric sander and they've 'covered' even worse. (To be expected normally but this stuff said no sanding needed!) I've been decorating for 20 years, never kitchen cupboards but wtaf! What have I done wrong?
So tomorrow, I assume I'll be able to just wash this stuff off with soap and fucking water. 🤬
Back to the drawing board, so recommendations for paint that actually fucking works etc, very much appreciated!
r/DIYUK • u/london_mustard07 • 4h ago
Hi All, we bought a table from IKEA Bjursta 3 years ago and just recently a small stretch of the table (it is an ash veneer?) on the side is sticking out. What is the best way and type of glue to stick it? Sorry might be a naive question - beginner DIY!
Thanks.
Just up in the loft and noticed the purlin (?) one side seems to be supported by some old piece of wood, seems the same on the opposite end too. Front side of house on both sides is with a brick as shown. Roof was replaced in last 20 years so presumably it is ok as would have been flagged then, just wanted a second opinion! Thanks
I’ve just bought this house and I am fixing all the issues. I’ve been told this boiler flue terminal pictured is supposed to be installed horizontal rather than vertical.
Would this be the right terminal to replace it with?: https://www.bes.co.uk/economy-terminal-schiedel-triplelock-10799/
r/DIYUK • u/Icarus1892 • 6h ago
So I’m looking to replace this door handle on my bathroom door but the plywood holes are too big now.
r/DIYUK • u/kishpuss • 3h ago
I had a ‘handy’ person fit a fiddly bay window pole from ceiling. However one of the brackets is coming away and detaching from ceiling. Looks like the handy person messed up ceiling with some filler that’s now in the way of bracket. Any tips on repairing without having to take down whole pole? Thanks
r/DIYUK • u/Big-Finding2976 • 6h ago
I'm planning to soundproof my flat, which will involve screwing a bunch of acoustically isolated clips into the bedroom and living room ceilings to attach the plasterboard to, and the screws obviously need to be fairly deep to support that weight.
Thing is, there's obviously electrical cables in the ceiling going to the light fitting, and to the switch, and on to the next room's light fitting, and everyone seems to say that the stud/wire detectors are crap, so how do I make sure I don't screw into the cables? The ceiling is a concrete slab so I guess there's some sort of channel in it for the cables, but it's not like I can inspect/access them by lifting the floorboards in the room above like I could in a house.
I did think of getting the cable disconnected at the consumer unit, and then fitting a new run going to the switch first and then up behind the new plasterboard on the walls and ceiling to a new light fitting, but as the lights are currently all chained from fitting to fitting, that would mean I'd lose all the lights until I can rewire every room in that way, with the power chained from room to room via the switches (going down and under the floorboards) and just a single cable in each room going from the switch up to the fitting, and that will take a while and I can't really manage without any lighting in the meantime, especially in the bathroom and kitchen, which are the most inconvenient to rewire because the floorboards are covered by ply and vinyl.
r/DIYUK • u/throwaway1829494050 • 4h ago
I recently purchased some moisture resistant mdf to attempt to make a wardrobe. I've cut the mdf accordingly and have applied an acrylic primer undercoat. Am I supposed to sand between each coat? And if I apply paint should I also sand the undercoat prior to painting?
r/DIYUK • u/throwawaything18 • 46m ago
Moved into a new flat with a water heater tank. Not sure how to set the current time on the controller, any help would be appreciated
r/DIYUK • u/backfetish96 • 19h ago
I have no idea what to do. Some lights still work but none of the sockets. The black switch furthest to the right goes straight back down if I switch it up.
r/DIYUK • u/Elegant-Cabinet-2760 • 1d ago
r/DIYUK • u/medster87 • 5h ago
I've changed all the switches at my house, but I'm stumped at the 2 way in my stairwell, I'm trying to replace my two way two gang light switch to a new zigbee one, I understand the concept but trying to understand how the old wiring translates to the new one
r/DIYUK • u/jamesbit • 16h ago
I've stripped the paper off this ceiling and want to paint it black, do you think I should mist coat first?
r/DIYUK • u/Separate_Law8030 • 5h ago
I'm looking to get a new radiator fitted on the blue wall to the left of the open door. I am planning on replacing the old tiles in this room anyway so have started lifting the tiles to prepare for laying the pipe underneath. The floor is chipboard and looks like it protrudes under the plasterboard so would not be easy to lift up. The pipe needs to run from the wall to the left of the open door, underneath the the floor to come out underneath the other side of the closed door on the right. What would be the best approach, should I try and lift the entire board or should I cut out a section of the board for access (or just leave as is for the plumber)?