Cross Team Properties

One of the most versatile shelving systems is the adjustable bracket system. These shelves are attached to the wall, but can be adjusted as desired. Attaching an adjustable shelf system to the wall is a project that even a novice can complete with only a few basic household tools.

Decide on the position of the shelving unit and mark the drill holes. Holding one of the vertical rails against the wall at the desired height, mark the drill holes with a pencil. Drill the holes into the wall, taking care to check that they are deep enough to take the fittings that you will be using. Insert multipurpose plugs into the holes and tap into place with a hammer. Screw the rail to the wall using the topmost drill hole. Use a spirit level to make certain that the rail is level. Place screws into the remaining holes and attach to the wall.

Using a measuring tape and spirit level, place the second rail on the wall and mark the drill holes; the length of the shelves determines the distance between the two rails. Subtract 10cm from the length of the shelves to determine the correct distance between the rails. There should be approximately 5cm of overhang on each side.

After the second rail has been attached to the wall insert the brackets into the holes on the rails; the brackets will snap into place.  Place the shelf across the brackets and use a spirit level to be certain that it is level. If the shelf is not level remove it and adjust the brackets.

This is a fun project for the indoor gardener who has little space for conventional flowerpots and window planters.

You will need:
Five x 2l PET bottles
Five x airline tubing connectors
Fishing line
Eight x plastic washers
S–shaped hook
Four x 3in diameter net cups
Hydroponic soil
Four x 1in sponge cubes
Airline tubing
Aquarium water pump
Six feet of flexible tubing
Silicone sealant
Drill, 1in whole saw, small drill bit
Cutter knife

Drill holes in the bottom of four of the PET bottles with the holesaw, cut a large oval in each bottle a third of the way from the bottom.

Using the small drill bit, drill two equidistant holes above the oval.  Drill a hole in each bottle cap.

Push the airline tubing connectors into the caps and glue in place with the silicone sealant.  Place a piece of sponge in each cap, screw onto the bottle, cut a short length of the airline tubing and attach to the ends of the connectors.

Assemble all the bottles so that the bottom is facing up and the cap is securely in the hole of the bottle below it.  Using the fishing line and washers, connect the bottles to each other, starting from the bottom.

Cut a hole in the side of the reservoir bottle large enough to fit the pump’s inlet.  Push some of the plastic hose through and glue in place using the sealant.  Connect the flexible tubing, hang the bottles by the s–hook and connect the last bottle to the reservoir by a piece of airline tubing.  Fill the reservoir and test for leaks.

Whether you live in a brand new house or an old one, you could have problems with doors sticking in their frames or on the floors. Sticking doors can be caused by a variety of factors, including a gradual build-up of paint after years of decorating, or even moisture getting into the wood and making it swell. How you deal with your problem depends on where the door is sticking: at the bottom, the top or along one of the edges.

Sticking on the Edge

If your door is sticking along one of the long sides, then you will have to remove it from its hinges to fix the problem. Once you have the removed door secured in a horizontal position, you can use a plane to remove a few layers of paint or a few wood shavings. Make sure you do not plane off too much by putting the door back on its hinges to check you have not left any gaps.

Sticking at the Top

To remove layers of paint or wood from the top of the door you do not have to take the door off its hinges, but if you are not used to using a plane it might be easier. Otherwise, prop the door securely open and use a stepladder to access the top for planing.

Sticking at the Bottom

If one of your internal doors has started sticking at the bottom, then it may have moved on its hinges. Tighten up the hinges if necessary or use thicker screws to lift the door more securely into position. Bathroom doors are more likely to stick at the bottom as they are more likely to get wet. To fix sticking bathroom doors, you can try drying out the wood in the hope that it will return to its normal size or remove the door from its hinges and remove a few layers with a plane.

A special material is used to prevent water from leaking past a tap’s spindle when the water is turned on.  It is a special sealant that is tightly packed around the spindle at the point where it passes through a gland in the headgear.  This packing is afterwards compressed by twisting a nut to create a watertight seal.

You can tell when the gland packing is no longer effective because you will see water leaking past the spindle and dripping beneath the tap’s head.  On many modern taps there are rubber O-seals that serve the same function as the packed gland.

After turning the tap off, remove the handle and the head cover.  Tighten the gland nut first to see if this will stop the leak, and if not then unscrew it and take out the old gland packing.  Use a string impregnated with graphite to replace the packing and press it well in with the blade of a screwdriver.

Replace the old gland nut and tighten it up, then reassemble the head cover and handle to the spindle.

If there are O-ring seals instead of glands, turn the water off and remove the headgear as before, then remove the circlip holding spindle to the headgear.  Then take the spindle from the headgear and push out the old O-ring seals before fitting new ones and reassembling the handle, spindle and head cover.

Be careful when prying out the circlip because it can be fragile and any dents might make the problem recur.

Bleeding a radiator is easy to do, but it must be done correctly.  When a radiator is hot at the bottom but cold at the top, it needs bleeding.

First, you should switch off the central heating to stop more air from being sucked into the system.  You also need a receptacle such as a bowl to place under the valve to collect any liquid that may be released.

If you do not have a radiator key, buy one at your local DIY shop.  The radiator has a valve on top with a tiny square shaft in the centre.  Using the radiator key turn the shaft carefully until you hear that air is being released.

If you place your hand on the top of the radiator as the air is being released, you will feel it start to heat up.  As soon as water starts to leak out of the radiator, use the key to tighten the shaft in the valve.  If you have a sealed system, be sure to check the pressure after bleeding, and top up the pressure if needed.

If the square shaft in the valve has a slot cut into it, it will usually be possible to bleed your radiator with a small screwdriver instead of a key.

Roman blinds and austrian blinds are probably the two easiest blinds to make oneself from scratch at home. Using reasonably inexpensive and widely available components these two types of blind are simple and quick to make. Instructions on how to make roman and austrian blinds can be found on many websites and in home improvement books and magazines.

Roman blinds are hung from a batten securely attached to the top of the window. Usually lightweight to medium-weight material is used, and the blinds are also lined if the blinds are going to be used to eliminate light. Roman blinds lie flat widthways and are not gathered in any way. Metal or wooden rods, called dowels, are sewn into the back of the blind and plastic eyelets are attached level with the rods through which nylon cord is threaded from the bottom. The nylon cord comes out of the top of the blind and is attached in a figure of eight shape around a cleat screwed to the wall when the blind is raised. On account of the rigidity of the rods the blind material should fold into neat overlapping pleats when raised.

Austrian blinds are even easier to make as they are hung like traditional curtains on an ordinary curtain track. There is more material used to make austrian blinds as they are gathered widthways and lengthways, so generally lightweight material is used. Blind tape is sewn vertically onto the back of the blind, at the edges and in the middle. Nylon cord is threaded through the loops in the tape from the bottom, and pulled out of the top of the blind. When it is pulled to raise the curtain, and secured to a cleat at the side of the window, it causes attractive scallop-shaped folds in the blind. The blind material is always longer than the window so that even when the blind is lowered it maintains scalloped folds.

Opening up a wall in your home? Seek professional advice first. Knocking down walls has structural implications for your house and you should consult a structural surveyor before you proceed.

Most load-bearing walls are constructed from brick or block work, however in modern dwellings it is possible for a wood frame and plasterboard wall to be load bearing as well.

Decide where you want to open up the wall, then contact the local building inspector for a consultation.

If you get the green light to proceed, here is a brief order of works:

Before removing any bricks, fit a lintel to support the weight of the wall above. Use acrows (steel props) to support the weight of the wall while lintel is positioned, (check floor is strong enough to support the weight of the wall on the props beforehand).

Remove bricks carefully to make space for the lintel.

Install lintel, using mortar. Allow time for mortar to harden.

The supporting props can be removed once the mortar has hardened fully. Now you can remove the bricks carefully from below the lintel, opening up the space.

Symptoms of Woodworm

Although woodworm can have catastrophic consequences for a property, it is important to put things in perspective. In the UK, bricks rather than timber have been the cornerstone of building for generations. That is not to say woodworm should be ignored, particularly as many contemporary designs do favour wooden exteriors. Flooring and furniture, in particular, are also susceptible to attack.

So what are we dealing with here? There are several hundred species of beetle that bore into wood.  Thankfully, only around half a dozen of them are regular intruders and these are only classified as woodworm at the larval or grub stage of development. Britain’s most widespread borer is the Common Furniture Beetle.

Damage can be particularly common in drawer or cupboard linings, because, unfortunately, the insects have developed a taste for the glue used in manufacturing. The first indication is tiny holes, which are drilled by the beetles after the eggs are laid, as well as areas of dust left by this excavation work.

Rooms in the house that are humid, contain damp patches or are poorly ventilated, are the most likely areas to find woodworm infestation. While discovering evidence of woodworm in furniture is a big enough hassle, finding holes in your attic timber joists requires immediate attention.

Treating Woodworm

It cannot be overemphasised that if you suspect infestation, seek professional advice. Evidence of holes could merely be the tip of a much deeper problem. Minor outbreaks can be treated with insecticide, which is sprayed into the affected areas and such products are sold in most DIY stores. Furniture is treated by injecting anti-woodworm fluid into those telltale holes; not every single hole, but allowing a coverage of every 50-100mm.

Woodworm can also be brought into the house if you buy infected second-hand furniture; applying the same treatment should resolve the problem. 

Finally, remember to try and keep rooms dry and well ventilated.

You’ve decided to install a new kitchen, but first you will have to rip out the old one.  This article offers a guide to removing your old kitchen.

The first thing you should do is remove everything from the old kitchen, for example all crockery such as plates as well as electrical appliances such as your toaster.  However, if your cooker is attached to the gas line, do not attempt to remove it. 

Following the removal and storing of everything in your kitchen, you can now begin to remove your cabinets.  Start by removing the upper cabinets.  This is because you can then rest your tools on the lower ones.  Start by removing the doors and then the rest of the cabinet.  A lot of force and strength will be required to complete this task.  However, try not to leave too many holes in the walls. It’s also a possibility that the cabinets are attached to the walls with long screws or by brackets.  An electric screwdriver will be useful for removal if this is the case.

When all upper cabinets have been removed you can now deal with the water system and removal of the sink.  Turn off the water using the stopcock under the sink for the cold water and the valve in the loft or airing cupboard for the hot water.  Let the systems run themselves dry simply by turning the taps on.   The wastepipe can be undone underneath the sink and you can use a bucket to catch any drips. 

You can now remove the worktop and the lower cabinets.  Be careful, though, not to disturb the pipe work around the sink area. A professional should be called in to remove the gas cooker because they will be able to do the task safely and at the same time check for any leaks.  The radiator can be removed and the floor prised up.  When all of these tasks are complete you are ready to fit your new kitchen.

Safety Considerations

Safety considerations will include such things as ensuring there are no pipes or cables that will be affected when demolishing the wall.  Additionally, you will need to think about where the rubble is going to fall and what you are going to do with it. You might need to discuss your plans with your neighbours if it might affect their property too.

You will need to wear protective clothing and safety goggles.  Additionally a dust mask and protective footwear are advisable. 

Demolition and Clearance

The wall should be dismantled section by section.  As you take down each section you should clear the rubble appropriately.  The tools to use are a hammer and a bolster chisel.  The blade of the chisel should be held horizontally against a mortar joint a couple of courses beneath the top of the wall.  Bang the bolster to drive it into the bed.  After a few strikes the bricks will have been loosened and you can then remove them.  Repeat the process, clearing as you go.  Remove the bricks down the foundation, as new foundations will be laid with your new wall.