How To Repair a Cracked Plaster Wall

Image credit: Andrea de Poda

Cracks in plaster aren't always sinister and a sign that something is seriously wrong with your home. Plaster cracks and splits over time as buildings expand and contract, and even the best maintained homes will have cracked plaster from time to time. A few hairline cracks in plaster doesn't mean that the whole wall has to be replastered, as filling and repairing the cracks is a simple task which even people with minimal DIY skills can undertake themselves.

Plaster or Plasterboard?

The way we construct our homes in the UK has changed over the years. If you are in an older property, built before World War II, then your home is likely to have brick walls with layers of plaster over the top. In more recent years, construction has changed and stud partition walls are put up and then plasterboard placed over the top. There really is no difference in the way in which the different sorts of plaster walls are repaired, so although it is a good idea to have a basic idea how your home is built, it doesn't make much difference in practice.

Tools Required

Filler can be found in pretty much any DIY store and shouldn't
cost too much to buy.

Plastering a whole room is most definitely a job for the professionals, as it is difficult to get a smooth, even finish. Plastering is often described as an art rather than a skill, but repairing small areas of damaged plaster or cracks requires far less skill. 

In terms of tools, you will need some sandpaper, a chisel, a knife and some filler. All of these tools are widely available from DIY stores. There are many different types of filler on the market. Some are ready mixed, some have to be mixed with water, and some have special properties such as being antifungal or water resistant, so it may be best to get professional advice from the assistants in store about what product is best for your individual needs. Buying everything that you need to complete the job shouldn’t cost any more than £25.

Getting Started

If the cracks on your wall are relatively small, the first part of the process is to widen out the crack to make it large enough to be able to get the filler inside. This is where your chisel comes in handy. As well as widening the crack a little, make sure you remove any other bits of plaster which appear to be starting to flake off and use a wire brush to clean the area where you are going to be working of any loose flakes.

If you have bought filler which needs to be mixed, mix it up carefully following the instructions on the packet. Don't mix up more than you think you will need as it is useless once it has dried out. Whatever type of filler you are using, stir it with a stick to make sure it has no lumps in before you start using it.

Applying the Filler

Small initial cracks can ultimately develop into large chunks flaking away. Image credit.

Some experts advise damping down the edges of the crack which is being repaired with a cloth, as this will help the filler stick not only to the inside of the crack but to the edges too. This should stop the filler just falling out again once it dries. Always apply the filler at right angles to the crack, making sure it is pressed in firmly to fill the whole crack. Keep repeating the process until you have filled all of the cracked areas around the room. 

Don't worry if the surface doesn't look particularly smooth at this point as that can easily be rectified once the filler has dried. Fillers differ in the time they take to dry out, but always stick to whatever recommendations there are on the pack. Overnight is usually plenty of time to allow the filler to dry out completely.

Finishing

Once your filler has dried out completely, you can then sand it and redecorate the patch of wall. Fine sandpaper is usually best for this job as you want a smooth, even finish, and it may be easier to work with the sandpaper around a block of wood to help you grip it. Work over the areas which have been filled, taking your time to make sure you get as professional looking finish on the wall. Wipe over the sanded area with a damp cloth or piece of kitchen paper and leave it to dry out. 

Then all that remains is to paint or wallpaper over the filled areas, leaving your wall looking as good as new.

How to Make and Use a Jig

Jigs are, in essence, a template for your project. Jigs are an important tool for any woodworker to learn to make because they ensure your work is held accurately and safely. A jig is an essential part of your kit whether you want to make your own doors, windows, cabinets or any wooden object that requires accurate and repeatable cutting quickly.

You can build simple one-use temporary jigs for your current project or you can create complex jigs that last a lifetime for projects that you will continuously repeat. Whatever the purpose is for your jig, it will make your project is easier.

Making your jig

1. Choosing the right materials

Your material will depend on your jig’s purpose, but for most applications plywood and MDF and is sufficient. It is advised to choose wood that is already flat and straight to avoid spending time faffing around making the jig materials smooth and flat.

Hardwood is great for higher accuracy projects and for longevity.

2. What is the jig being used for?

Your project dictates which type of jig you need to build. Here are a few examples of Jig types:

·         Table saw jigs – the table saw is one of the most used and versatile woodworking tools in most workshops.

• Panel cutting jigs
• Feather boards – these can be used with a table saw or on a router table.
• Table saw jointer jigs – a jointer is designed to provide a smooth, flat edge on one of the long edges of a board.
• Band Saw circle cutting jig – perfect for producing smooth and circular pieces for small round table tops.
• Circular saw measuring jig – great if you only have a circular saw and straight edge that can be clamped especially if you are away from your workshop.
• Dovetail jigs
• Tapering jigs

There are numerous step-by-step videos available on YouTube – one of my favourite jig making videos is ‘How to build a jig’ from the Yankee Workshop.

      3. How to secure your jig

Securing the various wooden parts of your jig together depends on how often it will be used and if you need to dismantle and change it. For example, if you are going to fasten using glue you need to ensure you have clamped the glued surfaces together straight away to prevent the two pieces from slipping out of place. For secure placement you should spread the glue, align the two pieces of wood, shoot brads or pin nails into the wood and then clamp firmly together for over half an hour.

Alternatively you can spring clamp the two pieces together in place, shoot in some brads to hold in in place and then screw in some wood screws.

4. Which clamps should you use?

Most jigs require the use of clamp to either hold down the jig onto the work bench or top hold down the work piece still within the jig. You just need to remember to choose a clamp that won’t get in the way of the blade. Here is a selection of clamps that are perfect to use with jigs depending on your requirements:

G clamps

G clamps are simple to use and are great at securing your jig still to your work bench. Heavy duty G clamps are very easy to use and adjust and provide ample clamping pressure.

Spring clamps

Spring clamps are suitable for quick and simple holding which requires low clamping forces. These are great for temporary clamping of a wooden piece, such as, when you are securing a stop block to your jig base whilst you shoot in your brads or nail pins.

Toggle clamps

There is a wide range of toggle clamp (see picture above of a  vertical Toggle Clamp) available on the market depending on your needs. There are horizontal handle toggle clamps that are perfect for products with height restrictions due to their low profile when fully locked in place. You can also purchase vertical Toggle clamps (their handles are vertical when clamped into position) and push-pull toggle clamps which are great for jigs that are being used vertically with presses. All you have to do is screw your toggle clamp onto your jig where you want the clamping pressure to be applied and away you go.

Do-It-Yourself or Call the Professionals?

DIY Or Call a Professional

When it comes to DIY there are two schools of thought; it doesn’t matter whether you’re looking at a blocked drain or a burst pipe…there’s the “I can do that!” brigade and the “Ooh no…better call the plumber” gang. If you’re pretty handy around the house then there’s a good chance that you already know your limits; you can tile a wall but you perhaps wouldn’t feel up to installing a shower…but where’s the line? Is there a point where keen amateur handymen and handy women need to stop, put down that hacksaw and think again?

There are certainly some DIY areas which due to safety concerns are always best leftto the professionals and these include the following jobs!

• Installation of cookers; it doesn’t matter whether they are gas or electric, cookers should always be installed by a qualified professional!
• Gas central heating or boiler maintenance; if it’s got anything to do with your heating then leave well alone! By the way, this doesn’t include bleeding radiators! Those are a free for all!
• Some plumbing tasks; not all plumbing need to involve costly call-outs but badly blocked drains can be a hazard! Feel free to attempt washer changes and minor adjustments.

If you’re facing a hefty bill due to some much-needed maintenance then take a quick look at our list of DIY jobs which you can tackle safely even if you need to do a little research first!

• Tiling walls and floors is tricky but it’s not impossible if you take your time and ensure that you have the correct tools. Practice cutting on some spare tiles before you begin butchering those designer ones though!
• Carpet fitting might seem overwhelming but if you think of it as being similar to wrapping up a very large present, you’re on the right track. Yes there are certain tricks of the trade which you might need to master but this big job is definitely one which can be mastered by amateurs!
• Wallpapering is often dreaded by newcomers to DIY…mainly because of the many comic depictions of what can go wrong during wallpapering which are often seen on television…think visions of torn and mismatched paper and people with their feet in buckets of paste! But once again, this is a job which with patience can be completed well by the inexperienced.

Top DIY tips for beginners

If you’re contemplating any DIY task which you are new to, remember the golden rules of DIY and you can’t go wrong!

• Have the right tools! There’s no point in attempting any serious DIY unless you have the correct equipment. Wallpapering for example is far easier if you have a wallpapering table! Trying to make do and mend will result in botched jobs! If the correct tools are too expensive to buy, borrow or hire them!
• Preparation is the key! Don’t try to start painting your sitting room until you’ve cleared all of the furniture into the centre of the room and covered the carpets with dust sheets. Similarly, don’t begin any plumbing work until you’ve turned off the water supply!
• Buy a simple tool kit with all of the basics included and don’t be afraid to ask questions either! Most stores are more than happy to advise on what you need and what you don’t need.

DIY can be a hugely rewarding hobby which in the long run could save you thousands of pounds in professional’s fees. Don’t jump in at the deep end and try to build a conservatory…start small with little repairs and simple decorating and you’ll soon be competent as well as enjoying the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve completed an important task yourself. If you are unsure about something, then don;t do what this guy did. 

What DIY Can I Do By Myself?

What DIY Can I Do Legally?

The old saying is that an Englishman’s home is his castle, and many of us think that we can do any sort of work inside our homes without having to get permission from anyone. It’s not quite as straightforward as that though, and if you are doing anything more than painting walls and hanging pictures, you have to know where you stand legally before getting the sledgehammer out.

Tenants

If you rent your property privately or through a social landlord, you may be very restricted in what you are and are not allowed to do. Many landlords are happy to have their tenants take an interest in the property and allow them to decorate, change the curtains and even do larger jobs such as replacing the tiles in a bathroom or kitchen. Many others forbid any sort of alterations, so the golden rule is to check your tenancy agreement and get permission from the landlord before you rush out and buy paint and wallpaper strippers.

Structural alterations

We’ve all seen the property programmes where the host explains how easy it would be to knock walls down and turn a poky kitchen into a stunning kitchen diner. In many cases it is very simple, but unless you are a structural engineer it’s not that easy to tell whether you will affect the structure of the building by knocking down walls. Any sort of structural alteration will need to be run past the Building Control department at your local Council, and this is the best place to start for some advice and information about what you need to get permission for and what you can just do immediately. Building Control’s job is to ensure that work is carried out to an adequate standard whether you get it done by a contractor or undertake the work yourself, and will issue you with a certificate once the work is complete. If you ever try to sell in the future, any prospective buyer will want to see your Building Control certificate.

Electrical Work

Many of us just call in an electrician when things need done at home, but the legal position is that there is some work you can do by yourself, and other things which either have to be done by an approved professional, or checked by the Council when complete. Homeowners can take on minor electrical work such as replacing an existing socket, changing ceiling lights or putting in new light switches by themselves without needing permission or approval. This is known as non-notifiable work. Other work, such as rewiring the house, adding in a new circuit, adding extra sockets in your kitchen or putting underfloor heating in your bedroom has to be approved to guarantee safety. This legislation is known as Part P work and again, the local Council’s Building Control department can give advice over the phone.

Permitted development

The government have recently relaxed the rules on what you can do to extend your property without needed to go through the Planning process. For example, you can convert your loft without the addition of dormer windows without Planning in many cases, although you will need to go through Building Control. You should be able to take on projects such as building a summerhouse or shed in the garden without permission, and will not need to get a building warrant for this sort of work either. The laws do vary from place to place though, and if you are living in a listed building or Conservation Area, you may not be allowed to do anything to your home without permission.

Gas

It is easy to see how a bodged gas installation can cause huge damage to a property, so the best rule is probably to steer well clear of anything boiler related. It is easy to take on routine maintenance such as bleeding the radiators or making sure your boiler is at the correct pressure, but anything involving boiler faults which means you have to take the front off the boiler should be done by a professional who is Gas Safe registered. If you are planning on installing a new gas hob, you can do it yourself if the fitment is already there and the cooker just needs plugged in, any more complex than that and you have to have an approved contractor to do the work.

DIY Disaster! More Than Half of British Men Have Made a Mess of Home DIY

Our aim here at The DIY Helpers (which is up there for you to see) is to try and provide you with the answer to pretty much any general DIY question you might have for us. Of course, we provide a healthy dose of fascinating and odd DIY projects for you to take a gander at to. However, we - and DIY blogs/websites in general – may not be widely read by the male population of Britain, or at least if we are we’re ignored, as a survey has come out with more than half of the respondents admitting to a DIY disaster.

To be fair we all make mistakes and the fun in DIY (although it’s probably more like ‘tear your hair out frustration’) is finding out what we've done wrong and fixing it. Even those who consider themselves experts at DIY will have screwed up a project somewhere along the line, even if it’s as simple as putting up a shelf – because we’re all aware that simple things don’t always go to plan! Out of 1,000 men, 58% of them say that they have made a mess of an attempt at DIY, and have attempted to cover up their mistakes afterwards.

I can safely say I have never covered up a DIY mistake…
…

Erm, excuse me a second while I go and adjust the vase I currently have covering up a tear in the wallpaper that I accidentally caused whilst trying to tackle some damp!

All this can be put down to men not wanting to admit to their mistake, and are far too proud to ask for any help. As a man myself I can testify to this, I honestly think it’s something in our genes!

Even more hilariously, a tenth of men admitted to eventually giving in and calling in repairmen to fix mistakes, only to then claim the work of the repairmen as their own. Others call in their fathers, perhaps signifying that the older generation is far better at doing DIY than those brought up in the more laid-back modern world. Thankfully a fifth can carry out the work fine, while the same number admit that they can’t and get someone in to do it instead.

It’s worth mentioning that the survey was carried about by Disney to promote the Blu-ray release of Wreck-It Ralph, and while it’s a brilliant film you probably shouldn't be using it as a guide for carrying out DIY given that, erm, he wrecks things. Although he’s actually a quite lovable character!

At the end of the day making a mess of it and then fixing it is better than never finishing the project at all. Over half of men never finish a DIY project either, so if you made a mess of it you'd at least have had a stab at it.

Have you any stories about DIY mistakes that you’d like to share with us? We’ll do so anonymously of course, but we’d love to hear them for future posts!

How To Motivate Yourself To Complete Those DIY Jobs

My dad has recently decided that he’s probably going to be selling the house in the near future, or at least

Don't become this guy, stay positive!

make it better for continuing to live comfortably in. I don’t live there anymore having begun to rent my own place since the end of January this year, so it doesn't matter as much to me but it is sad to see that he might have to sell the place I spent most of my childhood years. My mum died a few years ago so my dad now lives in a house with 3 bedrooms; with me, my brother and my sister now having our own homes to look after. It’s too big for one person and it’s a lot of work to take care of (and a lot of money too) so certain things in the home have been neglected. The kitchen needs redecorating - largely thanks to damp having crept its way in - there’s a hole in my old bedroom’s ceiling which we had to cause ourselves because a build-up of water meant it would have collapsed sooner or later, and the back garden is an overgrown mess (I keep telling my dad to have a look here for some new garden tools here, the ones in the shed were bought around the reign of Henry VIII).

My dad works long hours to afford to keep paying the mortgage on the house, so I don’t really blame him not having the motivation to fix these things. However, he recently got made redundant again and is now determined to either downsize to a smaller house or update the décor and fix all the problems. Of course, if he does end up selling it these problems need to be fixed before anyone would want to buy it. Losing his job was obviously one of the key motivations to start working hard on the house, but he also realises he’s neglected it for a long time too.

As much as you may love DIY, or even hate it, there’s always going to be a day where you feel like my dad, where you’re overtired from working long hours and just want to slump down in front of the TV. You could say that’s what weekends for, but I myself often find that social activities and other commitments get in the way and before you know it it’s Sunday night and you haven’t done a single DIY related activity. So, from the few things I have left to do in my house, and to help my dad too, I've put together 5 points about how you can get motivated to do carry out DIY.

One goal at a time: The biggest problem you’ll most likely face when you’re going to do DIY is putting too much in your hands at once. To be fair this aspect can apply to almost any job, but when you’re faced with a long to-do list it can seem pretty intimidating and contributes hugely to your reluctance to even begin. By all means make a to-do list, but only do one goal at the same time. There’s no point in spreading your work out between different goals at the same time, focus on goal until you've completed that and move on. Doing too much will only sap your energy and motivation, and before you know it you’re sat on the sofa watching endless Friends repeats. It’s hard to initially do this, but keep a strong focus on completely one goal and you’ll have a much easier time of working through your DIY to-do list.

Do the toughest task first: It may seem like you should get all those small simple jobs out of the way first, but don’t follow that path. Instead tackle the toughest job first, as doing so will set you up for the rest of the day. If you get that tough job done it won’t be hanging over you while you’re doing the other jobs, you won’t have that worry of having to move on to that in the end. The worst thing you can do is do the small jobs but never get around to doing the big tough job simply because it seems too daunting. Do it first and you’ll feel much better, tackling those smaller jobs with a smile on your face.

Get excited: Ok, so it might seem a bit hard to ever get excited about re-grouting your bathroom, but if you get excited about a job you’re obviously going to be enthusiastic and motivated about carrying out the job. The way I get excited about a job is to look things up first and take inspiration from those things. For example, I might look up some ways to do certain DIY jobs on the Internet while on my break at work. Here you can see all the wonderful, unique and creative ways that people have completed a job (there’s an endless torrent of great DIY content out there) and it gets me excited about doing the job myself. If someone’s come up with a way of getting grouting done quicker then I'm all for it, it gets you excited to complete and move on to a job that you’re going to be more interested in. Doing research on the job can also help you discover that it doesn't seem as hard as you initially thought it might be, and even if it is just tell yourself that you’re learning how to do something new and it will be easier the next time.

Reward yourself: This is simple enough, reward yourself when you've completed a DIY job you've been

Reward yourself with a lovely cup of tea!

meaning to do for ages. When I used to study for exams back in school I’d tell myself that I’d complete 50 minutes of revision and then reward myself with a 10 minute break. Whether it’s a chocolate biscuit or simply completing the job and knowing you've now got some free time to actually do things you want to do, working towards a reward is a key motivator. Plus, the feeling of success when you eventually complete a job often feels like a reward in itself.

Don’t fear failure: This one hits close to home for me, and I attribute the fear of failure to me avoiding many tasks in my past. If you think you can’t complete a task because you aren't good enough then it’s unlikely you’ll start it to begin with. Remember that all the successful people in the world became successful because they failed multiple times. The only way to learn from your mistakes it to make those mistakes in the first place. Is it really a big deal if you make a little mistake the first time? You’ll know what you did wrong and can correct it in the future, just don’t put off doing that either.

With a little positive mental attitude and simply getting up and beginning the task, you’ll find that you can get through your to-do list in no time at all and you’ll wonder why you ever sat around making excuses not to do it in the past. We don’t have all the time in the world, so spend less time worrying about a job you haven’t done it, pick up a toolbox, get it done, and move on with your life. It’s a far more enjoyable way to live.

If you really really don't have time to do the job, or can't do the job yourself (all electric and gas work should be left to a professional) then have a look at these tips on how to hire a good tradesman for your job instead.

Are Shipping Containers Becoming the Ultimate DIY Home?

Image courtesy of Homedit.com

We often talk about doing DIY inside the home on this blog, after all part of our passion is finding new tips and tricks to complete all those DIY jobs that seem to appear on a constant never-ending basis. However, what about DIY that would encompass your entire home?

In other words, building a new home for yourself is one giant DIY project, although the ‘Yourself’ part of it would probably be hard if you were trying to build an entire brick and mortar home entirely by yourself. You’d need to hire people who were knowledgeable about various aspects of home building; such as architects, plumbers, electricians and more. As much as we’d love to learn everything, unfortunately there isn’t nearly enough time in the world. Even if you did know a bit about everything, it would no doubt turn out quite the disaster and would probably take decades to complete anyway! So, is there an easy way to get your own DIY home without spending a fortune on planning, building and everything else? Surprisingly, yes, but that’s if you don’t mind living in a shipping container.

The fact is new homes can take quite a while to build, and with little space and money seemingly available these days those new homes may not even exist in the first place. Fortunately people are looking into more diverse ways of betting the housing crisis, coming up with new unique ways to design houses while also cutting costs and building times. Homes made from shipping containers is one such idea, taking the concept of recycling to a whole new level by utilising the over 300 million empty shipping containers just sitting there doing nothing in homes around the world. Using them for emergency housing is really a no brainer, but would you live in one?

Obviously you’re not going to be just sitting on a cold metal floor, these shipping containers end up being fully transformed into homes that have all the modern conveniences of your average brick and mortar home. The beauty in using shipping containers is their adaptability, they can be slotted and linked together to create intriguing home shapes that really stand out from what can often be a street full of identical looking homes. It doesn’t have to be a tiny home either, check out this luxurious and spacious Californian home that is made out of 8 shipping containers linked together. A lot of the time homes won’t look anything like they’re made up of containers that used to travel halfway around the world, just take a look at this one for instance.

Moreover, shipping containers can provide housing for the homeless or people who are struggling to survive in their current homes. This will obviously require input from local authorities, as well as private construction, but it may just be the answer to the shortage of housing that is only going to get worse as the population grows and gets older.

Of course, you can’t just plonk a few shipping containers down on some land and call it a home. Local planning regulations need to be abided by, and getting permission for such a thing might be quite tough. However, given that it’s all about making cuts to save money these days I believe that the authorities will eventually come around to the idea of unique ways to build housing, which will hopefully lead to a greener and sustainable future.

So, you’re probably still going to need a bit more than a few power tools and a screwdriver, but shipping containers may be the answer to an affordable home that won’t take long to build and can be customised to suit your needs in a variety of unique ways.