Basic DIY questions?

[WouldBe]

I have a mitre box but will check this out. Is that for the skirting board joins?

You can use it for cutting any timber at any angle.

Best way of doing skirting is to cut the end of the board at 45°. Then you use a coping saw to cut from the face of the skirting following the previous cut at 90°. Then when you put that bit of skirting up to the first square cut board the new piece should fit the shape of the skirting.

If you just cut both pieces of skirting at 45° you will end up with a gap either at the front or the back as it's unlikely that the corners are exactly 90°.

 

[MBV]

This flashing, which you say you did yourself?

View attachment 371360

There is the red coloured bit; to the left of that there is something else, which I imagine is what it was all like before you did your repair: what is it exactly?

Generally in this kind of situation, ideally there would be the roofing (felt in this case) and where it meets the wall it would bend upwards and tuck behind some proper flashing, most likely lead. That lead flashing should go into a kind of deep slot in the brickwork behind the render. So any water running down the surface of the render, or even behind the render, gets directed outwards, down the outside of the lead flashing, then onto the roofing and away.

The alternative is some kind of drip detail at the bottom of the render; it might be a kind of metal angle a bit like a plasterer's stop bead, again the idea would be that it would catch any water running down the surface of the wall and shed it away from the wall, and not let it get near any kind of top edge of the felt roofing where it's folded up the wall.

The "repair" job doesn't do either of these things - it looks like the felt is folded up the wall and probably not really attached to it properly, then there is a kind of a messy bottom edge of the render, then the gap inbetween is filled with some kind of mastic or something. This is pretty much bound to fail, at least after a while, because even though they might not be obvious there are probably lots of tiny gaps between the render and the mastic, and the felt and the mastic, and water can find its way along these, either by capilliary action or driven by wind.

You say the problem occurs when it's windy - never underestimate the power of the wind to force rainwater uphill, through tiny cracks and so on.

Therefore, to me it's plausible that on a window day, water gets blasted up the slope of the roof and finds it way in through the dodgy repair job.

Like WouldBe says, once water gets under a felt roof it can track along quite a way and you might see damp appearing quite distant from the place the water's actually getting in.

I might be wrong, can't say for sure this junction is where the problem is, but it's one of the things I'd be taking a look at.

Thanks teuchter - The red felt was put on Nov 2021 after I first had water coming into the kitchen. The guys who did it were recommended by my plumber - it was a cheap repair which worked for a bit so it is probably time to bite the bullet and get a pro to look at it and advise. Water appears in the kitchen when there's heavy rain and wind in the same place so your diagnosis makes sense.

The left of the red bit is the old felt.

Thanks again - really appreciate the advice of you and others on this thread.

 

[WouldBe]

Have you ever seen a bricklayer?

Yeah but they usually work from known points at either end and the string just makes sure the new bricks line up with the previously laid bricks.

If you try using a string line to get the ground level to start with how do you check the string is level without causing it to deflect?

 

[Boudicca]

You can use it for cutting any timber at any angle.

Best way of doing skirting is to cut the end of the board at 45°. Then you use a coping saw to cut from the face of the skirting following the previous cut at 90°. Then when you put that bit of skirting up to the first square cut board the new piece should fit the shape of the skirting.

If you just cut both pieces of skirting at 45° you will end up with a gap either at the front or the back as it's unlikely that the corners are exactly 90°.

I may also be doing skirting soon and I already possess a chop saw which I am eager to use again. I fully accept that cutting two pieces at 45 degrees is doomed to failure, but surely there is a way of measuring the second angle you need to cut? I'm not quite following the instructions re coping saw, I think.

 

[WouldBe]

I may also be doing skirting soon and I already possess a chop saw which I am eager to use again. I fully accept that cutting two pieces at 45 degrees is doomed to failure, but surely there is a way of measuring the second angle you need to cut? I'm not quite following the instructions re coping saw, I think.

Fit one piece of skirting, cut square at both ends, and fit from wall to wall. Cut a 45° mitre on the end of another piece so the thinnest point would effectively go into the corner. Use a coping saw to cut straight across the skirting (slightly under cutting works better) to give something like this -
The thinnest point would be to the left. This should then result in it fitting nicely to the first piece like this -
The cut piece is the bit running vertically.

 

[WouldBe]

Problem with trying to measure the angle is trying to get something right into the corner. You could try cutting a piece of stiff card to fit, measure the angle with a protractor and halving it then setting the mitre saw to that angle.

 

[danski]

I may also be doing skirting soon and I already possess a chop saw which I am eager to use again. I fully accept that cutting two pieces at 45 degrees is doomed to failure, but surely there is a way of measuring the second angle you need to cut? I'm not quite following the instructions re coping saw, I think.

This seems a pretty straightforward video and explains it well.

The chippys at work only scribe internal mitres. They leave external ones or if it’s obviously acute, they’ll just cut a bit more than 45degrees to allow it to fit. Any gaps will be caulked.
As long as an external is cut to the correct length(s) the gap will be minimal.

 

[WouldBe]

This seems a pretty straightforward video and explains it well.

The chippys at work only scribe internal mitres. They leave external ones or if it’s obviously acute, they’ll just cut a bit more than 45degrees to allow it to fit. Any gaps will be caulked.
As long as an external is cut to the correct length(s) the gap will be minimal.

Exactly what I said. Just better illustrated.

 

[jontz01]

Yeah but they usually work from known points at either end and the string just makes sure the new bricks line up with the previously laid bricks.

If you try using a string line to get the ground level to start with how do you check the string is level without causing it to deflect?

You get a load of wooden pegs, bang one well into the ground and mark your desired final height. We'll call this peg 1. Position it just outside of your working area.

Peg 2 goes in the direction you want to level, as far away as you are able to comfortably reach with your long spirit level or straight edge. Knock peg 2 into the ground, use the spirit level to copy the final height to peg 2. If you're working alone, you can tap a nail into peg 1 to support your level or straight edge while you're over marking peg 2. If you have a helper, get them to hold one end of the level on the mark, while you mark the other end on the other peg...

Pull a string line from the mark on peg 1, to a third peg, using the mark on the second peg to set it at the correct height. This is another job that is useful to have a helper, especially over large distance. The helper can tell you whether to raise of lower the string at peg 3 so that it perfectly meets the height line drawn on peg 2. A nail can help here if you're alone. Move the string up and down on peg 3 until it touches the mark or nail or peg 2.

The 3rd peg goes beyond the outer edge of your project. If your pegs and string are good quality, you can span a reasonable distance with this method, conditions apply.

You can travel in any direction you see fit, as long as you start at a known point and cross another level known point. You can project the height to wherever.

Tldr:

Project the line from your desired finished height to any other point by bisecting a second known point that is also set at the finished height.



Hope this doesn't all sound too ridiculous. I've been tearing round the woods all night looking the moon.

 

[existentialist]

When packing and levelling carriage underframes, I tend to use a laser level ....

Oooh, get you

 

[jontz01]

I have a mitre box but will check this out. Is that for the skirting board joins?

For neatly and accurately cutting timber on the cheap. Once they're set up and adjusted properly, they do an alright job. Just check your maximum cut width before you buy... I've used one on a few decking jobs as I'm too transient to start buying decent tools. It's payed for itself 10 times over already.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

When packing and levelling carriage underframes, I tend to use a laser level ....

Oooh, get you

yes but it must save time, not having to send the apprentice to the stores for a new bubble for the spirit level...

 

[Boudicca]

This seems a pretty straightforward video and explains it well.

The chippys at work only scribe internal mitres. They leave external ones or if it’s obviously acute, they’ll just cut a bit more than 45degrees to allow it to fit. Any gaps will be caulked.
As long as an external is cut to the correct length(s) the gap will be minimal.

Aha! Thank you.

 

[StoneRoad]

Oooh, get you

with a 49ft carriage, that was needed !
and repeated several times to keep the XXXXX thing in shape during the work.

e2a - I can usually "see" if something is out of kilter on shorter vehicles but that one was just too long but had the advantage of still being attached to an iron underframe.

 

[Artaxerxes]

I think I need to go over my window frames and reseal them

Anyone tell me the name of a product for it or link me to what needs doing if it’s more complex than add sealant to join?

 

[wtfftw]

This is the most basic of questions but what do I need to attach a bookcase to the wall?

A response that is a link to an item at screwfix would be most appreciated but any correct answer would be of great help.

 

[WouldBe]

View attachment 374740

I think I need to go over my window frames and reseal them

Anyone tell me the name of a product for it or link me to what needs doing if it’s more complex than add sealant to join?

Silicon sealant.

 

[WouldBe]

This is the most basic of questions but what do I need to attach a bookcase to the wall?

A response that is a link to an item at screwfix would be most appreciated but any correct answer would be of great help.

Depends what the bookcase is made of and how it's constructed.

 

[wtfftw]

Depends what the bookcase is made of and how it's constructed.

it's a cheapy argos I reckon. so probs mdf backed by cardboard but it's pretty flush against the wall.

 

[existentialist]

Depends what the bookcase is made of and how it's constructed.

it's a cheapy argos I reckon. so probs mdf backed by cardboard but it's pretty flush against the wall.

Also depends on the construction of the wall.

 

[StoneRoad]

View attachment 374740

I think I need to go over my window frames and reseal them

Anyone tell me the name of a product for it or link me to what needs doing if it’s more complex than add sealant to join?

Not silicon sealant - you can't paint over that ...

Use "stixall" instead ; it is a gunable product, suitable for exterior use, comes in white and can be overpainted. And is probably cheaper.

 

[pbsmooth]

This is the most basic of questions but what do I need to attach a bookcase to the wall?

A response that is a link to an item at screwfix would be most appreciated but any correct answer would be of great help.

L bracket and screw it into the wall

 

[cesare]

L bracket and screw it into the wall

Right fixing and checking first for wires/pipes

 

[WouldBe]

Not silicon sealant - you can't paint over that ...

Use "stixall" instead ; it is a gunable product, suitable for exterior use, comes in white and can be overpainted. And is probably cheaper.

Do it neat enough and you won't need to paint over it.

 

[StoneRoad]

Do it neat enough and you won't need to paint over it.

That's assuming the colour is the one that you want around your windows ...

 

[WouldBe]

That's assuming the colour is the one that you want around your windows ...

Unless you're going to paint the window frames as well it won't be a problem.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Silicon does come in white mind

 

[WouldBe]

Silicon does come in white mind

Didn't think I needed to specify the colour.

 

[Elpenor]

I’ve removed this rickety old picket fence as the posts were rotten and the fence really provided very little benefit. It was just a case of lifting it out of the ground.


Is it worth replacing? The fall from the top of the rockery is approx 1.3m I guess. I rarely have children here, but I will at one point have a dog I hope, and of course I could fall as well. I haven’t quite decided what will go on the bed behind the wall. It has been sowed with some grass seed.

 

[5t3IIa]

Morning!

I have a titchy toilet in my en suite, and the seat is broken. It is 380 x 360 with 200 hinge distance. Can anyone help me find a basic* soft closing one? Thank you!







* ideally I want an orange one but understand that might be challenging