Classy Cleaner / March
If you’re planning on doing any electrical work yourself, remember that new laws have come in and you are now legally required to get a fully qualified electrician to give you a completion certificate for any work on a mains connection and a minor works certificate for work done within circuits. If you fail to do so it may mean that your household insurance is invalid.
Preparation is half the battle when you’re redecorating and Polycell has masses of problem-solving products to help. Before giving flaky, peeling walls a lick of paint, use Problem Wall Treatment (£21.99). Stain Stop (£7.19) covers up persistent water stains prior to decorating, while Damp Seal (£7.49) is excellent
for permanently sealing interior damp patches. All from major hardware stores.
Speaking of paint, apart from having a palette of the most gorgeous ice cream colours, EarthBorn Claypaints (left, from £16.45 for 2.5 litres) don’t emit the pollutants that other paints do since they’re naturally made and very eco-friendly. Perfect for kids’ rooms and asthma and allergy sufferers. Call 01928-734171 or visit www.earthbornpaints.co.uk.
If you prefer wallpaper in kids’ rooms, you can also solve the problem of where to hang little Johnny’s artwork by using Graham & Brown’s fantastic interactive “Frames” wallpaper (£15 per roll) printed with a series of various sized picture frames. Call 0800-3288452 or visit www.grahamandbrown.com.
Picture hanging can be tricky, but Black & Decker® Auto Tape Measure (£24.99) allows even the mechanically challenged to measure single-handed. From Argos, Homebase, B&Q and Focus outlets. Call 01753-511234.
Yes, you can do it! The kettle doesn’t work. Your favourite chair is broken. And there’s a lamp that needs fixing. But with a little bit of know-how, a few essential tools and some practical products, DIY can be a doddle
Three of the best tools of the trade - tackle those jobs with our pick
1 Bosch IXO (£34.99), a dinky cordless screwdriver with a charging station, 12 screwdriver bits and a built-in light. 2 Evo-Stik Serious Stuff (£5.99) is powerful enough to bond materials without resorting to nails. 3 The Black & Decker LaserPlus (from £24.99) is perfect for hanging pictures and some models have a safety function to detect live wires or metal pipes. All from DIY outlets.
In a rush to retile the bathroom? Use Evo-Stik Same Day Tiling, a speedy 12-hour tiling and grouting system for all types of tiles, from ceramic to granite. Can also be used with under floor heating. Available from Homebase, £24.99 for the adhesive and £9.99 for grout. Call 0845-0778888.
Three of the best doorbells/chimes - ring the changes
1 We love the beautifully old-fashioned Circular brass (76mm) bell push with a ceramic “press” (£27.50) from Locks and Handles. Call 020-7584 6800; www.doorhandles.co.uk.
2 If you need an ornate and decorative bell push to pretty up your front door, this Louis XV-style bell push (£49.56) is just the thing. Call 01924-230265; www.doorchic.co.uk.
3 Based on the original design of an old servant’s bell, this wall-mounted, wire-free cherrywood doorbell from Byron (£70.50) is battery powered and comes with a brass bell push. Call 0151-7098006; www.diytools.co.uk.
Clever Tricks
o Jot down measurements on masking tape and stick it to the surface you’ve just measured.
oBefore sanding or painting ceilings, wrap chandeliers or lamps in a dry-cleaner’s bag.
oPlace half an onion in a bowl of water to eliminate paint smells as you’re decorating.
oWrap paint-filled brushes in clingfilm and rollers in a plastic bag, tied at the neck, so they won’t dry out and can be used the next day.
oHave a magnet in your tool box to run over floor surfaces to pick up stray screws and pins.
Check Out these websites
owww.diydoctor.org.uk gives practical advice from tradesmen on everything from stripping wallpaper to plumbing. owww.paintquality.co.uk offers expert guidance on selecting paint, calculating quantities and preparing surfaces. owww.handyman.co.uk (0845-1249090) covers most of the UK and will come out for the smallest of jobs, from replacing a tap washer to carpentry and plumbing odd jobs. No call-out charge.
owww.screwdriver.co.uk (0800-454828) recommended by John Lewis and M&S for flat-pack assembly. The company also takes care of putting up roller blinds, curtain poles, mirrors and shelving.
oBlack & Decker Decormate™ (£69.99 from DIY retailers) is a must for every girl’s tool box as this multi-purpose power tool has three handy heads for sanding, screwdriving and paint scraping and with a quick-release mechanism to change between each.
oDIY & Home Maintenance for Dummies by Jeff Howell, (John Wiley, £18.99) has step-by-step instructions for all DIY projects to tackle, from the top to the bottom of your house.
oThe Little Giant Ladder Systems (£169.95) include five types of ladder in one, with as many as 24 different positions, allowing you to paint stairs and ceilings safely and tackle high cleaning jobs and they separate into two A-frame ladders for use as a trestle platform. There’s also a work platform on which to put paint tins or tools. Call 0871-5552003; www.bestdirect.tv.
