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Posts Tagged ‘board<’
Mr-Skill loves animals, and is particularly fond of cats. These independent animals are prone to coming and going as they please, so installing a cat flap is the least you can do to make your pussy happy – besides, it saves you having to get up and do the honours for Kitty in the middle of the night! Talk about leading a charmed life! One of our London window and door fitters says that cat doors are so popular in the big city environment that he does plenty of installations in both wooden and glass doors. 
Job Difficulty
Assuming you are a practical and handy-type of person, then this project should not prove too difficult. However if you are not so useful with your hands, rather get a window and door fitting quote here on Mr-Skill.
How it Works
Most of our interior doors are the hollow core type these days, and comprise of two wood veneers held in place by the actual door framework. This creates a hollow centre effectively, and this is where you should position the cat flap.
What You’ll Need
- A pussy cat (to supervise)
- A cat door (one your cat will fit through)
- Drill and bits
- Jig saw
- Inch-thick board for the surround
- Table saw
- Wood screws and a driver
Installation
Mark the new opening using the template supplied with the cat door, and cut the correct opening size on one side of your hollow core door. Do this by drilling a hole on each corner to accommodate the jig saw blade. Now drill the corresponding holes on the thin veneer of the other side of your door – again cut a straight line between the drill holes.
Finishing Off
Check the gap between the two-cut out faces of your hollow core door. Using your table saw, cut strips of wood to fit this gap exactly (in other words, along the length). Now cut the surround board into two equal pieces to fit the cat flap width, and the other two to fit the flap height – as in top and bottom, left and right.
You should now be ready to place the cut boards into the door framework, to bridge the gaps in the hollow core door – it should mirror the cat flap exactly. Next, secure the surround trim using half-inch screws, running two screws from each side of the hollow core door.
Good Going
If you have made it this far without any hassles, Mr-Skill would like to invite you on board so that others can find their window and door fitters to install their cat flaps! Now pop the kettle on and make yourself a nice brew! Don’t forget a sprig of catnip for pussy!
Tags: bit, board, difficulty, drill, find a window and door fitter, hollow core door, installation, installing, jig saw, job, london window and door fitter, project, screw driver, screws, surround, table saw, template, veneer, window and door fitting quote, wood screws
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Nov 24
While parents may still find them handy for tracking teenagers in and out at night, the truth is that a squeaking floor is an irritating thing that is literally crying out for your attention. Before you look for cost-effective Carpenters Quotes on Mr-Skill, you may like to try out these handy ideas first.
 Floor boards creak for one of three reasons, and these are some of the things you can do to fix them – possibly by yourself – once you have walked the floor and found the source:
1. They are incorrectly fitted and rubbing up against each other. Pour a little talcum powder into the crack and work it in by pressing up and down with your foot. If this works, repeat the treatment regularly.
2. The nails holding them down have worked loose. If at all possible, remove the nails completely and replace them with wood screws. If not, you may have to fit new screws separately, hammer the old nails in as best you can, and fill the nail heads with filler. Start with two screws, each towards the outer edge of the board, remembering to countersink them. Only add a middle one if necessary.
3.  The floor support is inadequate. This is a major job and you need to Find a Carpenter on Mr-Skill to do the job for you. They will remove a section of floor boards, add additional supporting battens and re-lay the floor. If done correctly by a professional there is no reason why the job will not work. Done incorrectly by a cowboy though, and it could cost you the floor.
There are Experts in London Carpentry on Mr-Skill, and specialist carpenters working in almost every other United Kingdom postcode too. When you Hire a Skilful Tradesman here, you not only get one with all the correct papers. You also get to save pounds off normal market rates.
Tags: add, batten, board, carpenters quotes, countersink, creak, fill, filler, find a carpenter, floor, floorboard, hammer, incorrect, lay, london carpentry, loose, nail, paper, powder, professional, rate, reason, relay, remove, replace, rub, save, screw, section, specialist, squeak, talcum, work
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
Posted in Tiling & Flooring on Sep 21
Wood-Effect laminate flooring has become popular in recent years, as folk discover how quickly they can change a room around, and how easy these floors are to keep clean too. But everything has its downsides and laminate flooring certainly is no exception. The only way to protect yourself from  problems is to Find a Floorer who does the job correctly in the first place.
• Peaking occurs when boards are too tight up against each other and the centres begin to bulge. This is almost invariably causde by a lack of free expansion space around the perimeter of the room, and can be corrected.
• Buckling and Warping are the result of water damage or moisture that could come from underground or might even be in the air. For this reason I have yet to meet a Flooring Firm in London who would consider laying laminate flooring in a bathroom, especially near a shower. Another possible cause of buckling and warping is the absence of an effective balancing substrate.
• Gapping between boards should not occur at all providing they are allowed to acclimatize before being laid. If they do open slightly under very cold conditions, the chances are that gaps will close as the room warms up again.
•  Mould and Mildew are warning signs of high humidity that ought to be carefully controlled, not simply cleaned away. The solution is to root cause the underlying problem and address it.
• Chipping on corners is a sign of abuse during installation. Make sure your Flooring Quote describes the manner in which the work will be done. If it mentions the use of a mallet and tapping block (which are unnecessary in the first place) move away and look again. If the damage happens subsequently, then I’m afraid you bought a poor quality floor.
Another way to avoid these hassles is to Find a Reputable Flooring Firm on Mr-Skill. That’s because we reference-check our tradespeople to make sure their lower prices do not come with loss of quality. How’s that for winning both ways.
Tags: avoid, board, buckle, bulge, cheap, chip, clean, cold, control, damp, expansion, find a flooring firm, floor, flooring firm in london, flooring quote, gap, humidity, laminate, mallet, mildew, moisture, mould, peaking, poor, price, problem, protect, quality, strip, substrate, tap, tight, warp, wood, wood effect
Posted in Tiling & Flooring | Comments Off
There is still a great deal to be said for dining at a solid wooden table, although these days we often seem to end up with laminated composite board instead that admittedly helps keep things more affordable. This is not to say that bargains are not waiting to be found at charity shops and auction rooms, although these have inevitably ended up becoming tatty, which is why they are there in the first place.
This does not mean to say that they cannot quite easily be restored, provided, that is, that the wear and tear is strictly  superficial, and that all the bits are there. Interested? Then never mind about getting a Painter Quote right now. Let’s first learn how the job should be done.
o Identify a suitable working environment that is free of dust and floating pollen. That means working inside somewhere assuming you are aiming at a gleaming finish.
o Work outside initially though, sanding the woodwork down with fine-grit paper until it is nice and smooth, and finishing off with steel wool until the job is as good as you can get. Every Decorator in London knows that the secret is in the preparation, so allow a full day for an average-sized dining room table, never mind the chairs.
o Wipe the table down with a damp cloth removing every single scrap of dust, finishing off with a lint-free cloth lightly moistened with mineral turpentine. Take your work inside to where you plan to finish off the job the following day.
o  Apply a coat of the finishing product that you have chosen, be this varnish, polyurethane or some other more exotic choice. Always use a clear product too, so that you bring out the natural character of the wood.
o When this has dried thoroughly sand the surface down lightly again, until you have broken through the sheen. If there are any bumps caused by dust or imperfections, slice these away carefully with a sharp blade. Dust off your work thoroughly, and wipe it carefully with a lint-free cloth moistened in clean water this time.
o Repeat the process as many times as you have patience for, because every coat is guaranteed to improve the finish and enhance the sheen. If you decide to Find a Decorator to do the job for you instead, you know by now why it is so important to agree a specification of exactly what they intend to do.
I have an old ball and claw mahogany dining table that I did up myself a decade or so ago and finished off with clear polyurethane varnish. Many have admired the natural, lighter colour that comes shining through, although I should think that few would have the patience to achieve it.
Tags: admire, auction, bargain, board, charity, clear, cloth, composite, decorator in london, dining, dust, environment, find a painter, finish, gleam, grit, inside, laminate, lint, outside, painter quote, patience, pollen, polyurethane, repeat, sand, shop, smooth, solid, steel wool, steelwool, superficial, table, turpentine, varnish, wipe, wood, work
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
Posted in Plastering & Drywall on Jul 13
 Ceiling boards or sheets are attached to strips of wood called lathes, which are in turn nailed to the rafters above them. These sheets may be left in their raw state, painted, or even plastered over. While this method of attachment could last indefinitely, it does sometimes fail for one of two reasons. The inevitable result is a sagging ceiling threatening to come crashing down. London Plasterers are especially adept at solving this, on account of the age of many City buildings, and the vibration of traffic rumbling past outside.
o If the lathes have rotted, it could be worth a try replacing them with new wood, although I doubt you’d Find a Plasterer willing to attempt this with a fully comprehensive guarantee. This method nvolves strapping fresh lathes underneath the joists (between the old ones) and carefully screwing the ceiling panels to these while holding them in place
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o If the lathes have just worked loose, you could call for Plastering Quotes on Mr-Skill to strap them back into position again. I have found the nylon straps they use these days to close packing cases especially effective for doing this, and you should be able to borrow the tensioning device from your local removal firm for a few hours, or hire one instead.
Before you decide to rush into a job like this yourself, consider whether you really do want to spend a sweaty weekend in a dusty ceiling, with the ever-present possibility of sticking a foot through it inadvertently and perhaps bringing the whole thing crashing down. You could simplify your life considerably by Finding a Plasterer on Mr Skill instead. How’s that for a really good suggestion?
Tags: board, borrow, ceiling, crash down, fall, find a plasterer, guarantee, hire, joist, lathe, london plasterer, loose, new, nylon, paint, plaster, plastering quote(s), replace, rot, sag, screw, sheet, strap, tension, wood
Posted in Plastering & Drywall | Comments Off
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Jun 23
Picture framing is becoming an expensive luxury these days with many of us avoiding it completely in place of pre-framed prints sold at the bigger shops.  Sometimes though, we do still need an original framing job, as for example when we want to frame a favourite photograph, or a childish sketch to keep as a memory. I doubt very much that you would need to go all the way to find a Carpenter in London though, because in principle the task is extremely simple.
Place the picture on a backing board. Obtain a suitable wooden profile, making sure it has been routed to receive a sheet of glass if this is needed. Cut the wooden profile using a mitre box, and glue the whole lot together, perhaps using staples or even biscuits to reinforce the job. No need to Find a Joiner on Mr-Skill.
The next step is to paint the frame in a colour if desired, perhaps picking out the moulded highlights to create an interesting effect. If the profile you choose is plain, then here are some unusual ideas to add some fun:
o Cover the frame with textured cloth such as hessian or burlap, or mix some fine gravel into paint, and apply this to create a different effect
o Collect a few seashells on the beach and stick these on, or make up some brightly coloured paper butterflies
o Visit the hobby shop and pick out some attractive beads and ribbons, and let your imagination run absolutely free.
There are a great many other things that you could do without ever bothering about Carpentry Quotes. The greatest joy of all is that the materials are so cheap that it does not matter if you have to start all over again.
If you do need to find a carpenter or a joiner through, perhaps for a repair or alteration job around the house, then we have a really good list for you to choose from, and you could get up to 30% off normal quoted rates. Aren’t you glad you discovered Mr-Skill – your partner around the home or office.
Tags: bead, biscuit, board, burlap, carpenter london, carpentry quotes, cheap, colour, cut, expensive, find a joiner, frame, framing, fun, glass, gravel, hessian, highlight, hobby, home, job, luxury, mitre, mould, office, paint, picture, profile, ribbon, route, saw, shell, staple
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
Posted in Plastering & Drywall on Jun 18
When you receive your Plastering Quotes from Mr-Skill you may possibly be a tad confused by some of the terms they use.  They do so in an effort to describe exactly what they propose to do, and we thought it could be helpful to provide some definitions.
o Coving is the art of filling in the joints between walls and ceilings. This may be done with raw plaster, or prefabricated cornices also known as architraves. Some Plastering Jobs in London involve skilful repairs to decorative coving that may be centuries old already.
o Float and Set is a technique for applying a basic render to a raw wall that may be later finished off or even tiled.
o Plasterboarding is the same as Drywalling and refers to the installation of large gypsum sheets to walls and ceilings for skimming by others later.
o  Rendering is a cement-based plaster applied to the outside walls of buildings. When used in conjunctions with small stones it is called Pebble Dash.
o Skimming is a more refined technique used to finish off inside walls more smoothly. It can be painted or tiled later, or may alternatively already contain a pigment.
Armed with this information you could Find a Plasterer on Mr-Skill with greater confidence. They will appreciate it when you describe your requirements in words that they understand too.
Tags: architrave, board, ceiling, cement, colour, cornice, coving, dash, dry, drywall, find a plasterer, finish, float, paint, pebble, pebbledash, pigment, plaster, plasterboard, plastering london, plastering quote(s), render, set, skim, stone, term, tile, wall
Posted in Plastering & Drywall | Comments Off
Posted in Plastering & Drywall on Apr 19
Drywall, sometimes also called Gypsum Board or Plasterboard consists of a sheet of Gypsum plaster pressed between two  thick paper sheets. Cheapness, ease of use and the ideal base-finish it provides has made drywall the norm for almost all interior walls and ceilings in houses and offices built in the United Kingdom these days.
While it is tempting to Find a Plasterer on Mr-Skill to apply the final finishing coat, this is also something that handy people can attempt themselves, provided they have piles of patience, and more to spare.
o Apply a suitable primer as advised by the Gypsum Board manufacturer.
o Wet the hawk (the board on a short pole used to transport the plaster to the job) and centre a reasonable blob of plaster mix on it.
o Take some plaster on your plastering float and put it on the wall with upward sweeping motions.  Concentrate on getting the material to stick. When you have the hang of it, add more plaster, smoothing out as you go along to achieve an even coat an eighth- to a sixteenth-inch thick.
o After it has dried off completely, finish with an orbital sander. Then patch-in and refinish, until you have achieved the standard you had in mind.
o Finish off with undercoat and topcoat if desired. If you got everything right, then you can stand proud with any Plasterer in London, because what you have just completed is not an easy job.
At Mr-Skill, we like to encourage homeowners to explore their potential and discover previously unknown skills. At the very least, now that you know how to plaster drywall yourself, you will be able to assess the Plastering Quotes you get from us effectively.
Tags: adhere, board, ceiling, cheap, dry, drywall, easy, find a plasterer, finish, float, gypsum, hawk, home, house, office, paper, plaster, plasterboard, plasterer london, plasterer quote, plastering job London, plastering quote, prime, sand, sander, sheet, smooth, stick, topcoat, undercoat, wall
Posted in Plastering & Drywall | Comments Off
Posted in Plastering & Drywall on Oct 11
A small hole in the ceiling may happen accidentally when someone drops a tool in the loft, or be an unwanted leftover from a light fitting that you removed. The principles to making it good again are the same, once you have arranged for an electrician to isolate any electric points. Do not attempt this job yourself if the diameter of the hole is greater than four inches – rather choose from competitive plasterer quotes and find a plasterer to do the job for you.
 o Wear safety glasses at all times, and a face mask when you are in the ceiling space. This is because all manner of things end up in ceilings, and you need to protect your lungs and eyes from harm.
o Clean up the existing hole with a sharp Stanley knife or similar so that no loose material remains. If the ceiling has been plastered, remove a little of this around the hole too.
o Obtain a suitable piece of board that will overlap the hole by approximately three inches on all sides, two full-sized bricks, a hand brush and a tube of silicon as well. Enter the ceiling space with a friend and carefully work your way across to the hole, preferably without dropping anything on the way.
o Brush the immediate ceiling around the hole to remove dust and any debris. Put a generous run of silicone around the hole. Lay the board over the hole, and put the bricks on top of it to press it down securely. You are finished in the roof and need not return.
o Make up a small amount of slurry using any cement-based product mixed with a bonding or key-coating product. Mix this very well until there are absolutely no lumps and it has the consistency of thick cream. Gently apply a thin layer of this to the surface of the exposed board, the hole’s edge, and where you may have removed plaster too.
o Wait for 48 hours before proceeding further. An apprentice working for plasterers in London tried to go ahead straight away, and had to go back into my roof space to repeat everything a second time.
o Obtain a small batch of skimming plaster, and trowel this over the hole using a broad paint scraper. Make sure that this does not protrude below the ceiling level, and leave to dry. The trick is to press it in firmly as you slide the scraper across, and then leave it strictly alone until it has bonded nicely.
o Wait until the plaster does not respond when you press it firmly with your finger, then tidy up the job, merging it into the ceiling as best you can.
A few days later, you can redecorate the patch. Unfortunately, the ceiling will always show a smudgy mark, unless you redecorate completely. Where would you be without Mr-Skill?
Tags: board, bonding liquid, brick, brush, ceiling, ceiling hole, cement, debris, drywall builders London, drywall builders quotes, dust, face mask, fill, find a drywall builder, find a plasterer, hole, hole in ceiling, key-coat, knife, merge, paint scraper, patch, plaster, plastered, plasterer quotes, plasterers London, redecorate, repair, safety glasses, scraper, silicon, slurry, stanley knife
Posted in Plastering & Drywall | Comments Off
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