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Posts Tagged ‘furniture<’
Posted in Plastering & Drywall on Sep 12
If you have just had a new drywall built, the finishing off is easy enough to do yourself – assuming of course you have the basic know-how. However if you are still to build your drywall, you need look no further than Mr-Skill, where you can find a plastering and drywall expert to do the job for you perfectly. A drywall is an easy and neat way of partitioning or dividing a given area, and if space permits, you could gain an extra room by planning carefully.
Finishing Your Drywall 
Once your new wall is complete, you will need to sand it to provide a smooth and perfect surface for later painting or wallpapering. Wet sanding is far preferable to dry, simply because of all the dust and mess the latter method creates. In fact, one of our regular London plastering and drywall specialists far prefers the wet method of sanding as it makes for a much cleaner and healthier environment too. Let’s see what is involved:
- The first step is to pop down to your local hardware supplier and buy a sponge specifically designed for the wet sanding process. It’s not that expensive, but it is manufactured with an abrasive edge for sanding purposes, while the flip side is a sponge for wiping sludge away.
- Once you have your sponge, you need to dampen it, but don’t saturate it in water because this will quickly soak into the plaster surface which will make life very difficult if not impossible. The aim is to moisten the sponge just enough to gather the sand and dust effectively.
Wringing the Sponge
As you work, you will notice that your sponge is gathering increasing amounts of powdery residue from the drywall, so you will need to wring it out quite regularly. The wringing process maintains a clean and clear sponge face for further wet sanding work. Don’t forget to re-moisten the sponge after wringing it!
Message form our Sponsors! 
If this is all sounding too difficult or messy you could also get a plastering and dry wall quote from one of the many members signed up with Mr-Skill. Remember to ask for that special discount too!
Clean up Time!
Whether you are doing the wet sanding yourself, or using one of Mr-Skill’s experts, be sure to clean up properly when finished. Use a facemask and rubber gloves to protect your face and hands. Hopefully, you remembered to cover furniture and electrical appliances to prevent them from becoming dirty!
Tags: basics, design, drywall, dust, find a plastering and drywall expert, furniture, gloves, hardware, london plastering and drywall specialist, manufacturer, planning, plasterer, plastering expert, plastering-and-drywall quote, process, sanding, space, specialist, sponge, surface
Posted in Plastering & Drywall | Comments Off
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Jan 25
I was in an antique shop in London the other day, admiring some really lovely pieces of old furniture and wondering how they got their finishes so smooth. Later in the day I met up with an old London Carpenter friend of mine in a listed City pub. As he ran his hand over the gleaming wooden counter, he let a few trade-secrets slip.
• Wait for a windless day while you prepare a suitable work-place out of the sun
• Assuming you’ve prepared everything properly and that your work-piece is completely dry, give the varnish a proper stir for at least five minutes if not longer.
• Strain the varnish through a silk stocking to get rid of any remaining lumps.
• If you feel a call of nature coming on take that break now, as you are going to work through to completion.
• Moisten the best quality brush you can lay your hands on in the cleaning solvent the varnish manufacturer recommends (this prevents the brush from clogging up).
•  Apply the varnish evenly with a series of long firm overlapping strokes. Do not return to touch-up. Never scrape the brush across the container – it is this action that creates the bubbles.
• Don’t fiddle with your work afterwards and mess it up. Allow it to dry naturally for twenty-four hours before checking in an inconspicuous place.
That sounds like good enough advice for me and I might no longer need to Find a Carpenter for those smaller jobs. However if I decide to re-varnish the wooden staircase in my home the wife is always nagging me about, I think I’ll rather go for Carpentry Quotes on Mr-Skill instead. It’s just so much easier, and inexpensive allowing for the savings on my own time.
Tags: antique, apply, brush, bubble, carpenter, carpentry quotes, clog, container, dry, fiddle, find a carpenter, finish, furniture, london carpenter, lump, moisten, naturally, overlap, prepare, scrape, secret, smooth, solvent, stir, stocking, strain, stroke, sun, tip, touch up, varnish, wind, wood
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
Posted in Cleaning Services on Oct 12
Outdoor garden furniture bears the brunt of weather when left outdoors throughout the year, and if neglected soon loses its showroom gloss. This is especially true in larger cities where airborne pollution can be quite severe. In fact I know of several London Cleaning Services who make a living out of dealing with the consequences.
 It is not always necessary to request a Cleaner Quote on Mr-Skill though. Regular attention along the lines below can help avoid unnecessary expense, assuming you have the time available and the will to do it.
• Wash wooden furniture that has been coated with exterior grade varnish with soapy water and then rinse it clean. If possible store it in a dry place for winter or at least wipe away accumulations of rainwater regularly. Once a year apply a proprietary cleaner followed by a protective coat.
• Machine-wash fabrics from cloth chairs and hammocks using a gentle wash cycle. Stretch the cloth back into position before completely dry, to avoid it shrinking.
• Clean aluminium, wrought iron and mild steel frames with soap and rinse. Coat metal furniture with a protective coating, or else it will definitely rust.
•  Umbrella covers need machine washing and the frame joints need lightly oiling too. As with chair seats, refit the covers before completely dry.
• Remove acrylic seat-covers and wipe them clean, using a bleach solution to remove any mildew. Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes before wiping clean again.
• Clean wicker furniture using water under pressure from a hose or pump, using soap if necessary. When dry, the application of a paste wax will restore the shine.
A lot of work perhaps for something we may not use every day, and that stands idle in the winter. Why not get a Cleaner Quote from Mr-Skill instead? Then you can put your clean outdoor furniture away for winter, and have it ready to use again in the spring. Now that makes sense.
Tags: acrylic, aluminium, attention, chair, clean, cleaner quote, cloth, coat, dry, expense, find a cleaner, frame, furniture, Garden, hammock, london cleaning service, mould, oil, outdoor, pollution, protect, regular, rinse, shrink, soap, stain, store, stretch, summer, time, umbrella, varnish, wash, water, winter, wood
Posted in Cleaning Services | Comments Off
Posted in Cleaning Services on Apr 24
 Thankfully, the days are far gone now when cleaners asked you to move away from your desk so that they could vacuum underneath it and empty your waste-paper basket. Far worse than the immediate distraction was the likelihood of second-order discussions developing around water-coolers. Not to mention the possibility of the office exploding into a series of allergic sneezes.
Many firms both large and small these days are more than equally content to Find a Cleaner or Janitorial Service to come in after business hours. Professional cleaners these days also offer far more than just a waste-paper basket and vacuum cleaning service. In fact, a Cleaner in London may surprise with all these other things they do and more.
o Furniture and carpet deep-cleaning and shampoo
o De-scaling washrooms and sanitising kitchens
o Removing and sorting rubbish for recycling.
o Preparing for builders and cleaning up thereafter
At Mr-Skill, we list a variety of Cleaning and Housekeeping Services. Some firms have been in business for many years and all are rated by us. Many offer staggered services including daily and weekly calls, and spring-cleaning too. No matter what business sector you may be in, we can help you get the Cleaner Quote that is right for you.
Just think how good it will feel when you return to work on Monday and find everything waiting perfectly for you. Now how is that for another great labour-saving idea.
Tags: basket, carpet, clean, cleaner, cleaner london, cleaner quote, clear, day, deep clean, desk, find a cleaner, find a housekeeper, furniture, garbage, housekeeper london, housekeeping quotes, recycle, rubbish, shampoo, sort, spring, spring clean, vacuum, waste-paper, week
Posted in Cleaning Services | Comments Off
Posted in Cleaning Services on Mar 09
Wood is a beautifully natural medium that can last forever if correctly cared for. Because it is natural though, it starts to decay as soon as a tree is cut down, which means it must be looked after all its life. If you have especially valuable  antique wooden furniture you should consider getting Housekeeper Quotes from those specialised in the field.
The first step to caring for wood it is to determine which finish was applied to it
Expert Tip: Test in a less obvious place first.
Step 1: Rub a few drops of boiled linseed oil into the wood. Is the oil absorbed? Is yes, the wood either has an oiled finish, or it is natural wood – if neither, read on.
Step 2: Rub a little acetone over a spot in a gently circular motion. Is the acetone repelled? Then the finish is polyurethane. Is the acetone dissolved? Then the wood is lacquered – if neither, read on.
Step 3: Try a few drops of denatured alcohol. If the finish dissolves quickly it is shellac. Does it react slowly instead? Then the wood has been varnished.
 Generally speaking, wood that has been oiled will benefit from a monthly application of a little good furniture oil to prevent it from drying out or cracking. Check to make sure that the oil will not make the wood go darker first. With this exception, you can keep all your furniture in tip-top condition with a general-purpose surface cleaner once a month, and a dusting once a week between.
Never expose wooden furniture to harsh chemicals or bright sunlight. Do not allow moisture to lie on any piece of wood for long, or else it may stain it permanently. This includes plastic or rubber objects that can generate their own humidity because they do not breathe.
If your wood furniture becomes water stained, a rated Cleaner in London may be able to provide some expert advice. Our advice is not to take chances with things you do not understand – rather Find a Housekeeper on Mr-Skill.
Tags: acetone, alcohol, antique, care, chemical, clean, cleaner london, cleaner quote, dust, find a cleaner, find a housekeeper, furniture, housekeeper london, housekeeping quotes, lacquer, linseed, natural, oil, polyurethane, rub, shellac, stain, sun, sunlight, surface clean, test, tree, varnish, water, wood
Posted in Cleaning Services | Comments Off
Moving is a traumatic experience at the best of times. If you are planning to move house in the next few weeks then it is time to find a removalist at Mr-Skill.  This is because a good removalist usually has a busy schedule and just about every man-with-a-man is booked out a week ahead. Here are some pointers to ensure that the whole family sleeps in the new home together the first night.
o Recognise that quality costs money, and that this applies to removal firms too. Choose to ignore the fly-by-nights who advertise in the free local press and promise the earth for nothing. It is much safer from an insurance point of view especially to find a man-with-a-van who is registered and listed on Mr-Skill.
o I once lived in a part of the City where the pace of life was hectic and there were many unreliable suppliers. I moved several times and learned that removalists London discriminators were the quality of their vehicles and the amount of effort they put into training. I eventually discovered that a quick visit to  their yard provided the answers instantly.
o Planning is the key to most things, and that applies to moving home too. If you do not plan, I promise you from experience that your move will be a disaster. Decide in advance which furniture will go into which room, and make a sketch plan of where it will stand. If you label the boxes the same way too, it will not take long to pack them out and settle down to work.
Moving does not have to be a hassle. In fact, it can be the perfect opportunity to finally sort things out and know where they are too. When you are ready, you can find the perfect firm to help you pack your prized possessions and move them to your new home on Mr Skill. After the dust has settled you will agree that quality is worth the price.
Tags: box, drawing, find a man-with-a-van, find a removalist, furniture, house, man-with-a-van london, man-with-a-van quotes, move home, moving, moving home quotes, pack, plan, position, quality, relocate, removalist quotes, removalists london, schedule, sketch, supplier, training, vehicle
Posted in Moving Homes & Hauliers, Project Advice | Comments Off
Does the appearance of your lounge or bedroom depress you? Do you feel like chucking out everything and starting all over again? I heard you loud and clear – not everybody has the money to pay for major redecorations. Instead, here are a few tips on inexpensive innovations that you could even achieve your self.
 o Invest in Full Spectrum Light Bulbs
Many of us still have not quite caught up with modern light bulbs and are using old ones that make everything look dull. Full Spectrum Light Bulbs produce natural illumination just like the sun was shining indoors too. You will be amazed at how much brighter and cleaner everything looks inside your home. Don’t take chances if an old bulb is stuck though – find an electrician at Mr-Skill.
o Apply some Elbow Grease
Now that you can finally see properly in the room you will notice clutter and dirty spots that you may not have noticed before. You need to do two things urgently – first de-clutter the space, and then give everything a good clean. If a piece of unwanted furniture is too heavy for you to shift yourself, find a man-with-a-van here.
o Buy a Small Tin of Paint
A quart-sized tin of modern paint goes a long way these days. You could redecorate one wall, the door or window frames, or even a piece of furniture like a table in a chic new colour. Don’t remodel – just add fresh highlights. This time you may not even need to find a painter.
o Add a Few Accessories
To complete the picture and the transformation of your room why not invest in a few inexpensive accessories like rugs and silk flowers in bright vases Second hand shops often have antique mirrors and table lights that can be spruced up for next to nothing. That way, you get more style for less money too.
By following these ideas, you will achieve an “almost new” room for very little outlay. Thanks Heavens for Mr-Skill and their good ideas.
Tags: accessories, affordable, bathroom, bedroom, cheap, clean, color, colour, de-clutter, declutter, decorator quotes, decorators london, dirt, electrician quotes, electricians london, find a decorator, find a man-with-a-van, find a painter, find a removalist, find an electrician, full spectrum, furniture, highlights, home, innovations, kitchen, lamp, light, light bulb, lounge, man-with-a-van london, man-with-a-van quotes, mirror, moving home quotes, paint, painter quotes, painters london, redecorate, redecorations, removalist quotes, removalists london, rug, table
Posted in Cleaning Services, Electrical Work, Moving Homes & Hauliers, Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
We get into the habit, do we not, of spending all the day at the office, or doing chores indoors at home? At weekends we are are so busy shopping that the only time we spend outside is mowing the lawn and raking leaves. Things were not meant to be like this, and its time to make a change.
I had a friend who worked with professional gardeners in London once. He told me that a  quiet place to sit outside a City home could add the same value as a new bathroom. I do not know about that though, but it still sounds like a good idea.
First, we need to find a shady spot outside away from the sun’s rays – ozone depletion is a worry, and we must take good care of our skin. There is no point in trying to find a gardener to plant an instant tree. We want satisfaction now, and not at a huge price either. If you do not have a tree, then why not an umbrella? At least, that way you could read outside on a peaceful rainy day.
The furniture needs to be robust enough to withstand wind and weather. This cuts the choice down to cast-alloy or wood. To my mind, wood looks better in a garden and is cheaper too – but will you maintain it properly?
Enough of work and thinking about landscaper quotes, let’s sit out in the garden. Shall it be breakfast at eight, canapés for lunch or a barbeque in the evening? You will find me in the garden, just relaxing with the birds.
Tags: alloy, aluminum, alumunium, birds, find a gardener, find a landscaper, furniture, Garden, gardener quotes, gardeners london, iron, landscaper quotes, landscapers london, mowing lawn, place to sit, rain, rainy day, raking leaves, relax, relax in garden, shade, shady spot, sitting outside, storm, tree, umbrella, wind, wood
Posted in Gardening & Landscaping | Comments Off
 Should you be the proud parent of young children or have elderly and infirm relatives living in your home, corner guards are a great way to protect them against injury in a fall and save your property from being damaged at the same time. Corner guards have been present in hospitals and schools for some time, but are now being designed for the home market and can be used in many different applications.Once upon a time, corner guards would have been purely practical items which you would have acquired from a handyman in London, but now they can be integrated into your interior design and available from London decorators, and even tilers working on flooring jobs in London will recommended corner guards in certain circumstances.
Corner Guards on Walls
 If you have ever had small children ride tricycles in your home, you will appreciate the value of corner guards. Corner guards can be installed on the sides of door openings or end partitions of walls to protect them from damage should your children not yet have mastered the art of steering. They are available in a number of materials (the corner guards, not the children) including clear plastic, moulded plastic, rubber, padded aluminium and stainless steel, and can be selected to compliment or contrast with your existing decor.
Corner guards can usually be purchased “off-the-shelf” from a hardware store in 90 degree or 135 degree angles, with a choice of lengths available to suit your personal circumstances. Similar materials are used in safety stair nosing, which can also be integrated with a grip on the horizontal plane to prevent slipping on carpeted or polished wooden stairs.
Corner Guards on Furniture
 Any sharp angle on furniture presents potential hazard to people tripping or falling, and corner guards can be used to prevent cuts or worse when kids bang their heads on tables or the corners of shelving units. They are also quite handy features to prevent adults getting a nasty bruise on the leg when walking into a corner, as sometimes happens. Fire surrounds are another area of the home which can be protected by corner guards, and although you cannot cushion your entire living environment, you can make your home as safe a place to live in as possible  by making use of corner guards at each opportunity.
Corner guards, stair nosing and table or fireplace protectors are not expensive to buy and reasonably simple to install. However, if you are in any doubt that you are able to fix them correctly, it is better to use to services of a tradesman in London to have these safety features secured firmly to ensure they perform as they were intended. A selection of local handymen in London is available through Mr Skill’s Tradesmen’s Directory, or you can alert local tradesmen in your area to your requirements by using the “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of the page.
Tags: carpet, children, corner units, Decorating & Interior Design, doors and windows, find a handyman in London, fireplaces, furniture, nosing, safety, safety guard, safety recommendations, Shelving, stairs, tables, Tradesmen´s Directory
Posted in General Building, Handyman Services, Painting & Decorating, Tiling & Flooring, Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
Modern, tougher polyurethane finishes that are resistant to heat and water have largely replaced traditional French Polishing that was popular in years gone by. It still lingers on though in many older items of furniture, that may often be precious too. Use these handy tips to cool the temperature in the household if an accident occurs. If you are not quite sure though what you are doing or perhaps the damage is severe, perhaps you should find a decorator with specialist skills instead.
 o First – establish whether the piece is actually French Polished, or not. Do this by gently rubbing an obscure spot using a soft, lint-free cloth moistened with methylated spirits. If you find a deposit on the cloth then you have confirmed your suspicion.
o Scuff Marks – Make up a solution of 5 parts methylated spirit, 2 parts linseed oil and 1 part pure turpentine. Moisten a soft, lint-free pad and work it over the damage using a “figure of eight” motion. If necessary, use undiluted methylated spirit to blend in scratch marks.
o Heat Marks – Work these away with a lint-free cloth moistened with 1 part pure turpentine and 1 part raw linseed OR camphorated oil.
o Alcohol Stains – Alcohol dissolves French Polish. You should mop it up immediately and leave the surface to dry. If you cannot recover the damage using the techniques described above, you should ask for decorator quotes at Mr-Skill (unless you want to try a French Polish substitute bought at your local hardware store). If the damaged piece of furniture is antique, then you may need the help of specialist decorators – London is the best place to find these.
Be careful when you follow this advice – do a test on a spot that is not normally visible, and use an expert if in any way you are not sure. The value of an older piece often lies in the patina of age, and you do not want to lose this.
Tags: age, alcohol, antique, camphorated oil, cloth, decorator quotes, decorators london, find a decorator, find a painter, french polish, french polished, frenchpolish, furniture, heat, linseed oil, lint free, methylted spitits, old, painter quotes, painters london, patina, polyurethane, scratch, scuff, turpentine
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery, Handyman Services, Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
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