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Posts Tagged ‘skin<’
Posted in Plastering & Drywall on Apr 12
Most of the internal brick surfaces in our homes these days are plaster-finished. This allows many options when it comes to choosing the final decorative touch, such as papering, tiling or even simply painting. As with any DIY task, achieving a smooth finish comes with practice. It may pay you to find a plasterer and see how they go about plastering your wall first – sort of paying for your education in a way!
The plaster mix is as important as having the right equipment. It is well worth investing in a good set of plasterer’s tools, especially if you plan to do several jobs. A good start point is always planning and preparation. Make sure the surface is clean and properly prepared to receive the plaster. Remove any loose material, and clean off dust with a damp cloth. If you are getting nervous about what lies ahead, consider getting a plaster quote from Mr-Skill instead. 
Now, you are ready to start the job. Begin by mixing the quantity of plaster-mix you will need in a plastic bucket or a basin, following the maker’s instructions carefully. Adding the plaster to the water helps prevent lumps and air pockets forming. Use a wooden spoon or paddle to mix to the right consistency. Apply clean water with a block brush to dampen the surface you are about to plaster – this assists greatly with the bonding process.
Load up your trowel and apply the mix to the wall surface, keeping the tool at an angle to spread it easily. Using a strong upward stroke, flatten the angle of the trowel to the wall as you work. After the surface has semi-dried out, apply a long ruler or straightedge to the surface to level it, beginning at the bottom and working from side to side and upwards. 
When the plaster coat has dried solid, scan for any hollows or imperfections from your first attempt, and fill them with fresh plaster before levelling off again. You may need to repeat this process several times until you get the hang of it. The final skin of plaster should be left to stiffen and almost dry before sanding smooth.
Here’s a useful tip from one of our London plasterers – always rinse your bucket thoroughly before mixing fresh batches. This will prevent lumps of old dry plaster getting into your new mix. Don’t forget to clean up nicely when finished!
Tags: basin, block brush, brush, bucket, cracks, DIY, find a plasterer, london plasterer, mix, paint, paper, plaster, plaster quote, plasterer, rule, skin, smooth, straightedge, tiles, walls, wet
Posted in Plastering & Drywall | Comments Off
You have made your mind up and you have decided to clean your garage – again! The first thing you stumble upon is loads of leftover paint pots in various stages of decay. What do you do next? Well, if you are like most of us and are environmentally principled, you should be thinking the three “R’s”. That is, reduce, reuse and recycle.
Does this sound a little hard for you? You could also get a waste removal quote from Mr Skill by clicking on this link. This will direct you to a number of cleaning services. Next time you find a decorator, why not ask them to remove the leftover paint after they have finished?
Reduce – If you find that there’s always some paint left over from a job, this tends to suggest that you are buying too much in the first place. Speak to your friendly paint shop and ask them to calculate your paint requirements next time, based on the measurements you provide. Most paint pots also provide coverage guidelines on their labels.
Reuse – As long as you store leftover paint properly – meaning correct sealing and storage – you can keep the paint for quite a considerable time.  Tip – wipe the rim of the open paint pot clean and replace the lid tightly. Make sure you have a decent seal and then invert the pot. If you store the pot upside-down like this, you should have an airtight seal that will prevent a skin forming under the lid.
Recycle – Check with your local authority when it comes to recycling empty paint containers. The chances are good that these can be handed in at your local waste station. If your paint containers cannot be recycled, dispose of them responsibly as general household waste.
Now my old mate Ray, who’s been a professional London decorator for more decades than he cares to remember, suggests that if you do have usable leftover paint that you are never going to need, then you should try donating it instead. Check your local charity shop for advice. Better still. Make sure the cost of disposing of messy paint pots is included in the painter’s quote next time. This information is provided by Mr-Skill as a public service.
Tags: buy, calculate, charity, clean, container, dispose, donate, find a decorator, garage, leftover, lid, london decorator, measure, old, paint, painters quote, pot, recycle, reduce, remove, reuse, shop, skin, store, tin, waste
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
Posted in Electrical Work on Jun 26
At Mr-Skill, electrical safety is paramount to all of us, and this is why we recommend that you Find an Electrician on our Pages if in any doubt at all. We use this wonderful source of instant energy so many times a day that we too easily forget that it could also be dangerous too. Avoid risks by having your home installation checked once a year (or sooner if in any doubt at all).  You can ask for competitive Electrician Quotes any time of the day or night here, and we’ll reply soon.
Electrical safety is especially important in the bathroom. Stick to the following safety hints when you are there. Enjoy greater peace of mind. Remember that water is a conductor that can take electricity to ground through you, and that wet skin reduces your resistance.
o With the exception of professionally installed and grounded shaver sockets no electricity outlets are allowed in bathrooms. This includes connections to light fittings, plugs inside illuminated cabinets, and extension cables brought in through windows and doors.
o Shaver sockets must be positioned a safe distance from water sources. You ought not to be able to reach across with hands outstretched. My Brother, who is a well-known Electrician in London refuses to  install these fittings at all. Bathrooms are small, he says. Besides, what’s the point of it, in these days of rechargeable razors.
o Only, ever install ceiling light fittings in any bathroom, and make sure that these are fully enclosed. If you must install a light switch inside the room, the only ones permitted are insulated pull-cord types.
o Under no circumstances install electric heaters in the bathroom of your home. A power shower must be connected directly to the mains distribution board, well grounded, and without any joints in the cable.
We’re in a more serious mood today. People get hurt, maimed or even killed by electricity in the UK every week. If what we wrote this time makes you more cautious then maybe that is good. Remember, it costs you nothing to get Electrical Quotes from Mr-Skill. Please be careful with electricity.
Tags: bathroom, cable, care, careful, cautious, conductor, cord, danger, dangerous, electric, electrician london, electrician quotes, enclose, energy, extension, find an electrician, fitting, ground, heater, hurt, joint, kill, light, maim, outlet, plug, power, safe, safety, shaver, shower, skin, socket, water, wet
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Posted in General Building on Sep 06
Although less in use these days following the introduction of modular home construction, parapet walls were popular in older houses where they are frequently the cause of damp.
Parapet Wall – a double-skin wall that extends through the roof
Signs of Damp – bubbly, flaking paint, powder on raw brickwork
 When builders build a wall comprising of an inner and outer layer of bricks they frequently leave gaps in the cement filler. Sometimes they do this deliberately in order to run services in the cavity. Where water enters this gap, it flows down to where it reaches an obstruction and then collects there, causing damp. This is why so many damp spots are at the bottom of a parapet wall. Fixing the damp by drilling breathing holes, or applying a proprietary coating on the inside, is expensive and usually useless too. Do not get tradesmen quotes for this. Rather fix the problem at the source – permanently.
There are two ways that builders finish off parapet walls – they either cap them with a tile, or with mortar. In the latter case, the mortar should be sloped to one side to lead rainwater away. These cappings fail for two reasons: either the tiles work loose, or the cement capping was badly done. If you are scared of heights, then find a tradesman to do the work for you. If not, the job is relatively easy.
Before you start the job, attach yourself with a safety rope to a secure point, or have a mate hold it for you in case you start to overbalance. Chip away at the bad mortar and re-do it, or reattach the loose tile. Tradesmen in London often prefer to cover the finished job with membrane along the entire length of the parapet top, because some London buildings are old and crumbling.
When you have done the job, you can attend to the damaged paint or plaster, but only after the wall has dried completely. Mr-Skill provides this information without guarantees.
Tags: cap, capping, cavity, cavity wall, cavitywall, cement, chip, damp, damp spot, double skin, fix, flaking paint, inner, layer, membrane, outer, parapet, parapet top, parapet wall, powder, repair, rising damp, skin, slope, sloping, tile, water
Posted in General Building | Comments Off
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