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Posts Tagged ‘wood<’
Posted in Handyman Services on Aug 06
Drill and Bit Tips
Just about every householder owns a drill, and how very useful is this power tool. Before the invention of the portable electric drill, cutting holes was a laborious exercise that involved using a hand tool such as auger. If the drill itself is important, then the bits that perform the task are vital too, so choosing the correct size and the right bit for the material you’re working with is essential.
Horses for Courses
The material you plan to drill through will indicate which bit you should use for the job.  Twist bits are the most commonly used for most drilling, while steel bits are relatively cheap and suitable for use on softer woods. At the other end of the spectrum we use cobalt-tipped bits for drilling holes in harder metals, such as stainless steel. Get advice from your local hardware store, or better still find a handyman here on Mr-Skill, and get all your drilling work done expertly with minimum fuss.
Understanding Your Options
Use a brad point bit for boring through wood as it deals effectively with stubborn chips as you drill through. For larger holes in wood – say from a half-inch diameter upwards – you should use a spade bit when drilling timber. Always consult your drill maker’s manual for guidelines on drilling through various different materials. Just like any other power tool, drills come in many different choices in terms of quality and performance. Certain drilling jobs may prove challenging for your particular drilling tool, and the manufacturer may impose torque limitations, which in turn could limit the use of some bits.
Correct Drilling Action 
One of our London handymen says that it’s all in the action when operating your drill, and that the slow and steady approach always wins the day. Apart from being potentially dangerous, pushing a drill to its limits is neither good for the tool nor the operator, whereas working in unison will achieve the objective without major stress. Most drills have variable speed settings and a normal drilling function as well as an impact, or hammer setting. More sophisticated equipment usually features a reverse switch for extracting the bit from the drilled hole. Another handy tip is to make sure that your drill is properly straight when in use – otherwise your hole may end up skew.
Last But Not Least
When loading a bit to the chuck, make sure that it is correctly gripped and don’t over-tighten or you may have problems removing the bit when you’re finished. Don’t forget that Mr-Skill has many pre-screened experts ready to assist your every need – get your handyman quote right here!
Tags: chuck, drill, drill bits, drill holes, drill speed, electric drill, expert, find a handyman, handyman, handyman services quote, impact, london handyman, material, metal, power drill, safety, stainless steel, tool, wood, wood chips
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Scuffed and damaged wood trim around the home is not very attractive. Interestingly, it’s not all that difficult to restore these important details to their former glory. With thorough preparation, decent paint and a good eye for detail, you’ll soon have your handiwork admired.
Proper Preparation 
It’s all about the effort you put in to preparation. First, remove all flaky paint, and then use a fine-grade sand paper to smooth over the surface. You don’t necessarily have to go back to the raw wood, just an even surface will do. One of our regular London painters is a perfectionist of note. He says that you should mask off the surrounding wall and floor surfaces before you start. Your call then!
First Coat
Having prepared the trim, you now need to apply a primer coat throughout. This is to seal the wood and create a firm bonding surface for the middle, or the undercoat. Always allow a decent time for newly-painted surfaces to dry – read the instructions on the paint pot carefully. Keep in mind that wet or humid conditions add to the drying time.
Undercoating
Apply a decent quality undercoat, because this is ultimately the barrier to future scuffing and chaffing. A weak, thin application of it will not stand up to the punishment it’s going to take in your home. Some people just don’t like painting or feel they don’t gave the required skills. In such cases, Mr-Skill has an abundant supply of professionals ready to assist – get your painting quote right here and save up to 30% of the normal price too.
Top Coat
There are some excellent paint products on the market these days. With non-drip paints, with low, or no odour, diamond-tough finishes and a host of colours to choose from, what more could a professional want? Remember to use good quality brushes and don’t overload the head with paint, because it’s going to cause runs instead of the smooth finish you desire.
Final Tips
Here at Mr-Skill we always provide free advice, and when it comes to painting the trim around your home, we suggest that you start early in the morning. Don’t forget to allow sufficient time between coats, and cleaning up properly is always worth the effort. One last tip – if you want a first-class job, find a painter from the many professionals registered with us. Our motto is “No Fuss, no Bother, just a Job Well Done!”
Tags: application, bonding, chaffing, find a painter, floors, free advice, london painter, Painting, painting quote, preparation, primer, restore, sanding, scuffing marks, smooth surface, top coat, undercoat, walls, wood, wood trim
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Posted in General Building on Jul 06
Most seasoned DIY types prefer to use high speed steel bits it seems. That’s because these tools are great for drilling into most wood and metal surfaces. You need to understand the principles of drilling, while maintaining respect for the object you are drilling into. In this article, Alf – he’s a regular London general builder on Mr-Skill – is going to tell us how we should drill into mild steel.
Choosing Your Bit 
Alf says, “First, select a high speed bit smaller than the diameter of the finished hole required. The drill itself is important too, because a semi-professional, variable speed impact power tool will make the job so much easier. It should also have a reverse switch for easing the bit out nicely once you’ve drilled your hole. Once you have your pilot hole, load up the correct diameter bit to finish the job.”
If drilling is really not your scene, rather get a general building quote from one of our members here on Mr-Skill. As a guideline, first use a bit that’s approximately half the diameter of the eventual hole size. In other words, if your final hole measures 8mm (5/16-inch), drill the pilot hole with a 4mm (5/32-inch) bit.
Before Drilling
Use a centre punch and hammer to mark the hole you are about to drill – a swift gentle tap should do it, and this will act as a guide for the bit once you start drilling. If you don’t, the chances are good that your bit will wander all over the surface. Many of our customers prefer to find a general builder on Mr-Skill.
Drilling Steel
Apart from tensile strength, steel has a uniform texture too. This is to avoid any unevenness in the sheet, which in turn allows for a simpler drilling action. It is important to properly secure the steel surface before drilling, because if you don’t, you risk having the object replicating the drilling motion and spinning dangerously out of control.
Alf’s Final Tip
When you’re drilling into particularly hard or resistant surfaces, use short bursts of speed-to-slow motions, and keep your drill straight at all times. This way, your drill will last longer and your drilling action will be correct. Sustained high speed drilling will wear out the bit, as well as the power tool and the driller! “Go with the flow, but exercise patience at all times” is Alf’s motto!
Tags: centre punch, diameter, DIY, drilling, drilling action, drilling steel, drilling wood, find a general builder, general building quote, hammer, high speed drill, hole, impact, London general builder, mild steel, reverse, steel, tensile strength, texture, wood
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Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on May 18
Carpentry can be a very rewarding interest to follow, but you do need to have the right tools to get going. It also makes a good deal of sense to invest in your own future, by attending some carpentry courses to brush up on your skills – there are also evening classes offered for those of us working during the day.
Don’t forget to get your carpentry and joinery quotes for the timber you’ll be buying for your projects. 
What’s You’ll Need
You could spend a fortune kitting out your workshop with woodworking tools, but we suggest that you start out small with the basics. Then, as your skill level improves, you can add to your collection depending on what you intend to make. If this sounds a little challenging, why not find a carpenter and joiner right here on Mr-Skill?
Measuring
Carpentry goes back a long way, probably to the beginning of time for modern man. Fred, he’s one of our regular London carpenters and joiners here on Mr-Skill, says that the first thing he was taught as an apprentice was to measure twice and cut once! A decent tape measure is an essential item for any budding-carpenter’s tool box. Then, a one-foot steel ruler is going to prove very handy too. Don’t forget a set-square to help get those angles right, and you’ll need a flat – that’s to stop it rolling away – carpenter’s pencil for marking up your timber.
Cutting
Timber needs to be cut to size, so you will need a saw appropriate to the type of carpentry you are turning out. There’s a huge variety available and you will quickly realise which saw you should have handy. Chisels too are important in the woodworking context. They come in a variety of blade widths too. It pays to keep a utility knife in the tool kit, you know, the old Swiss Army knife!
Other Tools
Hammers come in a wide range of choices, and will prove indispensable for your tool kit. Start small and build up your hammer collection as the need arises, and your skills develop. A spirit level is also an important member of the carpenter’s tool box. Screw drivers are essential for the job, so you’ll need to build your collection of these. A hand plane is a useful asset, as you launch your new money-spinning hobby!
Tags: Carpentry, carpentry-and-joinery quote, courses, find a carpentry-and-joinery expert, hobby, London carpenter-and-joiner, measurer, pencil, plane, ruler, saw, screw drivers, set square, skill, spirit level, timber, tool kit, wood, woodworking, workshop
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The first thing to remember when changing to internal bi-fold doors is the space consideration – you have to match the size of the current opening approximately. Bi-fold doors consist of sections which hinge-fold when opened, and stack neatly to one side when closed too. They are popular as inter-leading doors between rooms, as well as in bathrooms and kitchens.
What You’ll Need 
- Tape measure
- A bi-fold door kit to fit the existing space
- Drill, drill bits and screw drivers
- Straightedge or spirit level
You could also find a door fitter right here on Mr-Skill, if you want to save time and enjoy perfect peace of mind.
Guideline Steps
- Begin by reading the bi-fold door fitting instructions carefully, and check to see that you have all the parts needed for the job.
- Now, check the width and height of the removed door. This will be your vital measurement for the new door kit. Remember that when fitted, the bi-fold door will be smaller than the actual doorframe space from left to right. This is to accommodate the folds. Confirm the measurements with your door supplier to ensure that they supply the right kit to you.
 Take a break before you start. You could save a lot of time and trouble by arranging a door fitter quote through Mr-Skill.
- Unpack the bi-fold door kit and install the top track complete with pivots, which must be correctly positioned, and secured by screws to the top of the doorframe.
- Attach the side frames, using your straightedge and level to ensure consistent spacing. Adjust with packing if necessary.
- You can now clip the pivots into the top of the bi-fold door.
- Once you have installed the door correctly on the track and pivot brackets, check to see if the door tracks smoothly, left and right.
- Attach the door to the left or right side frame as required. Fit the locking mechanism, and the job is done.
One of our London door fitters advises that bi-fold doors are becoming very popular – he thinks it’s because of the marvellous range of glass or wood effects that these new products boast.
Tags: bi-fold doors, find a window and door fitter, glass, inter-leading, internal doors, level, london window and door fitter, rooms, side frame, straight, top track, track, window and door fitter quote, wood
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | 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
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Posted in Tiling & Flooring on Jan 16
This one’s dead easy, although many people still don’t know the secret of how to do it properly. They end up balancing floor mosaics on a base of tile cement that thinks that it’s a bed of quicksand. You’ll might still Find a Tiler battling this way elsewhere too, although I should think not one from Mr-Skill.
 Lay the shower drain in place two tile thicknesses above the floor, and then construct the shower base around it using a single row of bricks laid flat. Think about the shower enclosure as you do. Your goal is to be able to position it symmetrically.
- Determine the fall you need. The simplest way is to measure up an existing shower, although I’ve always allowed a half-inch drop myself. Obtain a length of wood the thickness of the fall, by say one inch wide.
- Wrap the shower drain tightly in a piece of plastic sheet to prevent it from getting blocked. Lay pieces of the wood down flat around the inside of the shower base to create a frame. If this sounds too complicated, you could always Ask Mr-Skill to Arrange Tiling Quotes instead
- Obtain a supply of flooring screed. Combine this with cement in ratio of two-parts screed to one-part cement. Add water to create a moist but not runny mixture. Add a cup of bonding liquid too if you have some,
 so the mix will adhere really tightly to the base below and the tiles above.
- Wait fifteen minutes to allow the mixture to stiffen. Do not add more water. Trowel about half the screed you think you need into the shower base and smooth it out using a steel float and a flat piece of wood. Add more screed as needed
- Your goal is to slope the screed evenly between the strips of wood inside the shower base, and the floor slab two inches outside of the drain. Don’t panic if it isn’t perfect. You’ll be laying tiles over it after all.
- Three hours later, fidget out the strips of wood inside the shower base and fill in the gaps they leave behind with more screed. A week later, you could begin to tile!
This one of many tips I learned from London Tilers a thousand years ago when I was completing my apprenticeship. Some things never change, do they? Another consistent thing is the quality of service you’ll get from Mr-Skill.
Tags: adhere, base, bonding liquid, brick, cement, drain, drop, easy, enclosure, fall, find a tiler, float, floor, frame, gap, gradient, london tilers, mix, mixture, plastic sheet, ratio, screed, shower, shower enclosure, slab, slope, thickness, tile, tiler quotes, trowel, water, wood, wrap
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Posted in Handyman Services on Jan 12
I’ve noticed a tendency these days for estate agents to describe run-down properties as handyman delights. Perhaps the implication is that there are a few fun-things to attend to over several leisurely weekends? Some properties I’ve viewed recently reveal that they require considerably more attention than just that.
If you’re in the same position then you’re certainly not alone. The following are jobs currently posted on Mr-Skill and  awaiting Handyman Quotes:
- Fixing Garden Panels Securely. The fences we put up around our yards are often cheap and nasty, and the poles are seldom properly concreted in. This one’s perfect for a handyman – you don’t need more advanced skills here.
- Letter Box Replacement. This one’s straightforward too and I’m sure that Mr-Skill will Find a Handyman to do it pretty soon. It seems the front flap’s snapped off. Pretty urgent I would have thought. After all we’re in the middle of winter in case you hadn’t noticed.
- Attach Bathroom Fittings. I find it remarkable that developers no longer supply even a basic toilet roll-holder and simple soap dish. How mean is that?
 They make a fortune, and the comment “we thought we’d let you choose” cuts no ice with me at all. Their show houses certainly have bathroom fittings in abundance.
- Sand Down a Wooden Floor. This is a fairly easy task when you have the right tools. In fact I know a London Handyman who makes his living that way in older houses. I wouldn’t bother with a carpenter here – an experienced handyman is quite capable of the job.
- Remove a Fallen Tree. This one seems displaced to me, and perhaps belongs better under gardening and landscaping? I doubt the average handyman has the required power saws, or a trailer to remove the cuttings for that matter either.
When you think about it, there are an amazing number of jobs a Handyman could do around the house. The problem is that some so-called handymen are downright awful. That’s where the Website Mr-Skill makes such a difference. Our handymen are rated by their customers, so you can see what you are getting before you buy.
Tags: bathroom, cheap, concrete, cutting, fence, find a handyman, fitting, flap, floor, Garden, handyman, handyman quotes, holder, job, letter box, london handyman, replace, run down, sand, saw, soap, toilet roll, trailer, wood
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More UK residents are adding the WOW-Factor to their homes every year, by replacing unsightly French Doors with Bi-Folding Doors in PVCu,  Timber or Aluminium. That’s because not only do they open all the way in glorious summer. They’re also among the snuggest fits available in winter too. And this gives you the best of both worlds when you need them.
While most people prefer to Find a Door Fitter on Mr-Skill to fit Bi-Folds to existing openings, the brave could possibly install these by themselves. If contemplating this yourself, please do offset the risks of inadvertent damage against the savings on the labour. The following are criteria you may like to consider when specifying Door Fitting Quotes instead
- Standard Sizes – If your opening is slightly oversized, consider lining it with appropriate material to take up the gap, and pre-empt requiring an expensive special order
 Slim Sightlines – How much clear vision will the frame sacrifice? You need to get as close to unobstructed as possible, albeit within constraints
- Thresholds – Do you require low-maintenance flush-fitted thresholds, or those recessed for outdoor weatherproofing?
- Locking – What level of security is wise? Locks are not all that expensive. Think ahead here – it could be time for an upgrade
The secret to a successfully trouble-free Bi-Fold Door installation – as any London Window Fitter knows – is a completely square and plumb installation. We cannot over-emphasise the need for this. If in any doubt at all of your ability to achieve this, why not rather seek Expert Advice instead? We’ll introduce you to a skilled and rated tradesperson, absolutely free to you.
Tags: aluminium, bi-fold, bi-folding, bifold, bifolding, clear, close, damage, door, door fitting quote, find a door filler, flush, gap, line, lining, lock, london window fitter, open, opening, outdoor, over-size, oversize, plumb, pvcu, saving, security, snug, square, threshold, timber, uPVC, vision, wide, window, wood
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Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Dec 07
While Carpenters generally speaking cut and finish wooden planks before assembling them with screws and nails, Joiners put more detailed work together using a combination of joints, wooden dowels and glue. Another difference is that Carpenters generally work on site, while you’ll more often Find a Joiner plying their trade in a workshop.
 When you look around your home or office you’ll find considerable evidence of the fascinating art of Joinery:
- A wooden staircase rising to an upper level is the ultimate statement of a gracious interior. If you have a fine piece of architectural woodwork like this, you could be well-advised to contact a leading London Joining Firm if it needs repair so it’s not accidentally ruined.
- Furniture with exposed frames, like most dining-room and some lounge suites are often classic examples of a Joiner’s art. Dowels taken from the same piece of wood are frequently almost invisible. If you spot an antique leather-topped desk in a showroom or second-hand corner shop, consider it carefully because these things are vanishing.
 Better-quality wooden doors, and wooden door and window frames are the work of trained Joiners too, and rely on joints that you can spot when you look carefully. It is these joints that give them the extra strength they need, when a gust of wind unexpectedly slams them closed.
Joiners provide a service to several different market sectors, where their different titles may be confusing. Cabinet Makers make storage furniture like shelves and cupboards; Shop Fitters create display and service points; Boat Builders finish off the interiors of yachts, and so on. The common denominator is the care they take, and their love of wood.
When you advertise a woodworking job on Mr-Skill that you need attending to, it is always a good idea to indicate the trade you need. Use key phrases like simple carpentry job, or needs a person experienced in making joints. That way you’re more likely to find the right person to provide you with the Joiner Quote you want.
Tags: antique, architect, boat builder, cabinet maker, care, carpenter, desk, dining, Dining Room, door, dowel, find a joiner, frame, glue, gracious, home, joiner, joiner quote, joint, leather, london joining firm, lounge, love, nail, office, plank, repair, screw, service, shop fitter, stair, staircase, strength, window, wood, wooden, workshop
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
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