News

Purchasing products from reputable sources (such as UK Oak Doors) using good wood and reliable treatments is the best preventative action to the introduction of wood pests into the home. But whether by flying insects or the introduction of new furniture in the home, any modern house may inadvertently bring wood pests into the house, particularly if home designers prefer a more classic look with antique furniture.

Read How to Use a Plumb Line in PDF format The plumb line is one of the simplest tools in the average homeowner’s toolbox, but it is also one of the most versatile. You should use a plumb line whenever you need to make a straight, vertical line – whether that is for hanging wallpaper, putting up a painting, or checking the angle of a door. Making a Plumb Line You can purchase plumb lines quite cheaply from most DIY stores. Professionally made plumb lines come in a range of sizes, and usually have heavy steel bobs. If you are doing any heavy-duty building work, it is a good idea to buy a heavy plumb line and bob, but a home-made plumb line should be good enough for most small indoor tasks. To make a plumb line you will need: A long string made of nylon or twisted cotton A small, heavy weight which can be secured to the string Some brightly coloured chalk Tie the weight to one end of the string. Crush the chalk into a cloth until the chalk has turned into fine powder, and run the string through it so that it is covered in the dust. Make sure that you are using a colour of chalk that is easy to see against the wall you are working with. Using a Plumb Line If using chalk will be too messy for the environment you are working in, hold the plumb line in place while someone else marks the vertical line with a soft pencil, using the string as a guide. To ensure accurate measurements, use a weight of at least six to eight ounces. Choose a rope that will not stretch easily. You can improvise a plumb line with a length of string and anything that you have lying around (your watch, or keys, for example), but this is not ideal. Try to use a heavier cord (para-cord, or washing line, for example), and a weight that is sufficient to pull the string completely taught. Working With a Plumb Line Now you are ready to use the plumb line. Pin the loose end of the string to the top of the wall (use a nail, if possible, to ensure that the line stays secure), and let the string hang freely. The string should be long enough to cover most of the wall, but not so long that the weight touches the floor. Lower the line gently and let the weight settle until the string stops moving. Once you are sure that the string is stationary, push the bottom of the string into the wall, just above the weight and make sure that the string is taught. With your free hand, pull the centre of the string away from the wall, and let it ping back against the wall. This should leave a line of chalk against the wall. The chalk line will be exactly vertical, and perpendicular to the ceiling. If you are hanging wallpaper, make sure that you follow this procedure to place a straight line on each wall around the room. If you need the plumb line to stay still for a longer period of time, let the bob rest in a tub of clear, viscous oil so that it does not sway and move around every time someone walks past it. When to Use a Plumb Line Use a plumb line whenever you need to confirm the room’s true vertical – either when building a shed or an extension, or re-modelling an existing room. Never assume that the walls in a room are straight. If you have ever tried to replace the boring panel doors in your home with solid oak doors, you probably had to do some sanding and adjusting to make the doors fit. Even recently built homes can have crooked walls. It does not take a lot of foundation shift to make doorways and walls end up noticeably out of alignment. When hanging wallpaper, you should always make sure that the paper is straight and that the pattern lines up neatly. Leave a little extra wallpaper at the top and the bottom, so that you can line up the repeating pattern and then trim the excess at the ceiling and the skirting board. Establish a plumb line for each wall that you plan on papering. Allow for a half-inch overlap at the corners, for a clean and professional looking finish. Plumb Lines vs Spirit Levels Spirit levels are useful for small jobs such as hanging picture frames, or making sure that the shelves that you put up are straight. You can test the angle of a small object quickly and easily with a spirit level. However, for surfaces without a straight edge, or for establishing a true vertical for a large project such as making a doorway, a spirit level will not be accurate enough. It is a good idea to carry both a plumb line and a spirit level so that you can take measurements on any scale. Some smartphones have built-in spirit levels which offer a fairly detailed level of feedback, and can be useful for simpler carpentry jobs. The Importance of Careful Measurement Taking the time to hang a plumb line may seem like a lot of hassle, but it is worth the effort. Once you get used to working with plumb lines, it only takes a minute or two to draw a perfect vertical line, and you can work with confidence. If you try to guess, or assume that the ceiling is perfectly horizontal, and you can work from there, then the results could be disastrous. When you are decorating and standing close to the wall, your architrave or wallpaper may look fine. Once you have finished the job and taken a step back, however, any errors will be glaringly obvious. Do you really want to have to live with a misaligned fireplace or wonky door until you have the time and money to fix the issue? Measure carefully before you start cutting any decorating materials, and re-check your measurements and alignments regularly while you are working. If you identify a mistake early on, you are more likely to be able to fix it. Information is accurate at time of publishing, however, may be subject to change.

This is the first in a new series of blog posts, helping to guide and inspire you to undertake some home improvement projects throughout this year. Each month for the rest of 2013, we'll be letting you know what tasks you could be carrying out (both inside and outside of your home), depending on the time of year and of course the weather conditions! Read on for January's post... Spring Clean January is traditionally the time when people go on a house-cleaning spree, throwing away old and unwanted possessions, taking down decorations, and giving their homes a thorough cleaning. Sadly, for many people this enthusiasm for cleaning and decorating doesn't last long, and by February any new-year's resolutions are forgotten. This year, why not take your spring-clean to the next level and start the year the way you mean to go on by preparing yourself for a year of successful DIY. January is a Month of Planning Resist the temptation to try to start tackling all of your indoor jobs in January. If you rush in to doing lots of jobs right away, there's a good chance you'll burn out and get sick of spending your weekends surrounded by screwdrivers and paintbrushes. Instead of rushing to get jobs done in January, let yourself relax after the festive season, and ease into the year's projects by spending your time off doing some research. Make a list of all of the jobs that you want to get done this year (include stuff like re-turfing the garden, or fixing the roof, even though those jobs will have to wait until the warmer months). Try to find out which jobs you can tackle yourself, and which you will need to pay a professional to do for you. Make a List Using this list, put together an annual budget for your DIY projects, and work out how much you'll need to set aside each month to afford all of the jobs you'll be doing throughout the year. If it helps you to divide your finances strictly, you may want to consider opening a second bank account or instant access savings account online so that your DIY funds aren't sitting there in your main bank account, easy to access for impulse spending. If any of the jobs on your to-do list require planning permission, call your local authority and find out how long the application process takes. Make sure that you start the application process early to ensure that you have a nice time buffer to work with in case there are delays or problems with your paperwork. Practical Shopping in the Sales Tools of the Trade The January sales can be a great time to pick up cheap tools and consumables. While everyone else is rushing to the clothes, gifts and electronics aisles, take this opportunity to head on over to the DIY section. You may find cheap gardening tools, paint brushes, rollers, trays, and other handy items. That sort of shopping might not be as exciting as shopping for a new TV in the sales, but you could save a fortune. You can always pick up some shiny new electronics later in the year, when new models have been released and you've finished your renovation work. We’re running a January sale too – visit our sale page here. Spring Cleaning Your DIY projects will go much more smoothly if you have time to work. It's a good idea to try to find some time for de-cluttering and spring-cleaning. If you have a lot of clutter to sort through, consider trying the Fly Lady approach - break down the cleaning into lots of small tasks, doing a few minutes each day rather than trying to clean an entire room in one go. Once you have tackled a room, make a point of trying to keep it uncluttered. It's easier to tidy up after yourself each evening than it is to clean up a week's worth of mess in one go. Photo: Sean Freese, Dr Stephen Dann, Keith Williamson

Even if you are quite handy with power tools, you will eventually encounter a DIY project that requires you to bring in a contractor. This is no reflection on your abilities as a handyman.  Some projects are simply too complex to get done on a bank holiday weekend, and other jobs, such as ones

Even the most avid of DIY enthusiasts will occasionally need to bring in a contractor.  Some projects, such as building an extension to accommodate your growing family, or getting insulation or storm windows, can be too time consuming to take on as a side project.

We are often asked how to build an internal doorway which is quite an open question as there are two very different circumstances people may actually be asking about.

Some doors come with locks already fitted but most quality doors will not, hence allowing the owner to choose what type of lock and latch they are going to use. Fitting a Mortise Lock into a door requires a slightly above average level of DIY skill.

Let’s not be half hearted about this, there are two areas of the Euro zone,  Spain and Greece,  that are in a desperate financial situation. It’s not just the immediate situation faced by these countries that is of such concern but the fact there is so little that can be done to prevent the problems reoccurring. Austerity measures that drastically cut public spending whilst increasing taxes are not acceptable to either populations as they feel they are the scapegoats for all the Euros woes.

T-hinges are as much a part of the style of a country cottage doorway as the door they hold up. Unlike its more common cousins that are usually hidden from view, the t-hinge sits proudly exposed on top of the wood even when closed.

Professional interior designers have always placed the correct choice of interior doors high on the list of importance when considering where to get the most ‘bang for your buck’ on a redecoration or remodelling project.

There are aspects of home renovation that are exciting and rewarding, after all you are deciding on the surroundings you and your family will be living in for some time to come. But then again, there are also the more mundane details that need to be taken care of.

There is something about a Bank Holiday that makes some wives think their husbands should be occupied putting up shelves or fixing a plumbing problem. Occasionally women themselves decide that there is no better time than a Bank Holiday to hang

Have you discovered the beginnings of rot on your external door?  here is out step by step guide on how to fix the frame

There are many fittings to be considered for a new external door but not only do the practicality of items need to be thoroughly considered but the style of the fixture must be in keeping with the style of the front door. When it comes to choosing a letterbox the home owner must first consider which is more suitable for their home; a traditional door mounted one or a secure and outdoor mail box lockable wall mounted one.

Updating your home with solid oak skirting boards can bring a sense of style and warmth to any property. You don't change skirting boards often so it's important to choose a style and type carefully before proceeding.