Index, by topic, of all the pages on
the diydata.com web site
- Angle grinder - the various features and what to look for
- Architrave - a step by step guide to fitting architrave around doors, windows and loft hatches.
- Basement conversions explained.
- Bathroom design
- Bathroom electrical installations - a guide to the zones
- Bench grinder - the various features and what to look for
- Books
- Brickwork
- Brickwork Bonds
- Bricklayer's Tool Kit - the different tools used in bricklaying explained
- Building Regs
- Building Regulations (England and Wales) - when do you need approval.
- Building Regulations and electrics (Jan 2005 changes)
- April 2002 changes to the regulations.
- Building Regulations (England and Wales) - a list of the approved documents and links to them on the Planning Portal.
- see also
- Planning Permissions (England and Wales) - what you need permission for
- Planning Permissions (England and Wales) - producing your own drawings
- Burglar Alarms - the different types of burglar alarm available for home use
- Catches - different types of cupboard catch explained
- DIY CCTV Systems – What to consider when buying cctv cameras, dvrs and systems
- Cement, concrete etc.
- Central heating - see plumbing
- Chasing cables and pipes into walls
- Check for winter - some checks around the house to avoid winter problems
- Circular Saw - the various features, what to look for, how to use and maintain
- Cladding - external timber and uPVC plank cladding explained
- Clamps - different types for different jobs
- Colour Wheel and how to use colours in decorating.
- Colour to overcome different decorating problems.
- Concealed Hinges – the choice of hinges for your kitchen cupboard
- Concrete
- Calculators for concrete volumes - squares, rectangles, circles and triangles. Metric
calculator or Imperial calculator - - Calculators for working out the quantities of cement, sand, gravel or all-in ballast required for a volume. Metric
calculator or Imperial calculator
- Mixing concrete - a 'how to guide' for mixing concrete by hand, with a mixer or using ready mix
- Planning concrete - the thickness, slope etc for different uses of concrete (paths, patios, driveways etc)
- Condensation - the causes of condensation
- Condensation - how to overcome condensation.
- Conservatories - building confidence in getting one installed
- Cordless angle grinder - the various features and what to look for
- Cordless Screwdrivers - the various features and options explained.
- Cornice and coving - the different materials and adhesives
- Cornice and coving - cutting the mitres for internal and external corners
- Preparing for putting up cornice/coving
- Putting up cornice/coving
- How to avoid cowboy builders and tradesmen
- Cupboard Stays - different types and how they work
- Dado rails - a step by step guide to putting up dado rails.
- Dish washer - guide to connecting dishwashers to the water supply and waste.
- Doors
- Garden drainage problems - a brief discussion
- Drawer runners - the options available explained
- Drills - hand and electric - different types and their uses
- Drill bits
- Dry rot - how to identify and treat
- Electric Drill - the features of electric hand drills
- Electric sanders - the different types available to reduce 'elbow grease' when sanding
- Electrics (relevant to United Kingdom)
- DIY books - electrics
- Replacing ceiling lighting rose
- Downlights for effective lighting
- Electric cables
- Electric cables - 2004 changes to colours of cables
- Electrical circuit protection explained - Fuses, MCBs, RCDs and RCBOs
- Fuses - Electrical circuit protection explained
- Ingress Protection - understanding IP classifications
- Junction Boxes - The types available and their uses
- Miniature Circuit Breakers - Electrical circuit protection explained
- Residual Current Device - Electrical circuit protection explained
- Residual Current Breaker with Overload protection - Electrical circuit protection explained
- Two way/changeover lighting circuit
- Understanding electric lighting circuits
- Understanding ring circuits and other power circuits
- Energy efficiency:
- UPVC fascias, soffits and bargeboards
- Euro cylinder lock replacement - a step by step guide to removing and refitting a euro cylinder type lock
- Extractor fan - Choosing the right extractor fan for your bathroom
- Fencing
- Board fencing - the posts and rails
- Erecting a chain link fence
- Erecting a wooden panel fence
- Wooden fence posts
- Fireplace Design, Fireplace Installation & Fire Surround Options in the UK
- Fixings for different types of walls - how to make strong fixings to brick, block, stud, plasterboard, lathe and plaster, and dry lined walls
- Fixings for hollow walls and surfaces
- Fixings for solid walls
- Flat roofs
- Laying a felt roof (three layer, cold adhesive)
- Repairing Felt Roofs
- Floods - precautions for around the home
- Flooring
- Floor soundproofing
- Self-levelling floor compound for concrete/solid floors.
- Timber Flooring:
- Timber floor finishes - varnish, oils and waxes explained.
- Removing old finishes - a guide to removing paint, varnish, oil wax and polishes from timber floorboards.
- Sanding wooden floooring - a guide to applying stain to timber floorboards.
- Staining wooden floors
- Timber flooring - Solid or Engineered Timber Flooring? The Debate, which is better.
- Varnishing wooden floorboards - a guide to varnishing timber floorboards.
- Vinyl flooring:
- Garden gate plans from Buildeazy
- Gardening books.
- Garden Power Tools - hedge trimmers, chain saws etc.
- Gas installations etc.
- Glass
- Glossaries - terms and terminology explained:
- Glues - all sorts explained
- Granite worktops - a guide to selecting
- Maintaining rain water Guttering
- Guttering for rain water
- Hammers - various types and their uses
- Handsaws - various types and their uses
- Hinges - different types of hinge explained
- Hot air heat guns - for stripping paint and more
- How to change a rooms dimension using wall pictures
- How to use home decor accessories to create a new look in a room
- Imperial/metric conversions factors or quick look up tables
- Conversion
Calculator
- Interior design - decorate your space with wall art
- Insulation
- Loft Insulation - the materials and how to install them
- Insulating water tanks and pipes
- Insulating internal walls with boards
- Insulating pitched roof spaces
- Interior wooden doors
- Kitchens
- Kitchen Design
- Kitchen granite worktops - a guide to selecting
- Kitchen units - what's available in units and accessories
- Kitchen updating - advice from the Federation of Master Builders
- Under Cabinet Lighting in the kitchen - the options available, fluorescent, halogen and LED
- Ladders - types and choices
- Lighting in the home - type of light and bulbs explained
- Locks
- Types of locks explained - mortice, rimlocks, nightlatch etc.
- Mortise Lock - a step by step guide to fitting a mortise lock.
- Mortise Lock - changing the latch - a step by step guide to changing the latch on a mortise lock.
- Rim Lock - an illustrated guide to fitting a rim lock
- Loft conversion - planning guide
- Loft hatch
- Man made, wood based boards
- Nails
- Nails - all the different types
- Nail sizes - pennies to inches
- Nail tips - points to note
- Paints and Painting
- Colour Wheel and how to use colours in decorating
- Paints for use around the house
- Painting stone, brick and render
- Painting ferrous metals surfaces
- Painting timber surfaces
- Paint finishes, the different types of problems, how to avoid and correct them
- Painting flush wooden doors - a step by step illustrated guide
- Painting tips
- Painting wooden panel doors - a step by step illustrated guide
- Painting wooden casement windows - a step by step illustrated guide
- Painting wooden sash windows - a step by step illustrated guide
- Preparing walls and ceilings - a guide to preparing for painting
- Preparing wooden doors and windows - a guide to preparing for repainting
- Stripping paint from wood - the options, advantages and drawbacks
- Timber finishes, varnishes, stains and dyes
- Using a paint roller - the technique explained.
- Partitions
- Partitions - Plan before you build will save a lot of effort
- Partition (sound proof) - building a partition to reduce noise
- Stud Partition
- The basic framework
- Cladding with plasterboard
- Finishing off
- Tips on drylining - from the diydata forum
- Party Wall Act - an outline of the duties and responsibilies for neighbouring parties.
- Party Wall Act - a practical guide - a practical guide from a Party Wall Surveyor.
- Pests in and out the house and their control
- Picture rails - a step by step guide to putting up picture rails.
- Planning Permission
- Planning Permissions (England and Wales) - what you need permission for
- Planning Permissions (England and Wales) - changes October 2008.
- Planning Permissions (England and Wales) - producing your own drawings
- see also
- Building Regulations (England and Wales) - when do you need approval.
- Plaster ceilings - the different types explained
- Plaster repairs:
- Lath and plaster wall repairs - step by step guide to repairing holes in lath and plaster walls.
- Plaster wall repairs (large) - step by step guide to repairing large areas in plastered walls.
- Plaster wall repairs (small) - step by step guide to repairing cracks in plastered walls and external plaster corners.
- Repairing large holes in stud walls or ceilings - step by step guide to repairing large holes in plasterboard stud partition walls and ceilings.
- Repairing small holes in stud walls - step by step guide to repairing small holes in plasterboard stud partition walls.
- Plaster walls - lath & plaster, straight plaster, stud walling and dry lining construction explained.
- Plasterboard:
- Types of plasterboard explained.
- Cutting and fixing plasterboard - cutting straight line and cutouts, fixing with nails and screws.
- Filling plasterboard joints - finishing the joints with tape and filler.
- Finishing plasterboard corners with metal plasterboard corner strips.
- Plans (FREE woodworking plans)
- Plumbing
- Air Admittance Valves explained.
- Ball valves (as fitted to WC cisterns and water tanks):
- Slide and Diaphragm ball valves explained.
- Slider type ball valve washer replacement - an illustrated step by step guide.
- Boiler systems - Conventional, Combi and System domestic boiler systems explained.
- DIY books - plumbing
- Copper pipe and connectors for household plumbing
- Central Heating:
- Balancing Radiators
- Bleeding the system and radiators
- Draining an Open Vent Centrol Heating System explained.
- Fitting valves and plugs etc to radiators.
- Fixing radiators to different types of wall.
- Flushing, descaling and refilling an Open Vent Centrol Heating System explained.
- Removing a radiator - how to remove a radiator.
- Central Heating design
- Centrol Heating Boiler controls explained. Room Thermostats (Roomstats), Timers and Programmers, Thermostatic Radiator Valves
- Choosing radiators/emitters for water central heating
- Limiting factors in water central heating systems
- Sizing building thermal loses
- Sizing for domestic hot water storage
- Sizing pipework
- U- values - the overall coefficient of heat transmission values of some common building materials/methods
- Water Central Heating pipework and controls - the requirements of Building Regulation 2010
- Central Heating explained (water)
- Central Heating - Underfloor heating - the basic water and electric systems and the advantages/drawbacks explained.
- Ceramic taps explained - how they work and their advantages/disadvantages.
- Dish washer - guide to connecting dishwashers to the water supply and waste.
- Immersion water heaters:
- Push on plumbing connectors and plastic pipe for household plumbing
- Showers
- Choosing showers - the different types explained
- Gravity fed showers - the system explained
- Instantaneous Electric Showers - the systems explained
- Power showers - the different types explained
- Power Showers - points to consider when buying and installing
- Taps
- Curing dripping taps - fitting replacement seats and washers
- Connecting taps to the water pipes
- Fixing and connecting mono-bloc (single hole) mixer taps
- Fixing taps to baths, basins and sinks
- Regrinding a tap seat
- Replacing a tap washer
- Replacing a Supatap washer
- Toilets
- Washing machines - guide to connecting washing machines to the water supply and waste
- Waste disposal units - the basics and how to fit waste disposal units to sinks.
- Waste fittings:
- Bath - Illustrated guide to the various types of waste water fittings for baths
- Hand basin - Illustrated guide to the various types of waste water fittings for hand basins
- Sink - Illustrated guide to the various types of waste water fittings for sinks
- Waste pipe
- Making waste pipe connections to household drains
- Waste pipes and connectors - the different types explained
- Waste traps - the different types of water waste traps explained
- Power Washers - the options explained
- Roofing
- Using Corrugated Roof Sheeting
- Laying a felt roof (three layer, cold adhesive)
- Repairing Felt Roofs
- Felting and battening - a step by step guide to putting on the felt and battens for a slate or tile roof
- Glossary of roofing terms
- Pitched roofs - cut and truss roofs explained
- Repairing plain tile roofs - a guide to the practical aspects of repairing plain tile roofs
- Repairing slate roofs - a guide to the practical aspects of repairing slate roofs
- Replacing ridge tiles - a guide to replacing loose and dislodged ridge tiles on the roof
- Using interlocking tiles - a guide to the practical aspects of roofing with interlocking tiles with side overlaps
- Using ridge tiles - a guide to the practical aspects of fixing ridge tiles to slate and tile roofs
- Using plain roofing tiles - a guide to the practical aspects of roofing using plain tiles
- Using slates - a guide to the practical aspects of roofing with slates
- Router cutters - different types, material and uses
- Routers - the various features, what to look for, how to maintain
- Safety for the do it yourself person
- Sandpaper & glasspaper - types and their uses
- Screwdrivers - cordless - the various features and options explained.
- Sealants - types explained
- Self-build - advice from the Federation of Master Builders
- Shelving
- Types of shelving to choose.
- Fitting long shelving with brackets - an illustrated step by step guide.
- Fitting short shelving with brackets - an illustrated step by step guide.
- Fitting shelving to an alcove - a step by step guide.
- Fitting shelving to a corner - a step by step guide.
- Materials explained - solid timber, chipwood, mdf, blockboard, plywood etc.
- Skirting board - a step by step guide to cutting and fitting skirting board.
- Sliding Wardrobe Doors - How to fit DIY sliding wardrobe doors between uneven walls
- Smoke alarms - different types and their features
- Solving the problems of an irregularly sized bedroom - design ideas for small and large bedrooms
- Sound Proofing
- Background to soundproofing your property - why and how to soundproof
- Floor soundproofing
- Noises from your neighbour and how to soundproof party walls
- Partition (sound proof) - building a partition to reduce noise
- Suspended Ceiling to improve sound proofing
- Suspended Ceiling to improve sound proofing (alternative method)
- Solar energy - design, install and use
- A simple solar panel
- Solar energy - Why install thermal solar panels ?
- Spanners and wrenches - the different types and uses explained.
- Staircases explained will illustrations and glossary plus repairing staircases.
- Staircase requirements - Building Regulations and other design details
- Staircases for Loft Conversions - Building Regulations and other design details for stairs in loft conversions.
- Staircase - Basic design - guide for planning a basic staircase
- Stucco/Rendering mixes
- Stucco - uses and application
- Suspended Ceiling to improve sound proofing.
- Telephone sockets - adding some around the house.
- Tiling
- Ceramic tiles - basic styles - The basic shapes and tile types explained
- Estimating wall tiles - A guide to working out how many tiles are required for a tiling job
- Estimating tile finishing strip - A guide to working out how many finishing strips are required for a tiling job and how to cut it to get the most out of it
- Preparing surfaces for ceramic wall tiles - A guide to preparing the surface whether wallpaper, paint, tile or timber
- Setting out ceramic wall tiles - A guide to making the job look professional
- Fixing ceramic wall tiles - A guide to fixing ceramic wall tiles
- Cutting ceramic tiles - A guide to cutting ceramic wall tiles
- Grouting wall tiles - A guide
- Tiling tools - the different tools required for wall and floor tiling explained.
- Timber joints - simple
- Timber rot - dry and wet - how to identify and treat
- Tools:
- Bricklayer's Tool Kit - the different tools used in bricklaying explained.
- Circular Saw - the various features, what to look for, how to use and maintain
- Clamps - different types available for different jobs
- Cordless Screwdrivers - the various features and options explained.
- Drills - hand and electric - different types and their uses
- Drill bits - different types for different jobs
- Electric Drill - the features of electric hand drills
- Garden Power Tools - hedge trimmers, chain saws etc.
- Hammers - various types and their uses
- Handsaws - various types and their uses
- Hot air heat guns - for stripping paint and more
- Ladders - types and choices
- Router cutters - different types, material and uses
- Routers - the various features, what to look for, how to maintain
- Sandpaper & glasspaper - types and their uses.
- Screwdrivers - cordless - the various features and options explained.
- Spanners and wrenches - the different types and uses explained.
- Tiling tools - the different tools required for wall and floor tiling explained.
- Underfloor heating - the basic water and electric systems and the advantages/drawbacks explained.
- Vinyl flooring
- Wall chaser - the various features and what to look for
- Wall Fixings for hollow walls and surfaces
- Wall Fixings for solid walls
- Wallpapering
- Types of Wallpaper - the different types explained.
- Symbols on labels - the symbols on wallpaper labels explained.
- How many rolls? - Calculate how many rools of wall paper you will require.
- Stripping wallpaper - a step by step guide to stripping different types of wall paper.
- Preparing different surfaces for hanging wallpaper - new and old plasterboard and plaster walls etc.
- Cutting and pasting wallpaper - a guide to setting out the start lines, cutting and pasting the wallpaper.
- Hanging wallpaper - a step by step guide to hanging wallpaper.
- Hanging wallpaper around architrave.
- Hanging wallpaper around electrical fittings.
- Hanging wallpaper around a recess at door and window surrounds.
- Washing machines - guide to connecting washing machines to the water supply and waste.
- wetNfix - repairs for wall plugs
- Wet timber rot - how to identify and treat
- Windows
- Winter checks - some checks around the house to avoid winter problems
- Wood screws - the basics
- Wood screw clearance and pilot hole sizes
- Worktops, Granite - a guide to selecting
- Woodworking Plans (FREE)
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