Home & Garden Improvements

When considering tiling, you may want to take a look at using mosaic versus traditional-sized ceramic tiles; they not only look great, but they are much easier to work with.

To begin your application, use a length of batten, a spirit level, and a pencil to map out the area you’re covering with tiles. Then, using a notch spreader, apply the tile adhesive to the designated area, creating evenly-spaced ridges as you go.
Place a sheet of tiles against the area, with the edges in alignment with your guide and press it firmly into place. Tamp the tiles to create an even surface – a bit of off-cut wood works well for this.

Continue to lay your tile sheets in this manner until your intended area is covered. If you are tiling around things like sockets or light switches, use a craft knife to cut the shape from the tile sheet. Don’t worry about narrow gaps, they will be filled later.

Where a gap is intentionally left, spacers can be used to maintain the distance. If tiles must be cut, measure your area to be filled and then transfer the measurement to the tiles. Score a line on the tiles and then, using a cutting wheel and snapper or tile nibblers, break the tiles along the scored area.

Allow your tiles to adhere for 24 hours before applying grout and then use a rubber-edged spreader to apply. For a professional grout edge, use a bit of dowel or a grout shaper.

Gazebos are used for a variety of different purposes from protecting outdoor furniture to protecting a barbeque during a party. There are many reasons why people choose to install a gazebo in their garden; whatever your reason, whether it be to add a feature or just for somewhere covered to sit, a gazebo is a great addition to any home.

The most obvious use for an outdoor gazebo is to create a shaded area during a hot summer. Not only does it make sitting out in the warm weather more comfortable, it also makes it safer. Even when there are clouds in the sky, the UV rays can still damage your skin. A gazebo will allow you to relax and have a good time even if the weather is at its hottest; or wettest!

Another main reason why outdoor gazebos are popular is because they protect garden furniture and fittings that are usually left to the elements. Gazebos have angled tops, which will divert water away from a specific area. This is useful if you have a hot tub beneath a gazebo or if you just want to keep outdoor furniture dry during a storm.

There is nothing worse than inviting a few friends round for a spring or summer barbeque and having the event ruined by bad weather. An outdoor gazebo can protect a large area, which will prevent your food, and the party, from being ruined.

Outdoor gazebos are sometimes used just as a way to provide a garden with a different look. You do not have to buy a gazebo with a specific purpose in mind. Many find that an outdoor gazebo makes their garden look classy and appealing. This can be achieved at a very reasonable price.

Underfloor heating has become a commercially viable form of domestic heating over the last century. Underfloor heating is typically installed using water pipes or electric cables or mesh, both of which systems have become easy to use and install, even on a DIY basis using underfloor heating kits. Underfloor heating provides an alternative to traditional forms of heating such as wood, gas, oil or coal burners, water radiator systems or electric heaters.

The application of underfloor heating has become relatively easy and is relatively straightforward, as water pipes and electric cables and mesh, are normally lightweight pieces of equipment which are easy to manipulate into the desired shape and size. Underfloor heating equipment can be installed in existing or newly built properties under solid concrete, stone, tiled, wooden or laminate flooring, and in smaller or larger rooms such as bathrooms or living areas.

Underfloor heating mats can be rolled out under large spaces such as conservatory floors or bedrooms and can be easily cut into different shapes and sizes. Underfloor heating has become increasingly popular in rooms such as bathrooms, kitchens and conservatories. The benefits of using underfloor heating in such rooms are that typically restricted space is saved by placing heating equipment under the floor. This also allows for decoration and furnishing of these rooms without the need to consider placement of above floor heating equipment.

Driveways and paths can also be kept ice free in winter by using this technology – very useful in some parts of the world.

If you are looking for a stunning shower enclosure to create a truly eye-catching feature in your bathroom, then look no further than a Daryl shower enclosure. Having been market leaders for over forty years, Daryl ensures that each of their showers is put through a rigorous testing regime to ensure that you receive the highest quality product. The testing actually includes impact tests and slam tests. Believe it or not, by the time that you receive the enclosure the doors will have been opened and closed 32,000 times to ensure it meets their standards – now that is quality. Daryl is quoted as wishing each customer “the ultimate showering experience”. Now doesn’t that sound seductive?

There is certainly something to be said for feeling safe in the knowledge that you are purchasing quality. The redesign of a bathroom is a costly project and such home improvements are only done a couple of times in the lifetime of a room. You want to ensure that you are creating the room of your dreams with products deserving of it. Daryl shower enclosures use only the highest grade aluminium components and each unit comes complete with a lifetime guarantee.

You can also be sure that there will be a style to suit; from contemporary to traditional, these shower enclosures are timeless and meticulously finished. However, for those with an even larger budget and a specific concept in mind, Daryl can create a custom shower enclosure to your exact specifications.

Underfloor heating kits are DIY kits for the installation of typically domestic types of underfloor heating. Underfloor heating provides an alternative to more widespread forms of heating, such as networks of radiators, a wood, coal, gas or oil stove or burner.

There are two forms of underfloor heating generally used: water and electricity underfloor heating. In line with this a range of underfloor heating kits can be acquired, from water pipe installation systems through to electric mats and cables.

A typical example of a water underfloor heating pipe is a 16mm cross-linked polyethylene multi layer barrier pipe. The installation material often meets national or cross border standards, such as EU laws, which seek to protect domestic users from harm.

Kits will normally include a full set of instructions and technical support options as well as being guaranteed for a relatively long term. Kits can be used to install underfloor heating in conservatories, building extensions, kitchens, utility rooms and other domestic spaces.

The major benefits of installing underfloor heating are the efficiency of the heating compared with convected heat systems such as radiators, the relatively cheap installation costs, the longevity of the heat within a room compared with convected heat systems and the space saved by putting everything under the floor.

Kits are sold for single rooms, large single rooms and multi-room networks. Each of the kits can be linked to an underfloor heating thermostat to ensure maximum efficiency and user friendliness. Kits can be bought in DIY stores or online.

If you like to dine al fresco in the summer months, building a patio will make a stylish platform for your table and chairs. It’s a DIY job that takes a bit of hard work, but it’ll be well worth the effort in the end.

Using pegs and string take care to mark out the area of your patio, nudging the size to avoid cutting the slabs.

Dig the area to a depth of 15cm (but go a further 15cm below the damp-proof course if you’re building beside the house). Tap in some wooden pegs to jut 10cm above the surface, and fill the area with hardcore up to the tips.

If you’re beside the house, use a spirit level to angle the hardcore – water must drain away from the building, not towards it! Make sure to compact the hardcore with a vibrating plate or a board.

Starting from a fence, a wall, or the house, lay the slabs loosely to check that you like the arrangement. Mix one part cement with five parts building sand and spread a bed of mortar 5–8 cm thick over the hardcore.

Lay the slabs on top, tapping them into place with a lump hammer. Use a spirit level to check they’re level or sloping properly from the house (remember to leave 1 cm spaces for grouting). Leave for at least 24 hours.

Finally, mix three parts building sand with one part cement and fill in the grout spaces with a pointing trowel. Let it dry for a few days. Before you know it, it’ll be time for Pimms on the patio.

Picture Courtesy of justinbaeder

If you are lucky enough to have a hot tub in your outdoor area, you will need something to protect it, and also to protect the people inside the hot tub.

Many people enjoy relaxing in a hot tub after a long hard day at work and there will be nothing worse than having this relaxation interrupted by a torrential downpour of rain. A hot tub gazebo takes away the worry of the weather and allows you to just enjoy your soak in the tub.

Hot tub gazebos differ from many adaptable gazebos as they are fixed into one position. This means they cannot be put away and stored. It also means that a hot tub gazebo will also require greater maintenance and care.

A hot tub gazebo is usually made from wood, which will be sealed with a protective layer of clear paint or wood varnish. This should stop rain from damaging the surface of the wood and weakening the overall structure of the gazebo.

Hot tub gazebos are not cheap in comparison to the other types of gazebo available. In most cases, as hot tub gazebos can be larger than normal ones, you will need a professional to install them; however, this isn’t always the case, if you are skilled yourself it can be a DIY job. 

A hot tub gazebo can also be very useful during the summer. It will provide shade from the intense heat and allow people to cool down. However, the ultimate function of a hot tub gazebo is to ensure that a hot tub can be used at any time of the year.

Modern bathroom suites tend to put emphasis on the view that bathrooms can be practical as well as pleasing to the eye. There are certain basics to think about when planning modern bathrooms such as bathroom sinks, showers, bathroom radiators and furniture. Selecting the best bathroom furniture and bathroom accessories is considered to be of great significance in the fitting out of modern bathrooms.

Among steps that are now taken when designing bathrooms are the complete removal of the bathtub and the installation of a shower with a modern shower cubicle, shower enclosures and shower trays in order to save space and reduce water usage. Elegant decoration is also a prime asset to bathroom improvement, with the availability of decorative basin and bath taps, designer radiators and feature bathroom mirrors.

The general consensus with designers is that bathrooms should be stylish, attractive and convenient to use. A well designed bathroom will use all bathroom furniture and bathroom accessories both efficiently and functionally. To add beauty and elegance, one should select the bathroom sink, showers and other bathroom furniture very carefully.

When designing a new bathroom, it is extremely important that one has a very clear idea of what to prioritise whether it be showers (for example the inclusion of a separate shower cubicle), or bathroom furniture (are you concerned with style or practicality). The style masters among you may wish to consider designer radiators or fancy basin and bath taps.

Whatever your style or taste, remember that when improving your bathroom it needs to suit your needs and be in keeping with the rest of the house.

If you’re about to splash out on a major piece of property development or home improvement, getting the interior spec of a new extension right can be of critical importance.

Architects can design the structure for you, but it’s good to have certain ideas in mind before plans are drawn up. A fabulous contemporary feature is to go for as much roof space as you can – aim for a vaulted glazed ceiling: it’ll transform a modest room into one which feels palatial (you’ll need planning permission though).

Building requirements insist on certain minimum specifications for glazing, but go for the best you can afford (it needs to keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer).

Do remember though that you’ll need to plan your electrics well if you opt for a glazed ceiling – wall-lighting will be essential. As well as ceilings, you can have glazed walls, which make for an enchanting merging effect between, say, your dining room and your garden. They also create the illusion of vastly more space. Occasionally, if you have a rather long room, glazing one end will help but won’t cure the darkness problem at the other.

You might try daylight-mimicking recessed halogen lights in the ceiling at the darker end – they’re very effective at giving a ‘natural light’ feel to murky corners.

You’ll clearly need to hand over the building and plastering to a skilled craftsman, but you can cut some costs by adding your own DIY skills to finish off – savings made on painting and decorating are not to be scoffed at.

People choose underfloor heating for different reasons, such as the benefit of having warm floors to walk on, an even distribution of heat, and saving energy costs. Also, with no visible radiators or pipes, it appeals to the minimalist in us all. Once you have decided that underfloor heating is what you need for your home then you should look at the various types of installation and decide which one is the most suitable. There is a wide variety of systems on offer, from numerous suppliers, so it pays to do your research thoroughly.

Three things to bear in mind when choosing an underfloor heating system are the size of area to be heated, whether your current boiler can be used, and the type of flooring you want to lay on top. Water underfloor heating can be run off an existing boiler, and takes hot water through a network of pipes under your flooring. These can either be encased in a wet screed, or simply attached to the joists. Some wet underfloor heating systems are designed to use solar heated water. Underfloor electric heating systems use either cables or carbon mats, and are usually more economical for a small space such as a bathroom. Each system has its own installation guidelines to ensure maximum efficiency.

Underfloor heating installation is easiest and more cost effective in new build houses or homes which are being renovated as floor coverings need to be laid on top of the pipes, cables or mats.