Introduction: Power, Politics and Confrontation in Eurasia

Abstract

Every home needs a good toolkit. It doesnt have to be large; you can create one without a lot of expense, and with a bit of looking after you can start to fix it with confidence. Try to always buy the best quality you can afford. Good-quality tools will not only last longer, theyre safer to use and make your job easier. Chances are the whole set will cost you less than a couple of days labour by an experienced tradesperson. CONTENTS The basic toolkit 9 A DIY shadow board 17 The more advanced toolkit 19 And then there are the power tools 24 Hiring tools 31 Looking after your tools 32 Sharpening tools 32 3. PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS 37 Key ingredients 37 Fasteners 41 Glues, sealants and fillers 46 Cleaners 52 Tapes, strings, ropes, straps and wires 53 Timber and boards 54 Timber finishes 56 4. SAFETY WHILE YOU WORK 59 Number one important thing, grasshopper! 60 Invisible dangers 62 Electrical safety 63 Fire hazards 64 Ladder safety 64 What to do about lead paint 65 5. MAKING YOUR HOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT 68 Installing or updating your insulation 69 Draught-proofing your house 70 Refrigerators 75 Air conditioning 76 On standby 76 Reducing energy used for hot water 77 Saving water 78 6. WALLS AND CEILINGS 81 Repairing plasterboard 81 Fixing corner chips on masonry walls 85 Repairing holes in masonry walls 86 Fixing cracks in rendered walls 87 Fixing timber-lined homes 89 Removing wallpaper 89 Soundproofing your house 91 Dealing with damp 93 Hanging pictures on your walls 97 Installing shelves on your walls 101 Hanging mirrors 103 Repairing or installing a new cornice 105 Attaching a new ceiling rose 107 7. FLOORS . . . AND WHATS UNDERNEATH 109 Fixing creaky floorboards 109 Fixing creaky timber stairs 113 Fixing gaps in floorboards 116 Fixing a damaged tongue and groove floorboard 117 Protecting your polished floors 119 Pests in flooring and under the floor 122 Under-floor ventilation problems 126 Other types of flooring 127 Carpet 130 8. DOORS AND WINDOWS 133 Fixing a rattling door 133 Fixing doors that wont close properly 134 Restoring door furniture 137 Fixing dents on door and window frames 142 Repairing a mullion or a muntin 143 Repairing a broken door or doorframe 144 Fixing sliding doors 145 Maintaining sash windows 149 Replacing putty around glass in your windows 153 Fitting locks on your windows 154 Fixing hinges on your windows 157 Making and fixing flyscreens 158 Maintaining powder-coated aluminium windows 162 Removing old masking tape from windows 164 Removing bubbling tint from windows 164 9. BUILT-IN CUPBOARDS 166 Kitchen cupboard doors that no longer line up 167 Fixing sagging corner cupboard doors 168 Fixing swinging wardrobe doors 168 Fixing drawers 169 Shelf supports 170 Looking after and updating your laminate kitchen 171 Timber benchtops 174 Other benchtops 175 Replacing cupboard door handles 176 10. FURNITURE 178 Fixing dents and scratches in timber furniture 178 Removing white heat rings from timber 181 Restoring timber furniture 182 Fixing chairs 186 Fixing creaky wardrobe doors 188 Fixing timber veneer thats lifting 189 Cane and bamboo furniture 190 11. WET AREAS 191 Tiling 191 Getting rid of mildew on walls 198 Replacing grubby silicone 199 Fixing a sliding glass screen door 200 Rejuvenating an enamel bath 201 Rejuvenating an acrylic bath 202 12. ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING 203 Electrical 203 About circuits, watts, amps, fuses and your fusebox 204 Fixing a blown fuse 204 Illumination 206 Plumbing 210 Dripping taps 211 Repairing leaky PVC pipes 212 Water hammer 213 Changing taps in your bathroom or laundry 214 Leaky shower recess 214 Clearing a blocked trap 215 Fixing a leaky loo 215 Looking after your hot water system 216 13. PAINTING AND OTHER FINISHES 218 Paintbrushes and rollers 218 Types of paint 222 Paintingthe basics 226 Painting with enamel paint 239 Getting a good, straight edge 241 Storing and disposing of paint 242 Staining timber surfaces 243 Waxing 245 French polishing 246 Applying tung oil 248 Applying oil-based urethane 250 Painting the outside of your house 251 14. THE OUTSIDE BITSYOUR HOMES EXTERIOR 253 Cleaning and fixing gutters 253 Looking after your deck 256 Fixing outdoor timber stairs 264 Removing rot from outdoor timber areas 267 Repairing cracks in brickwork 269 Waterproofing 272 Patching damaged render 274 Bagging a wall 275 Repairing a cracked concrete path 278 Cleaning canvas blinds and awnings 280 Removing stains from concrete and masonry 281 Fixing chalky concrete 283 Fixing efflorescence on concrete 284 Rejuvenating tessellated tiles 284 Cleaning sandstone doorsteps 285 Refinishing a balcony railing 285 15. YOUR GARDEN AND YARD 287 Fixing your fence 287 Lifting a sagging gate 291 Fixing outdoor timber furniture 293 Fixing your rotary clothesline 294 Waterproofing retaining walls and planter boxes 295 Removing rust from outdoor metal 296 Looking after your BBQ 298 16. USEFUL INFORMATION 302 Safety while you work 303 Energy saving 303 Timber and furniture restoration 304 Timber finishes 305 General timber info 307 Building protection 308 Doors and windows 309 Kitchens and wet areas 310 Paint and other finishes 311 Gutters 315 General/miscellaneous 315 INDEX 317