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How to Maximise the Efficiency of Your Project During Lockdown

The Covid-19 lockdown will continue at least until mid-May, and self builders and renovators continue to face difficult decisions about what to do with their projects. 

The big question for self builders and renovators in the midst of projects is: should I continue to keep the site operational where possible, or take some downtime and prepare for when work can begin again?

Around three quarters of on-site residential projects have reportedly halted because of the coronavirus pandemic, but self build and renovation sites can remain operational providing social distancing is maintained. 

The government has regularly stated its aim to keep Britain building during this crisis to help stimulate the economy, and earlier this month it issued guidance for tradespeople working in people’s homes. In Scotland, however, all non-essential construction work has halted.

If you’re debating the best next step for your project, here’s a rundown of the challenges you could yet face as well as some tips to make the most of your current situation.

The Challenges Facing Projects

Self builders and renovators have already had to contend with a myriad of challenges since lockdown was introduced. These include:

  • Some builders merchants closing and supplies being unavailable 
  • Tradespeople being unable to complete certain tasks because of social distancing requirements
  • Self build project timelines and costs being affected if builders are unable to work, or unable to transport required materials.

Jason Orme, Content Director of Homebuilding & Renovating, says that in many instances these challenges have proved too much to overcome. “For most people in the middle of projects, active work has at least slowed down and in most cases stopped completely,” he said. 

However, Orme believes there is scope for optimism among those in the midst of projects. “A couple more weeks of lockdown at least provides some certainty for the nation’s army of self builders and renovators. Furthermore, the materials supply market has at least settled down with some suppliers beginning to ease restrictions.”

(MORE: These Merchants Are Still Providing Essential DIY Products)

Keep Your Project Running

If your project remains operational, there are several things you can do to increase its efficiency.

Paul Testa, from Paul Testa Architecture, recommends making use of the resource of companies which can offer you detailed advice on every aspect of your build. 

“These companies might have only had five minutes to spare you before the lockdown, but they can now spend an hour with you. So make use of that and build those relationships.”

Testa adds that ultimately the pressure is off self builders and renovators, and you can use the slower pace to your long-term advantage. 

“Quite often people are frantically making decisions during build work whereas now they might have two months before they need to make a decision.”

Because active work on sites will have slowed down, and fewer tradespeople will likely be working on your project, you can use this time to make better-informed decisions.

Additional tips to maximise your project’s efficiency include:

  • Keep constant communication with construction workers and managers about which areas of the project can be focused on
  • Use video chats when face-to-face meetings are not essential
  • Follow our live blog for the latest construction updates and information on which builders merchants are operational

Use the Downtime Effectively

If it’s problematic to keep your build site operational then don’t worry, you can make significant progress by stepping away and planning ahead for when lockdown ends. 

Some tips to make the most of the downtime include:

  • Cross off as much from your to-do list as possible that doesn’t require you travelling to the build site
  • Book in works for later in the year as soon as you can – this will help you avoid the rush when things get back to normal 
  • Spend time giving the interiors some considered thought: from refining furniture layouts to details such as light fittings (if you have not already done so), or hire an interior designer to help you do so.

“Self builders and renovators can use this time to their advantage – you really can never do too much planning and so use this quiet time to plan the project, research materials and second check designs,” says Orme.

“This all pays off in the long term and in the majority of cases self builders don’t give this nearly enough time before rushing into the build itself.”

Testa echoed this advice. “If you’re on site and work has slowed, take advantage to make sure you’re not rushing things when work speeds up again.”

This post first appeared on https://www.homebuilding.co.uk

Why outdoor living spaces are so important

Spending time outdoors is enjoyable, and something most Canadians look forward to as spring and summer approach. By adding a functional, beautiful outdoor living space to your yard, you can take advantage of those outdoor benefits whenever you feel like it. A firepit area, dining space, patio set up for lounging, and even an outdoor kitchen can all add to your quality of life at home.

Prelude Landscaping in Winnipeg shares some reasons why outdoor living spaces are so important:

You can extend your home’s living space.

Investing in professional landscaping can help you greatly extend your home’s living space. You can create a space for dining and cooking on the deck, a space for relaxing on a patio, and/or a hub for socializing around a fireplace. Your family will love having that extension of the home, and you can have it without an expensive home addition.

Being outside is good for us.

Spending time outdoors and in nature has widespread health benefits. Studies show it can improve memory, reduce stress, battle depression, lower blood pressure, boost your immune system, and even decrease your risk of cancer. Instead of going inside to watch television after a long week of work, spend that time in your own nature oasis, designed perfectly to give you a rejuvenating space close to home. It can include colourful flower beds, shrubs and trees, and even a relaxing water feature. Read more about why spending more time outside is healthy.

Landscaping will improve your home’s resale value.

A professional landscape design and installation can boost your home’s property value. According to HomeGuides, a well-landscaped home will be priced on the market higher compared to a home with no landscaping. The advantage, according to their data, ranges from 5.5 to 12.7% depending on the type of landscaping, the current market, and home’s value. What are buyers looking for? A manicured design with functional living spaces.

You’ll utilize your entire property, more often.

Sadly, most homeowners don’t use their yard as much as they could – or even at all. Adding an outdoor living space will get you outside. This means you’ll reap the health benefits and will spend more quality time with your family as well. For those who like to garden, adding flower beds or garden boxes to your landscape design will give you more opportunities to do what you enjoy during the warmer months. You can even put a putting green in the yard and practice your golf game! As a homeowner, you own more than just what’s inside the four walls of your house. Extend your living space and start making enjoyable use of your entire property.

Landscapers in Winnipeg

If you are ready to start designing your new landscape, connect with Prelude Landscaping. They specialize in landscape design, creating curb appeal, custom patios, walkways, driveways outdoor kitchens and water features. Prelude is one of Winnipeg’s finest professional landscaping companies, offering services to Winnipeg, rural Manitoba and Lake of the Woods. They recently won the 2019 MBNLA Award of Excellence and take pride in every project they work on.

Start planning your outdoor living space!

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3 things to think about when choosing kitchen countertops

Countertops are one of the main components of a kitchen renovation. They are the primary workspace, but also serve as a design focal point as well. If you’re trying to decide what type of countertop to choose for your upcoming kitchen renovation, PF Custom Countertops in Edmonton shares some things to consider:

Are you planning on selling your house any time soon?

This question might surprise you, but it’s important to think about it. If you’re remodeling and think a move is on the horizon, you might make different decisions so you can get the best return on investment. Choose a kitchen countertop that will suit your needs, but also one that is sought after by others too. Great choices would be engineered quartz or granite. They are popular and essentially timeless, meaning they’ll still be in style when you sell. Stone countertops can also increase the value of your property.

How committed are you to maintenance?

All countertop materials require some maintenance and cleaning, but some are more sensitive to wear and tear than others. If you don’t like the idea of having to oil or refinish a butcher block countertop, it might not be the right choice for you. Granite countertops are nearly maintenance-free. They just require sealing every few years to keep them resistant to stains and scratches. Marble, on the other hand, is more susceptible to chipping and cracking as it is not as hard as granite or quartz. Learn how to seal granite countertops.

Choose a countertop colour that can go with changing styles.

Whether you’re selling or not, having a countertop colour that can match a range of home design schemes is beneficial. You might repaint the kitchen or change backsplash but might not like the idea of replacing your countertop. With plenty of natural and neutral shades to choose from with natural stone countertops, you can essentially change the kitchen around it without it clashing with a new style.

Countertops in Edmonton: Get help from the professionals

Serving Edmonton and surrounding areas, PF Custom Countertops are the experts when it comes to countertops. They can help you choose the perfect countertop for your kitchen or bathroom renovation. From granite, quartz, marble, and other natural stone, to laminate, solid surface and butcher block countertops – they have the perfect fit for your lifestyle and design tastes.

Contact PF Custom Countertops today!

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This post first appeared on https://blog.renovationfind.com

Tips for an energy-efficient basement renovation

If you’re planning on remodeling the basement, you have quite a few decisions to make. This is especially true if you’re starting from scratch and developing an unfinished basement. Making some green choices from the start can help you reduce energy costs in the long run, and it’s good for the planet too.

Bond Contracting and Construction in Calgary shares some tips for an energy-efficient basement renovation:

Invest in good insulation.

A well-insulated basement can save you hundreds each year in heating costs. There are a few good insulation products on the market, including the standard R12 Fiberglass batt insulation and Spray foam. Spray foam is a superb insulator and acts as a moisture barrier as well. It can fill into every nook and cranny, including rim joist spaces, around windows, piping, and vents running into the wall. This eliminates air leaks. Not only will proper insulation help with energy loss, but it will also improve home comfort and create a safer environment by reducing or eliminating mould or mildew growth.

Purchase energy-efficient windows.

If you’re remodeling an older basement, you might be replacing tiny, aged, single-pane basement windows. When you’re shopping for replacements, purchase an ENERGY STAR rated, double-pane high-efficiency vinyl window. If you’re creating new bedrooms or replacing windows in a potential bedroom, you’ll have to enlarge the opening and install an egress window for it to be to code. Find the code requirements for basement bedroom windows here.

Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances.

If your basement renovation includes a bathroom, laundry room, or upgrading a wet bar or basement kitchen, consider installing new, energy-efficient appliances & fixtures like a low-flow shower, faucet, and toilet. ENERGY STAR certified washer and dryer set will save a lot of money in the long run.

Swap out all incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient lighting.

Lighting is essential in basement renovations, as the basement does not typically have a lot of natural light. You will want to get ambient, accent and task lighting fixtures throughout the living space. For the most energy-efficient way to illuminate the basement, use LED bulbs & fixtures. They could be a bit more expensive upfront but use a fraction of the energy and last way longer than traditional bulbs. It’s the easiest thing you can do to boost your basement’s efficiency.

Basement Renovations in Calgary

For over 20 years Bond Construction has been providing Calgary and area residents with premium renovations for their homes. They offer a full range of professional residential renovations including kitchen renovations, basement development, bathroom remodeling, whole home renovations, and decks.

Start planning your renovation. Contact Bond Construction today!

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4 reasons you should choose fibre cement siding for your home

Fibre cement siding is becoming one of the most popular siding choices in North America. In fact, HardiePlank fibre cement siding can be found on over 4 million homes. Estate Exteriors in Edmonton are siding contractors that offer fibre cement siding by HardiePlank. They share why you should choose this type of siding for your home:

It’s long-lasting, resistant to the elements, and easy to clean.  

HardiePlank siding is built tough. It can stand up to wind, hail, rain, and snow and is an investment you can count on. Fibre cement siding will not rot and is resistant to mould and mildew. It is also resistant to insects and other pests, unlike wood siding. Fibre cement siding is also fire resistant, which means it won’t contribute to combustion in the case of a house fire. Vinyl siding, for example, essentially feeds the flames because it’s made of petroleum products and wood is highly combustible.

To keep your siding looking like new, simply wash it annually with a garden hose or pressure washer. While the paint can fade in the sun after many years, you won’t have to worry about the same maintenance commitment you would with wood siding.

It looks like real wood.

One of the main reasons why fibre cement siding is so popular is because it looks like real wood. It is manufactured using embossed texturing, to give it an authentic wood grain look. This wood grain breaks up the flat surface to give it a rich look that you can’t achieve with vinyl or aluminum siding. Like wood planks, it is thicker than other siding choices. A HardiePlank is close to half an inch thick, where a plank of vinyl siding can be as thin as 0.035 inches thick.

It is available in a range of colours and designs.  

You can get your siding in virtually any colour you can imagine, but most homeowners stick with neutral or natural tones. If you change your mind, HardiePlank siding can be painted easily to the colour of your choice. Vinyl siding cannot be painted so easily.

You can also get a variety of different siding types with fibre cement siding. Choose from regular planks, shakes, shingles, and a range of exterior decorative trims, gables, fascia, and other architectural elements. Designing your home’s exterior will be fun, and Estate Exteriors is there to help.

It has a good ROI.

Fibre cement siding, according to this cost vs. value report, has a 77.6% return on investment. According to the statistics, you can spend $17,000 on your siding replacement and expect to get over $13,000 back at resale, or added to the overall value of your home. Add that to a more attractive curb appeal, and you’ll see that HardiePlank siding is a good choice for investment savvy homeowners.

Siding Contractors in Edmonton

Estate Exteriors provides high-quality siding installation services to the Edmonton area and beyond. They provide honest and reliable service to both homeowners, builders and commercial customers. Their main goal is to ensure you’re happy with the exterior of your residential or commercial project.

If you’re thinking about a siding replacement, contact Estate Exteriors today!

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This post first appeared on https://blog.renovationfind.com

How can HVAC services help improve your home’s air quality?

Now more than ever, homeowners are concerned about the air quality in their homes. Dry air combined with dust, dander, and other allergens can make symptoms worse for those with asthma or allergies. There are some things Acclaimed! Heating, Cooling and Furnace Cleaning in Edmonton can help you with that will improve indoor air quality. Here are four:

Install a Humidifier

We have dry air in Alberta, and it gets dryer depending on the season. Dry air can cause dry skin, irritate eyes, nose bleeds, and chapped lips. It can also be responsible for snoring! Most important of all, eliminating dry air will help you combat infections and their symptoms. This is because our nose and lungs do a better job of blocking dust and bacteria when they are moist. If you’re fighting a cold or respiratory infection, a humidifier can help speed up your recovery by improving your lung’s elasticity and keeping your nasal passages healthy and moist.

Excessive humidity in your home can become a big issue if you have it for too long. In our challenging climate where temperatures regularly fall or increase by 20 degrees, we must “listen to the house”.  Assessing the amount of condensation on your windows will be your best way of telling you that there is too much humidity in the home.  The amount of humidity each house can handle is impacted by several variables:

– The amount of air flow by the window
– The thermal efficiency of your windows
– The insulation type between the indoor window frame and studs
– The insulation value of the wall the window is in
– And finally, whether the drapes and blinds being closed regularly (drapes trap the humidity and can impact air flow).

Acclaimed! Heating, Cooling and Furnace Cleaning offers a range of efficient home humidifiers that are low maintenance with no mold or bacteria build-up.  When used properly installed on your furnace, you will enjoy consistent humidity in your home and alleviate many any quality issues.

Furnace and Duct Cleaning

Your HVAC system and ductwork can get dirty, dusty, musty and become a trap for germs and bacteria. Having your furnace and ducts cleaned at least once every two years can ensure the air blowing out of your registers is clean, healthy, and sanitized.  Every duct system is different, and so your furnace and duct cleaning from Acclaimed! will be customized to ensure the shape, size, and configuration of your ducts are considered, ensuring the freshest clean possible. Our clients consistently comment on how clean and fresh the air feels after a good duct cleaning.  Think of a full “Spring Cleaning” of your home where you clean and dust every surface.  Clean ducts will allow you to breathe easier and improve your home’s indoor air quality significantly.

Change the Furnace Filter

After your ducts are cleaned your furnace filter should be replaced. It’s important to commit to replacing your furnace filter in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Furnace filters range from low price and low Efficiency (stopping only very large particles), to systems that clean and scrub your air by removing the smallest dust particles including smoke!

To know how often you should change your air filter, all you must do is look at it every month. Change it when you can see any dust built up or when it turns a medium grey colour. A clean air filter will capture dust and particles before they are blown through your HVAC system which reduces the strain on your system, preventing break downs and improving its efficiency. Changing your furnace filter regularly is one of the simplest ways you can keep your home’s air clean.

Install a Central Air Conditioner

When you install a central air conditioner, you gain the ability to control the air quality in your home all year round. Since your windows will no longer need to stay open to cool down the house in the summer, this helps to prevent outdoor allergens from coming inside.

Running your air conditioner with a high-quality and highly efficient furnace filter will help keep dust and debris at bay, allowing you to breathe cleaner air.

HVAC Companies in Edmonton

Is your home too hot or too cold? Too dry or too dusty? Acclaimed! Heating, Cooling and Furnace Cleaning has a service or product that can help! They are a locally-owned, family-run, full-service heating, cooling and furnace cleaning company. They’ve been serving Edmonton and surrounding areas since 1995, and they look forward to serving you and your home soon.

Contact Acclaimed! Heating, Cooling and Furnace Cleaning!

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This post first appeared on https://blog.renovationfind.com

What is the purpose of soffits and fascia?

  

Soffits and fascia are part of your roofing system. They assist with ventilation of the attic, help secure your gutter system, and add to your home’s exterior aesthetics. Immortal Exteriors in Calgary specialize in eavestrough, soffit and fascia installation. They share the purpose of these essential exterior components.

The purpose of soffits

Soffits are installed on the underside of your eaves. If your house doesn’t have a roof with eaves, like a house with a flat roof, you will not have soffits. Depending on the age of your home, the soffit board could be made up of wood, PVC, aluminum, fibre cement or steel. Soffit has air vents in it and allows your attic to properly circulate air. Without them, moisture could build up in the attic and cause mildew, mould and other damage. Mould is especially bad, as it is a health hazard and will require professional remediation.

The purpose of fascias

The fascia is the board that runs along the roofline, along the edge. This is where the gutters are attached, which is why they are so essential to your roof’s drainage system, running perpendicular with the soffits. Fascia boards are also on the roof edge where there are no gutters, attached directly to the beams of your roof. They close the roof’s construction, but also give the house an aesthetic finish and are typically the same colour as the rest of the exterior trim. Fascia can also be made of a range of materials including vinyl, wood, composite and aluminum.

How do you maintain soffits and fascias?

Like anything else, properly caring for your soffit and fascias will prevent premature repairs or replacements. A good way to do this is to make sure your soffits and fascia boards are kept clean. Mould and mildew can be a problem sometimes. Just use a little laundry detergent in water and scrub it with a mop. Afterward, you can give it a rinse with your garden hose.

If your soffits or fascia are in bad shape or look like they’re coming apart from the roofing system, contact Immortal Exteriors for a repair. As mentioned, these components of your home’s exterior are essential for your home’s ventilation and roof drainage. Without them, you can have a score of issues including mould and water damage.

Soffit, Fascia, and Eavestroughs in Calgary

Immortal Exteriors in Calgary will provide you with the best service and the best quality materials. They specialize in eavestrough, soffit, and fascia for some of the most popular home builders in Calgary. With over 11 years of experience in exterior construction, they do custom jobs, luxury homes, garages, large business buildings, and renovations. They take pride in their work and you will too!

Contact them today!

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This post first appeared on https://blog.renovationfind.com

Air Conditioner Maintenance 101

It might not feel like it, but summer is one its way. When is the last time you serviced your air conditioner? The last thing you want to discover is that your air conditioner isn’t working properly when the sun is heating up your home. Just like any mechanical system, your air conditioner requires regular inspections and maintenance to ensure it’s running properly and most efficiently.

Action Heating and Cooling in Edmonton share some tips that will keep your air conditioner running efficiently all summer long.

Tip 1. Clear away leaves and debris

Over the fall, winter and early spring, when your A/C unit isn’t running, debris can gather around the unit and obstruct airflow to your cooling system. This will force your air conditioner to work much harder than it should, decreasing efficiency and driving up your energy bill. Clear away any leaves, grass or weeds that might be gathering around the unit to prevent this.

Tip 2. Replace filters

Just like a furnace, you should be changing your air conditioner’s filter regularly. A dirty filter will restrict airflow and decrease your A/C’s efficiency. If you smoke, have pets, have a drafty home or experience fluctuating temperatures, you should change your filter more frequently. Forcing your unit to work so hard could cause other costlier issues in the future. Take the time this spring to replace your old filter with a brand new one.

Tip 3. Check the drain line

When your air conditioner is running, it starts to create some excess moisture that is drained from your home via a drain line. While your unit is running, look for a small amount of water draining from the line. There shouldn’t be too much water, but if you see none at all it probably means you have a clog. This will have to be fixed. Learn how to service an air conditioner.

Tip 4. Schedule your annual inspection and tune up

To ensure your cooling system is working safely, properly and at peak efficiency levels, have a professional HVAC technician give your air conditioner an inspection and tune-up. An air conditioner is made up of many different components that all work together to help cool your home. If one of these components fails, the entire system will fail. Having your cooling system serviced regularly by a professional will ensure you encounter fewer problems and help prevent costly repairs. You should have your air conditioner serviced annually or according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Tip 5. Consider an air conditioner replacement

Do you have an older air conditioner that continues to break down and is not energy efficient? You might save money by having it replaced. Have you noticed your home is still too hot in the summer when the AC is running hard? That means it’s consuming expensive energy and still not doing its job. At some point, that old unit isn’t worth the cost of repairs and should be replaced with an energy-efficient model.

HVAC Companies in Edmonton

Keeping your home or office comfortable throughout the seasons is easy when you turn to Action Heating & Cooling for assistance. Their HVAC contractors can make sure that you have the right system in place to meet your environmental needs. Action Heating & Cooling is proud to serve customers all throughout the Greater Edmonton region.

If you need help with your HVAC system, contact Action Heating & Cooling!

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More than an online directory, we are Western Canada’s fastest growing marketing platform for promoting and connecting the best trades, service, and home improvement companies to homeowners.

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Rightmove Cancels Monthly Report on Asking Prices Due to Covid-19

Rightmove has, for the first time ever, cancelled its monthly report on UK asking prices because it would not be meaningful due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The average price of property coming to market dipped by 0.2% between 8 March – 11 April, the online property portal says, making the average price of a house in the UK £311,950. 

But with so few new homes being put up for sale in the last month there has been a freeze on market activity, Rightmove says. Buyers can’t buy and sellers can’t sell. 

“Given the lockdown and pausing of key activities in the housing market, statistics on the number of properties coming to market, new seller asking prices, and new sales agreed are not meaningful,” said Miles Shipside, director of Rightmove. 

However, while home buying has drastically fallen, the online property portal reports that the number of existing homes for sale has only fallen only 2.6% since lockdown began on 23 March.

“Agents report that there is good cooperation, with both buyers and sellers keen to hold deals together,” said Shipside. “While some buyers may express concern over the possibility of short-term dips in house prices, many are taking the longer-term view and living up to their commitments to proceed.” 

Shipside stressed the importance of support from banks and the government in the coming months to ensure that the property market stabilises. Rightmove called for interest rates to be held down and for banks to continue lending as usual to help activity pick up.

Market Grinding to a Halt

Rightmove has previously suggested that the impact of coronavirus could grind the housing market to a halt, and Zoopla has predicted that new sales will suffer a 60% drop in transactions during the next three months.

On Thursday the government announced that lockdown would be extended by three weeks, and property experts tend to agree that clearer predictions about the property market will only be possible once lockdown measures have ended. 

The current situation marks a vast difference to the end of February, when asking prices were close to an all-time high and the construction sector was reported to have grown at its fastest pace in more than a year. 

House prices are expected to drop by the end of 2020 as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, but experts disagree on by how much. The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) predicts an average drop of 13%, but other expert predictions range between 3% to 20%.

This post first appeared on https://www.homebuilding.co.uk

How to Patch Plaster: Your Handy How-to Guide

Plaster gives a smooth finish to walls and ceilings and is hard-wearing too.Yet, over time, damage can inevitably occur as furniture gets moved around, walls knocked and the like.

In general, damage to traditionally plastered walls comes in the form of cracks, missing chunks or damaged corners, while plasterboard damage is normally limited to holes. Skimmed plasterboard can also develop hairline cracks.

Methods of Plastering

Houses built up until the end of World War II are likely to feature lath and plaster non-load-bearing/dividing interior walls and ceilings. The laths are narrow strips of wood nailed to battens that provide a key for the plaster to attach to. Load-bearing walls had plaster applied directly to the brick or stone in a series of coats.

Plasterboard became popular in the post-War period. It is sometimes skimmed with a couple of coats of plaster to give a uniform finish, or simply fixed in place and the joints taped and filled (known as dry-lining).

One of the most common causes of damage occurs when stripping off wallpaper. You can end up with a wall that looks like its been peppered with bullets. In this case, it will be  better to call in a professional plasterer skim over the whole wall — unless you are planning on papering over it.

You can expect to pay around £12/m², more if you start adding other small plaster repairs you have about your house. For these small jobs you will be better off going down the DIY route — we show you how it’s done.

Equipment list

Tools

  • Stanley-type knife
  • Bucket for mixing plaster
  • Smaller plastic pot or tray for mixing filler
  • Small filler ‘knife
  • Plastering float
  • Hawk
  • Hammer
  • Chisel

Materials

  • Plaster
  • Powder-based filler
  • Masking tape
  • Builders’ ‘instant grab’ -type adhesive
  • Plasterboard offcuts
  • Screws
  • PVA

Repairing cracks

1. Before you start on any of the jobs below, put down a dust sheet.

2. Dig out cracks in plaster with a Stanley-type knife. You’ll need to cut in until you can no longer see the original crack. By using the blade like this you end up with a V-shaped groove which is ideal for taking the filler.

3. When you have dug the cracks out, vacuum out any dust and debris so the groove is clean.

4. For vertical and overhead filling jobs (i.e. most of them), mix the filler powder with water until it becomes a stiff paste. How stiff? We reckon its ready to use when you can do this with a filler-knife full and the filler doesn’t fall to the floor.

5. Lightly dampen the area to be filled with a plant sprayer. This helps the filler to stick.

6. Spread the filler into the groove making sure that it has gone right to the bottom. Leave the filler a little proud over the groove but remove the excess either side before the filler dries. Once dry, rub the area down with medium-grade sandpaper, then fine-grade before decorating.

Corner damage

7. Damage like this is pretty common. Just applying filler and hoping for the best rarely works because gravity just drags the filler downwards. Repaired corners are also vulnerable to people walking past and knocking them. To fix a corner like this, first mix up your filler as in step four (ABOVE), then…

8. Apply the filler to the corner and get the shape roughly correct. Then put some wide masking tape over both sides of the corner and leave the filler to dry. The tape protects the filler and keeps it in shape. A light sanding later on will deliver the perfect corner repair. Larger areas of missing corner can be repaired using a plastering corner bead which is fixed to the wall below the level of the existing plaster and then plastered (rather than filled) up to.

Chunks of missing plaster

9. Chunks fall out of plaster walls for a number of reasons: household clumsiness is one contributory factor, but fitting or adjusting a door frame (as here) can create a real mess. This sort of damage is best repaired with a couple of coats of plaster rather than a hit it and quit filler approach.

10. First remove any loose chunks of plaster use a hammer and chisel if necessary then vacuum out the area to get rid of the dust and debris.

11. Brush in a PVA mix to give the plaster the best possible chance of bonding with the existing wall.

12. Mix up plaster according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It should be smooth, lump free and not too runny. Next, apply a thin coat of plaster (2-3mm) onto the area to be repaired. Don’t try to fill the whole thing at once or the plaster will just dribble out of the repair.

13. When the plaster starts to dry, lightly scratch the surface with the end of the trowel in this pattern.

14. Once the first coat is dry, mix up plaster as before and use a plastering float to apply. Once the shape is correct, leave the job alone for ten minutes then wet the float and smooth the surface over

Holes in plasterboard

15. Holes like these are awkward to fix because there’s often a void behind the board so any filler you put in just disappears. This hole came about when a plumber couldn’t decide where to feed the pipes for a radiator. But fixing holes in plasterboard can be achieved easily…

16. Cut a piece of plasterboard that is the same width but around 25mm longer than the hole. Squeeze on some ‘instant grab’ around the edge of the board and then wind in a long screw to the centre of the repair piece.

17. Jiggle the plasterboard repair piece into the hole and hold it in place for a few seconds to give the adhesive time to ‘grab’. Once the adhesive has dried, fully apply filler on top of the plasterboard insert to bring the repair flush.

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This post first appeared on https://www.homebuilding.co.uk

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