What height should bathroom fittings go at?
The rule that sets each fitting's position — basin, mirror, cabinet, riser rail, towel rail, roll holder — and the three constraints that override every preference.
beginner20 min4 min read
Maintenance
The jobs that stop problems happening in the first place.
353 guides in Home & DIY
Which mortar joint profile should I use?
Five joint profiles compared on weathering and appearance, which one belongs on an exposed elevation, and the one that is not a profile at all but a defect.
intermediate12 min4 min readCan I lay a patio on top of an existing concrete base?
The four tests an old slab has to pass, how much height you need, and how to lay over concrete without the new paving debonding.
intermediate45 min5 min readHow do I fix a deck to a house wall?
Where the ledger may and may not be fixed, keeping the deck below the damp proof course, and the flashing and spacer detail that stops the wall staying wet.
advanced5 hr6 min readHow high should an extractor hood be above the hob?
The clearances that are safety figures rather than suggestions, why width matters more than height, and what every extra centimetre costs in capture.
beginner15 min4 min readCan I have all my locks on the same key?
What keyed-alike means, which locks in a house can realistically be brought onto one key, what it costs in security, and the sensible middle ground most households end up at.
beginner15 min3 min readCan I replace a socket with a USB socket?
Where a USB socket is a legitimate owner-level swap, the depth and heat problems that decide whether it will work, and why the charging spec matters more than the socket.
intermediate30 min4 min readCan you put a hot pan on a quartz worktop?
Why engineered stone behaves differently from granite under heat, what actually happens to it, and which worktop materials genuinely tolerate a pan straight off the hob.
beginner6 min3 min readDo I need a breather membrane, and where does it go?
What breathable means in a membrane, where it belongs in a wall or roof, and how it differs from the felt it replaced.
intermediate15 min3 min readHow do I build a log store?
The airflow, roof and ground clearance that actually season firewood, and why an enclosed store keeps logs wet rather than dry.
beginner5 hr4 min readHow do I clean and store garden furniture?
How to clean and protect wooden, metal, rattan and plastic garden furniture, and what winter storage each type needs.
beginner1 hr 30 min2 min readHow do I fit coping stones on a garden wall?
Why a wall needs a coping, the overhang and drip that make it work, and bedding and jointing copings so they do not lift or crack.
intermediate3 hr4 min readHow do I fit edging to a path or drive?
Setting a haunched edge to a line and a level so it holds the surface in, and choosing between concrete kerb, timber, metal and pegged edging.
beginner4 hr4 min readHow do I fit wire mesh fencing to keep a dog in?
Choosing the mesh, straining it properly, and closing the gap at the bottom that most dogs find within a week.
beginner3 hr3 min readHow do I give doorbell or camera footage to the police?
Getting the original clip out of the app before it expires, what to record alongside it, and how it is normally submitted.
beginner30 min4 min readHow do I look after a shed?
The annual maintenance that takes a shed from a five-year structure to a twenty-year one.
beginner3 hr2 min readHow do I look after a waste disposal unit?
Cold water, the right things down it, the wrong things kept out, and the small monthly routine that stops it smelling and stops it jamming.
beginner15 min6 min readHow do I make a garage door more secure?
The three garage weaknesses — a single central latch, an unprotected connecting door, and the emergency release — and what closes each.
intermediate2 hr4 min readHow do I tell if my pointing has failed?
The tests that separate weathered pointing from failed pointing, why the joints are where most rain gets into a wall, and how to judge whether the whole elevation needs doing.
beginner30 min3 min readTimber, metal or plastic — which type of shed should I buy?
How the three shed materials really differ on condensation, security, maintenance and what you can fix to the walls — and which one suits which use.
beginner20 min4 min readWhat base does a greenhouse need?
Why a greenhouse base has to be level and square rather than merely flat, the four base options, and getting the anchoring right at the same time.
intermediate6 hr5 min readWhat is a padstone, and why does a beam need one?
A beam concentrates the whole load of a wall onto two small points. A padstone spreads that reaction over enough masonry that the wall beneath is not crushed — and it is one of the most commonly omitted parts of a beam installation.
intermediate8 min4 min readWhat is cast iron, and where will I find it in a house?
Iron with enough carbon in it to be cast rather than worked, which makes it strong in compression, hard, and brittle. Where it turns up in British houses, how it fails, and what you can and cannot do to it.
intermediate9 min5 min readWhat is different about fitting composite decking?
The four rules composite changes — joist centres, expansion gaps, hidden clips and no finishing — and the mistakes carried over from timber.
intermediate1 hr5 min read
Going deeper: MaterialWorld
Material properties, comparisons and suitability — paints, fillers, sealants, timber, tile, insulation.