How do I drill a hole in glass without cracking it?
The wet, slow, no-pressure technique for bottles, sheet glass and mirrors — and the far more important question of whether the glass may be drilled at all.
advanced25 min3 min read
Home & DIY
Practical answers for repairs, cleaning, decorating and the household problems that turn up whether you planned for them or not. Written so you can start with what you already own.
2,154 guides
How do I drill stainless steel without work-hardening it?
Why stainless goes glass-hard under a rubbing bit, and the speed, pressure and cutting fluid that stop it happening.
intermediate20 min4 min readHow do I find the centre, or divide something into equal parts, without any arithmetic?
Three constructions that replace a calculator: the angled rule for dividing an awkward width, the two-chord method for the centre of a circle, and the mark-from-both-ends trick for a centre line.
beginner15 min4 min readHow do I fit a glass or acrylic splashback?
Templating so the factory cuts the holes in the right place, why the wall has to be flat, and fixing with silicone rather than screws.
intermediate2 hr4 min readHow do I fit a ground anchor for a bike or a mower?
Choosing an anchor that matches the chain, getting the fixing into something that will actually hold, and the mistakes that leave an anchor stronger than its own fixings.
intermediate2 hr4 min readHow do I fit a kitchen sink waste and strainer?
Getting the washer stack the right way round, why the sealant goes under the flange and not on the thread, and connecting an overflow that actually works.
beginner1 hr5 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 flooring around a bay window or a curved wall?
Scribing a plank to a curve or an angled bay so the gap behind is consistent, the expansion gap survives, and the beading covers what it needs to.
advanced2 hr3 min readHow do I fit or refit a kitchen plinth?
How the clips work, cutting the plinth to length and around a leg, scribing to an uneven floor, and the seal at the bottom that keeps water out of the board.
beginner1 hr4 min readHow do I fit trickle vents to an existing window?
Where a vent can safely be cut, sizing it by equivalent area, and the through-frame or over-frame options that avoid cutting at all.
intermediate1 hr 30 min4 min readHow do I fit twin-slot shelving so the shelves are level and the uprights line up?
Setting the first upright plumb and working across, choosing bracket size against shelf depth, and why the top screw of each upright is the one that matters.
intermediate2 hr5 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 fix a casement window that has dropped?
Why a uPVC or timber casement sags at the outer corner, and the different repair for each — because a uPVC casement has no hinges to adjust.
intermediate1 hr 30 min4 min readHow do I fix a door frame that has come loose?
Packing and refixing a frame that moves when the door closes, without pulling it out of plumb in the process.
intermediate2 hr4 min readHow do I fix a sofa seat that has sunk in the middle?
Working out whether the sag is the cushion, the webbing, the springs or a broken frame rail, and which of those is worth repairing at home.
intermediate2 hr5 min readHow do I fix a toilet flush handle that has gone floppy?
The three things that make a lever go slack — a loose backnut, a broken lever arm and a detached link — and which of them is worth repairing.
beginner20 min3 min readHow do I fix a wobbly table or chair?
Diagnosing whether the wobble is the furniture or the floor, and fixing loose joints so they stay fixed.
beginner45 min2 min readHow do I fix coving that has come away from the ceiling?
Why coving drops at the top edge, refixing it without taking the whole run down, and the mechanical fixings that stop it happening again.
beginner1 hr 30 min4 min readHow do I fix something into a stone wall?
Hard stone, soft stone and rubble-filled walls behave completely differently. How to find out which you have, and the fixing method each one needs.
intermediate1 hr4 min readHow do I fix something to a hollow core door?
What is actually inside a hollow door, where the solid lock block sits, and the fixings that hold in 4mm of facing.
beginner20 min4 min readHow do I get into a concealed toilet cistern?
The three ways a concealed cistern is meant to be reached, what the flush plate hides, and how to make a proper access hatch if the installer left none.
intermediate45 min4 min readHow do I get rid of a new furniture or new carpet smell?
New furniture smell is solvent and adhesive off-gassing, and it goes with time and air — which means ventilation and patience rather than any product.
beginner30 min3 min readHow do I get the most out of a sheet of board?
Turning a design into a cutting list and a sheet layout — kerf, grain direction, trim margins, useful offcuts, and how to work out how many sheets you actually need.
intermediate30 min5 min read
Going deeper: MaterialWorld
Material properties, comparisons and suitability — paints, fillers, sealants, timber, tile, insulation.
MaterialWorld is in development — GuideHQ covers the practical answers in the meantime.