How do I replace the rubber gaskets on a uPVC window?
The three gaskets on a uPVC window, which one causes which symptom, and fitting a replacement without stretching it or disturbing the glass.
beginner1 hr3 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 set a fall or a gradient accurately?
The packing-block trick that turns an ordinary spirit level into a gradient gauge, how to convert between 1-in-X and millimetres per metre, and how to hold a consistent fall over a long run.
intermediate30 min5 min readHow do I set up a new or second-hand hand plane so it actually works?
Almost no plane works out of the box. The six-stage fettling routine, in the order that matters, plus what to do about a plane that chatters or judders.
intermediate1 hr 30 min5 min readHow do I sharpen secateurs and garden shears?
Why only the outer bevel is sharpened on a bypass pruner, keeping the blade profile rather than flattening it, and the sap and adjustment that cause most poor cutting.
beginner25 min5 min readHow do I stagger the end joints in a laminate or wood floor?
Why the offset pattern matters mechanically as well as visually, the two patterns to avoid, and the cutting plan that gets a good stagger out of offcuts.
beginner30 min4 min readHow do I stop a toilet seat moving?
Why toilet seats work loose, how to tighten the fixings properly, and when the seat needs replacing instead.
beginner20 min2 min readHow do I stop birds nesting in the soffits?
Finding the gap, the legal timing that governs when you can close it, and the repairs and proofing that keep birds out permanently.
beginner1 hr 30 min4 min readHow do I stop doors slamming?
Why doors slam and the cheap fixes — from a foam guard to a proper closer — plus the draught cause people miss.
beginner20 min2 min readHow do I store glue, sealant and filler so they are still usable next time?
Every product here fails in storage for its own reason — water, moisture in the air, solvent loss or heat — so the right storage differs by chemistry rather than by shelf.
beginner15 min5 min readHow do I take an old bath out?
Isolating and disconnecting cleanly, breaking the tile-and-sealant bond without wrecking the wall, and the safe way to get each material out of the room.
intermediate2 hr5 min readHow do I tell if my ground floor is suspended timber or solid concrete?
Four quick tests that identify the floor construction, and why the answer changes what you do about damp, cold, insulation and ventilation underneath.
beginner20 min4 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 readHow do I transfer a level line right round a room?
Why a short spirit level accumulates error round a room, and the three methods — laser, water level and a long straightedge — that do not.
beginner30 min4 min readHow do I undercut a door frame so the flooring runs under it?
Setting the cut height from a board offcut, using the right saw, and why running the floor underneath is better than scribing round.
beginner45 min4 min readHow do I use a coping saw to cut a curve or scribe a joint?
Which way the teeth face, why the blade can be rotated in its frame, and the scribed internal corner that beats a mitre every time on a wall that is not square.
beginner20 min4 min readHow do I whiten uPVC that has gone yellow?
What actually causes yellowing, which of the three usual remedies work, and why abrasive cleaning makes it permanently worse.
beginner1 hr3 min readHow do I work out how much sub-base, sand and slabs a patio needs?
Turning an area and a build-up depth into tonnes and packs, with the compaction and wastage allowances people leave out.
beginner30 min5 min readHow is a worktop joint made, and how do the connector bolts work?
Mitred against butt joints, what the dumbbell recesses under the worktop are for, and why the compound in the joint is a gasket rather than a glue.
intermediate15 min4 min readHow thick is the plaster on my wall, and why does it matter?
Plaster is two coats doing two jobs, and the total varies from 3mm to 25mm depending on what is underneath. Why the depth decides fixing length, patch method and whether filler will ever look right.
beginner10 min3 min readIs Postcrete as strong as mixed concrete?
What fast-setting post mix actually is, where it is genuinely the better choice, and the two jobs it should not be used for.
beginner8 min4 min readIs a combination microwave with a grill and oven worth it?
What combination actually adds over a solo microwave, the households where it earns its money, and the compromises that come with putting three appliances in one box.
beginner25 min4 min readIs a drill press worth buying for DIY?
What a bench drill gives you that no handheld tool can, the three jobs that justify it, and the cheaper answers if you only need one of them.
beginner12 min3 min readIs my woodworm active or is it old damage?
The tests that separate a live infestation from decades-old flight holes, why moisture is the real question, and when treatment is genuinely warranted.
beginner30 min4 min readShould I fit a curtain pole or a track?
The practical differences between poles and tracks, and which suits bay windows, heavy curtains and blackout.
beginner20 min2 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.