DIY Tips From Orlando Khota

Q: I'd like add a built in wardrobe to my bedroom. How can I do this?
This is an advanced DIY job. If you are competent and looking for advice, then the Reader's Digest DIY manual offers a step by step guide on the best way to fit the wardrobe. It is a complicated job for a novice and, as it will be something prominent within your bedroom I would recommend hiring a professional to build the wardrobe.

Q: I think I may have woodworm in some of my furniture. How can I tell and how can I fix it?
Sometimes old/antique furniture shows signs of woodworm . There will be little holes and fine dust in the wood, but the worm or grub has moved out. You can treat wood with a product called Cuprinol which is a woodworm and rot treatment that is simply painted onto the wood, and this should sort any problems out. If your wood is flaking to the touch, after using the woodworm treatment I would recommend using a wood hardening solution to restore the piece of furniture.

Q: I need to repaint my outside wooden window frames, but I have lots of little panes and I always end up getting paint on the glass. I tried using masking tape, but this didn't work. Do you know of any other way?
The only other alternative would be to paint the frames without the tape and then once the paint is dry, remove the excess carefully from the glass with a sharp scraper, ensuring that the scraper does not catch the wooden frames.

Q: My radiators don't have individual thermostats on them and I always find some rooms get too hot. How do I add thermostats? Do I need to buy a whole new radiator?
No you don't need to buy a new radiator, you would just buy the thermostatic valves and follow instructions on fitting them. Normally I would drain down the system, change the valves and re-fill the system. You may need to do a little bit of balancing on the system, depending on your system. Balancing the system is making sure the same amount of heat is getting to all the radiators in the house - obviously those further away, the valves will need to be opened up more to get some flow going through and the ones closer to the boiler, the valves may need to be shut down a little bit.

Q: I love all the patterned wall paper around at the minute and have just invested in some expensive rolls. Please tell me how to hang it so the patterns always match up.
You need to cut your wall paper into strips long enough to hang on the wall you are wallpapering. When you are cutting them out you should be matching the pattern and numbering each piece so you know as you go along that you have matched up with the previous piece you have put up. As wall paper is expensive it is best to take your time to do this dry before you start pasting up and finding you have wasted a sheet. I would also recommend that you get the Arris Wall Paper cutter which is available from QVC (item number 556941). This is one of my favourite tools as it helps you cut the paper perfectly and avoids waste.

Q: When painting my ceiling white, I thought I had painted it all, but now it's dry it looks as if I have missed patches. How can I make sure I get it even; it's difficult when the paint is white.
I do understand when painting white you get a bit of snow blindness! The best way to do this is to work methodically from one side of the room to the other. Always wait until the paint is dry before you re-coat as if you don't that can also cause patchiness

Q: The chandeliers in my living room really need a good spring clean, but I keep putting it off because it is a nightmare job. Is there any easy way to clean them?
This question makes Del Boy and Rodney spring to mind, with a slight chuckle! Unfortunately, I would say that the best way to do it is to get onto a ladder and slowly dust off each part individually as trying to take them down could cause more problems than you would want as it would involve disconnecting and reconnecting electrics. Sometimes when you disturb the screws holding up chandeliers, you then have to drill new holes to fix them back up again. So, patiently dusting in-situ would be the way to go.

Q: My garden path is full of moss in between the cracks. How can I clean it up for summer?
You can scrape it out with a scraping tool, available at most DIY stores. Also a good pressure washer will get it up, although when using this you tend to wash the sand out of the joints once you have pressure washed, it's good to get some dry sand and brush it into the joints after you have finished.

Q: I need to fit a new living room door. I've bought a standard size, but I'm worried about trimming it and hanging it properly. Do you have any tips?
If you have never done it before I would say get somebody who has or a qualified carpenter. It shouldn't take him more than a couple of hours, including locks. The reason I say this is that a door hung badly will be an eye-sore for the rest of its days! If you are going to try and do it yourself, chisel the hinges to the door first, then offer the door up to the opening leaving a 5mm gap at the bottom and 2-4mm gap all the way around and mark your hinges onto your door frame. Then chisel your hinges onto the frame and make a hole for the hinge screws and hang the door.

Q: I have an old house which has a new extension. I want to put coving in the extension to tie in with the original house. Will the cheaper polystyrene type give the same effect or is it worth investing in the real deal?
Being somebody who renovates old houses I always go for the slightly more expensive plaster coving option. This is because it ties in better with the old coving or cornice. With plaster there is far more shape options and also a good plaster coving manufacturer would be able to take a mould off your original and match it exactly. It always looks better for re-sale too.

Q: This may sound mad, but I'm sure I have heard of a type of corrugated plastic tunnel that you can use in your house as a walkway when you have a lot of building work going on, to save the carpets. Have you heard of this? I've got work going on in the back of my house, but the builders can only come in through the front door and I don't want my carpets damaged.
I've not heard of a corrugated plastic tunnel, but your builders should put down some type of sheeting- hardboard or cordex- on your carpets which will protect them while the builders walk through the house. This should be not at your expense, but at the builders and you should tell them, that if they damage the carpets they must be replace it. This will spur them on into doing their upmost to protect your carpets.

Q: I want to paint a feature wall in my bedroom a different colour from the rest. How to you get a neat straight edge between the two colours without it looking messy?
I usually use a spirit level, to draw a straight line with a pencil (it's just a guide, so don't push too hard in case it stands out) in the corners of the room and then follow that with your brush when painting. Alternatively if you have feel your hand isn't steady enough, once you have drawn the line use some masking tape and then if you go over it's only onto the tape and you should get a nice clean line.

Q: I've had some wooden furniture for a couple of years and have just added a new piece from the same range recently. The only problem is the newer stuff is a lighter colour to the rest. Is there a way I can darken it to match?
If you are only trying to darken it to make it look the same age as the other furniture, this is quite a tricky process as finding the right stain can prove to be difficult. Sometimes tea bags can just take the furniture back a small amount, without it being too much, which is what can happen with stains. It's all about testing a piece first with various stains and different concentrations of tea or coffee to see which one comes out the closest to what you are trying to achieve.

Q: Some grouting has come away from my bathroom wall tiles, can I just fill in the missing part or do I need to re grout the whole lot?
First make sure all the loose grout is removed and then you can just fill in the missing part. The only disadvantage that you have is that the part you have just filled will be brilliant white and the older grout will look a different colour. So, you might want to do a little bit more than the area, blending it in but not necessarily the whole bathroom.

Q: I have just moved in to a new rented house and the landlord said I can't put up any shelves. Can you recommend another storage solution that won't take up too much space?
A freestanding bookshelf from our friendly Scandinavian cousins will work just as well and you can take it with you to your next rental place! This is the best option if you want to be able to see the items on the shelf. Alternatively you could buy drawers for underneath your bed or a stylish trunk to store items in.

Q: My car port, made of corrugated plastic, has a lot of damage after the recent high winds. There are lots of pieces broken off. I think I will need to replace it, but how can I repair it in the meantime? If I am going to replace it, what material can I use instead?
A car port is a roofed car parking space and a corrugated plastic roof is quite difficult to repair. You can use self-adhesive weather proofing strips, but obviously these are not clear so they will stand out like a sore thumb. You're right in the fact that it will all need replacing. Replace it with the same corrugated plastic that is already there and you will be able to see the construction of it when you dismantle the original and where it has been fixed and screwed down. I would wait until a nice sunny weekend in the summer when this kind of job would be a pleasure to do and you may even catch some sun at the same time! Remember to drink plenty of water.

Q: What is the best was to clean my red sandstone quoins and window surrounds, which have become tainted green as a result of damp weather over the years. Also what is the best way to treat the stone after cleaning to prevent reoccurrence?
Using a brick and patio cleaner may help but test this on the sandstone first to make sure it doesn't react. If it doesn't react and it is starting to clean, then use this and afterwards give the area a good pressure wash. Once it is all cleaned to your satisfaction there are other products available at DIY stores and builder merchants that will seal and protect the stone.

Q: I'm about to buy a new carpet and I've been told that the underlay is just as important as the carpet, but I'm confused about all the different types. What should I go for in my living room?
You're absolutely right. A good quality underlay will elongate the life of your carpet and be much more comfortable to walk on. I usually go for the best quality rubber-backed underlay. Also, if you have floorboards and not tongue & groove chipboard then covering the floor with hardboard, rough side up and stapled down will give a nice flat surface and you won't see floor board lines wearing through the carpet. Also, this will stop draughts coming up through the floorboards.

Q: I've recently moved and have discovered the previous owner has painted the radiators with normal paint instead of the special type for radiators. How can I fix this as it's blocking the heat from coming through properly?
This is a common mistake people make and really I would suggest you strip off the paint, which will also have to be stripped off back to the metal. Clean it up and then paint with a good quality radiator paint.

Q: If I fix my flat screen TV to the wall, where can I hide all the cables?
This is a common problem and the solution I have found in the past is to chisel out the wall from just behind where the TV sits to the plug socket level below the TV and set some square white guttering with two 45 degree ends, top and bottom, into the wall and re-plaster over it. The channel will have to be 4 inches deep and the distance between the plug socket height and just up behind the bottom of the TV, which is usually about one meter. Once this is plastered in flush again, you have a nice channel behind the wall where you can throw all your scart cables and it'll look neat and tidy. Obviously it all depends on what type of wall you are putting the TV on. If it is going onto an internal stud wall, the same thing can be done but you will have to remove some plasterboard to put the channel and square guttering in and then re-board and plaster. If you are working to a budget, you can get some electrical conduit which has a clip on face, so you can run your cables down and clip on the white face again - this makes it look a little neater but you will still see the conduit running down.

Q: My leather sofa is starting to look a bit old and worn. Is there a way of restoring it to its former glory?
There are leather reviving and restoring products out on the market. It all depends how far gone your sofa is. They are relatively inexpensive these products, so they are all worth a try. In my experience, it is better to have used these products from when you buy the sofa, rather than trying to restore one that has started to crack. The products won't restore a dry cracked out leather, but they may give a little bit of glossiness.

Q: Is there an easy way of cleaning the outside of my upstairs windows from the inside?
I seem to remember that there is a product out on the market which works using magnets to put a squeegee on the outside of the window and the magnet on the inside and it moves the squeegee on the outside. These things are available for fish tanks as well, so if you can't find it at your DIY store, you may find something similar at your pet shop.

Q: I had a water leak from the tank in my attic and it has left the ceiling of my bedroom very badly stained. I have tried painting over it but the stain keeps coming through, how do I treat a problem like this?
There is a fantastic product available at most DIY shops and stores called Stain Stop. It's a paint which permanently stops existing stains reappearing through paint. Apply stain stop to the stained area, then paint and decorate as normal.

Q: I'm trying to re-tile my kitchen, which has so far been going fine, however now that I am trying to cut the tiles I have problems as they keep breaking in the wrong place. What am I doing wrong?
It sounds as if the tiles are a little brittle. When I have come across this problem in the past, I find cutting the tiles with an angle grinder rather than a tile cutter gives better results - It is a bit more time consuming but it should work.

Q: I have an old photo frame which I have had for years but the frame is a bit old fashioned and doesn't fit in with my room. I'd like to paint it a different colour. Should I use a regular oil based paint or is there something you would recommend? Also do I need to use a primer or will sanding it back be enough?
In order to get the best finish possible you will have to sand it back and prime it. For the best long lasting paint finish oil based paint will be the best. You can get these now in gloss, satin or matt but remember when using an oil based paint do not try to put too much on at once as it may drip, you are better off putting on 3 thin coats rather than one thick coat.

Q: The drum in my washing machine is loose. Do I need to call an engineer or is this something I can fix myself?
I would leave this to an engineer as a lot of washing machines have slightly different working parts and you could get into problems in finding the parts, so an engineer would know exactly what is going on with your particular brand and machine.

Q: I need to repaint our garden fence and I was tempted by those spray machines I keep seeing on TV. Are they worth the money or should I stick to a brush?
The spray machines in my experience do work well. They are a lot quicker than a brush. Embrace this new technology and get the job done in half the time!

Q: I really want to install a burglar alarm in my house before I go on holiday, but I can't really afford to spend a lot of money on it. Are there any cheaper alternatives?

There are burglar alarms for the DIYer that can be fitted by someone with basic DIY skills and following the instructions. Obviously these do not carry home insurance benefits, so sometimes it is better to talk to your insurance company and find out which alarm would lower your home insurance premiums and maybe go for this one. I know it means spending money, but you are saving money in the long-run on your home insurance.

Q: I've just bought my first home and have no DIY tools at all. What should my basic kit contain?
It should contain a drill, a hammer, a set of screw drivers, a spirit level, a square, a tape measure. If you're thinking of doing some more advanced DIY side on the carpentry side, perhaps a set of chisels. Depending on your budget, sometimes it's cheaper to get a full kit but if you have a little bit more money, buy the tools individually from a well-known manufacturer or brand.

Q: One of my paving stones in my garden has cracked and sunk. How can I repair or replace it. I do have some spares.
Using a hammer and bolster chisel, remove the broken slab from the centre out to avoid damaging any slabs beside it. Once you have removed this slab, you can make up a mix of 2 parts soft sand, 2 parts sharp sand, one part cement and relay the new slab in its place. Wait until it has set overnight and then point it in and your job is done.

Q: The previous owner of my flat has replaced all the internal doors with sliding doors to make the rooms appear bigger. I'd like to change it back to normal doors. Will this be difficult as there are now runners along the wall?
Obviously not been able to see exactly the style of sliding doors and how they have changed the original door liners, it's difficult to say whether this job would be straight forward or not. I would think it would take somebody with more advanced DIY and carpentry skills to do this. A good carpenter should be able to hang four doors and door furniture in one day. Again, depending on how square the original door liners are.

Q: I have a summer house in the garden and would like electricity out there. Is it possible to run something from the house out to the garden?
Yes, it is! It is a job for a professional though, so do not attempt this yourself as the law now states that somebody doing electrics in gardens, bathrooms and kitchens should be certified to do these areas. Ask around to see if anybody in your area can recommend a good electrician they were happy with so you know you'll get a good result.

Q: I'd like to turn my garage in to an extra room, but it means knocking through to create a door between the kitchen and the garage. Do I need planning permission to do this?
Without seeing a plan of what you are doing it's difficult to tell but it is always good practice to inform your local council or building control officer that you are making changes. They are there to help, not hinder. Be polite and open with them and they should accommodate you.

Q: I was considering getting under floor heating, but was worried about if it breaks down. What are the pros and cons?
This is a question often asked as there is two forms of under floor heating. You either go for an element which will run off the electric, they usually have at least a ten year guarantee but they cost slightly more to run than if you were going the water way, which would be running a pipe underneath the floor. When doing both of these, we try to use a continuous element or continuous pipe. With the element, the downfall is that it can burn out under the floor but some companies will be able to fix this. With the water option, somebody could put a screw through the pipe by accident and this would cause a problem. Obviously you would know exactly where the problem is with the water because you would know where you have put the screw! With the electric you are trying to find where the cable may have burnt out or split. We are trying to live with a low carbon foot print and I would say that the water systems are more energy efficient.

Q: I am going to redecorate my bathroom and I don't want tiles as I hate cleaning the grouting. I was looking at wet board panels. Do you recommend them?
I wouldn't necessarily recommend wet board panel, as they are not as visually pleasing. However, if you do decide to use them, I would also recommend combining the board panels with a really good kitchen/bathroom paint that will not peel and can be easily wiped down.

Q: I have laminate flooring in my living room, but I'd now like to carpet it. Is it possible to lay carpet over the top or should I rip up the laminate first?
You should definitely rip up the laminate first. The laminate is actually floating on the floor and is not fixed, plus you couldn't put grippers around the carpet at the edge of the room without taking up the laminate.

Q: I've just moved in to a brand new flat and I would like to wallpaper the walls. Is it OK to do this? I think someone said the plaster may not be fully dry and it could cause problems?
If it's fresh plaster you should wait. In the summer months this would normally take around a week to fully dry, depending on the thickness. Visual inspection should tell you if it's dry. A light coat of 5 parts water and 1 part PVA should be applied to the wall to seal the plaster and then the wall will be ready for wallpapering. I would recommend the Aris Electric Wallpaper Cutter from QVC, item number 556941 to get a real professional finish.

Q: I'm installing a new bath and have discovered the wall it goes against isn't straight. How can I get around this?
Depending on how off square the wall is, you might be able to chisel a groove into the wall, and position the bath into the plaster so that the bath is straight and run flush ensuring that once the tiles are attached, you will have a nice water tight finish.

Q: I had some graffiti sprayed on to my brick wall. Is there any way to remove it?
There are a few good graffiti removing solutions on the market, available at some of the bigger DIY stores and builders merchants. The success of removal will depend on how porous the wall is and how much it has soaked in.

Q: One of the hinges on my garage door has broken and now the door won't close properly. Can I fix this myself?
It is quite an advanced DIY job. It's quite hard to know if it would be possible to do yourself without assessing the hinge and what has happened. If you are confident with DIY, then if you work slowly and methodically, I think you will be able to repair it. However, I would suggest asking somebody to help as a garage door is large and can be quite a tricky thing to manage on your own! If you are not too confident with DIY and tools, I would recommend using a carpenter.

Q: I'm planning on flooring my loft so I can use it for storage. What type of flooring should I use and will the joists have to be reinforced first?
The best flooring to use would be tongue and groove chipboard. Depending on how wide the joists are would determine if they need to be reinforced. If you only want to use the space for storage, then 4x 2 joists will be sufficient. However, if you are planning to walk on the flooring or use it for a playroom or model railway for example then the joists would need to be reinforced. All reinforcements would need to be screwed in and glued.

Q: I have some pipes running along the skirting board in my bathroom that I'd like to box in. I'm not sure how I can fix this to the floor and also, do I have to leave an open somewhere for access in case there is a problem with the pipes later?
Pipes can be boxed in easily and you do not need to leave access panel as lots of pipes are accessed under the flooring anyway, so a plumber would expect to have to have to get under flooring or behind box to get to pipes, so I would box the pipes in as neatly as possible. To fix the box, attach a baton to the floor and a baton to the wall and fix the boxing onto that.

Q: I've fitted a new bathroom suite and I don't have a splash back for my sink, the wall's just painted. Do you think it would be wise to add one in? If so what would you recommend?
It's always good to have a splash back as it stops the wall getting wet when washing, brushing teeth etc. The best recommendation is to pick a tile you like and attach 6 - 8 inches worth of these tiles to create enough protection for the wall.

I've just moved in to a house and the windows seem to have been painted shut. I've no idea when they were last painted! How can I open them? Help!
You are going to have to get a builders knife and cut the paint off where the windows open. This will free the window up which should then allow them to open. Sometimes windows have been screwed shut so check first if this is the case as if so, then cutting the paint will not help. If they are shut solely due to paint then scoring with the knife should do the trick - this is very common with sash windows and they are often sealed by accident!

I've got a huge paint job to tackle and it involves using a few different colours. I need to use the same brushes and I'm worried about cleaning the brushes properly in between. Is there a fool safe way to clean them or would I be better to buy different sets for each colour?
A good idea for a long job is to go to www.qvcuk.com and order the Dandy Roller Paint Brush & Roller Cleaning Set, item number 516809. This will clean your brushes up in between colours and at the end of day both quickly and properly. You will wonder what you did without one! If you're thinking of lining the walls before painting them QVC also do an Electric Wallpaper Cutter with Replacement Blades, item number 556941- which is brilliant for lining paper and wallpaper.

Can I fit ceramic tiles outdoors or will they get easily damaged?
This is a tricky one. You should consult your tile shop when buying tiles as to whether they are hardy for outdoor use, as there are some designed specifically for outdoor use and some are not. Also, make sure you buy an external grade grout and adhesive to finish the job properly.

I live in a semi detached house and my next door neighbours are very noisy. Is there any way to soundproof the adjoining wall to help reduce the noise?
Yes there is! It's quite an involved process but depending on how much money you want to spend, you can fix a baton on the wall as if you're making another stud wall up against the party wall fill with insulation, then fix plaster board and re-plaster. This would reduce the size of the room by approximately 4 inches but creates the sound proof barrier. A cheaper option would be to ask your neighbours kindly to keep the noise down!
 
I've heard about the new legislations about disposing on old appliances etc. Can you explain what this is and what I need to be careful of. I'm about to start a major refurb job.
Nowadays, when buying new appliances, bigger stores will take away your old appliances and dispose of them correctly. Otherwise, speak to your local pit - they should have sections where you can dispose of old appliances. The appliance that always needs to be disposed of at a recognised point is a refrigerator. Old cookers can still be disposed of in skips - depending on if the skip company accept them, but your best option would be to speak to your local council.

I need to buy a cordless drill, but I'm worried about the battery length being quite short? Can you recommend a good one? 
QVC do a Skil 14.4v Cordless Drill/Driver with 2 Batteries & 114pc Bit Set - item number 558236 (www.qvcuk.com). Skil is owned by Bosch so you know you're getting a good kit. However, if you're after something more powerful, and 18v drill with battery a power of minimum 2 amp hours (AHs) will be more powerful and last longer. Depending on what you wish to spend there is a new lithium ion battery powered drill on the market that has a very high working time. It doesn't have to be completely discharged before re-charging and holds its charge when it's not being used. It is also more environmentally friendly than a regular drill, but is more expensive too.
 

Tune in to QVC each week to see Orlando on DIY on Sunday, log on to www.qvcuk.com or call 0800 50 40 30. QVC is available on Sky Digital channel 630, Freesat channel 800, Freeview channel 16 and Virgin TV channel 740.