Building FAQs

The correct mix for laying a patio is 1 part cement to 4 parts sand, with just enough water to make a firm mix.

First recover 25% of the gravel from the pathway to put on the surface afterwards. You will then need to spread sand and cement at the rate of approximately one bag of sand to every square yard and one bag of cement for every 2 square metres. Carefully rake both of these into the remaining gravel and mix them up well. When this has been done, rake to an even level and roll.

Sprinkle the recovered gravel onto the top and leave the path without being disturbed for about 3 days. The moisture in the air should be sufficient to ensure that the cement goes off and you have a stable path.

Block paving can be used in various locations. A driveway is the most arduous condition so we give detail below. If it is for a pathway you can delete the hardcore and increase the sand bed to 50mm.

The paving of a driveway depends very much on the type of soil you have in your area and the weight of vehicles you intend to use it. However as a general guide the following will serve.

We suggest that you lay over the whole driveway a 4" thick layer of broken brick or crusher-run stone. This should be well rolled by a roller weighing at least 1000kg. If you live in an area with very clayey, or sandy soil you should replace this with 100mm of concrete. Leave the surface in this case higher in the centre than at the edges and fairly rough.

On top of this lay a bed of at least 25mm of a sharp sand and cement mixture in the ratio of 10:1. You can conveniently do this by mixing up a fairly large quantity, levelling it out, rolling this and then by bedding the paving blocks onto it. Do not attempt to leave any of this mixture overnight to receive paving blocks the next day. Clear away any excess as soon as you finish one day's work. The blocks can be laid by hand and knocked into the sand using a piece of timber and a hammer, however a plate vibrator will achieve better compaction if you are doing a large area. These can be hired.

The blocks should be left for at least 7 days and then brush sand into the joints of the paving blocks before you attempt to run a vehicle on them.

The blocks are best laid in a herringbone pattern with an edging two blocks wide. The last row should be haunched with concrete 150mm wide to within 15mm of the surface.

Certainly if you are fitting new sanitary ware it should be done after you have done all the tiling. It saves level problems and cutting tiles to fit. It also makes sealing much easier.

The existing fibreglass insulation will be extremely dirty so I suggest you apply a new layer of insulation over the top. 'Miraflex' is a very good product for this job, as the fibreglass insulation is encapsulated in plastic sleeves making laying easy and it also prevents the fibreglass becoming dirty.

Make a cardboard template of the shape needed for the tile, or use a profile marking gauge which will enable you to record the exact shape of the obstacle, before transferring to the tile. This can be applied to all types of tiles.

To cut a ceramic tile to fit around awkward obstacles, use a tile saw that has a special tungsten carbide coated rod. Alternatively, use tile nibblers, but these are not so accurate.

Vinyl floor tiles can be cut using a sharp craft knife or strong scissors.

The simple way to repair joists like this is to cut out the rotten material and treat the cut ends with a wet and dry rot treatment such as Cuprinol 5 star.

Then plate both sides of the joists with new joists of a similar size. Bolt these through the old joists using timber connectors. As a guide, the length of plating should be at least 4 times the depth of the joists.

Finally, be sure to apply the timber treatment to all new timbers and to the seatings in the wall.

You have a serious problem because dry rot is an extreme form of decay and urgent treatment is essential to prevent it spreading to the whole building. Dry rot thrives in damp and badly ventilated areas, which can spread far wider than the timber where it starts. In very damp conditions it can send out its spoors into plaster and even cement rendering. It is characterised by white growths resembling cotton wool known as 'mycelium'.

The first step to getting rid of dry rot is to make sure that all the infected timber is cut away to a depth of at least 400mm (16in) beyond the last sign of rot. Chemical treatment should then be applied to all of the remaining timber and to all brickwork and plasterwork within 1.5 metres of the infected area. Ensure that good ventilation is provided to all areas which have been infected, even to the extent of putting in air bricks in external walls. The work required is so extensive that it may be better to call an expert in to treat it.

If you only have a very small patch of dry rot Cuprinol 5 star timber treatment is a very good product for preventing dry rot from spreading. If you can cut out the affected timber, Cuprinol also make a hardener which reduces the spread of dry rot and you can probably fill in any small diseased area with Ronseal Wood Filler.

Do not attempt to change any internal walls as this is a matter which requires Building Regulations approval from your local authority.

Once you have contacted them they will send a building inspector to your house to examine the walls. A building surveyor will prepare the necessary documents and will advise you on how to proceed.

There are two possible solutions to this problem:

1. Fit a water softener to your system. This adds salt which softens the water. However, you must leave a drinking supply separate from your heating system, which means your kettle will still fur up. Water softeners do also tend to be expensive.
2. There is a device made by a company called International Wizard, which controls limescale build-up by electrolysis. This device clamps around the pipe with no electrical connections. It's also very easy to install.