Using Mortar and Concrete

I suppose a lot of folk think that mortar and concrete aren’t really worth writing an article about—after all, you just mix them, and get on with the job that you’re going to use them for. However, different jobs require different materials, and different quantities of those materials. The guide here is one that I’ve followed successfully over the years, and I hope it will prove beneficial to you as well. As weights of sand and ballast or quarry chips etc. vary due to their water content, the following guidelines are given by volume.

 

For a concrete path use 1:5, where 1 stands for ordinary dry cement, and 5 is for the sand and ballast. For concrete steps, make the mix maybe a bit stronger, 1:4. If you’re laying bricks, it’s 1:4 (soft sand). For rendering, use 1:4 (2 fine-washed and 2 soft sand). If you’re doing a floor screed, it should be 1:3 (sharp sand). Additives are available for many tasks if required. Plasticiser is excellent in mortar, but be careful not to use too much. A frost proofer can help if the temperature drops to around the zero mark, although I prefer not to work with cement if it’s that cold, just to be on the safe side. If it is cold or damp, you could use an accelerator to speed up the drying time to about an hour, although I must admit that I like it to dry naturally. For rendering, you’ll need a waterproofer in the first coat, so that it doesn’t bridge any damp proof course. You’ll also need it if tanking a basement.

 

For tools, you should use 2 shovels—one for the dry stuff, the other for the wet. You’ll need a couple of buckets, a trowel, a garden hose (an outside tap is very handy), a board (if mixing by hand), and a wheelbarrow.

 

If you have a fairly big job, you’re better off with a mixer, hired if you don’t own one. If you have one that sits on a stand, make sure it’s properly chocked before you start it. Put in most of the water first, then half the ballast, leave turning for a couple of minutes, then add half of the cement. Pour in the rest of the water, add the remaining ballast and cement, and leave to mix for about three minutes. You should then find that the concrete falls smoothly off the blades. Tip the mix into the barrow while the mixer drum is still turning. Pour water into the mixer to help cement from drying on the sides—this water is then handy when you start your next batch. When you’ve finished with the mixer, make sure you give it a proper clean, both inside and outside the drum. I remember my first boss telling me that I should be able to drink the water out of it if I’d done the cleaning properly. I tend to remember this when cleaning any tools.

 

If it’s a smaller task, you can easily mix the required amount by hand. Place the sand or sand/aggregate on a board or similar hard, even surface. Add the dry cement and mix well, using a square nosed shovel (as distinct from the round mouthed). Form a well in the centre by pulling the dry mixture out on all sides. Pour in half of the required water and any additive that you want to use. Gently prod the dry ingredients into the liquid, and start turning it. If there’s a mate handy, get him to lend a hand, as it’s much easier when it’s being turned on both sides. Add the rest of the water, mix well again, and sort of chop through it with the shovel—this will show any unmixed parts, or any parts that are too wet.

 

You might want or need colouring in your mortar or concrete. If so, it’s available in powder form. Make sure that you always measure it carefully, so as to avoid changes of colour in the different batches. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CRACKS IN CEILINGS

There can be many reasons for cracks occurring in ceilings—it could be the sagging of old joists, natural flexing of the structure, or something heavy being dropped on the floor above. Hairline cracks can be hidden by applying a new coat of textured paint or paper, but wider ones must be filled before you redecorate. If you come across a crack running the length of the ceiling, there might be serious structural problems, and you should consult an expert about it.

 

In older houses, lath and plaster ceilings may have sagged; also, the old plaster may be weak and crumbly. In the more modern building, plasterboard ceilings might have thin cracks, usually at the edges. These are quite often caused by natural settlement during the drying out after construction.

 

For carrying out the work, you’ll need a filling knife and scraper, an old paintbrush, self adhesive mesh, glasspaper and block, plasterer’s trowel, water spray and sponge, a hammer, stepladders and scaffolding boards.

 

Any cracks must be thoroughly prepared, filled, and finished if the repair is to last. Rake out any loose material with your filling knife, and undercut the edges so that the filler will get a good grip. Brush out any remaining dust and debris with the paintbrush. Fill the crack with filler using the filler knife or scraper. Dampen with the sponge so that the plaster won’t absorb too much moisture from the filler. For extra reinforcement at plasterboard joins or ceiling/wall angles, apply self adhesive mesh. You could use hessian scrim tape instead, bedding it into a band of joint filler. Cover the mesh with jointing compound using a rubber bladed applicator.

 

Cracks at nailheads are nearly always caused by condensation. Chip off any damaged plaster and apply rust converter compound before filling. For larger cracks or holes, use a ready mixed DIY repair plaster, building it up in layers as you proceed. Allow each layer to dry before applying the next one.

 

For cracks at wall/ceiling joins, use decorative coving. Fix polystyrene coving with pre-mixed special cement. For gypsum plaster based coving, use special coving adhesive. You can buy coving which has its own mitring device for shaping the ends to fit corners.

 

Remember that your work is above you, so wear protective goggles when cleaning out the cracks. Make sure that you use a strong stepladder—for large areas you can use two stepladders, with a scaffolding board in between. As with any job, safety should always be paramount.  

HOLES AND CRACKS IN WALLS

Most walls in a home will develop a crack, or cracks, at some time, including yours and mine. For smaller ones, it’s fairly easy to repair it, a DIY job, but if there’s there’s a large area of damage, it’s probably best to replaster the whole wall, which might entail some specialist help. Whatever you do, don’t rush this kind of job—a bit of patience is required for this work.

 

You’ll need a filling knife, plasterer’s trowel, hand water sprayer, plastic spreader, an old, wide paintbrush, sanding paper and block, battens, masonry nails, and hammer.

 

There’s a wide range of materials on the market, which is a bonus for the DIY  enthusiast. Use general purpose filler for smaller cracks and holes, and to finish, use a layer of fine surface filler.For the larger areas, use DIY repair and skimming plaster. 

 

Before making a start, remember what I said about patience—it’s needed from the outset, not just when things seem to be going wrong. Make hairline cracks bigger using a Stanley knife or similar, so that the filler will grip. Make sure that you brush out any loose material, and spray lightly with water. Use the plastic spreader or a filling knife to force the filler into the cracks and holes. Even off the edges the edges by stroking the filler with the knife in all directions.

 

For a larger hole, cut back the edges to the sound plaster, and ensure that you remove all the dust. Apply the first layer of filler up to about 5mm (1/4 in) thick, and press in well. Add more thin layers as necessary. Use a wide plastic spreader for the last layer, making sure it’s flush with the wall surface.

 

If you have to do an area  which is over 1 square metre, you’ll have to level it with a plasterer’s trowel. Chip back any loose edges, and press the new plaster into the hole with upward sweeps. You can get rid of any airholes using a fine surface filler. Load your tool evenly,and press firmly against the surface to save you the need for sanding. Drying times recommended by the manufacturers should be followed.

 

If corners are damaged, take a  straight batten and lightly nail it level with one edge of the corner. Leave the other side of the damaged are exposed. Spread the repair plaster or filler on the exposed edge. Smooth the surface off against the edge of the batten. When the filler is completely dry, remove the batten, and position it on the other side. Apply filler as before, and smooth level with the batten.

 

To skim plaster, apply the skimming plaster with your old paintbrush, using upward strokes. Do square metre areas at a time, brushing out the plaster as you go along. As the plaster starts to dry out, smooth out the brush marks with a plastic spreader dipped in water. If you think it can still be improved upon, sand it down lightly.

 

Tiling Tips

I suppose, like me, that you’ve come across walls in kitchens or bathrooms (not necessarily in your own castle) that are partially tiled. Maybe they’re not exactly ugly, but they certainly aren’t easy on the eye. When my house was renovated lately, I had this problem, and decided to put wooden moulding along the top of the tiles. Although I went for this option, I could just as easily have gone for decorative border tiles—it’s just a matter of one’s own preference.

 

I used a dado rail—a picture rail is okay as well. Try to make sure that the shaped, lower edge of the rail is the same thickness as the tiles that are going to be below it. Treat the moulding to a coat of varnish or paint (before fixing it to the wall). After that has dried, fix it to the wall by spreading adhesive on the back, and holding it temporarily with nails—do not hammer them fully in. Follow the instructions for the adhesive, and when it has dried, you can remove the nails carefully, and fill the small holes left with plastic wood.

 

If you prefer to use decorative tiles, the method is also very simple. Spread adhesive along the wall, then press the tiles securely in place. Ideally, you would have tiles of the same length as the ones already on the wall, but if they happen to be slightly shorter, stagger them—the joints will be a wee bit bigger than the ones below. Stand back from the wall to admire your handiwork, and adjust them until you’re satisfied that they’re evenly spaced.

 

A broken or chipped tile? Assuming that you have an identical tile, it’s fairly easy to replace. Cut the old grout away with a sharp knife, being very careful of course (for the good of your fingers, not the old tile). Put a cloth over the tile to be removed, then hit gently with a hammer in various places until it breaks away in small pieces. Remove any fragments of tile with a cold chisel or small bolster. Assuming that you have patience in abundance, make sure that you chip off all the old adhesive, so that the surface is as smooth as possible for the new tile to be paced there. Spread adhesive on the back of the new tile. If it’s got a smooth back, with no ridges, create your own ridges by drawing something like an ordinary kitchen fork across it. This makes it easier to be pushed on to the wall. Push it gently into place, allowing the spare adhesive to seep out of the joints. Use a damp sponge to clean it, then grout after about 24 hours. I forgot to mention that if you find yourself without a matching tile, you could take part of the old one to a specialist shop—this will be able to show them the colour, and you can tell them the size of the tiles. Maybe they will not have spares in stock, but they’ll probably be able to identify the makers of the originals. You can then get in touch with the manufacturers.

 

If the grout is showing signs of chipping, and you feel like renewing it, you can buy a grout-raking tool very cheaply. Make sure that you remove all the old stuff, as it will show up otherwise. Time for patience again, as you have to watch that you don’t damage the tile edges. Although ready mixed grout is available, I prefer powdered grout, which is then mixed with water. It sets chemically, as opposed to the ready mix, which dries by evaporation. Non-sanded grout is usually what is used for wall tiles, as opposed to sanded grout, which is the norm for floor tiles. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for mixing—you should add enough water to the grout to make a smooth paste. Mix in small batches, as the grout sets in 20 to 40 minutes. A rubber float is ideal for spreading the grout across the tiles, and working it into the joints. Do small areas at a time so that any excess can be washed off easily, before it sets too much. You can wipe the tile surface clean with clean water and a sponge, which should be rinsed frequently. It’s advisable to wear gloves, such as washing up ones, to apply and wash off the grout, otherwise the cement in the grout can easily burn your skin. You will see a kind of film of grout on the tiles after they have been washed, and this can be easily removed with a clean, dry cloth.

 

By the way, I enjoyed doing the jobs in the bathroom much more after installing one of those combination radio/ toilet roll contraptions!

 

 

 

Painting Plus

I must say that I really enjoy painting, although not quite up to Van Gogh standards yet. You don’t require many tools—a good selection of paintbrushes, a paint container (kettle), a sponge or cloth, some cling film, a scraper, abrasive paper, maybe a blowtorch, and a stepladder. A ladder is handy for all sorts of jobs around the house, and I feel that a lightweight aluminium one is the best.

You should have a few brushes to hand, of different sizes for different jobs. A good varied selection would include a 12mm (0.5 in) for windows, skirtings etc; a 75mm (3in) for things like doors; a 100m(4in) or bigger for the walls. You can also get long-handled ones for getting behind stuff such as radiators etc. Paint kettles are cheap, and come in metal or lightweight plastic. You can tie a string or a piece of wire across the top, and scrape off excess paint on it. This is also handy for resting your brush on when you take a break, after wrapping it (the brush) in cling film so that it will stop the paint from drying. I usually just hold the brush by the handle, but I’ve been told that it’s better to hold the thumb behind the handle, with the fingers on the other side, on the metal band. Before starting, give the bristles a flick across your hand, so as to get rid of any loose hairs.

Remember that new plaster has to be left to dry thoroughly before applying paint. Always remove grease and dirt from surfaces before you begin. This is a must-do chore. I find that the best thing to use is sugar soap, which is made into a solution by mixing with water. This ensures that no salt deposits are left, which is the case with some detergents. If you have something like nicotine stains on a wall, it’s a good idea to spray it with an aerosol stain-blocking substance. This will make sure that they do not appear again through newly applied paint. Use a cloth with white spirit to get rid of loose particles of dust. Clean out any gaps below skirtings with a blunt knife, watching out for any cables, and vacuum well afterwards. We all get runs in the paint, and those should be brushed out as soon as you notice them. Always try to paint from the top to the bottom, as this will avoid the problem of drips going on to drying paint. Make sure that you work to a wet edge—when you reload the brush with paint, blend your next stroke into the wet area. When working with a ladder, start on the right-hand side of the wall if you’re right handed, and of course the opposite if you’re left handed. This is so that the ladder won’t be leaning against the fresh paint. I mentioned cling film earlier—you can place a piece of it (slightly larger than your container) over the paint and press it to the insides. This will form an airtight seal, and prevent a skin from forming on oil-based paints.

When I was a teenager, and rather green around the gills, I was the butt of jokes for a few days after buying paint which was totally unsuitable for the surface that was to be painted. So that the same kind of thing doesn’t happen to you, here are some kinds of paints for various jobs:--

Exterior woodwork—microporous, exterior gloss or satin
Interior woodwork—eggshell, interior gloss or satin
Newly plastered walls—matt emulsion
Hardwood window frames—stain preservative or varnish
Painted or papered walls—matt or silk emulsion
Radiators—radiator enamel
Fascias—exterior gloss paint
Roughcast—masonry paint

Make sure that you always clean brushes thoroughly immediately after use.

Fixing Wallpaper Problems

In this article, I’ll give a few tips about wallpaper problems, and the easiest ways of fixing them. First of all, I’ll deal with torn wallpaper. How often have you noticed paper that’s torn, which sticks out like a sore thumb? Begin by tearing off the damaged paper to leave a clean, bare patch. Leave the paper around it that’s still firmly fixed to the wall. Hopefully, you have a spare roll of paper to hand, and from that, cut out a piece larger than the area to be patched up. Hold this piece over the repair area, and move it until you have a matching pattern. Tear a patch slowly from this piece to get a rough circle of paper. Do not cut it, as a torn edge is less noticeable than a cut one. It helps to make the edges thinner if you rub them gently (back of the paper) with very fine abrasive paper. Apply some paste to the back of the paper, and place it over the gap. Position slowly and carefully until you’re satisfied that the pattern matches all round. Smooth down with a seam roller, working outwards from the centre. Wipe off any excess glue, and hey presto!—when it dries, the repair should be almost invisible. Talking of seam rollers, you can buy either a hardwood or a plastic one. They are also excellent for squeezing out trapped air from underneath wallpaper.

 

Tears in heavy wallpapers have to be treated differently from ordinary papers. When dealing with vinyls, tape a new large square over the area to be repaired, making sure of course that the pattern matches. Using a steel rule and a trimming knife, cut a square through both layers of paper. Take off the top one (the new paper), and remove the old paper from the wall, scraping it out from the centre, so as to avoid any damage to the edges. Spread vinyl paste on the new piece, and fit to the wall. You can use the same method for embossed and relief coverings as well, but hold the new patch over the area to be done, without using tape.

 

If you notice that wallpaper is peeling, you have to decide on your course of action by the extent of the problem. If it’s a small area, good-- you can apply paste to the wall, and press the paper back into place. However, if larger or whole strips are peeling off, then you should strip and repaper the area involved. You’ll sometimes see bubbles on the paper’s surface, which is caused by air trapped behind it. To deal with this, cut across the bubble with a very sharp knife. Once the air is released, apply a little paste behind the cut flaps with a very fine paintbrush (an invaluable tool to have around). Press into place, and wipe off any extra paste with a damp cloth. If the wallpaper is lifting at the seams, it usually means that not enough paste was used when it was being hung. Gently lift the edge, and apply paste, again with the ever useful fine paintbrush.

 

Stains on wallpaper can be unsightly, but treated fairly easily. Grease stains are quite common, and they can be removed effectively by covering the area with blotting paper, and then rubbing it with a warm steam iron. Stains on vinyl are different—do not apply any solvents containing chemicals, as they could easily soften the vinyl. If it’s something like coffee or tea stains, simply sponge with plenty of warm water.

 

If you have central heating, and there’s poor ventilation in the house, it can lead to condensation, which causes mould growth. Mould on vinyl is usually due to using paste with no fungicide. Soak the affected area with a solution of bleach and water. This should get rid of any old paste. Apply the same solution to the wall in order to sterilize it. So that no mould reappears, leave for between 4 and 7 days. When it’s dry, apply a primer, then an oil-based undercoat. Sand it lightly before repapering.

 

A tip to end with. When you buy wallpaper, think ahead, and get one more roll than you think you’ll need. You could easily have miscalculated the amount you need, but it’s always handy to have in case you have some of the above problems.

 

 

 

Handy Tools Around the House

As someone who, for most of my adult life, has lived in flats which were maintained by the landlord, in theory at least, it came as something as a shock for me when I moved into my own place. I realized that there were loads of things to be done in and outside the house, and that I didn’t have a single tool with which to begin. I simply had to go out and buy some, and having been a builder in earlier years, I knew the most important thing was to acquire proper ones; something that would hopefully last me for years. I remember once buying a club hammer at a sale—it lasted two days before it splintered, narrowly missing my eye in the process. The old maxim is still true—buy dear, buy cheap.

 

Screwdrivers should probably be at the top of your list. For most jobs around the house, a medium sized one should do the trick. Actually, you need two—one with one slit in the head, and another one with a cross slit, a Phillips head as it’s called. A fairly small one with an insulated handle is useful as well, for electrical work. Do not use them for opening tins or as a lever, as that will certainly shorten their useful life.

 

A hammer is probably one of the most essential tools—a claw hammer should suffice at the start, as it’s handy for both knocking nails etc. home, but also for pulling them out.

 

Although a lot of folk use electric saws nowadays, an ordinary panel saw will suffice for most smaller tasks. A lot of them now are not designed to be sharpened, just to be used a few times, and then discarded. This is reflected in the price, as they are relatively cheap.

 

Maybe you won’t need one very often, but a chisel can be useful to have in the toolkit. There are many types and sizes, each specially suited to its intended use. Be extra careful when using this tool—a permanent scar on one of my fingers is testimony to the fact that I ignored this piece of advice.

 

Pliers come in various shapes and sizes as well, but for most jobs around the house, two types should do. There’s the flat or snub nosed ones, which can cut wire as well as pull things, and the needle or long nose ones for getting into small or confined spaces. Pincers, or nippers as I used to call them, are also very handy for pulling out things like nails or pins.

 

Spanners range in size, and if you feel that you don’t need a whole box of them cluttering up space, the answer is to get an adjustable one, or a shifter, as it’s sometimes called. Different sizes of nuts and bolts can then be handled by the same tool.

 

I find that a DIY knife is a must, for cutting materials such as thick paper,, fabrics, lino etc. I use one with a retractable blade—I just find it easier. Again, be really careful with this one. After use, make sure that the blade is covered.

 

For measuring, it’s best to invest in a steel rule. When cutting something, and needing a guide, a wooden rule would be of little use, for obvious reasons. For longer measurements, I keep a steel tape—a three metre one should take care of most things.

 

For some jobs you might need a drill. Because they’re so cheap nowadays, an electric one would be best, preferably multi-speed, as you can do so much more with them than with a one-speed model.

I’ve just mentioned basic tools above, that could come in useful at any time. Hopefully, you won’t have to deal with any emergency situations, but you might consider the following.

 

A plunger is definitely worth having, in case of  a blocked sink or pipes. If you live in an area where you cannot access a plumber for maybe days, then drain rods should be on your shopping list. It’s also a good idea to have spare fuses and lightbulbs in a cupboard, as they don’t last indefinitely. Tapes are something that I feel I cannot do without either. Even the humble sellotape can hold things for you temporarily, but you should also think about having rolls of insulating and masking tapes.

 

Try to keep your tools in good condition, in a safe place, especially if there are children in the house.