Household DIY tips, a pro's selection

This "quick tips" section is just a quick selection of tips which were originally put on Twitter, I hope they help you save time, they are a general selection and not totally to do with doors.

Chippy the diy doctor.

DIRTY SHOWER DOORS; your shower gel on a soft sponge can clean the glass, it works as well if not better than the expensive cleaning fluids.

LAYING FLOORING BOARDS; start at the entrance door to the room & work away to the opposite walls, all the smaller cuts will be out of sight.

RELAYING NEW OR OLD TRADITIONAL FLOOR BOARDS, when relaying floor boards always check for pipes underneath 1st, mark the board with chalk if pipes present, nail at an angle away from the pipe.

CONDENSATION ON HOUSE WINDOWS; the best way to correct this is the most expensive, open a window, turn the heating on & the condensation will go, just don't do any of the above if the condensation is inside a double glazing unit, in this case it will need replaced.

FITTING NEW DOORS? take a wood plane and shave the leading edge of the door so it doesn't stick when closing & misses the frame by more.

SQUEAKING FLOORBOARDS; get some baby talcum powder or similar and shake it over the offending board joint, it will stop it squeaking.

DECORATING A NEW INTERNAL TIMBER DOOR? wax looks great instead of varnish and doesn't raise the grain as much, don't use inside the bathroom.

GOT A DENT IN A TIMBER DOOR, place a damp cloth over it and hold a warm iron against the cloth, checking regularly, it brings the dent out.

LOOSE HINGE SCREWS?, take a small wooden dowl or rawl plug, tap in to the screw holes & then refix hinge, it will help secure the hinge.

EXTERNAL DOORS STICKING/SWOLLEN? When external timber doors are sticking at the lock edge during the winter, rub the edge with a candle to help it close easier, it will work.

RELAYING NEW OR OLD FLOOR BOARDS, when relaying floor boards always check for pipes underneath 1st, mark the board with chalk if pipes present, nail at an angle from the pipe.

DRILLING THROUGH A DOOR, hold a timber block at the opposite face of the door, drill won't split the door face when it passes through.

SCREWS TOO TIGHT TO GO IN TO WOOD, rub the thread of the screws with soap, the screws go in much easier and the wood or the screw won't be stressed.

STOP WOOD FROM SPLITTING, when trying to use traditional nails, gently blunt the point of the nail, it stops the wood from splitting.

More DIY tips are available at Directdoors.com

Info edited by "chippy" for DirectDoors.com 

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