DIY thread...

[Green Gecko]

I don't know how leaseholds work, but it's a form of buying or part ownership so presumably you have more say in decorating and even structure than an assured shorthold tenancy where you have none.

[No:1 Final Fantasy Fan]

Thanks for all the replies.

Are you renting? Cos no way you can do that without permission.

That's actually cheaper than I thought it would be tbh.

It's good to hear that you think the price is less than expected Rocsteady. But yes it's still quite a bit of money...which I have no choice really because I cannot stand jarring noises going into my flat.

I am not renting...unfortunately I bought this flat 50:50 with my sibling (who doesn't live here) but we just got the mortgage together. Felt I was kinda rushed into buying it and it's a total regret now but that's another story so never mind. But hey plenty of people have bought homes and regretted it and who will know if I will also regret my next place after this horrible flat.

Also found another company that can supply the materials which seems very expensive. MAterials for an average 4mx4m room will cost £1600 inc VAT. Plus labour

[Dual]

What if you do all of this and it makes no difference?

Might be easier to move.

[OrangeRKN]

Getting a new ceiling is a big decision, it's the kind of thing that will hang over your head for a long time

[satriales]

My uncle staples egg boxes to his ceiling and walls. Don't know if it actually works, but it's very cheap.

[Kezzer]

Getting a new ceiling is a big decision, it's the kind of thing that will hang over your head for a long time

this belongs in the Bad jokes thread

[pjbetman]

Anyone installed a new ceiling before?
Aesthetically my ceilings need replacing anyway as they have wallpaper on them. However I am looking for soundproofing from the flat above.

I am looking to get one of these ceiling systems installed. Where you remove the ceiling boards, install resilient bars to the original joists to decouple the new ceiling so that vibrations from the joists are not transmitted to the new ceiling boards.
At the same time install rockwool into the cavity to absorb airborn noise.
There are two further ceiling systems available however they eat into your head space and plus I like the sound of this system where it's completely modifies the existing ceiling rather than just stick a new ceiling underneath.

Seems quite a few companies off this service such as https://www.citysoundproofing.co.uk/cei ... fyEALw_wcB

Probably an easy job to do if I buy the materials and hire someone off mybuilder.com

Price seems a lttle steep unless they're offering a substantial performance guarantee. Is there a sound reduction/performance claim for these systems?

The rockwool isnt the best for sound proofing, it's a thermal barrier mostly. I'd be more inclined to use a sound insulated plaster board and some kind of dense foam sheets instead of rockwool.

[Green Gecko]

Rockwool is honestly the winger way of doing it; indeed it's a thermal insulator made up of post consumer waste so is an inexpensive product even for that purpose.

Rehearsal spaces at schools or cheap practice studios will use it as a convenient way to achieve some acoustic isolation, it works fairly well in my experience but isn't exactly a product you can attach a sound reduction specification too. Most of those products are high density foam, yeah. To be fair, those products are insanely expensive running into the thousands of pounds just to treat perhaps even parts of a single room.

You might be spending a lot of money for a Google fu sort of solution without a warranty it has any material benefit, for example tests done with a decibel meter before and after the treatment is installed in a test construction. Where's the data or independent report on that solution?

Looking at that city soundproofing website, it does claim to use "acoustic plasterboard" whatever that is, but there's two things that irk me:

1. All the illustrations are Google Sketchup, not bad in itself, but it's a tool any competent structural engineer or senior builder will use day in, day out, it's not like that's a patented process with fancy drawings made up

2. The site's number is a mobile number. This is a niche for probably one guy or a small team to "deliver your dreams" for reducing noise... at a cost. And it's probably only a small part of the work they actually do when they get a bite. They make the website look like some credible company when it's probably just one guy. I know because that's exactly what I did.

Just my business nose where I vet stuff all the time having a whiff. I have to double check who it's worth working with and I've learnt to trust my instincts or there's a certain cut off point.

Whoever you speak to is going to be 110% on the sales end of the conversation meaning nothing they say is really credible. So I'd try to find some independent reviews or something beyond the horse's mouth, that being the guy who wants to sell you stuff.

Edit: that firm is a sole director incorporated barely 4 months ago with no accounts, 37 years of age. I'd find a more reputable company that's been doing this for a number of years, just in case you have already sought a quote from them.

I mean, I'm all for giving people a chance, but you don't want a chancer, it's a lot of money and you need one clear outcome.

https://find-and-update.company-informa ... 1/officers

[No:1 Final Fantasy Fan]

Rockwool is honestly the winger way of doing it; indeed it's a thermal insulator made up of post consumer waste so is an inexpensive product even for that purpose.

Rehearsal spaces at schools or cheap practice studios will use it as a convenient way to achieve some acoustic isolation, it works fairly well in my experience but isn't exactly a product you can attach a sound reduction specification too. Most of those products are high density foam, yeah. To be fair, those products are insanely expensive running into the thousands of pounds just to treat perhaps even parts of a single room.

You might be spending a lot of money for a Google fu sort of solution without a warranty it has any material benefit, for example tests done with a decibel meter before and after the treatment is installed in a test construction. Where's the data or independent report on that solution?

Looking at that city soundproofing website, it does claim to use "acoustic plasterboard" whatever that is, but there's two things that irk me:

1. All the illustrations are Google Sketchup, not bad in itself, but it's a tool any competent structural engineer or senior builder will use day in, day out, it's not like that's a patented process with fancy drawings made up

2. The site's number is a mobile number. This is a niche for probably one guy or a small team to "deliver your dreams" for reducing noise... at a cost. And it's probably only a small part of the work they actually do when they get a bite. They make the website look like some credible company when it's probably just one guy. I know because that's exactly what I did.

Just my business nose where I vet stuff all the time having a whiff. I have to double check who it's worth working with and I've learnt to trust my instincts or there's a certain cut off point.

Whoever you speak to is going to be 110% on the sales end of the conversation meaning nothing they say is really credible. So I'd try to find some independent reviews or something beyond the horse's mouth, that being the guy who wants to sell you stuff.

Edit: that firm is a sole director incorporated barely 4 months ago with no accounts, 37 years of age. I'd find a more reputable company that's been doing this for a number of years, just in case you have already sought a quote from them.

I mean, I'm all for giving people a chance, but you don't want a chancer, it's a lot of money and you need one clear outcome.

https://find-and-update.company-informa ... 1/officers

Wow Green Gecko thanks for looking into it for me and the advice, much appreciated. Very interesting how companies like this can be so easily set up. I'll be getting a few more quotes and also look at the option of buying my own materials and finding a builder to install it as many sites that only sell the products advise this.

[Dowbocop]

I've been stripping a bannister down to bare wood over the past couple of weeks. What a strawberry floating palaver! I'm using this noxious paint stripper and there's so many layers of paint it takes multiple applications to get anywhere. The stripped paint is impossible to control once it comes off and the stripper leaves this horrible residue on the wood that is almost impossible to get off. Also, because the paint will inevitably be lead based somewhere along the line I'm terrified I'm going to poison my son (and that's also why I can't use a heat gun). New carpets are going in at the start of November so it's got to be done and varnished by then. strawberry floating sick of it tbh.

[Errkal]

I've been stripping a bannister down to bare wood over the past couple of weeks. What a strawberry floating palaver! I'm using this noxious paint stripper and there's so many layers of paint it takes multiple applications to get anywhere. The stripped paint is impossible to control once it comes off and the stripper leaves this horrible residue on the wood that is almost impossible to get off. Also, because the paint will inevitably be lead based somewhere along the line I'm terrified I'm going to poison my son (and that's also why I can't use a heat gun). New carpets are going in at the start of November so it's got to be done and varnished by then. strawberry floating sick of it tbh.

Can you got use a heat gun paint stripper to soften it and scrape it off?

[Dowbocop]

I've been stripping a bannister down to bare wood over the past couple of weeks. What a strawberry floating palaver! I'm using this noxious paint stripper and there's so many layers of paint it takes multiple applications to get anywhere. The stripped paint is impossible to control once it comes off and the stripper leaves this horrible residue on the wood that is almost impossible to get off. Also, because the paint will inevitably be lead based somewhere along the line I'm terrified I'm going to poison my son (and that's also why I can't use a heat gun). New carpets are going in at the start of November so it's got to be done and varnished by then. strawberry floating sick of it tbh.

Can you got use a heat gun paint stripper to soften it and scrape it off?

It looks like it hasn't been stripped since it was built. There's (at least) a layer of white gloss I applied in 2017, then a layer of gloss the previous owners did in 2011-ish, then a layer of cream/magnolia, then a layer of pale blue, then a layer of varnish. At least one of those layers will probably have lead in them so the heat gun will make lead vapours which are very readily absorbed. We've got a four year old in the house so we can't really risk that (so we're going for benzyl fumes and sticky lead flakes on the floor, much safer ). I'm now doing a patch test to see if the chemical stripper works on the final layer of varnish. I'm sort of hoping it doesn't because then at least I know I have to just sand it. I'm taking the day off the project tomorrow because my wife is getting a little bit worried about my mental health with the stress this has put me under

[Green Gecko]

A varnished banister should never have been painted lol.

That's probably why it's turning into goo.

You could take it off and have it chemically stripped in a dip someplace professional or do it outside.

[Dowbocop]

A varnished banister should never have been painted lol.

That's probably why it's turning into goo.

You could take it off and have it chemically stripped in a dip someplace professional or do it outside.

It's a solid bannister, no idea how to move it or even if it can be moved! Like, genuinely no idea, I've been working on the strawberry floater for two weeks and I can see no screws or bolts at all, I think they may have found a tree this shape and built the house around it...

Interesting regarding paint on varnish. It is sometimes going to a horrible rusty mess. Next project is the bathroom shelf - same job, same inability to move out for professional dipping ( )! If I ever do the doors they're definitely going out!

[Errkal]

Might be easier to just move.

[Victor Mildew]

The banister bit at the top of the stairs was a right state when we moved in. The last owner had used outdoor fence paint on it (it was some shitty solid light brown turn colour). We sanded it back, tried to get it down to bare wood as much as possible with paint stripper etc, but it just wasn't happening. I was going to remove it all, then use those pieces to match like for like and build it again, but when it came to decorating again, I tried sanding it as much as possible, then did a really careful and neat job of glossing it in white. I also cut the stupid acorn end post tops off, and put flat tops on. It looks really smart and brand new now.

[Green Gecko]

It's always inadvisable to paint on top of varnish as they are made up of so many formulas they can either have an adverse chemical reaction for adherence or there is just no key for the paint so it will chip (or worse, peel) off anyway which just leads to more painting. Gloss should also always be stripped or keyed minimum to be repainted.

Trouble is whether DIY or contactor stuff people will use "no need to prime" type paint which is not really true, any formula of gloss on gloss needs a key at least and it's the primer that provides that key because primer is always a matte formation and a very adhesive one at that.

So to compensate for not doing that and using 2 or 3 thin coats that won't take people slather on one thick coat after another ending in the gooey mess you have of this being done done consequetively.

The brown is probably resins slowly escaping the wood, dirt or rust from nails as it was probably keyed together, jointed, glued and also nailed by the sounds of it. You won't be able to get that out.

Properly redoing any kind of paint work leads to these sorts of nightmares for me, personally I just wish people didn't paint wood at all, it's fine as it is. The natural resins in wood when polished properly will form a fine and resilient lustre. Literally most of what you need for a durable furnishing is already in the wood if it's fairly fresh and a wax or oil or similar is simply complimentary to that.

For example various scraping tools along the grain flattens it and can make a dense wood like oak for example look amazing with literally nothing else at all, perhaps a little wax.

Good luck painting waxed wood though..

We have a bannister at the moment that needs denibbing, a dirty brush or roller was used, does my nut in.

[That's not a growth]

Anyone got underfloor heating? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth putting in to be used as an alternative to using radiators most of the time. I like the idea of the even coverage, but it's a lot of effort / money for something that might be only marginally better - and I need to look into running costs too.

[darksideby182]

Anyone got underfloor heating? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth putting in to be used as an alternative to using radiators most of the time. I like the idea of the even coverage, but it's a lot of effort / money for something that might be only marginally better - and I need to look into running costs too.

I have installed the electrical system for work a few times, it's great for smaller areas and not too expensive to buy but can be expensive to run. For larger areas get a wet system.

[That's not a growth]

Anyone got underfloor heating? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth putting in to be used as an alternative to using radiators most of the time. I like the idea of the even coverage, but it's a lot of effort / money for something that might be only marginally better - and I need to look into running costs too.

I have installed the electrical system for work a few times, it's great for smaller areas and not too expensive to buy but can be expensive to run. For larger areas get a wet system.

Thanks for the info. Expensive to run is a concern, especially considering utility bills these days. Guess I'll just pass on it and save myself from the hassle.