Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

Changing handles is a great way of revamping the look of cupboards. Most cupboards tend to have a simple catch mechanism to hold doors closed, which may be magnetic or ball catch design. However, with kitchen cabinets the specially designed hinges are normally the main mechanism that pulls the doors into a closed position. Therefore if you choose to change handles or knobs, it couldn’t be easier as most are simply secured in place by the thread of a screw read more »

Doors stick when edges bind or rub against the door frame (lining) or the floor. A little easing is therefore required by shaving away a little wood so that the the door will open and close easily again. A simple task, but you need to be neat in your work so that a good finish is achieved. read more »

Changing door handles is a simple way of revamping doors, and you can now choose from a vast array of styles and materials to find the particular design that suits your tastes. In most cases, you do not need to change the latch mechanism when changing handles therefore making the job very straightforward indeed. read more »

Changing internal doors will instantly revitalise a room, however, the job will be considerably easier if you use the same size hinges as before, and can therefore use the same hinge positions that are already on the door frame (door lining) – this is the technique that is demonstrated below. If you require a new door lining before fitting your new internal door, please see my guides ‘Interior door frames’ and ‘Fitting a door lining’. read more »

Fitting skirting board requires careful measuring and precision in order to produce a neat finish. Corners need mitred (angled) cuts, and this is where a little practise may be required in order to identify the correct angle of cut required. The process is made much easier by using a mitre block, which automatically provides you with a guide. Always use a cable, pipe and stud detector to help find safe and secure fixing points in the wall surface. read more »