Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

Filling ceiling cracks prior to painting is an essential part of the decorating preparation process. The main problem with filling ceiling cracks, is that the cracks often reappear very quickly after they’ve been painted. This can be due to a number of reasons, and diagnosing those reasons can generally help in filling them successfully, and providing a good chance of them not returning in the near future. There is no surefire permanent fix for filling ceiling cracks, but the advice below should help you in deciding on the best option to take. read more »

Caulk or silicone sealant? So, what’s the difference? Visually there’s not a lot between these products. Both caulk, and silicone sealant, are supplied in a tube, which is inserted into a cartridge gun where it is then squeezed out along cracks and junctions between all manner of different surfaces in your home. Both products are designed to cope with slight movement between adjacent surfaces, but for the best results in all of your DIY endeavours, there are big differences as to where specifically you should use caulk or silicone sealant. read more »

Decorating fillers occupy row upon row of shelf space in most DIY outlets, which I always imagine provides a very confusing message to most experienced DIY enthusiasts, let alone some poor soul considering their first decorating project. I appreciate that there are different manufacturers, and different package sizes, but that aside, the overwhelming choice seems to encourage buying a different filler for every occasion, when in fact you can do every decorating job you’ll ever come across with a far, far smaller range requirement. read more »

It is always best to strip the existing wallpaper before repapering as it is often difficult to guarantee that the old wallpaper surface is sufficiently sound to accept a new layer. A steam stripper is the most efficient way of removing old wallcoverings. However, you can just use a bucket of warm water and a sponge to soak the paper before scraping it off. Take great care when using a steam stripper as you are effectively working with boiling water and steam. read more »

Removing mould from surfaces is vital before any decorating may be carried out. Commonly, you find mould growing in bathrooms where poor ventilation has allowed condensation to occur on wall surfaces – an ideal condition for mould growth. The easiest way of removing mould is to used a mould killer which is simply applied to the area in order to kill off any growth. read more »