Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

A few years ago, building a deck required a lot more measuring, cutting and general design work than is now the case. Most of the well known outlets now supply your deck in a kit form. The popularity of decks has also made them very competitively priced, and the overall quality of the wood supplied is in most cases fit for purpose. In general buying a deck and constructing it over a weekend is very achievable for anyone with a little bit of DIY know-how. read more »

Buying a shed is an almost inevitable undertaking for every homeowner. I’ve put up a number of shed types in my time, and after each construction, I always find myself standing back at the end of the job and on the one hand admiring the fact that you can put up a watertight building in a few hours, but on the other hand feeling a little concerned about how long it will last – let’s face it, flat pack sheds aren’t made out of seasoned prime timber. read more »

Building a shed is now a project that can be completed in a weekend, or even a few hours if you’ve done your research and are well prepared. Unless you want to do something bespoke, sheds are now basically kit items, they come with all the components you require, and a set of instructions for assembly. These instructions will vary between manufacturers, but below are a few general issues that can help in your chosen shed construction. read more »

Space solves

Garden furniture protection

The Guardian, Saturday 22 August 2009

I have a metal and wood garden set that’s been striped by dipping. Is there a clear product to protect the metal without painting it? read more »

Space solves

Getting bath water into the garden

The Guardian, Saturday 27 June 2009

I water my veg patch with a hose, but at the same time my young daughter’s nightly bath water goes straight down the plughole. There is no room for a water butt to be attached to the downpipe. Can you suggest a diverter to attach to the waste pipe to collect water in watering cans? It would need to have some kind of on/off mechanism. read more »