Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

The best toolboxes for the DIY market, and the professional market for that matter, are supplied by Stanley. As a company, Stanley seem to have made it their mission to design the perfect toolbox range by carefully thinking through exactly what ‘we’ require, rather than just slapping a couple of hinges on a box, which is what many other manufacturers have clearly done. The following guide looks at the essentials for toolbox design, and which Stanley option is, in my opinion, the best toolbox in their range. read more »

Sufficient garden storage space is an important component of any garden, and there are a vast array of options out there. Below, I’ve assembled some good ideas in this area, that cater for both large and small gardens. As always, set yourself a budget, as it is easy to get carried away with all sorts of racks and storage units that suppliers and advertisers may suggest as “essential” for all gardeners. So, take some time to find out what garden storage options suit your particular needs. read more »

The Guardian, Saturday 5 March 2011

We have some old, white laminated chipboard bookshelves we want to paint. The laminated surface is smooth and shiny. What paints and process would ensure a good coverage of paint that will not peel off or mark the books?

“There are different melamine/laminate primers on the market,” says our DIY guru, Julian Cassell, “but I use Zinnser BIN primer sealer (£13.95/1 litre, decoratingwarehouse.co.uk). Give the surfaces a light sand and remove any dust with a damp cloth before applying the primer direct to the shelves. It dries very quickly, so you can get on and apply your chosen decorative coats. Use a hardwearing option for shelving, so continue with two coats of oil-based eggshell for a matt finish or at least one undercoat and a gloss for a shinier finish. To ensure that the paint won’t peel off or be marked by the books, leave the final coat to dry for a few days before loading the shelves with books.”

Simple shelf brackets come in many shapes and sizes. As with most shelving systems, the brackets should have manufacturer’s guidelines relating to how much weight they can support. Most brackets are fixed to the wall using the technique below, where screws are used to secure the brackets to the wall. As always, take great care when fixing into walls so as to avoid cables and pipes that may be buried under the wall surface. read more »

Floating shelves are normally supplied with manufacturer ‘s guidelines for fitting, but most designs are similar to that shown in the sequence below, where wall brackets are positioned and the shelf simply slides onto these to provide the illusion of no fixings holding the shelf in place. As always, take great care when fixing into walls so as to avoid cables and pipes that may be buried under the wall surface. read more »