Beyond Blue Home Improvement Thread

[geoff]

Hi everyone. I'm Geoff and have been a dedicated Volunteer on the forums for 13 years. I am proud to have stopped some of the stigmas that are associated with mental health as well as doing my best to help others too

Before my health went south I was a builder in all aspects of home construction and renovation. If you don't have a handyman around I hope I can offer you some tips that may be of help. I have had many years of experience in home renovation and will do my best to help you out if you are stuck and need some advice

I hope my experience may be of help to the people on Beyond Blue and make their life a little bit better. Even if you need help with the most basic painting job or putting up a shelf I can help there too with some tips

I will do my best to get back to anyone that has a question when I can as this is social yet important thread

Geoff

[Guest_1584]

Thanks mathy, but l dunno about the hill or petrol. Could be something in it.

My brother said it stopping on me could be a petrol thing too , hmm. something else to fix , great.

[blondguy]

Hi ElizabethCP

I cant answer your post as I am not very handy...unfortunately...I know that Geoff is loitering around here somewhere and will get back to you....good question by the way.....My Best...Paul

[geoff]

hi Mathy, you might need to use a reseating tool, it cleans where the main washer sits, and this can change direction to where it sits when you turn the tap on, the reseating or resetting tool will clean where the washer sits, in other words over time there maybe a build of grime so the washer and bottom of the tap won't sit evenly, the tool will stop this.

The ride on can stop when the petrol is low and if it's facing a direction where the petrol is being drained away just like a car where the petrol doesn't go through the carbie, only one option.
hi Elizabeth, from what I gather is that you want to build a stable platform to use so that your oven, microwave and side cupboards can sit on it, so there are a few ways to do this, however can you tell me how high it is from the ground, and just correct me, the old oven has been removed, so can you see the bearers and joists that are holding up the entire floor for the house, if you can then buy some timber some size as the existing joists 90mm x 35mm, you can use pine if you want to, then try and put 2 lengths the length to sit on the bearers.
The bearers sit on top of the stumps, then the joists sit on top of the bearers, then the floor is attached on top of joists.
If they are a tight fit then chip a little piece of wood of the timber, not too much, so they will sit on joists, then force a piece of timber under them to make a tight fit.
Once you have the new joists in place then nail your flooring down on top of it, and away you go.
If I've misunderstood your email then please let me know. Geoff.

[Elizabeth CP]

Sorry Geoff I obviously didn't explain well enough. Theoven was set in brick surrounds which have been removed to just below floor level. The bearers & joists all finished at the brick walls. What is left is a brick rectangle sitting on the ground. I presume there would be concrete in a trench under the bricks so they are stable. The back wall is a load bearing wall between kitchen & living room therefore remains full height. Originally the oven sat on a rough wooden from with legs resting on the ground which looked rotten particularly the section sitting on the ground. This structure sat inside the brick rectangle, Because the remaining brick walls are very secure my plan was to sit the platform on top of the bricks. I have just put agnews water putty on top of the bricks to level them & then put cement sheet on top & patted it down until the spirit level showed it was level.

[Mathy]

Hi Elizabeth,

I had the same question as Geoff, couldn’t get a clear picture of the geometry. You’ve explained it excellently. Agnews WP is a great hard filler, and it sounds like you’ve solved the problem yourself. If you’ve got the levels correct, you should be able to pop you cabinet on the top. Just one question, are the outer edges of your cabinet going to be sitting on the existing brick walls underneath? If not, then I’d probably have a think about the size of fixing that’s going through the cabinet into the wall at the back - use something longer if the cabinet is mostly being supported by the cement sheet. Hope that makes sense, cheers M 🙂

[Elizabeth CP]

It would be easy if the cupboard fitted directly on the bricks. Unfortunately the back is a full wall so nothing to rest on The oven tower is smaller than the brick frame so I will have to lay wood across to make a platform. Just have to get the wood level. Once everything is in place I'll need to work out how to finish the joins with walls and ceiling

[Mathy]

Sounds like you’re all over this Elizabeth. Given nothing to rest that back on, make sure the fix from oven tower to wall is a good one 🙂

Elizabeth CP said:It would be easy if the cupboard fitted directly on the bricks. Unfortunately the back is a full wall so nothing to rest on The oven tower is smaller than the brick frame so I will have to lay wood across to make a platform. Just have to get the wood level. Once everything is in place I'll need to work out how to finish the joins with walls and ceiling

[meercat]

Hi Geoff, Mathy. How r u going?

Thanks for ur tip to Mathy..how to change a tap washer. Iv put it on my list of diy's.

Hubby thinks he's fixed it..he just turns off the tap under the sink.😂

meercat xx

[meercat]

Hi Geoff.

Re Taps. What does a "reseating tool" look like. Is it a "t" shape? Im sure there is one lurking in the garage with the "o" rings.

meercat xx

[geoff]

hi Meercat, the resetting or reseating tool does look like a 'T', you screw the tool into where the spindle screws in, then turn the tool backward and forwardwards, then stop, undo the tool and wipe it clean, then screw it back in and do the same again.
To change the washer turn off the water mains, take handle of tap, then with a spanner undo the spindle pull out the washer, if it's a washer in the bathroom you may need a long pointed pair of pliers to pull the washer out.
There is a washer that says it stops all leaks, it has a large black rubber wall, but in fact this washer won't last too long, the trick is if the nossle is long like in the kitchen and after you replace a washer there, just jiggle the nossle for the water to run out, then you will know if changing the washer has worked. Geoff.