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

[kanga_brumby]

Great idea Geoff just as I was thinking which way for me to go you beat me to the thread . Rats great idea though I have also worked with friends on building projects renovations plumbing Labrador for a sparkie roofing top to bottom done it all

Kanga

[topsy_]

Hi Geoff,

I've been having a read. Love the idea for the 2 cans of stuff for a flat tyre, but I had to ask my husband what a speed shop is. 😨

Also I can't hammer a nail in straight. Makes me very very cross. I try so hard but it always goes crooked. 😤😤

Just thought you'd like to know I'm married to a retired carpenter. He hammers screws in!!! I refuse to do that. But we have worked out a few good systems.

He tells me how to fix something & I do it.

OR

I read the instruction book & do what it says - not what he says.

So far I've put up a holland blind back-to-front - it still works though! I put a new lock into a security screen door - upside down! It locks though.

I carefully measured two sliding windows to stick privacy contact onto. I worked out the pattern match as my mum taught me when I was learning to sew. Stuck all the pieces on - & there were gaps everywhere!! I have no idea how that happened. I was so careful!!!!!!!

So I'll be reading along with interest Geoff,

With thanks, Lyn.

[Guest_128]

Hey Geoff,

This is the funniest thread yet!

You poor thing you are going to need all the help you can get!

Did you find any humour whilst building?

Dory

[Guest_1055]

Thanks heaps for your help Geoff in regards to our dining room table. Appreciate it..... I will try the non gel toothpaste mixed with bi carb that you suggested as we do not have turps at the moment. I will see how that goes. I will keep you updated if you like.

thanks again Geoff.....

Shell

[geoff]

hi LH, I used to do furniture up, and when a table had a stain I used to sand the top down with a belt sander. Geoff.

[geoff]

hi Randomx, the expensive weather strip that goes under the door may mean the door has to be trimmed at the bottom, but make sure that any door that gets all the weather need to be painted under the bottom of the door, a must. Geoff.

[geoff]

hi Lyn, a speed shop will be any good service station, SuperCheap, K-Mart.
If your blind loses it's spring, in other words, it doesn't go up and down quickly, then pull it down halfway, take it out of the brackets and then manually wind up the blind by hand, then put it back in the brackets, if it's still slow in going up, then repeat the process, then your blind will go and down quickly.
Not quite sure what you mean 'about gaps everywhere', so are you able to get back to me, just remember a good way for a burglar to get into your house is by lift up any sliding window and then push it out of the tracks, so maybe you could drill some holes through the window as well as the track, not too high up on the window otherwise you'll crack the glass, then put a clip or nail through it, to stop it being lifted up, the same applies to sliding doors.
Make sure that the burglar can't reach around and pull the nail out. Geoff.

[geoff]

hi Shell, you could also use an orbital sander if the belt sander scares you. Geoff.

[Guest_128]

Hey Geoff,

we have renovated a few houses,and we always have do do the hard labor,

I am stuck on what to do as we have a brick house with windows that go to the floor,

My question is have you ever seen someone close in a window or maybe a external door?

we are going to gut the kitchen,dinning,and lounge room and start again,

Thanks

Dory

[geoff]

hi Dory, absolutely, I have done it many times and the house we bought there were doors that had to be closed in because the room had to be alerted and then make another opening for a door a few (feet) cms away, because the wall had to be moved.
I have a tendency to use feet only because people know what I'm talking about, however I can talk about mm or cms if that suits you.
The same applies to windows where they had to be closed and/or moved, it sounds so interesting what you are up to.
I'm about to log off but if you have renovated houses you know about the supporting beams, and to answer your query again the answer is yes.
Will contact you tomorrow, but ask whatever you want to Geoff.