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]

Hi Geoff .

Was gonna use 3 rails for the palings , 3 x 1 1/32 the x 2 was a lot dearer.

Across the back is just gonna be colourbond so hoping to get away with only 2rails for that stretch, be ok , ya think ?

Whats a plinth ? Anyway yeah just screws and nails.

l was wondering about the rails and palings green because l bought them at Christmas and put them in the shed which has dried them out a lot , bit pissed about that because yeah l thought as much too l like working with it while it's green.Even thought of putting them out in the rain , well if we got some rain haha.

Funny you mention an arch doorway too l wanna put one into the loo so instruct away mate and cheers for that.

Thanks again.

ps , Hey so the utes now a surfboard eh bill.

rx

[geoff]

Hi RX, a plinth is a board at the bottom where the palings sit on.

The 2 rails for the colourbond do you know where you will attach them, you can also get a capping for the top of the c/bond so you won't cut yourself and it will keep the c/bond neat and tidy.

The dried out palings you can put them in the rain, they are much easier to nail through while they are wet, and again you can also get a capping for the top if you want, depends on where the rail is.

I'll post this now RX and get back to you about the arch way.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[geoff]

Hi RX, the plaster arch ways have become easier to do these days as you can buy kits which make it easier than what I had to do.

Back 'in those days' what I used to do was nail/screw timber to the door jamb so that chipboard and plaster would be even with the existing plaster on the wall, then I would cut some 2 bits of chipboard in a shape of an arch, making sure they were both exactly the same.

Then I would screw/nail this arch on either side of the door jamb, making sure they were identical, then I would cut the plaster the same shape as the chipboard, making sure it was level with the existing plaster on the walls then screw it to the chipboard.

You can use cornice adhesive or liquid nails to attach the plaster to the chipboard.

Then either wet the back of a long strip of plaster that would cover up the hole between the 2 bits of chipboard/plaster, although a long strip will bend easily and not break, screw it to the chipboard, then finish it off with wet plaster, sand it, then it's done.

The arch kits are much easier.

It's a fun job and very rewarding.

Good luck and please if you don't understand what I'm saying please get back to me, sounds like a tape from 'mission impossible'.

Geoff.

[Guest_606]

I like your dog.

[geoff]

Hi Eman, thank you for the compliment about my dog Mindy, she's a big part of my life.

Can I ask if there is anything that I can help you with regarding home improvements are concerned?

I really appreciate your post and we are here for you.

I hope you are having a good weekend.

My Best.

Geoff.

[Guest_1584]

Thanks a million for that Geoff.

But ahh , can't afford to get too flash with the fence right now there's a fair bit of it, roughly about a double block but later on maybe. l'm mainly just desperate for some damn privacy right now tbh.

And thanks for the archway details too mate yep no worries l see what you mean. Budget, shot to oblivion right now so l'll go old school haha, got plenty of that stuff kicking round so really looking forward to doing that now.

Thanks again as always.

rx

[Guest_1584]

Forgot to ask Geoff for the colourbond sheets yeah l was just gonna run a rail l dunno, 6inches from the top and about the same from the bottom , why is there another better way or ?

Cheers

rx

[Ggrand]

Hello Geoff, I’m sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you...I have rung around for a quote on my window to be fixed...The nearest glazier is 75 kilometres away and they are going to charge me $1.00 per kilometre to travel out to replace it..that’s money that I don’t have, that my insurance doesn’t cover..I have sealed the hole up very well, and my youngest son said he will fix it for me when he next comes down...hopefully at Easter..but I need to measure it for him...he told me to measure from frame to frame and he will adjust it...

I wanted to thank you so very much for your time and kindness you showed towards me with my enquirers..This is a really good thread and the time, kindness and patience you give to others in helping them is really so very good..

Thank you Geoff for being the great champion you are here..you help so many people..me included..

Love and hugs dear friend..💜🤗..

Grandy..

[geoff]

Hi RX, the colour bond fence sounds to be good, just wondering who owns the property behind you, as they are responsible for 50% of the costs.

The only concern is if you or the back owner has a ride-on mower it's not going to run into the middle of the fence.

Hi Grandy, no worries at all, just come to this thread when it suits you, when I used to quote, I'd ask the person if they had an excess and if it was $50 then I'd add that amount of money in the quote, so they didn't have to pay any money at all

The broken window can be replaced by perspex cut to the size, then it won't get broken and if it's a small pane then maybe it could be mailed to you, but please let me know.

My best.

Geoff.

[Music_Freak]

Hi Geoff,

Just a quick question, I will be replacing my tools when money permits, what would I need to do most household jobs? What brand would last? I'm thinking drill, screwdrivers...a beginners DIY go to kit, basically. I just don't want to have to buy anything more for particular jobs or replace stuff too quick (my kmart drill and screwdrivers are wearing out already).

I hope I'm making sense to you 🙂