vk2003

I have a large 9yr old Indian sandstone patio which goes green and needs power washing every year. The only thing that seems to delay this discolouration is sealing it which was done a few years ago by a gardener. That layer appears to have worn off and is like to seal it again after cleaning it this year. Can anyone recommend a good sealant please? There seem to be a plethora of them available so I’d like to use something as long lasting and effective as possible! Of course, if sealants are a load of baloney, I’m equally open to advice.

Thanks everyone for the advice and recommendations. funnily enough we have been talking to diyhomefit as they’re close to us!

As I mentioned in another thread, we are putting some cabinetry into our study. As has been noted on the forum lots of times, a cheap kitchen, fitted well will look good and last. We would like to put a slate worktop in, and would appreciate any links to places where you have found good value for stone worktops please!

I’m looking to do a shaker style installation in our study of some cabinetry but as we will have some open cupboards. We would like the interior of the carcass to be the same colour as the doors. Does anyone know of any companies that do this? My research suggests that Howdens/Wickes/B&Q etc don’t. I know we could simply line the interiors with coloured end panels but this seems wasteful of material, space and money! (I can’t believe that 8 years after building, we are still trying to finish the interior of the house!)

That's very kind of you Onoff. I'm down in Surrey, so a fair distance away. However, I went to a Brewers Paint shop today, and they gave me a couple of sample tins of Bedec Barn Paint FOC! They also recommended Zinsser paint, and said it was as good as the Bedec MSP, didn't require a primer either, and critically, they could mix it to whichever colour you chose. As the wife is set on some F&Ball colour, my life just got a whole load easier. However, I grabbed the samples as the colours we thought the colours weren't that far off.

Thanks Onoff - the MSP seems to come in a satin finish, but barn paint is semi-gloss. The boss has decreed that the former is the desired finish...?

I like the sound of this - any idea whether they do sample pots?

I need to paint some outdoor planters, and wooden railings/ posts. The wood is all bare & tanalised at the moment, and some of the wood is made of split and stripped logs, so are uneven surfaced. I'm concerned that I am signing myself up for repainting every couple of years! Any recommendations as to which paints to use, and quicker methods of painting?

We have our boards down for almost 3 years now (Millboard) - No cleaning or maintenance at all, and looks as good as the day it went down. No warping either. The only issue has been where there are cut ends on show; the material has a yellowish core - Millboard provided some paint to colour these areas, but it is not as durable as the proper coating.

Thanks folks. There is no wiring between the gate and the house. The AES system we have at the moment is wireless and useless ☹️ The funny thing is that I can’t find any details about the features of the bpt unit on their website, although the homepage carries a picture of the unit! appreciate the tip About checking that the unit is 4g compatible. I shall have to look into videx...

I have a sliding gate. - the mechanism for this has been very good since it was installed 5years ago. What has let me down however is the gate control system. we currently have an AES intercom system, which is now only partially functioning; the intercom no longer works, and the external keypad on the gate pillar has become unreliable for opening the gate - we sometimes have to type the code in a dozen times to get it to open. Fortunately the fobs are all working. i have spoken to a couple of companies regarding replacing the aes system. One has said that they stopped using that brand because of this unreliability, and had recommended a system made by Telguard as the most reliable the other has suggested an intercom system made by BPT. both work via gsm. has anyone got any experience or knowledge regarding reliability of these intercom systems? I’m keen to not have to spend £££ every few years getting the system replaced...

Thank you everyone. Because it is a reception area, things do get knocked (it’s amazing how little care people take when it’s not their own home...). So I am reconciled to the fact that it prob needs redoing every 4-5yrs. Do I might just save a few quid and go with wickes or Leyland

I need to repaint the reception area white in the business end of my house. It’s an area that inevitably gets some wear on the walls. which Wall paint is best for strength (ie resisting knocks/ scratches when brushed against) and can also be wiped clean?

PeterW Thanks for the further detail. I'm convinced!

Quick question: did you find that running the circulation pump for 15 mins/hr gave a longer lead time at the taps for hot water? Following on from your comment I thought about switching off the circulation and the hot water when we aren't in the house...

Further to the modification kit for the sensor, I understand the part number from Vaillant is 0020023721

Thanks for this.. Will get my plumber to do this at next visit.

Thanks for your reply. The problem in our house is that the hot water circuit is very large. Consequently, a pressurised system wasn't suitable. In order to ensure hot water reached the taps quickly, a secondary water circulation system was specified by the plumber. The hot water is constantly circulated around the house; as a result the water in the tank constantly loses heat during this circulation. Ordinarily, the boiler is left to constant (poor energy efficiency I'm afraid) for hot water. However, when using the immersion, this gets expensive! Hence the desire to make it easier to use, and avoid running the immersions all day. It only takes ~45 mins for a full tank of water.

We recently had our vaillant (3 year old) boiler fail with an F75 pump error. Whilst the boiler is under warranty, it has taken several days for them to come out to repair. Fortunately our large hot water tank has 2 x 3Kw immersion heaters for emergency use. The tank and pair of power switches are in the plant room in the loft. Whilst it isn't the end of the world to trek to the loft to switch them on and off to heat water, we did manage to leave them on a couple of times all day. Can anyone recommend a smart switch which can be used to switch these on and off manually and on a timer if required? Our heating thermostats in each room are made by nuHeat - I know they do smart switches, but are they any good and can they cope with a 6Kw load?

I understand that the wires need to be <= 100mm apart to prevent heads getting stuck.

Don't know if it is any help to anyone, but I have been getting a number of quotes for Millboard - there doesn't appear to be a lot of discounting going on. I have found however a couple of deals; these are not endorsements of these companies, just keen prices: Millboard enhanced grain golden oak deckboards £45+vat per board (best price I have found, and this colour only) Millboard Weathered planks (all colours) £49.95+vat per board (negotiated rather than advertised) Cheers Vishal

Has anyone any experience with wire balustrades? We are thinking of doing them on our decking, and wondering whether there are any pitfalls. Also would welcome recommendations of suppliers! V

Thank you both. The research I have done has made me shy away from planks with hollow profiles, as there seems to be a higher risk of warping (according to our Antipodean cousins). Most composite decking seems to be made of a mixture of wood fibres and resin. Millboard is resin + mineral stone which they claim is more stable. Only thing I can say is they all seem darned expensive! I suspect we will go for Millboard as we really like the weathered oak look!

Following in from Christine's post regarding getting composite decking delivered, has anyone got any recommendations on composite decking? My landscaper is suggesting Millboard which he has worked with before. This looks lovely, but is quite expensive; the composite boards sold by Wickes etc in contrast don't appear up to scratch.... Are there any other brands I should be investigating? I noted that Bitpipe was happy with the ResortDeck product and I am looking into this also. TIA Vishal