The Advice Thread

[Boozad]

Yes, all unpainted. I did wonder if I’d misinterpreted the post, apologies.

No it's just Bear being a helmet. You'll have to forgive him, he puts salad cream on everything.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Sorry bit late to the party on this but I tend to use a heat gun to strip old gloss work off, worth the investment if youve got a fair bit to do. Can be quite satisfying then just a light sand down is needed.

By the sounds of it you've got yourself sorted though

That was my plan with our house originally but after a nightmare experience in the first room the heat gun was shelved. Started off doing all the skirtings in the living room, soon discovered they'd originally been varnished and that varnish turns into a horrible sticky mess under heat. So got most the paint off but then left with the varnish residue which resolidifies when it cools, often into a horrible crystalized form which ends up more abrasive than the sandpaper you're trying to remove it with.

Didn't want to risk encountering that again so now I just sand woodwork back thoroughly instead. Skirtings usually aren't too bad, old house so they're 8-12" and you tackle most of it with an orbital just leaving the ornate top section to do by hand. Architraves have been a pain though, some really over the top mouldings downstairs which can take a full day and half a pack of sandpaper each!

Really annoys me in our house how so much extra effort we have to put in to do things is down to previous owners laziness or negligence. There's woodwork in here that looks like it's been painted multiple times by simply pouring a tin of paint along the top in a mindless minimum effort, maximum coverage approach. There are runs you could almost hide furniture behind! Bought myself a cheap set of wood chisels to conquer that, go round with those to take off the worst lumps and bumps before any sanding.

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

I can't say I've ever shared your experience with varnish before, sounds like a nightmare. I've used nitromoors in the past but would avoid using that at all costs, absolutely horrible product.

Yeah an old chisel for getting rid of snots is always a good option, just a freehand plane!

Thick gloss is one of my pet hates, to be fair I think it comes from when gloss used to yellow alot quicker so a much more regular glossing was required, this probably covers alot of the poorly applied gloss work. Painting ironmongery is one of my pet hates though, especially when it's brasswear or another nice finish, also painting oak and other similarly grained timbers, absolutely scandalous!

 

[Boozad]

Nitromors is brilliant at what it does, the mess is just another level completely. I wouldn't use it internally at all, only on things I could take outside.

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

Nitromors is brilliant at what it does, the mess is just another level completely. I wouldn't use it internally at all, only on things I could take outside.

I dunno even outside the gunk it leaves behind is a right pain. I used it inside on my stairs when I stripped them to get where the heat gun and sander couldnt, absolutely horrible stuff and that's the watered down stuff they sell now.

Christ there should be a DIY thread for this kind of twaddle!

 

[MARKakaJIM]

I dunno even outside the gunk it leaves behind is a right pain. I used it inside on my stairs when I stripped them to get where the heat gun and sander couldnt, absolutely horrible stuff and that's the watered down stuff they sell now.

Christ there should be a DIY thread for this kind of twaddle!

We're part way through our stairs now, first use of the heat gun since the ill fated living room adventure.

Biggest pain on the treads and risers was removing all the old tacks and staples that have held down various carpet over the years. After that they sanded up pretty well with the orbital and a bit of hand sanding around the edges, lot of filling to do now though if we stick with the idea of painting them.

Panelling on the side in the hall is a nightmare though, heat gun got most of it but now chipping away slowly, painfully, with an array of chisels, knives, shave hook, essentially anything pointy will get a go at some point.

Have to confess I have painted an oak cabinet before though, could do with a recoat to be honest. In the living room the old meter cupboard is oak, the fireplace a sort of faux mahogany look and we wanted a different timber on the floor so everything else had to go white with the other woodwork to avoid a clash.

 

[sycophantia]

Dunno if it's just me but nitromors doesn't seem as effective to me as years ago, I rendcto use it lost metals, not sure if that's issue.

 

[Boozad]

Dunno if it's just me but nitromors doesn't seem as effective to me as years ago, I rendcto use it lost metals, not sure if that's issue.

You're not meant to drink it!

 

[Paul]

Dunno if it's just me but nitromors doesn't seem as effective to me as years ago, I rendcto use it lost metals, not sure if that's issue.

The EU banned one of the ingredients of the original, so yes its not as good now

 

[sycophantia]

The EU banned one of the ingredients of the original, so yes its not as good now

That's what I thought might have happened

 

[lemonjelly]

Cuprinol shades is not durable in my limited experience. Best outdoor paint I found is Wilkos.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Solar panels.

I know a few on here have mentioned they have them but I want to know a bit more about it and whether it’s worth it (or when it’s worth it).

My new house is going to be SW facing, so whilst not perfect, hopefully is still OK to get the benefit. But when I look on Martin Lewis site, he’s still saying we’re looking at a 14 year pay back period, which will become better with the expected price rises. But this still seems a long time considering how much prices have risen. Are these estimates overly conservative?

Also, how much are we looking at roughly for installation? Are there any incentives/schemes available? Is the battery a bit of a no brainer to actually use the energy you produced with the prices rising?

Seems strange years after these were first introduced and the need to be more eco friendly that these aren’t more common place.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Solar panels.

I know a few on here have mentioned they have them but I want to know a bit more about it and whether it’s worth it (or when it’s worth it).

My new house is going to be SW facing, so whilst not perfect, hopefully is still OK to get the benefit. But when I look on Martin Lewis site, he’s still saying we’re looking at a 14 year pay back period, which will become better with the expected price rises. But this still seems a long time considering how much prices have risen. Are these estimates overly conservative?

Also, how much are we looking at roughly for installation? Are there any incentives/schemes available? Is the battery a bit of a no brainer to actually use the energy you produced with the prices rising?

Seems strange years after these were first introduced and the need to be more eco friendly that these aren’t more common place.

I'm very cynical about all of this. The companies without a doubt raise their prices to cover the useless grant, but we had a quote for our bungalow which was around €14,000 and yes, around 12 year pay back time.
And that just gives you hot water....

 

[PuntsWolf]

I'm very cynical about all of this. The companies without a doubt raise their prices to cover the useless grant, but we had a quote for our bungalow which was around €14,000 and yes, around 12 year pay back time.
And that just gives you hot water....

I’ve committed to it anyway. All the people up know who have had it swear by it and with the increase in prices pay back can only be quicker? Will they come down drastically? Doubt it. And obviously there’s the environmental benefit too.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

I’ve committed to it anyway. All the people up know who have had it swear by it and with the increase in prices pay back can only be quicker? Will they come down drastically? Doubt it. And obviously there’s the environmental benefit too.

You can buy an awful lot of electricity for 14k though!

 

[leedswolf]

I read that the average solar panel cost for a 3-bed in the UK is £5,420.

 

[Tredman]

Yeah £6k is a good ballpark figure. Slightly more with a battery.

 

[AndyWolves]

I'm very cynical about all of this. The companies without a doubt raise their prices to cover the useless grant, but we had a quote for our bungalow which was around €14,000 and yes, around 12 year pay back time.
And that just gives you hot water....

That seems a helluva lot just for heating the water.

 

[lemonjelly]

Cuprinol shades is not durable in my limited experience. Best outdoor paint I found is Wilkos.

Wishing to backtrack on this. Previous wilkos outdoor paint was good. Bought a tin recently and it's OK rather than good.

 

[PuntsWolf]

I’m paying £10k for 10 panels, battery and all the other essential stuff. Other quote £9.5k but went with the other company as seemed more switched on, doing it quicker, good reviews Etc.