Home DIY

You could try something like Richlite or Paperstone - I've used Richlite to replace the granite I used to have around my sink area. It's lovely, and quite easy to work, though you may need to sandwich two layers together to achieve the thickness you're after.

Yeah. Too stylish for you.

Does anyone have a multi tool I can use to remove grout?

Or recommendation for the above tool that might get some use in other forms later on in life that isn't too expensive?

Based SW9

OK, I got impatient and went to amazon - if anyone needs a multitool later on holler

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Great believer in the dust extraction clip-on for my Fein, especially with the mould laden cementitious dust you will create as you remove your tile grout.

Do you have a link to that? Could be handy. @PQR get some earplugs, they can be loud.

Hmm,
maybe the Fein website?
I bought a 'kit' at a Trade Show,
where the dust extraction clip-on was included, along with the sanding attachment and a couple of extra blades, allowing Fein to 'give away' value rather than dropping the price.
Must be 3rd party suppliers as well.

I would like to lay a new floor covering in a bathroom and a kitchen.

I've done this before with tiles on a much more level and sturdy floor. However, in my new place I have concerns over the "levelness/sturdiness" and don't want to lay tiles that might end up suffering from movement which is kind of inevitable in a 100+ year old tenement flat.

What products are there (other than shite laminate which I do not want) that give the feeling of tiles but are not tiles so they can account for potential flex and movement. The rest of the flat is bare wooden floors so I don't really want to go with something wood effect as it may look a little weird.

Thanks in advance

Interested in the answers you get - i'm in a similar situation.

same!!

@ffm and @mespilus

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B016C0VVQI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've got some earplugs. I will have a look for the dust extractor as could be useful

Hi andos, you can still tile both the floors, even out as much as possible with ply and when laying the tiles use a flex cement(glue) which will counter any movement, if the existing floors are not wood(concrete) apply a self leveling cement first before tiling, should be plenty videos on YT

Thanks!

I was always under the impression that you need a super level floor or at least something you can level out with - as you say - a self levelling cement to use ceramic tiles.

The issue I foresee in my place, is that the floorboards have quite a lots of flex and there is no chance of truly levelling the floor out. We're on the second floor of a tenement so its just joists with floorboards, the movement I would imagine after a while would cause cracking of grout etc.

Concrete?
Stainless Steel?
Marble tiles could be cheaper

I don't think wood worktop and floor would look bad. Just need to be careful how you do it

Rubber, (real) linoleum or cork would would work in that situation.

The problem would be getting an even floor height with the hallway, putting a ply subfloor down would be a necessity. Do the floorboards flex because they're loose or just a bit crap?
If they didn't go under the walls I'd rip them up, 18mm+ marine ply then Schulter Ditra matting, latex screed then tile.

We went rubber from the Colour Flooring Company, I'm pretty happy with it. I've got 3/4 of a tub of expensive adhesive too you can have if you go this route...

I have a fun week ahead of me, sigh. Why didn't I paint before the delivery arrived...

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Yeah floor height is a concern. There is already a 5mm ply laid on top of the floorboards. I could go up to 8mm without much bother.

The floorboards flex because over the years they've ripped up, cut short and relaid causing deterioration. The floor is also massively uneven as its a 100+ year old tenement. I think as you say its probably worth pulling them all up and relaying a marine ply to re-level. Then go from there.

Have a look at the various vinyl click flooring systems. They will work on a flexible floor. I got some when I couldn't persuade my girlfriend that Cork was cool.

Hi, if it's floorboards you've got, you can cover with ply to strengthen and to help make level, and as long as you use the right adhesive and grout (with flex) it should be fine, but get a second and third opinion which always helps cheers and good luck.

Normally I rip up the existing floor and put in 18mm ply, it's close to most victorian floorboards in height. screwed down at 200mm centres, screw heads countersunk and filled with 2 pack filler (sorry future workmen!), then lay Amtico/Dalsouple/Cork or similar quality tiles. You can reckon a cost of around £35 per square metre for the tiles, add the ply and glue you'll probably be around £42 psqm.

I've never been disappointed in that kind of flooring, it usually looks good is hard wearing and flexible and waterproof. The only thing that can go wrong is debris under the tiles when you are sticking them down, the whole area needs to be kept clean or you might start to see some little bumps under the tiles.

Cheers @Airhead. Ripping up (and starting again) sounds like the way to go.

In other DIY questions. Carpenter has just finished our full wall bookshelf jobby. Only problem being is totally ignored my request to make the shelves a selection of heights rather than one height. He was a bit of a lemon so I didn't want to ask him to do anymore and am more than capable of doing stuff myself, if time allows.

However, the way he's left it. If I wanted to add some shelves into the what you can see below. Will I come a cropper screwing into the edge of MDF? I am kind of thinking adding the odd shelf to make it less uniform and allow for smaller books to be put on shelves without wasted space above them. The only issue is I have experienced MDF splitting when screwing into the edge of it.

Use something like this into the side members and rest the shelf on top.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/hafele-mdf-shelf-supports-50-pack/5959P?kpid=5959P&cmmmc=Google--Product%20Listing%20Ads--Sales%20Tracking--sales%20tracking%20url&gclid=Cj0KEQiAuJXFBRDirIGnpZLE-N4BEiQAqV0KGvBlq-vyKroDnp0gWyNsLBu6Aw5e5fhmWp_m3JC0dW0aAqHA8P8HAQ

Now that is a good idea. I hadn't thought of those things at all. Thanks!

How about building completely separate c or u shaped units that you could place inside the existing shelves? That way there is no compromise in strength of the original unit, you aren't tied to putting them in any one spot and you can add or remove them as your collection changes.

Good call, I think I might go with the shelf support option as its pretty straight forward so we can get some books up on there (after prime/paint). If Option A seems shonky I'll look at make alternative units (B) to place inside. Thanks all!