DIY project guides

All guides

• Plan a room makeover — Define how the room should work, measure what is fixed and turn the chosen look into a practical, phased DIY plan.
• Paint a wall or room — Protect the room, prepare the surface and apply a compatible paint system in a sensible order.
• Wallpaper a wall or room — Check the wall, plan the pattern and hang each drop from a true vertical line.
• Put up shelves — Confirm the wall construction, choose a rated fixing system and lay out level brackets before drilling.
• Add decorative wall panelling — Compare panelling styles, measure and tape out the layout, then prepare every strip before fixing and painting.
• Lay laminate flooring — Confirm the subfloor is dry, flat and sound, then plan the board direction, expansion gaps and thresholds.
• Tile a splashback or small area — Approve the substrate, dry-plan the tile layout and use one compatible adhesive, grout and sealant system.
• Plan and fit kitchen units — Turn the room survey into a cabinet and worktop layout, separating safe assembly from regulated service connections.
• Assemble flat-pack furniture — Check every component, build on a protected level surface and secure tall furniture against tipping.
• Investigate a dripping tap — Identify the tap and its serviceable part, prove the water isolation works and make a reversible low-risk repair.
• Reseal a bath or shower edge — Remove failed sealant without damaging the surfaces, dry the joint fully and apply compatible sanitary sealant.
• Replace a ground-level fence panel — Check the posts and boundary, choose a weather-suitable panel and lift it into sound supports with help.
• Repair a small plasterboard hole — Confirm the damage is local and dry, make a supported patch and build thin finishing coats before repainting.