Learning DIY

fannyanna

Morning All,

I'm just wondering how you all learnt DIY.

Basically Hubby and I are hopeless at DIY. Wouldn't have a clue where to start in most scenarios (other than painting - we can do that ).

We rely very heavily on my Dad who is an all round handyman. We bought our first property in 2007 which needed a lot of work doing to it and my Dad did the majority of things - other than fit our boiler (he can do it but was not corgi registered).

My Dad is getting older now and his health isn't the best and I think it's about time that Hubby and I became more self sufficient when it comes to DIY.

But how do we learn? I have heard B&Q do DIY classes but I think this is a relatively new thing and they don't do them in our area.

Any ideas?

Ebe_Scrooge

Having someone to show you is the best way. I learned by helping my dad when I was young, over the course of several years I could do pretty much most basic tasks - plumbing, electrical, simple bricklaying, tiling, woodwork, etc.

If this is not a practical solution for your situation, try finding some local night classes - these are often held at local schools, colleges, etc., and your local library will probably have details of what's available. You should find there are courses ranging from beginners "all round basics" type things to more advanced. This would probably give you a good start. Once you know the basics, you'll find it's quite easy to pick up more advanced skills through experience - in particular, you'll find you work out how to overcome the inevitable problems when things don't go quite as per the rule-book :-)

WLM21

Why not try and enrol on an evening class, which will probably start in September at some of your local schools.

Although not all DIY is joinery, a woodwork course would be a good place to start .. you will get to know how to use a range of tools. You'll then be able to hang shelves, fit doors for example.

Plumbing is quite difficult to get right (ie leak proof) so I would wait for a while before trying to learn that.

Painting and decorating is pretty easy .. there's probably not too much to learn. Paperhanging is obviously more difficult than painting, but should be easy to pickup. Our local schools don't offer part time evening classes on decorating, but maybe the schools near to you do. Or try the technical colleges.

Good luck ! and happy DIY'ing

... and there's YouTube too

googler

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Practice, practice, practice.

How did you learn any of the skills that you do have at the moment?

When your Dad did the previous stuff, did you learn from him what he was doing? Did you watch him, did you join in? He sounds as though he knows what he's doing, why don't you ask him to pass on his knowledge?

There's hundreds, possibly thousands of books on the subject, many of which you could possibly pick up from eBay or charity shops for next to nothing. There's hundreds, possibly thousands of websites out there with DIY advice. You can pick up information from these at no cost apart from the time to look. www.diynot.com for a starter.

spadoosh

Yeh think the best way to learn DIY is to just have a go, depends what your after when doing work on your house though. Certain jobs youll be good at and others youll be really bad at. I always try and make sure i have the money set aside to be able to pay for a pro should things go completely t!ts up (burst pipe, loose electrics, leaking gas) Happened to me this week actually, was laying laminate in afriends house and some of the floorboards were loose so took up and replaced, noticed a loose board near the skirting and thought i would just tap it down.... sssssssssss bang nail in the niddle of the pipe!

The B&Q courses are really for beginners and only show the 'perfect scenario' youll learn alot about the equipment and tools to use for a job but not much practical experience. for example they might show you how to change a light but when you actually come to change a light itll probably be on a loop which is the bit they didnt show. a good place to start for any jobs you plan on doing is probably youtube, there loads of videos on DIY just a bit harder to find english ones

27col

If you don't mind me saying so, the person that you should have been learning from is your Dad. What an opportunity to miss, having a very knowledgeable person on tap. Even now, in spite of ill health I've no doubt that he would be happy to help you to do the jobs yourselves. Not by physically doing them himself, but by telling you how to do them and by pointing out your mistakes. As googler has said, there are many books available on the subject. Have a look in the library and when you find a really comprehensive one go and buy yourself a copy for future reference. I have always found that other DIYers usually willing to pass on their skills if you ask.

Leif

I've been pleased with what I have achieved, albeit simple tasks such as replacing socket and switch covers, replacing a socket mounting box, removing floor tiles, prepping walls, and painting.

There is so much information online, and it seems mostly good. I have had a lot of help from colleagues. One explained to me what a ring circuit is (the Readers Digest DIY book did not explain it well), so I now understand how sockets and lights are wired. Colleagues, friends and relatives can be a mine of knowledge, especially your dad.

Some things such as plastering are hard to learn properly, but there are evening classes for tasks such as bricklaying.

My approach is to read as much as I can about a task such as replacing a socket mounting box, and understand what to do. Then get the correct tools, and do it. You can always get pros to do the harder bits e.g. install skirting.

fannyanna

Thank you all for your responses. I think you’re right – the best way of learning is to ask my Dad. It’s a shame that I’m only now thinking about learning DIY as I’ve had so many opportunities to learn from him. In the past I’ve just asked him to do things and I’ve just let him get on with them.

I’m now thinking about the different things that I might be able to learn to do myself. Such as :

• hanging wallpaper,
• tiling walls,
• hanging pictures or putting up shelves,
• how to wire a light fitting or switch,
• how to change a plug
• how to stop a water leak (I’ve a rough idea where the stop !!!! is but the place would probably be flooded before I found it).

Can anyone think of any other things that I should really learn to try / might be able to do?

Snappa

Trial and error and use the knowledge that people around you have.

I'm not saying start doing structural re-working, but with most things you do in DIY, as was mentioned earlier, its down to common sense.

Another crucial thing is learning about which tools are for which jobs, so familiarise yourself with your Dads tools and ask him what they are for. That should give you a decent idea of how to do some basic stuff, and then you just build on that gradually.

LandyAndy

fannyanna wrote: »

Thank you all for your responses. I think you’re right – the best way of learning is to ask my Dad. It’s a shame that I’m only now thinking about learning DIY as I’ve had so many opportunities to learn from him. In the past I’ve just asked him to do things and I’ve just let him get on with them.





I’m now thinking about the different things that I might be able to learn to do myself. Such as :

• hanging wallpaper,
• tiling walls,
• hanging pictures or putting up shelves,
• how to wire a light fitting or switch,
• how to change a plug
• how to stop a water leak (I’ve a rough idea where the stop !!!! is but the place would probably be flooded before I found it).

Can anyone think of any other things that I should really learn to try / might be able to do?

Those are all things that the average person should have no difficulty doing succesfully. Wallpapering takes a bit of practice but it is extremely satisfying:). Tiling isn't too bad if you take it steady and take your time around the 'awkward' bits.

Knowing how to rake out and fill and sand cracks in walls and ceilings in preparation for painting is useful and makes a big difference to the finished result

I managed to combine a vague recollection of school woodwork with a very tiny bit of common sense to work out how to hang new internal doors. Saved me a fortune when I replaced all the ones in my house but you might go a lifetime and never want to do that.

Leif

LandyAndy wrote: »

I managed to combine a vague recollection of school woodwork with a very tiny bit of common sense to work out how to hang new internal doors. Saved me a fortune when I replaced all the ones in my house but you might go a lifetime and never want to do that.

How hard was it to hang a door, and what tools did you use? I would like to replace existing doors, but I have heard conflicting opinions, some saying it is hard.