DIY Q&A

Jul 13 2008 Donny Sheridan

Q When I creosoted my fence, spots went on my driveway. How can I get rid of them?

A Scrub the creosote using white spirit and wash the area with a de-greasing agent such as Gunk De-greasing Fluid, taking care to dispose of the run-off. If the stain remains, get the area professionally steam cleaned or acid washed.

Q Our timber decking gets slippy when wet so we stripped it back to the wood and applied decking cleaner and reviver but it has not made any difference. Would putting sand through a stain give it grip?

A Don't put sand through your stain. Regularly clean the deck with detergent to keep slimy algae at bay and cut back overhanging vegetation to let direct sunlight on to the deck. But if it is in the shade, this will always be a problem.

Q My metal patio set has started to cast its paint. How can I fix it?

A Sand back and wire brush the patio set then use Hammerite rust remover, primer and top coat. But the patio set is probably made from hollow steel tubes and may be corroding from the inside out so it could be time for a new one.

Q We are being overrun by pigeons. They are fouling gutters, blocking drains and making a mess of gardens, paths and roof slates. Any advice?

A Get a pest control firm to spike all leading edges such as window sills, guttering and chimney heads to stop the pigeons perching. They'll soon fly away.

Q We reserved a new flat but have just found out the building is made of breeze block, not bricks. Is this a cheap way of building and will it last?

A You may mean thermalite or thermal block, which is a lightweight block used mainly in the inside of a cavity wall. It has better heating and sound quality. Or do you mean the outer cavity is being made from concrete blocks instead of bricks? If the building is being roughcast or similar, there's no need to use bricks as concrete blocks are faster and cheaper. Either way, the flat will have to pass the building standards so don't worry.