That 'big project' I've been banging on about for a few years now....

[James Harrison]

Well, that's just  -ing fantastic.  The radiator cover arrived today.  Height of the radiator: 95cm.  Height of the cover: <95cm.  Quite considerably <95cm.  It means I now get to build one for myself but it's still £50-odd I could have done without losing.

[SeVeNeVeS]

Well, that's just  -ing fantastic.  The radiator cover arrived today.  Height of the radiator: 95cm.  Height of the cover: <95cm.  Quite considerably <95cm.  It means I now get to build one for myself but it's still £50-odd I could have done without losing.

Think about adapting what you already have. How much shorter is the cover? My initial thought wold be either lower the radiator, or add something special to the base of the cover to raise it, could save a lot of money and hassle. A photo or two would help.

[James Harrison]

The problem is that the radiator was installed to sit above the skirtingboards, which are (I suspect) original to the house, clocking in at 6" tall.  The radiator cover is 80cm in height, so there's a considerable difference between the two.  I could set it up on something but that's just setting up of course for when somebody barges into it and sends the thing flying.  All told I think a bespoke solution is probably called for.

[Sorontar]

Can you replicate the skirting boards underneath the cover to give it the extra 15 cm? Or construct some 15cm brass(ish) legs for each of the corners of the cover?

Any way, I'm sure you'll sort it out. We normally do.

Sorontar

[Deimos]

I'm guessing it looks like one of these
radiator covers

But I second what SeVeNeVeS suggested....pics would help.
The situation may be salvageable, even to the point of making the cover look really punk/Vic-Wardian 

[SeVeNeVeS]

Can you replicate the skirting boards underneath the cover to give it the extra 15 cm? Or construct some 15cm brass(ish) legs for each of the corners of the cover?

Any way, I'm sure you'll sort it out. We normally do.

Sorontar

my thoughts exactly, looking at your photos I would say Torus 150mm available from B und Q/ Wickes might work very well.

[James Harrison]

I think that's very close (if not identical) to what I've already got.  I've done a little bit of investigation work this morning with a sanding block and the skirting I've confirmed as timber (though not a light wood or pine).  Because I'm pretty much bouncing off the walls in here when I'm not working, I've ordered a power sander this morning so I can hopefully make some progress getting the skirting boards and window sill prepared for eventual glossing. 

Considering the sitting room generally the plan remains to paint the walls in a deep rich blue, with the ceiling, skirting, architrave and window surround a gloss white.  As of last weekend I had cleaned down and whitewashed the walls and then used a testerpot of the proposed colour to do a large scale test in a corner, so I now get to see what it looks like in all sorts of lighting conditions before doing the whole room. 



I just wish I'd bought the paint before damnable plague started doing its thing. 

[Hurricane Annie]

I think that's very close (if not identical) to what I've already got.  I've done a little bit of investigation work this morning with a sanding block and the skirting I've confirmed as timber (though not a light wood or pine).  Because I'm pretty much bouncing off the walls in here when I'm not working, I've ordered a power sander this morning so I can hopefully make some progress getting the skirting boards and window sill prepared for eventual glossing. 

Considering the sitting room generally the plan remains to paint the walls in a deep rich blue, with the ceiling, skirting, architrave and window surround a gloss white.  As of last weekend I had cleaned down and whitewashed the walls and then used a testerpot of the proposed colour to do a large scale test in a corner, so I now get to see what it looks like in all sorts of lighting conditions before doing the whole room. 



I just wish I'd bought the paint before damnable plague started doing its thing. 

That blue is quite grand. It's like deep space  or the deep ocean.

[Deimos]

SNIP...
Considering the sitting room generally the plan remains to paint the walls in a deep rich blue, with the ceiling, skirting, architrave and window surround a gloss white.  As of last weekend I had cleaned down and whitewashed the walls and then used a testerpot of the proposed colour to do a large scale test in a corner, so I now get to see what it looks like in all sorts of lighting conditions before doing the whole room....  

James, I really like that blue.....BUT.....you know that dark colors make a room look smaller, right? And the darker the color the smaller the room will seem.  That blue would be great as an accent but if you paint all four walls that color, the room might start to feel a bit confining.
Did you say you were going to put in wainscoting?  If so, then the blue would work pretty well, provided the wainscoting is light or even white (which would be best...imho)  

                                                           wainscoting  

And btw speaking of wainscoting (were we..?) it looks really good if your ceilings are high.
It wouldn't look good on my walls because the ceilings are 8ft.  But it would work in a room that had 9ft ceilings or higher.

[SeVeNeVeS]

SNIP...
Considering the sitting room generally the plan remains to paint the walls in a deep rich blue, with the ceiling, skirting, architrave and window surround a gloss white.  As of last weekend I had cleaned down and whitewashed the walls and then used a testerpot of the proposed colour to do a large scale test in a corner, so I now get to see what it looks like in all sorts of lighting conditions before doing the whole room.... 

James, I really like that blue.....BUT.....you know that dark colors make a room look smaller, right? And the darker the color the smaller the room will seem.  That blue would be great as an accent but if you paint all four walls that color, the room might start to feel a bit confining.
Did you say you were going to put in wainscoting?  If so, then the blue would work pretty well, provided the wainscoting is light or even white (which would be best...imho)   

                                                            wainscoting 

And btw speaking of wainscoting (were we..?) it looks really good if your ceilings are high.
It wouldn't look good on my walls because the ceilings are 8ft.  But it would work in a room that had 9ft ceilings or higher.

I'm sorry, each to their own but a whole room done I tend to agree, too dark, maybe a feature wall in that colour. By the way if you need any advice on building, I am a self employed everything, I have experience in plumbing, electrics, carpentry, double glazing , ex gas fitter, please do ask before you get ripped off for an opinion or maybe some DIY help.

[James Harrison]

SNIP...
Considering the sitting room generally the plan remains to paint the walls in a deep rich blue, with the ceiling, skirting, architrave and window surround a gloss white.  As of last weekend I had cleaned down and whitewashed the walls and then used a testerpot of the proposed colour to do a large scale test in a corner, so I now get to see what it looks like in all sorts of lighting conditions before doing the whole room.... 

James, I really like that blue.....BUT.....you know that dark colors make a room look smaller, right? And the darker the color the smaller the room will seem.  That blue would be great as an accent but if you paint all four walls that color, the room might start to feel a bit confining.
Did you say you were going to put in wainscoting?  If so, then the blue would work pretty well, provided the wainscoting is light or even white (which would be best...imho)   

                                                            wainscoting 

And btw speaking of wainscoting (were we..?) it looks really good if your ceilings are high.
It wouldn't look good on my walls because the ceilings are 8ft.  But it would work in a room that had 9ft ceilings or higher.

SNIP...
Considering the sitting room generally the plan remains to paint the walls in a deep rich blue, with the ceiling, skirting, architrave and window surround a gloss white.  As of last weekend I had cleaned down and whitewashed the walls and then used a testerpot of the proposed colour to do a large scale test in a corner, so I now get to see what it looks like in all sorts of lighting conditions before doing the whole room.... 

James, I really like that blue.....BUT.....you know that dark colors make a room look smaller, right? And the darker the color the smaller the room will seem.  That blue would be great as an accent but if you paint all four walls that color, the room might start to feel a bit confining.
Did you say you were going to put in wainscoting?  If so, then the blue would work pretty well, provided the wainscoting is light or even white (which would be best...imho)   

                                                            wainscoting 

And btw speaking of wainscoting (were we..?) it looks really good if your ceilings are high.
It wouldn't look good on my walls because the ceilings are 8ft.  But it would work in a room that had 9ft ceilings or higher.

I'm sorry, each to their own but a whole room done I tend to agree, too dark, maybe a feature wall in that colour. By the way if you need any advice on building, I am a self employed everything, I have experience in plumbing, electrics, carpentry, double glazing , ex gas fitter, please do ask before you get ripped off for an opinion or maybe some DIY help.

I would agree about the colour being too dark, were it not that the room faces south.  I wouldn't want my dining room painted in it as it faces north and gets no direct sunlight, but the sitting room is quite a bright room generally so I think it will be able to stand it. 

Wainscotting- we were talking about that for the dining room, but having seen how little light it tends to get I'm having second thoughts (about panelling it out anyway).  It might be reduced just to a dado and picture rail with an appropriate light wallpaper between the two. 

Thanks for the offer SeVeNeVeS- I'll keep it in mind, much appreciated indeed.

[Mercury Wells]

What type of flooring do you have in the hallway James?

[James Harrison]

The hallway is tiled. Modern patterned tiles that have been modelled on Minton tiles of the late 19th/ early 20th century. The original tiles are still in place beneath but I have no idea what condition they're in, what they look like or whether they could be exposed again without being destroyed by the removal of the new tiles and grouting.

[Mercury Wells]

Pity. 

[The Bullet]

There is just one way to find out.
If you are lucky, the new tiles do not stick reliably and come off when you hit the top lightly with a hammer.
Otherwise they stick better to the old tiles than the old tiles stick to the wall...

I have seen both cases.

Later this year our kitchen will be refurbished. I have found that on two walls we have three layers of tiles.
This will be a case for the big hammer and chisel.

[James Harrison]

Efforts are ongoing to strip the window sill and the skirting boards of layer upn layer of paint.  The window sill has about three coats on there, the skirting boards only one or two I think but badly applied.

So far I've tried sanding it down by hand (much effort, no result), sanding it down with a palm sander (lots of dust and noise but no real result) and a heat gun (lots of heat, giving results slowly, but gave me electric shock whilst unplugging the thing  ). 

Short of using chemical strippers (which I've read aren't particularly good since the more potent solvents were banned), any other options I could look at?

[SeVeNeVeS]

Efforts are ongoing to strip the window sill and the skirting boards of layer upn layer of paint.  The window sill has about three coats on there, the skirting boards only one or two I think but badly applied.

So far I've tried sanding it down by hand (much effort, no result), sanding it down with a palm sander (lots of dust and noise but no real result) and a heat gun (lots of heat, giving results slowly, but gave me electric shock whilst unplugging the thing  ). 

Short of using chemical strippers (which I've read aren't particularly good since the more potent solvents were banned), any other options I could look at?

SYNSTRYP automotive paint stripper. If you get hold of any be VERY careful it is quite dangerous stuff.

I use it for anything and it hasn't let me down so far.

Masks and gloves, open windows, VERY toxic.

Could help.

starchem SYNSTRYP.

[James Harrison]

That looks like something that would be fantastic but probably trigger my asthma.  It looks to be absolutely potent, going through the

COSHH paperwork.

[SeVeNeVeS]

Buy better sanding discs?    

[The Bullet]

a small delta sander will do the trick.
It will get into the corners.
Start with 40 paper, then finish with 80 or 100 to get the wood smooth again.

[James Harrison]

a small delta sander will do the trick.
It will get into the corners.
Start with 40 paper, then finish with 80 or 100 to get the wood smooth again.

That's what I've been using, it's likely to be what I return to (as I don't much like being zapped).  It's just going to take a bit (well, OK, a lot) longer than I originally thought.  But hey, I've got the time to kill at the moment.

[SeVeNeVeS]

A sharp stanley blade repeatedly dragged along the flat surface can remove a remarkable amount of unwanted paint, but if too much gusto administered grooves and ridges will show in the timber if this happens, back to the sander Im afraid.

[von Corax]

Can you get CitriStrip in the UK? I've seen it used on industrial machinery, and the SDS indicates that no breathing protection should be necessary given adequate ventilation.

[James Harrison]

Can you get CitriStrip in the UK? I've seen it used on industrial machinery, and the SDS indicates that no breathing protection should be necessary given adequate ventilation.

Ooh, not heard of that before.  I'll have to have a look. 

A sharp stanley blade repeatedly dragged along the flat surface can remove a remarkable amount of unwanted paint, but if too much gusto administered grooves and ridges will show in the timber if this happens, back to the sander Im afraid.

Back to the sander this afternoon.  The window sill is about half done now, after I changed my technique from repeated long sweeping passes to concentrating on small areas. 

[Deimos]

Can you get CitriStrip in the UK? I've seen it used on industrial machinery, and the SDS indicates that no breathing protection should be necessary given adequate ventilation.

I'll second von Corax  on the Citri-Strip. I have used it...it [at least] works for removing latex paint and also adhesive that held down carpet.  You have to leave it on for a while, longer than regular paint stripper.
It's still "acidic", but pretty mild.  The directions tell you to wear gloves and eye protection because it can irritate skin, but it won't eat away your flesh down to the bone.
Sometimes I wore gloves, but sometime I didn't. I got some on my hands, but washed it off a few minutes later. No irritation and I still have my fingerprints :-D