Rugby Star’s Tiling Challenge Goes Viral

Former international rugby player Lewis Moody M.B.E was called upon to test Elastoplast’s new Extra Tough plaster and it proved a huge success!

The ex-rugby captain and part-time DIY guru has become a viral hit after taking on a Vertical Tiling challenge.

The 33-year-old has turned into a huge sensation on YouTube after being videoed trying to tile a wall whilst being tied to a rope. The ‘Extreme DIY with Elastoplast Extra Tough’ clip involves the sportsman running back and forth with plaster and tiles in a nail-biting race against the stopwatch but the tongue in cheek video shows him falling all over the place as he is catapulted back by the spring.

Despite spilling plaster all over himself and being in a race against the horn, Moody shows just how super sticky, durable and waterproof the new plasters are no matter how extreme the DIY task is!

But why was the sportsman the perfect candidate? The English rugby union player from Berkshire recently announced his retirement from the game in March of this year. With so much spare time on his hands, he has starting to enjoy a spot of DIY as well as take part in extreme sports like wakeboarding. And as many people know, accidents can happen when participating in dangerous sports as well as trying to put up a shelf or fix a leaking tap around the home.

The video has already received over 100,000 views and if you fancy checking out the hilarious clip you can watch it too by clicking here. Next week Brits can watch how the Extreme Tough plaster copes against bandsaw skateboards!

Can I paint over lining paper?

A popular search that often comes up is, “Can I paint over lining paper?” Many people are not sure what lining paper is meant for or how to use it. This post will hopefully answer any of your questions about lining paper and its uses.

What is lining paper meant for

Lining paper has always primarily been used to give a smooth base in which to wallpaper over, however, a few years back wallpaper wasn’t fashionable and plain emulsioned walls, were all the rage but people soon realised that their walls were not that perfect, hence why they had the woodchip or embossed anaglypta or highly pattered wallpaper they had on the walls. So, the answer was to line the walls before painting them with emulsion. So yes, you can paint over lining paper.

About ten years ago it was rare to hang wallpaper but very common to remove wallpaper and line the walls and emulsion them. Even though plain emulsioned walls are still very common today there has been a return to wallpaper in the last few years and wallpapered feature walls have become very common, this is partly fashion but also cost, as wallpaper can be very expensive.

Lining paper

If you wish to emulsion your walls rather than wallpaper them but the plasterwork isn’t wonderful you can hang lining paper and then emsulsion over it, just remember, lininig paper will not give you wonderful smooth walls that are blemish free, it isn’t the quick and easy fix. You still need to fill and prepair the walls before lining them and you may still see some lumps and bumps.

If this is the route you wish to take you need to know how to hang the lining paper.

To cross line or not?

Cross-lining is where the lining paper is hung horizontally rather the vertically like traditional wallpaper, normally if you are going to be emulsioning over the lining paper you could hang it as you would wallpaper, vertically.

Once you have hung the lining paper you need to allow it to fully dry before you emulsion over it, this will take normally between 12 – 24 hours depending on drying conditions.

Cost and budget

We are all budget conscious these days and have to budget for all expenses, decorating is no exception. The cost of wallpaper these days can make decorating a room expensive, lining your walls and emulsioniing them is a good alternative to paying out for wallpaper for the entire room, having a wallpapered feature wall can make a focal point in any room. The advantage of emulsioning your walls is that you can change the look and feel of a room fairly cheaply just buy buying another colour of emulsion, you can keep on trend with the colour of the year rather than the latest fashionable wallpaper trend.

Ware and tear if you have young children or pets may also sway your choice, if you pay £30 upwards for per roll of wallpaper and the kids decide to draw all over it you may not be best pleased! If they do it to an emulsioned wall you may not be best pleased still but it can be sorted out quickly and cheaply buy painting over it.

High Level Cisterns Making a Comeback

Over the last decade or so there has been real trend for homeowners to update their bathrooms and make them look ultra modern. As such we have seen the old avocado and canary yellow bathroom suites disappearing, to be replaced with brilliant white bathrooms and sinks. Chrome has also become very popular, with many opting for the material in their towel rails, mirrors and other accessories.

However, the contemporary look isn’t to everyone’s tastes, nor does it suit all properties. In these period properties it is better to install bathroom suites that are more traditional in design, such as a slipper bath. Cast iron radiators are also a popular choice to add a bit of character. Those really looking to complete the look are now going a little further and as such we are seeing high level cisterns making a comeback. They were of course the norm during the Victorian period and are often still found in many pubs and older hotels. In contrast, modern toilets tend to hide the cistern away as much as it possible, either tucked against the wall or even hidden behind a wall panel. But for a truly authentic Victorian look you should be proudly showing off the functional aspects of your toilets with high level cisterns.

Installation considerations

Before you go out and spend your heard earned money on a high level cistern, there are a few factors you must consider in terms of installation:

• A bathroom with a high ceiling is of course a must. If you can’t fit a high level cistern in then there are also mid level cisterns, which incorporate a shorter pipe.
• Be sure to check that the wall you wish to attach the cistern to isn’t a stud wall. The system is very heavy and will need to be securely fixed.
• High levels cisterns should be attached to outside walls so that the soil pipe can be well hidden.

Tips on Securing Cheap Bathroom Furniture

Updating your bathroom can be an exciting time – especially if it hasn’t had a makeover for several years and the bathroom suite is starting to show its age. Ideally we’d all like to splash out thousands of pounds; buying the most luxurious bathroom furniture that we can find and completing the look with marble or granite tiling. However, in the real world such a bathroom is beyond the budgets of many homeowners and we look to achieve a beautiful bathroom, without breaking the bank. Furniture is of course the biggest expense during a bathroom overall and a careful approach can see you make a decent saving.

The right fit

It should go without saying that the first step of the process should be to get your tape measure out and make a note of exactly how much space you have available. At this point you should consider where you are going to position each item and whether you wish to install an irregular shaped bath or perhaps a separate shower enclosure. It is important to decide at this point exactly which items of furniture you will be buying if you are to get the best price.

Paying a visit

Once you know which items of bathroom furniture you require and have a rough idea of the style, you should then take a trip to a local bathroom showroom. Here you can get a better idea of whether you like the kind of furniture that you are leaning towards, or whether you may need to reconsider. If there is a bath or shower enclosure on show that matches the dimensions that you need for your installation then it is a good idea to sit or stand in them and see how they feel. It may be that the L-shaped bath you had in mind doesn’t feel quite right once you get sat in it.

At some point you are likely to be approached by a member of the sales team. Rather than wave them away you should instead ask them to price up how much it would cost to purchase all of the items you require and like, without actually committing yourself to buying anything. Try and do a little haggling to get an idea of their best price.

Cut out the middleman

Unless you have fallen in love with a specific suite or piece of bathroom furniture in the showroom, your next step should be to take a look online. Only a few bathroom showrooms can offer the kind of prices that can be found on the internet. You should now have a rough guide price provided by the salesperson, which you should be able to beat without too much difficulty. Do try to order all the furniture from the same supplier, as most provide great bathroom offers when ordering multiple items.