One of the most touted benefits of laminate flooring over other types is the fact that the smooth surface makes it easy to clean. However, anyone with laminate will also note how quickly the floor starts to look dirty - presumably because dirt and mess shows up more rather than being hidden; like in carpets for example.

The good thing that does come from the ‘rapid dirtiness’ situation is that you are prompted to clean the floors more often, which is a definite hygienic improvement. And, circling back to the start of this article, it is very easy to clean too - requiring just a little effort and time to get the floor looking sparkling again.

This article is a brief guide on how to install wall brackets for you to hang your thin TV on. You can read our previous article for more information on why people mount TVs on their walls.

Obviously these steps have been simplified and you should only carry out this task if you feel comfortable with basic DIY tasks.

1. Start by deciding on an appropriate location for the installation. Try to pick a spot that offers the best viewing angles for where people will be situated. Also, account for both the height and width of the TV unit itself.
2. If possible, use a stud finder and drill holes in the wall to match your TV bracket’s wall plate screw holes. The size of drill bit will depend on the size of the screws provided with the kit.
3. Once the wall plate is secure, screw the backing plate of the bracket set to the rear of the television in the corresponding VESA holes.
4. Finally, there should be a hook or attachment mechanism on the TV back plate that should slot into the wall plate.

With the good times come the bad times. And it’s only when we appreciate how bad the bad times are that we can appreciate what’s good in life. The same goes with DIY. Standing back and looking at the impressive room you’ve just decorated or the brilliant shelves you’ve just fixed makes you feel good. One thing however that makes you feel bad and we mean BAD, is wallpaper stripping.

I’ve yet to find a person who likes stripping wallpaper, even the stuff which is supposed to pull off in a single strip but never does. And if you have a particularly bad experiance where the previous homeowner has used 10,000 tubes of superglue to affix the paper to the wall, it’s no wonder you’ll never want to do it again.

We could say invest in a wallpaper steamer to help you out, but even that’s not good enough. What you need to do instead is GSI to strip the walls for you.

Every person who does DIY knows that the most important thing to do before starting is to make sure you have enough tea bags to get you through the job. Tea and DIY are like cookies and cream or like sausage and mash - they’re a match made in heaven.

The type of tea you drink when you are doing DIY is imperative, there’s no point drinking Earl Grey, Jasmine or Camomile, what you need is good old builders brew, well steeped and with a little milk plus two sugars and plently of it.

Another important thing here is the art of never making a brew yourself. Getting someone else to make a brew is epitome DIY nirvana.

We’ve all been there - you’ve had new carpets fitted and the fitting company had to remove your doors. You screw them back in place only to find there’s not a cat-in-hells chance of them ever closing again. What you need to do is to remove some meat from the bottom of the door.

Using an electric plane is the easiest and most dangerous way of removing some wood from the bottom of a door. The door simply needs removing from the door frame and lying on its side. Using a straight edge mark on both sides of the door the amount of wood you need to remove.

It’s best to use the plane outdoors because of the mess it will create. Start the plane on the lowest setting and shave a small amount from the door until you get the feel for it. Turn the door over to plane the other side and make sure you are planing evenly. Use sandpaper to get a good finish.

When using an electric plane, safety glasses, a safety mask and gloves should always be worn.

If you have every tried to fit your own skirting boards you will realise the job is a lot trickier than it looks. Fitting them to the wall is ok, as is adding the coat of primer and top coat of paint. The difficult bit it getting the angles right when you are cutting them.

One of the best tools to use when cutting any angles on any wood working job is a mitre saw. A mitre saw can hold the piece of wood in place until you accurately cut it to form the exact angle needed.

You would think that most skirtings would only need a 45 degree angle cutting, but many homes in the UK are not square and a variety of angles may need to be cut so you can butt the skirtings together to get the best finish.

We all rely on the drains that lead away from our homes on a daily basis, but we do little with regard to their maintenance until we have a blockage. There are some things you can do however to stop blockages before they occur.

• Pour boiling water down the drain on a regular basis
• Use debris catchers in sinks and bathtubs to collect food stuffs and hair
• Once a year pour a drain cleaning solution into your sink and bathtub plugholes
• Clear garden debris from the outside drains
• Keep your gutters clear from leaf debris

If you keep on top of your drain maintenance you won’t have to call a drain cleaning company as you won’t have a blocked drain.

If you have the right tools for the job you are doing will make a huge amount of difference to how quick you do the job and the quality of the finished job.

Some examples include:

Electrics: A multimeter - Checking voltages is impossible without a meter of some sort. And if you have a good multimeter you will be able to check AC, Dc and measure current.

Plastering: A float - Without a float, plastering a wall is nigh on impossible. If you try to use a trowel, you will be set up to fail.

Plumbing: Being able to use an adjustable wrench does not make you a plumber. You need a wide range of tools and not rely on the new type of push-fit connectors.

Fitting new tiles in the bathroom is not a complicated task; you just have to have the right tools and a little knowhow.

Assuming you’ve fixed the tiles to the wall, you will now have to mix your grout. The grout should have a smooth consistency similar to think cream.

Using a float, the grout can be pushed into the gaps between the tiles; don’t be tempted to use your fingers. When all the gaps are filled, run over the surface with the float one more time making sure there are no air bubbles beneath the surface of the grout. After about 20 minutes you can wipe the excess grout from the tiled surface using a damp cloth, making sure that the grout lies just under the level of the tiles. After a further hour, the surface of the tiles can be polished with a sponge. Make sure you leave adequate time before wetting the grout by having a bath or using the shower.

It’s always a good idea to get a professional to do the job if you are struggling or are unsure in any way.

There comes a time when the taps in your kitchen or bathroom will need replacing. It may be that they have simply given up the ghost, or it might be that you simply want to redesign the look of the room.

Replacing taps is easy, if you have the right tools and are confident about tackling this type of DIY job. If you are lucky, your taps will have been fitted with shut off valves, which can simply be turned off to isolate the water supply. If they haven’t got these valves, you will have to turn off the cold water supply and the hot water supply (depending on your heating system).

When fitting new taps, it’s always advisable to fit isolating valves so any maintenance at a later stage can be done quickly and easily. It’s also a good idea to use flexible braided hoses, which can make the installation job a lot easier.