Butt hinges are found everywhere, from jewellery boxes to back doors.  They are a traditional type of hinge that is easy to obtain and fit.  Simply line up the hinge, frame and door, and then mark where the hinge will go and how deep the recess needs to be.  Before cutting the recess, you should score along the surface of the wood.  This will stop it from splintering.  Use a chisel to cut the recess.  When the recess has been cut, you can screw the butt hinge into place.

Flush Hinges

The difference between flush hinges and butt hinges is that flush hinges only have a recess cut out of one side and the hinge folds into one single width.  The advantage of flush hinges is that they can be screwed straight onto the surface of the cupboard and they do not need to be sprung.  They are good for fitted wardrobes and cupboard doors.

Piano Hinges

Piano hinges are made from steel or brass and are great for supporting a door along its whole length.  They therefore provide extra strength.  They are ideal for blanket boxes and doll house fronts.

Cranked Hinge

A cranked hinge looks like a butt hinge when it is closed.  However, the hinge will enable the door to be opened an entire 180 degrees.

Concealed Cabinet Hinges

Concealed cabinet hinges are used for cabinet doors, which close at the front of the cabinet.  The door side will be secured with a round boss held in place with screws.  The side is secured in place with a baseplate.  This can be altered both horizontally and vertically, enabling you to align a row of doors.  The hinges are usually sprung, so that they will close automatically.

Locating the Blockage

The first task is to find out where the blockage is located. To do this, open the inspection chamber in your garden. There may be more than one and if there is you will need to open them all until you find a clear one. Once a clear one has been found you need to go back to the one before it, which is where the blockage will be. 

Using Drain Rods

In order to remove the blockage you will need to use drain rods. To start with you must screw two of the drain rods together and then attach a work-screw head. Push the rod to the bottom of the chamber and feel around for the channel, which is located at the bottom. You should then slide the rod along the drain leading to the clear chamber. You might need to add more rods as you go. Rotate the rods until the water level drops in the chamber. Once this has happened you will know that the major part of blockage has been cleared, but it may still be necessary to use a plunger to remove any remaining debris from the pipe.

Remember Safety

Before removing the inspection cover from the chamber, make sure there are no animals or children around who could fall into it. Always wear protective gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after working with drains and toilets.

When you clean your sink after daily use, make sure to wipe down the strainer as well.  Use a soapy cloth to do this.  Cleaning the strainer will remove grease and build-up that could eventually have a negative effect on how water drains from the sink.  Always remove food and debris from the strainer each time you finish cleaning the sink.  By allowing food to remain in the strainer, you will promote bacteria growth.

If you notice the drain having a strong smell, the smell could simply be bacteria in the drain pipes.  By pouring a cleaning product down the drain, you will also be cleaning the strainer at the same time.  After pouring any cleaner into the drain, make sure to let the hot water run for a few minutes.  This will help to activate the cleaner and kill any bacteria in the drain and on the strainer.

You can change your mind later without having to choose new kitchen blinds to match your latest experiment in interior design.  In addition, if there are family members of varying ages in your household, you are unlikely to find another product with such universal appeal, as most people will find that aluminium blinds help to create a fresh and spacious feel to the room, regardless of the weather outside.  Another bonus in the selection of aluminium blinds for your kitchen, is that they are extremely lightweight and can be handled easily by young and old alike, even when they need cleaning or dusting.  At the same time, blinds made from this material are not at all flimsy or easy to break, so you need not worry that they will become easily damaged with excessive use in one of the busiest room of the house.

The special hinges used on kitchen cupboard doors incorporate elements that align the doors as well as holding them in place securely.  Open the door to its fullest extent and take a look at the hinges.  One part of the hinge will be secured to the door and the other part will rest on a base unit, called the carcass.

One large screw secures the door to the mounting plate element of the carcass, and this is the screw that you will need to make adjustments to; this screw enables fine alignments to be made to the hang of the door as well as keeping the hinge in place.

When you gently and slowly tighten or loosen this large screw on the hinge, the door will be pulled in or pushed out slightly at the top and bottom, aligning it correctly with the rest of the unit.  You will need to experiment a bit, alternately adjusting the screw and closing the door until it sits properly.

The screw acts like a lever, and very small adjustments are usually all that is required to sort the problem.

Kitchen blinds are perfect for keeping a simple and elegant look in the room.  Windows blinds keep out the sun and keep the heat in during the winter, and they also look better in many cases than curtains, as far as the kitchen is concerned.

Of course, you want your kitchen blinds to fit in with the rest of the décor in your kitchen and provide that much-needed finishing touch.  This is perfectly achievable if you take a look at the colour schemes that are already in place.  They can help you to decide which colour to choose for your kitchen blinds as well.  You could opt for a patterned design or simply go for a plain block of colour.  Either way, you will achieve the look you want with window blinds.

The other big advantage of having roller blinds is that you can easily control the amount of light you will be getting in the room.  At night you can draw the blinds right down, while in the day they can be drawn up or left at some point in between.  You get to be in total control of the look in your kitchen at all times.

Kitchen design is a rich area of interior DIY, with many different materials and styles to choose from. You may find it useful to do prior research into your preferred type of kitchen by going through special websites, books, catalogues or visiting your friends.

The cost of DIY kitchen design depends on what you seek to achieve.  You can start small and work progressively over a longer period or save towards a large scale makeover to be done all at once.

Defining the Kitchen Layout
Designing your kitchen layout depends on what you envisage using the space for.  It may be useful to also use your kitchen as a dining area, in which case you need to leave enough space for a dining table and chairs.

Many modern types of kitchen storage units are multi-functional.  For example, a multi-functional work top can typically combine sink areas, food preparation slabs, bins and cupboards or drawers. Choosing such a versatile item of kitchen furniture will save space for other kitchen units or relaxing chairs.

Kitchen Essentials
Regardless of the style of kitchen you choose to develop, be sure to include the essentials.  These are a sink, cooker, fridge and/or freezer, bins and ventilation shafts or a window.

While there are odd-shaped ceramic tiles available, most come in a standard square or rectangle shape. Sizes generally range from 100 mm x 100 mm to 330 mm x 445 mm. As for colour and texture, well what’s your desire? The plethora of colours and shades is as endless as your imagination.

Ceramic tiles also come in varying qualities and thickness. Your intended use will partially determine which you go for, but budget generally plays the biggest role in the decision.

To determine how many tiles you will need, measure the height and width of an area you’re planning to tile and multiply the two measurements. Repeat this process for each tiling area, subtracting any door or window space from your calculations. (But, remember to include window recesses, etc. if you’re planning to tile them.)

Once you’ve got all of your tiling area calculated, divide the total tiling space by the area of one of the tiles you’ve selected for your project and then add 10% to allow room for mistakes (broken tiles, wrong cuts, etc.) This number will be how many tiles you will need to buy.

Tiles come in boxes, designated by design, colour, etc. and batch number. Because dye batches vary, try to pick your tile sets from the same batch number to ensure a consistent look.

Begin with a list of all the things your lifestyle requires. Is the kitchen a dining area, too? Or is it just a place to do the cooking? Do you need space for washing machines, tumble driers, and dishwashers, or do you have a utility room for these?

Start with a blank canvass; keep in mind all the present inconveniences and plan where appliances could be relocated to make life easier. For example, making a triangle between the cooker, the fridge and the sink immediately creates a more efficient working environment. Shifting doors and windows or adding extensions will require more expense and expert input. An upgrade of this magnitude is getting into the realm of property development – you’ll need more than a few painting and decorating skills for this.

But replacing old floor coverings with water-resistant laminate or ceramic tiles is no big deal, and water pipes, gas pipes and electrical cables can be relatively easily repositioned with a little professional help. Plan for plenty of sockets and upgrade the lighting. Directing light over work surfaces is especially important, and mood lighting can easily be installed under wall cupboards. With a little planning and grafting, you’ll have a dream kitchen in no time.

Once the new work area is planned you will need to carefully remove all the old units. Care should be taken when removing any gas or electrical appliances and the water should be switched off when you remove the sink.

Now you can prepare the walls, filling old holes and drilling new ones for pipes and extractors. Clear a space to assemble the flat packs and start with corner units if your kitchen has an L or U shaped design and work outwards.

Fix base units first before mounting wall units. If you are fixing onto plasterboard make sure you use cavity fixings and it is always worth fitting a couple of extra angle brackets for peace of mind. Most modern units have adjustable legs to make sure you get a level surface and also check where you need to drill exit holes in sink units and oven housings before fitting them.

With the units all securely fitted and level you can then attach the work surfaces, which normally takes two people, as they are quite heavy. Before cutting out holes for hobs and sinks double check; you cannot change your mind afterwards.

Having fitted the work surface you are then ready to plumb in the sink and electrical appliances and any additional lighting, coving and trimmings to make your new kitchen complete.