Jo Behari - Beginners Guide to DIY & Home Repair: Essential DIY Techniques for the First Timer

Copyright 2011, 2019 Jo Behari, Alison Winfield-Chislett and Creative Homeowner

Beginners Guide to DIY & Home Repair is an updated and revised edition of ISBN 978-1-84773-754-0, originally published in 2011 by New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd.

This book may not be reproduced, either in part or in its entirety, in any form, by any means, without written permission from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts for purposes of radio, television, or published review. All rights, including the right of translation, are reserved. Note: Be sure to familiarize yourself with manufacturers instructions for tools, equipment, and materials before beginning a project. Although all possible measures have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material presented, neither the author nor the publisher is liable in case of misinterpretation of directions, misapplication, or typographical error.

Creative Homeowner is a registered trademark of New Design Originals Corporation.

Beginners Guide to DIY & Home Repair

Vice President-Content: Christopher Reggio

Editor: Jeremy Hauck

Copy Editor: Colleen Dorsey

Designer: David Fisk

Indexer: Johanna Egert

Print ISBN 978-1-58011-828-6
eISBN 978-1-60765-903-7

The Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the Library of Congress.

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to acquisitions@foxchapelpublishing.com.

Creative Homeowner, www.creativehomeowner.com, is an imprint of New Design Originals Corporation and distributed exclusively in North America by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 800-457-9112, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552, and in the United Kingdom by Grantham Book Service, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ.

Being a homeowner is one of the most satisfying things that can happen to an adult. Youve finally made it; you own your own pile of bricks and mortar. But now what!? A home is as big a responsibility as the family you put in it. It needs tender loving care and plenty of nurturing. So, learn how it works, know when it needs attention, and learn how to make it your own.

The knowledge you will gain from owning this book will not only give you a great understanding of how your home functions but will also provide you with the skills needed to make that house your home. Tackling small DIY jobs like putting up a shelf or wallpapering a room will give you so much satisfaction while keeping your bank account in the black.

Over the years I have lived in many different types of properties and having this knowledge behind me has allowed me to keep those homes in good condition and customize them to my own style. For me home improvement skills are some of the most important life skills we should possess. We all know how important it is to learn to cook a meal or do the washing, so why not put using a drill on that same list?

This book will guide you through the basics of how your home works, giving you confidence to know when things are going wrong and how to fix them when they do. You will also benefit from step by step projects to allow you to customize your own home. Perfect for any beginner and a must for any new homeowner.

JO BEHARI

We hope that as a result of reading some of this book you will feel able to tackle that first long-awaited DIY job in your home that has taunted you for too long.

Even if the task is just tightening up some hinges or hanging a coat hook, that moment of standing back to admire your own handiwork is the payoff. Pleasure receptors in the brain kick in and reward you for all your planning and doing.

Besides the amazement that the house didnt fall down as a result and the relief of not handing over hard-earned money to someone, there is a special relationship that starts to form with your home itself. That useful shelf you hung, or the room you painted (even with its imperfections) adds to a feeling of connection to your surroundings and develops a satisfaction and pride you cant buy.

Since 2011, many more tools are now cordless and affordable. No more tripping over cables of circular saws, sanders, and drills. Designs are easier for smaller hands to use, with intuitive controls so you wont be trying to find the manual before you begin.

Cordless power tools have become even more empowered. The batteries have upgraded from containing heavy nickel cadmium that took hours to charge and have been superseded with smaller, lighter, super-fast charging lithium-ion ones that keep their charge even when they arent being used so you have no excuse to put off that emergency job.

Lets get going!

ALISON WINFIELD-CHISLETT

You are entering a world of scratch awls, claw hammers, and hacksawswelcome to Beginners Guide to DIY & Home Repair. If you carry on a little further you might just pick up a skill or two, although you may already possess transferable skills you can use to transform your home. Like following a recipe to produce a fantastic dish, a successful do-it-yourself project is the result of thoughtful planning, putting together the right ingredients, using a method that works, keeping an eye on the clock, and adding a splash of flair.

We hope that everyone can take something from these pages. If you are a complete novice, we hope you will be emboldened to give it a shot. And dont be daunted by the tools. Think of electric drills as egg beaters on steroids and remember that sanding machines are just a cooler, coarser iron. Its the correct tool if it gets the job done.

This book is intended for people with a range of abilities. By learning about tools and how to use them, you can then put these to use with the appropriate materials and techniques that will become skills when practiced over time. Plan starter projects in less-frequently used rooms if possible practice might not make perfect, but it will do.