Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Handy Mac, aka Don MacAlister, is our expert on household DIY issues
DAWN has noisy neighbours:
Q:
I have bought the downstairs unit in a complex which is more than 40 years old, and all the floors are parquet. I can hear every movement in the upstairs unit even though I have a concrete ceiling.
Is there anything I can do to minimise this noise?
A:
Short of buying carpets for the upstairs unit you are going to have to put in some kind of ceiling or insulation layer. What you use will depend on how much height you have to spare as you don’t want to lower your ceilings too much or you may start feeling claustrophobic. The height will also be governed by high-level windows or built-in cupboards that go all the way up to the ceiling. It could become a major undertaking and you will never completely stop the noise as there will be some transfer of noise through the walls.
There are many different products on the market to deal with a problem of this nature, but you need “sound” advice from an acoustic engineer. I would suggest you start with a consultant rather than a company that is trying to sell its product, as the best solution might be a combination of products. I will make inquiries with a ceiling contractor I use and send you any further advice I source.
Brian has a door frame problem: Q:
I extended and refurbished our kitchen. Unfortunately, the builder did not correctly fit the metal door frame as the sides are not perpendicular. As a result there is also a problem tiling the inside wall alongside the door. Fitting the door took time, and now the hinges are showing wear and tear and the door is scraping against the floor.
I believe I need to take out the old frame, refurbish the gap and install a new frame to ensure it is properly aligned. I do have spare tiles to replace any that may be damaged if repairs are made.
What do you think is the best way forward?
A:
Metal door frames are one of my pet hates, especially if you are trying to retro fit one. The chances of getting them 100% level and perpendicular are slim, even on a new build. Today’s artisans battle to get it right. These frames need to be set up and held firmly in place with the necessary props and supports, which becomes a nightmare if you are working with an existing opening.
One question to ask yourself is: do you really need a door in this opening? If the answer is “no”, then rip out the frame and finish it off nicely.
I think the best way to go is to put in a timber frame, which is what we always suggest to our clients. They are much easier to fit and finish off. The only problem is it might not match the rest of the house, but it is quite easy to camouflage with clever use of tiles and paint.
Another possibility is to use a jamb liner. This is timber, but is made to look like a metal frame. It covers the whole width of the wall, rather than fitting into the middle of the wall like a conventional timber frame. Google to get a better idea.
If you want to stick with metal, you need to make the opening quite a lot wider than the frame, so you have space to work behind the frame and build it in properly. Fit the door first and then build in. This will help to stop the frame twisting. At the very least, put lots of timber braces across the width of the frame to prevent buckling and bowing.
When our house was built, metal frames were used and instead of ripping them out as we have done alterations over the years, we have had them painted with a technique so they look like Oregon pine timber. See the picture above.