Dear Donny

Q A Q A QMy new home has an external lobby with a concrete floor and a drain cover. What would you suggest to cover this area? Andrea, by email You could lay non-slip vinyl flooring but I would paint the area – and the drain cover – with a grey floor paint. That way it will be easy to keep the lobby floor clean. I have a lead covering over the top of my bay window and each time it rains the water drips off, streaking and staining the glass. Can I treat it with anything to stop this? Linda Smith, by email You need to coat the lead with patination oil, both on the top surface and, ideally, underneath by lifting the lead as far as it will allow. We live in a 600-year-old stone house in the Pennines and have a problem with bubbling paint on the plasterwork which seems damp and which we are removing. How should we proceed from here?

Lynn Wilson, by email

I would tank the inside surface of external walls and build a frame to be insulated and covered with plasterboard. If the wall itself is dry, you might get away with just framing, plasterboard and then plaster.

ADONNY’S TOP TIP

When painting a room, remember a wall that has direct sunlight shining on it will show up any defects, so take extra time in doing your preparation.

Q

Could you please advise me on the best way to seal my garage roof myself?

Bill Carr, by email

A

There is only so much you can do with patching and repairing before you need to splash out on a watertight new covering. If you want to seal it on a DIY basis then I’d use a combination of Blackjack Bitumen Paint and Blackjack Flashband adhesive tape, available from Toolstation and other outlets. These should be able to extend the life of your roof by a couple of years.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: diy.donny@trinitymirror.com