THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Tropicana wood garden lantern, £10.95, Homebase Little Home Camping cotton throw, £25, John Lewis Catalpa palm leaf outdoor rug, £74.25, La Redoute Bee watering can, £14, M&S
Metal watering can, £17.99, H&M Home Picnic blanket, £17.99, H&M Home Folding three-level garden shelving unit, £74.25, La Redoute Set of two Jardim multi coloured round planters, £75, Habitat
QHow easy and costly is it to soundproof a spare room for my drum kit? It’s an upstairs room in a semi-detached but its two external walls are not connected to next door. Nigel Tobin, by email
SIG Acoustic Insulation is a good starting point – you can get acoustic pads, insulation and plasterboard. You need to build a room within a room, and when looking at the specifications, note the 200mm air gap between the existing room and the acoustic room inside the room. This stops sound vibrating.
AA mist coat to show up any defects on the new plaster will help. Use a filler on any spots that need it, then sand it and apply two coats of emulsion paint using a small pile roller, or a medium pile if you can spread/roll quickly.
DONNY’S TOP TIP
QWe have a flat felt roof on our kitchen which has been there for 15 years, and looks pretty good. Although it isn’t leaking, I thought we could apply a sealant over it. Would you recommend this, and which one? David Williams, by email
It’s probably coming to the end of its lifespan, so if there are no solar reflective chips on the roof, you could apply a reinforced plastic coating to add a few years to its life. Ask a roofer
as it’s probably best applied by them.
AQMy car has leaked oil on my new light grey cobbled stone drive. I have tried everything from power washing, WD40, liquid soap, soap powder, dishwasher tablets and baking soda, with no luck. Any advice?
Mrs P Taylor, by email
You need to use a steam cleaner or use a degreasing emulsifier, which will break down the oil/ grease. Cat litter is good for soaking up fresh oil.
ASEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: diy.donny@trinitymirror.com
PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
Erbauer EID18-Li 18V Brushless Cordless Impact Driver. £69.99 from Screwfix.