OUR EXPERT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

Q I HAVE a single-layer brick wall that I would like to make into a seating area by attaching a piece of wood to the top of it. What wood is best and how would you attach it to the bricks? Louise Simons, by email

A I’D USE a fascia board and cut it to size and sand the edges so it’s smooth. Then I would use an 8mm multi-drill bit (these go through different materials like wood, brick and metal without having to change bits) and drill through the wood and top of the brick at 250mm intervals. Lift the fascia board and apply external grab adhesive, stick it back down and insert 8mm hammer fixings or frame fixings into the holes and hammer them home.

Q WE WOULD like to clean and paint our terracotta plant pots. What product do you recommend? Steve Howard

I WOULD use Rust-Oleum Textured spray paint. I’ve used it on hundreds of projects. There are other paints available but I like the textured paint as it makes the terracotta look like stone. To retain the terracotta look, go for a concrete and masonry lacquer – be sure to clean and dry the pots before any paint is applied.

Q I COMPACTED my raised lawn and relaid it with artificial turf. The water was being retained so I drilled holes in the retaining wall and it’s now being released. Will this do? David Docherty, by email

A YES, these are called “weep holes” and they are essential to prevent the build-up of water behind the wall. A weep hole every 450mm will do the job. Usually there is pea gravel behind the wall to provide a drainage barrier between the wall and the soil to stop the soil blocking the weep holes.

Send your questions to: diy.donny@trinitymirror.com