The Home Improvements Thread (3)

Pho3nix said:
Any tips on growing grass? Removed the weed infested situation the complex garden service had created. Got new top soil and added seeds but seems the birds are feasting on the seeds and I should have rather purchased the lawn pieces they sell on the side of the road. Thoughts?

Also need to paint match a section of a wall, any tips on how to do this? Only need 5L I am assuming.

Lots of work to do in the 1 week of leave I took.
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Weird.. I just did the grass seed thing and raked it in and 6 weeks later had a decent lawn and 6 months later it's pretty lush and thick.
 
Pho3nix said:
Any tips on growing grass? Removed the weed infested situation the complex garden service had created. Got new top soil and added seeds but seems the birds are feasting on the seeds and I should have rather purchased the lawn pieces they sell on the side of the road. Thoughts?

Also need to paint match a section of a wall, any tips on how to do this? Only need 5L I am assuming.

Lots of work to do in the 1 week of leave I took.
Click to expand...
I grew grass (LM) from seed at our previous place. What I remember is to keep the soil moist (not wet).
 
Pho3nix said:
Any tips on growing grass? Removed the weed infested situation the complex garden service had created. Got new top soil and added seeds but seems the birds are feasting on the seeds and I should have rather purchased the lawn pieces they sell on the side of the road. Thoughts?

Also need to paint match a section of a wall, any tips on how to do this? Only need 5L I am assuming.

Lots of work to do in the 1 week of leave I took.
Click to expand...
Take a sample of the paint to a decent paint shop and they'll match it.
 
Pho3nix said:
Any tips on growing grass? Removed the weed infested situation the complex garden service had created. Got new top soil and added seeds but seems the birds are feasting on the seeds and I should have rather purchased the lawn pieces they sell on the side of the road. Thoughts?

Also need to paint match a section of a wall, any tips on how to do this? Only need 5L I am assuming.

Lots of work to do in the 1 week of leave I took.
Click to expand...
What type of weeds? I have a problem with weeds this year after using the BS garden master lawn dressing. Fsck my life never again. They pop up everywhere.
1703467116195.png

I started using Super Lawneweeder. 20ml to 2L of water in a spray bottle of knapsack. Applied every week or once in 2 weeks. I hava managed to contain it in some places but on other spots the gras died and recover slower than the weeds. Pisses me off.

Sharon Holten from Grasses and greens have a mix they sell for broadleaf weeds that works quite well i hear.
 
Okay, some grass seems to be growing. Focus now moved elsewhere in the house. Thanks for all the advise gents!

I see Rhinolite is not supposed to be sanded. HTF am I supposed to get a smooth finish then to paint when the contractor tried (but it isn't really smooth) and I know I need to use a primer before I actually paint. Actually headache inducing as contractor said it was possible to sand it down but all documentation says you actually shouldn't.
 
Pho3nix said:
Okay, some grass seems to be growing. Focus now moved elsewhere in the house. Thanks for all the advise gents!

I see Rhinolite is not supposed to be sanded. HTF am I supposed to get a smooth finish then to paint when the contractor tried (but it isn't really smooth) and I know I need to use a primer before I actually paint. Actually headache inducing as contractor said it was possible to sand it down but all documentation says you actually shouldn't.
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Hi, I do a lot of Rhinoliting.
We use Casafour not Rhino lite, but same thing.

Your Contractor sounds useless ~ when we are done skimming it is perfectly smooth an we never do any sanding.
Looks like he didn't do the final floating correctly.

We use a rubber float then it's a lot of elbow work to 'polish' it smooth.
Some guys use a wooden float and nail a piece of office carpet to it to do the floating....

Maybe get another contractor to come skim and float it, he can maybe use one of the finishing products, like Rhino Art...

Once you paint it, you are stuffed, you can't fix it.

Yes, a proper acetone based Plaster Primer. Before painting.

Hope this helps...
 
I'm not sure what is happening with ceiling contractors but we simply could not get anybody to replace old one.
Finally last Saturday somebody popped in, old ceiling was taken down and new batons are added to strengthen whole structure (there was 1.2, gap in some instances).
9mm ceiling was installed and cretestone applied, all looked nice while wet but now that it is dry it is not smooth in some places and there some scratches.

It was only install so I'm painting it and sorting it out.

So I have few questions. @Mannydefreitas if you have moment I would appreciate your advice
1) Can I sand it and what is the best way to do it, what grit paper (gave few senders)
2) Before I install polystyrene cornices should I apply primer to cretestone?
3) What is the best primer sealant to use before painting?

Thanks!
 
aleksandar said:
I'm not sure what is happening with ceiling contractors but we simply could not get anybody to replace old one.
Finally last Saturday somebody popped in, old ceiling was taken down and new batons are added to strengthen whole structure (there was 1.2, gap in some instances).
9mm ceiling was installed and cretestone applied, all looked nice while wet but now that it is dry it is not smooth in some places and there some scratches.

It was only install so I'm painting it and sorting it out.

So I have few questions. @Mannydefreitas if you have moment I would appreciate your advice
1) Can I sand it and what is the best way to do it, what grit paper (gave few senders)
2) Before I install polystyrene cornices should I apply primer to cretestone?
3) What is the best primer sealant to use before painting?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Only saw this now, sorry.
The batten must be max 300mm apart.
Hopefully they fitted FibaRape over the joints.
Sand with P60.
Plaster Primer eats polystyrene, so apply before fitting the cornice.
Dunno why these guys don't get the Rhino lite perfectly smooth.
 
Mannydefreitas said:
Only saw this now, sorry.
The batten must be max 300mm apart.
Hopefully they fitted FibaRape over the joints.
Sand with P60.
Plaster Primer eats polystyrene, so apply before fitting the cornice.
Dunno why these guys don't get the Rhino lite perfectly smooth.
Click to expand...
Thanks!!!
They did put tape over the joints and spacing was addressed but not 300mm more likely 500mm.

Will work on it this weekend.
 
W@P said:
What type of weeds? I have a problem with weeds this year after using the BS garden master lawn dressing. Fsck my life never again. They pop up everywhere.
View attachment 1637869

I started using Super Lawneweeder. 20ml to 2L of water in a spray bottle of knapsack. Applied every week or once in 2 weeks. I hava managed to contain it in some places but on other spots the gras died and recover slower than the weeds. Pisses me off.

Sharon Holten from Grasses and greens have a mix they sell for broadleaf weeds that works quite well i hear.
Click to expand...
Yeah broadleaf weed poison works like a bomb cleared ours out within 2-3 weeks then grass took over again.

It was so bad initially that we almost replaced the lawn I thought wth use poison first glad I did :)

The Efeckto range works well

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Snyper564 said:
Yeah broadleaf weed poison works like a bomb cleared ours out within 2-3 weeks then grass took over again.

It was so bad initially that we almost replaced the lawn I thought wth use poison first glad I did :)

The Efeckto range works well

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South Africa's leading online store. Fast, reliable delivery to your door. Many ways to pay. Shop anything you can imagine: TVs, laptops, cellphones, kitchen appliances, toys, books, beauty & more. Shop the mobile app anytime, anywhere.
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Click to expand...
I have gone through a few bottles of Banweed and Super Lawnweeder. Nothing is working.
Gonna order the muti from Sharon at Grasses and Greens.
 
W@P said:
I have gone through a few bottles of Banweed and Super Lawnweeder. Nothing is working.
Gonna order the muti from Sharon at Grasses and Greens.
Click to expand...
its possible that you didnt use the right ratio cause ours worked like a bomb.
 
Snyper564 said:
its possible that you didnt use the right ratio cause ours worked like a bomb.
Click to expand...
No my ratios were fine. The weeds die, yes. But they pop up again. Even with repeated bi- weekly applications. And they spread. And now the grass is so fscked on some spots the weeds take over as there is no challenge.
 
W@P said:
No my ratios were fine. The weeds die, yes. But they pop up again. Even with repeated bi- weekly applications. And they spread. And now the grass is so fscked on some spots the weeds take over as there is no challenge.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately a different herbicide won't solve that.
 
xrapidx said:
Not quite home improvements - but- bought the kids a pool slide with hosepipe connector.

I'm wondering if anyone could recommend a pump that'd be able to pull water from the pool - and up to the connector, it doesn't need much water, just a trickle - don't want to run it off the tap the whole time.

I was thinking some sort of small submersible pump I could somehow hook up to a solar panel (I have 100w camping one), I also don't really want 220v near the pool. :D

View attachment 1625667
Click to expand...
I bought a marine bilge pump for about R 1,200 connected it up to a small solar panel and bob's your uncle!
 
Snyper564 said:
First braai in new braai. Lapa is still work in progress


Something immensely satisfying about building something yourself, never gets old.

View attachment 1636743
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The work continues.

1705075732513.png


Chimney taken up a bit higher

1705075807962.png


Bar/counter removed

1705076040510.png

tiled counter top replaced on the left with concrete top - to be finished off next next week and sealed.

1705076067940.png

Fold away washing lines installed. Our local contractor fitter 2 for R1800 cant beat that.

1705075949040.png

1705075973708.png


Toying with the idea of buying a secondhand snappy chef induction for the lapa to have a stove top for potjie or pans etc.
 
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