Find a Carpenter you can trust in Caledon.

Try to put your shed in open space, away from trees, bushes and other buildings. This will help to protect it from falling branches and sap. It will also mean that you can access all sides of the shed for repair and maintenance purposes. Make sure you take a look at garden shed planning rules before you pick a final spot for your shed.

Two of the commonly used terms in the UK and Irish construction industry is “First Fix and “Second Fix First fix encompasses all the work required to take a building from foundation to stroking plaster on the interior walls. This comprises of building walls, floors and ceilings, and implanting cables for electrical supply and pipes for water supply.

Some claim that First Fix starts after the shell of the building is complete, and ends when the walls are plastered. Some of the elements in the first fix are as follows.

• Drain runs: must be downhill and straight

• Spare conduits: drawstrings

• Soil pipes

• Copper pipes

• Normal pipes

• Doorbell

• Door frames

• Pocket doorframes

• Stairwell

• MVHR (mechanical heat recovery ventilation runs)

• Push-fit or other plastic piping

• Electrical back boxes

• Electricity cable runs

• Telephone, data and audio-visual cables

• Socket location

• Security

• Fire alarm

• Sound insulation

• Plasterboarding

It is to be kept in mind that the list goes on as there are several things that you can do when you are building a house from scratch and it is impossible to cover each and every aspect in detail.

The second fix includes all the work after the plastering of a complete house. These include linking cables to the electrical fittings, coupling pipes to the baths and sinks and fitting doors into doorframes. Second fix work requires a tidier finish than the first fix.

Carpenters, electricians and plumbers get a proper idea on the division of work. They will also be able to visit the construction site at different times.

Project managers can simply report it as the "first fix complete" or "the second fix 50% done" and others would very easily understand.

Regardless of the fact that a construction company might specialise in a certain form of fix, be it the first or the second, they are obligated to have a rudimentary understanding of both and are required to perform them from time to time.

Installing wooden flooring is a quite simple process, however to get it right the first time, there are very essential preparations that must be made. These includes determining the site is in the best condition before installation, removal of all floor coverings and underlay for a more stable and durable installation and incorporation of the right expansion gap of about 10mm to 12mm which would be maintained around the floor’s perimeter.

Wooden floor fitting can be done on two types of sub-floor - Concrete and Plywood. To install onto concrete, you can follow the guide below:

• Incorporate flexible wood on concrete adhesives.

• With the help of a 3mm toothed trowel, spread above 2 board widths of adhesive along the starting wall sub-floor, beginning at a corner of your room.

• Position the first row of flooring into the area that is glued using the tongue facing opposite the wall.

• Put 10mm spacers against the wall to see to the consistency in expansion gaps.

• Make sure the joints are at a minimum of 150mm apart from the first row when fitting the second row.

• Utilize pre-cut smaller boards if you’re to start a new row with staggered joints.

• Continue with this nailing method and make sure the 10mm expansion gaps are consistent around the floor’s perimeter.

To install onto plywood, you can follow this guide:

• Make use of a porta-nailer.

• Position 10mm spacers against the wall - parallel with the installation direction.

• Fit the first row using the tongue facing opposite the wall and with the help of the porta-nailer or flooring nailer.

• Lay the second row and make sure the short end joints are at a minimum of 150mm apart from that of the first row.

• Utilize pre-cut smaller boards if you’re to start a new row with staggered joints.

• Continue with this nailing method and make sure the 10mm expansion gaps are consistent around the floor’s perimeter.

Click here to learn more about wood flooring.

Carpenters are involved with numerous diverse kinds of construction, from home improvement to cabinet making, and framing to large construction projects.

Since the start of time, men have utilised hand tools to make things. You need to understand the correct usage of a hand saw, hammer, plane, screwdriver, and other manual tools. These tools are used to attach ready pieces and produce a complete product, such as nails, screws, and dowels (pre-formed fragments of wood that fit into pre-drilled holes), which are then fastened and amassed.

Carpenters must be adept with the safety and proper usage of numerous power tools, including the ones that do the cutting, shaping, and refining of the wood. This permits constituents to take the arrangement desired for a specific project. Some of these tools include large table saws and drills, band saws and sanders. Apart from power tools, there are also tons of power hand tools including saws and hand drills that can help with the smaller details of any project.

Cabinetry and Furniture Making

Being a cabinet fabricator or furniture maker gives you the chance to build purposeful devices for a home. You need to be able to plan cabinets, chairs, tables, and other products, frequently to fit into a provided space. It is up to you to pick the proper material such as wood, metal, or fabric, and then make the decision about the type of stain or paint, and also the necessary hardware needed to attach the cabinets and complete the furniture.

Residential Carpentry

Looking to become a residential carpenter? Your primary work would be on home improvement and other repair projects; indoors and outdoors. Residential carpenters complete setting up projects on wood flooring, outdoor decks, and patios. This job requires you to design your projects and then work on those designs. You also have to be skilful at work with your client base of proprietors, who you have to satisfy both aesthetically and financially, by keeping costs in check.

The number of hours you would have to invest and the number of holidays you will have will be mentioned on the contract before you undertake a project. It is very common that of you to be asked of work longer than your shift. It is completely your choice if you want to work more hours, but your employer has no right to force it on you.

There are certain guidelines that establishes the maximum number of hours an individual should labour each week. In general, the maximum number of hours for someone not yet 18 years old, is 40 hours in a week, or eight hours a day. For workers who are aged 18 or above, the number of hours increases to 48 hours a week.

You can contact the environmental health department of your local council or the National Health and Safety Executive (0845 345 00 55) for more information and advice about working hours. According to the law, all workers have the right to a holiday of at least 5.6 weeks (or a total of 28 days of paid leave, if you happen to work five days in a week).

Your holidays may be extended than the minimum right, but it is dependent on your employer. The critical things you should keep in mind about holiday rights are:

• holiday entitlement starts as soon as you begin work;

• your employer has a complete say in when you can take your holiday;

• for holidays you get normal pay;

• after completing the job, you will be compensated for any unused holidays.

In order to meet the requirements for the right to once a year leave you need to be categorized as a worker. You will have no statutory right to paid annual leave if you’re self-employed.

You, as a worker will not have a statutory right to paid leave on bank and public holidays. If you are given a paid leave on a bank or public holiday, this can count towards your 4.8 weeks minimum leave privilege. However, you may be provided with a paid leave on bank and public holidays in addition to your annual leave entitlement, if your employer chooses so.

Great Britain has a total of eight permanent bank and public holidays, whereas, Northern Ireland has ten.

There is no automatic right to an enhanced pay rate that you can exercise if you work on a bank or public holiday. Your remuneration depends on your contract of employment.

If your deck isn’t going to be flat to the ground, it’s a good idea to have some kind of balustrade to avoid any tripping. If the gap between the deck and the ground is less than 600mm, use a 900mm balustrade. If it’s higher than 600mm, the balustrade should be 1100mm tall.

How To Lay Wood Flooring

Laying of wood flooring is actually a very simple task contrary to many beliefs. First and foremost, before commencement of the fitting process, you must determine the direction you would like the engineered wood flooring to lie in. To do this the right way, they should lie in the direction of the the longest wall. However, if your subfloor is wooden, then having the boards positioned across the joists underneath would be your best bet to get started.

Here are some simple steps to follow to properly lay your wood flooring:

• Start from a corner, working from left to right and place the initial rows of the boards with the groove’s end directly opposite the closest wall.

• Make use of expansion spacers. Place them in between the wall and the board alongside an expansion gap of about 8 to 10mm.

• Place the board’s final rows at about 100mm wide. To achieve this, it is crucial to be pro-active with the measurement and cut the boards (if you deem fit) to adjust the first row.

• With the help of the click system, the boards will click together.

• Fit in the next board. Ensure to attach the tongues together (30 degrees from the floor) and once done, you can proceed to lower and lock it in place. Do this till you get to the end of the row.

• Cut the last board of the row to size if its too long.

• If the part cut off is up to 300mm, simply use it to start the next row. If not, cut a new board in half to use.

• Put the rows side by side in such a way to ensure the joints are staggered at each and every row. Keep a consistent gap between the wall and the planks via the continuous use of the spacers.

• Lay a plank over the last row to determine the width of the previous board. Position a new plank in a way that its tongue is directly against the wall. Once done, proceed to mark a line of plank underneath to get the required width. Then, fit the plank into the space with the help of a pull bar and hammer.

Click here to learn more about wood flooring.

• What you need the shed for
• How much space you have
• How big you need the shed to be
• Which style of roof you want
• What material you would like
• How big your budget is

• Hand-crafted from Nordic White Spruce
• Felt roof reinforced with high-grade polyester
• Tongue and groove cladding makes it more weatherproof so ideal for items that must be kept dry

• High eaves for more head height and to store taller items
• Pent roof and fixed windows allow lots of light
• Ideal for putting up against a wall or fence
• Door can be hinged either side

• Ideal for small gardens or those with fewer tools to store
• Apex roof for water runoff
• Tongue and groove walls
• Tall floor-to-gable door