Anti-Pick Sealant

Anti-pick sealant is commonly used in prisons or hospitals where a degree of resistance to finger picking is required but yet still allows for a small amount movement. Made from solvent free sealant, chemically cured with Everbuild's Hybriflex technology (which is a combination of silicone and polyurethane), the anti-pick sealant has excellent impact and wear resistance as well as resistance to picking by fingers. Often used around door frames and window frames to prevent circumvention, the Anti-pick sets solid yet still maintains a degree of flexibility.

Used where regular silicone sealant could be removed or used as a ligature in prison cells, anti-pick mastic has properties that prevent fingers picking it away from the surrounding material. It has great primerless adhesive qualities and bonds very well with most surface including metal, plastic, glass and polyester. It is resistant to chemicals and petrol and can be overpainted when required.

Once the anti-pick sealant has been applied, it has a plus or minus movement accommodation of 20% so allows for movement of the surrounding materials or surfaces.Due to its unique formulation, it is non hazardous to health and can also be applied to surfaces even when damp. A high UV resistance as well as aggressive atmosphere resistance make the very durable and hardwearing.

Under normal usage, a single tube of Anti-pick will give approx 11 linear metres of silicone sealant.

For more information or to purchase Anti-pick sealant, visit: http://www.transtools.co.uk/fixings-hardwares/sealants-and-adhesives/sealants/everbuild-109-anti-pick-resistant-mastic-sealant-grey-310ml

Rust-Oleum Spray Paints - That Decorative Touch

Putting the finishing touches to a newly decorated room is the final step to making it homely and yours. Got some old furniture or fittings that are now looking a little dated, give them a new lease of life with a fresh coat of paint and make then look new again, and with the right colour scheme, make them look like they belong in that room. Rust-Oleum manufacture a wide range of aerosol spray paints for just this application. Ranging from Vinyl paints to appliance paints and from metallic paint to glow in the dark paint, the range is vast.

One of the most popular products in the Rust-Oleum range is the Painter Touch decorative paint collection. These paints are designed to be used on many different surfaces such as furniture, cabinets, doors, picture frames, vases, baskets, trim and many more. These paints can be used indoors and outdoors and as well as giving a decorative finish, they also provide a protective finish too. Each spray can is capable of giving between 1.5 - 2 metres squared coverage and is usually touch dry in around 20 minutes. Their are over 34 different colours in the Painter Touch collection and include Khaki, Nutmeg, Deep Blue, Sage Green, Antique White, Real Orange, Berry Pink and many more.

To compliment the Rust-Oleum Painters Touch collection is the Metallic finish range available in gold, silver, copper and chrome. These paints are designed to be used on metal, wood, plaster, masonry, ceramic or wicker to enhance the finish or to accentuate a feature. They are available in either bright or soft sheen finishes and have excellent coverage along with good colour retention.

A specialist range of paints are designed for special coverage of other types of materials such as Vinyl, Plastic, Enamel, polyurethane and high heat surfaces such as stoves and BBQs. The Direct to Vinyl and the Direct to Plastic are designed specifically for these purposes and no primers are required. The Stove and BBQ Paint is designed to be applied to the outside of fire stoves and barbecues to restore the colour and provide a hard wearing, water resistant, rust proof finish. It is available in three colours, black, green and silver.

Other popular products in the Rust-Oleum Spray Paint range are the High Glow and Glow in the Dark spray paints which allow you be even more creative with colour and effect. Chalkboard Paint and Frosted Glass paint also add to the extensive collection of paints available.

SAFETY: When spray painting, it is always advisable to wear gloves and goggles to protect your skin and eyes.

TOP TIP : A good idea is to put the spray can in a bowl of warm water (hand hot) for approx 15-20 minutes. Along with giving the can a good shake, this will help give a good paint flow.

To view more details on the Rust-Oleum Spray Paint Range, Visit: http://www.transtools.co.uk/rust-oleum

Wood Screws Reisser vs Spax

Wood screws come in many different styles and qualities. Two of the top quality woodscrews on the market at present come from Reisser and Spax. Both of these companies manufacture high quality wood screws for the trade and both have their own innovative technologies to improves the quality, ease of starting and countersinking ability.

Both the Reisser and Spax screws have countersinking abilities due to unique design on the underside of the head of the screw. Reisser call these the Ribs and Tucks whereas Spax refer to them as Breaking and Cutting Ribs. Both of these designs work in a similar way by self-cutting a countersink when being screwed in to timber.

To prevent the wood from splitting, both screws have their own unique design. The Riesser wood screws have 2 (25mm and above) unique patented slots in the screw which allows the wood to be displaced when driving through. The Spax screws have a squared shaft at the tip to prevent the wood from cutting or spitting.

The Spax screws are yellow passivated which gives 10 time longer rust protection than regular BZP screws while the Reisser screws are yellow tropicalized and this gives up to 20 times better rust protection than a standard BZP screw.

The Reisser Cutter wood screws have a sharp, lubricated, deep thread which gives up to 40% reduction in driving resistance resulting in less torque required.  Also they feature a re-inforced collar which prevents snapping and also gives a deeper insert for the driver bit reducing the risk of 'cam-out'.

Both screws feature a unique tip, the Reisser has a 25 degree needle point whereas the Spax screws have a 4cut point design, both give an immediate start without drilling.

As both of these screws have similar features, it often comes down to price when it comes to buying your next box of screws.

To view more details or to purchase the Reisser Cutter Screws, visit: http://www.transtools.co.uk/fixings-hardwares/screws-and-fixings/screws/reisser-r2-cutter-woodscrews

Underfloor Heating Special Offers

Underfloor heating has become very popular recently and as a result, prices have started to drop and become more economical for use in the home. We currently have a range of underfloor heating pads on special offer for both tile flooring and laminate flooring. These prices have been reduced up to 50% off the standard selling price.

For more details or to take advantage of these special prices, visit: http://www.transtools.co.uk/store/cat_1975/tiling-tools/underfloor-heating.html

Hand Tools - DIY vs Professional

When it comes to purchasing hand tools, whether it be for DIY or trade use, the choice is often vast and  bewildering unless you know exactly what you are looking for. Most professionals will buy tools based on a brand that they are familiar in there chosen trade and the DIYer will purchase either by price or on a recommendation of a friend or colleague. This is by no means the rule and experience DIYers will often purchase a high quality branded tool for their task whereas a professional will often purchase a cheaper tool for a small job that is not in their main field of expertise.

Most types of hand tools can be purchased in one of three categories, entry level DIY, semi-professional and trade professional. The entry level DIY hand tools tend to be manufactured to a specific budget and are aimed at occasional use only. They are often made from less expensive materials and can be often heavier than their professional counterparts. The semi-professional and trade professional hand tools are usually made from modern, higher specification materials and are lighter and stronger than the DIY models. Due to the costs involved in manufacturing these tools, they are more expensive but are designed to be used on a daily basis.

A good example is that of a builder who will purchase a high quality Stabila Spirit Level as this will be used ever day of the week and will be replied upon to give good service for many years. That same builder might then purchase a DIY plumbing tool such as a pipe cutter as it will be required for just one job and probably never used again.

When it comes to parting with your hard earned cash, you have to be reassured that the tools you are buying are suitable for completing the task ahead and that they meets with your budget.

For more information or to purchase any of our range of hand tools, visit: http://www.transtools.co.uk/hand-tools

Waterproofing the Bathroom - Tanking

When it comes to installing a new wet room, bathroom or shower room, it is important to remember to apply a waterproof tanking before tiling or fitting the fixtures. This ensures that the room is fully waterproofed under the flooring or behind the tiles to prevent water leakage. As most bathrooms are made from such materials as block-work, concrete, softwood, plasterboard or plywood, these are all susceptible to water damage and excessive moisture, therefore they will require protecting. Even though tiles can offer very good protection from water, even the smallest hole or gap will allow moisture to escape and cause unseen damage in the walls or floor.

Tanking as it is called, is the application of several different building materials including sealants, primers and membranes to ensure the room is fully sealed and watertight (similar to a water tank hence the name tanking). Once these have been applied, the room will be ready for the installation of the fixtures and fittings as well as the tiling and flooring.

Waterproofing the bathroom is carried out over several steps starting with the application of a Waterproof Tanking Primer. This is applied to the raw building materials to prepare the surfaces before the membrane can be applied later in the process. It is quick drying and can be over-coated with 1 hour.

Once the Primer has been applied, the next step is to waterproof the corners and edges using Waterproof Tanking Tape. This is a self-adhesive joint and corner sealing butyl backed fleece tape which needs to be applied to all corners, joints and pipe penetrations to ensure no leakage can occur.

After the tape has been applied, the Waterproof Tanking Drain Mat needs to be installed around the drain outlet. This works in the same way the tape does, it allows board movement yet still provides a waterproof seal.

The final process is to apply the Waterproof Tanking Membrane which is a liquid waterproofing compound applied by brush. The first coat is to be applied generously in a horizontal method ensuring all Tanking Tapes and Drain Mats are also covered. After 6-12 hours of drying time, the second coat can be generously applied, this time in vertical strokes to create a permanent waterproof barrier with a thickness of no less than 1mm.

After a drying time of 24 hours, tiling and flooring can commence. It is recommended that a suitable waterproof tile adhesive is used as well as a mould resistant silicone sealant for that complete finish.

For more information or to purchase a Wet Room Taking System, visit: http://www.transtools.co.uk/store/prod_15090/sealants-and-adhesives/wet-room-system/aquaseal-wet-room-tanking-system-7-5-square-metre-kit.html

Purdy Jiffy-Loc Roller Frames and Extension Poles

Often when painting rooms, it is good to have a larger paint roller frame as well as a smaller frame for around doors and windows. The drawback to this is usually the screw thread on the extension pole which has to be unscrewed each time you change roller frames. After consulting with many professional painters and decorators, Purdy have designed a simple and easy to use system for changing the roller frames on the extension poles, it is called the Jiffy-Loc. Using this system allows the painter to quickly and easily change roller frames at the push of a button.

How does it work? The Jiffy-Loc quick release system has two parts, the first is the male adaptor which has 6 locating pins and a recessed lip around the top, the second is the female adaptor which has the recess holes for the locating pins to align with and the Jiffy-Loc thumb plate and spring assembly. When pushed together, the spring mechanism engages around the recessed lip on the male adaptor locking and holding it securely in place. When it comes to changing the roller frame over, a simple press on the thumb plate and the spring is depressed and released from the recess allowing the pole to be removed.

Not all roller frames have the Jiffy-Loc male fitting and as a result, Purdy have released an adaptor just for this reason. It uses the acme standard screw fitting on one end and the male Jiffy-Loc fitting on the other converting it over to the quick release system. As well as the male adaptor, there is also a female adaptor that will convert standard screw thread poles over to the quick release system allowing it to be used with the new Purdy adjustable frame rollers.

High Heat Paint for Stoves and BBQs

With the good weather we have had lately, it is time to dig the barbecue out of the shed or garage and fire it up again but alas, it is starting to look a little shabby.  Often, the paint may have blistered or the metal surface under the paint even may have started to rust and cause the top paint to peel away. The best solution is to apply a coat of high heat paint, but before this can be done, you must first do some preparation.

Before you start to do any work, get yourself a tarpaulin or ground sheet out, as this will make the clean up later a lot easier. It is always advisable to wear safety gloves and goggles or glasses when carrying out this kind of work.

The first step is to remove any flaky paint or rust from the surface and this is best done with a wire brush and a small paint scraper being careful not to scratch or mark the underlying metal surface. Once all the flaky paint and rust has been removed, the area can be further cleaned with wire wool which will remove and smaller particles left. The area now needs to be scrubbed with a brush and warm soapy water to remove any grease or oily residue left to ensure the surface is suitable for the new application of paint. Rinse off the soap with clean fresh water and leave to dry for several hours.

Now the surface is clear of rust and old paint, grease and oily residue, you can start to apply the high heat paint. Ensure that during this process, a face mask is worn for your safety and you are in a well ventilated area. Shake the can for at least 1 minute after you hear the ball start moving around, this will ensure the paint is ready to apply. Start spraying the area holding the can about 30cm from the surface and spray from one side to the other overlapping slightly on the return spray. After about 50 minutes, the second coat can be applied using the same process.

It is always recommended that when using spray paints, the temperature should not be below 10 degrees centigrade or above 32 degrees. Always were protective gloves, glasses and face mask for you own safety.

For more information or to purchase high heat paint, visit: http://www.transtools.co.uk/store/prod_15079/painting-and-decorating/metal-paint/rust-oleum-stove-and-bbq-heat-proof-black-paint-400ml.html