do it yourself

"Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and semi-raw materials and parts to produce, transform, or reconstruct material possessions, including those drawn from the natural environment (e.g., landscaping)". DIY behavior can be triggered by various motivations previously categorized as marketplace motivations (economic benefits, lack of product availability, lack of product quality, need for customization), and identity enhancement (craftsmanship, empowerment, community seeking, uniqueness).The term "do-it-yourself" has been associated with consumers since at least 1912 primarily in the domain of home improvement and maintenance activities. The phrase "do it yourself" had come into common usage (in standard English) by the 1950s, in reference to the emergence of a trend of people undertaking home improvement and various other small craft and construction projects as both a creative-recreational and cost-saving activity.
Subsequently, the term DIY has taken on a broader meaning that covers a wide range of skill sets. DIY has been described as a "self-made-culture"; one of designing, creating, customizing and repairing items or things without any special training. DIY has grown to become a social concept with people sharing ideas, designs, techniques, methods and finished projects with one another either online or in person.
DIY can be seen as a cultural reaction in modern technological society to increasing academic specialization and economic specialization which brings people into contact with only a tiny focus area within the larger context, positioning DIY as a venue for holistic engagement. DIY ethic is the ethic of self-sufficiency through completing tasks without the aid of a paid expert. The DIY ethic promotes the idea that anyone is capable of performing a variety of tasks rather than relying on paid specialists.

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  1. M

    DIY gradient screed for wet room

    Hey guys: this is my first post. Be gentle! There is some superb advice here, but I've got an unusual one, I think. I'm looking to create a flat floor shower area in a corner. But in these tight times I need to save money on buying a tray former. I'm gonna screed my own; where there is a will...
  2. N

    New DIY member with complicated starting job!!

    Hi, New here and long time lurker. After needing a load of tiling jobs done and phoning up various tilers out the paper and either getting stitched up on quotes - not bothering to turn up or turning up and then not sending quote I thought I would do a bit of research and have a go myself. I...
  3. M

    Competent DIYer but tiling is a step to far for me

    Hi everyone, found the Forum today and wish I'd seen it earlier as I've been struggling in ignorance through building, first fixings, buying tiles and preparing two ensuites (one wet) for porcelain (both polished hmmm..and fully glazed) wall and floor tiles. Found great advice here about...
  4. P

    DIY related: Tile-to-tray sealing options

    For a JT40 type low-profile shower tray.... (1)..in absence of a tiling upstand on the tray rim what is the preferred/recommended method to best guarantee a watertight seal on tray sides adjoining wall? Any options more secure than a straight silicone seal? (2) ... the walls will be lined...
  5. L

    DIY Question- Which Tile Cutter?

    Hi All, just about to start tiling my bathroom. We have 600*300 Porcelain tiles from CTD to lay along with some glass mosaics (2 strips - one low, one high). I have also purchased on of CTD's specials on angle grinder with two diamond blades. I will also have 1, possibly 2 en-suites to tile...
  6. L

    Which Adhesives to use in Bathroom - DIY Question

    Hi All, going to be starting tiling my bathroom in the next week or two. I am leaving the Bath out and the tiles that would be immediately butting to the bath due to the bath needing exact setting for the side panel (not cuttable for the height) so will be laying at least one lot of floor...
  7. D

    Diy Related: Grouting And Sealing Travertine Tiles

    Hello, New here, great site. I have just finished laying 3m^2 of 100mm *100mm travertine unfilled tumbled kitchen splashbacks. I have ordered 1 litre of Lithofin to seal it as I want a natural finish. From looking at previous posts, general consensus seems to be to seal, then grout, then...
  8. M

    DIY Related Kitchen Floor

    Just a quick thank you very much post. I have now completed our kitchen floor ok it took me a while but thanks to all those who helped me sort out what I needed in terms of addy and grout but who mainly gave me the confidence to undertake the job. I bet not many of you measure addy using...
  9. Z

    DIY PROJECT - granite tiling 8sm

    I've picked up loads of wisdom here from the sages of tiling to rewrite a DIY Schedule of Works and would welcome any criticism, suggestions or alternative views from anyone before I start. I will donate THANKS to everyone responding. PROJECT - to tile the concrete floor of a garage conversion...
  10. Z

    DIY - saw to cut 10mm granite???

    Could anyone offer guidance to a capable DIYer on cutting granite tiles please? I COULD use my B&D 4in Angle grinder with a diamond disc but I really want something to produce absolutely straight cuts to make upstands for the skirting. A bit less dust would be welcome, too! Table wet saws...
  11. Z

    diy related: Laying granite on concrete

    Hi. I'm new to this forum (but I'm thick-skinned so be as frank as you wish!). I want to lay around 10 sq metres of granite tiles in a garage conversion. I've gone for 10mm Absolute Black (305x305) from India. The floor is concrete (about 100mm) laid on 80mm of Celcon placed on the existing...
  12. H

    what job do the DIY'ers have??

    curious about what jobs all you diy'ers have?? we all know which are the pros on here - (hint:- they're the cheeky ones on here!! :-p) i'm in the construction game - generally have bout 200 blokes working under me. I'm a tower crane operator!! :grin::grin:
  13. B

    Confused diy'er please advise

    evening all, im preparing a floor,(floorboards on joists) for tiling and, i am so confused,,some sites say ply others say ditra matting? the area to be tiled (with 300x300 dark slate effect tiles) is 15sq mtrs please advise ply or matting,,? what else would i need to do to ply and what size...
  14. T

    Adhesive problem for DIYer

    Problem: bathroom tiling project; went to topps for WP1 kit and was sold homelux matting. used unibond ready mix which did not set and hold the matting. called homelux who were v helpful they recommended BAL single part and explained the problem of ready mix and offered to supply new matting...
  15. J

    DIY Problems - Advice on a really flexible grout

    Hi, I have put floor tiles onto my kitchen floor. Old chipboard was left - I didn't plywood it. Put down a 6mm stiff foam layer for thermal properties. I didn't adhere the foam layer to the chipboard. This probably reads like a catalogue of errors - my apologies in advance - most of the floor...
  16. B

    More questions than answers {diy related}

    Hello all thanks for the welcome. Any help or advice you are able to give will be very much appreciated. I am currently getting ready to tile my hallway. I have had 3 tilers come round 2 never rang with the quote and the third quoted £950.Which to me seemed a tad on the high side and something...
  17. Dan

    DIY Tiling - Kitchen, Bathroom, Floors etc

    If you're doing a spot of DIY Tiling then please feel free to post your questions in the main tiling forum and use the prefix 'DIY Related'. All questions get answered. :)
  18. R

    DIy wet overhead tile cutter advice please

    I have 150 sq.mtrs of floor and wall tiles to put in my new self build and am looking for an electric radial tile saw that is big enough to cut 600mm tiles. The only one I've found at a sensible price is a Vitrex 103450 @ £200 delivered. Delivery is important as I live as far north as you can...
  19. B

    DIY SOS ha ha ha

    Just had this on the background and noticed that they were doing a wet room for the family's shower room. They had plasterboard up and at least it wasn't skimmed but they had tiled straight onto it, no primer, no prep, no tanking, no waterproofing :mad2: :joker: :mad2: :joker: Jokers Guess the...
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