There are many different ways to do DIY and just about anything can be classed as DIY, as long as you are doing it yourself obviously, putting up shelves, fixing doors or whatever needs doing around the house, or should I say whatever you make an excuse for to do around the house.

DIY has never really been my forte, I couldn’t put anything together, especially those “easy to assemble” wardrobes and chest-of-drawers from Argos and Ikea etc, one thing my husband has got is one of those laser levellers or whatever you call them thingies, he uses it to judge a straight line across a wall when he needs to, so he can lineup some wallpaper etc.

There are many tools around at the moment and I’ve got to say my personal favourites are the ones on the home shopping channels, they always seem to come up with the really advanced tools which never go wrong at all and always do everything above and beyond what they are supposed to, luckily my husband is out a lot doing his Document Scanning at work, so I can just sit down on the couch and watch my daytime TV.

I do recommend anyone to just get up on a saturday and get that urge to do something around the house.

Following on from the last post about improving the security of your home, we wanted to tell your about another service, laser marking, that could be used to identify your DIY tools should they ever be stolen.

Laser marking can also be used on other valuables such as silverware as only the surface of the material is marked unlike more traditional methods which remove part of the material of the object.

How this process works is that the metal to be marked is covered with a metal marking paste. Once the paste is dried the item is then lasered as required.

The paste is then washed off and the metal is polished. The mark that is left behind is where the metal and paste have reacted with each other.

Laser marking is best used on metals such as stainless steel, silver, brass and bronze. Poor quality metals can react badly to the process so are best avoided.

Every DIY fan has a beloved tool kit that would probably cost a fortune to replace so it’s important that your protect your processions by ensuring that you’re home security is up to scratch.

The following tips should give you some ideas of how to help prevent the theft of your equipment.

• Always lock the doors and windows on your house even if you are just going out for a short time
• External doors should have three locking points. Mortice locks will add extra security
• Window locks can help prevent break ins. Particularly on non double glazed windows
• Use deadlocks. They make it harder for thieves to leave the premises
• French /patio doors should have locks fitted to top and bottom
• Spare keys should not be left in a shed or garage or under a doormat!
• Sheds and garages should be kept locked to prevent loss of your hand tools
• Don’t leave keys on display in your house
• Always remove keys from door and window locks
• Shut your curtains at night so that valuables aren’t easily visible
• Use timers for internal and external lighting
• Visible deterrents such as burglar alarms and CCTV systems are a good idea
• Don’t leave ladders or tools in your garden that could be used to aid entry into your property

If you would like more help on making your property secure you can contact your local neighbour hood watch scheme or crime prevention police officer.