If you've been meaning to get a little handier around the house, put up that shelf, or repair that kitchen cupboard door, this is the course for you.
Who is this course for?
Open to complete beginners, this course will equip you with the skills and confidence needed to take on DIY, upcycling and alteration projects within your home. Come and join us at an immersive weekend workshop where we will look at a few common DIY tasks in a supportive and encouraging environment. You can also purchase this course as a gift here.
What will you learn?
Come and learn the skills you need to make basic improvements and repairs to your home in an inclusive weekend workshop with the Common Knowledge team. You’ll gain an in-depth understanding of how to work with different materials while we introduce you to some of the most common tools you will need to tackle various jobs safely. Throughout the weekend we will aim to cover:
Drills 101: We will spend time getting to grips with drills, understanding the differences between drilling and driving, all the bells and whistles and various settings, and how to know which bit is right for the job.
Creating shelves: Within this we take a deep dive into timber and all the variations in materials that fall under this umbrella. We’ll cover measuring, marking and cutting with accuracy, both with hand tools and power tools.
Joining wood: We’ll learn how to use a pocket hole jig - a common tool that makes neatly joining wood accessible to all - setting it up and using it to marry two pieces of material together at a perfect right angle.
Affixing to walls: The key to success in hanging anything heavy on a wall relies on a few key factors. We’ll give you some tips and tricks on working out what your walls are made of, and picking the right fixings and fixing method. We’ll talk about the differences between masonry and stud partition walls and show you how to keep things level and plumb.
Basic plumbing repairs: Whether it’s finding your stopcock, replacing a washer in a dripping tap, or clearing out a blocked u-bend under your sink, we aim to demystify some of the most common basic plumbing queries to help you feel confident to understand how they work, and tackle the small jobs that come up regularly.
Throughout the course of the weekend we aim to arm you with a variety of transferable skills that will hopefully leave you feeling better equipped to tackle any challenges that arise in the future!
What will you take away?
After the weekend you will leave with:
A timber shelf and brackets that you have made yourself.
The confidence to embark on your own furniture making projects at home, like building a bespoke bookshelf, designing and building a side table, repairing damaged furniture.
Connection to other like-minded learners and friends you have yet to meet.
How is the course structured?
Each day we will cover a range of items and have a healthy balance of both practical and theory-based activities. Saturday begins with a rundown of some of the most common materials you might find in use about your house. Then we move on to some common and useful tools you might need. We then make a shelf and supporting brackets using this new knowledge. On Sunday we cover some more tools and learn how to assess wall composition so that you can choose the right wall fixing for the job at hand. We demonstrate a great selection of the available fixings to suit a wide range of wall types. We also cover basic plumbing techniques and remedies to some common plumbing issues.
What’s included?
The course fee covers tuition, the use of tools and materials, and two wholesome and nutritious daily meals each day curated by our on-site chef, as well as tea, coffee and cake when it is most needed.
Staying with us at The Common Knowledge Centre
At The Common Knowledge Centre we now have a range of accommodation options on site to suit all budgets and needs. When you stay with us, you’ll be supporting our newly established guesthouse and be close to the action. We recommend arriving the evening before your course. You can view available accommodation on our booking page.
More information
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We will provide you with a loan of a hi-visibility vest for use when on-site.
For your own safety, no loose-fitting clothing or shorts are permitted, and you should wear long sleeves when in the workshop. The following safety gear is required and mandatory to participate in the course:
Measuring tape
Pencil
Protective gloves*
Safety glasses*
Dust Mask*
Ear defenders*
You may already have many of these items or want to pick them up yourself. These items are available in our optional Site & Safety Kit which includes a high quality measuring tape and comes in a Common Knowledge tote bag.
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For more information about booking a course, accommodation options, and preparing for your course at Common Knowledge, see our
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Course Instructors
