As we get ready to step into 2024, property owners are gearing up to transform their living spaces with the latest trends in home improvement. We understand the importance of staying ahead in the ever-evolving world of design and functionality, so here's a glimpse into the top home improvement trends that are set to dominate in 2024.

Flexible living spaces: The concept of dedicated rooms with fixed purposes is evolving. Homeowners are increasingly opting for flexible living spaces that can adapt to their changing needs. Consider open-plan layouts, modular furniture, and versatile storage solutions to create a home that can easily transform to meet your requirements.

Sustainable living takes centre stage: In a world increasingly conscious of environmental issues, sustainable living is becoming

Embarking on a home improvement project is an exciting venture that can breathe new life into a living space. Whether upgrading your kitchen, renovating a bathroom, or tackling a complete home makeover, it's crucial to approach the process with careful planning and attention to detail.

However, the path to a successful renovation is often fraught with potential pitfalls. To ensure your project runs smoothly and achieves the desired results, it's crucial to steer clear of common mistakes. In this guide, we'll explore some of the most prevalent home improvement missteps to help you steer clear of them.

1. Ignoring the importance of planning

One of the most significant mistakes homeowners make is diving headfirst into a project without a well-thought-out plan. Planning

Looking for suitable paving for your garden? Don't know the difference between Porcelain, Natural Stone or Concrete? Here's a little insight into the difference.

Porcelain

Our beautiful range of porcelain paving truly gives you the best of both worlds.

Porcelain paving is formed by baking a mixture of clay, sand and other minerals in a high temperature kiln producing an incredibly durable and non-porous material.

Being resistant to water absorption ensures that porcelain paving requires lower maintenance. There’s no need to apply a sealant as pavers are already stain and mildew resistant. Liquids such as oils and chemicals cannot penetrate the surface, so they can easily be cleaned away. An exceptionally dense material, porcelain

Preparing the garden for spring is a crucial time in any gardener’s calendar. If your outside space is looking a little unkempt after a freezing winter, it can feel daunting to get started.

The key is to plan to make sure that spring doesn’t catch you unprepared. Look at what jobs need to be done and get all the essential materials you need in advance – as they can sell out quickly! 

Here are some of our ideas for things you can do to get ready for the new season.

Mulch beds

One of the first things you’ll want to do is remove weeds and mulch beds with bark chippings. This prepares beds by helping to reduce weeds and improve soil structure and drainage – laying the foundations to produce happy plants.

You’ll also want to stock up on compost and topsoil to make sure you’ve got everything you need when the time comes to start planting.

The nights are becoming darker and longer, and the winter starts to show it's signs with the colder months approaching. The thought of staying in becomes the popular option for many of us.

At Covers, the bathroom is one of the perfect places to warm up and unwind, from a bath  or a warm shower, we have everything you need to create your ideal bathroom, from furniture to accessories.

All homes are unique, and we can help with whatever style, size or price you are looking for, to create your dream bathroom.

Baths

One of the best ways to relax is by having a bath especially during the winter months, we supply high-quality and stylish baths of all shapes and sizes that are fit for any home.

With baths, we understand that spillage and splashes are a regular occurrence, especially

At Covers, we understand how important it is to have a home that feels uniquely yours and renewing parts of your home, such as your internal doors, can make all the difference.

Our range of interior doors is the ideal choice for any home when looking to make a change.

What doors do we offer?

Mendes doors are a great choice when looking for a change. Whether you want to create a modern feel in your home or prefer a more traditional look, there is something in our range for you. Mendes doors are high-quality and stylish doors ideal for any home. Our favourite Mendes doors are the Mendes White Primed Corsica Internal Door 35 x 1981 x 762mm and the Mendes White Primed Mexicano Internal Door 35 x 1981 x 762mm.

Mendes White Primed Corsica Internal Door

As the temperature begins to drop, we need to ensure we prepare our homes properly to keep the heat in.

At Covers, we understand that this year more than any other most of us will feel the sting of the cold as we may not be switching on our heating as much as normal due to high energy costs. That's why we provide a range of insulation perfect for any home.

It has become more important than ever to insulate our homes and ensure we keep the heat we need throughout these cooler months, but what insulation would work best for you?

Insulation Boards

Insulation boards are a great choice for your home. This is because they have many positive effects, such as continuous

It can be easy to lose track of your house décor, especially during winter. However, wall panelling is one of the simplest and most effective ways to give your home a new lease of life by making your walls look a little more interesting.

Panelling has been a quick growing trend over the past year and it’s clear to see why - it allows for gorgeous designs, colours, and textures that are unique to you. It also provides insulation, gives you the chance to cover up any uneven walls and is very cost-effective.

Types of Wall Panelling

There is a range of different wall panelling out there, so let’s take a look and see what would work for your home.

Tongue and Groove

Tongue and groove wall panelling gives you the look and feel of classic panelling in a fraction of the time and without the need of a joiner. Add character to your kitchen, personality to your bedroom or install it in the hallway and up the stairs for a grand

As summer draws to a close, it is important for your home to be a place that brings you comfort and warmth, especially as the colder months begin to creep up on us. Your flooring has a big impact on giving your home that perfect ‘homely’ feel - choosing the right type can make a big difference.

At Covers there are two popular options when it comes to flooring, especially if carpet isn’t really your thing. They are solid wood flooring and engineered flooring, but why are they such good options?

Where to start?

It is tricky knowing where to start when choosing a new flooring style, especially if it’s something you’ve not really focused on or had an interest in before, which is why it is good to get the right information.

Solid Wood Flooring

Solid

As autumn is just around the corner, are you thinking about preparing your home and outdoor spaces?

At Covers, we understand the importance of keeping your homes in the best condition year-round, so why not check out all our outdoor and indoor essentials to keep your home cosy, warm and stylish throughout the autumn months?

Outdoor Essentials

Preparing your garden for autumn can make all the difference in keeping on top of it through winter. Ensuring your outdoor space is properly set up to deal with weather changes is essential for keeping it a safe space.

As you’re probably aware, more leaves begin to fall off trees during autumn, and although the colours are beautiful, they can make our gardens look and feel cluttered. Using

For many reasons, porcelain paving is the most popular choice for garden paving and patios, but is it the right choice for your garden? We have answered some of our frequently asked questions on porcelain paving.

What is porcelain paving?

Porcelain paving is formed by baking a mixture of clay and naturally occurring materials, which are exposed to significant pressure and fired at high temperatures in a kiln. This process, known as the “vitrification process”, creates an extremely strong and hard-wearing material, which absorbs very little water in its lifetime. Creating a high density, hard, and wear-resistant surface has made it probably the best type of paving available today.

Does porcelain paving last a long time or fade?

Porcelain paving is designed to withstand

Most paving will require regular maintenance to keep it looking its very best. Routine brushing will help keep your outdoor patio surface clear of most dirt and debris that is most likely to build up over time.

Moss, algae, lichen, and other fungi will often develop when paving is exposed to moisture and will stain and mask the colour of the paving. Likewise, during the laying process, cement can often spill and dry on the paving surface. The good news is that such dirt can be successfully removed from most pavers. Our handy step-by-step guides will help you with three different paving cleaning methods:

The humble brush and soapy water still go a long way when cleaning light stains from paving slabs.

How to Clean your Patio Slabs with Soapy Water

Step 1 – Sweep the paving area and make sure it is clear

With the Summer months hotting up, we’ve all been spending lot more time in the garden and have started to transform or update our outdoor areas budget-friendly. We have put together these simple but effective ways to update your outdoor living space.

10 Garden Ideas to Transform your Outdoor Space

Clean your Patio or Decking

Start by pulling up any plants or weeds that have grown in between the patio slabs and sweeping away the debris with a stiff brush. Using the same brush, you can then use soapy water to scrub the patio or decking or use a pressure washer to remove stubborn dirt and stains. We also have an extensive range of cleaning care items that will

Since the pandemic in 2020, we can all aggree it made us rethink our home living areas and the importance of our homes.

"Home" is a place that we can call refuge from the outside world, and we probably all noticed areas we neglected during our normal busy lives, but when everything stopped you could see the jobs you wanted to do to create that sanctury you needed.

Updating your home can be very easy with jobs like painting and decorating through to changing doors, installing a new bath or adding a new tap to your kitchen sink.

Bringing the outside in

We have learnt more than ever the importance of bringing the outside in, of making

We have a wide range of high-quality products with different materials, styles, colours, sizes and accessories, we have just what you need to help you get the job done!

Timber Decking

Our range of timber decking

Keep your outside space private with one of the quickest and easiest ways with our range of fencing. Whether you are repairing or renewing or even a first-time user, it is affordable, efficient, and easy to understand.

Fences can provide various functions, whether for privacy, security, ensuring children and pets are safe and secure, or purely for decorative purposes, such as Round Top Panel fence at the front of your garden. We have something for you.

At Covers, there is a range of different products for you. From lap panels, featheredge, and the more popular garden screening to fencing accessories.

When buying new fencing, if you know the style of fence you intend to buy, then you’re halfway there. There are a few things to consider:

• Height: whether the type of fencing

Plywood

Plywood is available in a wide range of styles and thicknesses depending on the application. It can be used internally and externally depending on the class.

Plywood is very closely related to MDF and chipboard that you will also find in our sheet materials section. It is manufactured from engineered wood that is cut into fine veneers and then rotated 90 degrees for every tier and glued together. This is different to solid wood which has one wood grain, where as this method is known as a cross-grain technique.

There are several benefits to this technique including:

• High strength and stability
• Prevention of warping
• Lower split risk – especially when nails are used around the edges of the sheet

What can plywood be used for?

High quality plywood can be a great alternative to solid-wood as well as being more versatile

Here at Covers we’re passionate about making your ambition for a sustainable home a reality. Within our Home Ideas depot in Chichester, you will find our Eco-Centre where you can view the wide range of eco technologies and products that we have on offer. Our Eco-Expert is on hand to give you up-to-date information and guidance to help you choose the most appropriate solution for your individual circumstance.

If you’re ready to get started, you can book an appointment with our Eco-Expert now and someone will be touch as soon as possible to go through any questions you have and help you decide on the next steps. You can also call our energy showroom on 01243 791478.

However, if you’re not quite sure that our eco-energy alternatives are for you, read on for a bit more information about our most popular solutions and why you should choose eco-energy products.

Why choose Eco Energy

With numerous drills on the market, it can be difficult to decide which will work best.

If you’re looking for the ideal drill for the job, then look no further. Whether it’s for general use or specific purposes, here we provide our handy guide to buying the perfect drill for your project.

Should I buy a cordless or corded drill?

Cordless drills are usually heavier than their corded counterparts because they require a battery pack. However, bear in mind that what you gain in terms of a lighter machine, you will potentially lose in flexibility - it is highly likely you will need to use an extension lead with a corded drill for most jobs. Therefore, depending on how often and where you will be using the drill, consider these factors before making a commitment.

The main advantage of investing in a cordless drill is you aren’t restricted

As Spring approaches, this is the perfect time to start getting your garden space ready for the warmer months, so it's ready to enjoy when the sun starts shining!

Our handy checklist makes it easy to get started on the first gardening jobs of the year. From reviving your soil, pruning shrubs and bushes, and giving your fence a lick of paint - we've got everything covered. We've also got a a few bits of advice on garden maintenance to make it easy to get your outdoor space ready for entertaining friends and family when Spring finally arrives.

With our handy guide you'll have gorgeous garden in no time!

The Clean Up

The best place to start is cleaning up your garden so that you can see what you're working with. Getting rid of leaves, weeding flower

Here at Covers, we offer a wide range of Namgrass' artificial grass, and we want to make the process of achieving your dream lawn as easy as possible.

From ordering to installing, this guide will take the stress out of your purchase so you can sit back and enjoy your new lawn quickly and easily.

How to order your artificial grass lawn

Step 1: Measure the area for your artificial grass

Our artificial grass offering comes in 2-metre or 4-metre rolls, and you will need to allow for the widest area of your lawn and trim to fit. We can cut the grass to any length up to 25m.

If your area is wider than 4 metres, don't worry, you

Flooring. It’s the largest and most used surface in your home, yet it often gets overlooked. The wrong floor can compromise the practicality of your home, and the look of an entire room scheme, so it’s surprising that, when redecorating, we often agonise far more over paint colours and furniture than our choice of flooring.

Your floor puts up with a lot, so practical and hard-wearing options are a must. Hard flooring is often the best choice. Sturdy and spillage-proof, it also gives a classic look that will never go out of style. To top it off, hard floors also provide a healthier living environment. Unlike carpets, which trap dust, moisture and other allergens, hard floors are easy to clean and maintain. This makes them ideal for allergy sufferers, or anyone who wants to enhance the air quality of their home.

Here at Covers, we offer a wide range of hard flooring options, from engineered

Why do you need a fire door?

Fire doors are often the first line of defence against a fire, whether that’s at work or at home. Fire doors play a vital role in slowing down the movement of a fire and through a building.  This minimises damage, and also potential threat to life that can occur because of a fire by protecting the safe ways out of a building, as well as occupants in a building that has a ‘stay put’ fire plan.

Fire doors in stairwells and corridors can keep the escape routes in buildings free of smoke, and allow firefighters to move through a building as easily as possible to ensure everybody gets out of the building safely, and where possible a fire is put out.

Fire Door Awareness

Since the tragic aftermath of the Grenfell Fire, awareness around fire doors, particularly in high rise buildings, has grown. It is strongly recommended that property managers,

An internal door does more than a way to create a barrier between rooms or an aid to privacy. Internal doors are a great opportunity to add some of your personal style to a space, while also perfectly finishing off a room. But when there’s so much to choose from, where do you start? That’s where we can help!

We’ve created this helpful door buying guide to ensure our customers can make the best decision when choosing their internal doors!

Where to start?

The best place to start is thinking about things you can’t budge on – size, budget, and whether to not you require fire doors.

Measuring your door

Measure the width of your door at the top, middle and bottom of the frame opening where the door will go. Use the widest measurement of the three to find the width

Your toolbox is there to equip you for the job at hand. But whether it’s a quick fix or a long project, it’s important to ensure that your tools support your safety and comfort. That’s where ergonomic design comes in. Increasingly, tools are being designed to reduce user stress and fatigue, while also promoting long product life. So, whether you’re taking on your first restoration project, or you’re a DIY aficionado looking to update your toolbox, our guide to the top ten toolbox essentials will help you get kitted out with the right tools for the job.

Claw hammer

You can’t have a toolbox without a hammer, and finding the best hammer for you is the first step in building up your tool collection. A claw hammer is a good place to start. They are suitable for most home DIY projects, used to drive a nail into the wall, and extract it out.

If you haven’t replaced your hammer for years, it’s worth considering an upgrade.

Here at Covers Timber & Builders Merchants, we offer our customers a wide range of high-quality timber products. Combined with specialist timber knowledge in our depots, we are the timber buying destination in the South of England.

However, we know buying timber can be a bit daunting, especially when buying online. So we want to ensure our customers receive the same service online as they do in our depots, using our expert knowledge to ensure you're buying the suitable Timber for whatever job it is you're taking on. So, whether it's a big roofing job, replacing your garden decking, or choosing some decorative skirting boards to finish off your living room, Covers want to make sure you get the product that suits you best.

Our timber buying guide is for you if you're feeling a little unsure when browsing our timber offering on our website. Or even if you think you've got it covered, maybe you just want to know all the things we can do for you with Timber. For all things

So you’ve got an existing Covers trade account and you’re wondering what the benefits of linking it with our website are? We think there’s quite a few:

• If you have an existing credit account you can pay your account online which we think will save you time!
• View your personalised pricing terms on the go, on desktop, mobile or tablet
• Shop our web-exclusive deals and offers including money off vouchers, free delivery, and exclusive web deals and products
• Free click and collect service with direct contact from your selected depot when your item is ready to collect
• Keep track of your orders
• Check your credit and pay your bills securely online
• View your invoices and statements up to two months after purchase date

Here at Covers Timber & Builders Merchants, we provide a wide range of materials from structural

Already got an account with Covers? To view products on your pricing terms, print and view invoices and statements, and pay bills where appropriate all you need to do is link your account with our website. All you need, is your account number and the email address and postcode associated with your account and you’re ready to go.

Not sure where to start? Follow our handy guide below for step-by-step instructions for linking your account with our website.

Step 1

Head to the My Account area of our website and click “Link Account”.

Step 2

With socialising well and truly back on the agenda, garden parties and get togethers are now in full swing. Whether it’s a table for two or a group of thirty friends, don’t let your garden disappoint your guests!

We’ve put together our five top tips for creating stunning outdoor entertainment areas and exceptional al fresco dining spaces.

1. Patios and paving

A patio is more than just slapping a few slabs on the ground outside your back door. The perfect patio will take time to plan and should be designed to make the most of your outdoor space. When well thought through, a patio will help to enhance your garden’s natural shape and size, while providing the ideal area for relaxing, unwinding and entertaining.

One of the most popular choices for garden patios and paving is porcelain

If your garden or outdoor area is small, you might be struggling to come up with ways to best utilise the space.

Here, we take a look at how to make the most of your small garden and provide our top five tips for bringing a small outdoor area to life.

1. Introduce different levels

Installing steps up to a seating area or creating different levels will make a garden feel bigger as well as more interesting. This is particularly useful in sloping gardens, where levelling will introduce vertical lines and visually increase the space.

Levels can be created in a variety of ways. Decking is a great way to add height in a garden simply and effectively. Available in both wood and composite

Over the past year our homes have become a hybrid of living, working and playing space that’s in constant use. Making the most of the room you have available has never been more important and there are many ways you can improve your living areas to make them as flexible, tranquil and practical as possible. 

Here, we provide our top 5 DIY projects that will make your home a haven of happiness, a picture of productivity and the perfect place to unwind after a hard day’s work.

1. Small jobs that make a big difference

The good news is you don’t have to be a DIY expert or enthusiast to turn a living space from dull to dazzling. Choosing one small job to undertake every couple of months is a great way to make continual and cost-effective changes to your home. For example, simply painting a

Owning an outdoor space is now one of the most sought after items on a property purchaser’s wish list and a highly valued asset for home owners in the UK. According to recent research by Post Office Money, landscaping your garden could increase your property’s value by up to 77%.

With many of us spending more time at home, updating outdoor areas is now top of the agenda for lots of home owners. If you’re looking to make a move on a garden makeover, we’ve rounded-up all the latest landscaping trends and top tips to turn your garden into a sublime sanctuary this summer.

The white stuff

White is set to be the colour of summer and there are numerous ways you can introduce it into your garden to create sensational and stylish results. Whether you’re influenced by the whitewashed walls of spectacular Santorini or the subtle white sands of the Seychelles, we’ve got all the

The shift in lifestyle over the past 12 months has seen a surge in creating additional space for home offices, games rooms, bars and craft areas using garden outbuildings, sheds and summerhouses. According to AMA Research, domestic garden buildings and structures were predicted to grow by 12% between 2018 and 2022.

If you are considering installing a garden building or summerhouse and you’re looking for the perfect items to complete your project, Covers has a wide range of high quality products that offer the ideal finishing touch. We’ve rounded-up a few of our favourites for you below.

Cladding – Timber & Composite

The trend for cladding in garden building design has seen rapid

As the days get colder and longer nights set in, there are all sorts of things that could start to go wrong in a property. From burst pipes to broken heating, winter can cause havoc on our homes. However, with regular maintenance and a bit of planning, you can avoid any cold weather calamities. Here, we’ve provided our top jobs for getting your home ready for winter.

Check your guttering

Leaves, twigs, stray branches and other debris can all combine to clog up guttering and block drains. Obstructions in guttering and drains will render them ineffective - rainwater will not drain properly, potentially leading to damp issues for your property. Therefore, it’s a good idea to schedule in a regular once over of your home’s drains and gutters to ensure they are clean and clear. We suggest at least twice a year, towards the end of autumn and again in early spring.

To check

Measure and dig the required space

Measure the hole and cut the gravel boards

Treat the ends of the cut wood

Put the gravel boards into place

Lay the membrane and cut to size

Fill with scalpings and compact as

Prepare and clean the surface

If you are using concrete posts, mask these off

Mix your paint thoroughly before use

Pour the paint into a sprayer or use a brush

Ensure to apply an even coat with sprayer or brush

Ensure to do any cutting in with a brush

Materials needed

• Paint

String a line along the fence boundary

Mark out where the post is going to go

Install the Metpost ensuring to keep it straight

Put the fence post into the Metpost

Attach a sacrificial piece of timber and hammer into place

Measure and mark the next position

Measure and plan your raised bed

Cut the sleepers to length and treat the cut edges

Lay the sleepers down to create your design

Ensure the corners are square before fixing them from the top with screws

Slide in the concrete gravel board

Double check the gravel board is level

Slide the fence panel through the grooves

Materials needed

Tools needed

PPE needed

• Gloves

Watch the video now...

String a line along the fence boundary line

Mark out where the post is going to go

Dig the hole

You can double check the length with a batten

Double check the depth and place the post in the hole

Add the PostFix and follow the instructions

Measure and mark the next position

Keep the decking flat to avoid warping

Prepare and clear the area, if required, lay a membrane down first

Measure and mark the required length for the frame and then cut and treat the ends of the cut wood

Mark the placement for the joists and lay the frame out in the desired area

Screw the sides and joists together

Keep the decking flat to avoid warping

Prepare and clear the area, if required, lay a membrane down first

Measure and mark the required length for the frame and then cut and treat the ends of the cut wood

Mark the placement for the joists and lay the frame out in the desired area

Screw the sides and joists together

If using a gravel board ensure it is level. Mark on the post the height of the new fence

Mark 150mm from the bottom and 150mm from the top of the panel. Mark the centre of the post

Use this position for fixing the clips. Slide the fence panel through the clips

Fix the panel to the clips. Finish with some end caps

If using

Double check the size of the trellis against the space, line up the trellis and drill pilot holes

Screw the trellis to the post and fence

Materials needed

• Trellis
• Fence Clips
• Batten
• Screws

Tools needed

• Spirit Level
• Tape Measure
• Pencil
• Cordless Drill

PPE needed

A recent survey revealed that 51% of UK builders have been the victim of tool theft, with tools being stolen from vans, workshops, or directly from construction sites.

The study by the Federation of Master Builders makes shocking reading, but sadly the results will not be a surprise to the thousands of tradespeople who’ve become victims of increasingly sophisticated thieves.

The good news is that some advance preparation and a few sensible precautions can help cut your chances of being targeted, either when out on the job or in your own workshop and could minimise the impact on your business if you do find you’ve been burgled.

There are a whole host of styles and finishes to choose from, whether you prefer a contemporary feel with a sleek modern look or you want to add a period

Summer deluges, autumn hurricanes, winter gales . . . it’s an unavoidable fact that storms can hit the UK whatever the season. Extreme weather events wreak devastation on homes and businesses, inflicting billions of pounds worth of damage. In one month alone – February 2020 – the cost of wind and flood damage during storms Dennis and Ciara was more than £360 million.

Forecasters generally give us good warning of approaching storms, offering a window of opportunity to take protective action. But preparing for a storm is one of those tasks you might put off, hoping that when the time comes, your house will somehow survive unscathed. The problem with storms, however, is that they are mightily unpredictable, and whilst the weather report may suggest that a storm is going to be tame, this could quickly change, and you could find yourself and your home in danger of extensive damage.

Read our helpful guide to protect against

or most homes, fences fulfil the important role of protecting the property from unwanted looks and intruders. Whether a fence is inherited from a previous homeowner or you've put it up yourself, it's important to take good care of it in order to make it last - as putting up a new fence can be costly and time-consuming.

If your fence has become damaged, make sure you fix the damage as soon as possible to avoid further damage through water entering the wood or the fence becoming instable.