Latest Articles - amosjoinery.co.uk

Person wiping an outdoor wooden table surrounded by chairs and garden furniture on a sunny day.

Garden Furniture: Which Materials Survive Winter Outdoors

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

Many garden owners face the same unpleasant surprise in late winter: what looked stylish in spring suddenly resembles something destined...

Family of three sitting on wooden floor in sunny room with blueprint and digital device on table nearby.

Cork insulation: why homeowners are switching

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

Most people only know cork from wine bottles or as a noticeboard above a desk. On building sites, however, the...

Architect in suit reviewing building model and blueprints on terrace overlooking beach and ocean.

Vila Galé marks 40 years with €275 million investment and Algarve upgrades in 2026

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

In 2026, Vila Galé is combining a heavy programme of investment and building works with celebrations for 40 years in...

Construction worker in high-visibility vest and helmet examining plans by a riverbank under bright sunlight.

Mondego canal repairs completed as APA reviews 2026 flood recommendations

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

The works that allow “the water to flow” were completed three months after the breach recorded on 11 February, following...

Man measuring a wooden chicken coop while another watches in a garden with chickens nearby.

Chickens in the Garden: France Shows How Costly an Unapproved Chicken Coop Can Be

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

Putting up a chicken coop in your own garden is not a legal free-for-all. In France, some hobby keepers have...

Person stoking a modern wood-burning stove in a cosy living room with stacked firewood and cleaning brush nearby.

How to Save Firewood with Efficient Wood Heating: 7 Practical Tips

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

Wood is often seen as a cosy, relatively climate-friendly and frequently cheaper option than gas or oil. The catch: you...

Elderly couple discussing plans with clipboard while measuring a hot tub on a sunny patio.

Seniors, Spas and the Hidden Weight of a Hot Tub on Your Deck

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

The evening could have been lifted straight from a postcard: mellow light across the garden, a ribbon of steam rising...

Man analyzing a large city map with laptop by river at sunset on rooftop terrace.

Porto to build new outer ring road linking VCI and CREP/A41

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

Porto is set to get a new outer ring road that will act as an “intermediate link” between the Inner...

Person draining cooked spaghetti into a glass colander over a stainless steel kitchen sink by a window.

Boiling pasta water down the sink: why it can damage your drains and pipes

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

The pasta is cooked perfectly al dente, you’re starving, and reaching for the colander in the sink feels automatic. Tip...

Person sitting by a lit wood stove in a room with stacked firewood and a sunset outside the window.

How Much Firewood Do You Need for 80 to 120 m² Over Winter?

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

If you heat your home with wood, you can often cut your bills - but only if you plan enough...

Hands holding a cracked concrete core sample with water dripping onto broken concrete on a lab table.

MIT reveals the secret behind Roman pozzolanic concrete

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

The ancient Romans excelled as builders and engineers, nowhere more clearly than in aqueducts that still operate today. Many of...

Hands fitting a white tile on a wall using a spirit level and wooden guide for alignment during tiling.

Wall tiles that won’t slip: the simple timber batten trick professionals use

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

Many DIYers know the moment all too well: you’ve chosen the perfect wall tiles, you press them into place -...

Surveyor in a high-visibility vest kneeling on a country road at dusk, measuring along a glowing green line with traffic cone

Malaysia’s glowing road markings trial: why the futuristic lanes were halted

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

No street lamps, just glowing road markings: In Malaysia, a future-facing trial was meant to make unlit rural roads safer...

Two construction workers in helmets and orange vests shaking hands at a building site with model and plans.

Eiffage rescues Claus Heinemann Elektroanlagen in Munich as Salvia expands in Germany

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

The lifeline is not coming from a German competitor, but from French construction heavyweight Eiffage, which is discreetly building a...

Man working on urban planning with a city map and 3D model in an office overlooking a city skyline.

New GlobalBuildingAtlas maps 2.75 billion buildings in 3D, says Technical University of Munich (TUM)

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany have built a new online atlas that plots 2.75 billion...

Two men inspect a sinking road around an open manhole on a city street, marked with cones and chalk outlines.

Sinkholes in Philadelphia: What Causes Them and Why Repairs Take So Long

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

In early January, a very large sinkhole opened up at a crossroads in West Oak Lane, a neighbourhood in North...

Two men examining thermal imaging data on a tablet inside a modern room near a window.

Insulation Savings, the Rebound Effect, and What an Energy Auditor Taught Me

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

The fitters were in good spirits, the foam looked satisfyingly dense, and my energy app seemed to purr with optimism....

A man carefully restores ancient symbols on a mural inside a historic building using a brush.

Hidden Vatican City Chapel Opens as the Holy See Confirms Restoration

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

A narrow doorway, sealed with brick for years, has been reopened within Vatican City. On the other side sits a...

People cycling on a shaded urban pathway beside a pond with lily pads on a sunny day.

Reflective Canopies and Roof Ponds Cool City Streets

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

Engineers are suspending bright, reflective canopies above pavements and courtyards, then unobtrusively channelling hot air upwards into roof ponds that...

Person applying amber-colored wood finish on a wooden board in a workshop with tools nearby.

The Egyptian Wood Finish Making a 3,000-Year Comeback

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

Craftspeople are quietly borrowing a 3,000-year-old finish that can breathe, carries a rain-after-the-grove scent, and helps boards and benches stay...

High-speed train travelling through a transparent underwater tunnel with fish and a whale nearby.

The world’s longest high‑speed underwater train and the race to build it

James H. Amos • August 21, 2026

A misty morning hangs off the coast of China’s Fujian province. On a steel platform, a small team of engineers...