If an old door has been painted and repainted many times or if its paintwork is blistered or flaking, you'll only make the problem worse if you add another layer. Stripping off the old paint can make a shabby door look like new. You could then repaint it or, if it's made of high quality wood, bring out its natural warmth by varnishing or staining and varnishing it.

For levelling wooden surfaces, nothing beats a planer, and today's powered options help make the job quicker and easier. Equally, when you need to remove layers of varnish, stains, paint or rust (or you just want a fine finish over a large area), a sander is invaluable. Say goodbye to hard work and hello to getting the job finished in less than half the time.