Blog
The Swollen Splashback
Picture a kitchen that’s barely a year old. Smart, clean, marble-effect splashback and matching compact laminate worktops - the lot. Then one corner starts to look… wrong. The crisp edge by the worktop has gone soft and lumpy, the joint has lifted, and what used to be a sharp and crisp line is now a swollen, blistered mess. On a kitchen that new, it’s about the last thing you expect to be looking at.
That is exactly what greeted us on this job in Dorchester. And the cause was no great mystery once we got up close. The splashback was made of MDF — and MDF, sat in the hottest, steamiest, wettest corner of the house with water quietly finding its way past a poorly sealed joint, behaves precisely how you would fear. It drinks. It swells. It blisters. The only real surprise was how quickly it had happened.
Do you struggle to find reliable tradespeople?
Our client struggled to find a reliable tradesperson - then they met Upcycle Interiors Ltd
September 2025 - Heritage Sash Window Repair in Upwey
Every home tells a story, and this project started with a simple phone call. A homeowner in Upwey, Dorset had spotted one of our flyers and reached out, desperate for help on their beautiful Grade II Listed building with three original timber sash windows that had seen better days.
September 2025 - Painting Project in Weymouth
We were contacted by a repeat customer who originally found us on Facebook, needing help with some painting work in Weymouth. Our client had a "painter" come in and leave her project like this... no sanding, no cleaning, no prep! wardrobe not moved and wall not painted behind it, no caulk used, awful masking tape used which was completely ineffective for the cutting in, walls need another coat, skirting not painted under the radiator.... because a bin was there? wrong...
February 2025 - Sash Window Repair in Weymouth
Our client approached us through our website contact form after finding us on Google.
a cord had broken on their sash window in the bathroom and would no longer stay open.
UIL replaced both sash cords in the window with new ones.
October 2024 - Door Refurbishment in Winfrith
Our client in Winfrith Newburgh found us with a Google search a year ago when they asked us to build them a log cabin.
Since then we have been back to refurbish the back door, build a new hand made double gate, and now - lovingly restore an outhouse/workshop door. They had been meaning to do the work themselves, but as we know too well - life gets in the way and time slips by.
How To Repair Peeling Paint
This is my tried and tested method for repairing areas of peeling paint without resorting to scraping the entire wall!
Non-Standard Value
Other Portland / Weymouth-based Handymen and Property Maintenance operatives include Chesil Property Maintenance and HouseMartin. Martin is much like Upcycle Interiors Limited – offering a broad range of skills and virtually able to cater for everything that a complete renovation requires. A promising fact is that House Martin does not advertise cheap or value prices and they aren’t trying to do everything at the lowest level.