Table of Contents
Hour 1
To Brush or Not to Brush?
Everett needs to paint a six-panel steel door, but he’s had poor results painting similar doors with a brush in the past. He wants to know what options are available and how to proceed.
Some people assume that a metal door requires oil-based paint but latex works fine with the right preparation. First lightly sand the door and wipe off the dust. Next, buy a high quality brush and some Floetrol Paint additive*.
Remove the door from the hinges and position it horizontally to paint. When the Floetrol is mixed with latex paint it will improve the paint’s performance and reduce the appearance of brush marks. This additive is also recommended for use with latex paint in sprayers.
Front Door Refinishing Fix
Andrew is refinishing a solid wood front door. The sanding and staining are easy enough but the edge joints in the inset panels are separating, leaving cracks that let in cold air during the winter. He needs a solution to seal these gaps without ruining the look of the door.
The cracks caused by the expansion and contraction of the wood will continue so any repair should be somewhat flexible. If the door is being painted, the cracks can be filled with caulk but the solution is more difficult for a stained finish. Wood putty will fill the gap but may not accept the stain well so it should be tested on a small area. Mixing saw dust, which will accept stain, with a small amount of exterior wood glue* is another option which may work well but should also be tested.
Hour 2
Ceramic Tile Leveling
Ed has some 18-ich square tiles in his home that are coming loose. The tiles rock a little when someone steps on them and there’s a hollow sound when he knocks on them. Ed wants to try to repair the loose tiles without having to replace all the tiles in a rather large space.
The hollow sound is a sure sign that there is not enough thin set adhesive under the tiles so they will need to be re-adhered. The first step is removal of the grout around the loose tile. An oscillating tool with a grout cutting blade is the best option for this job.
Next, the tile can be carefully pried up so the old dry thin set can be removed. New thin set is applied to the floor and the back of the tile, before the tile is replaced. Finally the grout around the repaired tile can be replaced with new grout that matches the color of the old grout around it.
Choose the Right Mix
Choosing the right concrete mix for the project at hand is sometimes a challenge. Here are a few examples of what to use for common tasks.
- The traditional Quikrete Concrete Mix in the yellow bag is the go-to solution for most general concrete work.
- Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix is ideal for setting posts for fences because it can be mixed in the hole and dries in 30 minutes.
- Quikrete Re-Cap Concrete Resurfacer is ideal for repairing and resurfacing worn or scaled concrete.
- Quikrete Countertop Mix is designed with a high-flow formula and super-plasticizers to make pouring countertops more successful.
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Simple Solutions
Circle-Marking Trick—A pencil compass is fine for drawing small circles, but for large circles, use a wooden yardstick. Start by drilling a small-diameter hole through the 1-inch graduation; this hole will serve as the pivot point. Next, drill another hole through the yardstick 1 inch beyond the desired radius. For example, if you’re drawing a 20-in. circle, drill the second hole at the 11-inch graduation, which is 10 inches from the pivot point. To draw the circle, screw the pivot point down to the workpiece, place the tip of a sharpened pencil into the second hole, then swing the yardstick around to draw a perfectly round circle.
Tack Strip Removal Trick—After removing wall-to-wall carpeting, you’ll likely find wooden tack strips nailed down around the perimeter of the room. If the strips are nailed down to a concrete slab, they can be very difficult to remove. To make that job easier, use a hammer to strike the edge of the tack strip directly in front of the nail. One good rap will usually pop the nail loose or snap it off flush with the surface.
