Following are tips on how to perform do-it-yourself work at your community.
Q. I want to insulate the walls of the kitchen in an 81-year-old building. I thought I could have the insulation blown into the walls through small holes from inside. Two contractors told me it can’t be done. Can you help?
A. Some walls are not suited for blown-in insulation. Most suitable are wood-framed walls with large cavities between the wall studs; these can be filled with fluffy insulation, usually cellulose, that is pumped in through small holes.
I am sure the contractors were giving you the facts after checking your walls. Your best bet is to make sure the kitchen windows and any doors are energy-efficient and well sealed, and to insulate the house where practical, such as the attic and floors. If the kitchen is still cold, an auxiliary heater would be a practical option.
Q.The baseboards in my building are really beat up by bumps from vacuum cleaners, toys and shoes. They are dented, scratched, and some of the paint is peeling. Do I need new baseboards or can these be salvaged?
A.They can be salvaged with a fresh coat of paint, which is a process that is not that much more difficult than installing new baseboards. For best results, the baseboards should be removed—one room at a time.
Care is needed when removing them to avoid splitting the boards. A good system is to work a putty knife behind a section of board and wiggle it free of the wall enough to insert a flat pry bar such as a Wonder Bar. Pry carefully, at nailing points if possible. As each piece is removed, number it on the back so it can be put back in the same place.
The pieces will have nails protruding from the back, but don’t try to pound the nails out through the front of the boards, you will splinter them. Instead, pull the nails out through the back with pliers or nip them off with wire nippers. If the paint is badly damaged, the best bet is to remove it using a paste-type paint remover. If paint is only moderately damaged, you can probably sand it smooth enough to proceed; use 80-grit or 100-grit sandpaper.
Fill dents, nail holes and any other damaged places with a vinyl spackling compound. Let the patches dry and then sand them smooth. Prime the entire surface of each piece with a water-based primer such as Bull’s Eye 1-2-3. Let the primer dry and sand lightly with 200-grit sandpaper.
Next, apply one or two coats of acrylic enamel. The final step is to re-install the baseboards using finishing nails at least two-and-a-half inches long. If possible, nail into wall studs.
Drive the nails slightly below the surface of the wood and fill the holes using a wood-putty stick that matches the finish you have applied. If you want a natural finish on beat-up baseboards, it is best to replace them; it is very difficult to fill dents and holes and then apply stain and varnish.
Q.Years ago I bought aluminum gutter screens that had a double layer—a coarse mesh on top and a fine screen underneath. Nothing got through these screens. I have tried to find some replacements, but the company seems to have disappeared. Can you help?
A. I haven’t seen this type of screen for a long time. If any reader knows a source, I’ll pass it along. I think it is unlikely that you will find that style anymore.
One reason is that the trend now is to “micro mesh,” which generally includes a strong single screen with small perforations that manufacturers say will keep out tiny debris such as pine needles as well as leaves. Many of these screens are made of stainless steel. Search “micro mesh gutter screens” online for details.
Questions and comments should be e-mailed to Gene Austin at gaus17@aol.com.