Dear Gene: How can we make lasting repairs to
cracks in our plaster walls? Also, should plaster be primed before
it is painted, and what primer should be used? — K.L.
I can’t guarantee that the patches will
be permanent, because cracks are often caused by settling or
movement in the building. Cracks can reopen if movement continues.
A much-recommended way to make repairs is to
use a plaster mix or patching plaster, sold in bags at some home
centers and hardware stores. Clean out the crack with a knife or
similar tool and trim the surface so that there are no protruding
lumps or bulges. Mix enough plaster to fill the crack. Moisten the
crack with water from a spray bottle, then use a drywall knife to
pack plaster into the crack and smooth the surface carefully. Let
the plaster dry for at least 24 hours and sand with 120-grit
sandpaper. Wipe off dust with a damp cloth. Because you have several cracks, you might
want to try a repair kit that includes all of the tools and
materials needed. A kit with enough supplies to patch about 20
average-sized cracks costs about $80 at www.plasterpatchkit.com.
The kit includes a bonding agent to give the patch better
adhesion. All plaster should be primed before painting.
A good choice for the primer is Zinsser’s Bulls Eye 1-2-3
(www.zinsser.com), sold at home centers and paint stores.
Dear Gene: The rubber seal at the bottom of
our 10-year-old patio doors has deteriorated and worn, letting
water and cold air into the room. Our hardwood floors are being
ruined, and the sill is swollen so that the doors won’t open
and close properly. The manufacturer says the doors are no longer
being made and has no solution. Can you help? Replacement
isn’t an option right now. — B.T.
You should be able to temporarily stop the
damage to floors by packing foam-rubber weather stripping into the
gaps in the doors or sealing them with a removable caulk such as
DAP’s Seal ’n Peel. A permanent repair will be a lot more
difficult. Replacement weather stripping for sliding patio doors is hard to find and hard to install.
You should check the weather-stripping departments of home centers and
hardware stores to see whether there might be something suitable to
patch things up. I would also keep after the manufacturer.
Inquire about the terms of the warranty offered on patio doors
— it is possible you have a warranty claim. If this
doesn’t help, try contacting a contractor in your area who
installs that brand of doors — the contractor might be able
to make or suggest ways to repair the doors.
Dear Gene: The floors of our house were
refinished in 1984 with oil-based polyurethane. About 15 years
later we had several rooms sanded and refinished with water-based
poly. The last floors sanded were left wavy in places and the
finish remains very clear, but the older floors have yellowed
considerably. Is it possible to get an even color on all the
floors? — C.J.
Your options don’t appear to be very
appealing. If you want a uniform color, the approach
that makes the most sense to me is to resand the wavy floors to
make them flat and then stain them to a color approximating that of
the other floors. Finish the stained floors with water-based poly,
which will remain clear so that the wood will retain only the
stained color. Also make sure you pick an experienced
contractor. A time-honored way to do this is ask for references and
check them out, a step that many homeowners ignore to their sorrow
when expensive renovations are done.
Gene Austin says he became a do-it-yourselfer
by necessity some 40 years ago when he bought his first house, a
fixer-upper that needed a lot of work. Over the last 20 years, he
has helped thousands of other weekend warriors through his
home-improvement column.
Send questions and comments to Gene Austin at
doit861@aol.com or 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422.
Distributed by Knight-Ridder Newspapers.
© Gene Austin 2006
This article appears in May 18-24, 2006.
