Mirror scapes are easy-to-install, decorative frames

Tag : Wood Tub
Take a close look at your sink. If it's part of the moldedcountertop, then you will have to tip it up to install some sort ofan edge tile. If the sink sits on top of the countertop, then youshould lift it up, tile up to the edge of the hole and then set itback into place. No edge tiles will be needed for this. If itmounts under the countertop, edge tiles will be needed for this aswell, but you don't have to disconnect the sink to do the job.
Check out the faucets, too. You might also have to move them. Theymay have to be switched out if they will be too low or too highafter the countertop is installed.
Lay out your tiles with the spacers in place to see where any cutsneed to be made. Make sure you can get the right tiles for theedges and that they are long enough to cover the old countertop.
Clean the countertop with mineral spirits paint thinner to removeall grease and oil from the surface.
Use tile adhesive to secure the tiles in place. The plastic spacersreally help you get even spaces between the tiles. Make sure youmake any adjustments before the adhesive has dried, and wipe awayany that squeezes out or gets on the tiles.
After the adhesive has had plenty of time to set up - at leastovernight - apply your grout. Grout comes pre-mixed and in a lot ofcolors. Just follow the package directions and make sure you getany grout mess cleaned up before it dries.
Since it's a bathroom, consider using a grout sealer just to makesure your grout lasts a long time.
Come back around your sink and faucets if you need to with somesilicone caulk to seal the seams from leaks.
Manual comes in handy
We were working on an outdoor water heater and had to see a verysmall LED light on the front of the panel. The light was very hardto see, and we couldn't really tell if it was off or on. Are theymaking these lights smaller, or is it old age? We decided thelights must be smaller. It also was a very bright, sunny day. Wedecided to use the manual. We had already read it, so we rolled itup like a tube and placed it around the tiny light to block thesun. When we looked down the inside of the tube, it was easy to seethat the light was on. Thank goodness for the manual!
Bandaged hammer prevents damage
If I had a hammer, as the song goes, I'd hammer in the morning. Butif you wanted to hammer on something a little more delicate, like anice piece of wood or a tile, you might want to be a little morecareful. Just stick an elastic bandage over the hammer head andcreate some padding. That way, you won't cause any damage. It'seasy to do, and you can rip it off - quickly if you like - andyou'll have your hammer back to normal again.
Super hints
• You can add a flexible straw to the end of an oilcan spoutto help get the oil into a tight spot or reach a spot that is hardto get to. Flexible straws are available at just about any grocerystore or discount store, and can be taped in place if they are tooloose on your oil can.
• If you are tying down a tarp and the knots of the rope keepslipping through the holes, add a washer or two to hold the knotsbetter, and they will also take some of the pressure off the tarpgrommets, making them last longer, too.
• Coloring your hair should be left to the professionalhairdressers of the world. So, if you are painting a room,especially a ceiling, make sure you put on a shower cap. It's aquick and easy way to protect your hair from paint drips andspatters. Punk is out and clean hair is in! Surely you can alwaysfind another way to make a fashion statement!
Q. Our condo ceilings butt against the concrete floor of the unitabove. We would like to install a ceiling fan. Are there any easyways to do this besides hiring a contractor?
A. Without drilling into the ceiling, you have a couple of options.Use a flat box for the connections, and either Flatwire or Wiremoldto run your wiring to an outlet. These are two brand names ofsystems that are pretty easy and inexpensive to install. TheFlatwire (www.decorp.com) sticks right to the wall but must becovered with drywall compound and paint, and the Wiremold(www.wiremold.com) is a channel system that carries the wires tothe nearest outlet. Check your hardware store or electrical supplyfor these products and see which one you can live with.
Q. Our fireplace has a black metal front, and I would like to paintit. Is there a paint for this metal? Is it OK to do that as closeto the fire as it will be?
A. As long as you use a high-temp paint, one made to withstand hightemperatures. Your paint dealer can show you what he has in stock.The colors usually are very limited, but maybe you will luck outand be able to find one that works for your plan.
Q. It seems like lead paint was outlawed such a long time ago, andI wasn't worried about it until we moved and our house inspectorchecked the property we were looking at. He found it in severalrooms. How are we supposed to deal with this?
A. The lead isn't much of a problem unless it becomes airborne, sono sanding or scraping in these rooms. To paint over these walls,cover them with a primer and then your wall paint. If you want tofind out if any other surfaces are covered in lead paint, just buya simple test kit at your paint or hardware store. These test kitsare very easy to use and will guide you to government agencies forfurther safety information.
Reader tips
• I accidentally spilled some oil on the garage floor when Iwas adding some to my car, and tried to wipe it up. I didn't get itall, and there was a stain, so I looked for a cleaner. I tried ahousehold cleaner, but it didn't really work. My wife told me toput some cola on it and that would clean it up. I thought she wascrazy but I tried it anyway, and it actually worked. I poured it onthe oil and it started dissolving it, so I poured the rest of thecan on it and covered the whole thing with cat litter. I left ituntil last night and swept it away. It really worked. I hope I canremember that the next time I spill something.
• I have been stripping the wallpaper off my son's old room toturn it into a home office, so sanding is a big part of my daylately. To cut down on the mess, I was going to put up a plasticdrop cloth over the doorway to keep the dust from migrating to therest of the house. I decided to use a bed sheet instead, because Ihad only one drop cloth and needed it for the floor. I sprayed thesheet with a little mist to see if the extra moisture would helpeven more. It really did seem to help.
• I have an old bathtub that was green. I replaced the toileta couple of years ago and it is white, but that green bathtub isimpossible to hide. I finally used epoxy paint to change it towhite. It was hard work, but it really looks nice now. I hope itlasts, because there is no way that tub is coming out of that room!
• I love to paint and like to do murals. I have painted withmy friend in her nursery and have just finished my son's room. Iuse smaller cans of paint and put them into larger buckets. Thelarger buckets have handles, which are great for holding while youwork and, when you drip, the drips go into the bucket instead of onyour carpeting.
• The best way to strain a can of paint is to let a screen dothe work. I cut a round piece of window screen that covers thewhole top of the paint surface. Then I set the screen on top andlet it sink to the bottom. You can help it a little with your stirstick, but it will sink on its own over time. As it sinks, it trapsthe clumps and lumps and other debris under the screen so that whenyou dip your brush in, you won't have to worry about lumps in thepaint.
Shop talk
• Who keeps coming up with these utility knife add-ons? TheSpeedRocker-SS is a heavy-duty, fixed-blade utility knife in alightweight, compact case. A very innovative ScorSlot placeddirectly in the case over the blade will hold the end of yourretractable tape while you hold the knife, giving you a perfectscore or cut, depending on what type of job you are doing. You getthree positive-stop blade positions, super-quick, tool-free bladechanges and extra blade storage all in a small, zinc, die-casthousing. Check it out at your hardware store, home center or onlineat www.chhanson.com.
• Now you can turn an ordinary plate-glass mirror into adecorative feature in your bathroom. Mirror scapes are easy-to-install, decorative frames that are made to fit right ontoyour already-installed wall mirror. There are several styles topick from, made to match your faucets and other hardware. There iseven a paintable version in case you can't find just the rightcolor from the stock. It even has specially designed decorativecorners so, once you have the sides installed, the corners just popinto place - no mitering required! They carry a lifetime limitedwarranty and are available nationwide at kitchen and bathroomdealers. If you are interested in finding out more aboutMirrorscapes, go to the Web site and check it out. It's atwww.moen.com.
• Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald,P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit the Carrell'sWeb site at www.thesuperhandyman.com.
© 2008, Cowles Syndicate Inc.