Dear Ken: I love my new deck, and I want to keep that pretty redwood color. Can I use a clear stain? Brad
Answer: The reddish-blond color of new redwood is gorgeous. The color components in most tinted deck stains help to reflect UV light from the sun, but in your case, you’ll want the clear version to let the natural redwood tones show through. That’s OK for water and mildew protection, but it will deteriorate faster than its pigmented cousins. So plan on recoating every year.
By the way, deck stain application can be tricky. This is one instance where more is not necessarily better. If you initially apply it in too thick a layer or try to add a second coat, you might end up with a sticky mess that won’t cure properly. So use a low-nap roller cover to apply one thin uniform coat.
Dear Ken: We have a squeaky garage door. What kind of grease should I use? Owen
Answer: Grease is not a good choice. In an open-air location such as this, grease tends to attract dust and grit, and soon the rollers and tracks are filthy. Go with a liquid spray lubricant such as WD-40 or a Teflon product (my favorite). Apply a very thin spray coat to the rollers and the track especially the curve at the top.
If it still squeals, you might need help. The tracks can move slightly out of parallel over time, or the door itself can gradually go out of square. This is no DIY job since the door weighs hundreds of pounds and is served by highly torqued or stretched springs that can cause severe injury.
Dear Ken: I have that old pressed board siding — about 30 years old and the edges are starting to look bad. What about new vinyl material? Or what kind
Around the House: Give old, dark cabinets a fresh look gazette.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gazette.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Dear Ken: Several times during the night we hear sounds of water flushing. Should we be concerned? Margo
Answer: About wasting water, yes. It’s one of your toilets trying to tell you that it needs help. Most toilet valves have a built-in “leak detector” to let you know there’s a problem. That’s the noise you hear as water drips ever so slowly down into the bowl. It’s easy to find out which one is acting up. Dump a little food coloring in each tank and wait a half-hour or so. When you see diluted color in the bowl, you’ve got the right one. Simply replace its flapper valve with a new one, and you’re all set.