Home Improvement : Latex Best for Pool-Side Walkway
QUESTION: I have to paint a concrete floor and walkway around the area of an outdoor swimming pool. I once did a similar job several years ago with an oil-based paint but found the concrete was a little slippery after it had been done. I have heard this can be avoided by using a water-based latex paint. That sounds logical, but what worries me is whether the water-based latex will be as durable as the other paint. May I have your advice?
ANSWER: Water-based latex is excellent for pool-side areas. It is very durable and is not slippery. It also has the advantage of being easy to apply.
Adjusting Tension on Your Window Shade
Q: Your answer to the adjustment of the tension on a window shade was very good. But I would like you to know that when I was a little girl, more than 55 years ago, my mother took an old silverware fork. She removed the shade and rolled it up tight. She then inserted the flat prong on the top of the shade on the roller into the tines of the fork, then wound it up slowly about five times to tighten the spring. Too much winding makes it spring back. Insert the shade back into the brackets and pull it down. I have used this method many times in the past and it always works.
A: Many thanks. Our readers thank you, too.
Let Deck Weather Before You Stain
Q: Just had a wooden deck put in. Can I apply stain at once?
A: Yes, but for best results you should let the exposed wood weather a bit. Allow 4 to 5 weeks for regular wood, 8 to 12 weeks for pressure-treated lumber. Weathering allows the pores to open so the stain can penetrate deep.
Toilet Tank Leak Can Be Eliminated Easily
Q: There’s a slight leak of water into our toilet bowl. I checked inside the tank and found the water is not overflowing into the overflow tube, so I know it isn’t that. Any ideas?
A: Water is leaking into the bowl under the rubber ball at the bottom of the tank. Turn off the water to the fixture and work the tank handle several times. See whether the rubber ball is dropping exactly on the valve seat every time.
Sometimes all that is required is to adjust the bracket on the outside of the overflow tube. Keep adjusting it until the ball drops perfectly on the valve seat. While you are at it, rub steel wool around the inside of the valve seat to remove any rust, dirt or grit. It’s also possible you need a new rubber ball. The new one may not be round, but shaped more like a pear. In any case, it is constructed so it will fit the valve seat. All of this is under the assumption you have an old-fashioned toilet tank mechanism inside your tank. When you start to have a lot of trouble with the equipment inside the tank, a new inside unit may be in order.