ASK THE HANDYMAN : It Only Takes a Tiny Pin and a Bit of Work to Burst Wallpaper Bubble

Q. My husband and I wallpapered our bathroom, and unfortunately a couple of bubbles have formed where the adhesive hasn’t held. Is there a way to get rid of the bubble without putting a couple of big creases in the paper?

D.G.,

Laguna Hills

A. “If you’ve just finished the job, try poking a hole in it with a sharp pin and flattening it out,” says Charlie Kaczorowski of Tustin Paint Mart. “If it’s too dry, and the wall covering is paper, try wetting it then flattening it. If you’re working with vinyl, you can try flattening it down and holding it till the paste sticks.”

Q. The rain gutters around our house need replacing, and we can’t decide between aluminum or vinyl gutters. What are the pros and cons of each?

J.K.,

Santa Ana

A. Besides aluminum and vinyl, you can also choose gutters made of steel, copper or even wood. Maintaining a good gutter system is important to keep water from falling in torrents around your home and possibly damaging the foundation.

Aluminum makes a good choice, since it can be made to fit your home and have as few joints as possible, says Steve DiMiceli of T & J Rain Gutters in Garden Grove. “You can have it pre-painted in about 20 colors, or you can have it done in primer gray and paint it yourself.”

For the price, aluminum probably has the best value. “Expect to pay around $2.25 per foot for aluminum gutters that will come with a 20-year guarantee.”

Galvanized steel and copper are two heavy-duty alternatives. Don Miller of Architectural Sheet Metal in Orange recommends these two for their durability, although the consumer should beware of a contractor taking shortcuts. “He may try to do it cheaply and caulk the seams, but steel and copper should always be soldered,” says Miller.

Prices for steel can start around $7 per foot, while copper can start from $18 per foot and will depend on the metal’s open market price. However, Miller points out that steel can last 50 years or more. And “copper can last the life of the building. Because of its resistance to rust, you may want it if your home is near the ocean.”

People who have trouble sleeping on rainy nights may prefer vinyl gutters for their silent operation. Vinyl’s cost and ease of installation make it a popular do-it-yourself choice, according to Bob Burn of Santa Ana’s Builder’s Emporium. Expect vinyl guttering to run $5 per 10-foot section.

Q. What’s the best type of grass for a small area that doesn’t get much sun? We have a corner at the side of the house where yard tools and garbage cans are kept. It won’t take any type of sod that we’ve tried so far from the nursery.

K.A.,

Seal Beach

A. “If you haven’t tried Bermuda grass, you may want to use that. It’s probably the hardiest grass you can use for such an area,” says Christina Versteeg of Huntington Garden Center in Huntington Beach. “If it should die out because of heavy use, it usually comes right back.”

Although Bermuda seed is available, you may want to try the sod if you’d like to have a consistent amount of coverage in that space. “Usually it costs around 55 cents per square foot,” says Versteeg. “If you’re getting more than 500 square feet, the price goes down.”