Repair Wreath With Fast-Tack Glue
Question: We pulled some wreaths out of our Christmas storage box and found that the foam backing on a few of them has broken. The household glue I tried to fix them with was ineffective. What should I use?
D.D.
Tustin
Answer: “This is the time of year that people find broken Christmas decorations, since back in January they weren’t careful about packing their delicate pieces,” said a spokesman at Piecemakers Country Crafts Store in Costa Mesa. “You’ll need to use some type of fast-tack glue that’s designed for use with Styrofoam. Most craft and hardware stores carry it, you just have to clean off any dust or broken pieces, apply it and hold it in place until it sets. Try keeping the two pieces in place with pins for at least a day before actually hanging the wreath.”
Q: My garbage disposal occasionally backs up, which leads me to believe I’m using it to dispose of the wrong things. I always thought you could put anything but grease down the disposal; isn’t that true?
F.C.
Laguna Hills
A: “The thing to remember is you can put fruits and vegetables down there, but you have to keep bones and scraps of meat out of the disposal,” says plumber Frank Shields of Santa Ana. “After it’s chopped by the disposal, the waste still has to go through your drains, and if you’re putting something greasy down there, you may be increasing the chance of a clog.”
Q: We’re planning on wallpapering a bathroom, but I’m concerned about the drywall. It has an “orange peel” texture that is very subtle, but I don’t want it to show through the paper. I’d rather not put up blank stock, or smooth the walls out. Will a thicker wallpaper keep the texture from showing?
S.N.
Huntington Beach
A: “The type of paper you use can make a difference in whether the texture comes through,” says Gene Teramura of Dutch Boy Home Decorating Center in Santa Ana. “What happens is that as the paper dries, it shrinks into the wall texture. If the paper has a sheen to it, the texture becomes more pronounced. If there’s not much sheen or if it’s a heavy paper or a busy pattern, you’re not going to see the texture as much. Of course, this doesn’t always apply. With a lot of people it’s personal taste. Some don’t mind a little texture showing through, while for others, that’s the first thing they see when looking at the wall.”
Q: Our 10-year-old gas stove is having a problem lighting. When we turn one of the burners on, you can hear the clicking of the igniter, but then it seems to take a long time before it ignites. There’s little or no gas smell, so I don’t think it’s a hazard, but it is annoying. What could be wrong?
C.S.
Anaheim
A: “There could be a variety of reasons for the problem, but you should probably be thinking in terms of safety,” says Tom Houlihan of Orange County Appliance Parts in Garden Grove. “Have the gas company come out to check it as soon as possible. This is a free service, and they can determine if the stove is a hazard. When you turn on the gas, the gas fills the passageways and also enters a tube where the igniter sits. The igniter then lights the gas in the tube, which in turn lights the gas in the burner. If the tube becomes misaligned, or if it’s blocked by grease, it could create a problem igniting.”
Q: I have some interior painting I need to do. Would renting an electric roller really make the job go faster?
D.W.
Brea
A: “If you have a lot of painting to do, it really can make a difference,” says Harold Brobst of Hal’s Paint & Decorating in Fullerton. “However, you need to have all your preparation and masking done beforehand. The great thing about power rollers is you’re not having to get more paint from the pan, and you have an even amount of paint on the roller at all times.”
Got a question about your home or garden? Write to: John Morell, Handyman, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626.
