INSIDE & OUT : A HELPING HAND : After 11 Years, Exterior Paint Is Many Shades
Q We’ll be painting our stucco and wood trim this summer, and we want to paint it the same colors we did 11 years ago: creamy beige and yellow. Is it possible to get an exact color match for paint that old?
R.R., Santa Ana
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A Within reason, you should be able to find a good match, but there are some complications, says Harold Brobst of Hal’s Paint & Decorating in Fullerton. What you think is creamy beige and yellow is really a number of different shades. Over time, the walls with the most exposure to the sun have faded into one shade; areas that don’t get much sun are another color, and there are variations in between. Carefully go around your house and see which area you like best, then take a patch of it to a paint shop. Most good shops should be able to mix a paint for you that matches the shade you want.
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Q My old sliding glass door has a three-inch crack coming down from one corner. I don’t want to replace it now, but I don’t want the crack to go down any further. Is there anything I can put on it to keep it in place?
H.H., Anaheim
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A Your door must be very old, because tempered glass has been required in sliding doors for a long time, and tempered glass doesn’t break that way, says John Silva of Martin Glass & Mirror in Costa Mesa. If you want to stop the crack, you can try using a glass drill bit, which is available at most hardware stores. Lubricate the area and drill a small hole in the glass at the end of the crack. This should stop it from progressing. For safety reasons, you should replace the door with one of tempered glass as soon as you can.
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Q I’m planning to replace my asphalt driveway soon, and I’d like to have the new one made of cement with a pattern of brick. I’m also considering having a driveway made entirely of brick. Is there a certain kind of brick that should be used for driveways?
S.Y., Buena Park
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A You can use any kind of brick, as long as it’s mortared in correctly, says Pete Gorman of Rancho Lumber in Westminster. You’ll need to put mortar under and around the brick. If you just use a common sand underlayment, the weight of your cars will drive some areas deeper into the ground, and the job will be uneven.
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Q We have two toilets in our 21-year-old house, and in both the ball cock flushing mechanisms are failing to work properly. Should I go with one of those new plastic mechanisms or with the old-fashioned copper style?
S.B., Costa Mesa
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A Your selection will depend on the type of toilets you have, says Rod Albright of Albright Plumbing & Heating Supply in Los Alamitos. With the “low-boy” style, which doesn’t have a separate tank, you may have to go with an original equipment ball cock mechanism, or have the old one repaired. If you have a two-piece toilet with a separate tank, you can use the plastic system. The better plastic ball cocks are a big improvement over the metal ones.
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Q A friend is moving and is giving us his old, heavy chandelier. We have a perfect place to hang it, but we’re worried about it swinging during an earthquake and crashing down. Is there a way to secure it so it won’t swing?
F.K., Laguna Niguel
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A As long as it’s properly installed, there’s little danger of it falling, says Tom Becker of Harbor Lites in Costa Mesa. The electrical box needs to be firmly secured to one of the ceiling joists; otherwise it can break free. If you have any doubts about whether you can do the job correctly, let a professional handle it.
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If you have a question about your home or garden, A Helping Hand will help you find the answer. Send questions to: John Morell, Home Design, The Times Orange County, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
