2 Methods to Put Trellis on Brick Siding
Question: We have brick siding on our house, and I’d like to plant a nice garden next to the house using a tall, heavy trellis to support some climbing plants. How do I secure the trellis to the brick?
H.T.
Anaheim
Answer: If the siding is in good shape, you can try to drill through the brick or grout with a masonry bit, says Frank Eckert of Arrow True Value Hardware in Orange.
Once the hole is made through the brick and wall, you can insert a long toggle bolt to secure the trellis. You can also use a cement screw; drill a small pilot hole and turn the cement screw into the hole so that it holds the trellis.
If you want to avoid holes in the brick, you could epoxy a long strip of wood to the brick and then nail the trellis to that. However, if the siding is made from Z Brick, or a thin brick glued to the wall’s surface, you’re probably better off drilling through it and securing the trellis to the wall for structural strength.
Q: I recently bought a 50-year-old house that has nice original woodwork on the exterior; however, after multiple coats of paint, much of it has been covered.
I’ve tried to remove some of the paint, but it’s tough going with just a wire brush. Is there an easier way?
L.L.
Santa Ana
A: Removing old paint layers probably will reveal more detail in the woodwork; however, you’reprobably going to run into a safety issue, says paint consultant Charlie Kaczorowski of Tustin.
A house that old has probably been coated with a lead-based paint at some point, and removal of that paint requires special handling that may be best left to professionals. If removing the paint won’t work for your budget, try hand-sanding the top coat to prepare the finish and at least smooth out the surface before repainting.
Q: Last year we had a serviceman in the attic to fix the furnace, and since then the trapdoor has fit cockeyed into the space and is no longer flush with the ceiling. How can I get it to fit correctly?
C.U.
Lake Forest
A: These doors are often hard to fit back in once they’ve been pushed up, says contractor JackGomez of Fullerton. You have to push it up and drop it back down onto its seat, which isn’t easy because there’s no handle to pull and you can’t have someone in the attic pushing the door down.
Make sure the 2 by 4s that line the seat are smooth and that the sides of the door have no nails sticking out. Try sprinkling talcum powder along the sides to make it slip down more smoothly.
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.
