Painter’s tape will keep things neat when using silicone to seal window
Q How can I install a replacement glass pane in a window alongside an entrance door? The window has coloured glass on the outside, but the clear inner glass broke.
A After getting a replacement glass cut to fit, clear silicone caulking is the best option for securing and sealing the new glass. Just be careful. You want to use real, 100 per cent silicone caulking, not one of the new “siliconized” caulkings that are out there. They won’t work nearly as well in this application.
You’ll also want to keep things neat, too, and that’s where painter’s tape comes in. Run a length of tape along each side of the corner of the joint, about three or four millimetres away from the corner itself.
One length of tape goes on the glass and another length on the frame surrounding the glass. Apply a continuous bead of silicone caulking on the ledge that supports the glass, set the pane in place, then smooth the excess caulking so it extends to the tape on both sides.
Peel off the tape and you’ll have a perfectly neat caulking joint. See how to use masking tape to make neat caulking joints at SteveMaxwell.ca/caulking-masking.
Q What sort of tradesperson can I get to remove a textured, popcorn ceiling? It’s applied over a plaster surface, not drywall.
A Stucco and textured ceilings can usually be removed by softening the surface with water followed by gentle scraping. This is something you can do yourself or you could hire a handy person to take care of it.
No matter how careful the removal process, it’s quite likely that some small grooves and dents might develop in the ceiling. A drywaller is the ideal tradesperson to make this right, applying skim coats of plaster where needed.
Q What can I do about new aluminum fascia that’s wavy and buckled. I’ve just paid thousands for something that looks terrible. I hate it.
A Aluminum expands and contracts a lot with changes in temperature, so it will buckle and look ugly if it’s installed poorly. That said, fascia can be installed so it never buckles, even in hot weather. It’s just a matter of skill and planning.
What portion of the total job cost have you paid so far? Withholding some money until you’re satisfied is the best method for making wrong things right. From the sounds of it, all the existing fascia will have to come off.
Q How can I get rid of the musty smell from a white, antique wicker mirror frame I bought at a yard sale a few months back? The frame is beautiful, but I didn’t notice the odour until I got home.
A Musty smells are always caused by mould or mildew of some kind, and I’m getting more and more questions about mould all the time.
In all cases the solution is the same: Dry the area or item as much as possible, kill the mould spores and roots, then keep things dry.
In your case, start by taking out the mirror from the frame and wash off any dirt or dust from the wicker.
Let the frame dry completely, then saturate the entire thing with something to kill the mould.
A bleach and water solution is the traditional option, but it’s harsh and will almost certainly ruin the colour of your frame. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) recommends non-bleach mould control products.
The only product that’s registered in Canada to both kill mould and discourage regrowth is Concrobium Mold Control. It’s performed well since I began testing and using it almost 10 years ago.
The spritz bottles or aerosol cans make the most sense for your situation.
The same approach would also work well to freshen old musty drawers, wooden chests and cabinets.