Question - My bathroom ceiling is one of those textured things with bumps; I think you call them popcorn ceilings. Mine is all moldy, but I'm afraid that scrubbing it will tear it apart. What can I do? Wally Elton, Springfield, Vt.
Answer - The handyman has another word for those popcorn ceilings, but it's unprintable. Like all textured ceilings, they are a pain in the neck, especially when you have to work on them. They are difficult, sometimes impossible to wash, may succumb to bleach and other chemicals, and are impossible to patch properly. And some may not even be paintable. Other than that they are wonderful.
You don't have to scrub to get rid of the mildew. Make a mix of 1 part bleach and 3 parts water, and paint this solution on the ceiling. Try a small area first to make sure the bleach doesn't dissolve or ruin the ceiling. The bleach will kill the mildew, and that is all you have to do until the next time.
If the bleach dissolves the ceiling or otherwise ruins it, your only recourse is to put up a new ceiling: a flat, smooth, untextured ceiling such as plasterboard or Blueboard and a skimcoat, good looking and trouble-free, other than the perennial mildew.
Question - The hot-air ducts on the attic floor are well insulated, with butterfly-type dampers on them to make adjustments in the heat flow. When I adjust those butterfly dampers, should I wear a mask? Joel Aronon, Natick, Mass.
Answer - While it may not be necessary, yes, you should wear a mask, because in adjusting those dampers, you could disturb some of the nearby fiberglass insulation. And if the insulation on the attic floor is the pouring type of fiberglass or cellulose, then it's doubly important to wear a mask because this type is more easily disturbed than insulation in batt or roll form, and disturbed insulation can be inhaled.
Question - For the life of me, I can never toenail a stud to a floor plate or worse, a top plate, without the stud walking all over the place, way out of line. I predrill the holes and put my foot against the stud, but that only hurts my foot. I know I can cut a 2(MUL)4 block to set as a brace to keep the stud in the right place, but is there an easier, faster and/or better way?
H.B., Framingham, Mass.
Answer - Nothing like a short answer to a long question: Yes. But first a word about toenailing: That is driving a nail at an angle into the stud and into the plate. It is standard procedure when butting one piece against another, at right angles to each other.
The old-timers do not predrill the angled hole, but it does help your chore. And the secret: Drive two large nails into the plate beside the positioned stud until they are sticking up about half an inch. Then toenail, and the stud will not walk. You can leave those nails in place. Toenail two nails into one side of the stud If the stud moves a little, toenail one nail into the opposite side; this will move the stud back where it belongs.
Question - I know I have to repoint my fieldstone retaining wall, chipping out old mortar and installing new. I noticed the wall, about 4 feet high, has no weep holes. How can I put some in? Ann Dorfman, Newton, Mass.
Answer - You can put in weep holes as you repoint. Put in a weep hole 12 to 18 inches up from the ground, and space them every 4 feet or so. To do it, buy some plastic tubing, as rigid as possible, cut it into 12-inch lengths and insert one in a joint as deep as it can go, leaving half an inch exposed. Try not to fill the tube with dirt and debris as you shove it in place. Then surround the tube with mortar as you put new mortar into the joints. You can use 1/4- to 3/8-inch copper tubing instead of the plastic. It's more expensive, but will work better.
Question - I am putting up new red cedar shingles this month. I plan to stain, but if I can't stain this fall can the shingles wait until spring to be stained? Linda Tochka, Milton, Mass.
Answer - Yes. The shingles will overwinter with great aplomb; they may weather a little, but they will not decay or deteriorate. There will be no difference whether you stain in autumn or wait till spring.
And when you do stain, use a semitransparent stain. Only one coat is needed. It will not peel and needs renewing (again with one coat) every five years.
Question - I have to replace my wood garage door that has rotted out at the bottom after 40 years. I was told that insulated steel will do a good job and will insulate the garage, as well. I am still partial to wood, but would steel stand up without denting? Rose Rubino, Arlington, Mass.
Answer - Steel will stand up, but will definitely dent, and needs regular painting to keep it from rusting. Your garage does not need an insulated door because the garage is not heated anyway. Since you know that your wood door lasted for 40 years, stick with wood. Give it two coats of a latex solid stain (every five years or so) and it will last another 40 years.