Q-We have a single-lever faucet in our bathroom that has started to leak. I’ve been told that this is a “ball-type” faucet that has no washers.
Should I fix the leak myself?
A-Ball faucets can be repaired without the need for professional help. If the leak is near the bottom of the handle, take the handle off and tighten the plastic adjusting ring inside the cap by turning it clockwise until the leak stops.
The adjusting ring usually has two notches in it to permit tightening or loosening, and there’s a special tool supplied with the faucet for this purpose.
If you don’t have the tool, place the end of a small screwdriver blade in one of the slots and push or tap at an angle to turn the plastic ring.
If water drips from the spout, buy a repair kit from a plumbing supply house. This will contain new rubber seats and springs, as well as the O-rings needed, and it usually comes with illustrated instructions.
A-There are many commercial wax-stripping solutions on the market that can be used for this purpose. Sold in hardware stores, home centers and janitorial supply houses, many need to be scrubbed on.
To do the scrubbing, it would be best to rent a commercial floor scrubbing machine from your local tool-rental agency. It can be used with either a stiff rotary brush or with steel wool pads.
Slate is very porous, so more than one scrubbing may be required, and thorough rinsing after scrubbing is important. dwf –
Q-Our kitchen cabinets are covered with a dark Formica-type plastic. Can we paint over this laminate to make it a lighter color?
A-You can paint over plastic laminate successfully, but it’s important to clean and prepare the surface first.
Scrub with a good detergent and rinse with plain water. Allow to dry, then sand lightly with fine grit paper to remove any shine or gloss. Wipe off sanding dust, and any grease or wax that remains, using a rag wet with paint thinners.
Then, apply a prime coat of BIN or similar pigmented shellac sealer. When this dries, apply two coats of any good grade enamel, sanding lightly between coats.
Q-The wood shakes, or shingles, on the outside of our house were painted with a latex paint that was applied over an original coat of oil paint.
There is now a great deal of peeling, and we would like to repaint in a different color. Can we apply one of those opaque, heavy-bodied stains over this? Should we strip off all the old paint first?
A-The opaque solid stains that you refer to are really more of a paint than a stain, so they can be applied over most paints.
No paint or stain, however, should be applied over old paint that is peeling. You must remove all peeling and flaking material first; otherwise the new paint will simply peel off with it.
