Q–Our family room is on the first floor, next to our garage, and the walls have knotty pine paneling with a “natural” finish. The paneling is in excellent condition, except for three badly stained boards that got soaked during a recent spell of heavy rain and flooding. I’d like to replace the three damaged boards, but since they are interlocking tongue-and-groove boards I’m not sure how best to do this without replacing all the boards on that wall. Can you help?
A–First, use a hammer and chisel to split the damaged boards and carefully pry them out. Or you can use a circular saw (set for a shallow cut) to cut the boards out without damaging the adjacent boards. The first new board can then be easily inserted, after which the other two can be partially installed so there is a V-shaped bulge where they meet. Press in, then use a block of wood and hammer to press the bulged joint or seam into place until it is flat against the wall behind it. Before you start this project, make sure the new boards have tongue-and-groove edges that match the old ones in size and shape. Also check the new boards to ensure that they’re not warped.
Q–The water pressure in my very old house is quite low. What should I do?
A–First ask your local water company or a plumber to use a gauge that will measure the pressure on the water line coming into your house (at the meter). If this is up to par, have the plumber inspect the main inlet supply valve to make sure it is fully open and is not restricting flow. If all checks out OK, then chances are that some or all of the pipes inside the house are partially clogged with corrosion or mineral buildup, or the pipes are not of adequate size.
Q–The toilet in my bathroom sometimes keeps running after the flush tank is full so that we must jiggle the handle to make it stop. We can prevent this happening by being very careful how we press on the flush lever. If we press down gently, then hold it down for a second or two, this usually makes it work properly. What do you think is wrong?
A–Normally, it shouldn’t matter how the flush lever is pressed because all it does is make the linkage inside the tank raise the flapper valve off its seat. The flapper then floats up while the water rushes out under it. The flapper stays up until the rapidly dropping water level allows it to fall back onto its seat. Your toilet’s problem may be that the chain or cord that raises the flapper needs adjusting; it probably needs to be a bit longer to allow it more slack when the flapper is all the way down on its seat.
Q–Our den is floored with plywood that was put down many years ago, then painted with several coats of polyurethane. This coating has cracked along the seams where the plywood sheets meet, and it is no longer attractive. We would like to put down vinyl tiles over this old finish, but have been told there would be a problem with the adhesive sticking to the polyurethane. Is this true?
A–I would recommend sanding the old finish completely off, then putting down a felt underlayment before the tiles are laid. Better yet, nail sheets of hardboard underlayment down on top of the plywood to eliminate the job of sanding, and to properly cover up the open cracks and seams where plywood sheets meet. Just make sure the plywood is still securely nailed down before putting down the underlayment, and use ringed nails for nailing the underlayment. Use nails that are long enough to go through the plywood and into the joists where possible, and make sure the seams on the underlayment do not match those on the plywood.
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Have a question about home repair problems? Write to Bernard Gladstone in care of Your Place, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611. Questions of general interest will be answered in future columns. Sorry, letters cannot be answered personally.
