Q–I have several pieces of painted wicker furniture that need repainting. I tried painting one piece with a brush, but find this is almost impossible because it is not only very slow, but it is also very difficult to get into all the crevices. I know that spraying would be best, but can’t see how I can do this without getting paint all over my small basement workshop. The garage is too cold, but even here spraying would be a mess. Any suggestions?
A–Create your own small “spray booth” by cutting out one side of a large cardboard carton such as the type used for shipping rolls of paper towels or toilet paper, or a carton originally used for appliances.
You could even make your own “spray booth” by taping large sheets of poster board or rigid foam insulation together to create exactly the size “booth” you want.
Q–Every time our furnace comes on, the heating duct that leads to our upstairs master bedroom makes a popping noise that lasts for about five minutes, then it stops. All the ducts are located between the ceiling of the first floor and the floor on the second level, but this is the only duct that makes this noise. Is there anything we can do to solve this problem without tearing into the ceiling below or the floor above?
A–I doubt it. Chances are the noise comes from expansion and contraction of the metal ducts, coupled with some rubbing against one or more floor beams or joists. This can be corrected by adding expansion joints, or by modifying the mounting straps, but you probably would have to rip open the ceiling or floor to make the changes.
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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.
