Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 27, 1995 TAG: 9508300101
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GENE AUSTIN KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: Having no scraps is a real handicap when repairs are needed to many home products, including flooring, siding, roofing and wall coverings. Homeowners who do their own improvements should stash away a few extra pieces of the material used. If a contractor does the work, ask for some scraps.
Repair kits with putty-like compound used to be available to patch small defects in vinyl flooring, but these appear to have vanished from the market. A spokesman for Armstrong World Industries, a leading flooring manufacturer, said the finishes and composition of newer vinyl floorings makes it virtually impossible to use this type of patcher for neat repairs.
One possible way to make a repair is to steal a patch from flooring under an appliance, under a sink, or in a closet. Contrasting flooring can be used in those areas and not be noticed. If you decide to do this, here's how to proceed:
Cut a piece of vinyl flooring a few inches larger all around than the area to be repaired. If the flooring is glued down, warm the cut piece with a heat gun to soften the glue and lift it carefully with a wide spatula. Remove any adhesive from the back of the patch with lacquer thinner or an adhesive remover.
Tape the patch over the area to be repaired, using masking tape. Be sure to line up the pattern of the patch with that of the flooring. Cut through both the patch and the damaged flooring at the same time with a very sharp utility knife, guiding the knife with a metal straight-edge. Many vinyl floorings have fake ``grout lines'' in their patterns; cut through the center of the grout lines if possible. The result of cutting both layers of flooring at once is a patch that is exactly the same size and shape as the material cut from the damaged flooring. Cutting on grout lines will make the patch less conspicuous.
Lift the patch and remove the damaged piece carefully, without marring the edges of the flooring around it. Spread vinyl-flooring adhesive in the space to be filled, and insert the patch. Touch up the edges of the patch with seam sealer, sold at many flooring supply stores.
Q: I have a chair with a cane seat that is broken and needs replacement. Can I do this myself?
A: Pre-woven cane webbing for chair seats and other caning supplies are available from Constantine, 2050 Eastchester Road, Bronx, N.Y. 10461. Write for a free catalog or call (800) 223-8087. A videotape with directions for installing prewoven cane is also available.
Cane webbing is generally held in place with a reed spline that locks the webbing in a groove. Small wood wedges are used to drive the webbing into the groove and hold it while the spline is installed.
Q: Can you discuss the ``wax seal'' on toilets? My neighbors and I live in older houses and we are having trouble with the seals.
A: You don't say what the trouble is, but I assume there are leaks at the base of the toilets. Toilets have a wax ring or seal at the base of the bowl, where the bowl connects with the drain pipe. If the toilet becomes loose or the seal fails, water can leak onto the floor and sometimes cause severe damage.
Wax-ring leaks can sometimes be stopped by carefully tightening the hold-down bolts at the base of the toilet. Be careful not to overtighten, or the toilet base might be cracked.
If tightening the bolts doesn't stop the leak, the toilet will have to be removed and a new wax ring installed. There isn't space to discuss the entire procedure here, but this job isn't as difficult as it might sound. New wax rings are available at many home centers and plumbing-supply stores.
Q: We have some older windows with metal parts that are worn or broken. Do you know of a source of parts for old windows?
A: Thousands of different parts for windows are available from Blaine Window Repair Service, 2410 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Md. 20910, phone (301) 565-4949. Blaine also has parts for storm windows, storm doors, screen doors, patio doors and closet doors.
The best procedure, according to a Blaine spokesman, is to send a sample of the needed part to the company with a note explaining how many are needed. If Blaine can supply the parts, they'll send ordering instructions and prices.
Blaine also offers a $2.95 catalog illustrating some of the parts in stock.
by CNB