Use Stapler to Attach Screen to Wood Frame

QUESTION: I have to repair a considerable number of screens. They are the old-fashioned kind, with wooden frames holding the mesh. This is something I have never done before. I’d like your advice on whether it is better to nail the mesh in place or use a stapler?

ANSWER: Use a stapler. It has the advantage of enabling you to hold the mesh taut with one hand while you staple with the other. When you buy the mesh, get it half-an-inch larger on each side. This will permit you to fold the mesh double along the part that the molding will cover. When you staple, you thus will have extra strength where it is needed most.

Crumbling Mortar Should Be Repaired

Q: I was on the house roof the other day to fix an antenna and noticed that some of the mortar is deteriorating between the bricks of the chimney that extends above the roof. Is it necessary to fix this and is there any special way it should be done?

A: Yes, it should be repaired. If you have ever done it on brickwork of any kind, the procedure is the same. If you haven’t, then chip away at the mortar with a chisel and appropriate hammer. Be very careful and go no deeper than half-an-inch or so. This will get rid of loose mortar and give you a surface that will grip the new mortar.

Be sure to use a mortar mix in the joints after you have dampened the area to keep the mortar from drying out too quickly. Use a pointing trowel to shape the joints so water will run off them. If you do not know how to shape a joint to permit water to drain off, then fill the joint with mortar and run a small piece of pipe over it to attain the proper shape.

To prevent premature drying of the newly repaired joints, sprinkle some water on them a few times in the ensuing week. You do not have to get on the roof each time. Use a garden hose to wet down the repaired area.