ASK THE HANDYMAN / JOHN MORELL : Hand Plane Might Help Make Things Run Smoothly
Q. There are two drawers on my antique oak dresser that stick terribly when they’re opened or closed. Is it safe to hand plane the edges?
P.Y.
Irvine
A. “It’s really going to depend on where the sticking occurs,” says Tom Ditsch of Invisible Restoration in Costa Mesa. “If it’s on the bottom edge of the rail, you may be able to take some off with a hand plane or with a belt sander. If it’s really warped, you may need to plane the sides of the drawer. You also might try some silicon spray on the rails to see if that makes it easier.”
Q. My wife and I are interested in buying a really old house, probably 50 years old or more. When we’re looking, is there anything I can tell about the condition of the plumbing with just a quick examination?
K.G.
Brea
A. “Real old homes were built with galvanized pipe rather than copper,” says Rod Allbright of Allbright Plumbing and Heating Supply in Los Alamitos. “Galvanized pipe builds corrosion over time and if it’s deteriorated, you’ll have to replace it. A good way to check is to find the water main, or even the water inlet to the water heater. With a coin, scratch the outside of the pipe. If it’s shiny, it’s probably galvanized; if it’s a copper color it’s copper.
“You can also check the water pressure by attaching a pressure gauge to the hose outside; correct pressure should be about 50 to 60 pounds per square inch. You should also check the flow from the fixtures inside to see that there’s good pressure when you turn on the shower, the washer and the kitchen sink.”
Q. A corner of my hardwood living room floor has become warped after a slow leak was discovered in the water heater. They’re not badly warped--they’ve just pulled up somewhat from the subfloor. I’d like to just nail them back down, but I don’t want to split the wood. How should I do it?
B.L.
Huntington Beach
A. “Try drilling a hole in the planks first, “ says general contractor Brad Smith of Laguna Niguel. “That’ll keep them from splitting. Then insert your nails and hammer them back down. Try and make sure the nails are going into the joist rather than the subfloor or they may pop back up.”
Q. Our house, which was painted about eight years ago, has developed some cracking and peeling around the window sills. What causes it and how can I prevent it before we paint again?
G.A.
Anaheim
A. “There are a number of causes, from using cheap paint to painting over a dirty surface,” says Steve Facon of Homestead Paint and Wallpaper in El Toro. “Half the work in painting a house is preparation. You’ve got to really clean those sills using a wire brush and then take the garden hose and wash it down. After letting it fully dry out, apply a primer coat that will be a good base for the paint you choose.”
Q. Why is it that about six to eight months after I buy a sliding screen door for my patio, it starts to stick and is hard to open and close? I’ve tried lubricating the rails, which doesn’t work and makes a mess.
L.C.
Newport Beach
A. “What you need is a new cap seal and rollers for the bottom track,” says Marie Prescott of Maley’s Screens and Windows in Anaheim. “These assemblies wear out depending on how much the door is used. Figure on spending $12 for the seal and $4 to $6 for the rollers. And they’re the same for all doors so you don’t need to know what make the door is.”
Q. We’re planning on repainting our living room and we’d like to remove the molding in the room and re-stain it. Is there a trick to removing molding without hurting it or the wall?
D.Y.
Buena Park
A. “You need to use a stiff putty knife and be very careful,” says Gil Papp of Gil Papp Woodworking in Santa Ana. “There are other types of bladed prying tools you can buy, but in general you’ve got to insert a blade, gently pull it off, and have patience.”
