DIY Network

Lawn, Gardening and Ceilings From "Talk2DIY Home Improvement" episode TTD-416F

Hosts Brad Staggs and Lynda Lyday get right into the questions --

Replacing Patio Stone in Yard

Problem: What is the easiest way to remove a patio stone in my yard?

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Figure A

Solution

• Rent a roto-tiller and try to till the gravel into the soil.

• Get a soil testing kit (figure A) to test your soil to see if it needs any additional nutrients before planting your grass.

• Once the soil is level, install sod or plant grass.

Using Grass as Mulch

Problem: Is it possible to use grass as mulch?

Solution:

• You can use grass as mulch, but let it dry out by spreading it out loosely around your plants. It will help keep moisture in the soil and will decompose over time and add nitrogen into the soil.

• Other mulching options are made from cypress or pine. Even recycled rubber mulch is available.

Restoring Yard

Problem: Can you offer any ideas on how to restore a yard?

• A yard vacuum will be an efficient way to get rid of the leaves. It will mulch the leaves if desired.

• Once the leaves are removed, assess the grass. If you have grass, a winterizer that kills weeds and strengthens grass is a good choice.

• If you don't have grass, install grass seed held down by straw. Grass netting is available where grass seed is impregnated in the netting. If you want an instantly good looking yard, sod is a good, but expensive choice.

Figure B

Removing Ivy from Fence

Problem: How do you remove ivy from a fence?

Solution:

• Ivy is very hearty (figure B) and difficult to remove.

• Prune back the unwanted ivy with pruning shears or hedge trimmer shears.

• Be careful when using herbicides, they can spread through the root system and kill other plants as well.

Figure C

Installing a Pond

Problem: How do you install a pond in your yard?

Solution:

• Purchasing a "Pond is a Box" kit is easier than purchasing all the supplies for the pond separately. The kits are available with all the supplies you will need -- it even comes with the rocks (figure C).

• Be careful not to puncture the liner. Remove all the sharp objects from the hole you have in the ground such as rocks or roots before you place your liner. Once you have your liner in place fill it with water and check to make sure there are no leaks before you add the rocks.

Figure D

Painting a Curved Ceiling

Problem: How do you go about painting a curved ceiling?

Solution:

• You could use a straight light laser level as a guide to give you a straight line on the wall. Use painter's tape to mark the line and use the tape as a separation as you're painting the ceiling and wall.

• To create a good line, paint the wall and then paint over the tape with the same wall color to create a good seal with the tape and prevent the other color to bleed down (figure D).

• Molding or a stencil boarder are a good separation between the two.

Figure E

Ceilings and Walls Separating

• Could be caused by a truss uplift. The bottom of the truss is warmed by the insulation, but the rest of the truss is expanding, which causes the bottom part of the truss to lift up.

• You could add brackets to the bottom part of the truss, but it could lift up your wall and make matters worse.

• You could use crown molding, attached only at the ceiling, to disguise the large crack (figure E). Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to help solve the truss uplift problem.

Removing Mildew on the Ceiling

Problem:

• Mildew can only grow if there is moisture in the air, so either you home isn't vented out properly, or water is getting into the ceiling somehow.

• To get rid of the mold, try bleach or a mildew remover. Spray it on and wipe it away.

• After removing the mold, you may need to paint again. Stir in a mildew additive into the paint to help beat mildew and keep it from coming back.

Repairing Plaster Ceiling

• To stop it, check the insulation level in your attic and make sure you have the proper R-rating for your area of the country.

• To make repairs, use a putty knife and remove as much of the long cracked sheets as possible. Sand the area and prepare it to be treated.

• Plaster-Weld is a bonding product that will bond the area and repair it without flaking off again. Once dry, take joint compound and patch the hole.

• For a crack, take a utility knife and make a 45-degree angle valley so the bonding product will adhere.

Figure F

Crack in Firebox

• Clean the area, then apply heat resistant sealant along the crack.

• Replacement panels are also available (figure F).

DIY Tips:

• An old golf bag makes a great holder for gardening tools. The tall standing bag will hold a rake, shovel, hoe and other big tools. The pockets on the sides will hold the smaller ones. Sand bags in the bottom will make it stand upright.

• The best way to cut up a big stone or boulder in a yard is to rent a hammer drill. Drill a series of holes in the stone, and then split it. The smaller pieces will be easier to carry away.

• Make a wheelbarrow more user friendly by using hockey tape, available at your local sporting good store. Twist the tape and wrap the roll around the handle to make a raised area. Then roll a second layer flat over the first, you hands won't slip it they are wet.

• A room with a high ceiling needs a longer down rod for ceiling fans so that the blades are about 8-9' from the floor.

• For the best airflow and most efficient usage, ceiling fans blades should be a minimum of 12" from the ceiling.

RESOURCES :

Craftsman Tools
Website: www.sears.com/craftsman

DAP Supplies
DAP Inc.
Baltimore, MD 21224
Website: www.dap.com

Ultimate Pond Products
L & W Stone Corporation
Toll-free: 800-346-9739
Website: www.lwstone.com

Oxi-Clean (Q8)
Website: www.oxiclean.com

RemoVall 220
Napier Environmental Technologies, Inc.
720 Eaton Way
Delta, BC V3M679
Toll-free: 800-663-9274
E-mail: cservice@napiere.com
Website:www.biowash.com

Homax Products, Inc.
PO Box 5643
Bellingham, WA 98227
Toll-free: 800-729-9029
E-mail: homax@homaxproducts.com
Website:www.homaxproducts.com

GUESTS :

Jamie McMurray
Simply Green
Santa Monica, CA
Phone: 310-403-1925
E-mail: smplygrn@aol.com