DIY Network

Ed Del Grande Interview: Dirty Bricks, Rusty Railings and more From "Ask DIY Home Improvement" episode DADH-202

From Arkansas to Wyoming, you've sent in the emails, and we've done the research to bring you the answers to your problems. Home-improvement expert and triple-master plumber Ed DelGrande answers the following viewer emails.

advertisement

Figure A

Q (from Roger in Bluefield, West Virginia): The brick on my house is dingy. How do I paint it?

Ed Lots of people paint their bricks. But first, here's something to think about. You're going to have to power-wash your bricks before you paint to get them clean and so the paint will stick. You might discover that the power washing may bring back the color of the brick, and you won't have to paint. After you wash it, if you still want to paint the brick, wait a day or two for the brick to dry out. You'll need to fill in any cracks in the mortar with some caulk. There are lots of different types of bricks, some are designed to be painted others are not. Because of this, it's important to get an acrylic latex primer and paint designed specifically for brick and masonry products (figure A). Believe me, spend the extra money to get the right paint and follow the manufacturer's instructions directions.

	Figure B
	Figure C

Q (from John in Russellville, Arkansas) I have an old metal or steel porch railing. It's sturdy but rusted (figure B). Can I dress it up?

Ed: It sure isn't pretty, and exposed metal edges like this can also be dangerous. I'm not sure how well you'll be able to dress it up. Put your goggles on and remove the rust with a wire brush (figure C) and some scraping. If the rust hasn't removed too much metal, then it can be welded back together. Welding however is something best left to the experts. Once welded you can paint it with a metal primer and rust-proof paint. I'm concerned that you won't be able remove all the rust and someone may be able to get hurt. Rather than hiring someone to weld it back together, I'd consider replacing it with aluminum or vinyl railing.

Q (from Darin in Johnstonville, TN): Below my front porch is this old lattice. I would like to replace it with a new "lattice type" of cover that doesn't have such large openings. Any ideas?

Ed: Trying to fix something like is time consuming. Instead I'd recommend that Darin simply purchase a sheet of plastic or vinyl lattice-work instead. They are so much more durable. The weave is going to be different, so you may want to replace all of them at once. You can now find them at home improvement centers in sheets, and some complete with frames. There are also a variety of colors and patterns. Or he could simply replace it with new wood lattice for a more traditional look. Keep in mind that, by using lattice-work, critters and debris can get under the porch. Plus you may not want to store items behind it. To hide what's under the porch make a solid cover and attach the lattice to it.

Q (from Kathy in Laramie, Wyoming): My fireplace is sootie. What is the right way to clean it?

Ed: There are a couple products you can buy to remove soot. You can find them at fireplace shops or home improvement centers. I've had good results with a half a cup of trisodium phosphate in a gallon of hot water. Scrub the brick with the solution and a stiff non-wire brush. Rinse with plenty of warm water. Repeat if necessary. Wear gloves and don't spill it on anything. Or look for a cleaning sponge. Scrub the brick with a dry sponge. Then just rinse it out, let it dry and use it again.

RESOURCES :

HGTV's Complete Fix-It
Author: HGTV

The Complete Illustrated Guide to Everything Sold in Hardware Stores
by Steve Ettlinger
(revised edition 1998, Macmillan)
To order this book from Amazon.com, click here.