From Vermont to California, you've sent in E-mail questions about all kinds of problems and we've been doing research for the answers. Home-improvement expert Ed Del Grande is ready to give you the answers to do-it-yourself questions about paint and laying a slate walkway.
Q: (Janet from Huntington, TN): Is there any way to remove paint from brick?Ed: Paint soaks deep into brick and you won’t be able to scrape it off. Plus, a wire brush is going to damage the brick. Peel Away®(figure A) is a great product for removing paint from brick and other surfaces. Apply the paste as directed, let it sit for a while then use the paper included and pull off the paste and paint. You may need to use two coats if the paint is old.
Q: (Skip from Burlington, VT): The previous owner installed a slate walk with mortar. It’s falling apart (figure B). How do I repair it? Or, will it have to be replaced?Ed: You've got several problems. First, the mortar has separated from the slate and some of the outside slates have broken away. That’s not safe. Both of these are due to the fact that there is no edging. A metal or stone edging is key as it keeps the stone from moving. You have two options...insert material under the broken slates and add new mortar in place of the old. Or, lay a walkway. I suggest the latter. Laying a walkway is a great project for homeowners. You can rebuild the walk with the old slate. Chip off the mortar and lay the brick in the same position elsewhere in the yard. Prepare the bed by installing metal edging or pressure treated lumber (figure C).
Make sure the ground is 6" deep. Lay a 4" bed of crusher run stone first then a 1" bed of stone dust down on top of that. Then lay the slate. Once in place, tap each stone down and add more stone dust around the brick. Dampen the stone dust and it will firm up and hold the slate in place.Q: (Dawn in Fullerton, CA): I want to use multiple paint colors on the exterior of my house. Do you have a suggestion on how to test them? Ed: It is really hard to decide on colors based on paint chips. Holding them up next to your house just doesn’t do it. What about using software? Many paint manufacturers offer computer software that allows you to paint your house virtually. They are really great and allow you to mix and match colors instantly. If you are going to spend all that time and money to paint the house, spend a little bit more time before hand to pick exactly the right color combination.
Paint Option 1
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Paint Option 2
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