Hi Paul, back for seconds.

You could hire a pressured water gun from your paint store, but if you have any wood that has rotten away then this equipment may dig away all the bad timber and that's another question if you would like to be answered.

If I was painting these window frames I wouldn't necessarily want to remove the old paint that is still there, all I would do is sand where the old paint meets the bare timber just to make it even, that's all you need to do, a smooth surface.

The old paint would be oil based, that is paint that you need turps to clean brushes, so make the surface of the old paint rough, not too rough so the new paint can stick to it.

If you are using water based paint to paint the windows, then ask your pain dealer whether the paint you buy will stick to oil based paint when it has been roughened up.

You don't have to remove existing paint, not unless you want to, but that's going to be difficult. Good Luck. Geoff.

Hello Geoff,

I hope your feeling reasonably well.

I have a metal fence out front with metal gates, usual closing thingy, The fence is like those pool fences, The posts in between the panels are timber ones, due to the hot dry weather out here the posts have spit in several places, it's put the gate right out, it's moved the longer panel across My a few inches, on the other side the shorter gate panel has risin a few inches making it impossible to close, the closing thingy is to high to meet each other and doesn't close..

kind thoughts,

Karen..

Is this fixable, I have really no money to purchases anything to fix it atm, I have two little fur buddies I need to keep inside the gate, is there anyway that I can fix this problem, quickly and cheaply. .i hope I made sense and you can understand what I'm trying to say..

Oops sorry Geoff, is there a way to close the gaps like squash them together, or fill them with something?

Karen

Hi Karen, thanks for your question and I'll try and answer it from what you have said, please correct me if I'm wrong.

A couple of suggestions and please get back to me as I may not have understood your comment properly.

-Do you know how to tighten a wire from a star picket that may bring the gates so they can close

Try some chicken wire to stop the 2 little fur buddies from escaping

Can you move the latches so they can close

Or can you adjust the bolts holding the gate to make it go up higher or to lower the bolts, this may give you the opportunity to move 1 gate up higher or lower

Attach some flexible plastic to the bottom of the gates, it's cheap and you can buy from your hardware store, but I'm more concerned about getting the gastes level again, so please get back to me. Thanks Geoff.

Hi Karen, thanks for your question and I'll try and answer it from what you have said, please correct me if I'm wrong.

A couple of suggestions and please get back to me as I may not have understood your comment properly.

-Do you know how to tighten a wire from a star picket that may bring the gates so they can close

Try some chicken wire to stop the 2 little fur buddies from escaping

Can you move the latches so they can close

Or can you adjust the bolts holding the gate to make it go up higher or to lower the bolts, this may give you the opportunity to move 1 gate up higher or lower

Attach some flexible plastic to bottom of the gates, it's cheap and you can buy from your hardware store, but I'm more concerned about getting the gates level again, so please get back to me. Thanks Geoff.



-

Hi Geoff,

Thank you for your time, I'm sorry about my description I'm not good ar describing things,

I could move the small gate has to go down, there no room to move it down, maybe I will try to move the bigger gate up that will level it off I think. I will try that first, thank you. The long pin thingy now on the longer gate doesn't go into the hole made for it to slide into , the hole is in the cement strip under the gate, it's out by around 12 mil or half inch..

I will see if I can undo the bolts holding the gate in then drill some holes and make it a bit higher and I'll see how I go and get back to you..

Thank you very much for your suggestions/help..I'm much appreciated.

Karen..

Hello Geoff,

Thank you for your help. I was outside for around 3 hours today, I cannot undo the bolts, nor can I get the gate level enough to close, I'm not strong enough to do either, for now I've put a chain on the gates to keep them closed, There is no one here that will help me as they want $$$ per hour..

Feeling a bit useless Geoff... but I need to do something.. atm, I'm hot, tired, sore and feel miserable...will try again tomorrow. I really appreciate your time..

Thank you very much..

Kindness only,

Grandy..

Hello Karen, no worries.

2 things,can you put a car jack under the gate to raise it.

You may have to dig a small hole so that the car jack can get under the gate.

or can you put a brick under the gate and get a pole or a piece of timber say 45 mm by 75mm or in inches 2 1/2inches by 3 inches, ( only approximate) then put this wood on top of the brick but under the gate, then sit on it, that may raise the gate.

I know what you are saying about the 'long pin', can you drill another hole in the concrete with a masonary piece that goes into the drill, it's a piece that drills holes in concrete, because if you use a normal drill bit, it will blunt it in 2 seconds. (drill bit and drill piece or the same they both go into the drill so you can then drill a hole).

Don't worry and never feel you are useless, some people automatically know what to do, while other people don't have a clue, that doesn't make any better or worse than me.

Please get back to me, because what ever you do is not silly, that's why there are handymen, I used to love doing it. Geoff.

Hello Geoff,

I found my jack and the jacked it up, enough to close the gates, When I took the jack away, the closing pin the one that the other goes into popped out, the gates open and am back to where I started plus the lock mechanism is not broken just stripped the thread and fell off on bigger gate...

I can't do it anymore Geoff at least for a while, over it atm..

Ill try tomorrow or next day, I've just tied rope around it for now...my fur buddies are safe, they can't get out..

Im sorry Geoff, your ideas are spot on, they will work but I'm afraid my body and mind is not..

Geoff, please be kind to yourself ,

Kindness always,

Grandy..

Hi Paul, you can always paint over the existing paint and if I was in your position all I would be doing is sanding the windows, (with the paint that has still remained) then sand back existing paint so that there is no height difference between existing paint and bare timber because the water will most likely sit at the lip.

If you are painting windows that have been painted before and 50% of the paint has gone and the other 50 % remains doesn't mean that you have to remove paint, it can be painted over.

Painting over new Red Cedar and not old cedar that has been painted before, and you want the top coat to be white then you will need to prime it first. Geoff.

Hi Everyone, there was a post regarding asbestos, and it usually takes years of continued exposure to high levels of being around it or involved in it before it causes any health issues.

No new houses contain any asbestos and no products are on the market but you need to put on a mask.

Actually brake pads used to be made out of asbestos, not any more so don't worry.

If you have any of it and want to drill, saw or breakup then make sure you keep it wet, not with a high pressured hose then the fibres won't be in the air.

There are professional people who can remove any of it. Geoff.

Hi Everyone, all is quiet on the Home Front.

Anybody replacing old wooden windows with aluminium ones or making an opening bigger than the present one they have.

Troubled by termites

Need to replace the flywire on a window or a door.

Need to put up a shelf because the brackets keep falling off the wall. Geoff.

So glad I found this thread!

I'm totally alone when it comes to home improvement and such and don't know a lot.

I will come back and post when I'm not so disinterested in everything.

I want to try and improve my government housing place a little, but have been too scared to attempt a lot solo

Hello Geoff,

Im sorry I've taken a while to get back to you, I couldn't go back and do it until yesterday, i used the Jack to level the gates the put bricks under the longer one and removed the jack, I didn't know the difference between drill but have managed to drill a hole in the concrete to put the pin down to hold the longer gate shut, I screwed a thicker screw into where the stripped thread was and put the gate shutting thing back on. I can now close my gates properly, but cannot open the longer gate to move my car out. No problem I'll leave my car outside until I can remove the bricks..at least and I'm happy my dogs are safe. I will have a look at the pole on the bigger gate and get back to you if I'm not to much of a bother to you.

Thank you very much for your patience.

Grandy

Hey Geoff

Thankyou for your reply....Now I understand what I am doing....There is about 70% of paint left on the window frames...

I will take your advice and sand the outside frames so the old paint and the meranti doesnt have that 'step' in it

I checked on the paint and its lead free Berger Outdoor......and the peeling is on the front window frames of the house that faces north.

Is 28 years a good life with outdoor paint?

Thanks heaps Geoff :-)

Paul

 

 

Hi Music_Freak, great to have you join us.

Where I live the area was inundated with government houses, some have been pulled down, some renovated and some new houses or flats have been built.

I have worked in many government houses, inside and out so please get back to me.

Is your electric meter box wooden?

Hi Grandy do you have a star picket, one that stakes up new trees or tomato plants, it's normally black?

Hi Paul, lead paint was phased out in the late 70's, but to have any paint last as long as 28 years is brilliant, but check out if it's oil based or acrylic with putting metho. on a rag and wipe it, it paint appears on a rag then it's acrylic, if not it's oil-based paint.

There is an undercoat specially designed to paint over oil based so you can then paint the windows with acrylic, your paint store will know and it needs to be done, otherwise, the acrylic paint will wash off.

Hope you have a cork block to put sand-paper around to help you sand. Geoff.

Hi Geoff,

I'm not sure if you were talking to me about the meter box or not, but I am in a bit of a complex, meaning my street is full of semi detached (share one wall) 2 bedroom houses/units. I share a locked cabinet where the elec meters are with surrounding properties. I have a shared driveway with my neighbours and I assume the locked up meters are from the same properties. It's a metal cabinet and my gas meter is the same, although I have my own separate gas meter.

My first job is to put shade cloth up as the back of my place faces west, so very hot. I can't afford a verandah or anything, unfortunately. My dad put up a blanket (hanging from under the gutters) and that was sufficient, so I'm going to copy what he did and use poles (from a temporary marquee, similar to curtain rods) along the bottom (with rope threaded through) and maybe something like tent pegs in dirt to tie rope to, for some stability. I just haven't worked out the logistics yet, or bought the shade cloth. I have a cheap drill from Kmart and hopefully some screws of my dads that I can use. I'm assuming I wouldn't be screwing into timber, and because of this I'm feeling tentative (silly I know).

Job #2 may be painting the interior and I'm not sure what I need, I've only started researching today. I also have a bookcase I'd like to paint, but like the house paint, I don't know what I'd need

I have a dining table I need to resurface the top of (with stain/varnish). My dad started this job but never finished it before I had to kick him out for leaving me with a rent debt. I don't have an electric sander so would be doing it all by hand, unfortunately. I kind of know what I'm doing except for knowing which grade sandpaper to buy, or stain colour. The timber is pale like pine so I have painted a pine sanding block my dad made to match my chairs with vegemite and I'm planning to take this to a paint store and hopefully the colour will match close enough.

Then flooring (lino and carpet), but I think it may be best to pay professionals for this, when I maybe have the money...it could never happen with my finances :(

And that's all I can think of right now :)

Hello Geoff, and everyone else,

Wow Geoff we are keeping you busy.

Yes I do have several of the star picket stakes, mine are black metal and around 5foot tall, lol not sure in metric.

Thank you again for your help, it's so valuable and I appreciate it so much..

Karen.

I have just scrolled through this entire thread and found some great painting tips, so thank you all :)

No rush with my post/questions, as I said, I haven't bought anything as yet.

Just updating you on my progress with a big thank you for you advice Geoff. I have finished painting my lounge including the bricks. While you can see where the hole was in the bricks it is completely sealed & now everything is the same colour it doesn't stand out even if I move the settee. The cream coloured bricks instead of dark brown makes the room so much lighter. My son visited today & commented on how good it looks now everything is finished including skirtings etc which are a lighter cream than the walls. Everytime I use my cupboards in the oven tower I remember your willingness to give advice giving me the confidence to tackle the project. So much better than the ugly brick surrounds & dodgy oven.

Just wanted you to know that I am happy with the results & the advice & encouragement you gave

Hi Music_Freak, yes I was talking with you, the reason I asked about your meter box is that if the box is still wood then the house/unit needs to rewired.

When the new wiring has been done the reading box, (what the Sec man reads to send you the quarterly bill) is metal, then it's been rewired.

The shade cloth will need to be fixed to the fascia board, that's what the gutter is attached to every few inches because if you try and attach it every foot or so and if you have a strong wind it will detach itself.

Another option is to get a piece of wood as long as the shade cloth will be, attach the shade cloth to it on the ground then attach this piece of wood (with help from someone else)onto the fascia board or drill holes in the bricks and tighten with locksin bolts.

Don't worry it may sound to be difficult but it's not really.
Let me know if you want to know what the locksin bolts are and what they do, sounds hard but not really, your dad maybe able to help you.

The blanket is a great idea until it rains then it absorbs all the water and will fall down, as it begins too heavy. continue

Job #2, what are you thinking of painting inside, ceiling, walls, timber doors or surrounds or skirting boards.

When you look at the painting don't look at as for the whole house, just take it as room by room, because I know people who have said to me that they need to paint the whole house, that turns them off doing anything.
Let me know what you want to paint, and the bookcases can be painted with the wall paint, so you can buy a small roller, tray and paint into the corners then use the roller to finish off.

Electric sanders are cheaper these days, but this depends on your finances.
Sandpaper grades will depend on whether you want to bring the timber back to raw timber, I used to love doing this but let me know what's on the timber now, and any stain marks you want to remove, then I can advise you on what sandpaper grades to use.

Are you replacing the lino and the carpet or just making good or maybe just tidying it up.

Karen and Elizabeth will follow in next post. Thanks Geoff.

Thanks Geoff,

I'm sorry I'm so stupid, but I can't even figure out what the fascia board is at my place!! I will have a proper good look tomorrow (and maybe google pics can help too).

I'm feeling too anxious and overwhelmed about this right now. I'm currently in bed with my cat in a bit of a panicky state. It's the thought of making bad mistakes and having to pay for repairs and feeling more stupid than I thought I am.

My dad won't help me as my family aren't my biggest fans after having to kick my dad out. So I'm going completely solo...scary

I think my dad attached the blanket every few inches (maybe 10cm) or so, so I will copy that and keep your advice in mind, after all I don't want it to all fall down!

The painting will be ceiling/cornices if they need and walls definitely. Door jams/frames in random spots, patches of a few doors and skirting if it needs doing (I haven't really looked at them). I would have to prep and then paint rooms as I go. Trying to do every room at once would overwhelm me for sure. Can you touch up spots when painting...or does that not work, I don't really know

The table would have to be sanded back to raw since I want to re-stain it the matching chair colour. There's stain and separate varnish on it currently, no stains/marks or anything, just light scratches. I'm not sure about a sander, would have to save for it maybe or plod along by hand. I wouldn't know which type to buy

I hope I've answered everything and don't sound too useless

I just realised I forgot to answer about the carpet/lino.

I was thinking about ripping up the old yuck carpet in the dining room and putting new lino over the current kitchen lino and go into the dining room which next to it. And ripping up the lounge carpet and either replacing with carpet, or maybe just new lino (or what's there even) and a runner as I have rugs covering most of the floor. I'm undecided currently. Doing this is probably a long way off, due to finances, anyway

Another quick question for anyone who might know...

I have tile in my kitchen that I want to attach a surge protector powerboard to as I have near to no power points...how would I do this? What do I need? I have bought a cheapy kmart cordless drill, but really haven't used a drill before without supervision (years ago!)

I'm so sorry I'm so clueless!

Hi Music_Freak, don't worry this thread was set up for people who don't know what to do, had no experience and years ago I was just like you or anyone else.

Karen and Elizabeth sorry I haven't forgotten about you.

Just look at the gutters that catch the water from your roof and then goes down a downpipe, the fascia board holds your gutters in place.

If you feel too anxious then don't do it now and don't google too much because this will make you even more anxious.

Do you have drop sheets, you can buy them from paint/hardware store, they're very cheap because you will need them to cover your furniture and carpet when painting the ceiling.

Use a hand broom and attach it to your roller this will stop getting up and down the ladder to refill the roller, much quicker and less exhausting.

If walls are really dirty then they may need a wash, and yes you can touch up spots on the walls but you may see where you have made these touch ups, if you're not too particular then don't worry. to continue

If you want to sand back the table top to raw, then by hand maybe too hard, there are cheap sanders at a large hardware store, which you could put on layby but some range from $49, it's a tool which may come in handy later on.
Just ask at the store and how to change the sandpaper.

You can still rip up old carpet and put rugs down as a temporary measure, perhaps get quotes for carpet, lino and sanding the floorboards, you maybe able to pay them off at the store or some other measure.

The power board can be attached to the tiles by drilling into the grout then fill the hole with matches, piece of timber or you can buy cheap plastic inserts, so ask at the hardware store that you need these so you can screw an item into the tile grout,these would be better but they are very cheap.

It doesn't matter if you think you are clueless, I'm the same with so many other things and have to ask for help. Geoff.

Hi Karen, spot on, I was thinking about hammering a picket in the ground at an angle, so that you attach some wire which will allow you to pull the gate back by tightening it.

Hi Elizabeth, I'm pleased, you will get used to not noticing where the hole used to be, put it this way, it will become an heirloom. lol. Sincerely Geoff.

Thank you SO much for your help Geoff!! You have no idea how much I appreciate it - hopefully I can gain confidence to keep doing DIY jobs :)

I'm feeling better today but not forcing anything (just lots of saving posts from here onto my phone!)

I'm sort of looking forward to giving everything a go, but so tentative at the same time. I will take things easy and re-read posts here a lot :)

LED globes.

I own a vintage replica car. They have the old style 12 volt globes so I thought it clever to replace all of these with long lasting LED globes of the type that fit into the standard bayonet fitting. Available on ebay I order heaps for a small sum from Hongkong.

I replaced all of them except the headlights. But, I found some no longer worked. Honestly I don't know why but a car club member told me the system cant cope with it and I'd need a separate unit to allow them to work. So out they came.

I do use them for the number plate light, the reversing light and dash lights. Dash light globes are available in different colours to.

So in mechanics and electricals what seems like a good idea at the time often means more trouble than what they are worth.

An example of this is my good neighbor restoring a 1939 Desoto car. He wanted to install a slightly larger engine which was 50mm longer. This meant moving it back 50mm so it didn't touch the radiator which also meant all connections like pedals, propeller shaft, gearstick etc had to be modified. In the end he went back to the original engine and kicked himself for wasting 6 weeks of his time.

Tony WK