A good chair is worth a repair

I have a great appreciation for spindles on chairs, tables and railings. I've always wanted to do some wood turning, but have never had the opportunity to do it.

Because of the way these items are made and installed in furniture, they can become loose. When they do, it usually gets worse over time and even can spread to other spindles. Here are a couple of ways to fix this.

Getting some wood glue into the joint would fix most of these loose-spindle situations. If you don't have an adequate glue nozzle, load some into a syringe and squeeze it into the joint. Clamp the spindle until the glue has set.

If the problem is a splitting spindle, get some glue into the split and clamp it tightly to patch it up.

If the base of the spindle that fits up into the hole in the chair is broken off, you can try fitting a dowel into the spindle to fix it. You need to drill through the chair back and down into the spindle. Then add the glue and dowel. Again, clamp the joint until it has set up.

If the spindle is shot, remove it. Do a little searching around and try to locate a woodworker with a lathe. Depending on how much of the old spindle you have, you should be able to have one duplicated.

And speaking of clamping, there are a variety of clamps that you can use for these fixes. Bar clamps, spring clamps and belt clamps can be used. Or you can use a rope to hold everything together until the glue has set.

A good chair is worth repairing, so take a little extra time to fix it rather than replace it.

A streamlined look

Some shelf brackets look really good - especially the decorative, iron type. But there are times when you want the brackets to disappear. The easiest way to do this - and you can do this in your shop or home - is to drill a couple of holes, side by side, straight into the wall. Then install a dowel into each hole to hold the shelves. The holes need to be the same size as the diameter of the dowels. They need to be long enough to support the shelves, fit at least several inches into the wall and should be installed into wall studs. This is a simple and hidden way to add storage in your home.

Conserve water

With the current water restrictions in my area of the country, I am back to hand-watering my front yard. That means I have to keep a hose hooked up behind the bushes and ready to use. What I have done to make it easier to get to and easier to store when I finish is to use a large, empty flower pot for that. I hooked up the hose, then ran it up through the bottom of the pot and set the pot just in front of and under the bushes. I keep the hose coiled up inside the pot and ready to use. It's much more convenient, and doesn't look too bad, either!

Super hints

• The average screen door has a long spring that closes the door. But if you are tired of smashed fingers and loud noises, try replacing one of your standard hinges with a spring hinge. These will do the same job without a visible spring. You can use them on lots of other doors, too.

• I was helping a friend do some yard work and we were going to pick up some bender board for edging. We were in her car, so we needed to find a way to get the stuff home without scratching the car up. We put a cheap blowup pool float under the wood, on top of the car roof, and tied it all down. This added some cushion for the ride home, and we made it without any drama or scratches. The new garden looks great.

• The best way to cut through heavy clay soil is with a sharp shovel blade. Taking a few minutes to sharpen those digging blades before heading outdoors can make your all of your gardening easier.

Q. I like my shutters, but have finally decided to try to paint them. I'm tired of white and I want to paint them black. They seem to be fiberglass or vinyl. What do I paint them with?

A. If you don't have a lot to do, you might be able to use the spray paint made for plastic. Another option would be to use a primer and then exterior paint. You should scuff-sand the surface before applying the primer for the best adhesion. Tint your primer dark to help with paint coverage.

Q. I was cleaning behind my stove and can see a large gap around the gas line. Should I fill this in, or is it supposed to be like this?

A. If it's going to let pests or outside air in, then seal it up. I suggest the expanding foam in a can. You spray it into the gap and it will expand to seal up the area. Just read and follow the directions on the can. If any comes out of the hole, you can "shave" it off with a knife. Be careful around the gas line.

Q. My patio is really rough and I would like to know if there is a way to make it smoother. I'm also thinking about painting it, but wouldn't dare do it with the rough texture it has now. What is your suggestion?

A. There are some pretty easy-to-use concrete toppers. These are mixed and smoothed on over your existing concrete surface. They are made to stick to the old concrete really well, and are self-leveling to create a smooth finish. They can be a little challenging for a first-timer, but with a good trowel and a good float, you should be able to get good results. You also might consider using a tint in the topper instead of painting, as it might last a lot longer and be less likely to wear off like standard paint could. Some epoxy paints for patios might take care of the rough texture, too, so do a little shopping around for one of these as an alternative. Good luck!

Reader tips

• We installed pegboard in our garage for storage and organization. It works so well, and is easy to put up and maintain. There are so many different types of hooks to use, too. I am also installing pegboard in my craft room. I've already bought a bunch of hooks and can see I will be the most organized crafter on the block. My closet is next!

• I've resurrected my old clothesline in the backyard. I installed a new vinyl clothesline and painted the rusty metal frame with fresh paint. I got an old garden hose and cut some 2-inch pieces off the end and slit them down the side to place over the clothesline. These go between the clothes and the line and under the clothespins to prevent creases. My mom used to use these, and they really work well. I love the fresh-air smell!

• We have two cats. We keep their cat box in the laundry room. This is a pretty good arrangement because any litter they slop out of the box usually stays in the laundry room. I was having to vacuum every other day, though. I bought a large commercial floor mat that holds and traps the stuff, and it covers the whole floor in the room. It's also been great at catching other dirt that gets tracked into the house from the garage, too. All I have to do is shake it out once a week or so. It's been a real timesaver for me.

• I got so tired of hearing my son slam his closet door that I was going to take it down and just get rid of it. But, after cooling off, I grabbed a couple of felt bumpers that I used on some of the feet of our chairs, and stuck these in the track where the door hits the jamb. Now when he slams it, it bounces back and you can barely hear it!

• We bought our first power washer. We have a large driveway and patio and wanted to be able to clean it often. But when we started to paint the house, we tried it on the wood siding, too. It stripped off a ton of the old, peeling paint. We still have a little bit of scraping to do, but way less than we had originally thought. It did take time to dry, but probably saved us many hours of scraping and cleaning.

Shoptalk

• Summer is a great time of the year, but in many parts of the country, it also is humid and this can bring on mildew problems. Not only is mildew smelly and ugly, it also can ruin walls, carpeting and just about any surface it gets on. Learn how to rid your home of this problem once and for all. I've put together a pamphlet called "Mildew Around Your House," and it is full of tips on how to get rid of mildew and how to keep it from coming back. Stop by our website and see what other tips and tricks we have to offer at www.thesuperhandyman.com.

• Deteriorating wood can mean disaster for your home. Sometimes it easily can be replaced, but there are some situations that make that impossible to do. That's where a product like LiquidWood is so fantastic. It can be brushed or poured onto the wood and allowed to penetrate the fibers to harden into a solid water-resistant material that can be drilled, nailed, sanded and painted. Use it on wooden columns, window frames, steps and other areas that can be hard to replace. To find out more, go to www.abatron.com or see the entire line at your hardware store or home center. It's the answer to a lot of wood woes that we homeowners have to face!

• I love to paint. When you have all of the prep work done, your supplies on hand and you are ready to go, it's a wonderful thing. One supply that I've run across is so cool that I needed to share it with you all. The Paint Glider takes the place of a standard paint tray. It's made to prevent drips and slops, and it's on wheels, so it's easy to move around as you work. It's easy to fill and easy to pick up and move or drain at the completion of your project. Please check this one out before your next paint project and see what I'm talking about. Just go to www.paintglider.com and see for yourself.

• Write to Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit online at thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2015, Cowles Syndicate Inc.