With practice, drywall repair is easy, fun to do

Most walls are made of drywall these days. It's easy to install and easy to repair should you have an accident of some kind. Here are some super tips for making repairs.

If you have a damaged area and have to remove it, use a keyhole saw to cut it. To start the cut, drill a hole and insert the tip of the saw. When you attach the replacement piece, you will want the edges of the material to be located over a stud, so make your cuts accordingly. If pieces connect, half of each piece should be over the stud.

Use drywall screws to attach the material to the wall. A drill or powered screwdriver will make fast work of this.

When cutting the material for replacement, it's easy to cut with a utility knife. Use a straightedge and score the cut line, cutting through the paper covering as you do. Then place the cut line over the edge of a table or sawhorse and break it, like you would break a scored piece of glass. Remove any paper debris from the edges with a knife or sandpaper.

When driving in the screws, push them down below the surface to leave some room for drywall compound to cover them. Don't go too deep, though.

All seams need to be covered with drywall compound. Use a wide putty knife for this. Spread the compound over all screw heads and seams, and do this in thin layers. Make sure each layer dries completely before adding another one on top. Ideally, you should spread a thin layer of compound over the seam and press drywall tape over this before it dries, then spread another thin layer over the tape. After it has dried, you can come back with another layer to smooth and hide your handiwork even more. Sand to smooth the surface before texturing and painting.

This does take a little practice before you can make seamless repairs, but you can do it and save yourself a lot of money in the process, especially since no expensive tools or materials are required. Take your time, and have some fun!

Tear strips make handy cutters

Let's cut to the chase! If you are looking for a quick and easy way to cut tape or string at your workbench, you'll love this simple idea. Take the tear strip off a box of aluminum foil or plastic wrap before throwing away the box. Then you can tack it to the side of your workbench or a shelf in your garage. Put it just above the edge, and you will have a super-simple place to cut your tape and string. It works great and will save you the trouble of having to chase down a pair of scissors or a knife when you are trying to find one.

Get organized with PVC pipe

If you have made plumbing repairs recently or just have some extra PVC pipe lying around, you'll love this clever shop aid. Make a super organizer from short sections of large-diameter pipe. Cut your sections about 8 inches long. Then lay them next to each other, with the sides touching, and glue them in place. Do another row, then glue it on top of the first. Set it on your workbench or a shelf to hold items placed inside the tubes. If you like the results of your storage rack for the shop, you might want to create another one for indoors to act as a wine rack.

Super hints

• To check for a gas leak in a joint, spray the joint with soapy water. If there is a leak, it will create lots of bubbles on the joint. If you are unsure or smell gas, don't take any chances - shut off the gas supply and call a pro.

• When you run out of furniture polish, try plain baby oil. It's natural and doesn't leave behind a waxy buildup like some polishes do. Lots of people have it around, but most of us don't have an extra bottle of furniture oil.

• Why spend big money on expensive plastic bins when you can use cardboard boxes? You can find them for free just about everywhere, and they work pretty well. If you don't like the way they look, or feel you need to protect the contents from moisture, paint them or cover them with vinyl shelf liner. Look for the super-heavy-duty ones at the supermarket.

Q. My storm door has a problem. I need to replace the plastic panel in the door, but the frame is held together with some sort of tamper-proof screws. How can I remove them?

A. If you know the manufacturer, you can contact it to ask if it has a better suggestion. If not, use a standard screw extractor tool. This looks a lot like a small drill bit and is drilled into the screw head. Then the extractor is turned with a wrench to back the screw out of the hole. When that's out of the way, you can make your repairs and then install new screws. Maybe this time you can use some with Phillips heads so you won't have to go through this if you need to make repairs again.

Q. I bought an old painting from an estate sale and would like to try to clean it up and maybe restore it a little bit. What tools and cleaners can I use on the oil that won't ruin it?

A. Check an art supply store or oil paint dealer. They have a variety of cleaners you can use that won't ruin the oil. Oil Painting Restorer by Grumbacher is one we have used, but there are others. Always test it in a small corner just in case it creates a problem.

Q. I am in a new house and have a dilemma. The previous owners had put duct tape around the aluminum windows to seal them up better. I removed the duct tape, but there is still some residue on the window frames. What will remove this?

A. Try spraying the residue left behind with a lubricant like WD-40. It has a solvent in it and should help dissolve the old adhesive. Let it sit on top of the residue for a while, then rub with very fine steel wool. This should get it off the window frame. You may have to repeat it a second time if you don't get all of it the first go-round.

Reader tips

• We try to keep the grandkids as often as we can. It's so much fun, and it keeps us young! They eat a lot of frozen pops, and I save the sticks. At first, they were playing with them and building things with glue. Now, I have started saving some for my workshop. They are really great for stirring paint and putty. I just keep a few in the drawer for whenever I need one.

• Here is a rather unorthodox idea I had to get rid of the squirrels that get into my potted plants on the patio: I sprayed the area with cheap cologne. They don't like it much and seem to stay away. I spray it every few days, and they haven't been back since I started doing it. I'm hoping they will get in the habit of going somewhere else so I can eventually stop. I don't like the smell much either, but it does work.

• I have a small window in my shower, and I never could figure out what to put up there to block the view. I tried several things, but nothing really worked. I bought a new shower curtain and decided to cut up the old one and make a small curtain out of that. It's perfect. It fits on a plain tension rod and will never rot or mildew, like others I have used.

• We have custom mini blinds throughout our house. I love the way they work and look, but they are hard to keep clean. Mostly we dust them, but to really get them clean, we take them outside and wash them down with the hose once a year. You can lay them out in a large area on the driveway. Plus, you can dry them there, too. The hose does a good, thorough job and doesn't scratch them.

• I use boric acid and sugar to kill roaches in my house. It seems to work pretty well, but it can be a big mess. I have a neat way to keep it semi-protected - by putting it in a small matchbox. I leave the lid open just a little bit so they can get in to get it. I place the boxes where kids and pets can't get to them.

Shop talk

• ODL Add-On Blinds and Shades are the answer to a lot of privacy issues for homeowners. They are easy to install on most standard doors and, once secured, won't swing when the doors are opened and closed. The shades are sealed between two panes of insulated glass but still operate to allow for opening and closing them. The insulated glass keeps them energy-efficient. The design also means less dusting and cleaning. Look for them at hardware stores and home centers, or online at www.ODL.com. They are available in white only, but come in several different sizes and are covered by a five-year warranty.

• If you've considered adding surveillance or security cameras to your home or work site, check out the Advanced Digital Wireless system from Swann Communications. The do-it-yourself system provides clearer pictures and sound, and won't interfere with other wireless devices like phones or wireless routers. The ADW-300 camera records in color during the day but switches to black and white with infrared vision in lowlight situations. The installation is plug-and-play, so it's easy to get started. To learn more and see the various modes available, as well as the other do-it-yourself security products the company manufactures, visit online at www.swannsecurity.com.

• Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit the Carrells' Web site at www.thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2008, Cowles Syndicate Inc.