Here's how to make sure your fence keeps doing its job

There's a reason they say "good fences make good neighbors." A fence is your first line of defense against dogs and other creatures - and your neighbors, in some cases.

Here are some tips to keep your fence up and doing its job, not to mention looking good.

Wooden fences will have problems eventually, but they do have the advantage of being a good screen and looking more natural. To protect the wood from rot and other natural weather problems, keep it clean. Use a power washer or wood-fence cleaner. The cleaners usually have some chemicals in them that will clean and brighten the wood to make it look new again.

You should seal the wood against moisture after it has been cleaned. Use a penetrating stain/sealer or a water sealer made for wood. Do this every year or two to keep your fence protected and looking good.

Metal fences are strong, but rust can cause damage to them. Remove rust by sanding, scraping and/or using rust remover. Prime and paint the exposed metal surfaces to prevent the rust from recurring.

If the problems with your fence are structural, then you will have more work to do. Most of the time, it's just a matter of removing the damaged pieces and replacing them.

If a post is damaged, then you have a couple of options. Either remove the post and replace it, or add a post to one side or both to reinforce the fence. Carefully detach the fence rails from the post and brace them with temporary support.

If the post is mounted above the concrete or is sitting on a metal post mount, then you can remove the post from the mount and just replace it.

But if the post is sunk in concrete, then you will have to try to pull it out - with or without the concrete. Sometimes this can be accomplished by using a chain and a car jack to raise the post out of the ground. If the concrete footing is still in place, you might be able to install a metal mounting bracket and a new post. If the whole thing comes out, then you can replace the concrete, post mount and post. It won't be an easy job but will be a permanent fix, in most cases.

Synthetic fencing is also becoming more widely available, and some products will last longer than others. Just keep your fence in good repair, and your neighbors will be happy and stay in their own yard!

Cheap blade protectors

Here's a keen idea. Sharp tools like awls and chisels should be protected by a guard of some kind. It's better for the blades and, more importantly, for your hands. Scraps of foam packing material are great for this purpose. Just choose pieces that are large enough to completely cover the blade and part of the shaft, and place firmly on the blades. Now you can slide these tools into your toolbox or storage drawer more safely.

Easy cleanup

A dustpan and broom will make cleaning up spilled hardware much easier, but you can make it superfast. Just glue a magnetic strip along the front of your dustpan, and it will collect and hold the hardware until you scrape it back into its storage container or bin. These magnetic strips are inexpensive and easy to find at craft and hobby stores.

Super hints

• Roof repairs during the summer can get a little hot. Carry a rubber floor mat up with you to stand and kneel on while working. It will keep you from getting burned, and might keep some tools and hardware from rolling off.

• Once a month during air-conditioning season, add a cup of bleach to your air conditioner's condensation drain. This will keep it from clogging and overflowing onto your floors.

• I have a couple of strings of twinkle lights that hang from our patio roof for decoration at night when we are sitting outdoors. To jazz them up a little, I took some small pieces of polished, colored glass and glued a piece to each bulb. This really looks neat and gives off some pretty colors at night. The glass was inexpensive and came in a large bag at the craft store.

Q. My sunroom had outdoor carpet glued to it for many years. I've removed it now but can't seem to get all of the adhesive off the surface. What will work on that?

A. We suggest a paint-and-varnish remover. Hopefully this will loosen up the leftover adhesive so you can scrape it off. You might consider painting the slab if you can't get all of the stains out. Apply a sealer to keep it looking good for a while.

Q. I have a beige toilet and white sink in my bathroom. I can't afford to replace the toilet, and sinks are too costly, too. Can I paint one or the other to match?

A. You sure can, and it's not very expensive to do. Klenk's makes a two-part epoxy paint for porcelain. If you can find the right color, you can paint the sink - it's smaller and easier to work on. You also might consider decals that could be put on both to help them match better without painting. These are available at a craft store.

Q. We have a toilet that isn't very stable on the floor. It wobbles and rocks when you sit on it. It's not leaking, but I worry that it might eventually. How do we fix it?

A. You can try tightening the bolts at the base, but be very careful not to tighten them too much, or they might crack the porcelain. You also can install shims just under the base on each side before tightening. You probably are better off, though, taking it up and replacing the wax ring underneath the toilet. Then use the shims and bolts to secure it properly.

Reader tips

• We have a closet for our washer and dryer in the hallway. It's great because we can close the doors so they don't show. The problem is that the machines are loud, even with the doors closed. I decided I would weatherstrip and seal up the room to try to keep the noise to a minimum. I installed permanent weatherstripping around the doors, and installed a threshold at the bottom of the door. I also lined the walls with carpet and put both units on top of rubber mats. Now it's really quiet, thank goodness!

• Our home has a typical unfinished basement. It's always been dark, and we finally decided what to do with it. We are going to turn it into our media room. Since it's already dark, we don't have to add heavy, dark drapes, and the room is large enough to install a large-screen TV and the seating we need. We are going to install a nice speaker system and carpet the room as well. If we have any money left, we might install a small "concession" area or bar. This will be our summer project!

• Our home has a really nice, large, wraparound porch. We are going to paint it to brighten it up, and also add some furniture. What we plan to do is add sand to the paint in the hopes that it will help give us better traction on the floors when they get wet. The sand will be especially helpful on the steps, as they are so wide that there isn't a railing on them.

• Every spring I have to add iron to my yard to keep it looking good. I also have to follow that with an iron cleaner on my driveway and sidewalk because the iron for the yard gets on the concrete and looks like rust stains. This spring I planned ahead and used a water seal on the driveway and sidewalk before applying the iron. Then, when I used the iron on the yard, it didn't leave rust marks on the concrete! The grass looks green, and the concrete doesn't!

• I found a super way to magnetize screwdrivers. It's easy to do and works pretty well. You just take a good magnet and rub it down the side of the screwdriver in one direction, repeatedly. If you do this about 25 times, you will magnetize the screwdriver. It doesn't last forever, but it's easy to do again when it stops working. It sure comes in handy when working up on a ladder or having to install a screw behind something or in a hard-to-reach area.

Shoptalk

• The Ultimate Soil Moisture Sensor Kit is now available from the geniuses at Rain Bird. The SMRT-Y sensor is buried in the soil and hooks up to your irrigation control box (it works on many brands) to make sure your system is operating more efficiently so your system runs when you need it and won't if you don't. To find out how it works and if it will be right for you, go to rainbird.com and check it out. It's easy to hook up yourself, too.

• If you need a super cordless screwdriver, you must try the 12V Max 2-Speed Pocket Driver from Bosch. It's incredible. It charges quickly (30 minutes) and comes with two batteries. It has tons of power and runs for a long time. The 1/4-inch universal hex bit holder is easy to use and holds bits tight without any extra tools. There is an adjustable clutch for perfect torque adjustments. The 2-speed motor gives you all the power you will need, and the variable-speed trigger gives you complete control. It has a soft, pistol-type grip, so it's easy to use, and even has a built-in LED light that shines right where you are working. It drives, drills and does it all in a very small space. Bosch has a super warranty with a first-year tool replacement and second and third year free-repair pledge. To find out more, visit boschtools.com or call (877) 267-2499.

• 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 thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2010, Cowles Syndicate Inc.