Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-07
First Aid
For the
AMngHouse
BY ROGER B. WHITMAN.

Garden ornaments made of con-
crete, such as birdbathS, will be-
come stained during the winter
They can be cleaned with any strong
and gritty securing powder, using
plenty of water and stiff brush.
For garden ornaments, white is
often preferred to the natural gray
of concrete, and this effect can be
had with fairly good success by
brushing with white portland ce-
ment mixed with water to the con-
siStency of cream. The concrete
should be wet with water at the
time the cement cream is brushed
on, and as soon as the coating has
hardened it should be sprinkled with
water. There should be further
sprinklings for the next few days
to give the cement time to cure.
Results are more permanent when
the concrete is coated with white
cement paint, for this improves the
bond of the paint with the con-
crete. Cement paint can be had at
paint stores and from dealers in
mason materials.
Roof Hastings.
@. The sloping wood of a YES
tlbule joins on against stucco at
the top and at one side I have
not been able to make these Joints
so tight that water does not leak
through, What can you suggest?
A. Take off the courses of shin
giles at both edges and put in
copper flashing. extending on the
roof for at least 6 inches. Using a
cold chisel, cut groove in the stucco
6 inches above the joints, into which
the upper edges of the Hastings
can be inserted and made tight with
roofing cement. Shingles should
then be relaid.
House on Wet Ground.
@, We want to convert a sum-
mer cottage for winter use. The
ground is too wet to dig a cellar.
We cannot put in a septic tank
because the hole that we dig fills
with water. What should we do?
A. You should start by putting
insulation in the floor; either I'M
derneath or on top according to
construction. Ground under the
house should be covered with rough
concrete. If walls, windows and
other parts are of light construc-
ton usual in summer cottages you
will have to do considerable re-
building to make it tight and
weatherproof Talk it over with a
good contractor. A septic tank can
not be used in ground that is al
ready watersoaked. Chemical toll
cts seem to be the only answer.
Spraying Whitewash.
O. What is a formula for white
wash that goes on with a spray?
A. Any whitewash formula can
be used with water added to make
It thinner than for brushing. and
with straining through cheesecloth
to take out Jumps that might jam
the spray nozzle.
Warped Crates.
q. There are two warped CRATES
In my furnace. Can they be fixed?
How?
A. Warped CRATE bars cannot be
repaired; they must be replaced.
If you do not know the local agen-
cy for the kind of furnace that you
have, write to the manufacturer.
You will ind his name and adj
dress on plate attached to the
furnace.
Cracking Steps.
Q. My bungalow has stone steps
with brick sides. The steps have
cracked from the bottom to the
fourth step up. The sides have split
and are breaking away from the
steps. We have repaired and REIN
forced with solid concrete, but the
trouble comes again every spring.
What can we do?
A. The sagging and cracking is
from the heaving of the earth with
the freezing and thawing of the
ground. The foundation for the
steps should go below the frost line,
or the steps and the sides should
be so bound together by reinforce
ment that they are practically a
single piece. 1t will help to reset
the steps over a well-drained and
thick bed of cinders.
Damaged Sidewalk.
O. The top layer of cement is
coming off my sidewalk and leaves
o lumpy surface of gravel The
remaining finish seems to break off
easily. What should I do?
A. Take off all the remaining sur
face, then wet the under part with
water; brush it with a mixture of
portland cement and water to the
consistency of cream and follow i'm
mediately with coating of a stiff
mixture of l part portland cement