Evening star., 1941-08-23
First Aid
For the
Aiing House
By ROGER b. WHITMAN.

When table top is dented by the
dropping of candlestick or other
heavy object, the dent can usually
be taken out by process that
will swell the tibers of the wood.
For this the finish around the
dent should be scrapec. off so that
bare wood is exposed. The dent is
then covered by cloth dampened
with warm water, which is pressed by
a warm-not hot-iron. The steam
produced will be absorbed by the
dented fibers, which will then swell
and return to their original posi-
tions. The refinishing of the table
top will be required. at least in that
part around the dent. Should the
wood be actually gouged, so that
some of it Is removed, the hole that
is left can be filled with stick shell
lac. This can be had in all shades
of wood colorS at many large paint
stores and from dealers in cabinet
makers supplies. An old screw
driver is heated to point at which
1t will melt the shellac, and little
of the shellac carried by the blade
is then transferred to the hole. If
the correct amount of shellac is
picked up, the surface can be
sinoothed by the warm blade; if
too much is used, the surplus can be
cut off with razor blade. A job of
this sort can be so neatly done that
the patch will hardly be noticed.
Easement Windows.
Q. Will you tell me if easement
windows are practical? Are they
better than the wood frame type,
which have Weatherstrips?
A. Easement windows are made
In steel or wood. One advantage of
a easement type of window is that
it may be opened to the full extent
of its area, which may be particu-
larry desirable in the summer. A
possible disadvantage a window of
this kind may have in the winter is
that it may be difficult to open a
small enough area for ventilation
during very cold weather. Other
wise, there is no particular advan-
tage or disadvantage in either types
of windows. All of them can be
weatherstripped. For certain archi-
tectural effects it may be more de-
sirable to use easement than a
double hung window.
Dull Black Marble.
Q. have beautiful black marble
fireplace in my home, but it is very
dull and the beauty of the marble
is gone. No amount of elbow grease
Or the usual cleaning compounds
do any good. Can you recommend
anything?
A. The polish can be restored by
long rubbing with water and putty
powder applied with a damp felt
pad or a piece of an old felt hat.
Hard rubbing will be needed. You
can get the putty powder at
monument or marble yard. Or you'
can engage a marble contractor to
come to the house and do the job
for you.
Taking Out a Wall.
@. We wish to remove partition
from between a large and a small
room. We are told that it must be
replaced by a support for overhead
beams. Because of the different
sizes of the two rooms. the girder
will not be in the middle, which we
think would look badly. What do
you suggest?
A. Have an examination made by
a competent carpenter or builder
to find out whether the ends of the
floor beams above are supported by
the present wall. If they are, the
girder must be in position to sup
port them. regardless of appear
ances. You might be able to get
steel girder that would not show as
much as wood girder having the
same strength.
Spiders.
@. My basement windows are al
ways full of spider webs, in spite of