Today’s Homeowner Radio Show | April 23, 2022

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In this week’s radio show, we’re giving advice on solving some surface problems.

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Restoring Red Brick Color

Has muriatic acid faded your dark red brick color? Because is such a strong material, we always caution people when they use it.

There is a way to restore that red brick color. Assuming it’s a nice clean surface but it’s just faded, use a masonry stain designed for bricks. After staining, apply a sealer to prevent oxidation and fading from the sun. 

There are brick tinting kits with all the tools and materials you need. You can find one in the red brick color you want. 

Skip to [38:24] for the full segment on the Today’s Homeowner Radio Show.

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Removing Paint From a Deck

Georgia in Tennessee is having a terrible time removing layers of paint from her wood deck. It’s in bad shape and she wants to know the easiest way to remove the paint from deck boards and what to do once it’s gone. 

To remove the paint, use a chemical stripper. Follow the instructions carefully and pay close attention to the warning label.

Most of the time, this will melt the paint enough for you to scrape off the majority of it and sand the rest. However, sometimes, you need to head to the rental center and get an aggressive sander.

Depending on how big the deck is, you might want to hire a contractor.

When you finish, don’t paint it again. Stain the deck with a semitransparent stain. 

Skip to [42:58] for the full segment on the Today’s Homeowner Radio Show.

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Fixing a Crack on a Marble Sink

Kenny Lake in Ardmore, Oklahoma, dropped a can of shaving cream in his bathroom sink, and it, unfortunately, cracked his sink next to the drain. Now, he wants to know how he can fix this before he sells his home.

Just like fixing a crack on a driveway, you can make it better but you can’t make it disappear. There are repair kits available to fill up the crack, but you can still see the outline of it. Go ahead and patch and repair it, and you might get lucky with a color match.

Another option is to hide the crack with an oversized sink drain flange. The area around the drain is the thinnest spot on a sink, so you can use a Dremel tool to open up the drain hole a bit and install that oversized piece. If you get one large enough, it might cover the crack. 

Skip to [45:15] for the full segment on the Today’s Homeowner Radio Show.

Also on this episode:

• Organizing a Garage
• Removing a Retaining Wall For an Attached Garage
• Painting Tile and Grout
• Repairing a Crack in a Driveway
• Advice to Stop Cracking in an Old House
• Removing Wax From Brick
• Venting a Bathroom Exhaust Fan
• Smoothing a Concrete Curb
• Can You Stain Laminate Flooring?
• Can Drywall Be Installed Over Plaster?

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Further Reading

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