Tips for Matching Mortar Colors | Ep. 107
Dean, from South Carolina, has a house with a concrete patio and a brick inlay. The mortar is aging, and he needs to remove it and match colors. He isn’t sure how to tackle this repair, so he’s asking us for some advice.
Learn the fix, and much more, on this episode of The Today's Homeowner Podcast.
- [1:15] How to equalize the temperatures in your home
- [5:04] Tips for matching grout color
- [8:18] Home Depot Best New Product: Pergo Southern Grey Oak Laminate 4-in-1 Molding
- [9:52] A listener shares the importance of taking care of appliances
- [13:50] How to create a smoother transition for your threshold
- [16:27] Use these tools when removing wallpaper
- [21:09] Tips for replacing tile over a fiberglass form base
- [25:58] Simple Solution: How to convert a banquet table into a portable workbench
- [27:31] Question of the Week: What you should know about gas fireplaces, and how to properly maintain them
Simple Solutions
Banquet Table Workbench—Folding tables are great to have when extra people visit for dinner. However, once they’re beaten up and past their prime, they’re no longer appropriate for family gatherings. But you can repurpose an old, beat-up banquet table by transforming it into a workbench for your shop or garage.
Folding tables are about 29 inches tall, which is fine for sitting, but uncomfortable for working while standing up. Here’s how to raise the table height: Cut four 1-inch-diameter PVC pipes to about 12 inches long. Slip one pipe over each metal leg and cover the end with a plastic cap. You can secure the cap with PVC glue, but it’s not really necessary.
Now, you have a table that has a comfortable working height of 36 inches.
Paintbrush Cleaning Tip—To clean stubborn paint from paintbrushes, soak the bristles in hot white vinegar, then rinse with warm, soapy water. And when soaking paintbrushes, don’t simply stand them up in a can; the bristles will get permanently bent out of shape.
Instead, drill a small hole through the handle, and pass a short-length wire hanger through the hole. Now, set the wire across the top of the can, suspending the bristles above the bottom of the can.
Question of the Week
Q: I have never owned a home with a gas fireplace before, and I know very little about them. I have recently noticed my ceramic logs are turning black where the flame touches them.
Is this normal? Also, should I have someone come out to do a yearly service on it like I would for my HVAC system?