Q: I have two sliding doors in my house. They are very heavy and really difficult to move. What’s wrong and how can I fix them?
A: Chances are the doors roll on wheels. Remove one door — get some husky helpers so you won’t strain yourself — and inspect the wheels. If they show a distinct flat side, there you have it. A reputable slider store will have replacements. Also, check at the top of the doors to see if there are any tracks or other devices to keep the door moving evenly.
Q: I need to replace my wooden storm/screen doors. I have been checking the Net and am finding some pretty fancy wood doors with pretty fancy prices — $400, for instance, not including the storm and screen inserts. I have seen aluminum and metal doors for maybe $200, but I’d like to stay with wood.
Can aluminum and metal be painted?
A: Time to dig out the old Brosco catalog, from Brockway Smith, one of the biggest wholesalers in the Northeast. And lo and behold, there are nine wood storm doors in the catalog. So go to any lumber store and ask for the Brosco catalog, and the store will order for you. I will bet they are closer to $200 than $400, and the inserts are included. You can also trim off a bit of the top, bottom and sides of wood doors. Prime and paint them any color you please.
You can paint aluminum, but with the wear and tear and knocking about that doors get, I don’t think the paint will look good for long. You want to avoid steel doors like the plague, because they will rust if not scrupulously maintained.
Q: My 1899 four-square house has a hip roof with slate, and no gutters. I replaced the fascia board and planned to get wood gutters. Now I had water in the basement, enough to need attention. I have grass on one side of the house, a large porch on another, pavement on a third, and the driveway on the fourth. One gutter man offered aluminum gutters for $1,800.
Another offered wood for $9,800. What should I do?
A: For starters, I don’t think you need gutters. If the water came in for the first time in years, after you removed the gutters, the current water I think is the result of a high water table, which you could have gotten even if you had gutters. If the joints where brick and driveway meet foundation are tight, then all you have to do is build a concrete apron 2 feet wide along that grassy area, to guide roof water away from the foundation. Also, if you have a sump and a pump in the basement, it should take care of future water.
Q: I have front brick steps set on their narrow sides. Some are badly chipped, ruining the nice sharp edge of each step. Is it possible to chip out the whole brick and insert another?
A: Yes, because I have done several. Chip out the whole brick and all surrounding mortar. Now, slather the bottom of the opening with mortar, and insert the brick, pressing it into the mortar. Then trowel in mortar in the three remaining joints (two sides and back). Well compacted, it will last for years.
— John Riordan, Watertown, Mass.— Elizabeth Connell, Southborough, Mass. — Donna Stievater, Brookline, Mass. — Anonymous
