November 29, 2025 • 44 mins
# Unlocking Home Improvement Secrets: Your Weekend DIY Companion
Are you tired of looking at those dated countertops but don't have thousands to spend on granite? This hour dives into affordable weekend transformations that can breathe new life into your home without breaking the bank. From countertop refinishing kits to essential garage door maintenance, you'll discover how small projects can make a big impact.
The holiday season leaves many homes feeling tired and worn. Our host shares professional insights on how to tackle those post-celebration home improvement projects with practical, budget-friendly solutions. Whether it's updating countertops with specialized coating kits or properly mounting handrails in plaster walls, this episode delivers expert advice for the DIY enthusiast.
## Timestamps and Key Takeaways:
**7:15** - Dice Coatings countertop refinishing kits: Transform dated countertops in a weekend with simple hourly steps that mimic granite or marble for a fraction of the cost
**17:30** - Proper wall anchoring techniques: Learn the differences between toggle bolts, molly bolts and specialty anchors for securing items to plaster and drywall
**25:45** - Garage door maintenance: How to properly clean and lubricate your garage door mechanism to prevent failure in extreme temperatures
**33:10** - Quick home refreshers: Simple weekend projects like removing dated wallpaper borders and refinishing worn handrails
**38:20** - DIY drain maintenance solutions: Homemade and commercial enzyme cleaners to keep your drains flowing freely
Ready to tackle those home improvement projects that have been lingering on your to-do list? This hour provides the confidence and know-how you need to transform your space without professional help. Listen now and turn your home improvement dreams into weekend realities!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
All right, the weekends upon us. It seems like we're
already through the weekend, but we're not. We're just halfway
through the weekend. Many of us have four day weekends.
But we're here live to take your calls regarding your
home improvement project. Maybe it's just picking up the pieces
after the holidays, but happy to take your calls. Our
phone number is eight hundred eight two three eight two
(00:55):
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dot com. All Right, like I said, we're halfway through
a long weekend for many of us, So I'm sure. Well,
I hope you had a very laid back, fun, relaxing
couple days, and maybe in the next day or two
people will be heading out again and you'll be left
(01:58):
kind of picking up the pieces. You know, there's been
a lot made of you know, I hear it all
the time. It's like the holiday sounds like a disaster.
It's brown Friday, it's the busiest day for plumbers. It's this,
it's that. So, you know, things happen around the home,
and a lot of times maybe nothing happens. But after
(02:19):
you're finished a holiday just kind of look and things
just they just look a little tired. Maybe you're a
little tired too, and you just let your mind wander
on different things. Maybe you can fix up and you
can change And I kind of go through this a lot.
In a kitchen, you know, it's pretty much our most
(02:42):
visible room, sometimes our busiest room, sometimes most a lot
of times the most room that we're entertaining in, even
if it's just a great gathering space. Of course, it
depends on the size of the kitchen and the size
of the home, but it is a gathering spot and
(03:02):
it takes a lot of it takes a lot of
abuse over the years, and there's things you can just
do to give it a little facelift. And you've heard
me talk about Dice coatings and a lot over the years.
And I found this product, jeez, I don't know, it's
probably twenty years ago. And I found it in an
(03:25):
older family paint store, probably twenty five years ago, and
it was a countertop finishing kid, and so I thought, well,
we'll try that, you know, give it a try. At
that point, there was a lot of different paints that
were saying you could use on countertops and coatings and
(03:47):
things like that, most of which didn't really hold up.
But I was going to give this a try. And
Peter Disch from Dice Coatings, he has all kinds of
countertop kits now. He's got a spreadstone countertop kit. He's
got one that looks like marble, he's got one that
(04:07):
looks like granite. And if you and I bring this up,
because it is the coolest product and one of the
easiest projects to do. And I'm not making fun of
anybody's countertops, but not everybody really has a budget of
six thousand dollars to put in granted countertops and maybe
(04:31):
at your house you have a white for Micah with
the gold speckles in that was the one that we
kind of covered up. Or maybe he's still a harvest
gold countertop, or maybe a pink for Micah countertop which
are dated right, And so you know, do you get
(04:52):
another from Micah countertop? Do you make the big step
and do the granite or do you coding on it?
And they had a contest, Oh, I'm going to say
just a couple of months ago, I guess where people
sent in pictures of the contest or of the countertops
that refinished. It was amazing, you know, the older countertops
(05:18):
again and to use this and it I'll be a
little generic. If you happen to be interested, you can
go to their website. But it's one of those projects
that you can do in a weekend and you're you're
not working the entire weekend. You're going to put a
couple hours and in the morning, a couple hours in
the afternoon, a couple hours in the evening. In fact,
(05:40):
you won't even put in a couple hours. You put
in an hour. You put in an hour, an hour
and an hour, and then the next day maybe an
hour and an hour and you're done. So these kids,
it comes with everything, and everything would be sanding sponges,
so that step on right clean and just lightly sand it.
(06:04):
Then you would after you do that, you'd remove the
excess and you'd put down a base. And as I
say all the time, you know, preparation's the key. So
you're really you're building this project. So you're getting that
that's the proprietary product to get that primer to adhere
to for Michael, which is pretty much a non absorbent material,
(06:27):
so it's got to be able to bite onto that
concrete or it's got to feel like concrete bite onto
that for mic and not chip. So you put the
primer on and literally you can wait for that to drive.
I mean that you're finished step on and you come
back step two. And oh by the way, yeah, you
(06:48):
put the primer on with a little roller. So if
you can paint a wall, you can do this project.
If you've got a little bullnose molding on the front
of it, you can use a brush. If you got
a little square air edging you can you can use
a brush or the roller. So after that dries, you
would come back and you would put on the the
(07:10):
the base for whatever you're going to do, the base
for the granite to the base for the spreadstone. I'll
use the spreadstone as an example. I always say it
kind of looks like a cooreon and you can see
the pictures on their website, Dice Coatings dot com. But
you would apply that, you know, in the afternoon, if
(07:33):
the primer's dried, you can come back and you apply,
you know, your your base coat. So you've done your primer,
You've gotten your bastcoat. In the evening, you can just
polish that up with the sandpaper because their stone is
so you get the minerals in there and kind of
get a little a little bling, if you will, and
(07:57):
come back and lightly sand and put your next coat on.
And so you got your primary and you got two coats,
and you can go to bed and call to day
and it's not quite finished, but it's looking pretty good.
And then you come back and you put a clear
seiler on there. But before you put the clear ceiler,
that's when you're kind of lightly standing and creating that
bling and then let it dry and come back and
(08:19):
put another clear seiler on it. I'll tell you it
looks fantastic to make it look like marble or granite.
There there's you know, a little bit more, not much,
but check that out if you're just kind of looking saying, yep,
I think this was our last holiday where we're just
going to have to do something with these counters. And listen,
it's a weekend. It's an hour, an hour, an hour,
(08:43):
an hour and an hour and you're done. So it
can be done right in the middle of the holidays,
quite honestly, and it'll give you quite a transformation. So
we're happy to take your calls. We're going to talk
to Ron Wilson here in a minute, and then we're
gonna take your calls. Guests, today it's just you and me,
and like I said, we are here live over the
(09:04):
Thanksgiving holiday to take your calls and chat about maybe
picking up the pieces from the holiday or maybe you're
doing a little decorating, a lot of decorating going on
in the last day or two, and we'll be happy
to discuss that also. So our number is eight hundred
eight two three eight two five five. Ron Wilson, he's
(09:25):
up next, and you're at home with Gary Sullivan.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Takes it right with a call to Gary Sullivan at
one eight hundred eight two three talk. This is at
home with Gary Sullivan.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
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You'll see and smell the difference. All right. Back here
we go at home with Gary Selvent time to bring
in our friend Ron Wilson and uh Ron, do you
(12:09):
just like, you know, the gardening season's kind of over.
The landscaping season. I mean just like go to sleep
till February.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
It is never over.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
It's never over.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
It's never over.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
You don't just take a big breather for like three months.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
It knows slowed down a little bit, No, heck no,
you know.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
That Christmas ties well, yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
But then you get into January and February, it's getting
stuffed ready for March.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
We got to be thinking ahead.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Obviously, it slows down because people aren't doing a lot
of landscaping, but we're busy as heck during those months
getting ready for the spring. So you know, it just
keeps right on going. Yeah, it does slow down a
little bit, there's no doubt.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
But no big, big scoops for us on Christmas trees
this year. I mean no, no, just you know, enjoy them.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
Just enjoy it and do get out there early because
there was a lot of people buying them yesterday.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
I'll tell you what that's got to be. You know,
it used to be back in the day, it'd be
like that. People would buy trees like mid December. Yeah,
you maybe buy the tenth of December. But now it's
like Thanksgiving weekend, man, get out of the way.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Well this weekend, especially because it's only three weeks from Christmas,
because it's late, that's true, so it's crazy. So yeah,
if you're going to do the live tree, get out
and get it taken care of. Of course, the weather's
been kind of weird too, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Yeah. Oh I saw one of the infamous articles again
about praying Memphis and Christmas trees.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Oh my gosh, I know.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
It's like I swear, people just look for problems.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
M m.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
I mean people, they could be there, but probably not. Huh.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
They pay people to inspect those trees, every one of them,
to make sure there aren't any is that right on it? Yeah,
they clip them off and you know, take them and
give them to somebody or whatever. But you know, they
don't want they don't want to ship your trees with
praying manus on them.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
So every time I see that, I laugh. I swear
somebody puts it out every year.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Yeah oh yeah, and I would have man, it probably
does happen. Yeah, it takes one and ten times on
a two million trees.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
That's what I mean. It only takes fun.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
Oh my, I did have that happen one time in
my sock drawer. But never did you ever hear.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
A Christmas tree where you had to tie it to
the wall. No, No, I haven't either. But that's another one.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
I went up about three years ago. My sister decorated
with a lot of this heavy stuff in front from
my mom. Uh huh, and it fell over because are
the heavy. I had to go get another stand and put.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Up What kind of stuff were you putting on that tree?
Speaker 4 (14:32):
She had all these big things that were I don't
know what they were, but it uh not my tree.
But I had to go get gilling, like a flat
thing to put underneath it because the carpet was like bending.
The carpet was all flush and.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
It was to get a big piece of plywood or something.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Well you can buy those now, those uh big stand
and it catches the water or anything of needles and stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
So, yeah, the thrills of the holidays run.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Oh it's a lot of fun. By the way, are
you making fun of my paint countertop?
Speaker 1 (15:01):
No, but there's a bunch of out there still, And
you know, I mean price at grant. That's crazy and
that's what everybody wants to buy. I'm just bringing up
an option for you. It's gotta go.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Ron avocado fridge looks so, uh do they I asked
you this several years ago. I'm hoping they did. They
now make a cock this dissolver.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
They do, but it doesn't really dissolve it. There's there's
some good ones out there. There's there's one. There's what
do you where's the cocking at uh? In the kitchen
where against the countertop and it goes against the wall.
It's cocked right across the top of that, and I
need to get that off and we're gonna we're painting
(15:48):
and then recalling. So now I got the utility knife
out there, you know, trying to kids that off, and
it's like probably the best way there. There's a cockermover.
It's called Mostenbacher, that's the brand name.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
Sure it is, it is.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
It's pretty good. It doesn't dissolve it though. What it
does is it just softens calking so that you can,
you know, start working it. And then what I do
is whether you get any brand I just found that's
probably one of the better ones. But get the cock. Uh.
And they are called removers, but it's really not. You
(16:23):
put it on there starts making it more pliable. And
you know you got the razor blade. Just cut a
little piece of it off at the end where you
can get a hook knife. Underneath it, there's a cock
removing tool about five bucks. It's a piece of hard
plastic and it's got a hook on it. And you
get that hook behind that beat of calking after you've
(16:45):
used the cock softener, and just kind of work it
that way and it'll come out.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Work it like a pro.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Work it like a pro.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Don't bust your knuckles though, buss do.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
It no, no, but work it like a pro.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
I seriously have more questions for you.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
You might mess the drywall up a little bit, but
you can patch it.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
You're welcome. Just a little, yeah, just a little, just
a little.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
I am mounting handles to hang on to all right,
going off some steps for my mom, and it goes
on the wall. But the wall's plaster. Do I still
use those? You know, you drill a hole and put
that the counter thing in there, and then and then
put the screw in that well.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
If it's going to be a handrail. You want to
make sure it's really really substantial. So an anchor is
something probably not I'll tell you what I would use,
the old fashioned toggle bolts. Yeah, you know, it takes
a decent sized hole. I mean it might be a
three ace or a half inch hole, but use that, okay,
And then when you put that screw in, which is long,
(17:56):
it's going to go behind the plaster is probably going
to go behind the lath too, and then that toggle
spreads out. Then you really you really got something that's substantial.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
I need to drill the whole measure how deep that
hole is right to match that well.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
The toggle bolts usually come in three or four inches.
I mean it's hollow. Get on the other side of it. Yeah,
so it doesn't really matter, but that's going to give
you the best anchoring. And that's what I would use.
I wouldn't I wouldn't mess with anything but that unless
you can hit you know, wood in there when you're
drilling in there. If you go into you know, it
(18:30):
depends whether the lath is just a metal or whether
it's wood. And then there's still two by four. I mean,
if you can get into the two by fours, which
you can find with a you know, a stud finder
and just screw right into that. That's the best. And
the second best would be you know your your your
(18:52):
toggle bolt where you're going all the way through the
wall and that little wing spreads out and creates really
a good solid anchor.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
My problem with using those is that it points back
to me.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
It always does, Ron Studfinder, it always does.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Thank you so much. I'll be here all day.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Oh well your football game today, okay, I will, all right,
all right, take it. Thanks Ron. All right. Ron does
the gardening show, and we always appreciate him stepping in.
We'll take your calls next year at home with Gary Celibat.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Start a project and don't know how to finish it
and call Gary at one eight hundred and eight two
three talk. You're at home with Gary Soliva.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
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six eight two two seventy Well talking a little home improvement.
(22:11):
You're at home with Gary Sullivan. The phone lines are
open if you've got a question regarding your home. We're
just talking about with Ron about you know, going in
and putting anchors into plaster drywall. I think is another thing.
Whenever you can mount a device that you're going to
(22:32):
you know, steady your body or help you up the stairs.
You want to make sure that it's you know, very
tightly anchored into hopefully the studs if you can get
to it. That's the best way to go for drywall.
I think one of my favorite anchors. I don't know
if you've used these. You know you got molly bolt anchors,
(22:54):
you got toggle bolt anchors, you got things that are
just wide threaded screws like those for light hanging ten
twenty pound items. But one of the things I use
occasionally when when I have to really make sure it's
it's you know, a good anchor. I can't remember exactly
(23:14):
what the weight limit per anchor is, but I'm going
to think about one hundred pounds plus. It looks like
a corkscrew, and it's a it's a I've seen them
where it's made of steel. I've seen them where they're
made of a hard plastic. I can kind of imagine
(23:36):
just thinking about it. About the thread depth is about
a half an inch. It's got a little point at
the end that you can kind of tap in, and
at the where you're going to run that screw in,
it's a it's a cross it's like a Phillips head
and you can take that and once you've tapped it,
(23:58):
intake a screw drive ever you're drill. You're just gonna
be careful and just tighten that thing right into the drywall. Again,
I don't know if you use those or not. It
cuts a hole. It cuts a decent sized hole. It's
not gonna work in plaster, but it would work in drywall.
And that's where I've used it. And you tighten that
(24:18):
in and then just you know, once it's in, it's
probably half the size of a dime in the surface,
and just run a screw into the center of that.
And I tell you that gives a really good anchor
into walls. Maybe if you're doing it, you know uh something,
(24:39):
you know, one hundred pounds along those lines, it should
give you very much, very good support. But there's all kinds.
When you just killing time in a hardware store and
you just wander through the area the nuts, bolt, screws
and anchors. Take a look at some of the newer
ones there. These have been around probably twenty years or so,
(25:00):
but they're they're very handy to use and easy to use.
I mean, realistically, you once you find out where the
studs are and if it's not going to line up
and you can't go right into the stud you don't
even need a drill with these, You just kind of
tap them in with a hammer, getting them started, and
then take your screwdriver and run that baby in there.
(25:24):
So it's kind of wanted to pass out along. Since
we were talking about the drywall all right again, our
number is eight hundred eight two three eight two five
five lines are open. You can go ahead and grab one.
Don welcome.
Speaker 5 (25:38):
Hey, Gary, got a problem with my garage door opener,
actually OK, and it's you know, it's not the opener itself,
it's where the bracket connect to the door, all right.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
And the two screws came out one one of I
was were yanked out. The other one I don't know
if it just backed out. Now I've got two thoughts
on repairing it. One is to drill to two different holes.
It had been held on with stuff happening screws yep,
So so that was my first thought. My second thought
(26:13):
was that draw those two holes on through and then
use carriage bolts to.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Hold that well, that'd be an option. I was thinking
the same thing, not knowing exactly what's on the inside
of that door and where the struts are and different things.
Where you could go in is you know, it's not
going to look the greatest, but that is certainly an
option to just go all the way through an anchor
it that way, even if you get like a little
metal plate. I don't think you want to put wood
(26:39):
up there too much, But if you want to get
a metal plate also just to expand and distribute that
weight a little bit, that might be an option for you.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Yeah. Yeah, I think I'm gonna go with the.
Speaker 5 (26:53):
Uh with the carriage bolts, yep. I think our previous
garage or head carriage bolts there, okay, and that the
screws just both straight out for the problem to me, okay.
And also if I drill the holes in a different
spot mm hmm, then I'm worried about the alignment of it.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Well sure, sure, But I mean, can you go through
where that same where that same screw is pulling out? Sure, Yeah, I've.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Gotta I've got to drill. I just I'll just follow
that hole on through.
Speaker 5 (27:32):
Yeah, and then and then carriage ball from from the
outside of.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
The side, sure, yeah. And then your alignment should be fine. Yeah,
you're not really. You know a lot of times people
you'll get in trouble with adding too much weight, even
if it's insulation on doors. But we're really not adding
enough weight where it would be any problem either. So
I think that would be I think that would work
(27:57):
as a do it yourself way. I would say that
would be the most substantial way to do it.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
Okay, Yeah, I was really worried about lighting it up again,
and and the the self stapping screws seem to be
a lot less sturdy than.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Oh yeah, yeah, there's no comparison, quite honestly, Yeah, I
hear you. Okay, yeah, I think that'd be the way
to go.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Again.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
You'll you'll be able to see the bolt heads, but
you know there's a couple of them.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
That's it now, both heads are at the top of
the door.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Yeah, I don't care, right right, So yeah, I think
that would be just fine. In fact, I think that's
probably about the only way I'd be able to fix it,
to be honest with you.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Okay, all right.
Speaker 5 (28:50):
Well that's that's good enough for me, and I know
that's gonna be good enough for my wife.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Gary said, do it this way, So I'm.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
All right, dun thanks for the call, appreciate it very good. Yeah,
and another call. We say that a lot. After thirty
nine years, you think you'd have all the calls, but
I don't think I've ever had that one before. Speaking
of that, as we sit where we sit on the calendar,
and I've talked about this a lot of times too.
(29:19):
Garage door mechanisms fail in extreme extreme temperatures, whether it's
summertime July and August, winter time usually January and February,
especially if you live in hot climates or very cold climates.
Those are big extremes. And if your garage door is
(29:43):
just kind of a little sluggish opening up with the
door opener, or it's getting really loud, it's telling you
that it probably could use a little cleaning and a
little lubrication and an easy project to do. Maybe not
something we would delight in doing all the time, but
(30:03):
the secret is cleaning it preparation, and also the type
of product you're going to use. You do not want
to use a real refined oil, and you certainly never
ever want to use a grease. So what I've done
in the past, and it works very well, is just
get a rag with a little mineral spirits on it
(30:25):
and clean the rails and clean the rollers, and you
know that's the mechanism that's probably making the screeching noise
or making the run a little slow. That gets to
be a little dust and dirt and gunk in those
tracks and rollers. Clean them out. And then in fact,
(30:45):
blaster is the name of a product. They have one
called garage door open or garage door lubricant, and it
is a silicon slash teflon that type, not a refined oil.
It's low temperature so it stays pliable if you will.
It's not a grease, but it stays lubricious, we'll call it.
(31:09):
And you spray that in there and then run the
door up and down a couple of times. Do the hinges,
do the spring, just do the mechanisms, and you run
that up and down a few times. I found when
I do it, and I always tell people do it
two times a year, and right now it'd be a
perfect time. And if he's working thoughts working on his door,
(31:33):
you know, clean it up and spray it and get
it lubricated and less strain. And I'm stunned every time
I do it. Is how. It just quiets the door,
So if you're just kind of screaming at you, that's
probably why. And there's a little bit of protection in
(31:54):
there too, so it lubricates and protects. But grease, boy,
I'll tell you what, don't use that. I've seen some
unbelievable bad calls when using grease. You know, the old
black grease. Never ever, ever, ever, ever used that on
a garage door. It's got a fiber in it. It
(32:15):
collects dust and dirt, and god knows there's plenty of
that in a garage. And then when it's collected and
sits into grease, it hardens. You're actually doing it more
harm than good. In fact, it ends up being worse
than it was when you started the project. So don't
don't use grease, all right? Our phone numbers eight hundred
(32:36):
and eight two three eight two five five in studio
can take your calls on this holiday weekend. Feel free
to join us and you're at Home with Gary Sullivan.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Helm for your home is just a click away at
Garysullivan online dot com. This is at Home with Gary Sullivan.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Well, I talk about a lot of products that can
make your life easier, and I use and love ter Mender.
It repairs tears and all types of clothing, fabrics, leather,
even buttons. It's time to get those holiday decorations out,
and it's one product you gotta have around your home.
In fact, listeners tell me tear menders that must have
for all their holiday decoration repairs, no so gifts, holiday crafts,
(33:30):
and stocking stuffers. Ter Menders available at your local hardware
store Amazon or find a store at tear mender dot
com and find more great make doing men's solutions and ideas.
I've used this product because my washer smelled terrible, and
let me tell you it worked great. Hi Gary Sullivan here,
Now my water's crystal clear. I've got real peace of
mind with Awesome Watercare. Their products remove all the hidden gunk, biofilm,
(33:55):
bacterium build up from hot tubs, jetted tubs, swim spots,
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You'll see and smell the difference. Be sure to shop
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(34:17):
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pricing by buying direct from odor exit dot com today. Hey,
(34:41):
it's Gary Salivan for Roto Router Plumbing and Water Cleanup,
a company that has been trusted and recommended for generations
coast to coast. Rotorrouter fixes clogged drains, leaky faucets, and
running toilets. They repair and replace water heaters, garbage disposals,
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(35:01):
I use Rotor Ruter at my house and you should
leave plumbing to the pros too. Call one eight hundred
get Rotto or go to Rotrouter dot com today. All right,
(35:22):
back at it we go at home with Gary Salvin
taking your calls regarding your home project. Kelly, Thank you much.
I got your message talking about putting that handrail up
he was talking about putting one by one on the wall,
attaching that to the studs, and then running the screws
into the rail hangers to get that project done. So
(35:42):
I thought i'd passed that along. It's a good tip,
Thank you much. And what else I had also listed
I wanted to talk about, Oh yeah, on those handrails.
Not so much for mounting. I love this time of year.
It just really gives you a chance to really look
at your house. You know, a lot of us are indoors.
(36:07):
More so you start looking and seeing maybe a little
bit of the items that are dated in your home,
and you start noticing it, and not only in your home,
other people's homes. And I was thinking today, it's like,
all I want for Christmas for my home is what
I would say. Number one is removing wallpaper borders. We
(36:31):
have just one upstairs in an old bathroom that's rarely
used at this point, and I forgot it was even there.
I'm not I didn't forget the bathroom was there. I
just forgot that there was some little wallpaper border up
on the wall near the ceiling, and it is like, wow,
that's old school. I'm not saying you have to remove it.
(36:51):
If you love it, that's fine. But if you you
know all I you know, next year, I think that
border's got to go. If you start thinking of that.
Or when I was talking about the handrail, a lot
of handrails get ignored. They serve a purpose, obviously, but
over time, if you have a handrail that is stained
(37:15):
and varnished and that was thirty years ago and we
don't really pay much attention to it, they get worn also,
and they get sometimes gummy from the oils in our hands,
from just hand traffic or somebody's waxing it. That wax
(37:39):
gets gummy, and it just feels dirty and it gets sticky.
And one of the things, certainly you can clean it.
You got to find a wood cleaner that also not
only cleans the wood but removes wax and oils. Talked
(38:00):
about products that do that. But you can also refinish
the surface. In other words, take a six hundred grit
sanding sponge or a wet dry sandpaper, the black sandpaper,
the real fine grit, and just lightly go over that surface.
(38:23):
You're not going to go into the woods, You're not
going to sand the wanted stain out of there. You're
just going to clean that surface up and you're going
to remove some of that varnish and you're just, you know,
just you clean it up. You just get that gunk
off there and then put a coat of your athane
(38:45):
on there, or even do a second coat. You'll have
to stand in between it, but oh my gosh, what
a difference it makes, and you don't have to restain
and if you want to even change that. I see
a lot of you know, painted rails. Now, maybe if
you have a home that has a lot of you know,
(39:09):
grays in it, or whites, or you went to pastels,
a black rail might be something you want to entertain.
But it's whatever you choose, whether you rejuvenated or you paint,
it is going to look better than something that's just
tired and worn. And if you have some furniture there,
(39:31):
we used to talk all the time about a product
called restore a finish. Maybe you got an old chest,
old desk or something, and it too looks tired and
the finish is compromised. When a finish gets compromised, a
lot of times what happens is it gets small cracks
(39:54):
in it, and it gets what they call crazing and
or alligatoring is another word they use on it, and
it's the finish isn't peeling off, but it's drying off
and it's cracking. And of course, you know to refinish,
(40:14):
you're going to use some smart strip or you're going
to sand it. You're going to restain it, reathen it,
or another option is to paint it, or you can
use a restore a finish. And I've used this product
multiple times and I want to say it melts the finish,
(40:39):
but I don't know if that's true. But what you
do is you get it in a pigmentation, so you'll
get a walnut or an oak or a cherry or
whatever the wood is stained, and you take the restore finish.
It comes in like eight different colors on a cloth
and you just start wiping that on. You wipe it on,
(41:01):
you let it sit, you wipe another coat on, and
I tell you it does just what it says. It
restores the finish. So if you like the color, and
maybe it's not too bad and we don't really have
to strip it, we don't really want to paint it.
Howard Products is the manufacturer of that particular product. Take
(41:24):
a look at it. It can do a good job
for you. Andy.
Speaker 6 (41:28):
Welcome hell Gary. Yes, sir, I woke up Thanksgiving morning
with a stopped up sink drain.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
H huh.
Speaker 6 (41:38):
My wife was working in the evening before I would
into bed. But anyway, after about three rounds of drain
opener and hot water in it all day long, it
finally cleared itself.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (41:50):
My question is is there anything out there you can
put in a drain, like a maintenance stuff, you know,
just like once a month to help keep it clear.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Sure. Sure, there's a lot of great enzyme cleaners out
there now. And I don't know what kind of drain
opener you used. Maybe used an enzyme one, but it's
usually a powder that's mixed with water and you pour
it in, let it sit overnight, and then flush at
What it does is it just gets rid of any
(42:20):
coatings and gunk that's in the drain. That's a good
maintenance thing. And you know, you can always use your
own too, or mix your own with a little baking soda.
Take a half a cup of baking soda and a
cup of vinegar. Let it fizz about ten fifteen minutes
and rints away with hot water. That's a good way
(42:41):
of cleaning out those drains too, and getting rid of
some of that gunk.
Speaker 6 (42:45):
Oh okay, Well, as crazy as this might sound, I mean,
you know, after we've cleaned up after Thanksgiving dinner, kids
was there and there's a lot of half bottles of
sprite laying around, and I poured wine bottles of spright
down in there. A man to get gurgles.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Yeah, Well it's you know, there's a little acid in
there and there's a little carbonation in there. So yeah,
that may have that probably help you too. All right, Andy,
thank you much, appreciate the call, looking forward to your call.
If you'd like to join us, do so. It's eight
hundred A two three A two five five. That's eight
(43:24):
hundred eight two three A two five five talking about
fund projects. If you're getting into crafts this time of year,
and I know many people are, you hear me talk
about a product called tear Mender, and tear Mender makes
a it's like a fabric glue. So if you're doing
stockings or something and you need a glue that puts
(43:45):
fabrics together or a torn coat or genes, uh, you
can check it out. Tear Mender does those types of
repairs were also great on crafts, It's tear Mender dot Com.
We'll continue with your calls. You're at Home with Gary Sullivan.
Speaker 2 (44:12):
Weekends mean a never ending list of things to do
around your home. Get help at one eight hundred and
eighty two three Talk You're at Home with Gary Sullivan
All right, the weekends upon us. It seems like we're
already through the weekend, but we're not. We're just halfway
through the weekend. Many of us have four day weekends.
But we're here live to take your calls regarding your
home improvement project. Maybe it's just picking up the pieces
after the holidays, but happy to take your calls. Our
phone number is eight hundred eight two three eight two
(00:55):
five five. This hours brought to you by Easy Breathe
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(01:16):
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dot com. All Right, like I said, we're halfway through
a long weekend for many of us, So I'm sure. Well,
I hope you had a very laid back, fun, relaxing
couple days, and maybe in the next day or two
people will be heading out again and you'll be left
(01:58):
kind of picking up the pieces. You know, there's been
a lot made of you know, I hear it all
the time. It's like the holiday sounds like a disaster.
It's brown Friday, it's the busiest day for plumbers. It's this,
it's that. So, you know, things happen around the home,
and a lot of times maybe nothing happens. But after
(02:19):
you're finished a holiday just kind of look and things
just they just look a little tired. Maybe you're a
little tired too, and you just let your mind wander
on different things. Maybe you can fix up and you
can change And I kind of go through this a lot.
In a kitchen, you know, it's pretty much our most
(02:42):
visible room, sometimes our busiest room, sometimes most a lot
of times the most room that we're entertaining in, even
if it's just a great gathering space. Of course, it
depends on the size of the kitchen and the size
of the home, but it is a gathering spot and
(03:02):
it takes a lot of it takes a lot of
abuse over the years, and there's things you can just
do to give it a little facelift. And you've heard
me talk about Dice coatings and a lot over the years.
And I found this product, jeez, I don't know, it's
probably twenty years ago. And I found it in an
(03:25):
older family paint store, probably twenty five years ago, and
it was a countertop finishing kid, and so I thought, well,
we'll try that, you know, give it a try. At
that point, there was a lot of different paints that
were saying you could use on countertops and coatings and
(03:47):
things like that, most of which didn't really hold up.
But I was going to give this a try. And
Peter Disch from Dice Coatings, he has all kinds of
countertop kits now. He's got a spreadstone countertop kit. He's
got one that looks like marble, he's got one that
(04:07):
looks like granite. And if you and I bring this up,
because it is the coolest product and one of the
easiest projects to do. And I'm not making fun of
anybody's countertops, but not everybody really has a budget of
six thousand dollars to put in granted countertops and maybe
(04:31):
at your house you have a white for Micah with
the gold speckles in that was the one that we
kind of covered up. Or maybe he's still a harvest
gold countertop, or maybe a pink for Micah countertop which
are dated right, And so you know, do you get
(04:52):
another from Micah countertop? Do you make the big step
and do the granite or do you coding on it?
And they had a contest, Oh, I'm going to say
just a couple of months ago, I guess where people
sent in pictures of the contest or of the countertops
that refinished. It was amazing, you know, the older countertops
(05:18):
again and to use this and it I'll be a
little generic. If you happen to be interested, you can
go to their website. But it's one of those projects
that you can do in a weekend and you're you're
not working the entire weekend. You're going to put a
couple hours and in the morning, a couple hours in
the afternoon, a couple hours in the evening. In fact,
(05:40):
you won't even put in a couple hours. You put
in an hour. You put in an hour, an hour
and an hour, and then the next day maybe an
hour and an hour and you're done. So these kids,
it comes with everything, and everything would be sanding sponges,
so that step on right clean and just lightly sand it.
(06:04):
Then you would after you do that, you'd remove the
excess and you'd put down a base. And as I
say all the time, you know, preparation's the key. So
you're really you're building this project. So you're getting that
that's the proprietary product to get that primer to adhere
to for Michael, which is pretty much a non absorbent material,
(06:27):
so it's got to be able to bite onto that
concrete or it's got to feel like concrete bite onto
that for mic and not chip. So you put the
primer on and literally you can wait for that to drive.
I mean that you're finished step on and you come
back step two. And oh by the way, yeah, you
(06:48):
put the primer on with a little roller. So if
you can paint a wall, you can do this project.
If you've got a little bullnose molding on the front
of it, you can use a brush. If you got
a little square air edging you can you can use
a brush or the roller. So after that dries, you
would come back and you would put on the the
(07:10):
the base for whatever you're going to do, the base
for the granite to the base for the spreadstone. I'll
use the spreadstone as an example. I always say it
kind of looks like a cooreon and you can see
the pictures on their website, Dice Coatings dot com. But
you would apply that, you know, in the afternoon, if
(07:33):
the primer's dried, you can come back and you apply,
you know, your your base coat. So you've done your primer,
You've gotten your bastcoat. In the evening, you can just
polish that up with the sandpaper because their stone is
so you get the minerals in there and kind of
get a little a little bling, if you will, and
(07:57):
come back and lightly sand and put your next coat on.
And so you got your primary and you got two coats,
and you can go to bed and call to day
and it's not quite finished, but it's looking pretty good.
And then you come back and you put a clear
seiler on there. But before you put the clear ceiler,
that's when you're kind of lightly standing and creating that
bling and then let it dry and come back and
(08:19):
put another clear seiler on it. I'll tell you it
looks fantastic to make it look like marble or granite.
There there's you know, a little bit more, not much,
but check that out if you're just kind of looking saying, yep,
I think this was our last holiday where we're just
going to have to do something with these counters. And listen,
it's a weekend. It's an hour, an hour, an hour,
(08:43):
an hour and an hour and you're done. So it
can be done right in the middle of the holidays,
quite honestly, and it'll give you quite a transformation. So
we're happy to take your calls. We're going to talk
to Ron Wilson here in a minute, and then we're
gonna take your calls. Guests, today it's just you and me,
and like I said, we are here live over the
(09:04):
Thanksgiving holiday to take your calls and chat about maybe
picking up the pieces from the holiday or maybe you're
doing a little decorating, a lot of decorating going on
in the last day or two, and we'll be happy
to discuss that also. So our number is eight hundred
eight two three eight two five five. Ron Wilson, he's
(09:25):
up next, and you're at home with Gary Sullivan.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Takes it right with a call to Gary Sullivan at
one eight hundred eight two three talk. This is at
home with Gary Sullivan.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Hey, how's your water heater? Is it running out of
hot water faster than it used to? Does it leak
or maybe make weird noises?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Hey?
Speaker 1 (09:59):
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The team that can fix, tune up, or replace any
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Well it's Rotor Router. I don't like cold showers, so
when eleven year old water heater died this year, I
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(10:20):
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it worked great. Hi Gary Sullivan here, Now my water's
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(11:47):
You'll see and smell the difference. All right. Back here
we go at home with Gary Selvent time to bring
in our friend Ron Wilson and uh Ron, do you
(12:09):
just like, you know, the gardening season's kind of over.
The landscaping season. I mean just like go to sleep
till February.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
It is never over.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
It's never over.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
It's never over.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
You don't just take a big breather for like three months.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
It knows slowed down a little bit, No, heck no,
you know.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
That Christmas ties well, yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
But then you get into January and February, it's getting
stuffed ready for March.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
We got to be thinking ahead.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Obviously, it slows down because people aren't doing a lot
of landscaping, but we're busy as heck during those months
getting ready for the spring. So you know, it just
keeps right on going. Yeah, it does slow down a
little bit, there's no doubt.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
But no big, big scoops for us on Christmas trees
this year. I mean no, no, just you know, enjoy them.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
Just enjoy it and do get out there early because
there was a lot of people buying them yesterday.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
I'll tell you what that's got to be. You know,
it used to be back in the day, it'd be
like that. People would buy trees like mid December. Yeah,
you maybe buy the tenth of December. But now it's
like Thanksgiving weekend, man, get out of the way.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Well this weekend, especially because it's only three weeks from Christmas,
because it's late, that's true, so it's crazy. So yeah,
if you're going to do the live tree, get out
and get it taken care of. Of course, the weather's
been kind of weird too, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Yeah. Oh I saw one of the infamous articles again
about praying Memphis and Christmas trees.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Oh my gosh, I know.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
It's like I swear, people just look for problems.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
M m.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
I mean people, they could be there, but probably not. Huh.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
They pay people to inspect those trees, every one of them,
to make sure there aren't any is that right on it? Yeah,
they clip them off and you know, take them and
give them to somebody or whatever. But you know, they
don't want they don't want to ship your trees with
praying manus on them.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
So every time I see that, I laugh. I swear
somebody puts it out every year.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Yeah oh yeah, and I would have man, it probably
does happen. Yeah, it takes one and ten times on
a two million trees.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
That's what I mean. It only takes fun.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
Oh my, I did have that happen one time in
my sock drawer. But never did you ever hear.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
A Christmas tree where you had to tie it to
the wall. No, No, I haven't either. But that's another one.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
I went up about three years ago. My sister decorated
with a lot of this heavy stuff in front from
my mom. Uh huh, and it fell over because are
the heavy. I had to go get another stand and put.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Up What kind of stuff were you putting on that tree?
Speaker 4 (14:32):
She had all these big things that were I don't
know what they were, but it uh not my tree.
But I had to go get gilling, like a flat
thing to put underneath it because the carpet was like bending.
The carpet was all flush and.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
It was to get a big piece of plywood or something.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Well you can buy those now, those uh big stand
and it catches the water or anything of needles and stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
So, yeah, the thrills of the holidays run.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Oh it's a lot of fun. By the way, are
you making fun of my paint countertop?
Speaker 1 (15:01):
No, but there's a bunch of out there still, And
you know, I mean price at grant. That's crazy and
that's what everybody wants to buy. I'm just bringing up
an option for you. It's gotta go.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Ron avocado fridge looks so, uh do they I asked
you this several years ago. I'm hoping they did. They
now make a cock this dissolver.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
They do, but it doesn't really dissolve it. There's there's
some good ones out there. There's there's one. There's what
do you where's the cocking at uh? In the kitchen
where against the countertop and it goes against the wall.
It's cocked right across the top of that, and I
need to get that off and we're gonna we're painting
(15:48):
and then recalling. So now I got the utility knife
out there, you know, trying to kids that off, and
it's like probably the best way there. There's a cockermover.
It's called Mostenbacher, that's the brand name.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
Sure it is, it is.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
It's pretty good. It doesn't dissolve it though. What it
does is it just softens calking so that you can,
you know, start working it. And then what I do
is whether you get any brand I just found that's
probably one of the better ones. But get the cock. Uh.
And they are called removers, but it's really not. You
(16:23):
put it on there starts making it more pliable. And
you know you got the razor blade. Just cut a
little piece of it off at the end where you
can get a hook knife. Underneath it, there's a cock
removing tool about five bucks. It's a piece of hard
plastic and it's got a hook on it. And you
get that hook behind that beat of calking after you've
(16:45):
used the cock softener, and just kind of work it
that way and it'll come out.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Work it like a pro.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Work it like a pro.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Don't bust your knuckles though, buss do.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
It no, no, but work it like a pro.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
I seriously have more questions for you.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
You might mess the drywall up a little bit, but
you can patch it.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
You're welcome. Just a little, yeah, just a little, just
a little.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
I am mounting handles to hang on to all right,
going off some steps for my mom, and it goes
on the wall. But the wall's plaster. Do I still
use those? You know, you drill a hole and put
that the counter thing in there, and then and then
put the screw in that well.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
If it's going to be a handrail. You want to
make sure it's really really substantial. So an anchor is
something probably not I'll tell you what I would use,
the old fashioned toggle bolts. Yeah, you know, it takes
a decent sized hole. I mean it might be a
three ace or a half inch hole, but use that, okay,
And then when you put that screw in, which is long,
(17:56):
it's going to go behind the plaster is probably going
to go behind the lath too, and then that toggle
spreads out. Then you really you really got something that's substantial.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
I need to drill the whole measure how deep that
hole is right to match that well.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
The toggle bolts usually come in three or four inches.
I mean it's hollow. Get on the other side of it. Yeah,
so it doesn't really matter, but that's going to give
you the best anchoring. And that's what I would use.
I wouldn't I wouldn't mess with anything but that unless
you can hit you know, wood in there when you're
drilling in there. If you go into you know, it
(18:30):
depends whether the lath is just a metal or whether
it's wood. And then there's still two by four. I mean,
if you can get into the two by fours, which
you can find with a you know, a stud finder
and just screw right into that. That's the best. And
the second best would be you know your your your
(18:52):
toggle bolt where you're going all the way through the
wall and that little wing spreads out and creates really
a good solid anchor.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
My problem with using those is that it points back
to me.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
It always does, Ron Studfinder, it always does.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Thank you so much. I'll be here all day.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Oh well your football game today, okay, I will, all right,
all right, take it. Thanks Ron. All right. Ron does
the gardening show, and we always appreciate him stepping in.
We'll take your calls next year at home with Gary Celibat.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Start a project and don't know how to finish it
and call Gary at one eight hundred and eight two
three talk. You're at home with Gary Soliva.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
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Hey Gary saw here, I love products that really work
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(21:15):
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six eight two two seventy Well talking a little home improvement.
(22:11):
You're at home with Gary Sullivan. The phone lines are
open if you've got a question regarding your home. We're
just talking about with Ron about you know, going in
and putting anchors into plaster drywall. I think is another thing.
Whenever you can mount a device that you're going to
(22:32):
you know, steady your body or help you up the stairs.
You want to make sure that it's you know, very
tightly anchored into hopefully the studs if you can get
to it. That's the best way to go for drywall.
I think one of my favorite anchors. I don't know
if you've used these. You know you got molly bolt anchors,
(22:54):
you got toggle bolt anchors, you got things that are
just wide threaded screws like those for light hanging ten
twenty pound items. But one of the things I use
occasionally when when I have to really make sure it's
it's you know, a good anchor. I can't remember exactly
(23:14):
what the weight limit per anchor is, but I'm going
to think about one hundred pounds plus. It looks like
a corkscrew, and it's a it's a I've seen them
where it's made of steel. I've seen them where they're
made of a hard plastic. I can kind of imagine
(23:36):
just thinking about it. About the thread depth is about
a half an inch. It's got a little point at
the end that you can kind of tap in, and
at the where you're going to run that screw in,
it's a it's a cross it's like a Phillips head
and you can take that and once you've tapped it,
(23:58):
intake a screw drive ever you're drill. You're just gonna
be careful and just tighten that thing right into the drywall. Again,
I don't know if you use those or not. It
cuts a hole. It cuts a decent sized hole. It's
not gonna work in plaster, but it would work in drywall.
And that's where I've used it. And you tighten that
(24:18):
in and then just you know, once it's in, it's
probably half the size of a dime in the surface,
and just run a screw into the center of that.
And I tell you that gives a really good anchor
into walls. Maybe if you're doing it, you know uh something,
(24:39):
you know, one hundred pounds along those lines, it should
give you very much, very good support. But there's all kinds.
When you just killing time in a hardware store and
you just wander through the area the nuts, bolt, screws
and anchors. Take a look at some of the newer
ones there. These have been around probably twenty years or so,
(25:00):
but they're they're very handy to use and easy to use.
I mean, realistically, you once you find out where the
studs are and if it's not going to line up
and you can't go right into the stud you don't
even need a drill with these, You just kind of
tap them in with a hammer, getting them started, and
then take your screwdriver and run that baby in there.
(25:24):
So it's kind of wanted to pass out along. Since
we were talking about the drywall all right again, our
number is eight hundred eight two three eight two five
five lines are open. You can go ahead and grab one.
Don welcome.
Speaker 5 (25:38):
Hey, Gary, got a problem with my garage door opener,
actually OK, and it's you know, it's not the opener itself,
it's where the bracket connect to the door, all right.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
And the two screws came out one one of I
was were yanked out. The other one I don't know
if it just backed out. Now I've got two thoughts
on repairing it. One is to drill to two different holes.
It had been held on with stuff happening screws yep,
So so that was my first thought. My second thought
(26:13):
was that draw those two holes on through and then
use carriage bolts to.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Hold that well, that'd be an option. I was thinking
the same thing, not knowing exactly what's on the inside
of that door and where the struts are and different things.
Where you could go in is you know, it's not
going to look the greatest, but that is certainly an
option to just go all the way through an anchor
it that way, even if you get like a little
metal plate. I don't think you want to put wood
(26:39):
up there too much, But if you want to get
a metal plate also just to expand and distribute that
weight a little bit, that might be an option for you.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Yeah. Yeah, I think I'm gonna go with the.
Speaker 5 (26:53):
Uh with the carriage bolts, yep. I think our previous
garage or head carriage bolts there, okay, and that the
screws just both straight out for the problem to me, okay.
And also if I drill the holes in a different
spot mm hmm, then I'm worried about the alignment of it.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Well sure, sure, But I mean, can you go through
where that same where that same screw is pulling out? Sure, Yeah, I've.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Gotta I've got to drill. I just I'll just follow
that hole on through.
Speaker 5 (27:32):
Yeah, and then and then carriage ball from from the
outside of.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
The side, sure, yeah. And then your alignment should be fine. Yeah,
you're not really. You know a lot of times people
you'll get in trouble with adding too much weight, even
if it's insulation on doors. But we're really not adding
enough weight where it would be any problem either. So
I think that would be I think that would work
(27:57):
as a do it yourself way. I would say that
would be the most substantial way to do it.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
Okay, Yeah, I was really worried about lighting it up again,
and and the the self stapping screws seem to be
a lot less sturdy than.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Oh yeah, yeah, there's no comparison, quite honestly, Yeah, I
hear you. Okay, yeah, I think that'd be the way
to go.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Again.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
You'll you'll be able to see the bolt heads, but
you know there's a couple of them.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
That's it now, both heads are at the top of
the door.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Yeah, I don't care, right right, So yeah, I think
that would be just fine. In fact, I think that's
probably about the only way I'd be able to fix it,
to be honest with you.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Okay, all right.
Speaker 5 (28:50):
Well that's that's good enough for me, and I know
that's gonna be good enough for my wife.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Gary said, do it this way, So I'm.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
All right, dun thanks for the call, appreciate it very good. Yeah,
and another call. We say that a lot. After thirty
nine years, you think you'd have all the calls, but
I don't think I've ever had that one before. Speaking
of that, as we sit where we sit on the calendar,
and I've talked about this a lot of times too.
(29:19):
Garage door mechanisms fail in extreme extreme temperatures, whether it's
summertime July and August, winter time usually January and February,
especially if you live in hot climates or very cold climates.
Those are big extremes. And if your garage door is
(29:43):
just kind of a little sluggish opening up with the
door opener, or it's getting really loud, it's telling you
that it probably could use a little cleaning and a
little lubrication and an easy project to do. Maybe not
something we would delight in doing all the time, but
(30:03):
the secret is cleaning it preparation, and also the type
of product you're going to use. You do not want
to use a real refined oil, and you certainly never
ever want to use a grease. So what I've done
in the past, and it works very well, is just
get a rag with a little mineral spirits on it
(30:25):
and clean the rails and clean the rollers, and you
know that's the mechanism that's probably making the screeching noise
or making the run a little slow. That gets to
be a little dust and dirt and gunk in those
tracks and rollers. Clean them out. And then in fact,
(30:45):
blaster is the name of a product. They have one
called garage door open or garage door lubricant, and it
is a silicon slash teflon that type, not a refined oil.
It's low temperature so it stays pliable if you will.
It's not a grease, but it stays lubricious, we'll call it.
(31:09):
And you spray that in there and then run the
door up and down a couple of times. Do the hinges,
do the spring, just do the mechanisms, and you run
that up and down a few times. I found when
I do it, and I always tell people do it
two times a year, and right now it'd be a
perfect time. And if he's working thoughts working on his door,
(31:33):
you know, clean it up and spray it and get
it lubricated and less strain. And I'm stunned every time
I do it. Is how. It just quiets the door,
So if you're just kind of screaming at you, that's
probably why. And there's a little bit of protection in
(31:54):
there too, so it lubricates and protects. But grease, boy,
I'll tell you what, don't use that. I've seen some
unbelievable bad calls when using grease. You know, the old
black grease. Never ever, ever, ever, ever used that on
a garage door. It's got a fiber in it. It
(32:15):
collects dust and dirt, and god knows there's plenty of
that in a garage. And then when it's collected and
sits into grease, it hardens. You're actually doing it more
harm than good. In fact, it ends up being worse
than it was when you started the project. So don't
don't use grease, all right? Our phone numbers eight hundred
(32:36):
and eight two three eight two five five in studio
can take your calls on this holiday weekend. Feel free
to join us and you're at Home with Gary Sullivan.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Helm for your home is just a click away at
Garysullivan online dot com. This is at Home with Gary Sullivan.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Well, I talk about a lot of products that can
make your life easier, and I use and love ter Mender.
It repairs tears and all types of clothing, fabrics, leather,
even buttons. It's time to get those holiday decorations out,
and it's one product you gotta have around your home.
In fact, listeners tell me tear menders that must have
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(33:30):
and stocking stuffers. Ter Menders available at your local hardware
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I've used this product because my washer smelled terrible, and
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(34:17):
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(34:41):
it's Gary Salivan for Roto Router Plumbing and Water Cleanup,
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(35:01):
I use Rotor Ruter at my house and you should
leave plumbing to the pros too. Call one eight hundred
get Rotto or go to Rotrouter dot com today. All right,
(35:22):
back at it we go at home with Gary Salvin
taking your calls regarding your home project. Kelly, Thank you much.
I got your message talking about putting that handrail up
he was talking about putting one by one on the wall,
attaching that to the studs, and then running the screws
into the rail hangers to get that project done. So
(35:42):
I thought i'd passed that along. It's a good tip,
Thank you much. And what else I had also listed
I wanted to talk about, Oh yeah, on those handrails.
Not so much for mounting. I love this time of year.
It just really gives you a chance to really look
at your house. You know, a lot of us are indoors.
(36:07):
More so you start looking and seeing maybe a little
bit of the items that are dated in your home,
and you start noticing it, and not only in your home,
other people's homes. And I was thinking today, it's like,
all I want for Christmas for my home is what
I would say. Number one is removing wallpaper borders. We
(36:31):
have just one upstairs in an old bathroom that's rarely
used at this point, and I forgot it was even there.
I'm not I didn't forget the bathroom was there. I
just forgot that there was some little wallpaper border up
on the wall near the ceiling, and it is like, wow,
that's old school. I'm not saying you have to remove it.
(36:51):
If you love it, that's fine. But if you you
know all I you know, next year, I think that
border's got to go. If you start thinking of that.
Or when I was talking about the handrail, a lot
of handrails get ignored. They serve a purpose, obviously, but
over time, if you have a handrail that is stained
(37:15):
and varnished and that was thirty years ago and we
don't really pay much attention to it, they get worn also,
and they get sometimes gummy from the oils in our hands,
from just hand traffic or somebody's waxing it. That wax
(37:39):
gets gummy, and it just feels dirty and it gets sticky.
And one of the things, certainly you can clean it.
You got to find a wood cleaner that also not
only cleans the wood but removes wax and oils. Talked
(38:00):
about products that do that. But you can also refinish
the surface. In other words, take a six hundred grit
sanding sponge or a wet dry sandpaper, the black sandpaper,
the real fine grit, and just lightly go over that surface.
(38:23):
You're not going to go into the woods, You're not
going to sand the wanted stain out of there. You're
just going to clean that surface up and you're going
to remove some of that varnish and you're just, you know,
just you clean it up. You just get that gunk
off there and then put a coat of your athane
(38:45):
on there, or even do a second coat. You'll have
to stand in between it, but oh my gosh, what
a difference it makes, and you don't have to restain
and if you want to even change that. I see
a lot of you know, painted rails. Now, maybe if
you have a home that has a lot of you know,
(39:09):
grays in it, or whites, or you went to pastels,
a black rail might be something you want to entertain.
But it's whatever you choose, whether you rejuvenated or you paint,
it is going to look better than something that's just
tired and worn. And if you have some furniture there,
(39:31):
we used to talk all the time about a product
called restore a finish. Maybe you got an old chest,
old desk or something, and it too looks tired and
the finish is compromised. When a finish gets compromised, a
lot of times what happens is it gets small cracks
(39:54):
in it, and it gets what they call crazing and
or alligatoring is another word they use on it, and
it's the finish isn't peeling off, but it's drying off
and it's cracking. And of course, you know to refinish,
(40:14):
you're going to use some smart strip or you're going
to sand it. You're going to restain it, reathen it,
or another option is to paint it, or you can
use a restore a finish. And I've used this product
multiple times and I want to say it melts the finish,
(40:39):
but I don't know if that's true. But what you
do is you get it in a pigmentation, so you'll
get a walnut or an oak or a cherry or
whatever the wood is stained, and you take the restore finish.
It comes in like eight different colors on a cloth
and you just start wiping that on. You wipe it on,
(41:01):
you let it sit, you wipe another coat on, and
I tell you it does just what it says. It
restores the finish. So if you like the color, and
maybe it's not too bad and we don't really have
to strip it, we don't really want to paint it.
Howard Products is the manufacturer of that particular product. Take
(41:24):
a look at it. It can do a good job
for you. Andy.
Speaker 6 (41:28):
Welcome hell Gary. Yes, sir, I woke up Thanksgiving morning
with a stopped up sink drain.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
H huh.
Speaker 6 (41:38):
My wife was working in the evening before I would
into bed. But anyway, after about three rounds of drain
opener and hot water in it all day long, it
finally cleared itself.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (41:50):
My question is is there anything out there you can
put in a drain, like a maintenance stuff, you know,
just like once a month to help keep it clear.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Sure. Sure, there's a lot of great enzyme cleaners out
there now. And I don't know what kind of drain
opener you used. Maybe used an enzyme one, but it's
usually a powder that's mixed with water and you pour
it in, let it sit overnight, and then flush at
What it does is it just gets rid of any
(42:20):
coatings and gunk that's in the drain. That's a good
maintenance thing. And you know, you can always use your
own too, or mix your own with a little baking soda.
Take a half a cup of baking soda and a
cup of vinegar. Let it fizz about ten fifteen minutes
and rints away with hot water. That's a good way
(42:41):
of cleaning out those drains too, and getting rid of
some of that gunk.
Speaker 6 (42:45):
Oh okay, Well, as crazy as this might sound, I mean,
you know, after we've cleaned up after Thanksgiving dinner, kids
was there and there's a lot of half bottles of
sprite laying around, and I poured wine bottles of spright
down in there. A man to get gurgles.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Yeah, Well it's you know, there's a little acid in
there and there's a little carbonation in there. So yeah,
that may have that probably help you too. All right, Andy,
thank you much, appreciate the call, looking forward to your call.
If you'd like to join us, do so. It's eight
hundred A two three A two five five. That's eight
(43:24):
hundred eight two three A two five five talking about
fund projects. If you're getting into crafts this time of year,
and I know many people are, you hear me talk
about a product called tear Mender, and tear Mender makes
a it's like a fabric glue. So if you're doing
stockings or something and you need a glue that puts
(43:45):
fabrics together or a torn coat or genes, uh, you
can check it out. Tear Mender does those types of
repairs were also great on crafts, It's tear Mender dot Com.
We'll continue with your calls. You're at Home with Gary Sullivan.
Speaker 2 (44:12):
Weekends mean a never ending list of things to do
around your home. Get help at one eight hundred and
eighty two three Talk You're at Home with Gary Sullivan
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