Henry Harrison 6/18/2002

HGTV: Welcome to HGTV's hosted chat room. Tonight, Henry Harrison, home repair expert and host of Help Around the House, is here to answer your home improvement and repair questions. Good evening, Henry!

Henry Harrison: Good evening, glad to be with you, and I hope you have some warm questions because I'm here to give you some real cool answers...LOL.

Question: Can you install a bathroom in an existing room without tearing up the foundation to run the pipes? This room is directly on the other side of the existing bathroom and toilet.
HH: If it is adjacent to another room, which has incoming water and outgoing drain lines it is possible -- IF the foundation is not a slab. If the foundation is pier and beam, it will be an easy upgrade. If the foundation is a slab, then that means things will get a little more complicated and costly, but it too can be done. Is it a one story or two-story structure?

Q: It is adjacent to the other bathroom and the toilet could back right up to the other if needed. It is a slab foundation. What am I looking at just for the plumbing in a general cost? I can install the fixtures myself. And it's one story.
HH: Okay, that makes it easier. You can, and need to, do a back-to-back. You can tap from the incoming water source, and you can also make a tap into the outgoing drain line. It will involve opening one wall and making some adjustments in the fittings.

Q: Hey Henry.....I watch you every Saturday & Sunday. I would like to know if a dark stained parquet floor can be stripped and made lighter.
HH: Well, first, thanks for watching. The floor can be stripped, either by a light sanding or by using a chemical stripper } and then bleaching. So it can be done.

Q: I would like to replace the outlets in our kitchen. Unfortunately our outlets only have two slots. All the new outlets at the home improvement stores have three (grounded). Is there any way to adapt them without rewiring the entire house?
HH: Yes. A perfect solution is to install GFCI--Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters. They are good replacements for the standard, non-grounded outlets. The good thing about them -- they have their own built-in circuit breaker, which allows the power to be cut off at the outlet should a short-circuit occur. They are actually three-prong outlets, but they are a great replacement for the old two-prong, since the ground is built in to the unit. And a ground source can usually be a cold water pipe (perhaps nearby in the wall) or under the foundation. BUT, the directions that come with the GFCI will specifically address the two-prong situation.

Q: Hi Henry...have you every considered (or done) a show that recommends the contents of the typical home tool kit?
HH: We have done a short segment on basic tools, but not a comprehensive full-blown segment on essential tools for the home. That is a great idea, and I will pass that along to my producers.

Q: We want to replace some doors in a house that was built in 1976. Can you recommend a door with good insulation?:-)
HH: It depends on the architectural character you are looking for. Probably, since it is an interior door, depending on whether it is a French door-type with multiple glass, or a solid door, with what is known as a rail-and-stile construction, it really depends on the look. However, the better doors will be made of either solid wood or a high-grade composite material. That is vinyl clad. It will involve a lot of shopping, both for price and quality.

Q: No problem. Would I need to just raise up the toilet and such?
HH: I don't suspect you would have to do that. Your connections will be made into the existing supply line and drain lines. Now, something that will make it easier for you. If your new toilet is a wall-hung unit, it will make it easier because the outlet on the toilet will enter the wall at least a foot and a half from the floor. You will have to beef up the surrounding studs and add a sandwiched 2x12 to support the wall-hung toilet.

Q: I need to replace the front porch railing, the stairs are brick and mortar. What is the best way to anchor the newel posts to the brick bottom step
HH: There are a number of ways to anchor the newel posts. It can be done lag screws and lag shields. The shields go in the concrete after the proper-sized hole is drilled, and once the lag screw is installed through the base of the newel post and into the shield, the shield will expand into the concrete and become anchored. Another option is to drill holes into the concrete and install threaded rods then nuts and washers can be used to anchor the newel post to the threaded rod.

Q: Don't want to be a question hog, but....... Can you sand your kitchen cabinets down and then put a coat of poly to give them a new look without stripping?
HH: Yes, you can. Lightly sand them, and once you do that, that will ensure that the polyurethane will hold better to the existing surface. Depending on the condition of the cabinets, I recommend using a 220 grit open coat sandpaper, usually a green or purple color that is made specifically for sanding paints and varnishes.

Q: I have a walkway along side by home of approximately 25 feet by 3 feet. Which is a better to install: concrete walkway or concrete pavers??
HH: I would probably go, depending on the soil conditions, with pavers. You have more flexibility, and if you end up with a rise or depression in the walkway, all you have to do is move a few of the pavers, regrade and set them back in place. You won't have that flexibility with concrete.

Q: Hello Henry, Love the show. Is there any chance that I can get you to come to New Jersey to help me with a project?
HH: We'd love to come, however, at this time, our shooting locations are Seattle and Houston areas. However, if you are a good cook, we may be able to do something about that in the future! I will be glad to answer any questions you might have at the moment.

Q: Henry, my wife's the cook. She'll be happy to make you something. Question: I recently purchased a home that has a brick front. The previous owners painted this brick a few years ago. How can I get this paint off?
HH: Well, you can start with thousands of dollars, or you can repaint it and also paint the mortar lines to simulate brick. Painted brick is very hard to strip. You can sandblast it and partially destroy the faces of the brick and mortar. You can water blast it and run the risk of setting up mold in wet areas you can't see in the walls of your house, or you can grind it down and still run the risk of damaging the bricks and the mortar.

Q: no other way? is that something that I could do? Or should I have a professional do it?
HH: I would suggest having a professional take care of it. Even then the professionals will warn you that the faces of the brick will be changed, there will be some remortaring necessary, and the entire house, all the bricks and mortar, will have to be sealed.

Q: Henry, Please help! We just removed wall to wall carpeting from our concrete basement floor. Now it's got a gooey mess on it from the glue. What's the best (easiest) way to get rid of it so we can paint the floor?
HH: There are glue removers that can be purchased, at either Lowe's or Home Depot, which are very effective and formulated especially to remove floor adhesives. It will be written on the side of the can. Be sure to follow all safety precautions and directions thoroughly.

Q: Hi, again. What is a good material for the floor of a sunroom. It is 12' x 32'. We would like to keep the cost down if possible. Thanks
HH: Probably an easy choice would be a painted concrete floor. That will handle the heat, the cold and the dampness, as well as any other floor or better. Make sure the paint is an epoxy. It needs to be a high-grade epoxy concrete paint. And don't forget to seal the concrete thoroughly with a concrete sealer before applying the paint.

Q: They [the kitchen cabinets] have some deep gouges and nicks. So I will not have to restrain the cabinets, Just sand and put poly on them? What about the deep nicks and gouges, and can I use an electric sander to make the job easier?
HH: Sure, and for the deep nicks and gouges, depending on how deep, you may have to fill them, or if they are superficial, you can use an 80 grit sandpaper to start with, then work your way up to the 220 grit.

Q: My porch was painted some years ago, but now I want it to look like the concrete that is made of. Any help?
HH: It can always be stripped. Concrete is very hard to strip because it is porous material. In lieu of stripping, the chipped areas can be sanded and blended into the bare areas, then the entire porch can be painted a concrete gray.

Q: Back to the glue on the concrete basement floor...can I sand it away or will that damage the concrete floor? If I do use a sander, what type of sanding medium do you recommend?
HH: If you use a sander, you'll be spinning your wheels because as soon as the adhesive gets warm it will get very gummy. If you live in a cold climate you can wait until the coldest day of the year, turn off the heat, use a 36-grit open coat paper. Just keep moving -- don't stay in one place longer than a second or two, and be ready to use a bunch of paper.

Q: We are getting ready to build a basement and are in need of pros and cons for pouring walls with forms vs. concrete blocks.
HH: Either way, there are advantages and disadvantages to each. The foam forms are easier to handle, but take a lot of setup and expertise. The concrete blocks are easier to set up however, they are labor-intensive and either way, there is a tremendous amount of reinforcement with wire mesh and rebar. So my suggestion is: do a lot of research before attempting it.

Q: Henry, my kitchen cabinets have a dark stain, and I would like to paint them to brighten up the area. Please tell me the process. Will I need to clean them first?
HH: The first step is to degrease the cabinets. That can be done with TSP (trisodium phosphate), which comes in powder form, mix with water. Once that is done, and the grease is removed, make sure you go over every cabinet, even those that don't feel greasy to the touch. After the cabinets have been degreased, then lightly sand the faces, frames and all areas to be painted with a 120-grit sandpaper. Remove the dust, prime the cabinets, with a stainblocker sealer, two coats. And then apply two coats of your finish (or topcoat). If you have access to a sprayer, it will make the job easier and smoother. And I recommend an HVLP -- high velocity/ low pressure -- it is a tool, that 80 to 90 percent of the paint will go on to the surface and won't end up in the air or somewhere else. It is more precise.

Q: What about the liquid TSP, is that the same?
HH: Yes, it's the same. Make sure that it is fresh. Look for a date. The advantage of mixing a powder is that you don't need self-life.

Q: I have oil based paint on my woodwork & doors, can I use latex paint over this
HH: Yes, you sure can. However, you will need a middle man -- a go-between. I recommend that you degloss the sheen on the oil-based trim with a liquid deglosser then apply a primer, which is the intermediary, and the topcoat.

Q: Our interior walls have the paintable wallpaper, We cannot repaint them because if we do the paper bubbles. How can I take the paper off without ruining the sheetrock and having to replace the sheetrock?
HH: No matter how careful you are, with the removal of the wallpaper, there will be some damage. However, that is one of the great things about sheet rock. It is easy to repair. So, start with a paper tiger, which will leave little puncture marks in the wallpaper. Just swirl it on the wall, and it will make thousands of perforations. Then spray on a wallpaper remover -- follow the directions that come with the remover. Then begin to carefully pull away the old wallpaper. After the wallpaper has been removed, and the wall has dried, there will be little teeth marks all over the wall. Lightly sand the wall with a 100-grit paper remove the dust and then skim coat the wall with dry wall mud. Use a 12-inch drywall knife. Make sure the mud has no bubbles in it ,and it's been whipped to the consistency of fluffy mashed potatoes so that it applies to the wall very easily. Let it dry. Look for imperfections. If you find them, like rises or bumps, they can be wet-sanded. Then you are ready to prime and then paint.

Q: I have a full glass storm door that was damaged when my mother moved out and the wind blew it open. It now does not close properly. It appears sprung, and the corners appear open. Is there a way to fix it or should I invest in another glass storm door?
HH: A lot of times a storm door can be realigned by adjusting the screws at each corner. The screws that hold the miter joints together. However, the glass in storm doors is usually tempered safety glass, which can be very expensive and takes a special procedure for cutting. Depending on the cost, it could be more effective to replace the entire door. We live in a disposable society.

Q: What can you do to "cover" rust on your dishwasher racks?
HH: Well, what I would do is try to remove the rust. And a product that has been very effective for me is CLR (Calcium, Lime and Rust remover). I would use that first, in conjunction with a brass brush and steel wool to remove the rust. Then I would spray paint it. Now it will take a special paint like Rustoleum, which makes a heat-resistant specialty paint that should work just fine for you.

Q: Is there a place to look up the value of your home on the net?
HH: The easiest way is not really on the internet, but in the county or the city. I doubt that that info would be available through the taxing entities (county or city appraisal district) or municipal appraising district). You could make a personal request through an agency like that. But house values are always subjective, but you could get a ballpark figure. HGTV.com has house buying and selling info that might interest you as well. Look under "Real Estate and Finance." Good Luck.

Q: Henry, thanks for being available and taking questions like this. I really enjoy your show and appreciate your time in answering all these questions.
HH: Well, thank you very much for the compliment. I really enjoy these chats because it is similar to an exercise that keeps us all sharp, even on a dull day.

Q: Do you recommend a specific wallpaper remover?
HH: No, they are all pretty good. They are basically the same composition. What you could do, one way the old timers did it was to use vinegar and water. 4 parts to 1 part white vinegar. Just apply it to the wall with a spray bottle. One that emits a fine spray or mist.

Q: Is there a way to see what houses sell for without calling a real estate agent. Also, what time is your show on Henry and what was the name?
HH: Check www.realtor.com for more info -- it may also help. You could find perhaps what houses sell for in that neighborhood. And of course our show is part of the Weekend Work Zone. The name is Help Around the House and airs 8:00 a.m. EST / 7:00 a.m. Central on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Q: Henry, Thanks for answering my question about the concrete pavers. My husband and I wake up early on Saturdays and Sundays to catch your show in California. It comes on at 0500 hours ..
HH: Thank you so much for being early risers. Stick with that entire slate of programming and thanks again for watching HGTV!

Q: I have an antique camel back trunk that has what appears to be oak wooden straps over the top and the rest is an embossed metal. How can I strip both without damaging either? And is it best to refinish the inside with wallpaper or cedar strips?
HH: I would stick with the cedar strips rather than the wallpaper, because to apply the wallpaper you are going to have to use adhesive, and the adhesives that are formulated for wallpaper won't necessarily work on an irregular surface like that. And as far as stripping, I would do it very carefully, and I would use a very high-grade gel-type stripper. One that I have had great success with is made by BIX, and is the gel type. Or KLEAN KUT.

HGTV: Well, everyone, our chat hour has ended. Thanks for joining us tonight. And thank you, Henry, for answering our questions.

Henry Harrison: Thank you very much! It is always a pleasure. And until next time, I wish you much success on your projects.