Ask the Diva

If you have a home-related question, then this is the place! Send your queries to our DIY Diva and we will answer them as best we can. If we don’t know - we’ll find out for you. Submit your question and we'll post and answer. In this way we can build up a comprehensive library of information that everyone will be able to access. Fill out the form below or email us at home-dzine@iburst.co.za.

               2011 BLOG ARCHIVE ===     2010 BLOG ARCHIVE   = = = =   2009 BLOG ARCHIVE

New posts...

Stephen
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 12:21 PM
Solution for a corner wardrobe

Hi Guys

Here's a challenge for you... We are busy building on an addition to our house - an additional 95square meters of living space - being a double story - and when I say ""we" I quite literally mean that my wife and I are the manual labour, doing everything ourselves, except for the plumbing eventually.!!

In our design, we are using the entire new upstairs section (45 square meter) as our new main bedroom, with en-suite bathroom and a walk in closet / changing room. Essentially the stairs come up in the middle of the addition with the 3 'rooms' circling the stairwell. So I will also be looking to build from scratch my own built-in cupboards in the change room. BUT, not wanting to waste or lose any space, I want to be able to utilise the corners of the room as well.I have found plenty of on-line ideas for corner cupboard units for kitchens, but hardly a thing for a corner wardrobe unit for a walk in change room.What ideas can you come up with?Look forward to some inspiration.

Hi Stephen,
We always welcome a challenge. Not sure I understand 100%, but what you basically need is a wardrobe that fits into a corner? If correct, what you need is a corner unit design that allows for cabinets to be fitted on both sides. You could consider two options, both of which are shown below and that have different styles of door openings.

Janice

Guarin
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 10:02 AM
Looking at bamboo countertops for a kitchen

Hi, I came across one of the features on your site where you mentioned Bamboo Kitchen counter tops. Where would I be able to source these types of tops? We are also looking for a great way to lighten up an old kitchen and would really like to see what the bamboo has to offer.


Hi Guarin,
You can purchase bamboo countertops at your local Pennypinchers or Timbercity. If you have difficulty sourcing the product, get in touch with Eco Logik Bamboo. They really are gorgeous to look at and comparable to hardwood countertops.

Janice

Justine
Monday, February 13, 2012 2:01 PM
How can I disguise a toilet?

Hi, I would like ideas on how to "hide" a toilet, the house we are moving into has a very long hallway, but looks right into the separate toilet at the end of the hallway. My husband said we must just keep the door closed, but is there any other ways to cover up the toilet so as not to always have the door closed?


Hi Justine,
I'm afraid I have to go with your husband on this one. Alternatively, if the toilet is white and the room is painted white, the toilet will not be as obvious if the door is left open.

Janice

Colin
Thursday, February 09, 2012 2:27 PM
Is there a way to paint a bath?

I would like to inquire about the re-surfacing of a bath, and if it's possible to do it in a different colour? I'm not sure but I think the bath is ceramic or porcelain.


Hi Colin,
If it is porcelain you can use an epoxy paint to finish the bath. Use 120-grit sandpaper to sand down the existing finish and smooth out where it has chipped and then go over again with 180- or 220-grit sandpaper to prepare for painting. Rust-Oleum have a Tub & Tile Kit that you can buy off the shelf at your local Builders Warehouse. However, if you are looking for more colour options, find a supplier of epoxy paints.

Janice

Hayley
Tuesday, February 07, 2012 9:29 AM
Can you offer any pool tips?

Hi Jan

Any tips on pool cleaners ? Changed the O ring, cleaned out filters and darn thing still wont come to life!


Hi Hayley,
There are so many things that could - and normally do - go wrong. Have you changed the sand in the filter in the last 5 years? Is the pump working properly? They normally only last between 5 to 7 years. I went to the expense of buying a complete new Kreepy only to find out the pump needed to be replaced. If it doesn't pull water like it should, or has started sounding different, it might need replacing.

Janice

Lorna
Monday, February 06, 2012 3:09 PM
Want to stain my bedroom suite a darker colour

Hi,

I have a original oregan pine bedroom suite that I want to change to a imbuia colour. What is the process and what is the best products to use.

I have received a quotation to have it profesionally done but can not afford it.

I am living in the East Rand area if you can advice me were to obtain the product that you advice me on using.

PS. The quotation for the bed was R3400.00.

Hi Lorna,

I can understand why the quotation for the bed would be so high, due to the wicker design of the foot and headboard. It's a difficult process to sand those areas to remove varnish, and get it right as well. My advice to you would be to save up for the job to be professionally done, because there is a lot of work involved on the bed. The other pieces you could do yourself, but it might be tricky to then have to match what you have done so that the bed is exactly the same. Unless, you specify the products to be used for a matching finish on all the piece.

Janice

Annelize
Thursday, February 02, 2012 8:18 AM
Can I use Micatex in the kitchen?

Hi Janice,

We bought a fixer-upper last year and since then, we’ve made a lot of minor improvements. We broke down the wall between the kitchen and livingroom and now I would like to paint the kitchen (as we do not have money for tiles at the moment). I got some Crown Micatex paint from my dad. My questions are:

· Can I use it in the kitchen?

· It is a biscuit colour, but can I mix an Acrylic white interior paint with it to lighten the colour a bit more?


Hi Annelize,
I would not advise using the Crown Micatex in your kitchen. It's a very good paint but is meant for outdoor use. It has a grainy finish that will make it extremely hard to clean, and kitchens get very dirty over time. Rather buy some Plascon Wall and All, or Prominent Sheen for the kitchen walls. Who knows, you might even like it so much you won't need to tile.

Janice

Nelmare
Wednesday, February 01, 2012 9:51 AM
Can I use Micatex in the kitchen?

I'm painting my royal cherrie melamine kitchen cupboards doors with Plascon Velveglo. I applied 2 coats of Plascon Melamine & Tile Primer and the top coat - Plascon Velveglo. I've already applied 3 top coats with a sponge roller, but still get an effect of a few "matt" spots on the cupboards. I lightly sanded between each coat. How do I get rid of the "matt" spots? Do I need to apply a varnish on the doors?

Hi Nelmare,
That is a problem with using an oil-based paint such as Velvaglo - you never quite achieve a perfectly gloss or satin sheen. Even using a foam roller doesn't help much. I prefer using acrylic paints and then applying two coats of clear acrylic sealer over the top. What you can try and do now to remedy the problem is spray on a clear polyurethane sealer, such as Rust-Oleum Polyurethane spray. But before you do, test on a small area to make sure that there is no reaction between the oil-based paint and the poly sealer.

Janice

Adrian
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 4:42 PM
Best way paint supawood kitchen doors

Hi, I have been making kitchens for 20 years and have always used melamines or veneers which I stain myself. Now someone has asked me to spray a duco look for them on superwood. At first I said no but now would like to take it on so my question is, how to seal the edges effectivly and the most user friedly high gloss paint to use. At the moment I am very good at staining so I should be able to achieve this any advice.


Hi Adrian,
The most effective way to treat the edges of supawood prior to painting, is to polish with 400- or 600-grit sandpaper to reduce absorbency. Another trick we have tried is to rub wood filler across the cut edge and then sand. Both are pretty effective.

Janice

Willem
Monday, January 23, 2012 12:32 PM
Can I paint over melamine furniture?

Thank you for the informative website! We bought our first home but the kitchen still has that old brown steel cabinets with the wooden doors. My wife absolutely hates the colour scheme but finances are low so we cannot start with a full scale upgrade right now. Would it be advisable to stain or wrap the doors to a darker (more modern) look? I attach a photo for your convenience. We have approximately 23 cabinet doors with an average size of 90cmx40cm. Thanks for the advice, we are looking forward to your reply.


Hi Willem,
You can stain or paint the doors, whichever you prefer. Visit the Kitchen section for ideas and inspiration, as well as details on how to stain or paint the cabinets. Using Woodoc stain concentrate and Woodoc 10 interior sealer is one option. Using Prominent Paints UltraGloss is option and using Rust-Oleum spray paint is another option. You can buy the full range of Rust-Oleum products at your local Builders Warehouse. Sand the doors down for a smooth finish and choose any of the above options.

Janice

Linda
Friday, January 20, 2012 2:39 PM
Can I paint over melamine furniture?

I have been getting inspired by looking at your home office articles. Please can you let me know if it is possible to paint melamine furnture? If so what paine do you suggest I use?

Many thanks


Hi Linda,
It most definitely is possible to paint over melamine. The best way to do this is to lightly sand the surface with 180-grit sandpaper to remove the glossy finish. This will provide a better bonding between the melamine and paint. Once that is done you can use almost any sheen paint or any of the Rust-Oleum 2X spray paint colours.

You will find more tips here: http://www.home-dzine.co.za/crafts/craft-dresser.htm

Janice

Clarisse
Saturday, January 21, 2012 7:45 PM
Wallpaper on walls - is it easy?

Hi Janice, thanks for the workshop today learnt so much and am so proud of myself. Tried your Espresso Rust o leum for my kitchen wooden handles looks amazing. My question is I wanted to put wallpaper on one of my walls but I heard its very difficult and you can mess up pretty bad. So my question is should we leave it to the professionals or can I can do it myself and where could I look at a variety of wallpaper?

Thanks a mill, Clarisse


Hi Clarisse,
Glad you enjoyed the workshop and hope to see you again soon.

As for the wallpaper, Builders Warehouse offer a range called Fired Earth. It's a vinyl coated wallpaper that is easy to clean and won't rip when you apply it. In fact, apart from lining up the pattern it's not that difficult to DIY. Apply wallpaper past to the entire back of the paper and then fold it up like a book: http://www.home-dzine.co.za/decorating/decorating-feature-wall.htm

I think it costs around R99 per roll and I have used it myself - even on furniture.


Janice

Anita
Thursday, January 19, 2012 2:05 PM
Can I tile over wood?

Hi
Can you apply ceramic tiles on top of a wooden bathroom cabinet? It has a gloss enamel surface and not a melamine surface .

If so what would be the best way to apply the tiles? Silicon or glue?

Thanks!


Hi Anita,
It isn't recommended that you put tiles on top of wood, but I have done it myself with good results. I would sand the unit first with 120-grit sandpaper and glue the tiles onto the surface with No More Nails, which is more flexible than tile adhesive. You can also use No More Nails as the grout, smooth with the tip of your finger.

Apply a grout sealer to the finish for grout that stays cleaner for longer.

Janice

Sue
Thursday, January 19, 2012 12:46 PM
Can I repair and paint acrylic bath?

Hi –

I have a few scratches – some quite deep in my bath. It’s an acrylic bath. I used very fine sandpaper and have managed to lessen the appearance of the scratches. I don’t know what caused them, they were there when I moved in. I bought some Pattex and thought I could try to fill them up a bit and then sand smooth. Will that work? Also the sanding takes off the shine – is there anything I can apply to the whole bath to improve the appearance?



Hi Sue,
We have had a reader who previously tried this without success but he might not have prepared the surfaces properly. You will need to lightly sand the entire area to be filled so that the epoxy can bond nicely.

When you say you bought some Pattex, what product did you buy. The best might be Alcolin AquaMend, which is a 2-part epoxy that set hards and is impervious to water.

Unfortunately you can't re-colour a bath because of its nature. Acrylic or fibreglass is flexible and it needs to be able to withstand regular movement, heat and constant moisture. Replacing would probably cost just as much as what you need to spend on fixing up. A standard bath isn't that expensive if you shop around for the best prices. I do know that Builders Warehouse have several affordable models.

Janice

Zohra
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:51 PM
Can I paint supawood doors?

Hi
My cupboard doors are made of supawood. They are about 12years old and in need of a facelift. The wood itself is in good condition. Is it possible to paint over supawood and If so then what paint can I use?

Hi Zohra,
When you say supawood doors do you mean plain supawood or foil wrapped supawood? There is a big difference between the two. Plain supawood that has been painted only needs a light sanding with 180-grit sandpaper before painting. For foil wrapped doors you will need to degloss the finish by sanding with 180-grit sandpaper before painting. You need to remove the 'glossy' finish from the doors and provide a good surface for the paint to adhere to.

For painting there are two options:

Remove the doors and use Rust-Oleum 2X, Universal or Gloss Enamel spray paints, or

We prefer to use Prominent UltraSatin or UltraSheen. These are waterbased paints that offer the same characteristics of enamel paints.

Janice

Boipelo
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 4:35 PM
How to paint over tiles

Hi Janice,
I would like to paint over the tiles in my bathroom, I know it can be done because the previous owner painted over the same tiles in the kitchen. The tiles are the white square porcelain ones with very smooth and shiny surface (almost all old bathrooms have some variation of this tile). Please advice on how to go about it.


Hi Boipelo,
There are many ways to paint over tiles, but here is a lasting method: http://www.home-dzine.co.za/bathroom/bathroom-weekendmakeover.htm

Janice

Ilze
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 3:29 PM
Need help with TV cabinet

Dear Janice,
We’ve recently moved into our new house! I am struggling to come to terms with the tv cupboard…I don’t want to start breaking out walls etc, but urgently need to do something with the cupboard as it really stands out (in a bad way). Have you got any suggestions? I thought of taking down the doors and maybe painting it or staining it darker…

I love the different levels next to the fireplace, although it looks like something is missing around the fireplace, but not sure how a mantel will look… Any other ideas I can use?

Thank you so much!

Hi Ilze,
You say "stands out in a bad way'" but that you want to stain it darker, which will make it stand out even more. Why not consider painting in a white and distressing the unit so that it doesn't stand out as much. If you do want it to be a feature, wipe down with fine steel wood and mineral turpentine (if waxed or oiled) and apply Woodoc 10 with added stain concentrate in your choice of colour.

I agree with your feelings about the fireplace, it just looks like a hole in the wall and not a feature. You could try framing the fireplace - with moulding or tile - to make it stand out more. A mosaic tile border in modern colours would be quick and easy to do and make such a big difference.

Janice

Clarisse
Saturday, January 07, 2012 10:19 PM
Kitchen door and roof trusses look ugly

Hi,
Please could you advice what to do with my kitchen door and my roofing truses. I oil them often with linseed oil clear, and I sand them, but they still look all ugly and as if not being looked after, they look old and tatty. ..What could I do to change this and even maybe the look.

Warm regards
clarisse

Hi Clarisse,
You need to use Woodoc 30 or 50. This is a sealer that is absorbed into the wood to nourish and protect. Follow the directions on the tin, but you will need to clean the door with Woodoc steel wool and mineral turpentine to remove the old oils. You can buy clear or tinted sealer, or clear and add a stain concentrate.

The problem with oiling wood is that it evaporates and dries too quickly, leaving the wood looking grubby, as you mention.

Janice

Clarisse
Monday, January 09, 2012 3:49 PM
Need to paint my oven door

Hi,
Please can you assist, my DEFY oven exterior door paint is coming off, I believe I would need baked enamel paint to paint it, do you by any chance know where I can buy it or what else can I paint the door frame of the oven to give me the same glossy paint affect on it.


Hi Clarisse,
You can buy Rust-Oleum High Temperature spray paint at your local Builders Warehouse. Mask off around the door with with tape and newspaper before you spray, and open windows and doors for ventilation.

BTW, you can't buy baked enamel - it's a whole process that has to be applied.

Janice

Lebo
Monday, January 09, 2012 2:02 PM
DIY project - painting a fridge

Dear Janice,
I am a DIY enthusiast yet master of none.

I have a good non-frost fridge we bought in 2003 that I feel could use a new lease in life. I then thought of spray painting it, and a friend suggest someone who spray paints cars. However this did not come to light as the guy didn't get back to me. So while looking for someone else I came across some people suggesting that I paint the fridge myself.

I am worried as well as intrigued and was wondering if you have any suggestions for me. I have never painted a piece of furniture and I worry I might not get the full story when going to a paint shop. Also the fridge makes noises from time to time, do you think I should take it for re gassing and maybe a service?


Hi Lebo,
You can use Rust-Oleum Appliance Paint for the fridge - find on the shelf at your local Builders Warehouse.

As concerns the noises, if they are coming from the back of the fridge you will probably find that something has come lose over time. Switch it off and take a look to see if you can see anything loose. If in any doubt, take it in for a service or bet yet, replace it with a more energy efficient model.

Janice

Clarisse
Thursday, January 05, 2012 12:36 PM
Advice on kitchen update

Hi Janice,
Herewith some photos of my kitchen , I do not want to paint the cupboard doors or the tiles or replace. Thinking more in lines of cornices and change of handles etc... .As you can see the stoves are in front of a window, have no idea what to do with this.

Your assistance and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.




Hi Clarisse,
Without painting or replacing you are leaving very little that can be done. However, I would replace the curtains at the window with something a little more practical, blinds perhaps. Additionally, a bit of trim (moulding or cornice) at the top of the tiles would finish it off nicely, as would new handles. Take a look at www.cabinetfittings.co.za for a great selection of handles at very reasonable prices.

Janice

Habib
05 January 2012 09:44 AM
How to treat rusted aluminium window frames

Hi Janice
1) The aluminium windows are attached to the aluminium frames using stainless steel stays(hinges) and pop rivets. The pop rivets seem to always get corroded and the stays(hinges) keep getting damaged. Is there a way to prevent this?

2) The aluminium windows and frames are white in color, and although I do agree that aluminium should not rust, this is not the case. Both the frames and windows are getting spotted with rust. From what I found out, this is normal on the beachfront. I am looking for a method to clean out the spotted areas. I heard from someone that I should paint over the area, but this does not sound correct as the rust will still be below the surface.

Thanks again for all the assistance.

Hi Habib,
To clean off any rust you can use Rust-Oleum Stops-Rust (at your local Builders Warehouse) and then give the frames, hinges and pop rivets a light sanding with 400-grit sandpaper. I would suggest that you apply two coats of clear water-based polyurethane over the top of everything as a protection against further damage.

Janice

Clarisse
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 9:06 AM
How to remove and replace a toilet

Thanks for this wonderful website ... My first question ...

1. How long would it take to take out a toilet and replace it.

2. How do I remove the basin from my guest room to replace it.


Hi Clarisse,
1. Removing and replacing a toilet can be done in a couple of hours (!!!!) Not many people know how easy it actually is:

A. Switch off the water and disconnect the water supply pipe.
B. Empty the tank and use a plunger to empty the toilet bowl.
C. Unscrew the tank from the wall (normally from inside the tank).
D. Unscrew the toilet from the floor (if not screwed to the floor you will need to break the toilet)
E. Install the new toilet. You will need a new wax seal to fit the toilet onto the waste pipe at the back.
F. Reconnect the water supply pipe - fill with water.

You're done!

2. Removing and replacing a basin.

Janice

Clarisse
Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:56 AM
Can I put new tiles over my old tiles?

Hi,
I have a guest toilet where the toilet and basin is this olive green real old and the tiles are green too, the floor is black slate and was wondering if it would be difficult to replace the toilet and the basin, also would it be easier to paint the tiles in a different color or just put the new tiles over the old green tiles? or would I need to remove each tile from the wall. Thank you for your kind assistance. Also how long would it take to remove the hand basin and replace it together with the toilet.?

Hi Clarisse,
You can put tiles over the top of tiles, but it's more of a have to rather than anything else - if there is no other option. Painting tiles is also a solution for covering up ugly tiles, but it's not a long term solution, as it will only last for a couple of years. However, if you use a product such as Rust-Oleum Tub & Tile (available at your local Builders Warehouse or from www.tilecare.co.za) this epoxy-paint will laster much longer.

Janice

Patrick
Tuesday, January 03, 2012 12:29 PM
Refinish enamelled cast-ron bath tub


I wish to refinish an old enamelled cast-iron bathtub and am not sure  of product to use and preparation.
I have heard of a Rustoleum product (have no details beyond this) that  is available, but am unsure if it will work on a enamelled rather than  porcelain surface.

Any advice on this/other products will be appreciated.


Hi Patrick,
Rust-Oleum Tub & Tile will work on an enamelled tub, but you will have to do some preparation beforehand.  If the tub is badly pitted you can use an angle grinder and grinding disk to smooth out these areas and then sand the entire tub with 120- and then 240-grit sandpaper before application.

If there is any rust on the tub, Rust-Oleum also have a Strips Rust product that can be applied beforehand.

Janice

Dirk
Thursday, December 29, 2011 6:16 PM
How to treat wet saligna

Hi, I need your help please. I just bought 1 cubic meter of saligna planks, but they are still raw and not completely dry. With what can I treat the planks to prevent them from cracking and splitting? I thought of raw linseed oil, but I will have to buy quite a lot to treat all the planks. What is the best, cheapest option?

Hi Dirk,
You are going to have to let the planks dry out completely before you do anything with them. Place them in a dry storage space, laid flat, so that they won't warp. It could take quite a while for them to dry out. Buy yourself a moisture meter so that you can check how wet they are now and try to bring it down to about 20% before you use it. BTW, what are you going to be using the Saligna for?

Janice

Morning Janice,
Some of it will be used for roof trusses as it is a lot cheaper than pine, but I want to insure that it will last on the roof. The rest I will use in my bar to build wine racks.

Regards,
Dirk

Hi Dirk,
OK. If you are going to be using for roof trusses you need to use a treatment that doesn't require regular application. Linseed oil won't protect it for very long. Most of the products I know are cosmetic protection, meaning that they have to be re-applied over time.

I would suggest that you get in touch with a timber merchant and ask for their recommendation. Creosote is going to be far too smelly and will make the whole house stink.

For the bar racks you can use boiled Linseed, Danish Oil or Woodoc sealer.

Janice

Theo
Thursday, December 29, 2011 8:48 PM
How to level out parquet floor

Hi Janice,    
The problem I have is with a warped cement floor. There was no way of reshaping the cement floor first before laying the parquet floor, which is now also warped. Some of the blocks protrude above the floor. Is there any way to deal with the protruding ones just to make them look better.                     

Hi Theo,
Without levelling out the cement floor the only solution that I can think of would be to sand down the blocks that protrude above the level. Start off with 60- or 80-grit sandpaper, then use 120-grit and finish off with 240-grit sandpaper. It would be easiest if you use an orbital sander for the project.

Janice

Shanna
02 January 2012 01:32 PM
Sealer is blistering on top of concrete

We have sealed our concrete floors with Earthcote Acrithane Sealer and the second coat is blistering in some patches, is there some way we can disolve the sealer in those patches to prevent damaging the paint underneath? Or is there some way we can remove the blisters in those patches without ruining the finish of the floors?

Hi Shanna,
The easiest way will probably be to sand down the blistered areas with fine wet/dry sandpaper - try 600-grit to start off and see how it works. You could always go down to about 400-grit if it doesn't smooth out enough.

Janice

Martin
01 January 2012 03:53 PM
Mirror effect on wood

Hi there
I built a chess board and would like to know how to get a mirror shine effect to it. They don't have shellac in South Africa. Please what can I use.


Hi Martin,
There are various other ways to add a mirror shine to wood. I have often used Woodoc 10 on wood and, when applied according to the manufacturer's instructions, it can add a wonderful glossy finish. The trick is to sand lightly with fine steel wool between coats and allow each coat to dry thoroughly before applying the next coat.

Janice

               2011 BLOG ARCHIVE ===     2010 BLOG ARCHIVE   = = = =   2009 BLOG ARCHIVE

New posts...