Painted Into A Corner Thanks To My Coal Fire

Dec 16 2007 Donny

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Q I am trying to sand my living room floorboards, and have come across a black tar-like paint two to three feet out from the walls.

A This is old paint that once surrounded the rug and dates back to when coal fires were the only source of heat. It is black to hide the dirt and a nightmare to remove. The best option is to use very course sandpaper and a heavy duty disk-sander. The paper will clog and you will go through a good few sheets but you will get there - eventually.

Q Which type of glue should I use to stick skirting boards on to a wall.

A You need a "grab" adhesive such as No More Nails. Simply apply a bead of adhesive along the length of the skirting board and press on to the wall. There should be no need to prop the skirting board against the wall as the adhesive will grab it. Make sure you don't disturb the adhesive while it cures.

Q How do I sort out creaky floorboards in an upstairs bedroom? The floorboards are a kind of compressed material.

A The flooring is probably caber board. The joints between the flooring may not be glued (shoddy work) and squeak when pressure is applied as you walk over them. Water down PVA or wood glue, pour into the joints between boards and leave to set.

Q How can I remove dried grout from textured tiles without scratching them?

A I'm afraid you are just going to have to be careful when you scrape the grout off - it's as simple as that. Never allow grout to dry on the surface of the tiles. It's a nightmare to remove, which you are about to find out. Get a radio handy and spend the weekend scraping.

Q I moved into a new-build home with a leaking shower cubicle. The site agents checked it out and sourced the leak coming through the grout in the tiles. They have run a bead of clear mastic along the grout lines. This seems to me to be a bit like papering over the cracks. Is it acceptable?

A No. Get them to fix the leak, even if it means removing the tiles otherwise the problem will come back once the agents have long gone.

Are you a DIY disaster? Our expert, Donny Sheridan, will teach you the tricks of the trade with his step-by-step guides. Contact Donny at diy@sundaymail.co.uk - but sorry, he can't answer each question individually.