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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Use care when refinishing trim

Gene Austin McClatchy-Tribune

Q. The baseboard trim in my house is very scuffed and badly in need of refinishing. There are also shallow dents where the trim was bumped by vacuum cleaners. I want to refinish the trim but it is awkward to work so close to the floor. Can you help?

A. For best results, remove the trim so you can scrape, sand and refinish it without damaging floors or walls. The trim is attached to the wall with finishing nails and is usually not difficult to remove, but you must work carefully to avoid damaging it or the wall.

Work the blade of a putty knife behind the end of each piece of trim and pry gently. When you have opened a gap all along the piece of trim, switch to a larger pry bar to complete removal. Number each piece on the back so you can replace it in the same position.

Do not pound the nails out through the front of the trim – that will splinter and damage it. Instead, grip each nail from behind with pliers and pull it out through the back; the small nail head will leave only a neat hole that is easily filled.

The pieces of trim can now be laid flat on a work bench. Scrape and sand off the scuffs and shallow dents using 100-grit sandpaper, preferably in a power finishing sander.

Fill the nail holes and any deep dents with spackling compound and sand flush when dry. Bare spots and spackled areas should be primed with a latex primer. When the primer is dry, apply two coats of acrylic-latex enamel.

Install the trim pieces in the same order that they were removed. Use 2 ½-inch finishing nails driven close to the same spots where the old nails were removed. Set the nail heads slightly under the surface with a nail set, spackle the new nail holes, and touch them up with paint.

Q. We have an odor of mildew or mold in our bathroom but can’t figure out where it is coming from. We think it might be behind the vanity or possibly in the wall in that area. What can we do about it?

A. If you have only the odor to guide you and no visible signs of mildew or mold, it can be very difficult to pinpoint the source. I know of a case where people tore the drywall off walls in an effort to find the source of a musty odor, but found nothing suspicious. Mold was finally found under the tiles on the concrete floor.

I think the best bet at this point is to check all around the vanity for plumbing leaks. Also check caulking around the vanity and other fixtures for possible gaps that might be letting water get into walls or floor. Moisture, of course, is the basic trigger of mold. Also check around the toilet and tub for possible leaks.

Obviously, any leaks should be repaired immediately. Also make sure the bathroom is well ventilated during showers and baths, using a vent fan with an outside outlet to carry out moisture.

When the bath is not being used, running a dehumidifier should help dry it out. If the odor continues after a reasonable time and you feel it must be corrected, some dismantling in suspected places might be necessary.

Q. We had large ceramic tiles installed on our kitchen floor, and not long afterward some of them cracked or popped loose. We had the damaged tiles repaired and it happened again. What’s going on?

A. This can happen when the underlying floor flexes slightly when walked on. Ceramic tiles are very rigid and the tiles eventually crack or loosen.

The usual solution is to strengthen the floor joists to add rigidity to the floor. This can be done by bolting companion joists to the existing floor joists.

A simpler solution is to switch from ceramic tiles to more flexible flooring such as vinyl tiles or sheet vinyl.

Questions and comments should be e-mailed to Gene Austin at doit861@aol.com. Send regular mail for Gene Austin to 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422.