Do Cut Corners, and Get It Straight

Question: I want to use a striped wallpaper in my kitchen, but I’ve had problems making vertical patterns look straight on the wall. What’s the key to making straight lines?

T.T.

San Clemente

Answer: “The trick that professionals use is that every time they reach a corner, they re-plumb,” says Gene Teramura of Dutch Boy Home Decorating Center in Santa Ana. “Many people will wrap the paper around the corner when they come to it, which can cause problems if the walls aren’t straight. When you get to a corner, cut the paper off and complete that wall, then set a new plumb line. A corner can be off by as much as a half-inch, which is why you need to start over with each wall. You may also want to use a leveling stick, which can show you where to set each plumb line.”

Q: Two of my kitchen drawers were designed very short, and many times when I open them they get pulled right out of the cabinet. How can I keep them in place?

C.C.

Tustin

A: “It sounds as though you don’t have tracks installed,” says carpenter Gary Borros of Fullerton. “A rolling track will extend your drawers out and support them to keep them from falling out. Also, if you don’t want to go to that expense, you can try attaching a metal tab to the back of the drawers, and another to the wood support underneath. When the drawer gets pulled out to a certain point, the tabs catch and keep you from pulling them out all the way.”

Q: Our house has two bathrooms with the old, wall-mounted toilets. Because of their age, I’d like to replace them with floor toilets. What would be involved in that kind of job?

D.S.

Anaheim

A: “A project like that should probably be taken on during a major remodeling of the bathrooms,” says Steve Johnson of Familian Pipe & Supply in Costa Mesa. “It involves cutting up the floor and wall and a lot of planning beforehand. If you’re going to be doing the job yourself, be sure you’re competent at major plumbing work. If you cut the drain pipe incorrectly, you could put a long crack in it, which makes a big job even bigger.”

Q: I’d like to cover one of the walls in my bathroom with that half-inch brick, but I’ve been told that it’s not really designed for bathrooms; why not?

S.N.

Huntington Beach

A: “It’s not the greatest wall covering for bathrooms because of exposure to steam and moisture,” says painter Alan Greene of Brea. “After putting it up, let it dry out for a couple of weeks and try to keep it well ventilated when using the shower or tub. Then you may want to use some type of sealer on the bricks and mortar. Go for a low-sheen sealer and apply two coats. If the shower and tub get heavy use, you may need to weekly wipe the brick down and clean it to prevent any kind of mildew build-up.”

Q: Our old house has thin-paned glass in the windows, which are set low in the walls. Now that our daughter is getting bigger, she’s able to touch the glass, which worries me since the glass appears so brittle. What should we replace the old glass with?

F.S.

Santa Ana

A: “You’ll probably want tempered safety glass, which is commonly used when replacing those old glass windows,” says Dee Watt of College Glass & Mirror in Fullerton. “Tempered glass goes through a process where it’s baked, which makes it harder. When it’s broken, it’s designed to break into tiny pieces rather than jagged shards. There’s no insulating factor to tempered glass, but the big advantage is the safety you’re getting. Replacing old glass isn’t expensive, and it’s probably a worthwhile investment if you have children in the house.”

Got a question about your home or garden? Write to: John Morell, Handyman, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626.