October is a great month for fixing up around the house because it’s starting to cool off. Without that 100 + heat you just have a lot more energy to do the things you have put off all summer like changing the color of the house, staining the garage floor, or just lubing the track of the doors. Or did you inherent a piece of furniture like a rocker, and it’s stained green and there is nothing in your house that is green? It’s an heirloom, so you have to keep it, just not that green color. So let’s change out the color. And I am going to show you an easy way. No mess, no smell, and will work without you- sound like a miracle? Well the product name is Soy-Gel (www.franmar.com) and it will take off paint, and varnish. The varnish that is on this rocker will come off in about 15 minutes. Just brush on the Soy-Gel, about a ¼ of inch thick, and then wipe off with a wet rag in 15 minutes. The only thing that it won’t take off is the green stain left on the rocker. We need another product called Strypeeze Semi Paste Paint and Varnish Remover (www.savogran.com) to remove the stain from the chair and take it back to the natural color. Or if we want to stain it a different color, the original stain has got to go. Now if you don’t want to stain, and you just want to paint- forget the Strypeeze, and just paint. But what if the rocker has loose rungs, you can use “Wonder Lock Em” (Wonderlokking Corp.) It is a glue like no other, with a needle nose dropper to get down into the small areas of the rocker. In 5 minutes the rocker will be good as new. Now if you want to stain the rocker, put a little stain on the bottom of the chair, to see if you like the new stain color and use a good semi gloss varnish on top. If you paint, use a high gloss enamel. Remember the higher the gloss the tougher the finish. Now after painting or staining that rocker, take it for a test drive- you deserve a rest!

Now to the e-mail….

Question: I enjoy your column and advice. My wife and I recently had cultured marble installed in our bathrooms. As you know mold grows and water film develops in this area. When I inquired about how to remove the water film- I was informed that what dissolves the water film will also damage the marble. Help…
Answer: Restore is a product made by Stone Tech (www.stonetechpro.com) that will remove hard water deposits. It is a great product. However, even they don’t recommend using it on cultured marble. However, if you work quickly, and rinse thoroughly- you shouldn’t have a problem in harming the marble. Then use their other product called Stone Polish to provide a protective coating to the clean marble. You can call them 888-786-6343 and talk to them about your marble.

Question: I have a cultured marble countertop/wash basin. Around the drain and rising to about 3” high are small black bumps which cover the area. How can I get rid of them? A friend told me that there might be a sandpaper kit which I can purchase to get rid of them?
Answer: You have lost the clear coating that covers the marble, like when it was new. You can sand down the black bumps- but since this product is like a raw sponge, they will just reappear. There is a new product that might help- Superior Shield (www.shieldproducts.com) that is a clear coating that will protect for years. Unlike the above question- you need more than just a light protective coating. The Superior Shield is a tough finish for you sink, that has lost the clear coating.

Question: Read you column last week and again today in the Pasadena Citizen. On the product “Squeek No More” you said to attach to the joists. But where are the joists? How many screws will I waste, before I hit a floor joist?
Answer: Good question. Use a hammer to hit the floor and when you hit a joist, the hammer will bounce back. Then once you find one joist, they will be every 16 to 20 inches. The harder you swing that hammer the higher it will bounce. The Squeek No More kit has 20 or more screws and will break off under the carpet.

Got a question for Johnnie? Tune in to Johnnie's radio show Saturday mornings on KKYX from 11-12 or call (21) 341-1573. Reach him on the web at www.AcmeLumber.com.