thisplace.com.au - General and Miscellaneous Questions and Answers

General & Miscellaneous

Here are some general & miscellaneous questions that have been asked and the answers that some of our experts have responded with.

Maintenance Topics

(19/09/2001) - Rejuvenating a terrazo floor
(28/05/2001) - Removing oil and tyre marks from garage floor
(15/05/2001) - Removin powdery deposit of salts on bricks/pavers
(04/12/2000) - Hole in bathroom door frame

Tips & Ideas Topics

(30/04/2001) - Remove heat rings or plant-pot rings from polished table
(22/03/2001) - How to dry rain soaked carpets
(08/11/2000) - Gas cook top often blows out

Other General Topics

(04/06/2001) - Getting a quote from a painter
(30/10/2000) - Egde Trimmers

Q: Can you tell me how to rejuvenate a terrazo floor?

A: Hope this can be of some help to you. The thing to remember about terrazzo is that it is mostly marble and should be treated as marble. The first step is to hone with diamond abrasives to remove scratches and wear patterns. If you desire a gloss then it will need to be polished with diamond abrasives and crystallized. Many people cover terrazzo with wax. I do not recommend this unless you like the look of a hospital floor. I recommend that you find a reputable restoration firm to hone, polish, and crystallize the terrazzo.

Terrazzo Floors-Care and Cleaning

Care

Traditional terrazzo is made of cement and marble with extra marble chips on the surface. The cement portion is porous and quickly absorbs stains. A more modern form, made with synthetic resins such as urethane or epoxy as the "binder", in place of cement do not stain as readily. A penetrating sealer should be applied to new terrazzo floors to seal the pores in the cement and thus retard stains absorption. Resealing may be needed occasionally.

Cleaning

Clean as often as needed keep grime and sand removed. Soil acts as an abrasive and damages the floor.
Use only neutral liquid cleaners (meaning those which are neither acid not alkaline).
For best results, use a commercial cleaner made especially for terrazzo. All-purpose household cleaners, soaps, detergents and wax removers usually contain one or more alkalis, and so should not be used on terrazzo. For general cleaning, use once cup of neutral cleaner with each three gallons of water-or follow manufacturers directions.
Wet mop the solution onto the floor, and allow the solution to remain several minutes. Then mop up the dirt-filled solution, changing rinse water often. This helps to remove all soil and also does away with unsightly "moplines".
Keep the floor wet at all times during the cleaning operation. Otherwise, dissolved soil dries back onto the floor. When the floor is dry, buff with an electric polishing machine, if you have one. Buffing helps restore the natural sheen on the floor.
To remove stubborn soil, periodically use an electric scrubbing machine with a stronger solution of the neutral cleaner.
Daily sweeping or dusting will mean easier weekly care and more attractive floors. Do not use an oiled mop or oily sweeping compound. Oils in any form can penetrate the surface and permanently discolor terrazzo floors.
Wipe up spilled materials quickly so staining has no chance to occur.

Q: When accepting a quote from a painter. What is a fair price and to help me work out the break down, how do they charge? Do they charge per square meter or per hour?

A: There are some things to remember when looking at a quote.

Call to get at least three quotes
To establish a fair price and help you select a suitable contractor, call for at least three quotes.
Do not feel obliged to accept the lowest price!

A large amount of any job cost (especially a repaint) is in the preparation work. A cheap price may mean poor preparation and a paint job that will not last. You must make sure that you are comparing apples with apples with the quotes - that is, make sure that each quote is giving you the same information otherwise it is pointless when comparing prices.

How much paint do I need?

First simply calculate the surface area to be painted (and multiply by the number of coats)
Read the container label to find out how much area the paint will cover. If necessary, make adjustments for relevant factors, but don't plan to skimp. (Spreading paint too thinly lowers its durability.)
Divide the area per container into your total surface area to determine how many containers you need.

What size containers of paint are available?
The most common sizes are:

0.945 litres
3.78 litres
18.9 litres

How many coats do I need to apply?

Generally one or two. The paint label will state the recommended number of coats and may briefly describe situations in which you would use a primer before applying the paint.

How large an area does a container of paint cover?

The label will state the approximate area per litre, which will typically work out to approximately 400 square feet (single coat), for a 3.78 litre container. However, this figure can increase or decrease due to factors related to the surface to be painted and the paint to be applied:

Irregularity of surface (of siding, for example), which results in surface area that is greater than the measurement would indicate
Porosity of surface
Colour of surface
Colour of the paint
Product used (its hiding power, for example)

Prepare in advance

Before you call a painter, give some thought to what you are after:

For inside the home, which rooms or surfaces do you want painted? Is it new work (eg. bare plasterboard) or previously painted. Look at the ceiling, ceiling roses, cornices, walls, trim areas, skirtings and architraves etc. Have you chosen your colours, and what type of paint you would like to use. We recommend you use the best.
For outside the home, what walls or surfaces would you like painted, is the time of year right for painting outside?
What condition are the walls or surfaces in, will they require a lot of preparation or should some maintenance work be done first?
Is there a lot of furniture that would need to be moved and or covered?
Will you have to move out while the painting is being done? When would you like the work done?

Choose your colours

Choosing colours is an important step in the process that you want to get right. Another place to get good colour ideas is in the many decorating magazines that are available from your newsagent.

Meeting the Painter

Make sure all that need to be, are present when the painter comes around to inspect the job and provide a quote. This way all ideas and expectations can be talked about in the one meeting with minimal confusion. If you are looking to paint outside, arrange a meeting time in daylight hours so the painter can see what work is required.

Ask the painter if there are any recent referees in your area that they can supply so you can look at other work they have done and speak to other people who have hired them to paint their homes.

The Quote

Ask the painter to provide you with a quote that has the following information on it:

Their contact details
Your contact details
A clear description of the areas to be painted, including all surfaces
What products will be used
The colours that have been chosen
An estimation of how long the job will take
The cost

This quote should be signed and dated by both you and the painter.

Agree to contact the painter by a certain date.

Good Luck!
(04/06/2001)

Q: I am moving into a new place and the previous tenants have left what looks like oil and tyre marks in the garage, how can I effectively remove them without having to paint or resurface the whole garage floor?

A: Caltex Australia has released a new safe and eco-friendly product for cleaning up oil spills, and removing oily stains from driveways and garage floors.

Caltex Oil & Grease Stain-Away uses Australian grown cottonseed fibres, one of the fastest and most efficient hydrocarbon absorbents available.

An additional blend of organic materials incorporating a patented absorbent technology results in a natural product that can absorb up to 10 times more than most conventional clay based products.

Caltex Category Manager - Cleaning Products, Eric Lander, said Stain-Away was particularly useful for do-it-yourself home mechanics or for home owners keen to remove unsightly stains from their driveways.

"It will particularly appeal to people who are reluctant to use aggressive chemicals or who want to do the right thing for the environment," he said.

"Stain-Away's organic fibres not only possess outstanding absorbent capability, but also contain harmless microbes that normally feed on cotton seed oil. "

"They have a natural ability to break down oils and greases into simple, safe, natural organic compounds which can be used as garden compost."

The product works best when applied directly onto a new spill, or when older dry stains have been loosened by a suitable solvent.

For a limited time Stain-Away has a bonus can of Caltex Kwik-D-Grease, a suitable agent for loosening stains, which itself is absorbed and broken down by Stain-Away.

Stain-Away is available only from Caltex service stations throughout Australia.
(28/05/2001)

Q: We have recently had paving put down, and are finding there is what looks like salt build up on the pavers under the verandah area. I would like to know what we can to get rid of it.

A: The description below talks about brick walls but can be applied to your case.

Efflorescence is a powdery deposit of salts which forms on the surface of bricks and mortar. It is usually white but efflorescence may be yellow, green or brown.

Causes

Salts enter the wall from various sources. New bricks seldom contain soluble salts but mortar and concrete have relatively high salt contents. Ground waters that are naturally salt - bearing, can be drawn into base brickwork. A faulty damp proof course will allow the salts to move up the wall.

The amount of efflorescence that occurs is directly related to the amount of water in the bricks, and their drying time. The more water in the bricks, and the longer it is there, the more chance salts will have to dissolve in it and be brought to the surface as the bricks dry out.

Persistent efflorescence should be taken as a warning that water is entering the wall through faulty copings, flashings, or pipes. If allowed to continue unchecked the salts carried to the face of the wall may eventually attack and cause deterioration of some bricks.

Remedies

Efflorescence can be minimised by laying dry bricks and by speeding up the drying process after the bricks have been laid by providing good ventilation. The salts that cause efflorescence are soluble in water. Hosing with water will cause the slats to dissolve and be re - absorbed into the brickwork, and then reappear when the brick wall dries out again.

Acid or alkaline treatments are not recommended as they increase the salt content of the wall.

One method of removing efflorescence is by sponging with a high suction cloth such as a chamois. The best method is simply brush off the deposit with a stiff dry bristle brush.
(15/05/2001)

Q: How do I remove heat rings or plant-pot rings from a polished (not lacquered or varnished) hard wood table?

A: The best thing to do would be to use very fine (good quality) steel wool that the professionals use. This should get rid of the ring marks that you are talking about. Then you could put some bee's wax onto the surface to protect it. Try to use good place mats under hot pots or plates etc as well as under plants to keep the surface of the table from being marked in the first place.
(30/04/2001)

Q: How to dry rain soaked carpets?

A: It is very important to dry rugs and carpets as soon as possible to prevent mildew that will stain and rot fabrics. You should pull up any waterlogged rugs immediately to prevent further damage to the floor. If possible dry smaller rugs outside in sunlight.

To get air and heat to carpets, open as many windows as you can, so long as the weather permits. Open doors as well to create as much flow through of air as you can. You could also use drying fans, normal household fans as well as electric lights. Do not vacuum, sweep or shampoo carpets until they are thoroughly dry.

It may well be in your interests to talk to a professional carpet cleaner if you are a bit concerned about any lasting moisture problems or smells.
(22/03/2001)

Q: I have discovered hole in the bathroom door frame next to the shower. It seems some small cockroaches come out of there at night, I am afraid this might be due to a leaking shower and that it might encourage termites to find their way into the house through there. I have to address this urgently what do I do first?

A: The best thing to do is to call a licensed pest controller. This way at least you will know one way or another if you do have problems or not.

If you do have some problems you can deal with them straight away. With termites it is no good thinking I'll ignore it and it will go away. Nip any potential problems in the bud. If you leave it will be more costly to fix the problem later.

Try to find out if you can what kind of termite protection method's were used in construction of your house this will help the pest controller determine what action needs to be taken. Most of the termite protection methods have a limited lifespan and need a update.

The Building Services Authority recommends that you have your home checked every 12 months by an expert to keep termites at bay.

We have some pest controllers on our site who may be in your area that may be able to help you or you might prefer to find someone yourself - just make sure you get a licensed pest controller in.

You can check for some of the termites tell tale signs such as trails etc but you will feel better if an expert does the checking.
(04/12/2000)

Q: I have a 4 burner gas cook top which often blows out when in use, also it is impossible to have more than 1 burner alight at anyone time, as on trying to light a second burner they both blow out. What would be the cause of this and who do I contact to get the appliance repaired and serviced, also what could I expect to pay for the service.

A: After speaking with the Master Plumbers Association they have stated that there could be up to 20 causes for this happening but one of the more common ones is condensation build up in the pipework. You need to get a gas fitter to come and check out the pipework and make sure that there is nothing else that could be causing this. If they cannot find anything than it is possible that it is an appliance problem.
(08/11/2000)

Q: Edge Trimmers - I would be interested to know what brands are available, where they might be available and approximate cost?

A: Thanks again for enquiry about edge trimmers. I have done some research and received information from The Shop Mowers and Small Engines Centre and hope this information is helpful.

There are several brands available such as Atom, Victa, Supaswift, Little Wonder, John Deere, Weedeater etc. Prices will vary between models and brands.

Petrol machines will be more expensive than an electric one but are going to be more long wearing in the long run, and will save you the hassle of cords etc. The Atom brand seems to be the one that a lot of shops recommend as they really concentrate on edging machines and apparently when they released their current range it knocked their competition for six.

The price range is as follows:

Atom: electric - $280; Domestic - $430; Professional $610
John Deere: Professional $715

The other brands will all be around this sort of money but try not to make price your only consideration as a good quality machine should ( if you look after it ) probably never need replacing and have few breakdowns.

You would probably be best served buying one of these machines from a specialist mower/repair shop as they will give better after sales service ( and will have quite often put the machine together rather than just giving you a box over the counter.

Well I hope we have helped you and if you want any more details send us another request. You can find the mower shop I mentioned on our site ( as well as some others ).
(30/10/2000)