indoors
HOUSE-WISE
Danny is the host
of the nationally
syndicated show
Today’s Homeowner
with Danny Lipford
_______
(dannylipford.com).
Before you turn your attention to inside
projects, take care of these fall fix-ups.
Problem Solved
w ith D a n n y L i p f o r d
C a n I re p a ir a rotten spot on m y w in d o w sill, o r
do I need to re p la ce the w hole th in g ?
DANNY: Windowsills take a lot of abuse from
the elements, so it’s important to repair any rot before it
can spread. If the damage is extensive, your best bet is to
remove the entire sill and replace it.
For small repairs, auto body filler works great. Start by
digging out the rotten wood with a chisel. If the remain-
ing wood feels damp, dry it with a blow-dryer. For holes
larger than a quarter, add reinforcement by driving a
screw (or two) partway into the void. The exposed part of
the screw will give the filler something to adhere to.
Mix up a small batch of filler. It sets up fast, so don’t
make more than you can use in a couple of minutes. Fill
the hole with the filler using a putty knife. Once it dries,
you may notice a slight shrinkage that would require a
light second application of filler. Remove any excess filler
with a sharp chisel before it gets too hard. To finish, sand,
prime, and paint the patch.
Q:
cracks you
H o w do I re p a ir cra c k s in m y co n crete sid e w a lk
o r d riv e w a y ?
DANNY: Fall is a good time to repair any
you have so that rain and snow are not able to seep
7 2 SEPTEMBER 2009 BETTER HOM ES A N D GARDENS
CHIPS MADE
BIGGER,THICKER
AND
WAFFLIER.
A GIANT LEAP FOR SNACK-KIND:
F O U N D IN T H E S N A C K A IS L E
