HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-05-08, Page 23For safe digging in
your garden...
Don't stoop When lifting
or shovelling take the
strain with your legs rather
than your back.
A helpful hint from the
Canadian fAssociadon
PhyalotharapY otrmid'onne
Aasociadon phyaloth4raple
Open 7 days a week for
your convenience
Brussels (519)-887-6224
WRUSSELS
VA RIE T Y
LOOK what we have
OUT THE BACK
GARDEN FLOWERS
for Mother's Day
• Hanging Baskets
$8.95 & up
• Mother's Day
6" mixed pots $5.75
• Wall Bags $14.95
• Patio Pots $9.95 & up
MOTHER'S DAY
CARDS Only $100
ALSO AVAILABLE: peat moss, sheep manure, rose bushes,
bedding plants, perennials and more.
Excellent Quality & Variety
Treebeq2j
Landscaping & Supplies
A beautiful-garden like
this one can be yours
All it takes is some professional
planning and a little love and care
Count on Treebelt for
everything you'll need:
O Creative designing and planting
O Residential lawn and garden maintenance
including grass cutting and fertilizing
U Flowering shrubs and perennials
O Ornamental and shade trees
O Screened topsoil, peat loam, crushed red chips
CI Windbreak trees and cedar hedging
LI Driveway sealing
J Power sweeping of laneways and parking lots
1 mile west of Blyth
Call 519-523-9771
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 1996 PAGE 23.
Home & Garden '96
Opening the pool need not be frightening
With warm temperatures creep-
ing into the area ever so slowly,
pool owners may not yet have
thought about what lies beneath
that winter blanket.
If careful preparation was taken
last fall, the unveiling and restora-
Decks are a source of pride for
many homeowners. The natural
wood compliments a home's
architecture and is an ideal place
for entertaining. Keeping your deck
beautiful is simple once you know
the tricks of the trade, reports The
Flood Company. The following are
answers to some common deck
problems.
How can I remove nail stains?
Wood often darkens and streaks
around nails. Chemicals in the
wood rea•LA with iron in nails,
leaving a nasty stain. A deck
cleaner will remove the stains.
My deck has turned gray,
what do I do?
Wood turns gray because
sunlight breaks down the "glue"
that binds wood cells together,
leaving behind a very thin mat of
loose wood fiber. Dirt collects and
changes the wood's appearance to a
light then darker gray. Cleaning
with a deck cleaner will restore the
natural colour. Graying can be
controlled with a protective finish.
Should I treat the wood
on my new deck?
In the past, experts recommended
treating wood only after it
tion of the pool to sparkling condi-
tion will not be a frightening task
and can be completed in a few easy
steps.
Even though that pool cover will
hopefully go into storage for sever-
al months, cleaning it properly
weathers. Excess moisture in new
wood, mill glaze and natural
chemicals prevent finishes from
penetrating into the wood.
However, researchers have
developed a formula that will
penetrate and protect new wood
while still allowing it to weather.
Wood treatment prevents warping,
cupping and splitting, while
allowing the wood to weather
naturally.
What can I do about
water spots?
Washing with a deck cleaner will
remove unsightly water spots
caused by sprinklers, hot tubs and
swimming pools. A finish will
restore the natural colour.
What do you do when the wood
colour is uneven?
Wood can weather unevenly for
many reasons including uneven
application of the original finish;
foot traffic patterns; unequal
exposure to sun and weather, etc.
Touch up light areas with the
finish. Allow heavily coated areas
to continue to weather.
How do you get rid of mold
and mildew stains?
Scrub mold and mildew spots
now, with a pool cover cleaner, will
help protect it from cracking and
fading.
The mechanics of the pool filtra-
tion system are next on the list.
Clean the filter with a recognized
filter cleaner and check pump for
with a mixture of bleach and water
and rinse thoroughly. However do
not use a bleach cleaner on the
entire deck. Bleach can weaken the
delicate wood fibers and break
down the wood surface. Use a non-
bleach cleaner to remove other
stains.
• In kitchens 150 square feet or
less, at least 120" of drawer
frontage or roll out shelf frontage
must be planned. Kitchens over 150
square feet require at least 165" of
drawer/shelf frontage. (Measure
cabinet width to determine
frontage.)
good working order. If the pump
and filter are not working properly,
it will be very difficult for the
chemicals to maintain clean, clear
water.
The pool should be vacuumed of
any debris and the vinyl washed
with a pool grade cleaner.
Each season, fresh reagents need
to be purchased to match the condi-
tion of the pool water. To ensure a
proper reading, dealers advise own-
ers to take a one litre sample of the
pool water with them, for testing,
when purchasing reagents.
Dealers should test the sample
and provide a personalized pre-
scription for the individual pool.
Once the pool has been cleaned,
chemicals purchased and water
tested, the filling begins. Fill the
pool to half way up the skimmer
and allow the water to begin circu-
lating. Add chemicals to bring the
water into balance.
Even for those who did not win-
terized the pool, the solution may
be as simple as finding the correct
chemical prescription to correct the
problem.
It is not just the pool and water
which must be prepared for the
swimming season, but also the pro-
tective fence and surfaces sur-
rounding the pool area.
Fences in good repair and locks
that work are vital to keeping chil-
dren and unwelcome guests out of
unsupervised pools.
Patio stones or other deck sur-
faces should also be in good repair
to prevent accidents.
With all the preparation com-
plete, you are now ready to sit
back, relax and enjoy the sounds
and sights of summer fun.
A list of simple solutions
for common deck problems
JOHN McKERCHER
CONSTRUCTION LTD.
• backhoeing • bulldozing
• loader and truck rental
• sand, gravel and topsoil
• stone pile and rubble removal
R.R. #2 Bluevale
887-9061 if busy 887-9999
Fax: 887-9999