Home Improvement >, SAFETY FIRST. When using a ladder for house painting, don’t throw caution to the wind. In fact, you should totally avoid working on ladders in windy or wet weather. For added safety, face the ladder when climbing or dismounting and always avoid standing above the third-highest rung. Whenever possible, ahev a second person steady the ladder while your are climbing or descending fron any height. Simple steps for ladder safety The informed do-it-yourselfer knows all the right ingredients for a successful paint job: good surface preparation, use of top quality paint and tools, and tack- ling exterior painting under the proper weather conditions. Experienced homeowners also know the critical importance of good safety practices when painting the home. And very often, these safety procedures involve the use of ladders. Ladder safety basics According to experts at the Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute, there are certain general precautions to fol- low when painting with the aid of a ladder. The following safety tips per- tain to both interior and exterior paint- ing: «Inspect your ladders before you use them. Make sure the rungs are intact and free of dirt and excessive paint buildup that could interfere with footing. ¢Place the ladder at the correct angle. For every nine feet of height mp the wall, the base of the ladder should be three feet aivay from the wall. ¢ Ensure that the ladder reaches at least three feet higher than the highest level at which you want to stand. Never stand above the third-highest rung. ¢ Wrap cloth around the tops of the Jadder to protect the wall and help pre- vent slipping. -Before attempting to climb a stepladder, make sure it is fully opened. with the shelf pushed all the way down. ¢ Before mounting any type of lad- der, empty your pockets of knives, scissors, and other pointed tools. e Always face the ladder as you climb and dismount. Once you are on a ladder, keep your hips between the rails to avoid falling. ¢ Wear rubber-soled or non-slip shoes on any type of ladder. Outdoor ladder use If your project involves only your home’s exterior, here is some specific “advice for ladder use outdoors: ¢ Avoid working in wet or windy weather. Do not, under any circum- stances, climb a wet ladder. * When raising the ladder to paint, make sure the base is level and see that it sits firmly on solid ground. * Support Jadders with strong boards, or attach rubber pads to the feet, to keep them from sinking into the ground. «Keep ladders especially metal ladders — away from alll power lines. * For added safety, consider tieing your ladder to a large eye bolt fixed in the wall or fascia board. «When on a ladder, do not push or pull too hard on a paint scraper or other tool. That could cause you to Jose your balance or cause the ladder to slide. Following these ladder safety tips will allow you to paint with peace of mind. That way. you can concentrate on the job at hand to make your paint - job both successful and safe! TheReview Wednesday, October 21, 1992 — 6 Rules to follow when fixing windows If the neighbourhood baseball league has just left a hole in one of your windows. dont worry. It is not diffi- cull to replace the glass. However. there is more to the job than just inserting a new pane and adding a hittle putty. First of all you should remember that the same rules apply. no matter what the size of the pane you are replacing. A larger pane should! probably not be replaced while the window. is in place. It should be removed and placed on the ground! for safe hand- ling. If the pane is picture window size il is a two-person job. The first part off the job is to re- move the old and broken glass. Wear Sturdy work gloves and take the pieces oul one al a time. Take great care while pulling out the broken pieces so you dont get cut. The next step is to remove the old putty. This can sometimes be a diffi- cull process and some heat may be required to soften the putty for easier removal. The heat source can be a soldering iron or a propane torch but great care should be taken when using either of these tools. All the old putty must be removed. The glaziers points must also be taken out at this time. When all the putty is removed give the frame a good soak- ing with linseed oil which will help lo prevent the new putty from drying out. Installing new glass Now. that you have the old’ putty removed and the frame is ready for the glass, take the measurements to your local hardware dealer and have him cut the glass to fit. It is far easier to have a proles- sional do the job for you than to try and cut glass yourself. Some do-it- yourselfers prefer to salvage larger pieces of broken panes and cut their own but with the low cost of glass it is hardly worth the effort. Make sure the glass is a fraction smaller than the opening so you dent have to force the glass into the opening. Before inserting the glass a bedding layer of putty is placed around the frame then the glass is placed im the opening and firmly pressed into the bedding layer of puity. Holding a new pane in position insert a glaziers point in each side to keep it firmly in place. The glazier points can be inserted with very light pressure. Once the pane is held in place take the remaining glazier points and insert them at regular intervals around the frame. This can best be done with a chisel slid along the glass. This does the job with little chance of breakage. When the glazier points are in place it is time to use the putty. Putty. Get an old piece of glass to use as a kneading board for working the pully into the right shape and con= _ Now in Central Saanich BLIND LOVE WINDOW FASHIONS 40-10" 2 Mh iarerererersa marae es 3 OFF VERTICAL BLIND “< BOOK YOUR BLIND DATE TODAY! NS, =; ; 652-8500 Suite E, 6670 Bertram Place Off Keating xX Rd. (across from Butler Bros.) —. & FIADAIAAAAADAAAK IK you dip it into linseed oil just before using. Use long cormer-to-corner strokes with the putty knife. Do not Jet the putty get far enough out on the new window so it’s visible from the other side. sistency. The putty is then rolled into pencil like strips and wedged into the edge of the frame. When you have itp) in place all around the frame smooth it out with a putty knife. You will WEST WIND find the putty knife works better if HARDWOOD oo HARDWOODS & FINE PLYWOODS - Hardwoods - Exotics Clear Softwoods - Carving Woods Hardwood Veneer Plywoods Marine Plywoods - KD Fir Boat Lumber - Timber — Melamine Medium Density Fibreboard GENERAL MACHINING Thickness Planing “CLEARLY YOUR LUMBER STORE” SIDNEY NANAIMO 4408 Boban 758-0848 10230 Bowerbank 656-0848 2) SIDNEY FLORIST “just steps away from the wharf” 2499 Beacon Ave., Sidney, B.C. V8L 1X9 656-331 DO YOUR SILK AND DRIED ARRANGEMENTS LOOK TIRED AND DUSTY? ACT NOW! Weill give them a face lift . . .or custom design a new one for you NN Ay «¢ ABSOLUTELY FREE!! 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