How to get a clean slate

By Gene Gary,
Copley News Service

Q. The hearth of our fireplace is black slate, which is dingy and dull. I have tried several household cleaners without success. What do you recommend to clean this surface and make it attractive?

A. To clean your slate, you will probably have to experiment a bit. Experimentation is best done in an inconspicuous area if possible.

Slate is often sealed with floor wax or a penetrating sealer. If your slate was sealed with floor wax, your best bet is a commercial floor-wax remover. Removal of a penetrating sealer can be more complicated. First, try washing the surface with trisodium phosphate available from your local paint dealer. Scrub with a stiff bristle brush. Ammonia in water can be used when needed, but strong acids and strong alkalis may attack the grout and should be avoided.

If the floor is clean in general but stains remain, apply a poultice to the stained areas while the floor is still damp. A poultice 1/2 inch thick is made as follows: Using an abrasive cleansing powder, preferably one containing a bleach, make a thick paste with hot water, about one pound of powder for each 11/2 square feet of surface to be covered. Let the poultice remain on the surface for 48 hours or until completely dry. Then remove with a plastic spatula to avoid scratching the surface. Rinse well.

If staining remains, make a stronger poultice using whiting and hydrogen peroxide, and add a few drips of household ammonia. Spread over stains, and let dry.

If these methods fail, try a water-base paint stripper. Strippers can discolor the slate, so be sure to test a small area first. For safety, use plenty of cross ventilation.

After the floor has been cleaned and stains removed, apply a paste wax with carnauba or a penetrating tile and brick sealer. Both products can be found at home centers or hardware stores. Penetrating sealers can be reapplied from time to time to give the slate a new look. Just clean the slate, and put on another coat of sealer. Waxes are less convenient because the wax buildup has to be removed periodically, but you may prefer the soft sheen of wax.

Another method of treating slate to achieve a soft, warm tone is to use a solution of one-half turpentine and one-half boiled linseed oil, heated over boiling water -- do not heat over a direct flame. Apply the warm solution to the slate surface, and let set for an hour. Wipe off surplus. Apply three coats of this preparation, allowing it to thoroughly dry between coats. It is not an easy process, but can be well worth the effort, providing a luster to the slate as well as protection.

Q. I have a problem with a wood-paneled wall. When I went to re-arrange some pictures and paintings, I was surprised to see that the wood where the pictures hung was much darker than the surrounding surface. Is there anything that can be done to alleviate the discoloration?

A. You have a problem only time will erase. Natural light can cause wood paneling to lighten -- or darken, depending on the type of wood -- over time. This process will continue gradually, and there is no way to reverse it short of stripping the wood, sanding it and applying a new finish. Sometimes a thorough cleaning with a product such as Murphy's Oil Soap will help because it removes any dirt and grime that may have build up on the exposed wood, differing from wood protected by a hanging picture.
If you remove the existing pictures, after a few months, the wood exposed to light will begin to attain the same colorization as the surrounding wood. One way to avoid this is to periodically move picture and wall hangings on new wood paneling. You won't have to continue this forever, because most of the color change due to air and light exposure will occur within the first few years after installation.

Q. We purchased a home where the bedroom is wallpapered in gigantic blue roses. This definitely does not suit my tastes or my modern furniture. Can I paint this wall without removing the wallpaper?

A. Although I prefer to remove old wallpaper before painting or adding new paper, it is possible to paint over existing wallpaper if your wallcovering meets the following criteria: (a) It is not a textured or flocked paper, and (b) The existing paper is firmly attached to the wall and has smooth seams.
If there are a few peeling edges, these can be repaired prior to painting. You can adhere any loose edges with a seam glue available from your wallpaper dealer, or you can scrape off loose areas with a razor blade and fill the slightly recessed spots with spackling compound, then sand.
If your wall covering has any sheen, first wipe it with mineral spirits to remove the filmy topcoat. A glossy vinyl should be treated with a special primer that provides a good bond for slick surfaces and has a stain killer. A dull covering that is made of paper can simply be primed and painted.
Before you proceed, I would recommend that you investigate the difficulties in removing the existing covering. There are a number of wallpaper removal solutions and tools on the market. Check with your local wallpaper dealer. In the final outcome, you may be much more satisfied dealing with the original wall surface than painting over paper.

Q. I have been given a gift of a beautiful "shell" framed mirror which is nearly 3 by 4 feet. This artistic piece was created by a very good friend and is unbelievably heavy. I want to mount it behind my living room sofa. The wall is drywall construction and I am concerned about how to safely anchor this mirror so that it will be solidly in place. Can you give me any advice?

A. You are wise to be concerned. Heavy pictures and mirrors require wall fasteners that can be secured to structural studs or beams in order to sustain their weight. Ordinary wall brackets will simply pull right through the wallboard under the burden of this extra weight.
You will need a piece of plywood that measures l/4 inch by 12 inches in depth. The horizontal length should be cut so that is measures 3 to 4 inches shorter than the horizontal dimension of the frame to be hung. Center this piece of plywood over the spot where you have decided the hanging brackets for your mirror should be positioned. Drive one nail ( l l/2 inch with head) diagonally through the center of the plywood piece and into the wall. Position a level on top of the plywood strip and adjust to make sure that the plywood strip is level. Then secure it to the wall with several more nails.
Once this piece is secure you can begin the process of finding the location of wall studs behind the plywood strip. Starting from the right, just beneath the plywood, drive a nail into the wall. If you feel the nail sink into wood, you know you've located a stud. If this is the case, make a straight line (use a T-square or level) upward onto the face of the plywood. If you have missed the stud, continue to test the wall by moving 1 inch to the left of the previous hole. Repeat until a stud is located.
Once a stud is located, measure 16 inches to the left and drive in another nail. It, too, should be embedded in a stud (most studs are located 16 inches apart, but some construction varies and they will be spaced 14 to 18 inches apart). At each stud location, measure upward marking a straight line on the face of the plywood strip. If the piece you are hanging is 40 to 45 inches horizontally, you may want to locate a third stud by continuing the process of measuring to the left and nailing into another stud. As a guide, use the vertical lines you have placed on the plywood strip, and drive nails through the plywood into the studs.
Next, using two 1 1/2-inch wood screws, mark off two locations, for these screws which will carry the weight of your mirror or picture frame. Spacing of these screws will depend on how your particular frame must be hung. Some frames hang on a wire, others by hooks. Drive the screws into the appropriate place. You now have a secure foundation which will safely bear the extra weight of your hanging object.

Q. I have a modern metal fireplace/chimney. Does a chimney of this type require frequent cleaning as compared to the standard brick-fireplace installations?

A. Compared to masonry chimneys, factory-built metal chimneys usually do not generate as much creosote buildup. They are very well insulated, and because the flue stays warm, very little creosote forms.
The main problem with factory-built chimneys is that many are improperly installed. Problems can also occur with overheating if synthetic logs are used and more than one is added to the firebox at a time. Instructions on synthetic logs warn against this.

Send e-mail to copleysd@copleynews.com or write to Here's How, Copley News Service, P.O. Box 120190, San Diego, CA 92112-0190. Only questions of general interest can be answered in the column.

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