Stair Rail Decorating IdeasWritten by Donna Jolean
Little things make difference.Dress up a plain wooden stair rail by using an ornamental curtain finial. Simply screw into place. You'll find finials to be reasonably priced, so you may want to use more than one. I like to put one at entrance or bottom of stairs and one at top of stair landing. There are loads of finials to choose from, selection is endless. When trying to decide which finial is right for you and your stair rail, remember to think about your personality, how you want to reflect it and what would make you smile every time you climb those stairs. If you consider yourself traditionalists, go with a pineapple or acorn finial, in a brass or pewter finish. If an up-town look is what you have in mind, add sparkle with a dressy crystal finial.
| | Single hung aluminum window glass repairWritten by John Rocco
Let's talk about repairing broken glass in an aluminum frame single hung window. If it's lower sash pane that is broken, it must be removed from inside. You are going to have one of three different mechanisms that hold lower sash up when you slide it open. If you can't see any mechanisms on sides, then you have a block and tackle system consisting of a string and spring assembly. Find thin metal clips in side jambs just above sash. Pull bottom of clip out using a screwdriver or your fingernail. Do that on both sides. Then remove any rubber stops at very top of window. Raise window as high as it will go. The block and tackle assemblies will get snagged in metal clips, allowing you to remove window sash. You would replace glass using same method described in our article about sliding window repairs. Once you have new glass installed, install window panel in reverse order that you removed it. Close window and push metal clips back. Install rubber stops at top.If you have a mechanism across top of window with a string coming down each side and screwed into top corners of window sash, you need to remove screws holding strings in place. But before you remove screws, you need to remove one of black plastic pieces that cover side jamb. Raise window all way up, then put a flat screwdriver at very bottom of plastic piece and pull outward until you can grab it with your fingers. Slide plastic out. Now remove screws holding strings. Be sure to hold string in one hand while removing screw, because string is under tension. After removing screw, let string slowly go back up. Pull panel to side that you removed black plastic piece, and remove panel. Remember, two of your corner screws will be removed at this point, and proper way to remove frame from glass is to remove opposite corner screws. So, you should put one of string screws back in and remove corner screw opposite removed string screw. Then, when you install new glass, remove string screw and install strings. Raise window up and install black plastic piece by sliding it up between frame and side jamb.
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