Show FIRST AID ABD to the AILING HOUSE by ROGER B S WHITMAN roger B whitman features feature FLAGSTONE TERRACE question I 1 have a spot in my yard about 6 by 12 feet that I 1 want to fix up as an outdoor sitting room with a flagstone floor what should I 1 put in first and how many inches should I 1 dig out I 1 have the flag stones and want to know it if I 1 should put cinders in first and then lay the flagstones flag stones on top with cement between answer excavate to a depth of about 10 inches cinders not ashes are then placed in the excavation rolled and tamped camped well to within 5 inches of the level that you have decided on over this place a 3 inch bed of concrete Q 1 I part portland cement 2 of sand and 3 of stone the stones no larger than 1 inch use no more water than necessary to make a workable mixture follow at once with the setting mixture Q 3 parts sand and 1 part cement As soon as the setting bed is leveled sprinkle with dry por portland t lande cement ement and lay the stone in the prearranged pattern the stone must be thoroughly wet when you set it point all joints with a mortar mix of 2 parts sand and 1 part cement the surface must be kept damp for several days a water cistern question we have a cistern in the basement which does not hold water above the faucet level during a recent storm the cistern was full to the top at night but the water had disappeared to the faucet level by morning we have had three different people cement re the walls and floor of the cistern during my absence my husband put a thin coat of cement on the outside and it looks terrible but I 1 guess he meant well can you offer some suggestion answer it Is possible that your difficulty lies with the faucet the constant water level at this point seems to indicate it it if the faucet is not used remove it and plug up the hole however if it is necessary remove the old faucet and replace it with a drain valve piano keys question the smooth glossy finish on the ivory keys of my piano has become very rough what can be done to restore the original finish answer the ivory has been worn wo r n down and restoration of the keys to their original finish cannot be done at home A piano repairman could replace the ivory covering you can however improve the appearance of the keys with a coat of white enamel rough the surfaces by rubbing with fine sandpaper then clean them by wiping with turpentine for a first coat use an enamel undercoat or flat paint and finish with a good quality white enamel shingles or siding question which would be the more practical to use on the exterior 0 4 our house shingles or siding do the shingles make a tight finish or will they become loose in time tie answer both types of exterior wall covering are practical and il if properly applied wood shingles or 01 siding should give you long service when protected against the elements by paint or a wood preservative the choice of one or the other is up to yourself inspect several houses covered with siding and shingles and see which you like best unwashed oriental rug question Is there anything I 1 can call do to take the odor out of an unwashed oriental rug it has the odor of a camel or possibly a barn answer put the rug in the care ol oj an expert on oriental rugs look in your classified telephone directory or ask a salesman in the rug section of a large department store tc recommend an expert there are preparations called rug shampoos on the market but I 1 would not recommend your trying to do the job yourself in this case |