Home Repair Questions
Answered by Beth Hodge

Q. Hi! I have tried 9 different colors of paint on my kitchen walls and each one of them has turned gold or burnt umber color.

I have whitewashed cabinets, old St. Louis brick floors (mauvy tone), tropical brown granite. My appliances are black and stainless. I would like a creamy beige tone. I also have pewter knobs on cabinets. I do not know what colors to use to pull this together.

What color lighting would you choose. Pewter or rustic brown? And what color paint? If you have an idea on paint, would you please specify make and color name. Most of the paints I have tried are Benjamin Moore and they have not looked anything like the swatch.

Thank you!

A: The gold or burnt umber color coming through is a good sign that the walls need to be painted first with a primer/sealer to get a true paint color with your top coat.

I am a big fan of Behr brand paint, the brand carried mostly by Home Depot.

Q. I have a hole in my children's bedroom wall from the door knob banging against the wall. It is about 4 x 4 square inches.

What is the best, actually the easiest and quickest way to repair the wall? Thanks for your help.

A: I stuff the hole with newspaper (crumpled wads pushed in tightly to give the plaster some backing while drying) then I fill the whole with plaster, over it with the mesh tape and another thin layer of plaster.

Sand when dry, use another thin coat if the surface is not back to perfection and then sand smooth when it dries. Paint it and grab a cheap door stopper to prevent it from happening again.

Q. I would like to put a screen door for my front porch. My problem is that in the winter the screen will block any light that may come in through the glass panels on the front door.

Is there a way I can remove a screen door each winter without unscrewing the hinges every time? Are there hinges that can be attached and de-attached each time?

A: If you are purchasing a new screen door and not trying to work with one you already have I would purchase a screen door that does not have a panel, but has full screen from top to bottom.

These also usually give you a full pane of glass for the cooler weather and will not obstruct any light.

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