Dear Carrells: I never dreamed our dining-room table would have been such a tough project to restore. But it took me weeks to strip it down to the wood so I could re-stain it. I used a chemical stripper but then had to sand the carved areas by hand to get the old paint off the surface. I tried folding the sandpaper into a square to get into the crevices, but that didn't give me enough of a stiff backing to get the job done. I ended up pulling it over the end of my putty knife and using that for more stability in sanding. It worked really well. I just thought I would pass this info on to others. Next time I'll try a power sander or just a new table! — H.D.

A SUPER HINT — Baking soda makes a super cleaner. It is abrasive enough to clean a lot of surfaces, but doesn't scratch them. Combined with water and some elbow grease, it can tackle even tough messes.

Dear Al: I wanted to try to create a wood grain on my bathroom walls but had to try several times to get it to look right. The best tool I found was a hair comb. I used a large-toothed, flat comb and, after dipping it in the paint, moved it down the wall, dragging the paint as I did so. I moved the comb up on the left side or the right occasionally to get more variation in the wood grain. It looks OK to me. Of course, I found out afterward that there is an actual "graining tool" you can buy, but my way worked just fine. I like the way it looks, and may even try it again. — G.B.

Q: We have a decorative brick wall in front of our home that we would like to paint. What kind of paint do we need to use, and what other information do we need to know to get the paint to stay looking good for many years? — C.R.

A: Clean the entire surface thoroughly with trisodium phosphate first. Allow it plenty of time to dry out afterward. Then apply a primer made for masonry surfaces, followed by a high-quality exterior paint, again, made for masonry surfaces.

Dear Kelly: We have four screen doors at our lake cabin. I have tried several different types of door closers, but the regular old screen-door springs are still the best. To help prevent kids' pinched fingers, I have covered each small spring with a clear, plastic piece of aquarium tubing. The tubing just slips over the spring and is a little shorter than it is, so it fits in place. It does seem to work, and the kids like to see the spring stretched out through the clear tubing. So far, so good. — G.B.

SHOPTALK — Kilz Primer, a super product, is going green. Kilz Clean Start is a zero-VOC, water-based primer that is the best way to seal surfaces and block stains before you paint. Use it on wood, drywall, plaster, paneling, brick and painted metal surfaces. It even works outdoors. To find out more about Kilz Clean Start, visit your paint dealer or the Web site www.kilz.com.