Three Common Repairs in the Kitchen Part II
Tiled kitchen floors are extremely tough and hard to damage, but sometimes a tile will chip or crack and need replacing. Replacing a tile can be easily accomplished.
Copper pipe is strong, but it can be punctured. However, there is usually no need to call the plumber, as fixing a copper pipe is not a difficult job, but it involves some technique and with a little knowledge, you will save yourself time and money.
Kitchen cabinets take a great deal of abuse and the hinges may become loose over time. Repairing a cabinet door hinge is not complicated and easy to do with a little expertise.
Replacing a Damaged Tile
Kitchen tiles are subject to constant wear and tear of everyday use. Items fall off the countertops, such as, dishes, bowls, large utensils that can chip and even crack tiles.
TIP: Whether you install tile yourself or have a professional do the job, always purchase extra tile for such an occasion.
1. Remove all the grout surrounding the chipped/broken tile down to the floor, as this will prevent the breakage of surrounding tiles, when chipping broken tile out.
2. Using a hammer and a 2-inch blade masonry chisel, holding chisel at a slight angle, start at the broken corner and working towards the tile center, chisel the tile till a piece breaks off.
3. Place the chisel under broken tile, gently tap and chip out another piece of tile.
4. Repeat this process until the whole tile is removed.
5. Soak the remaining adhesive (mortar) in a small amount of water for ten minutes; this will loosen adhesive, dry with a rag and chip out the remaining adhesive.
6. Remove all tile/adhesive pieces and dust.
7. Mix up a small amount of adhesive with water to a smooth but not liquid texture.
8. Apply adhesive to back of tile with a square-notched trowel and install.
9. Let tile cure overnight, then mix grout powder and water to a consistency similar to the adhesive and force into the grout lines (gaps surrounding the tile) using a grout float.
10. Allow grout to cure for 24 to 48 hours and then seal with grout sealer. Repeat sealing process after first coat dries.
Repairing a Punctured Copper Pipe
Fixing a copper pipe is not a difficult job, but it involves some technique. If you are unfamiliar with soldering, it is advised that you practice on some spare pieces of copper tubing and couplings.
For this job you will need the following; a pipe cutter, a MAPP torch, roll of solder, solder flux, emery cloth and/or wire brush, a spark lighter, copper coupling (sized to fit the pipe in repair), bucket of water and rags.
1. Assuming that the valve that feeds water to the copper pipe has been turned off, make sure the pipe is empty.
2. Cut punctured area out, using a pipe-cutter, twice, once on each side of the hole (approximately 1/8 inch from puncture), so there are two clean edges.
3. Using a piece of emery cloth or a wire brush, scuff up both ends of the pipe (to be placed in coupling) and inside the coupling, this will clean of tarnish and insure a proper solder bond.
4. Apply flux to each pipe (where it will be placed into coupling) and inside the coupling.
5. Assemble the pipe ends and coupling, by inserting each end of pipe into the coupling halfway.
TIP: You can solder both pipe ends to the coupling while it is assembled, the heat will transfer so you can solder one pipe to coupling then the other side immediately.
6. Roll out 10 inches of solder, leaving it attached to the roll.
Important: Read the manufacturer’s instructions for proper operation of a MAPP torch before using.
7. Turn on torch and light with the spark lighter.
8. Place the tip of the flame to the middle of the coupling for 3-5 seconds, or when flux starts to bubble, move flame to bottom of coupling for a couple seconds, remove flame and place end of solder at point where pipe meets coupling on top (heat will transfer), the solder will melt and draw into the joint, reapply flame if needed, and remove, draw in about ¾ inch of solder into the space between coupling and pipe, a small bead of solder will appear around the pipe where it meets the coupling, this will indicate a properly soldered joint, move to the other side and repeat.
TIP: As mentioned above, it is best to practice this with scraps of pipe and couplings until you feel comfortable with the process, before actually trying to repair a working pipe.
9. Clean excess solder off pipe with rag, and cool the pipe and coupling with a damp rag, turn on water and check for leaks.
10. If a leak appears, you will have to redo the solder, apply heat to the coupling and pull apart pipes and clean pipes and coupling of any dirt, solder and flux, and start again from step 3.
Fixing a Broken Cabinet
1. Remove the cabinet door which has been broken, if a hinge is broken, purchase a replacement, if the screws which attach the hinge to the door are pulled out of the door or cabinet, you will have to repair the door and/or cabinet screw holes so the hinge can be fastened to door/cabinet.
2. Using an electric drill with a ¼ inch drill bit, drill out the holes in which the screws held the hinge to the door/cabinet, be careful not to drill any deeper than necessary to accommodate the length of the screws that will be used to fasten hinge to door/cabinet.
3. Fill these holes with wood putty, (e.g. Elmers wood putty), let dry and carefully sand just the putty with 150-grit sandpaper.
4. Using the hinge as a template, pencil mark where the screws will attach the hinge to the cabinet door or cabinet face (this will be where the original holes have been filled).
5. Drill pilot holes (holes slightly smaller in width than the screw to be used) where you have marked in step 4.
6. Using a screwdriver and new screws, attach the hinge to the door first, then attach door/hinge to the cabinet, tighten down by hand. Tip: Do not use a drill to drive the screws in the door or cabinet, as this may cause the screws to strip the wood on the door/cabinet.
