Now, as you can see in the very top picture on this page, liner lock is not a guarantee against the pool liner coming out of the track. In this picture we can see that this pool had liner lock (which is now hanging), however it did not stop this liner from coming out of the track anyway. Top Crack (1966) on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more.
Gather your materials.
You'll need a 6-inch taping knife, a 10- or 12-inch taping knife, 1 square piece of plywood or a plastic mud pan, drywall compound, drywall tape (paper or fiberglass), and fine-grit sandpaper and a sanding block.
Clean out the crack.
Use your taping knife to scrape the edges of the crack to remove any dust.
Put some compound on the plywood or mud pan.
This makes it easy to load onto the knife.
Put some compound on the plywood or mud pan.
This makes it easy to load onto the knife.
Apply a light coating of compound to the crack using the 6-inch taping knife.
Make sure that the coating is wet but not thick.
Embed the tape in the compound immediately.
Lay the tape over the compound you just applied and use the knife to push the tape into the compound. If necessary, cut the tape in short lengths to follow the line of a really crooked crack.
If you bought fiberglass tape, you can skip the embedding coat of compound under the tape because it is self-sticking. Otherwise, you do everything the same way.
Warning: Fiberglass tape is thicker than paper tape, which makes it harder to repair invisibly.
Scrape the tape with the wider knife to scrape away any excess compound.
Use a smooth scraping motion.
Scrape the tape with the wider knife to scrape away any excess compound.
Use a smooth scraping motion.
Apply a thin coat of compound over the tape using the 6-inch knife.
Be sure to feather the edges. Let the patch dry completely (usually overnight).
After the first coat is dry, apply a second coat with the wide knife.
By using a wider knife, you blend out the original edges. Make sure to feather the edges again. Again, let it dry.
Coming Out On Top Crack
Allow to dry and then apply a final coat.
Follow the same procedure as before.
Allow to dry and then apply a final coat.
Follow the same procedure as before.
Sand the patch until smooth.
Use a fine-grit paper to smooth out the surface.
Paint over the patch with primer.
Don't skip this step or you'll end up with a permanently goofy-looking, non-matching area.
Apply touch up paint to the patch in your wall color.
This is why you saved that half a gallon of leftover wall paint.
Commonly Infested Areas in the Home
If you've ever found ants crawling across the kitchen counter or noticed a trail of little black ants on the bathroom floor, you're probably not alone. Ants often enter homes during the warmer months in search of water and food, making them the #1 nuisance pest in America. With the summer season upon us, now is the perfect time to learn about the most common ant-infested areas in a home and how to prevent an unwanted infestation.
A recent survey of pest professionals across the country, conducted by the National Pest Management Association, found kitchens (96%) and bathrooms (89%) to be particularly vulnerable to ants.
Kitchen
It's probably not a surprise the kitchen is considered a favorite ant hangout. In addition to food access, the sink provides a water source that ants need to survive. If you're lax about immediately cleaning up crumbs and spills, you may be inviting ants in. Here are a few tips to keep ants out of the kitchen:
- Store sweet staples like sugar, syrup and honey in plastic containers that snap shut, and wipe them down to remove any sticky residue. You can also place a bay leaf inside canisters of dry goods like flour to keep the ants out. The herb's pungent scent repels ants and other common pantry pests.
- Clean up grease spills from countertops and floors as soon as they happen.
- Any empty juice or soda containers should be rinsed out before recycling or throwing away. And, make sure to take the trash out regularly.
- Check the fruit bowl – any over ripe fruit will attract ants.
- Keep an eye out for water buildup in the sink and leaks around the faucet.
- If you have pets, be sure to pick up any leftover food and wash the bowls regularly.
Bathroom
Areas around the house with excess moisture are known to attract ants, so bathrooms are highly susceptible to an infestation. Carpenter ants, for example, often build nests in damp areas like behind bathroom tiles or under sinks. To prevent an infestation in the bathroom, homeowners should:
- Occasionally, inspect sinks, toilets and tubs for any leaks or drips.
- Give the bathroom a thorough cleaning by scrubbing the floors with disinfectant cleaner, and wiping down the inside of drawers with warm soapy water.
- Check to ensure shampoo, lotion and soap bottles are secured and no contents have spilled out of their containers.
Other Common Hideouts
Ants can easily find a way indoors through even the tiniest cracks, so other areas of the home are also common hideouts. The NPMA survey revealed ants are also found in the following areas:
- Inside walls (73%)
- Bedrooms (61%)
- Living rooms (60%)
- Basements (54%)
- Air conditioning and heating units (37%)
To keep ants from finding a way inside, homeowners should pest-proof around the outside of the home. Experts recommend sealing any cracks with silicone caulk, repairing holes in window and door screens, replacing weather-stripping, fixing loose mortar around the basement foundation and windows, and keeping tree branches trimmed back and away from the house.
Put some compound on the plywood or mud pan.
This makes it easy to load onto the knife.
Put some compound on the plywood or mud pan.
This makes it easy to load onto the knife.
Apply a light coating of compound to the crack using the 6-inch taping knife.
Make sure that the coating is wet but not thick.
Embed the tape in the compound immediately.
Lay the tape over the compound you just applied and use the knife to push the tape into the compound. If necessary, cut the tape in short lengths to follow the line of a really crooked crack.
If you bought fiberglass tape, you can skip the embedding coat of compound under the tape because it is self-sticking. Otherwise, you do everything the same way.
Warning: Fiberglass tape is thicker than paper tape, which makes it harder to repair invisibly.
Scrape the tape with the wider knife to scrape away any excess compound.
Use a smooth scraping motion.
Scrape the tape with the wider knife to scrape away any excess compound.
Use a smooth scraping motion.
Apply a thin coat of compound over the tape using the 6-inch knife.
Be sure to feather the edges. Let the patch dry completely (usually overnight).
After the first coat is dry, apply a second coat with the wide knife.
By using a wider knife, you blend out the original edges. Make sure to feather the edges again. Again, let it dry.
Coming Out On Top Crack
Allow to dry and then apply a final coat.
Follow the same procedure as before.
Allow to dry and then apply a final coat.
Follow the same procedure as before.
Sand the patch until smooth.
Use a fine-grit paper to smooth out the surface.
Paint over the patch with primer.
Don't skip this step or you'll end up with a permanently goofy-looking, non-matching area.
Apply touch up paint to the patch in your wall color.
This is why you saved that half a gallon of leftover wall paint.
Commonly Infested Areas in the Home
If you've ever found ants crawling across the kitchen counter or noticed a trail of little black ants on the bathroom floor, you're probably not alone. Ants often enter homes during the warmer months in search of water and food, making them the #1 nuisance pest in America. With the summer season upon us, now is the perfect time to learn about the most common ant-infested areas in a home and how to prevent an unwanted infestation.
A recent survey of pest professionals across the country, conducted by the National Pest Management Association, found kitchens (96%) and bathrooms (89%) to be particularly vulnerable to ants.
Kitchen
It's probably not a surprise the kitchen is considered a favorite ant hangout. In addition to food access, the sink provides a water source that ants need to survive. If you're lax about immediately cleaning up crumbs and spills, you may be inviting ants in. Here are a few tips to keep ants out of the kitchen:
- Store sweet staples like sugar, syrup and honey in plastic containers that snap shut, and wipe them down to remove any sticky residue. You can also place a bay leaf inside canisters of dry goods like flour to keep the ants out. The herb's pungent scent repels ants and other common pantry pests.
- Clean up grease spills from countertops and floors as soon as they happen.
- Any empty juice or soda containers should be rinsed out before recycling or throwing away. And, make sure to take the trash out regularly.
- Check the fruit bowl – any over ripe fruit will attract ants.
- Keep an eye out for water buildup in the sink and leaks around the faucet.
- If you have pets, be sure to pick up any leftover food and wash the bowls regularly.
Bathroom
Areas around the house with excess moisture are known to attract ants, so bathrooms are highly susceptible to an infestation. Carpenter ants, for example, often build nests in damp areas like behind bathroom tiles or under sinks. To prevent an infestation in the bathroom, homeowners should:
- Occasionally, inspect sinks, toilets and tubs for any leaks or drips.
- Give the bathroom a thorough cleaning by scrubbing the floors with disinfectant cleaner, and wiping down the inside of drawers with warm soapy water.
- Check to ensure shampoo, lotion and soap bottles are secured and no contents have spilled out of their containers.
Other Common Hideouts
Ants can easily find a way indoors through even the tiniest cracks, so other areas of the home are also common hideouts. The NPMA survey revealed ants are also found in the following areas:
- Inside walls (73%)
- Bedrooms (61%)
- Living rooms (60%)
- Basements (54%)
- Air conditioning and heating units (37%)
To keep ants from finding a way inside, homeowners should pest-proof around the outside of the home. Experts recommend sealing any cracks with silicone caulk, repairing holes in window and door screens, replacing weather-stripping, fixing loose mortar around the basement foundation and windows, and keeping tree branches trimmed back and away from the house.
Coming Out On Top Cracked
Ants are considered one of the most difficult pests to control, along with bed bugs, because colonies often contain upwards of thousands of members. If you notice ants inside the home, it's important to contact a licensed pest professional to inspect and treat the problem. For more information, watch this video on areas in the home that ants typically infest.
