Stair Railings, Moths and Answered by Beth Hodge

Q. A wheel broke off my bed and the point broke through the floor board. How do I replace that area without ripping up a lot of boards?

A. If tongue-and-groove flooring is what we are looking at we need to remove just the damaged boards. To do this you can use a very sharp drywall knife or other knife with a thin blade.

The trick is to cut through the tongue on each side of the cracked boards so they can be removed. Then you can purchase a new piece of board - no tongue or groove.

Iit can be bought or cut to the exact measurement and fit into the space. Marking the floor joists, you can attach the new board to them with finishing nails.

Q: We have railings on our stairs and they always come loose. My son has moved them around as much as possible but he says there's no "meat" behind the wall where we want them attached. How can we firm up the railings?

A: Your best bet for safe and sturdy railings is to anchor them to studs in the wall.

These studs normally run every 12-16 inches apart in the wall. Once you find the stud, if the brackets are not conveniently located to meet the studs the brackets can be moved to meet your needs.

Q: My house seems to be loaded with moths. Tiny, little, disgusting creatures that seem to be made of powder when I catch and kill one. They are flying all over the place. How do I get rid of then and why are they here???

A: Well to be honest I don't know much on this subject but have done some asking around. Mostly I have been told to visit my local hardware and invest in a misting bomb similar to the ones used to get rid of spiders, fleas and ants.

Ask to see if one specifically fits you pest and plan to give yourself a few hours away from home while the bombing takes place and has time to air out and settle. Good luck!!

Q. My friend has a hardwood floor which she says "floats". Just what does this mean? Do you recommend it?

A. A "floating" floor never actually gets glued together nor is it attached to the underlayment or existing floor. The pieces of flooring are made to interlock and when installed, a small space around the perimeter of your room is left for shifting and expansion.

These floors usually come with great warranties and if correctly installed give you an elegant look at a reasonable price and also prove to be quite durable over time. Many styles and colors are available.