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Wednesday August 18, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER B7 Homes & Gardens P oin ts to ponder w hen roofing The roofing on our house is over 15 years old and the majority o f the shin­ gles are broken or clawed. I want to reshingle the roof m yself but am not sure how to attack the job. Can you help me get started? No problem. Without getting too detailed, the fol­ lowing are some of your basic con­ siderations. First off, before adding a new layer of shin­ gles, you need to do an inspection of the roof: • Look for rot­ ting along the edges of eaves and on the sloped edges of the roof. • Make sure that fascia boards are sound and properly connected to the rafter tails. • Examine the flashing around •chimneys, vent stacks, and skylights. • Make sure that your attic area is properly ventilated before shingling. Any damage to these areas will have to be repaired before you can do anything else. Keep in mind that both the eavestarter and trough must be alu­ minum OR galvanized (the two metals are not compatible and the aluminum will corrode if they both are used). When calculating the amount of shingles you'll need, remember that when applied with the recommended overlap, three bundles will cover about 100 square feet (known as one square). If there is only one layer of shingles on the roof, remove any curled or dam­ aged shingles and replace them. This will ensure a sound starter course for the new shingles. If there is more than one layer, the extra shingles will have to be removed, since the roof rafters can't accommodate the additional weight. The first row of shingles is installed directly over the starter course. You'll need to offset the shingles, so the joints on the starter course are overlapped. Work on one side at a time, using four nails per shingle. The distance that the remaining rows will be offset is determined by the tab on the top of the shingle (about six inches from each end). Start the MARK MCCORMACK Ask the Experts next row against the tab and bring the shingle down to the point where the bottom of the tabs line up with the top of the fingers. This will help align each row. The shingles that enter the valley should be cut off along the chalk lines after each row. Remember to cut off the tips to pre­ vent leakage. h h h h h m m b b These tips should make cutting the shingles easier: • Use hooked blades specially made for cutting roofing. They'll _________________ fit in standard utility knives. • If you use straight blades, cut through the back of the shingle -- it's much easier that way. Use your knife to mark near the top and bottom edges on the front of the shingle. Then turn it over and cut down between the marks. Keep the knife blade clean. • Tin snips work well for cutting shingles. • Use a framing square or straight­ edge for more accurate cuts. • Hang on to the larger cut-off pieces. You can use them on the oppo­ site slope, or for ridge caps. I hope these general guidelines help you feel more confident about under­ taking this project yourself. It may sound like a daunting task, but there's plenty of information and experience at Lansing to guide you through it. Mark McCormack writes for Lansing Buildall stores. CRISP MODERN: Soft leaf-green velvet is correlated with abstract tapestry patterned pillows for a lux­ urious modern look and relaxing comfort. Stylicized arms are pleated and gently flared out to flow into the shaped tapered wood leg. This suite, by Sklar Peppier Furniture, was a category winner in the Trillium furni­ ture design competition sponsored by the Ontario Furniture Manufacturers Association. W ater features add to g arden 's feel The lure of water is irresistible, mesmerizing and relaxing all at the same time. Who wouldn't want to relax at home after a hard day beside a bubbling fountain or meandering water­ fall. Thanks to the many new water gardening products avail­ able at most garden centres, the attraction of water is accessi­ ble and affordable to any one with a balcony, patio or garden with space to spare. For apartment dwellers, a water feature can be as simple as a half whiskey barrel with a plastic liner and small water pump or water lotus. Those that have some ground in which to sink a pond have many alternatives, if they want to feature water in the garden. Golf bag can help organize garden tools (C o n tin u e d from p a g e B 8) both bury several inches into the soil and to reach a large container of water set slightly above the plant. If your vacation happens to be at the seaside, why not bring back some fresh oysters... and share them with your ferns! All you do is chop them up finely... the oysters that is... and work them into the soil around the ferns' roots with a dinner fork. Not only should this keep your ferns healthy, but also they'll probably... love you for it! And, finally, if you've just received a brand new golf bag for your birthday... lucky you!! But what are you going to do with your old one? Having covered all those miles with you, some a little rougher than others, it would be a pity to just turn it out to pasture. Why not use it to store all your gardening tools, like hoes, rakes, garden brooms, shovels, etc. Not only will this keep them neat and together, but the golf bag makes a handy carryall for toting them around the garden. Who knows, maybe you can rope the kids into being your caddy!! To order Graham Haley's 400-page hardcover Home Reference Book with over 2000 ingenious household tips, call 1-800-665-3692 or check out our website at www.haleyshints.com. Firstly, let's dispel any misconceptions about water gar­ dens. They are not difficult or tricky to maintain. If you pro­ vide the correct elements in the right location, a combination of plants and water will find a balance naturally. Ponds and waterfalls should be situated so they receive full sun all day. Plants can then be used to shade and cool the water which will help keep algae under control. In southern Ontario, ponds should be at least two feet deep If using a PVC or EPDM liner to make a pond, be sure it has been manufactured specifically for this purpose as some PVC plastic used in roofing is treated with chemicals which may harm fish and water plants. There are three different types of plants for ponds: oxy­ genators, floating plants and marginal plants. Oxygenators are necessary for water quality as they com­ pete with algae for nutrients and, in the process, keep the water pure and clear. Every pool needs oxygenating plants; try homwort that can be dropped into the water without plant­ ing; or elodea, a hardy, vigorous plant; or aromatic, aquatic mint. Floating plants include water hyacinths, duckweed and water lettuce. These help keep the pond clear of algae by shading the water and using up nutrients. You need to place enough floaters and water lilies in your pond so leaves cover about 60% of the water surface. The third kind of plants for water gardens are marginal plants. These are usually perennial marshland plants that are planted around the edge of ponds. Marginal plants include: cattail, sweet flag, arrowhead, water iris and marsh marigold. 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