Thursday, June 26, 2003
Playland Door addslight, fun to kid's room
You can add both light and a sense of whimsy to a child's room with Signamark's new Playland Door, an interior door with a frosted-glass center etched with childhood themes.
The window is made of tempered glass for safety and is frosted overall to provide privacy while still emitting light. It's decorated with playful images using a ceramic frit coating, which is baked into the glass. The process creates a smooth finish that's easier to clean than glass that's been etched by sandblasting, according to the company.
The door is available in pine, red oak and a paintable finish, and comes in various widths.
Signamark doors are available at Home Depot stores. Suggested retail prices start at $325.
Fungus in mulch putsblack spots on house
Q. We have a problem in that we end up with black spots all over the side of our house and windows. The black spots (some type of spore or fungus?) seem to be the result of the wood bark mulch we have in the gardens next to our house. Is there a solution? A spray for the mulch? A mulch that will not do this? Or is the only solution not to have mulch next to the house?
A. Those nasty, tarry spots come from shotgun fungus, which typically grows during wet periods on decaying organic matter such as wood mulch.
The fungus starts as a cream-colored or orange-brown cup that's barely noticeable, but it shoots spores toward surfaces that reflect light.
Unfortunately, the spots are difficult if not impossible to remove without damaging the surface, especially after they've been in place a couple of weeks. You can try a good detergent and lots of effort or consult a professional power washer, but you may not get the spots off.
Ohio State University specialists say that to stop further spotting, you must remove the mulch. Replace it with one that's less susceptible to the fungus, such as pink bark or cypress mulch, or a mulch that's not wood-based. Mulch made from ground scrap wood is the most susceptible, especially if it's freshly ground and hasn't been composted. The fungus can also grow on hardwood bark mulch if it's applied more than 2 inches deep.
You can lessen the chance of a recurrence by loosening matted mulch in the spring.