Dear Sun Spots: Do you or any of your readers know of a
nondestructive way to remove fake brick and mortar that has been
applied to Sheetrock in a kitchen? Also, is there a way to remove tile
and grouting also saving the Sheetrock in the bath area? — No Name,
Lisbon Falls

Answer: For the fake brick, what Sun Spots found on the Internet
was not promising. It said that in a minority of cases the sheets are
nailed to the wall, and those come off fairly easily. But most are
applied with an adhesive, and that will damage the Sheetrock. One suggestion was to paint over the bricks, which would leave your wall with an unusual surface, but at least it would be a different color.

Sun Spots
did find some instructions on how to remove tile at
www.ehow.com/how_5005515_remove-bathroom-wall-tile.html. Those directions call for using a manual grout remover, putty knife and rubber mallet, but said that if you have a power drill you can buy a special bit to make the job easier.

The Web site said that completing this process without damaging the plaster or drywall underneath is tricky and requires a great deal of patience. It offered further tips at http://www.ehow.com/how_4964540_remove-tile-damaging-plaster-walls.html 

If you don’t
have a computer, take these links to the public library and ask the
librarian to print out the instructions for you. The process looks like
a great deal of work to Sun Spots!

Dear Sun Spots: One interesting item about the Vincent Bottling Co. was that their Coca-Cola bottles were about ¼-inch taller than all the other company bottles in the country.

Advertisement

Many times while working at the Farmington Coke plant in the 1950s, while sorting bottles for refilling, we would wind up with an uneven case of bottles in the stack.
The problem was always a taller Vincent bottle throwing off the pile.

All Coke bottles had the name of the owner on the bottom, and Vincent was the only one from all over the country that was a different size.  — Argie, No Town

• • •

Dear Sun Spots: We want to get the word out to all of the fabulous local crafters. Trinity Catholic School is having its fourth annual holiday festival on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the junior high school campus located on Main Street in Lewiston. Our festival has seen continued growth and popularity over the past few years, and a major element of the festival has been the participation of local crafters. We offer different size spaces and strive to accommodate individual requests. Please consider joining us this year at what is sure to be an exciting day. To request a registration form, or to ask any questions, please contact Heather Emery, Trinity Catholic School’s fundraiser liaison, at 784-8811. Thank you very much! – James Fortin, No Town

• • •

Dear Sun Spots: The tenants at the Townhouse, 74 Lake Auburn Ave., Auburn, will have their rummage sale Saturday, Oct. 3, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Items for sale will include home decor, bric-a-brac, baked good and tapes and records. — Grace Libby, Auburn

Advertisement

• • •

Dear Sun Spots: In your Sept. 4 column there was a crafter looking for craft fairs. On Oct. 17 and 18 the ninth New Gloucester Community Fair will be held at the fairgrounds. Anyone wanting more information can check the town’s Web site, www.newgloucester.com. About halfway down there is a link to the fair. Applications are on the site. For more information, call 926-4126, ext. 7. — Suzan R. Hawkins, New Gloucester Public Library

• • •


This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.