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September 2001 |
A Little Grab'll Do Ya
 I
must admit I was a bit skeptical when I first saw the new Power
Grab product from LePage. According to the manufacturer, Power
Grab is strong enough to hold a brick weighing two kilograms
(4.4 pounds) to a wall after just 60 seconds of drying time.
I didn’t happen to have
any loose bricks that needed gluing to a wall but I did use
it to mount a small oak coat hook (it weighed about a pound)
and I must say I was quite impressed. Because the wall where
I wanted to mount the hook was painted, I scuffed up the area
with sandpaper before I squirted a good bead of Power Grab onto
the back of the hook and pressed it against the wall. After
holding it in place for about 60 seconds the hook held firm.
Less than an hour later the hook easily supported three coats.
The can is filled with compressed
air so you don’t need a caulking gun and the dispensing
tip is very easy to control, which means there is very little
waste. It’s also latex based, which makes for easy cleanup
with water.
As an adhesive Power Grab can
be used on everything from baseboards and crown moulding to
paneling, wainscoting and even carpeting. It’s not sandable
or waterproof but it can also be used as filler (it’s paintable)
for gaps and cracks when fixing such things as window frames,
door trim, chair rails and baseboards. Considering a 200-ml
can of Power Grab sells for about $9, I’d want to use it
sparingly as crack filler, but it may be just the right thing
if your application calls for a quick-set adhesive. For more
information contact www.lepageproducts.com
or 800-363-2378.
—Douglas Thomson |
 Mould
Free
Envirowall panels, first developed for mould problems that set
off environmental alarm bells in school portables, are now available
for residential use. If you happened to have a damp basement
you know it can be difficult to keep mould and mildew at bay.
It’s a common problem; the Canadian Mortgage and Housing
Corporation recently conducted a study that found more than
50% of Canadian homes have some amount of mould growth on their
basements walls.
Each panel is a sandwich of silicone
treated gypsum core faced with fiberglass mats on either side.
The outer-skin is a vinyl wrap treated with an antibacterial
additive. All that protection adds up to a panel that won’t
allow mould to grow.
The panels cut like conventional
drywall but are prefinished and join with vinyl strips and therefore
need no sanding, taping or even painting (although they can
be painted).
Although I prefer the look of
conventional drywall, if mould growth in the basement is a concern
it may be worth the trade off in appearance. Prices start at
$21.60 for 1/4" x 4' x 8' boards. For more information
contact Envirowall
at partition@aibn.com
or 416-252-5461.
—Douglas Thomson |
Sandblaster
 According
to 3M, the new Sandblaster line of sanding pads and paper sheets
cut three times faster and last three times longer than other
pads and paper.
I can’t honestly say that
the Sandblaster pads I tested lasted any longer than any other
pad I’ve used (the life span of a both paper and pads depends
on so many variables) but they did seem to hold their edge quite
well. The soft pads were handy to sand the turned legs of a
table I was refinishing. The paper sheets have a special tear-resistant
backing, which kept it tear free for longer than I expected.
The pads and papers come in three
ranges of grit: for stripping, bare-surface sanding and between-coat
sanding. For more information contact 3M
at www.mmm.com
or 800-494-3552.
—Douglas Thomson
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