Question: I have exterior brick around the first floor level of my two-story house, but some of the mortar joints are crumbling and falling out.

I have been told that many need to be scraped out and then tuck pointed or replaced with new mortar.

A friend told me that to do this I would need a mason’s “hawk.’ This tool is held in one hand to hold some mortar while the other hand works to press new mortar cement into the joint.

But the price of a mason’s hawk seems quite high. Instead of this, can I simply carry the mortar to the wall in a small pail or use some other method?

Answer: You can actually make your own hawk by nailing a short length of broomstick handle or heavy dowel to the center of a 12-inch square of plywood so that the dowel points straight down under the plywood and acts like a handle. An even simpler way is to use, instead of a hawk, an ordinary dust pan (as shown in the illustration) to hold the mortar cement next to the joints while you are working. The pan will also serve to catch excess cement as it falls off.

Question: In the basement shower I have a bare concrete floor. However, no matter what kind of paint I use on the floor, it starts to peel off after a few weeks.

What kind of paint can I use that will stick to this concrete?

Answer: I would suggest using a two-part epoxy paint, rather than a conventional deck enamel.

Make sure you remove all of the old paint first with a heavy duty remover.

Then scrub clean with detergent, making certain you remove all soap scum in corners and edges.

After cleaning, mop on a solution of muriatic acid (one part acid mixed with five parts water) and let this soak on the surface for about five minutes. (Make sure you wear protective gloves and goggles whenever you use caustic substances like muriatic acid.)

If the shower has a metal-rimmed drain, remove it before using the acid.

Then rinse off with lots of water and let dry before painting.

Question: I plan to replace some of the wood windows in our house with others that are more energy-efficient.

Which do you think is better, wood or vinyl windows?

Answer: If top quality units are purchased and properly installed by competent builders, they will normally be equally efficient.

Just make sure that if you order vinyl windows you examine a full size model to make certain it does not twist or distort easily.

There should also be a thermal barrier built into the frame to keep heat from being transferred easily from inside to outside.

2003 Bernard Gladstone