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Q. I have a grand semicircular driveway made of 1/2- to 1-inch crushed stone. The stone is big enough to stay put when driven on, but one thing bothers me: lots of weeds growing in the driveway. How can I fix that, and permanently? It would cost $3,000 to pave the driveway, and I don’t want to do that.
You can keep the elegant stone driveway as long as you don’t barrel around it with all four wheels churning.
Pull the weeds; they will come out more easily than weeds that grow between bricks in a brick drive.
Then, with a sprinkling can, sprinkle a gallon of vinegar on the stones and weeds, once in June and once in mid-August.
It can be regular vinegar or white vinegar. The white is less pungent, but any odor will go away in hours. Vinegar is acid rain, and while it is not the best thing to do, it is a lot better than using an herbicide. Other plants will not be affected if the vinegar is kept away from them.
Q. I have a very nice, very old antique china cabinet, but it has no grooves for inserting dishes against the wall. So I plan to cut some into the shelves. How deep should they be and how far from the wall?
I don’t think there is an “official” depth or distance, so you can do as you please. I suggest an inch deep and 3/4 to 1 inch away from the wall.
Here’s an idea: Instead of cutting a groove, which might be awkward if the shelf is not removable, try gluing a tiny quarter-round away from the wall.
Q. My painting contractor is painting my house trim and suggested he paint the aluminum siding too, for a bargain price. The siding looks OK to me. What should I do?
The siding ain’t broke, so no one has to fix it.
You can wash it with a good detergent and water and rinse it with a garden hose, but not power-washing, which can get water behind the siding forever.
