Article: Before tiling over old linoleum, check for asbestos

Q. The nails are popping out of my wood clapboards. How can I get them back in and keep them in? M.B., Dorchester

A. Sometimes all you have to do is tap them back in; if they hold as you tap, they should stay for a few more years. If they don't, they won't stay put because the wood has shrunk, causing the loosening. In that case, replace the nails with slightly larger ones, or ones that will hold as you drive them in. Or, pull the loose nails and renail an inch or so away from the old nails.

Q. I would like to put some new self-stick tiles over old linoleum, but some of the linoleum has curled and broken, leaving shallow holes. How can I fill those holes so the linoleum will be even and ...

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