LESLIE: Now we’re got Doreen from Oregon calling in with some sort of basement wall issue. What’s going on?
DOREEN: Yes, I have a little leaky basement.
LESLIE: OK.
DOREEN: And there’s a spare bedroom and some of the walls got wet. So I had a friend take out the lower portion where the wall was damaged and put some – plaster it. And it seems to have a bulge in it. I painted the walls green. It has a bulge and I was wondering do I sand it to get rid of that bulge or should I cover it with something darker to hide it.
TOM: Is this bulge a buildup of what you’re calling plaster? And by the way, when you say plaster, do you mean drywall?
DOREEN: He put drywall and plastered it and I can’t understand why. Why would he plaster?
TOM: (overlapping voices) OK. OK. OK. Because you have to.
LESLIE: Yeah, you have to cover; you can’t just leave the raw paper.
TOM: You have to cover the seams. Right.
DOREEN: Oh, I see. OK.
TOM: Well, you mean he plastered over the whole drywall?
DOREEN: Well, hmm. That’s interesting. I wonder if he was trying to match something. That used to be a way that walls were built a long time ago but I don’t know why your friend did it. (chuckles) But if it’s the bulge …
LESLIE: (chuckles) Well, he works on houses and …
TOM: Well, I’m sure he was trying to do his best for you, Doreen. But if the bulge is made up because of some extra spackle that was there or extra plaster, certainly no reason you can’t sand that down. Just be careful you don’t sand down too much because if you go through the paper surface, you’re not going to be a happy puppy because it will look very, very bad.
DOREEN: Maybe I should have gotten a professional. (chuckles)
LESLIE: No. Give your friend the benefit.
TOM: Yeah, give him a break. He’s trying to help you out.
DOREEN: I know he is. (all chuckle) OK.
TOM: Doreen, thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
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