E. H., Atkinson, N.H.

A. If the brick has not been sealed in any manner, then cleaning stains will be doubly difficult. But we Americans don't use our cleaners properly. We scrub our floors with all kinds of cleaners, but are not quite satisfied. That is because we do not let the cleaner do its work to dissolve the dirt and stains. This is what to do: Make a double-strength solution of TSP or Spic and Span and water, apply this heavily to the floor, and let it sit there for several minutes. Then scrub, and take up all liquids with the wet vac.

This will at least clean the brick, but may not remove all the stains, particularly if they are oily. The only way to get oily stains out is to apply paint thinner, then add generous amounts of baking soda to absorb the thinner and the stains.

Finally, if the bricks are reasonably clean, you can seal them with a masonry sealer or tile sealer, which will make the bricks a little more water resistant and therefore stain resistant.

Q. The mason who rebuilt my deteriorating brick steps did a crackerjack job, but left the steps messy, all smeared with mortar. How can I get rid of that mortar? Nothing seems to touch it.

JEFFREY FREEDMAN, Newton

A. Nothing will touch the mortar except chipping, and muriatic acid. The mason should have done this himself, or at least suggested how you could get rid of the excess mortar. Buy muriatic acid in a hardware or paint store or building supply store. Mix it half-and-half with water (always pour the acid into the water), and pour or paint this solution on the mortar. The mortar will fizz up; when it stops fizzing, you can hose it off; if it is a little stubborn, scrub it with a wire brush and rinse. Wear skin and eye protection when working with acid. Repeat as necessary.

Q. I dug up an area 4 inches deep for a sidewalk I plan to pave with bricks, setting them in stone dust. A man said I should put in crushed stone under the stone dust before putting the bricks on top. Is that crushed stone necessary? The sidewalk is on hardpan.

TOM, from Walpole

A. While crushed stone is desirable under a lot of paving to provide drainage, I don't think its is necessary, especially since you would have to dig deeper to provide room for the stone. Since it is on hardpan, however, it would be helpful.

The standard procedure for a brick-in-stone dust (or sand) sidewalk or patio is 2 inches of stone dust. That means digging down about 5 inches to provide room for the bricks.

Q. My old condo has an exposed brick wall that is kind of nice, except the brick is dirty and the mortar is crumbling. I heard that muriatic acid will clean the bricks. Will it? Also, a plaster medallion in the middle of the living room ceiling has so many coats of paint that they are obscuring the nice looking carving of the medallion. How can I remove that paint to reveal detail in the plaster?

A.M., Boston

A. Muriatic acid will clean the mortar off the bricks, but nothing else; the acid attacks only the lime in the mortar and any lime that may be in the bricks. Since the mortar is crumbling, trying to wash the wall could take out even more mortar. Unless you repoint the bricks, (chipping out the old mortar and inserting new mortar, a tedious, difficult job), I suggest you brush down the bricks with a broom and nothing more. Applying a masonry sealer might stabilize the mortar, but it also may darken the brick. I repeat. Leave well enough alone.

As for the anaglyph (great word for a medallion, isn't it?), chemical paint remover is your only choice, and you have to apply it to the medallion in place; you can't easily take it down so you could work on it more easily. I, for one, would not attempt taking it down; there's a high risk of breaking the thing.

For your purposes, I think a stripper called CitriStrip will do nicely, and is less toxic than regular paint remover that contains methylene chloride. Even with CitriStrip, use lots and lots of ventilation. Put down heavy tarps to catch the paint as it is scraped off. With luck, and removing all the paint, you may not have to repaint the medallion for a while.

Q. I know how you feel about painting brick, but I want to paint my brick exterior. What can I use? I also want to change the color.

DAVID PAUPLIS, Hudson

A. If you want to change the color, I presume the brick is already painted. So, sand the old finish to roughen it and reduce gloss, if any. Then apply two thin coats of a latex house paint or solid-color stain. Three coats of stain might be necessary if you go from light to dark or dark to light. Changing color will probably be OK, but be warned that if the new paint or stain peels, revealing the original color, the contrast betwen the old and new color will make a bigger mess than you have now. So, if you do change the color, try not to change it too drastically.

Q. I took down the dry wall along a sink wall, revealing brick. Would that brick make a good backsplash? There is wood strapping secured to the brick; it was used to hold the dry wall. There is a gap left between counter and brick? What can I fill it with? Should I treat the brick? If so, how?

B.F., Brookline

A. The brick will make a good backsplash, but you have to treat it to make it water resistant. You can treat it with a masonry sealer, or a mix of 1 part boiled linseed oil and 1 part paint thinner. For the latter, apply it thickly, wait 15 minutes, then wipe it all off (or all that will come off) with a dry cloth. Dispose of oily cloths safely by burning them. If you don't burn the cloths, they can ignite spontaneously. And if you don't wipe off excess oil, it will stay sticky forever. One more thing: While it is not recommended to varnish brick, I think this will work in your case. Use an oil-based, high- gloss polyurethane, two coats. Two thin coats.

And, you can cut the strapping if you like. As for the gap, cover it with a quarter-round molding.

Q. Can I paint the fireplace in my living room. The red brick is OK, basically, but it is dark and makes the whole room dark, and doesn't go with anything.

K.G., Maynard

A. You certainly may paint brick, but heaven help you if you do. Haven't you heard the Handyman's clarion call that there is a place in hell for people who paint brick? Actually, the rule against painting brick (no law, but just a spontaneous opinion of the Handyman) is mainly for people in the future who want to take it off. It is difficult, tedious and miserable to remove paint from brick.

End of sermon.

At least your reasons to paint are legitimate. And this is how to do it; it is really quite simple. Clean it first with a strong solution of detergent and water. Then paint with two coats of a latex wall paint or a latex solid stain.

When you sell the house, don't tell anyone that you painted the brick. Blame it on the Handyman.

Q. My front steps are brick, with the top layer of brick on each tread cantilevered out just an inch, making a one-inch overhang. Ten of the bricks have cracked and broken. Is there any easy way to replace them?

JIM BROWN, Canton

A. No other way than chipping them out with a cold chisel and hammer, and it is not easy. When chipping, use a mason's hammer, which is heavier than a standard hammer and will provide the needed oomph to chip that mortar.

Chip out the mortar between good and bad bricks; the more you chip out the sooner you will get the old brick out. If the brick breaks up as you chip, keep going, keep chipping.

With a brick removed, make sure you take out any remaining mortar. Buy new bricks to match, and wet down the opening you made by chipping out the brick. Butter the bottom of the opening, butter the sides and ends of the replacement brick with mortar (a good mortar is Sacrete's or Quickrete's mortar mix), sold in hardware and building supply stores.

With the new brick in place, add more mortar in the joint, and press it down with a pointing tool, an inexpenive steel bar shaped like an elongated ``S.'' Press the mortar very compactly; otherwise it will fail.

Don't worry about getting mortar on the face of the bricks; and don't try to wipe it off; you can scoop it off with a trowel, but leave the rest in place. Next day or any time after you finish the job, buy muriatic acid at a hardware, building supply or paint store. Mix one part water with one part acid; always pour the acid into the water and apply this to the mortar on the face of the bricks. It will dissolve this excess mortar; wait until the fizzing stops. Then, scrub with a scrub brush and rinse. Repeat if necessary. Wear skin and eye protection when working with acid.

One other way might be easier, and despite being temporary, could last a number of years. If you can find any broken pieces that will fit onto the broken brick, you can try gluing them with an epoxy adhesive. The handyman did this some years ago and the repair lasted as long as five years.

But now, the handyman has exactly the same situation as you do, and will get around to doing the project one of these weekends.

Q. My brick foyer floor looks great. What do you recommend covering it with?

RENEE GLAZIER, Newton

A. I really recommend nothing, because any finish will need renewing from time to time, and brick is a perfectly good floor, although it gets dirty and is difficult to clean.

OK, for a finish, try Future, the kitchen floor acrylic ``wax.'' It will darken the brick but brighten the color. But be warned that some people have had very bad results from using Future. So, to protect you and the handyman, try a small area with the Future. If it looks good and does not cause any white spots, then go ahead.

Another finish is boiled linseed oil, cut half and half with paint thinner. Apply this, let it sit for 15 minutes, then wipe up all that is left with a dry cloth. Dispose of oily cloths safely by burning them. You can repeat this treatment at any time. Again, if you are skittish about this sort of treatment, try a small area to see how it looks and stands up under traffic; if you are satisfied, then go whole hog with the hall.

Q. My grandson wrote on a brick fireplace with crayons. How can I remove it?

ANN-CAROL LIPSHIRES, Canton

A. Toothpaste and brushing (with an old toothbrush, thank you) removes crayon marks from almost anyuthing, says Marguerite Jablonski of Medfield. Or, try De-Solv-It, sold in hardware stores. Even paint thinner, librally applied and maybe scrubbed, may do it. Of course, scrape off the gross part with a knife.

If all else fails, try the old iron and brown paper trick. Tape brown paper over the stain, and run a hot iron over it. The heat melts the wax and the paper sucks it right up. If you see the paper changing color, you know that it is working. Move the paper a bit and apply the iron again.

Q. My old brick outdoor steps are in good shape, but are all black and sooty in many places. How can I clean them?

JULIA HIRSCH, Hampton Roads, Va.

A. You have three things that need attention: dirt, soot, and mildew. For the mildew, wash the steps with a solution of 1 part bleach and 3 parts water.

For dirt and soot, wash the steps with a strong solution of Spic and Span or TSP Cleaner. For both, add a cup of bleach to the wash water.

And, here's something new for soot and dirt, brought to the handyman's attention by his friend Jerry Morris, Globe travel editor: Jerry found this at a hardware store: Soil & Soot remover, a sponge that uses no water. It costs $2.99 at some hardware stores. Morris says it works wonderfully, on ceiling, walls and brick. It might be hard to find, but it's out there.

Q. What's the best way to build a brick terrace? One contractor suggested laying bricks in stone dust rather than sand. How can I keep weeds down if the terrace is in the sun? And what about a border for this terrace?

BETH PRICE, Jamaica Plain

A. You don't have to be concerned for a while because this is not the time to excavate, lay down a base and then the bricks. So you have plenty of time to plan.

Stone dust is the best thing you can lay bricks in, if you don't use mortar. Stone dust packs down better than sand, and no matter which you use, only 2 inches is needed. Excavate about 4 1/2 inches, which will accommodate 2 inches of stone dust and the thickness of the brick. Be sure to butt the bricks close together so that they are touching, then sweep stone dust into the joints. You don't want to have a wide joint in this ``dry'' setup.

Any loose-brick pavement area -- patio, terrace, sidewalk -- needs a border. If the terrace is flush with the ground, you can put in soldier bricks -- bricks set in the ground on their long ends. If the terrace is raised anywhere from 2 or so inches and up, it would be better to use concrete patio blocks or pressure-treated timbers.

If the terrace is in the sun, put agricultural cloth on the ground before applying the stone dust. This cloth will allow drainage but will pretty well prevent weeds from coming up. The cloth is sold at garden and building supply centers. Or, put down black, perforated plastic.

Q. I removed most of the paint on my fireplace with three or four coats of Peel-Away. I tried removing the remainder with a wire wheel on a drill, but it was damaging the brick. How can I can I remove the clay-like material left by the Peel-Away?

K.H., Newton

A. If it's really clay, you could soak it with water, really soak it, leave it on as long as practical, and scrape and scrub it off. If that doesn't work, use ordinary paint remover, such as 5F5. I have found that once most of the paint is off, I can get the rest off by using a liquid paint remover, instead of the semipaste stuff, then scrubbing with the coarsest steel wool I can find. I never want to do that job again, though.

And for the paint remaining in the pores of the brick, touching each one with a little remover and picking it out with a sharp tool is the only way. I soon stopped doing that, too, being content with leaving those pores filled with paint. And the result is satisfactory, certainly better than painted brick.

Q. I tried using TSP (trisodium phosphate) and water to clean the soot off the bricks of my basement fireplace but it did not work. What can I use to clean off the soot? A friend suggested muriatic acid.

H.M., Westwood

A. The muriatic acid will do nothing, because the acid attacks only the lime in the mortar and is used only to remove mortar that is spilled or slopped on places where it is not supposed to be, such as the face of the bricks. The TSP should have worked, so try again, with a stronger solution, but apply the solution to the brick and let it sit there for two or three minutes; this allows the TSP to do its work of dissolving the dirt. Add more of this solution if the original application is evaporating. If that still doesn't work, try mechanic's hand soap, the yellow or pink gel that comes in a can.

Q. My brick stoop and steps need repair; there are cracks in the mortar joints, some straight, some diagonal, but not through the bricks. The base of the stoop has dropped a bit. One mason said he'd repair it for $350. Another said he'd rebuild it for $1,275. Who should I hire?

M.R., Quincy

A. The stoop dropped because it may not be on a good foundation, and fixing it might be quite an undertaking, although sometimes such a dropped stoop can be jacked up, and sand filler inserted to make it more stable.

Then again, if it has not dropped too much, you can live with it. The man who suggests repairs will probably chip out mortar and put in new mortar, which is a good idea because those cracks can take in water, and when that water freezes and expands, it could break up the mortar and possibly the bricks.

The man who suggests rebuilding may jack it up or tear it down and rebuild it on a proper footing.

But that doesn't answer your question, does it? To determine who you should hire, you have to get more information; what does ``repair'' entail and what does ``rebuild'' entail? Armed with that extra information, and the condition of the stoop and steps and your pocketbook, you will be able to make the right decision.

Q. Some of my brick foundation is painted, the paint is peeling and some of the bricks are sort of sloughing off, but only an eighth of an inch or so. How can I stop that, and stop the paint from peeling? In other areas, both brick and concrete, the paint is fine.

A CALLER

A. Your best bet is to get rid of the paint by wirebrushing and letting the remainder wear off. It wll take time. The sloughing off of the brick is called spalling, and is caused by moisture trapped behind the paint and in small spaces in the brick, where it freezes, pushing the face of the brick right off.

You're lucky that the paint on other bricks and concrete is good; it might be a cement-base paint that penetrates concrete, fills pores and makes the material water resistant.

But in the long run, avoid painting concrete and bricks.

Q. My front steps are made of brick with bluestone treads, about eight years old. The steps are in good shape, but there is a white powder coming out of the bricks where they form the front of the steps. What is that white powder and what can I do about it? Does it hurt anything?

JOHN VARRON, Sherborn

A. That white powder is efflorescence, and it is harmless. From the Latin word ``to flower,'' it is lime leached out of the mortar (usually not the bricks, which contain no lime) by water. Scrub it off with a dry, stiff-bristled brush. Or, scrub with detergent and water and rinse. Or, make a dilute solution of muriatic acid and water (1 part acid to 5 parts water -- always pour the acid into the water) and paint this on the brick riser, which is the front part of the step. Rinse. It probably will come back, but you can't keep it from coming back.

Q. My brick stoop and steps need repair; there are cracks in the mortar joints, some straight, some diagonal, but not through the bricks. The base of the stoop has dropped a bit. One mason said he'd repair it for $350. Another said he'd rebuild it for $1,275. Who should I hire?

M.R., Quincy

A. The stoop dropped because it may not be on a good foundation, and fixing it might be quite an undertaking, although sometimes such a dropped stoop can be jacked up, and sand filler inserted to make it more stable.

Then again, if it has not dropped too much, you can live with it. The man who suggests repairs will probably chip out mortar and put in new mortar, which is a good idea because those cracks can take in water, and when that water freezes and expands, it could break up the mortar and possibly the bricks. The man who suggests rebuilding may jack it up or tear it down and rebuild it on a proper footing.

But that doesn't answer your question, does it? To determine who you should hire, you have to get more information; what does ``repair'' entail and what does ``rebuild'' entail? Armed with that extra information, and the condition of the stoop and steps and your pocketbook, you will be able to make the right decision.

Q. A man suggested spraying my 65-year-old brick house with a sealant, to make the bricks waterproof. The house was built by my father, who was an Italian bricklayer. Is spraying it with a sealant a good idea?

MARION RAGANTINO, Quincy

A. It's not necessarily so. If the house is not leaking nor the mortar deteriorating, there is no need to seal the bricks. They may be absorbing a little water, but it will evaporate in dry weather. If the mortar is crumbling or deteriorating in any way, it can be chipped out and new mortar inserted. It is called repointing, and will make the walls as good as new for another 50 years or so. Besides, if any sealing is not done right, the sealer can trap moisture in the bricks, making things worse. The right way to seal is to use Chimney Saver water repellent, which seals the bricks against outside water and weather but allows water vapor to escape through it; in other words, if water does get in the bricks, it will evaporate through the chimney saver. The water repellent is not sold retail; it must be applied by a chimney sweep or other professional.

It is the handyman's feeling that since your house was built by an Italian bricklayer, it will be good for many more years. The handyman's father-in-law was a Sicilian brickie, and his house in Connecticut is in excellent shape 42 years after he built it.

Q. Our house was built two years ago. The exterior is unpainted gray/black/white/red brick. We have mud stains on the brick 18 to 24 inches from the ground. The builder has been of no help. How can I get rid of those stains?

GRACE REA, Greenfield, Ind.

A. The contractor could have at least suggested ways to remove the stains and keep them from coming back. Obviously, the water running off the roof is spilling onto the earth below and splashing back up against the brick. So, try this: Scrub the mud stains with a stiff bristle (not wire) brush and plenty of water. Or, have the stains power-washed. If you can't find a power washing company, you can rent a power washer at a rental store. A garden hose might be strong enough to do the job.

To avoid that mud splashing in the future, dig a small trench 18 inches wide and 3 to 6 inches deep along the wall, and fill it with crushed stone. You may get splashing, but it will be cleaner water, and a lot less splashing because of the softness of the stone.

Another technique is to install a concrete apron along the wall, 18 inches deep and 6 inches thick, slightly sloped for drainage. The depth of the trench or the apron depends on how wide your roof overhang is. If the roof overhang is 18 inches, then make the trench or apron at least 24 to 30 inches deep; by deep I mean from the wall outward.

Plant foundation plantings around the house, but not under the drip line.

Since you are getting those mud stains, you may not have gutters on the house. While I do not like gutters in most cases, gutters on your house might help prevent water cascading over the roof edge from falling on the ground below and causing the stains. If possible, avoid gutters.

Q. I am installing a brick-in-sand sidewalk. If I keep going level, the walk will end up 2 1/2 inches above the driveway. I have to go another 6 feet; could I slope the sidewalk so it will be level with the driveway?

FRANK DRISCOLL, Walpole

A. If you started sloping the sidewalk the last 6 feet, the slope will be nearly a half-inch per foot, a pretty good slope. While it would look a little awkward, it will work. But you'd be better off backing off another 4 feet so the slope will be along a 10-foot length. That would mean the slope is a quarter-inch per foot. I just drew those slopes on paper, and while both would be unobtrusive, I think the lesser slope along a longer stretch will be more satisfactory. And since the sidewalk is brick in sand, it is simply a bit of labor to back off 4 feet.

Q. I bought a house built in the 1930s, and one of my first chores is to strip five coats of paint off the fireplace brick. Is there a fast, easy way to do it?

SCOTT STODDARD, Spokane, Wash.

A. Well, yes there is. Pay some long-suffering painter to do it. OK, enough frivolity. No, there is no fast, easy way to do it. It is hard, frustrating work, and when you are halfway done you will say, ``Why did I ever start it?'' But hope springs eternal, because many of us have done this, including the handyman, and here's how: Use Peel Away, or a methylene chloride stripper such as Stripeeze or 5F5. Use lots and lots of ventilation when working with the compound, because it is toxic. Apply a coat, let it sit for 15 mintues, and start scraping with a wide, stiff putty knife. If only the top layer of paint softens, then don't scrape; apply another coat of stripper. It works through itself and will get to lower layers of paint. Repeat this procedure until you get pretty well down to the brick. Apply another coat of stripper and scrub with very coarse steel wool. Wear rubber gloves and protect other areas of skin and your eyes. Finally, you may have to switch to a liquid stripper rather than the gel stripper; the liquid may get into the pores and other nooks and crannies of the brick better than the gel.

There are citrus-based strippers such as Citristrip, which are safer to use than the methylene chloride types, but they are likely to work slower.

Q. Do I have to waterproof the bricks on my new outdoor steps? I was told I should seal them.

J.S., Boston

A. There is no need to apply sealer, which will temporarily waterpoof them. But they are already waterproof, or as waterproof as any masonry can get. Sit tight and do nothing, and be happy with good-looking brick steps. If they get dirty, you can treat them with bleach and water, or be philosophical about outdoor floors and sidewalks, which will get dirty no matter what you do, but not too dirty; besides, rain will help keep them as clean as they are going to get. To seal bricks, you have to apply a masonry sealer every year or two. Who needs that maintenance chore?

Q. I have to redo my front brick steps, several of which have broken off at the edges; some have cracked, then broke off; others are cracked, and I am concerned they will go, too. I was told the entire set of steps has to be replaced. Is that necessary?

LOUIS SPEZZAFERO, Winchester

A. Not necessarily. If, say, 25 percent of the bricks are cracked/broken, then replace only those. Bricks on treads like yours overhang the riser by one-half to three-fourths inch; pressure for years on this overhang, like feet landing on it, can crack bricks. A cracked brick is a broken one, sooner or later.

To replace a brick, chip out the mortar with a cold chisel and hammer. Use a heavy mason's mallet; a standard hammer is too light. Then chip out the brick, breaking it up if necessary to do so. Buy mortar mix and new bricks, and set each one in its place, lined with mortar, making sure the mortar is tightly packed. Be sure to buy hard bricks, not common ones.

If more than 50 percent of the bricks are involved, then rebuilding the steps is best. If you don't like the bricks overhanging each step, you can have the steps rebuilt without the overhang, or a lesser overhang. It won't look as good, but you might avoid cracked and broken bricks in the future.

Q. The brick chimney is crumbling in my basement. I can't rebuild the chimney; is there anything else I can do to stop or deter the crumbling?

H.R., Onset

A. The only thing that might deter future crumbling is to make the basement as dry as possible. Ventilate the basement in summer and dehumidify, if necessary, in winter. The crumbling is caused by moisture, called rising damp. Reducing moisture might make a difference.

To keep the chimney intact, build a concrete berm around it. Set form boards around the chimney, all four sides if possible. This will form a box, or a three-sided box if the chimney butts up against the foundation. Make it 4 to 12 inches away from the chimney. Then pour concrete into the gap between chimney and form. You can leave the forms in place, but be sure to secure the forms so the weight of the concrete does not buckle the form or push it out of the way.

You can make the forms any height, from maybe 2 feet to near ceiling height.