The Journal News from White Plains, New York • Page 51

THE JOURNAL-NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1987 F3 A few quick tricks to avoid tedious furniture refinishing Complete refinishi commercial wax remover, always being certain to follow recommended safety practices. When something is strong enough to take off wax, it usually is flammable. Provide plenty of ventilation and don't smoke while working. Cigar and cigarettes ashes are mild abrasives that sometimes work. Camphorated oil and a paste wax are other possibilities.

The powdered pumice-oil method is perhaps the best for nearly all kinds of rubbing, but must be handled extra carefully. That's because it cuts a bit faster than rottenstone. And it must be checked to see there are no impurities or tiny, almost invisible foreign objects in it. The tiniest grain of anything in the powder may leave unsightly scratches. A clean pad of felt is considered excellent for the Either oil or water may be used with the pumice powder, but water should be avoided if the finish is shellac.

The water may leave whiteness on the shellac. However, using water with the pumice enables it to cut very well without leaving an oily residue. Oil, on the other hand, slows down the cutting action, which can be a benefit to a novice wood finisher, giving him a little leeway in the error department. Hiding or disguising scratches or other blemishes must be done only after any wax on that wood has been removed. Use a solvent or can be utilized to cover a scratch is iodine, just as it comes from the bottle for an ordinary dark finish, but thinned with denatured alcohol for a light finish.

The iodine must be handled carefully to avoid damaging a finely finished surface, so apply it with something like a toothpick or the end of an artist's tiny brush. Mix a little linseed oil with a tinting color if a precise color match is essential. Test it first on an unconspicuous part of the furniture, such as the underside, to determine how it will look. The meat of a walnut or butternut often will give you the color you want. Rub it well into the scratch.

You can buy a wax stick that will accomplish the same thing. In the absence of one, a crayon from a child's crayon set -jvuu VII your furniture sometimes can be averted if the blemishes or other irregularities are not too severe. Minor scratches and other fairly inconspicuous marks can be covered or disguised with simple items you may have around the home or can easily obtain. Ordinary paste shoe polish, for example, usually will hide a scratch in a varnished or lacquered finish. Try to match the polish with the color of the finish, using a brown, tan or black polish to blend with the tone of the wood.

When the repaired area has been buffed thoroughly, it will take on a gloss, fine for a piece of glossy furniture but not feasible for one without a shine. Another household product that ON THE HOUSE BY ANDY LANG may be used effectively. Other possibilities are shellac or a tiny amount of an oil stain. Slightly larger blemishes often will yield to a little rottenstone powder and oil. In all these applications, care must be exercised to avoid creating new problems.

White rings or other white marks on furniture require special attention and often call for the rottenstone and oil treatment after the whiteness has been removed. If the rottenstone doesn't seem to have done the job, do the same thing with powdered pumice. The steps may be done in reverse order. The techniques of using varnish, shellac, lacquer, stain, bleach, remover, are detailed in Andy Lang's booklet, "Wood Finishing in the Home," which can be obtained by sending 50 cents and a long, stamped, self-addressed envelope to Know-How, P.O. Box 477, Huntington, NY 11743.

The Absolute Most Townhome for the Money PRESENTING THE TIMBERLINE Beverly Hills wins new label: 'economically distressed' COM) tance. "We have not paid a whole lot of attention to this whole program because it's not suited to our particular needs," she said. In a federal evaluation of 10,000 cities, Beverly Hills was ranked at the 49th percentile on a 100-point system, where a one rating signifies the greatest need. Critics say the rating points to a bias in the eligibility criteria toward Eastern cities, which tend to be older and grow more slowly than Western towns and therefore rank higher in measures of distress. "We've got to use standardized data.

It's probably the only way to be as close to fair as possible," said Jack Flynn, a Department of Housing and Urban Development BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. This glamorous city where famous streets are traveled by Rolls Royces en route to Gucci and Giorgio is down in the dumps over a federal rating that defines it as economically distressed. City residents take home an average of $38,000 a year, among the highest in the state. Vast estates secured behind iron gates tell of greater wealth. Yet the federal goverment says Beverly Hills is qualified to apply for $56 million a year in business development grants for small cities suffering "physical and economic distress." Absent from the new list by the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development are such small desert communities as Banning, Blythe and Barstow, where dusty roads crowned by convenience markets are more common than boulevards lined with luxury shops. "This has got to be the all-time example that there is something wrong with the method they use to determine eligible cities. It's kind of bizarre," said Ronald Lindsey, assistant redevelopment director for Maywood, where the average resident makes about 60 percent less than a Beverly Hills dweller. Federal officials said the listing is a fluke, adding that Beverly Hills is unlikely to receive a grant. While Beverly Hills has a sizable collection of poor elderly residents, city grant specialist Audrey Arlington said the city has no intention of applying for federal assis ll La MAXlMUM 1'hc At ol active contemporary living has dawned at Timhcrlinc Rockland's most exciting luxury townhome community Come up anil see how wonderful your new home can In-! FEATURES INCLUDE Large Master Bedroom Flexible Loftspace 1 Vt ceramic tile baths 2 car garage with interior access European style kitchen with breakfast bar GF.

appliances including microwave, dishwasher, disposal, washer dryer Economical gas heat Central AC Sundeck more BR Xk v.jS 2J 1th I I I i Altman's new owner to build on upward office tower. B.A.T. also said it planned to expand the Saks chain, but Hooker did not make a similar announcement about the six-store Altman chain. The other Altman stores are located in metropolitan New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Hooker, an Australian retailer and developer, also owns the Bon-wit Teller chain.

PRICED FROM $164,250. 3 other furnished models-priced from $150,000. Close to White Plains 45 mins. to NYC POOL, TENNIS CLUBHOUSE ON PREMISES Inc lusive Agents: Don McCiralh Associates 914-426-0700 Directions From lappan Zee Hriilf: Take NYS Thnm.iv to I xil UN Palisades Parkway North. Slay on Palisailcs to I xil lit l.ili io IrafTic U0l lilt jk.iiii until Middlelown Hil (hi shun disunie wan for light Smilh Koad on nhi Slay on Sninh nil Kingsgau Parkway Make riln onlo kinKUe Ht wali (or TimhrrliiK' sins Offered by prospei lus only (TimbcrlincJ The Associated Press NEW YORK Hooker Corp.

which earlier this month assumed full control of B. Altman announced Monday it plans to add six new floors of office space to Altman's flagship store on Fifth Avenue. The project, which still requires the approval of city officials, would allow Hooker to run real estate and retailing operations in one building. Hooker said in a statement it would consolidate the Fifth Avenue store's approximately 405,000 square feet of retail space on five floors. Some 360,000 square feet of office space would house Altman and Hooker administrative offices and a number of tenants, said Lloyd Kaplan, a spokesman for Olshan-Kazis Realty the developer for the project.

The landmark 80-year-old store, which occupies a full block between Fifth and Madison avenues and 34th and 35th streets near the Empire State Building, currently has eight floors on the Fifth Avenue side and 13 on Madison Avenue. Last month, B.A.T. Industries PLC of Britain announced plans to expand and renovate its flagship Saks Fifth Avenue store as part of the construction of an adjacent TOWNHOMES OF DISTINCTION AT CLARKSTOWN, KOCKIAND COUNTY SPECIAL OFFERING CATCH OUR FIXED RATE MORTGAGE NO POINTS. SPRIG FEVER Brand-new townhomes in New York's most successful community-available for occupancy this May. Full colors may lie past lliclr peak- Iml the sdliii); excitement at Whispering Hills keeps nn climbing! And il'ymi acl riglil now, you can watch the spring bloom from a new point of view Choose among big, beautiful single level or duplex cniulo minium lownhomes wilh all your favorite features included I or bedrooms' I 'p to 2'.

liallis! Attached garage wilh interior access! Heat radiating, woodhurning fireplace1 Hush curveting! Dramatic cathedral ceilings' Sliding glass doors to private patio or deck' Modem kitchen with gas oven, deluxe dishwasher, and more! Washer and dryer hookups! Fcononiical gas heal! Superior insulation package! Maintenance-free, vinyl siding1 Private swimming pool' Tennis courts! Sundecks' Fabulously equipped clubhouse1 Inclusive community "jitney" to transport residents to nearby buses and trains, Middlelown shopping malls anil oilier services! Hus the incredible benefits of home ownership Important tax deductions! The opportunity to build equity' LORNA ESTATES PRICES START AT $399,000 Your Chok of enter hall Colonial with 4 bedrooms. lyi baths or. bedrooms with hill baths. Ranches, or your plans Tudor. Charleston.

Ororgian or Contemporary frontal designs we build houses is if we were going to live in them ourselves And that's just the beginning Wood-burning fireplace 24-foot pressure treated sundeck Healthful, relaxing Jacuzzi Carefree vinyl siding 2-car garage Central air conditioning Center Hall skylight Anderson windows yiiplflji I I I 1 1 A t-. 1 a JLUlJJEis k. I ASK ABOUT Ol J' GREAT NEW 1'-Zf FINANCING FLANS! i JLr rll Pi I hv. -Zi Mi MM I ijii. i fc i' 1 1 fofjg KLAR) Yiij Homes of Prices from Distinction Full basement Gas hot water heat VISIT OUR MODEL HOME SUNDAY 11 AM-5PM DIRK HONS to NYS llmiway exit I lit Air mom Kd turn left onto Airmont Kd 1 mile to Route Lett onto Rle S9.

I mile to lurry Une riKht onto Cherry Ijne. 2 miles to South Uirna Une. right onlo South l.orna Une to model TAI.1MAN.NFW YORK unit I VW-3568218 Miindavrndai 'MM iMM silt Sunda AM SPM nihjnm with rrurtrl tiHidninns limiK-0 nmt MipfllUKti.KiMill"" ''1'W; Condominium III Chesier, Directions: Take the Slate Thruway to F.xit lb (llarriman) and continue on Route 17 l()uickwa) approximately 7 miles to Fxit I2d Turn lelt at light onto Route lt and liear left onto Route under tyuickwav. Whispering Hills is on your right. Rhone: (91 U) 1111 Hie (nmyU-U- offt-ntiv I' fDi'- tit ''If'-'iii jil.tn fr tin tlic SjnnNir Unv ts A jii In Va J.tm One of the great things about this place.

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