Walls & Ceilings articles from August 2006

Walls & Ceilings archives from August 2006

Mold and mildew finally found guilty.(up FRONT)
August 1, 2006... The more new construction specifications I review, the more I find "Mold/Mildew Remediation, Testing and Certifications" specified (CSI Division 1, Section 01400, Quality Requirements) for new construction. This specification attempts to...

Talk on cell foams.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... John, Regarding the article "The Chemistry of High Performance Buildings," by Tom Harris (Walls & Ceilings, May 2006), he states that: "Both types are fully adhered and monolithic but open-cell foams have far greater air and vapor...

Additional requirement on EIFS codes.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... Robert Thomas, I read the Finish Line column entitled "Special Inspection of EIFS," (Walls and Ceilings, March 2006). While I commend you for trying to explain the requirements imposed by the International Building Code, I would like to...

Spackle.(Cartoon)
August 1, 2006... THAT'S THE DOG HOUSE. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Calendar.(TRADENEWS)(Calendar)
August 1, 2006... OCTOBER 3-5 METALCON Tampa Convention Center Tampa www.metalcon.com 5-7 ICAA Austin www.insulate.org 5 TOTAL WALL NATIONAL TRAINING SEMINAR AND SALES MEETING Westin Innisbrook Resort Palm Harbor,...

CertainTeed Insulation Group honored as Vendor of the Year.(INDUSTRY WIRE)
August 1, 2006... AMAROK Inc., a Drywall distributor cooperative, recently presented CertainTeed's Insulation Group with the Vendor of the Year Award for 2005. The award was given in recognition of the company's outstanding and ongoing support of AMAROK. ...

Ames Taping Tools offers off-campus training.(TRADENEWS)
August 1, 2006... Ames Taping Tool Systems Inc. announces the selection of its tool certification program to Marshall Community & Technical College's off-campus associate degree program. Administered as part of an academic partnership program between the IUPAT's...

Special features at METALCON help meet future needs.(TRADENEWS)
August 1, 2006... At this year's METALCON show in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 3 through 5, materials used in two of the show's special attractions will serve other needs after METALCON. The steel structure built by STUD U students and instructors as part of the...

Ach Foam Technologies acquires Allied Foam Products.(TRADENEWS)
August 1, 2006... ACH Foam Technologies announced its acquisition of Allied Foam Products of Gainesville, Ga. ACH is a manufacturer of versatile expanded polystyrene products. This transaction occurs just one year after three multi-plant companies in the...

Simpson Strong-Tie opens new distribution and training facility near Minneapolis.(TRADENEWS)
August 1, 2006... More than 200 guests attended last month's grand opening event for Simpson Strong-Tie's new manufacturing facility in Eagan, Minn. The new 56,000-square-foot distribution plant and training center was built to better serve customers in the...

Chicago Metallic makes Desktop Reference Guide available.(TRADENEWS)
August 1, 2006... Chicago Metallic now provides a comprehensive Desktop Reference Guide for the architect and design community. The guide features pictures, drawings and specification information for the company's metal ceilings, ceiling panels and grid...

Gypsum Association releases revised manual.(TRADENEWS)
August 1, 2006... The Gypsum Association announces the 2006 release of its flagship publication, "GA-600, Fire Resistance Design Manual." The 162-page, 18th edition of the FRDM depicts more than 340 systems that may be used for fire-rated walls and...

Quest Solutions launches new Web site.(TRADENEWS)
August 1, 2006... Quest Solutions Inc. announced the complete redesign of its corporate Web site, www.questsolutions.com. One notable addition to the site is the Top Estimating Topics section, which offers contractors bite-sized chunks of information on some of...

Plaster Man's Q & A.(TRADENEWS)
August 1, 2006... I am doing some renovations and have taken the wallpaper off of the walls. It appears that the walls are not in very good condition and I have been instructed by a plasterer to use blueboard and plaster to make the walls smooth and good enough...

Ames Taping Tool Systems Inc.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2006... Ames Taping Tool Systems Inc. announces the election of Carl Winn as the company's new president and chief executive officer.

Chicago Metallic Corp.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2006... Chicago Metallic Corp. has named Sandra Wilson, president and chief executive officer, with responsibilities for CMC worldwide operations.

Dryvit Systems Inc.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2006... Peter Balint, president and CEO of Dryvit Systems Inc., has been named Member of the Year by the EIFS Industry Members Association.

Hickory Hardware.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2006... Hickory Hardware announces the addition of three key executives: Jon Valsvik as first vice president of retail sales, and David Fields and Tina Payne Hunt as channel marketing managers.

Simpson Strong-Tie.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2006... Simpson Strong-Tie recently announced that Terry Kingsfather will take the position of president.

Topcon America Corp.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2006... David Mudrick has been named the new president and chief executive officer of Topcon America Corp.

Master Wall Inc.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2006... Master Wall Inc. announces that Johnny Talley has joined the company as a sales representative for accounts in the Pan Handle of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Corrections.(Correction notice)
August 1, 2006... The All-Wall Manufacturers Spotlight listing, on page 149, had several references that did not include the hyphen. We regret the error. The Exaktime entry in July's Industry Blue Book 2006/2007, on page 39, had redundancies and misspelled...

Corner bead tool: Bon Tool Co.(product FOCUS on Hand-trowelled Products)
August 1, 2006... The Comer Bead Tool allows quick and easy professional installation of comer bead onto outside corners of drywall. The use of the tool reduces installation time while ensuring a smooth, flush corner. It works much faster and better than...

Hawk holder: Intromark Inc.(product FOCUS on Hand-trowelled Products)
August 1, 2006... The Third Hand Hawk Holder is a plastic extension that enables a drywaller to rest his hawk, thereby freeing both hands. The product is worn on and supported by the drywaller's belt. It is designed to save time and gives drywallers the...

All-in-one mortar: Tec.(product FOCUS on Hand-trowelled Products)
August 1, 2006... The 3N1 Performance Mortar formulation combines the advantages of latex modified, medium bed and non-sag mortars into a single, easy-to-use solution. It is also extremely lightweight, available in 30-pound bags that deliver the same amount of...

Textured acrylic finishes: Dryvit Systems Inc.(product FOCUS on Hand-trowelled Products)
August 1, 2006... The company recently announced its Textured Acrylic Finishes option for non-EIFS assemblies. The company also released a four-page brochure that details how design and construction professionals can apply the myriad Dryvit finishes to numerous...

Italian plaster: Vero.(product FOCUS on Hand-trowelled Products)
August 1, 2006... The company is the national distributor of Rialto authentic Italian plaster for both exterior and interior wall surfaces. The seasoned-slaked lime finishes are made with genuine Carrara marble and natural pigments. All of the products come in a...

The auditorium at the top of the material world: achieving superior acoustics at the world's premier materials research facility still relies on the skillful use of gypsum and 2x4s.
August 1, 2006... I can't believe how lucky I am. Last month, the U.S. fired up the most powerful, pulsed neutron source on the planet and I got to be a small part of the project. The Spallation Neutron Source covers 80 acres on the top of Chestnut Ridge at Oak...

Jute box heroes: one of the largest renovations in Indiana gets its centennial facelift.(Cover story)
August 1, 2006... The folklore of French Lick, Ind., is that there was a charter train that stopped in front of French Lick Springs Hotel, with its tracks halting right at the hotel bar. Passengers Joe Louis and Al Capone could be spotted at the resort, as well...

The NWCB's chockfull of talent: Northwest Wall and Ceiling Bureau's 2006 outstanding project of the year awards.
August 1, 2006... At its annual convention in Rancho Mirage, Calif., in May, the Northwest Wall and Ceiling Bureau named those member contractors that excelled in all forms of construction. The following winners for the "2006 Outstanding Project of the Year...

Caught between a rock and a lime place: why America wants to see more European limestone plaster finish.
August 1, 2006... Call me a rock nerd but lime amazes me. It's not just that lime reacts so violently when slaked with water. Or that limestone, like gypsum, goes from limestone rock to lime and back to limestone form again in a circular chemical process. The...

Our voice is getting louder! Last year's success drives 2006 growth for the SIA.(HIGH ON SAFETY)
August 1, 2006... Listen closely and you will hear the voice of the scaffold and access industry getting louder. It is a voice that is not only being heard in the United States but throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia, as well. The Scaffold...

Observe, act and verify: success can be defined as safety first, quality second and productivity third.(HIGH ON SAFETY)
August 1, 2006... As a safety consultant, the most frequent question I am asked is "How can I significantly lower my workers compensation premium?" After all, every dollar not spent on insurance is 100 percent bottom line, non-taxable profit. In most cases, the...

Build a defensible construction safety program: does your company have a living, breathing, viable safety program?(HIGH ON SAFETY)
August 1, 2006... Oftentimes, small contractors become overwhelmed at the thought of developing a safety program but this should not be the case. The goal of this article is to give the small contractor several useful and easy-to-implement tools that should help...

Do you want to compete?(TROWEL talk)
August 1, 2006... It begins with a single question, usually offered by an apprenticeship instructor, a union representative or an employer, "Do you want to compete?" How 23 young men and women answered this question may have changed their lives. ...

Flashings, (Part two) this month's column is a continuation of last month's about flashing.(the FINISHLINE)
August 1, 2006... AESTHETIC REVEALS When a flashing overlaps an aesthetic reveal, keep in mind that there is a recessed spot in the wall surface at the reveal. An example of this condition is where a parapet flashing laps over a vertical aesthetic reveal....

Attachment of gypsum board.(all things GYPSUM)
August 1, 2006... When compared to the application process for other construction materials, attaching a sheet of gypsum board is a reasonably simple task. After all, how difficult is it to find a stud and run a nail or a screw through the board? Better yet, how...

Cover story, (Part four).(the GREEN thumb)
August 1, 2006... In last month's part three of this ongoing series, we put sheathing in its historical context, discussed the four basic types of sheathing products and selection criteria for choosing sheathing materials. In the first two parts, we discussed...

Mind your telephone manners.(smart BUSINESS)
August 1, 2006... I'm in a bad mood right now, which makes it a good time to address a pet peeve. The reason is a phone call I made--two phone calls, actually--trying to reschedule an annual appointment with my ophthalmologist. My eye doctor is highly regarded...

What's happening on the immigration front?(success with HISPANICS)
August 1, 2006... Things continue to stay red-hot on the immigration front. On May 26, the U.S. Senate passed landmark immigration legislation. Senate Bill 2611, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, was approved by a 62-to-36 vote. The bill would allow for...

Rotating laser: Hilti.(the TOOLBOX)
August 1, 2006... With its easy-to-understand keypad, the PR 25 can be used horizontally and vertically, with an incline and for laying out 90-degree angles. Many of the system's components are built-in to reduce error from moving internal parts and the leveling...

Energy efficient steel stud: engineering technology consultants.(the TOOLBOX)
August 1, 2006... The Insul-Stud is a new energy efficient steel stud for commercial and residential building construction that has been tested at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The company has been able to reduce the amount of steel...

Basement waterproofing: Emecole.(the TOOLBOX)
August 1, 2006... Newer low-pressure crack injection products simplify the repair of basement leaks. In a two-step method, epoxy surface seal paste is first applied from the company's patented Jake gun, sealing the outside of the crack. The Jake gun resembles a...

House wrap wall system: Cosella-Dorken Products Inc.(the TOOLBOX)
August 1, 2006... Delta-Dry is a new form of house wrap, best described as a "barrier wrap." A semi-rigid, heavy-duty polyethylene membrane, with a unique structure of studs and channels, the product creates a protective barrier around the home when wrapped...

Acoustic panels: Acoustic Wood Systems.(the TOOLBOX)
August 1, 2006... Super Acoustic is a line of wall and ceiling acoustic panels made of fire retardant or regular MDF. The product is available in standard sizes of 2 foot by 2 foot and 2 foot by 4 foot that fit in a standard T-bar grid, as well as custom-made...

Caulk gun: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp.(the TOOLBOX)
August 1, 2006... The company introduces a new 14.4-volt caulk gun designed for heavy-duty professional use. The gun offers interchangeable carriages that adapt to the 10-ounce, quart size and sausage packs, and the ability to dispense high viscosity materials...