The Journal of Light Construction articles from August 2006

The Journal of Light Construction archives from August 2006

Correction.(Letters)(Correction notice)
August 1, 2006... The price for a 9-foot straight-run NexStep stair (Products, 5/06), including shipping, is around $540, depending on volume, not $120 as stated.

After Katrina: one year later: voices and impressions from a region rethinking how to build.(In the News)(Cover story)
August 1, 2006... Last August 29th, Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast just east of New Orleans, severely damaging or destroying 250,000 homes and displacing millions of residents. In the months since, most of those people have returned home or...

Q. Tiling a flangeless tub.(Q&A)
August 1, 2006... What's the best way to detail the joint between a deck-mounted tub that lacks an integral tiling flange and the tiled tub surround so that it won't leak? A. Contributing editor Michael Byrne, a tile-setter and consultant in Los Olivos,...

Q. Substituting synthetic roof underlayments for housewrap.(Q&A)
August 1, 2006... After stripping the original siding from a 30-year-old house, I'm being asked to reside with 4x8 and 4x9 fiber-cement panels designed to look like stucco. The installation instructions permit caulking at the vertical joints, but call for...

Q. Reinforcing old framing.(Q&A)
August 1, 2006... We're remodeling a 1930s vintage San Diego home and have to seismically reinforce its cripple walls with plywood, shear transfer plates, and hold-downs. Because all the framing is very dry and most of the cripples measure only 1 foot to 2...

Q. Storms and screens for metal casement windows.(Q&A)
August 1, 2006... My clients love the look of the original diamond-grid metal casement windows in their historic stone house, but they are not happy with the windows' performance in cold winter weather. The out-swinging casements have been fitted with fixed...

Steel I-beam rafter pair.(On the Job)
August 1, 2006... In most stick-framed roofs, ceiling joists or collar ties prevent the rafters from pushing out against the walls. With cathedral ceilings--which have no joists or collar ties--a structural ridge is necessary to support framing members like...

Rock-breaking tip.(On the Job)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Back when I was a young intern architect, one of the projects I worked on was the renovation of a building on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. The centuries-old structure--the house where the French Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro was...

Ice supports.(On the Job)(for lifting structural slabs)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Cool thinking saved the day recently when our design/build firm hit a snag moving a 200-year-old house onto a new foundation on Martha's Vineyard, Mass. Ordinarily, we leave pockets in a foundation so that once the structure is in place...

Prevent errors with a quality-control checklist.(Business)(Production Schedule & Quality-Control Checklist)
August 1, 2006... At my remodeling company, we rely on many forms and checklists to run our jobs. The one we use most is our quality-control checklist. This form began as a fairly simple scheduling template that I picked up from a management book. It included...

Personal guaranty of business debt.(Legal)
August 1, 2006... When the owner of a new or small business applies for credit, he or she is frequently asked to provide a personal guaranty. The guaranty is a contract between the owner and the creditor that in essence says, "I agree to be personally...

Trimming a houseful of windows--production style: making parts and preassembling them in the shop cuts days off the trim schedule.
August 1, 2006... As the owner of a custom mill shop that works exclusively for Baud Builders in Narragansett, R.I., I'm always on the lookout for ways to deliver the highest quality woodwork as expediently as possible. On the new-house project shown in...

A circle cutter that works.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Curved cuts are usually reserved for a jigsaw or router, but now you can add a circular saw to your arsenal of curve-cutting tools. According to the maker, the Arcus 7 1/4-inch Saw Blade can cut curves with radii from 15 inches on up. Its...

Sure stick.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... For years, Gorilla has had a firm grip on the polyurethane wood glue market, but a couple of worthy competitors showed up at this year's show. Macco Adhesives, for example, launched Liquid Nails Rhino Ultra. This glue sets up in 40 minutes...

Large capacity.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Most adjustable wrenches with a 1 5/8-inch capacity aren't going to fit in your toolbelt easily, but Channellock's WideAzz is a notable exception. Decked out with the company's cushy Code Blue grip, this high-quality wrench boasts an 8-inch...

Demolition bar.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Unlike traditional wrecking bars which were originally designed to demolish crates, not houses--the Gutster Demo-Bar really is made for residential demolition. The inventor, a professional remodeler, claims that the 4-foot all-steel bar can...

Bobble beam.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... When I tested the Wobble Light a couple of years ago, my only gripe was how big it was (Toolbox, 6/04). So I was glad to see the Wobblelight Jr. introduced at the show. The junior version has the same features as the original, including an...

Hooked up.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Although more makers are including rafter hooks on their flaming guns, thousands of hookless framing nailers are still in daily use, and few new finish and siding guns come with hooks. Here's a pair of solutions. Made from billet aluminum and...

What a snip.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... I still wouldn't say that working with fiber-cement siding is fun, exactly, but at least now there's an effective hand-operated cutting tool. Designed for 5/16-inch-thick planks and panels, Malco's Fiber Cement Hand Snip can allegedly carve...

Desk jockey.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Looking to get more organized on the job site? Check out the Plan Station. The hanging workspace is large enough to hold a set of blueprints and packs storage pockets for everything from file folders and writing implements to electronic...

Cooper cutter.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Ever do your own plumbing? Superior's UltraCut Cordless Tubing Cutter might save you some time and effort. Powered by a NiMH battery pack, the tool can cut through 1/2- and 3/4-inch copper tubing in about three seconds. According to the...

Flat-free.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... You'll never have to worry about getting a flat with Jeep's Professional Contractor Wheelbarrow Model Pro FR ($145), thanks to a foam-filled tire designed for easy passage over wet and sandy soil. The heavy-duty 6-cubic-foot wheelbarrow also...

Roll on.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... While spraying is certainly an efficient way to paint new-home interiors, spraying inside existing homes is seldom an option. However, Speed Rollers--says the manufacturer--can apply paint two to three times faster than conventional methods...

Magnetic mallet.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... The Hardware Show is a great place to see tools invented by professional tradespeople. One of the best finds at this year's show was the 16-ounce Magnetic Hammer ($34) from JC Hammer. Designed for roofing and cap nails, it has an offset...

Even finish.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Among the many headaches that pro painters have to deal with are "shiners" --no, not black eyes, but the noticeable changes in sheen that occur when paint is applied over caulk and sealants. According to its manufacturer, Infinity is the...

Get a grip.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Most pliers are designed to be jacks-of-all-trades, but the Extractor is designed exclusively for pulling nails. Its uniquely shaped parallel jaws increase their grip with resistance and act as a fulcrum for additional leverage. The maker...

Stay sharp.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... The Striker mechanical carpenter's pencil is one of those products you can't believe somebody didn't think of sooner. At least that's what all my nonconstruction friends say when I show it to them. It contains what the manufacturer calls Dura...

Bar keep.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... A full-size flat bar ranks among a remodeler's most useful tools, but since it's too big for a toolbelt, keeping it within arm's length is a challenge. Replacement window installer Bill Flynn has come up with just the solution: the FlynnSter...

Smaller toolbelts.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Not every construction project calls for a super-size leather framer's rig. If you routinely work on handyman projects--or if you have back problems--Toolster's toolbelts may be just the ticket. According to the company, the form-fitting...

Wood goo.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Anyone who's used two-part repair epoxy to fix rotted or damaged millwork knows the stuff is a bear to work with--plus the smell can be overpowering, especially indoors. A promising alternative is PL FIX, a two-part polyurethane wood repair...

Cable champ.(Hardware Show Roundup: Cool tools and products from this year's event)
August 1, 2006... Perhaps you've mastered the art of driving cable staples, but I'll bet there's at least one person on your crew who hasn't. With a T72 Wire and Cable Staple Gun, you can make securing Romex easier and prevent cable damage caused by errant...

Building with structural insulated panels: SIPs produce a tight, well-insulated shell that takes less labor to construct than an equivalent stick-framed building.
August 1, 2006... About 20 years ago, I watched a video about a house being built with structural insulated panels, or SIPs. It was the first time I'd seen the process: Instead of framing one stick at a time, the carpenters were installing entire sections of...

Safety lessons: construction can be a dangerous business. Without the right combination of training, experience, good judgment, proper equipment, and old-fashioned good luck, the chances of incurring a work-related injury are significant. Here are the war stories of nine JLC readers who didn't beat the odds--and the lessons they learned as a result.
August 1, 2006... Just a 4-Foot Fall by Forrest McCanless My misadventure happened late last year while I was working on a new porch ceiling. I was no more than four steps up my stepladder when one of the ladder's back feet worked its way to the edge of...

Pneumatic cap nailers: look for an easy-to-load magazine and a trouble-free feed system.(Tool Test)
August 1, 2006... Anyone who's ever had to reinstall felt or housewrap after a windstorm knows that cap nails--because of their greater surface area--hold felt and housewrap much better than staples or roofing nails do. Nevertheless, many contractors hate...

Wood touch.(Kitchen & Bath / Showers)
August 1, 2006... The Teak Shower Tray adds a perfectly fitted, saunalike touch to an MTI shower base. Burmese teak slats--spaced 1/8 inch apart--provide a comfortable, nonslip surface. The insert costs between $325 and $780, depending on size. MTI,...

Water tower.(Kitchen & Bath / Showers)
August 1, 2006... Assisted by a full reservoir basin and a powerful pump, the BodySpa--which requires much less water than a tub--takes the whirlpool in a vertical direction. A soft-starting electronic touch pad allows the user to recirculate basin water at up...

Big splash.(Kitchen & Bath / Showers)
August 1, 2006... For your next custom installation, consider the water-conserving Monitor 1800 Jetted Shower or Jetted Shower XO. According to the manufacturer, the individual droplets produced by these units are fatter than normal, so they hold heat better...

Block kit.(Kitchen & Bath / Showers)
August 1, 2006... With a predesigned Glass Block Shower System, you get everything you need--blocks, shower base, and door--to create a custom-look enclosure. The blocks are positioned in molded channels on an acrylic shower base--available in three standard...

Get funky.(Kitchen & Bath / High-Pressure Laminates)
August 1, 2006... Fetch, Black Magic Orbit, Way Cool Encounter: When it comes to playful patterns, nothing beats laminate. These countertop designs feature "armored protection"--a face layer of aluminum oxide particles meant to provide better scratch...

Natural look.(Kitchen & Bath / High-Pressure Laminates)
August 1, 2006... The six designs in the HPL collection offer low-luster texturing in subtle, well-weathered finishes. The Riverwash Crete Series, for instance, mimics exposed-aggregate concrete, and the Riverwash Rust Series (shown) is designed to look like...

Sprayable bond.(Kitchen & Bath / High-Pressure Laminates)
August 1, 2006... If you've been brushing or rolling your contact adhesive, you're going to like the new Z Solvent-Free Postformable Adhesive System. The adhesive comes in a canister that delivers 35 pounds of material through a hose and gun. According to the...

High and dry.(Products / Basement Finishing)
August 1, 2006... Most appliance-store dehumidifiers aren't up to the challenge of a basement environment because they aren't recommended for temperatures below 65[degrees]F. However, high-efficiency Santa Fe dehumidifiers operate in temperatures as low as...

Window to go.(Products / Basement Finishing)
August 1, 2006... Even if your clients aren't planning to finish the basement in their new home right away, it makes sense to consider a ScapeView Series 6000 egress window before the foundation goes in. The two-piece assembly includes a pour-in-place buck and...

Dry floor.(Products / Basement Finishing)
August 1, 2006... Planning a hardwood floor over a basement slab? Bostik's MVP4 is worth a look. The trowel-applied membrane can reduce vapor transmission, bridge gaps as wide as 1/8 inch, and reduce sound transmission for both engineered and solid hardwood...

Details, details.(Products / Brick & Masonry)
August 1, 2006... Properly detailing the bottom of a masonry-veneer wall can prevent all sorts of problems. Unfortunately, getting those details right is no simple task. A new product due on the market this fall from Mortar Net should make a well-built masonry...

Big blocks.(Products / Brick & Masonry)
August 1, 2006... Because large-brick formats can reduce costs by as much as 30 percent, they're replacing traditional sizes in many regions. Much of the savings comes from reduced labor. Take Acme's products: A mason lays only 4.8 of the company's King Size...

Instant box.(Products / Brick & Masonry)
August 1, 2006... In many parts of the country, a shortage of skilled masons is leaving less-skilled individuals to take up the slack. If you want to make working with cultured-stone veneer a little easier for your semiskilled masons, check out Cultured...

Casting call.(Products / Hvac Grilles & Registers)
August 1, 2006... Stamped-steel floor registers don't exactly flatter most interior designs--so if you're looking to avoid your customer's raised eyebrows at the end of the project, suggest Acorn's Cast Registers and Grilles. They come in 12 common...

Ducts in a row.(Products / Hvac Grilles & Registers)
August 1, 2006... It's true that few JLC readers would characterize the projects that typically incorporate Duct Sox as light construction. Still, the advantages that these flexible ducts--which replace spiral-duct and ceiling-mounted diffusers--bring to...

Air with flair.(Products / Hvac Grilles & Registers)
August 1, 2006... Looking for hvac grilles with real pizazz? Cast Aluminum Register Grilles from Liz's Antique Hardware come in three sizes: 5 1/2 inches by 13 1/2 inches ($125), 7 1/2 inches by 13 1/2 inches ($150), and 7 1/2 x 15 1/2 inches ($175). They...

Hitachi NR90AE round-head framing nailer.(Toolbox)(Hitachi Power Tools USA Ltd.)
August 1, 2006... Early this year, Hitachi introduced a new round-head framing nailer, the NR90AE. As soon as the gun came out, JLC sent me one so I could test it. I was immediately struck by its distinctive styling--it looks like something out of a...

Top gizmos.(Toolbox / Roofing Tools)
August 1, 2006... Roof Mates offers some great tools for roofers. The Gable Master ($300) provides a level platform for ladders and staging on sloping roofs with pitches from 3/12 to 18/12. Ladders can be placed in the device in a variety of positions; the...

Spare a shingle.(Toolbox / Roofing Tools)
August 1, 2006... Replacing old shingles is tough. If you bend the tabs on the overlapping shingle too far when you drive in new nails, the shingle breaks. This common problem inspired the design of the steel Roof Snake, which holds the roofing nail so that...

Higher power.(Toolbox / Roofing Tools)
August 1, 2006... Tired of picking up nail-riddled old shingles at the end of roofing jobs? Consider getting a Roofers Buggy. The cargo box on the self-propelled dump trailer rises 11 feet in the air and extends beyond the truck's rear wheels to clear...

Load management.(Toolbox / Truck Racks & Boxes)
August 1, 2006... Spending a lot of time securing ladders and material to your truck rack probably isn't what you want to be doing at the end of a long day. One of the best ways I've seen to speed the process of tying down a load is by using TieHooks. These...

Back support.(Toolbox / Truck Racks & Boxes)
August 1, 2006... Most truck-bed covers are strictly for show, but DiamondBack's Commercial Series product is a notable exception. Made from 1/8-inch-thick aluminum diamond plate, the three-piece cover supports up to 1,600 pounds and boasts stainless-steel...

Hard body.(Toolbox / Truck Racks & Boxes)
August 1, 2006... With its optional alarm, compartment lighting, and remote-controlled locking system, Reading's new Classic II may be the safest place for your tools. The good-looking service body also features hidden compartment hinges, EPDM gaskets,...