The Journal of Light Construction articles from February 2003

The Journal of Light Construction archives from February 2003

Conduit to the future. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... To the Editor: I am writing regarding the article "Smart Wiring: Growth but No Boom" (Notebook, 10/02). I almost wrote a year ago when you ran "Connecting to the Future" (3/02). Everybody is missing the obvious in trying to figure out what...

Rock hard. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... To the Editor: I know you love nitpicky letters from your readers. In the November 2002 Kitchen & Bath column, the writer refers to the hardness of quartz in Cambria countertop and tile products as being 7 on the "Mohr Hardness Scale." As...

Bad gas no lie. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... To the Editor: In response to the letter "Bad Gas a Myth?" in your October issue: I've been around engines most of my life and have experienced bad gas from time to time. When gas goes "bad," it turns yellow and smells like turpentine....

No-sag barn doors. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... To the Editor: It is with great displeasure that I find myself writing this letter on a Sunday morning, having interrupted my breakfast and leisurely read of this month's JLC in order to write to you. Your sketch of the "Simple Rustic...

More barn door ideas. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... To the Editor: I would like to respond to the question about barn doors with some different suggestions. I would use 1/2-inch plywood, but I would specify either cedar plywood, pressure-treated plywood, or the ultimate: marine-grade...

Use cedar. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... To the Editor: Mr. Frane's response to "Building Barn Doors" offered several solutions; I offer one more suggestion: Use T&G cedar instead of spruce. The doors would be significantly lighter, reducing weight-related racking and hinge...

Better hinge support. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... To the Editor: When I was growing up, we were told to always slope the diagonal bracing on "Simple Rustic Doors' toward the hinged side of the door. The idea is to transfer the load where it needs to go. Makes sense to me. It's amazing,...

Common language. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... To the Editor: I read Ms. Story's advice about English being a valid job requirement (Legal Adviser, 12/02). Her closing remarks about hiring a diverse workforce with reasonable job requirements is pure lawyerese. It is this type of...

Can't cope? (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... To the Editor: As a fifth-generation nail pounder (finish type), I almost had a seizure reading the article "Finish Carpentry, Production Style" (11/02), which shows a tradesman cutting two 45-degree miters for an inside corner! Has he...

Wanted: good customers. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... To the Editor: I operate a small general contracting company located in Seattle. Our projects range in size from $1,000 to $750,000 and beyond. In the past couple of years, I have become increasingly frustrated with the stories in the...

Radiant-floor study sparks controversy: the radiant industry questions figures on fuel consumption. (In The News).(National Association of Home Builders of the United States)
February 1, 2003... Preliminary data from an ongoing study comparing the performance of radiant-floor heat to hot-air heat has generated plenty of heat from radiant-floor advocates but so far has shed relatively little light on its intended subject. The study in...

Builder not liable for nasty neighbor. (In The News).
February 1, 2003... If a builder sells a new home without telling the buyer about an angry, abusive next-door neighbor, can he of she be held legally accountable for the buyer's resulting emotional distress? In a precedent-setting decision, a New Jersey appeals...

A Vermont man faces a heavy fine and possible jail time for illegal asbestos removal. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... A Vermont man faces a heavy fine and possible jail time for illegal asbestos removal. Edward Carroll of Ludlow, Vt., was arrested in October of 2002 and charged with violating the Clean Air Act for partially demolishing an old mill building in...

The ongoing debate over urban sprawl may have a bright side. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The ongoing debate over urban sprawl may have a bright side, according to Fannie Mae chief economist David Berson. Speaking to an audience of builders at the American Housing Conference in Chicago last October, Berson noted that although...

Massachusetts may ease its septic-system requirements. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Massachusetts may ease its septic-system requirements by replacing the current 30-minutes-per-inch percolation standard with a more generous 60-minutes-per-inch standard, according to the Boston Globe. Supporters of the change say that it would...

Greenpeace cofounder Patrick Moore is publicly calling for North Americans to use more wood. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Greenpeace cofounder Patrick Moore is publicly calling for North Americans to use more wood, which he describes as a more environmentally sound choice than materials such as steel, concrete, and plastic. Moore's remarks have been widely...

Asphalt fumes not harmful, study finds. (In The News).(Owens Corning)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Although radiant-floor advocates have warned for years that asphalt felt under hardwood flooring heated by radiant coils can cause a faint but persistent asphalt odor that some have speculated could have possible health effects, two recent...

High-tech pigments broaden cool-roof palette. (In The News).
February 1, 2003... Reflective roofing can block out solar heat gain and cut cooling costs in hot, sunny climates, but most homeowners aren't drawn to the idea of blinding white roofs on their houses. Now they have another option, thanks to a new generation of...

Texas community limits small homes. (In The News).(Arlington, Texas)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Despite a sluggish national economy and a slowdown in luxury-home sales that has many builders thinking small, one Texas municipality has passed an ordinance that will require local builders to think a little bigger. In November, the city of...

Hawaiian code officials develop for grass huts. (In The News).(proposed code change being considered on Maui)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Traditional Hawaiian grass huts, once the predominant type of housing in the islands, could be due for a resurgence under the terms of a proposed code change now being considered on Maui. For years, the grass huts, known as hale, have existed...

Augusta, Georgia, has endorsed a proposal for vehicle stickers. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Augusta, Georgia, has endorsed a proposal for vehicle stickers that would make it easier for city inspectors to see who legally belongs on a construction site, according to the Augusta Chronicle. Although Georgia is one of a handful of states...

New Jersey voters are willing to pay for open space. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... New Jersey voters are willing to pay for open space. The Newark Star-Ledger reports that in last November's election, 25 of 31 local initiatives to raise money for land conservation met with voter approval. That continuing trend has caused...

The Steel Framing Alliance has launched a new quarterly journal. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The Steel Framing Alliance has launched a new quarterly journal. The new periodical, Framework, A Journal of the Steel Framing Alliance, will contain information on equipment, framing systems, fasteners, connectors, and other areas of interest...

Is it necessary to compact slab sub-base? (Q&A).
February 1, 2003... Q. We need to pour a 24x24-foot concrete slab for an attached garage next to a precast foundation. The precast walls are 9 feet and 4 feet tall (see photo). Unfortunately, the trench overdig is 7 feet deep and as much as 4 feet wide in some...

Placing wall receptacles. (Q&A).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Q. An old house I'm working on has too few wall outlets to meet code. What are the rules for spacing and positioning of new outlets? Can I place them in the baseboard trim? And do some of them also have to be switch controlled? A. Master...

Ice buildup problem. (Q&A).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Q. We built a custom home for a client in west Michigan a couple of years ago, and the home has had problems with ice ever since. It's a 1,450-square-foot ranch with cathedral ceilings and many can lights throughout. We used blown fiberglass...

Housewrap in hot, humid climates. (Q&A).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Q. I'm in discussions with an architect regarding the pros and cons of using Grace Ice and Water Shield or a similar membrane material as a housewrap. These materials are more expensive than Tyvek or 15# felt but can't be beat when it comes to...

Stick-framed look on a truss budget. (Design).
February 1, 2003... Roof trusses have almost completely replaced hand-framing in residential remodeling, and for good reason: Framing a roof with trusses saves money. There's simply no way a crew of carpenters working on site and being billed at $50 per hour--no...

Choosing to grow. (Business).
February 1, 2003... I've run a successful remodeling company for 22 years, one that has provided my family with a comfortable lifestyle and my employees with a good place to work. We have a wage and benefit package that is one of the best in our area, and we offer...

Do you have to pay overtime? (Legal).
February 1, 2003... I'm going to go out on a limb and say you're running behind on your work schedule. How do I know? Because of Murphy's Law: Anything that can go wrong will. So you're trying to figure out how you're going to manage all these extra,...

Your first router. (Computers).(tips on selecting a router)
February 1, 2003... I bet you need a router. Not the 20,000-rpm D-handled kind, though--the bits you'll chuck through this router will be digital, not carbide. A network router (a.k.a. "residential gateway" or "proxy server") is a device you plug in between your...

Simple frame & panel trim.
February 1, 2003... Quarter-inch plywood panels and pocket-screwed joinery speed construction of this traditional-looking frame and panel trim Craftsman-style wood paneling is one of the easiest types to install because the stiles and rails have no sticking...

Choosing entry-door hardware.
February 1, 2003... Look for forged brass trim, hardened inner works, and a method to reinforce the installation Not all entry doors come complete with locking hardware. And maybe your clients have nothing more specific in mind than something attractive and...

Putting the web to work: a high-tech office infrastructure allows the instant communication high-end clients love.
February 1, 2003... I build million-dollar-and-up custom homes for very demanding clients in the Andover, Mass. (Boston) area. Working successfully at that level requires excellent communication and a fair amount of handholding with everyone involved in a project....

Venting gas appliances.
February 1, 2003... For a safe gas flue, use the right materials, size by the book, and always perform a combustion test Most furnaces, boilers, and water heaters going into homes today are not super-efficient "sealed combustion" or "direct vent" units. They...

Realistic scheduling for remodelers.
February 1, 2003... Thoughtful planning means overlapping projects run smoothly and predictably every time While most contractors would prefer working to a predictable and accurate calendar, the reality is that many remodelers put little faith in scheduling....

Repairing wooden fences.
February 1, 2003... Basic tools and practical know-how are the underpinnings of this profitable remodeler's niche There's an almost unbelievable amount of misinformation on the market about building wooden fencing. A visit to any bookstore or lumberyard that...

Adding style with stock cabinets. (Kitchen & Bath).
February 1, 2003... Ever experience the frustration of having to design a kitchen for clients with champagne tastes and a soda pop budget? You keep a lid on costs by specifying a decent, inexpensive stock cabinet line. The layout is realistic and functional, and...

Faster fastening. (Products).
February 1, 2003... If there's a tool ideally suited for fastening materials to brick or metal with efficiency, the DX 351E Powder-Actuated Fastening System is it. Hilti's newest version has a slender nosepiece designed to fit into narrow spaces like uni-strut and...

Tool Caddy. (Products).
February 1, 2003... Next to driving your truck up to the front door, the Bull Dog Tool Wheeler might be the best thing for getting your tools on the job quickly and easily. The 82-pound, portable scaffold does double duty as a tool hauler when folded. Eight-inch...

Rust-free rack. (Products).
February 1, 2003... If you're looking for the ultimate truck rack, a new line of stainless-steel racks promises unsurpassed durability and good looks. Made for full-size pickups and vans, the new racks are stronger than aluminum and won't rust like plain steel....

Metric ridge vent. (Products).
February 1, 2003... Metric roof shingles are one of the few products to survive the stateside conversion uproar. One remaining problem, however, is that the larger, metric size requires trimming to fit correctly over a standard, roll-type ridge vent....

Above-ground wine storage. (Products).
February 1, 2003... A bottle of wine close at hand could put some spark in a marriage or close a deal, easily making the KitchenAid Wine Cellar your customer's favorite appliance--way cooler than a tumble washer. And speaking of cool, the wine storage unit has...

Benchmark wrench. (Products).
February 1, 2003... Some tools, like Rigid's classic pipe wrenches, seem tough to improve upon--the ones I inherited from my grandfather still perform well, 50 years on. But the new, self-adjusting Rapidgrip has done just that, by eliminating the adjusting nut, a...

Safer paint stripper. (Products).
February 1, 2003... There's little good to say about stripping paint, but a new tool imported from Sweden promises to make the slow and miserable task a little easier. By using infrared heat to soften multiple layers of old paint for easy scraping, the Silent...

The clamp champ. (Products).
February 1, 2003... Turning the tensioning screw on an ordinary bar clamp can be awkward, making one wish for that elusive third hand. The cam-actuated Quick-Jaw PowerCam Clamp works one-handed and can provide over 500 pounds of clamping pressure. The signature...

Safety specs. (Products).
February 1, 2003... If you're not ready to hang up your toolbelt but are having trouble seeing the fine print in your contracts or the small marks on your tape measure, you may want a pair of Shop Specs. The polycarbonate safety glasses with built-in bifocal...

Non-checking decking. (Products).
February 1, 2003... Promising the best attributes of vinyl and composite decking, Timberlast decking installs with a patented fastening system. A brushed texture aids traction in wet or slippery conditions. The virgin polyethylene deck boards, available in...

Ladder upgrades. (Products).
February 1, 2003... Anything that makes extension ladders safer and easier to use deserves a boost. The Grippster Company offers a collection of well-made and useful ladder accessories. The original Grippster prevents sliding or rolling on curved surfaces like...

Safer concrete etching. (Products).
February 1, 2003... Muriatic acid, the traditional product for cleaning masonry or prepping concrete for painting, can cause blindness or burns, and it kills plants and vegetation. According to the maker, Safe-T-Etch is a safer alternative to acid solutions...

Easier air sealing. (Toolbox).
February 1, 2003... According to many building scientists, the average American home leaks so much air that it's equivalent to cutting a 2-foot-diameter hole in an exterior wall. So naturally, building comfortable, energy-efficient homes means trying to plug as...

Metabo power grip. (Toolbox).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... If you think cordless screwdrivers are exclusively for DIYers, you probably haven't seen Metabo's new pro-duty Power Grip (Metabo, West Chester, Penn.; 800/638-2264, www.metabo usa.com). It won't replace your collection of hand screwdrivers,...

Permit protector. (Toolbox).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Keeping track of job-site paperwork can be easier with a Permit Caddy (Conarroe Companies, Lafayette, Colo.; 303/665-3140, www.permit caddy.com), which organizes all of your receipts, lists, and permits in one location, while protecting them in...

Rabbit planes. (Toolbox).
February 1, 2003... Scarf joints on long runs of base or crown can be tricky to conceal, often leaving a slight ridge at the transition. Typical solutions are sanding or taking off another sliver on the miter saw, but shaving off such a small amount is challenging...

Joist hanger helper. (Toolbox).(Starr Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... When setting joist hangers, I've always used a joist trimming to gauge their proper placement. The problem is being able to hold every thing in place while starting a nail. With one hand occupied with the scrap and hanger, and the other with a...