The Journal of Light Construction articles from July 2002

The Journal of Light Construction archives from July 2002

Fans of felt. (Letters).
July 1, 2002... To the Editor: Regarding the question "Is felt underlayment really necessary?" ("Asphalt Shingle Q&A," 5/02): When a shingle is quickly heated by the sun on a cold morning, the resulting temperature difference above and below the shingle...

Rotary laser comments. (Letters).
July 1, 2002... To the Editor: In the article "Visible-Beam Rotary Lasers" (5/02), the accuracy readings given for some of the laser models are not possible. The amount of error at a given distance will double when the distance is doubled. You cannot have...

Plumbing correction. (Letters).
July 1, 2002... To the Editor: Rex Cauldwell's article "Getting Water From a Well" (4/02) was very informative. However, one detail appears quite unsafe. The drawing on page 93 shows a ball valve shutoff located between the pump and pressure switch. In...

Rotary laser makers. (Letters).
July 1, 2002... We forgot the list of manufacturers at the end of the article "Visible-Beam Rotary Lasers," so we're printing it here, including the names of two manufacturers, Laserjamb and Toolz, whose tools were inadvertently left out of the review. Look...

Reader wants more. (Letters).
July 1, 2002... To the Editor: I am a ten-year subscriber to JLC, and I have always valued your product review articles for their comparative critical content. While other magazines read like infomercials, JLC's articles have always included intelligent,...

I-Joist cutting jig. (Letters).
July 1, 2002... To the Editor: I enjoyed Scott Woelfel's article "Framing Floors With I-Joists" (4/02). Scott says, "Trus Joist used to provide a handy plastic saw guide, but we can't seem to get them anymore." He is referring to the Cutrite; I wanted to...

Window crank solution. (Letters).
July 1, 2002... To the Editor: In the article "Choosing the Right Windows" (By Design, 5/02), the author writes about the potential interference between casement and awning crank handles and win dowsills. While the suggestion of a round hand knob is...

Pipe sizing puzzle. (Letters).
July 1, 2002... To the Editor: There's something weird about the pipe sizing table in the article "Sizing Domestic Water Pipes" (3/02). In some cases, the distribution pipe is larger than the service pipe, which would seem to serve no purpose. There...

NAHB pulls out of NFPA code process; builder's group questions need for another model code. (Note Book).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has decided to withdraw from the development process for NFPA 5000, the National Fire Protection Association's newly written model code. NFPA, which writes and maintains such widely referenced...

New device gets basements bone dry. (Note Book).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Contractors dealing with wet basements have a new tool in the bag: a low-voltage electrical device that keeps basements dry enough to live in, even if they're below the water table and aren't waterproofed. Developed by Madison, Wisc., firm...

The Brick Industry Association has revised its tech notes for detailing cavity walls. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Brick Industry Association has revised its tech notes for detailing cavity walls. The revised guidelines include information in many areas, including metal drip-edges, end dams, flashing, and seismic detailing. Revised Tech Notes 21B is...

Authorities in northeastern India are demolishing illegally built houses with elephants. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Authorities in northeastern India are demolishing illegally built houses with elephants, according to Reuters news service. Five elephants are being used to break up about 1,000 two-room thatched houses in a protected forest area in the state...

Government agencies can impose temporary moratoria on land development without compensating affected landowners. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Government agencies can impose temporary moratoria on land development without compensating affected landowners, according to a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. By a vote of 6-3, the court rejected the claims of a group of California...

Chinese immigrants have higher rates of home ownership than other groups. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Chinese immigrants have higher rates of home ownership than other groups, according to a recent study performed by the Lusk Center for Real Estate at the University of Southern California. The study found that when Chinese immigrants were...

A recent change in the Energy Star program could mean design changes in some popular types of entry doors. (Off Cuts).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... A recent change in the Energy Star program could mean design changes in some popular types of entry doors, according to the Window and Door Manufacturers Association. Under the new Energy Star rules, which took effect in January of 2002, any...

State-of-the-Art design. (Note Book).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Lone Star State has a long, proud tradition of Texas-shaped objects, from fruit baskets, ice cubes, and cutting boards to swimming pools and golf greens. But this year marked the completion of what is thought to be the state's first...

Boost productivity by eliminating bottlenecks. (Business Tune-Up).(overcoming inefficiency)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Most of the companies I work with aren't operating at peak efficiency--that's why they've called me. Frequently, inefficiency stems from bottlenecks of one kind or another: The estimator is sitting around unable to finish a proposal because...

California stifles nonunion apprenticeship training programs, federal government says. (Business Tune-Up).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... California's state apprenticeship agency may find its power yanked by the U.S. Department of Labor, which claims that the California Department of Industrial Relations (CDIR) makes it too difficult for nonunion apprenticeship programs to be...

Naperville drops no-step entry requirement. (Note Book).(Illinois town tosses wheelchair access provision)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... In February of 2002, the Chicago suburb of Naperville, Ill., passed a local "visitability" ordinance meant to improve wheelchair access to new single-family private homes. The ordinance, vigorously promoted by advocates for the disabled,...

Daylight may improve learning, study finds. (Note Book).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Can increased daylight in the classroom produce brighter children? A recent study of 20,000 elementary school students in three U.S. school districts suggests that it can. The study, reported on in the June 2001 issue of ASHRAE Journal,...

Painting popcorn ceilings. (Q&A).(flooring, joist, technology questions also included)
July 1, 2002... Q. Several of my customers have "popcorn" ceilings that are old and dirty. Is there any way of painting them short of spray-painting? A. Dan Greenough, a painting and finishing contractor in the San Francisco Bay area, responds: I always...

Lighting a remodeled galley kitchen. (By Design).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Designers and architects in post-WWII America considered the galley kitchen the epitome of efficiency. Millions were built across the country, first in Cape Cods and later in ranches. While galley kitchens were efficient--in a time-study...

Repairing a stone foundation: a poured exterior foundation provides a smooth surface for waterproofing membrane, leaving a leaky old foundation as tight and dry as a new one.
July 1, 2002... In the early 1900s, the town of Marble, Colo., produced some of the country's finest pure white marble. Its stone went into the Lincoln Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and other well-known landmarks. But by the Second World War, the...

Getting quality from fiberglass insulation.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... My company specializes in high-quality insulation work, in both new construction and retro-fit applications. We also provide energy consulting and energy audits that include testing with a blower door, duct blaster, infrared camera, and other...

Financing spec homes.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... When a builder asks how to get started in spec home construction, he or she is often told that it's not enough to have the equipment and the skills: You've got to have the cash. Well, I know a lot of spec builders, and except for the really...

A pop-top shed dormer: with proper support and a watchful eye, you can raise a shed dormer roof without exposing the house to the weather.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Recently, some customers approached me about improving the upstairs of their modest, 1 1/2-story gable-roof home in upstate New York. Though it was in a beautiful setting with a large pond, the older home had low ceilings and little natural...

Like water off a duck's back. (Innovative Products 2002 On The House).
July 1, 2002... Furring out exterior siding helps paints and materials achieve their maximum life span and allows infiltrated water a way to get back outside the building before it can do any damage. Traditionally, the problem with including a drainage plane...

Wait a minute, Mr. Postman. (Innovative Products 2002 On The House).
July 1, 2002... It might be the first thing the prospective buyer sees on your new spec home. The UltraLast vinyl mailbox mount includes a 4-inch PT post and a decorative vinyl sleeve designed to slip over the wood post and mount the mailbox of your choice....

Shake it up with vinyl. (Innovative Products 2002 On The House).
July 1, 2002... The one benefit of vinyl siding that everyone seems to appreciate, except maybe painters, is that it puts an end to scraping and painting. The main problem has been that vinyl products tend to look fake. Nailite's comprehensive line of shingle...

Have you hugged your roof today? (Innovative Products 2002 On The House).
July 1, 2002... If you ever need to replace a large metal roof, you'll want to know about Roof Hugger. The beauty of this product is its simplicity. Roof Hugger fastens to the purlins through the existing roof panels and allows you to install a new steel roof...

Venting by remote control. (Innovative Products 2002 Doors & Windows).(Velux-America Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... It used to be that when you wanted an electronically controlled ventilating skylight, you bought the skylight and a separate motor kit. Then there was a tedious process of retrofitting the motor to the roof window and a complicated multistep...

French swing door goes both ways. (Innovative Products 2002 Doors & Windows).(Stanley Works)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Stanley's new French swing patio door offers a tilt-in option for ventilation, even when the door is closed and locked, a feature popular in Europe for years. Besides the hinged unit, Stanley is offering a new sliding patio door. The slider's...

Screen dream. (Innovative Products 2002 Doors & Windows).(Dreamscreens Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... An ugly screen door can really detract from a beautiful view. With a Dreamscreen, the screen door is visible only when it's being used. When it's not needed, it rolls into a low-profile housing attached to the door's side jamb. With the screen...

Elementary, my dear Watson. (Innovative Products 2002 Plumbing, Heating & Ventilation).(Tamarack Technologies Inc.'s exhaust fan)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... It is elementary: Because today's homes are built tighter, good ventilation is the key to healthful indoor air. The Watson by Tamarack Technologies is a high-quality, wall-mounted, in-line exhaust fan. The nearly invisible external hood...

Put your ducts in a row. (Innovative Products 2002 Plumbing, Heating & Ventilation).(Rutland Corp.'s ventilation grate cover)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Rutland Corporation has a new temporary cover to keep dirt and tools out of the heating and cooling system during construction. The Pro-Vent cover takes the place of the normal diffuser and incorporates a filter to keep most dust and debris out...

Get off the roof. (Innovative Products 2002 Plumbing, Heating & Ventilation).(Kozy Kollar Manufacturing's flashing boot)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Installing the vent stack is one of those jobs that everybody hopes someone else will do. It involves setting up a ladder and maybe roof jacks, all for a process that takes only a few minutes. With the Kozy Kollar, plumbers and remodelers can...

The hole story. (Innovative Products 2002 Tools & Equipment).(S and B Power Tool Co.'s Power Change Hole Saw System)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... If you have ever struggled to get the mandrel or plug out of a hole saw, you will undoubtedly appreciate the innovation behind Bosch's new Power Change Hole Saw System. Power Change Hole Saws use a quick-release mandrel that grips the saw...

Look, ma, no hose. (Innovative Products 2002 Tools & Equipment).(Senco Products Inc.'s pneumatic nailers)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... No hose, no fuel cell, and no on-board compressor. Senco's new AirFree finish nailers rely on a rechargeable battery pack and a spinning flywheel to drive fasteners. This is the latest offering from the company that invented the pneumatic...

Keep your panels on. (Innovative Products 2002 Tools & Equipment).(Bed Bonez's cargo-securing system)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... I once watched a remodeler leaving our local lumber-yard with an unsecured stack of OSB in the back of his 6-foot bed. He tromped on the gas to merge onto the busy road and his load slid out like a deck of cards. The Bed Bonez load-securing...

On a bender. (Innovative Products 2002 Tools & Equipment).(Hitachi Power Tool's rebar cutter and bender)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Hitachi's powerful new rebar cutter and bender (model VB16Y) is a lot more fun to use than 4-foot bolt cutters or a recip saw. The electric tool can cut up to 5/8-inch reinforcing rod in about 3 seconds. Bends up to 180 degrees Can be made at...

Membrane drain. (Innovative Products 2002 Kitchen & Bath).(Schluter Systems' Kerdi-Drain)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... A waterproof membrane under tile is definitely a good idea in a shower or laundry room application. The difficulty is making a watertight transition from the membrane to the floor drain. Schluter has developed a floor drain with a large...

Double-jointed recip saw. (Innovative Products 2002 Tools & Equipment).(Porter-Cable Corp.'s Tiger Claw reciprocating saw)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Porter-Cable made quite a stir when the company debuted its articulated Tiger Claw recip saw at the International Builders' Show in February. The new saw has two adjustable pivots to make cutting in tight quarters easier and more comfortable....

Shower doors promise clean installation. (Innovative Products 2002 Kitchen & Bath).(Sterling Plumbing)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Installing a shower door is a job that most contractors would normally be happy to avoid, but Sterling has recently introduced a shower door that even a novice can install in about 10 minutes, the company claims. The only tool required is the...

Easy air and weather barrier. (Innovative Products 2002 Insulation & Energy Conservation).(Contractor Products International's R.U. Seal insulation)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Preventing water and air infiltration around windows and doors has always been a slow and tedious job. Contractor Products International has introduced a unique combination product to make the process as painless and efficient as possible. R.U....

Easy fit for fiberglass. (Innovative Products 2002 Insulation & Energy Conservation).(Johns Manville Corp.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Johns Manville has found that more than a third of stud cavities in an average house are not standard width. As a result, the company recently introduced a new perforated insulating product to speed the job of trimming and fitting batts in...

Hang on. (Innovative Products 2002 Adhesives & Fasteners).
July 1, 2002... Insulated concrete form (ICF) walls present difficulties in fastening ledger boards for decks and porches. Simpson Strong-Tie has introduced a specialty connector to secure this critical element. The ICFLC series of hangers is placed in the...

Super caulking gun. (Innovative Products 2002 Adhesives & Fasteners).
July 1, 2002... Caulking isn't one of the most strenuous jobs on a construction site, but squeezing out a couple of dozen tubes of subfloor adhesive can be a chore. Pneumatic caulking guns help lessen the burden, but the first time you drag an air hose through...

Fast-acting glue. (Innovative Products 2002 Adhesives & Fasteners).
July 1, 2002... With set times as short as 30 seconds, the new hot-melt polyurethane adhesives from Titebond are sure to grab your attention. At the heart of the system is a cordless hot-melt glue gun manufactured by Steinel. In combination with Titebond's...

Manufactured fireplaces: prefab fireplaces save time and money, fit in tight spaces, and offer a variety of fuel and venting options.
July 1, 2002... Site-built masonry is expensive and takes days or weeks to build, which is why the vast majority of new fireplaces are prefabricated, manufactured units. A typical manufactured fireplace is a double-wall metal box that connects to a metal flue...

Why wait to get paid? (Legal Adviser).(avoiding payment problems)(Brief Article)(Column)
July 1, 2002... A lot of my columns seem to be about how to get paid for your work--and with good reason. When it comes to business legal questions, that's the big one. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do during the course of a job that will...

Effective employee reviews. (Strictly Business).
July 1, 2002... If you're fortunate enough to have employees, how do you know that you're getting their full potential? At my company, we rely on periodic performance reviews. Employee reviews can be nerve-racking--while it's always great to give, and receive,...

Under-counter appliances. (Kitchen & Bath).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Under-counter appliances have been around for a long time--the dishwasher made its first appearance in the late 40s. Today, the category includes refrigerators, freezers, ice makers, wine coolers, ovens, warming drawers, and trash compactors,...

Senco AirFree 41 cordless finish nailer. (Toolbox).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... I bought my first Paslode Impulse finish nailer about 10 years ago, after using a pneumatic trim nailer for many years. My crew and I immediately found the Impulse great for punch lists and repair work, and especially valuable for installing...

Milwaukee power caulker. (Toolbox).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... As a residential carpenter primarily involved in renovation and restoration, I'll freely admit that I'm on the low point of the innovation curve when it comes to new tools. However, I wasn't alone in my initial reaction to Milwaukee's cordless...