Carpentry & Building Construction © 20042005 ArchiveHere are some helpful tips from Mark Feirer, the author of Carpentry & Building Construction. Q How can I seal a caulking tube for later use? A Caulking tubes hold about 10 oz. of material, but rarely does anyone use exactly one tube. There always something left, and that means sealing up the tube for reuse later. Some tubes come with caps that screw on, but most don't. Some carpenters seal the nozzle with duct tape, stick a 16d nail into the tip, drive a small screw into the tip, or screw on an electrical cap. Even then, a plug of caulk will eventually solidify in the tip. Maybe someday manufacturers will make caulking tubes with removable tips so the plug of dried caulk can be pried out from the base end of the tip. Until then, try this. Drive a long, slender drywall screw deep into the nozzle and into the dried plug, then pull out the plug as you withdraw the screw. If that doesn't work, a long, narrow flatblade screwdriver, the kind that electricians use, does a passable job of coaxing out the plug. If that doesn't do it, just cut the tip off a little bit to make the hole a little larger. Q What can I do if a wall must be framed between an existing floor and ceiling? A The best way to frame a wall is to assemble it flat on the floor and tip it into place. However, in some cases walls must be framed between an existing floor and ceiling. A wall built exactly as tall as the distance between finished surfaces won't always tip into place--it's actually slightly taller when measured diagonally across its thickness. You could make the wall a little short and then shim it into place, but there's a better way: Rack the wall to get your clearance. This method uses simple geometry. Turn that rectangle of a wall into a parallelogram to reduce it's height just enough for you to get the clearance you need. Once in place, push the wall back into a rectangular shape, and it'll snug up to the ceiling just right. Q When I use OSB for sheathing, which side should I use? A Oriented-strand board (OSB) is inexpensive and relatively strong and is often used for wall sheathing. Unlike plywood sheathing, one side of OSB is smooth and the other is a little rough. From a structural standpoint, it doesn't make any difference which side faces up. But if you were a roofer climbing around on a newly sheathed roof, which side would you rather be walking on? For added safety, the lightly textured side offers a bit of extra traction. On the other hand, there's another issue to consider if the OSB has tongue-and-groove edges. The T&G profile is not symmetrical, so the sheets must be oriented correctly for the joints to match. With those panels, look for the "This Side Down” stamp and be sure to follow that direction. Q What can I do to solve gutter drainage problems when the downspout drains into piping that runs below grade? A Gutters collect water falling on the roof and direct it to downspouts. When downspouts appear to drain into the ground, they are actually sending water through an underground system of 4" diameter plastic pipes. These pipes often drain into a drywell, sometimes called a catch basin. This is often a pit filled with pea gravel that allows water to percolate slowly into the surrounding soil. Sometimes drainage pipes lead to a municipal storm sewer system or simply to "daylight,” a point lower than the house where water can flow out of the pipe at grade level. Unfortunately, all sorts of things can happen to the underground drain pipes over time. Sometimes they're choked by dirt and leaves collected by the gutters or by roots from nearby trees. If that happens, they can sometimes be cleared by working a hand auger (plumbing snake) into the pipe until it hits the blockage, then using a metal detector to find the end of the snake. The area around the blockage must then be dug up to clear the blockage. Using a power snake to clear the blockage isn't an option because the process can destroy lightweight plastic pipe that's often used for drainage. In daylighted systems, something may be blocking the discharge end of the pipe. That's not hard to resolve--as long as you can find the end of the pipe. It's also very common for vehicles driving over a lawn to crush drain pipes, particularly when the ground is soft. Concrete trucks are the worst offenders, and crushed drainage pipes are often an unintended consequence of pouring a foundation for a new addition. When installing drainage systems, some contractors use heavy-duty Schedule 20 pipe. It's very crush resistant and doesn't cost much more than standard Schedule 40 drainage pipe. If it saves a homeowner from having to dig up a crushed pipe in five years, it's worthwhile. If a drywell is involved, most of the time the drywell itself has clogged rather than the pipes leading to it. A drywell is often just a steel drum with holes poked in it, buried a few feet below the surface. Or it might be nothing more than a hole filled with rocks. Either way, the drywell eventually silts in and no longer works as a drain. It must be replaced. A 50-gallon sectional plastic catch basin is easy to transport and install. After digging a pit, assemble the catch basin, lower it into the pit; then connect the drain pipes to it. Wrap the basin with landscape fabric to keep silt out; then surround it with pea gravel to encourage water dispersion. For more on gutters and downspouts, see Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 31, section 31.3. Q What can I do to prevent concrete dusting? A Dusting is a weak surface layer of sand-rich cement paste that turns powdery when it dries. Dusting is caused by troweling concrete while surface water is still present. This can also make the concrete scratch easily. In many cases the water source is rain, but the same results can occur even in dry weather. Water in the concrete mix naturally rises to the surface after the slab has received the first two finishing steps: screeding and bullfloating. The next step, troweling, shouldn't occur until after this water, called bleed water, has evaporated. If a slab has been rained on, take steps to remove the excess water. You might be able to sweep off the excess with a long trowel, or you can drag a garden hose across the surface to skim off the excess. But if you missed that chance and are faced with a dusting problem, all is not lost. You should be able to coat the floor with one of various types of floor sealers. These products bind the surface layer into a harder, more durable layer that won't dust. Some concrete finishers use a deep-penetrating acrylic sealer to solve dusting problems. The surface must be pressure washed first, then allowed to dry before applying the product. However, a sealer can make the surface slippery. It may be necessary to add a bit of sand if the problem surface is being used as an exterior walking surface. For more on placing concrete slabs, see Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 15. Q What’s the best way to install interior trim on a series of small windows that are located side by side? A The best way to solve a complex problem is to simplify it. In this case, start by visualizing all that glass as one big window rather than many small ones. How would you trim it? Just like a regular window, using one continuous length of head (top) casing and two lengths of side casing. At the bottom you could install a single sill and apron, or you could continue the casing to "picture frame" the windows. The casing between each window should be a single piece. Some finish carpenters would make these individual pieces from thinner stock than the head and side casing. This would create a slight reveal that might help to make the outer casings more dominant visually. For more on installing window trim, see Chapter 35 of Glencoe's Carpentry & Building Construction ©2005, by Mark Feirer Q What is Type X drywall? AType X drywall is a fire-resistant type of drywall that is sometimes called “fire code” drywall. It costs somewhat more than standard drywall. In residential construction, Type X may be required by code on the wall separating an attached garage from the house. What makes Type X more fire-resistant than standard drywall? It is denser than an equal thickness of standard drywall. It also contains two additives that make it less likely to disintegrate in a fire: glass fiber and vermiculite. The fiber reinforces the sheet, and the vermiculite prevents it from shrinking when it gets hot. Using 5/8" Type X drywall on a 2x4 wall instead of standard 1/2" drywall increases the wall's fire rating from 35-40 minutes to a minimum of 1 hour. A fire rating is a gauge of how long it would take fire to cause a wall to fail, based on laboratory tests. For more on drywall, see Chapter 40 of Glencoe's Carpentry & Building Construction ©2005, by Mark Feirer. Q What can be done to prevent wind from causing a chimney to backdraft? A The traditional method is to top the chimney with a bluestone slab that sits atop four short pilasters, or legs. They are usually made of mortared brick. The slab prevents wind from blowing smoke straight down the chimney. A different approach is sometimes used in coastal areas exposed to high winds. At the top is a simple device made of sheet metal. It pivots automatically to shield the windward side of the chimney while exposing the leeward side. Think of how a weathervane works, and you'll get the idea. Q Does a polyurethane finish have to be completely removed before a wood floor can be refinished? A No, and there’s a good reason to avoid a complete refinishing when possible. Even a careful sanding by a refinishing professional removes some of the wood surface, and that reduces the floor's life. Unlike sanding, screening a floor with 120-grit abrasive mounted on a buffer scours off a bit of the finish. This prepares it for a new coat. Once the entire floor has been screened, it can be refinished. Prior to screening, the floor should be cleaned to remove any wax, grease, and dirt. After screening, be extremely thorough in eliminating dust before you recoat the floor. For more on wood flooring, including floor finishing, see Chapter 42 of Glencoe's Carpentry & Building Construction ©2005, by Mark Feirer. Q What causes a floor finish to wear unevenly? A Any floor or floor finish wears most where it's walked on most. The kitchen is the busiest room in a house. It is typically the target of more spills, stains, and subsequent mop-ups. So it's no surprise that floor finishes in a kitchen require more maintenance than finishes elsewhere in the house. Other high-wear areas are hallways and entrances to rooms. To get more life out of any finish, put a throw rug at the main entrance to collect finish-destroying grit. For more on flooring, see Chapters 42 and 43 of Glencoe's Carpentry & Building Construction ©2005, by Mark Feirer. Q How do I determine the causes of excess moisture in a basement? A If a house is new, the moisture may be related to the concrete curing process. If this is the case, it should subside within the first year. In an older house, seepage or condensation are the usual culprits. Use duct tape to adhere foot-square patches of aluminum foil to various locations on the basement walls and floor. Check them in a day or two: water droplets on the underside of the foil indicate moisture seepage through the concrete, while droplets on the exposed surface suggests condensation. Sealing the walls with a cement-based paint can sometimes cure seepage. Reducing humidity in the basement can cure condensation. For more information on preventing excess moisture, see Chapter 14 of Glencoe's
Carpentry & Building Construction © 2005, by Mark Feirer. Q How are cantilevered decks framed? For more information on floor framing, see Chapter 20, or for more information on decks, see Chapter 45 of Glencoe's Carpentry & Building Construction © 2005, by Mark Feirer. Q Where should the plumbing shutoff valve for a bathtub be located? A A shutoff valve for a sink can easily be located in the supporting cabinet, but there's no obvious place to park a shutoff valve for the tub and shower. The plumbing is often buried in a wall, making access awkward. The best solution is to include a small, unobtrusive door or hatch on the back side of the wall. In other cases, shutoffs may be located in the basement on the supply pipes leading to the tub. For more information on plumbing, see Chapter 38 of Glencoe's Carpentry & Building Construction © 2005, by Mark Feirer. Q What are the advantages and disadvantages of earth-berm construction? A The basic idea of a berm is to use the earth's mass to insulate part of the house from cold and hot weather and to isolate it from winds that might sweep unrestricted across the landscape. The berm can also dampen noise transmission to the house. From a construction standpoint, a bermed house isn't much different than a house with a walkout basement. In both cases, the success of the house will depend upon how carefully the buried wall was built and on how thoroughly the builder provided for proper drainage and ventilation. Other issues affect this type of construction: fire safety and ventilation. Building codes require that all bedrooms have a window large enough to be used as a means of escape in case of fire. Natural ventilation in a house is also important, but this is not always easy to do with earth-berm construction. Q Do codes allow rigid insulation to be used on walls or ceilings in a house? A Building codes require that foam insulation exposed to the interior of a building must be covered by a non-flammable surface, such as 1/2-inch drywall. In some cases, such as when rigid foam insulation is used as part of a roof assembly, codes might allow it to be covered with plywood sheathing. However, always check with your local building inspector to determine the most suitable installation details for rigid foam insulation. For more information on insulation, see Chapter 39 of Glencoe's Carpentry & Building Construction © 2005, by Mark Feirer. |  |
