IS YOUR HEATING SYSTEM AN ENERGY BEAST?

Plum prehu Deck boards done right

More efficient sheathing for walls

Newwinding stairs for an old house

TOOL TEST

Portable thickness planers

MAY 2009 NO.202

www.finehQmebuilding.com

o U.S. S7 .99/C..,..,. S8.\>9

perfe doors

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Our new oil-free finish nailers are engineered to help you achieve the level of craftsmanship you ware always capable of. They offer precision-driven features such 8S dry­fire lockout, dja~a-depth technology, swivel fittings, patentad profile tips .. even an integrated pencil sharpener.

For nearly 40 years, SIonIot~ has designed its products to be the most reliable & durable pneumatic tools a.ailable. Maybe the!s 'IKrv more finish carpenters and serious wood­workers rely on SIonIey~ products more than any other major brand.·

::,;: ~'I ii~-"_-:,:'.I'i',,ia,ll in Ihe bOIl II I Vent. Ilashing,

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READER SERVICe. NO. 40

UT IT. APE IT.

OUT IT. 'CllrtIT

. EDGE IT. C AULK IT. 1<LEER" IT.

KI$er PVC Trimbowd KlfvllltM probl.ms you '''plrien!» ~.ing wood in IIJIterior ' pplil;lllioM. kl80r loob ,nd f&el.Ik. wood and un be cut, I-hl pad Ind IH t.n-d !<Sing the tool.s yo ... el.-..dy own. Unlika wood, hOWI ... T, K1 •• rwoo't rot, dellomfnlola or I weA exceuivety d .... to moisture.

~ y,'.~\~'.'_''''II ... mber dealer or www,klelr1umber.oom out mo,., ind\ldi"" detd. on Ollr limited lifetime

Wamonty tIl.t includM IIobotfor 1M fl~ two '1' ......

BLADE STORAGE 28 UP FRONT

6 On the Web

8 Contributors

Letters 10

20 Cross Section Energy-efficiency tax credits, Top green products

28 Tips & Techniques Protecting woodwork on the job site, Anr.hor-bolt marker

36 Tools & Materials Mini reciprocating saws, Footing form on a roll

50 TUNE UP

YOUR HE ATI N G

SYSTEM

FEATURES

44 Deck Boards Done Right Keep an eye on the stringline, and have,; handful of spacers and a board straightener within eilsy reach BY MIKE GUERTIN

Sidebar> Threo t ool s tama wi ld wood (p. 49)

50 Is Your Heating System an Energy Beast?

56

63

68

Here's how to spot the signs and boost the efficiency of your furnace, boiler, or heat pump Sideb.ar> Sea l air leaks, save money (p. 51)

BY DA,V[ YATES

New Winders for an Old House Don't even think about tackling these space-saving stairs without a full-scale drawing Clnd a pair of dividers BY ANDY ENGEL

Beyond OSB: Wall Sheathings That Multitask Can a product that provides structure, housewrap, and even insulation save you time and money? BY CHARLES BICHORD

Dress Up a Vent Pipe With a Copper Boot Flash roof penetrations with a soldered copper pan and sleeve for an elegant detail that lasts a lifetime BY f AHICK SHEELEY

70 Sweat-Equity Renovalion An 1890s bungalow is returned Lo its original beauty by an ambitious husband-and-wife remodeling crew BY .I0H."I I1AWTHQRN

74 Tool Test: Portable Thickness Planers The best tools offer pre<:ision board-surfacing without sacrificing convenience and durability

79

BY CHRISTIAN M WHALEN

COVER STORY

Plumb Perfeet Prehung Doors Believe it or not, you need the level only once, and that's before you ever touch the door BY GARY STRIEGLER

www.finehomebuilding.com

74 THE BEST PLANERS

IN THE BACK

84 Project Gallery

86 Questions & Answers Guner$ below grade, Cutting in stain at the cei l ing

92 What's the Difference? Vapor barriers vs. vapor retarders

98 Building Skills Making basic PEX connections

102 Drawing Board Making the m:Jsl of basement rooms

106 Master Carpenter Fl ashing troublesome eave-Ie-wall intersections

114 Great Moments Caugnt in the Crosshairs

NEW DEPARTMENT: 84 __ ..;,;PROJECT GALLERY _~ __ _

ontheweb WWW FINEHOMEBUILDING.COM

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o w o >

Look for the-sa and other free magazine extras on

the FineHomebuilding.com home ~age.

Finishing new stain in an old house Andy Engel handled the construction of" difficult set of

winder stairs in a 2C()..year-<::>ld nouse (pp_ .56-(:,2). Finish­

ing them was editor Kevin Ireton's job, In this audro slide

show. see how they turned out.

Thickness-planer use and maintenance Altnough most share a similar two- Of lhr.:,e·blade con·

figuration, no two portable thickness planers are engi­

neered alike. In this video, you'll see the differences in

manufacturers' designs ~nd learn good cutting habits.

Build a zero-clearance circular-saw base If you've been lugging Mound sheets of plywood and

wrestling them through your lablesaw, there's II b .. tter

way. In this video. watch editor Chuck Mili~r make a

base for cuning sheet goods with a sidewinder.

-. ~t~ . --T( (';[,~ . ...

BUILDING SKILLS

PEX connections In this video, plumber Bruce

NOffilan shows you how

to join pipes with le:s~ flux

(and less fuss). Le<)H1 how to

make PEX-to-PEX and PEX·

to-copper or threaded pipe

connections using push-fit

and damp-fit connectors.

Neither method rcquire-s a

plumber's license,

STEPPING OUT WITH A KICKOUT FLASHING DIVERTER

Attention to detail protects eave-to~wall intersections follow along as contributing editor Mike Guertin expla.ns why he c.hOO5es

to err on the sioo of caution to contro l water flow and not rely sole ly on

step flas hirlg. In this example. Mike has developlid a multilayer approach

using housew(ap. fiashing tapO'. copper. $e~-adhesive membrane, and a

kickout diverter to d irect w3ter into the guner. Is the process redundant? ___ .;;;.... Yes, but it works

YideoWorkshop Mastering the art of built-up crown molding In this 2O·minute series, finish carpenter

Tucker Winoover demonstr;rtes hO'N basic

crown·molding in~tallations can rise to the next level with some crelltivity and plan.

fling. Filmed on the job site, he starts by

bUilding profile mock-ups. Tuder then builds a series of jigs for cutting and ;nstal­

lation, and shows you his method of map·

ping out cope aod mitor joints, and his tips

for gluing up scan joints for long runs,

ALSO ON FINEHOMEBUILDING.COM

• Green building, news, <Jnd editors' blogs • Tool reviews . Q&As • Tips &

Techniques . Project Gallery . Slide shows . Free eletter sign-up . 14-DAY

FREE MEMBERSHIP TRIAL, which includes accoss to mote than 1450 Fine

Homebuilding articles to print and download . And more ...

• FINE HOMEBUILDING

breaktime~ Advice from our online forum If you haven't visited "Breaktime." our online discus­

sion group, then you're missing out on a fascinating

exchange of ide~s, advic ... ;md comment3ry. You'll

find "Breaktime" on our Web site. Listed below iUP.

som .. recent highlights.

Laying tile over vinyl flooring CREATED BY CHO: Is it possible to install

ceramk tile over an uisting \linyl bathroom

floor? If so, do I need to use a specific adhe-

5i\le or s urface tre<Jtment?

Posted by Iron Helix: If you read the labels

on ceramic-bedding compounds, some say

they adhere to vinyl as long as it in turn is securely adhered to a substrate. I've tiled over

vinyl in high-traffic areas without problems but

wouldn't recommend tiling over soft vinyl be­

cause the cushion effect can transfer movement

and cause grout tracking and adhesive failure,

Po»tlld by plumbitup51: Although it 's pos­

s ible, a layer o f 1/.-in. backerboard (such as Har­

dieBacker) installed over the vinyl would make

for a much-better installation and wouldn 't crll­

ate a hugll difference in flooring height.

Prepping Interior walls for stone veneer CREATED BY lEDEBUHR1: The foyer walls of

Oul' (hurch are covered with 1/.·in. paneling,

but we would like to replace the paneling

with stone veneer to make the entry more

attractive. What type of substrate should we install over tMese traditionOlilly framed Interior

walll before adding the \leneer?

Posted by Huck: For exterior appl ications,

my instalier puts a scratch coat over metal lath

installed on builder's felt. Then he uses mortar

to apply the veneer, working from the top down if it's cultured stone, or bottom up if it's

the real stuff, In any case, I think that would

work inside, too.

Posted by Jed42: You COlIn use builder's fe lt

over the existing paneling or strip the paneling

and replace it with Durock or similar cement·

board. Real stone should be fastened to the wall with masonry ties, but cultured stone can

be fastened to the wall with adhesive over lath

because it weighs less.

Once t we were rated the #1 decking stain. You know what they say, the customer's always right.

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• To learn more, visit cabotstain.com. Or caUl-BOO-US CT,"'"

contributors THE VOICES OF EXPERIENCE

write an article Fine Homebuilding

welcomes articles from

our readers. We'll

acknowledge all pro­

posals and return any we

can't use, and we 'll pay

for 3r'1y articles we pub

lish. For details, check

our Web Site a t www

.finehor'rlebl.li Iding_com.

8 F INE HOMEBUILD ING

Following a short post-college stint in the business world, JOHN HAWTHORN went back to something he's enjoY!ld doing since he was a teenager: construc­tion. John enjoys bringing 21st-century amenities to an old house while maintaining its original character, 35 he did with his home (pp, 70-73). When John and his wife, Sharon, are not working on their own projects,

induding raising two children, Jonn enjoys jumping out of perfectly good airplanes (skydiving, of course). J .E. Hawthorn Construction is based in Red Bank, N.J.

CHRISTIAN M. WHALEN has spent his 35-year career work­ing in Missoula, Mont., as a finish carpenter, a project man­ager, arld a contractor. His finish

work has won awards in the local Parade of Homes. When not swinging his hammer, Chris

enjoys fly fishing, listening to his iPod, and touring the Northwest with his beloved wife, Aida. Chris's review of portable thickness planers begins on p. 74.

While working as a carpenter, PATRICK SHEELEY became intrigued with roofing work Pat joined a roof­ing crew over 10 years ago and learned the trade. Eventually, he started his own roofing business. Pat specializes in metal and wood roofs in the mid-Hudson River Valley. Although he finds time in warmer months to play ultimate Frisbee, his busy schedule has kept him '

from using his pilot', license. Pat's article about a cop- 1 per vent-pipe detail starts on p. 68. w

~. ANDY ENGEL (~New Winders for an Old House, ~

pp. 56-62) has been a carpenter, a stairbuilder, and a Fine Homebuilding editor. He now runs Professional :5 Deck Builder mag,uine and teaches clinics at trade c;

shows. In good weather, he bicycles the hills of Roxbury, f Conn., where he's a Boy Scout leader and a school- ~

board member. Andy lives a mil" down a dirt road with his wife, Pat, and son Kevin. Rousing Andy's jealousy, his elder son, Duncan, has moved to Durango, Colo.

When senior editor CHARLES BICKFORD Isn't at work on projects such as re$earching sheathing materi­ills (pp. 63-67) and aditing articles for FHB, he can

~ , 1

often be found building or playing a guitar or riding his 1 road bike. Chuck lives in Ivoryton, Conn., wrth his wife, Usa, and three children.

Fine IIOJnebuilding

Editor Kevin Ireton Executive Art Director Robert Goodfellow

SpQci<ll-lssues Edftor Charles Miller

Managing Editor Brian Pontollio Senior Edftors

Charles Bickford, Debra Silber Associate Editors

Chris Ermidel, JUltln Fink, Rob Vagid Senior Copy/Production Editors

Chris Hoelck, Julie Rislnit Deputy Art Directors

Dan Thornton, Rodnay DIiIz Assistant Art Director Krysta S. Doerfler

Administrative Assistant Mau,.an Friadman Managing Editor, W.:Jb Jean-Paul Vellotti

Associate Editors. Web John Ron, Robyn Doyon-A.itl","

Contributing Editors Rick Arnold, Mike Guertin. Scott Giblon

Publisher Tim Schreiner Marketing Manag.:Jr Liza CooleII'

Admini5trative Assistant Chrlstl"1I Ghtnnon

Consumer Marketing Director Beth Reynolds, ProCirc

Circulation Manager Noelia Garcia, ProCirc Vice President. Single Copy Sales Jay Annis

BusinOiss ManagOirs David Pond, Magan Sangster

Director of Advertisor Marketing Kristen Lacey

Managllr. Pricing & Inventory Umberto Torrielli

Advertising Sales Director John Dyckman Senior National Account Manager

Wendy Baxter National Account Managers

J.ff Font, Carol P"rlnger, Kevin Dril l. Na.lle McCulloch

Account Manager Chris Dunham Advertising Sti les Assistant H ..... ther Sims

Assistant Editor, Homll-building Books Courtney Jordan

FiM Hom.&uJfJin.(I~N; 10%-l6OX) I. publi."'-d t.;1"f'>Of\I~1y. wilh a 'I*"I"~ ; ..... '" u.. *P'"'9..,.! ~ ~ a,k i ...... ;n 1"" roll. by ThoI T ...... !Ofl P", ... In, .• N.wtOWtl. CT C»47()o.551)6, Ter.~ (203) 42~e", . P~rIod,,",l< f'O'U9'! p.-d '" Notwl_n. CT 01>470 ~nd;>l add/tlotl:oj ""',llog offie<..<. GST p.od ' eg\st,M["" "23210981 .

Subo<nptiDn ht .. : u.s, ~rod ,..,. ........... _ ~~. S37,\05Ia< 0<1* ~'. $05.\05 Ia< 1"'0 _ •• S9l.9~ I", I1'ww ,... •• ; "",,>:101"" u.s. ond ""' ... .., .... rod C_o. 545,\05 fo, on. ~.r. U '.95 Ia< \WI;ly_"" . $117.95 Ia< I~ree Y"" f., U.S. t!oIo<., ~ ..... ). Slr>gI. COf'1. S7.'I9. S~ <ofIIM """kkt 1M U.S,.r>d po ... ...,..., Sll.'I9.

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PTintad In t .... USA

HOW TO CONTACT US:

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Copyright 2()Q9 by Thoo b"",OrI Pa ... In< No " p'OO<X1ion

wi\~ poorrni .. .,., of The T. "",,,,, Pt •••• '0<.

APRll..lMAY 2009 9

letters READER FEE.DBACK

f­I (:J

---'

t5 u.. (J)

w I f-Z

Disappointed with radiant-floor article t read with interest and a bit of disappointment Scott Gibson's article "Warm

Floors on it TIght Budget" (FHB #201 and online at FineHomebuilding.com), which

I believe missed the mark in a number of areas. Perhaps the biggest miss was in

not focusing on the bj9~picture view of cost. We always teft our clients to budget

between $10 and $15 per sq. ft. for a completed radiant system, including all

costs. That's about $5 to $10 per sq. ft. more than a forced--air system.

But if that difference is amortiz.ed as part of a mortgage, the energy savings with

a high-efficiency radiant system (in most northern states) will offset the higher

cost, with radiant comfort thrown in as a bonus.

Your article left the impression that the cost of radiant could be lowered from

514 per sq. ft. to about 54 per sq. ft. in material cost, plus an undetermined

amount of labor, by ordering materials over the Internet and by using an open­

direct system (potable and nydronic water intermingled). That material cost

would be true only for a plateless staple-up tubing setup, the most labor inten­

sive and least energy efficient of all radiant systems. For any reader who is not a

do-it-yourselfer, the total installed cost will be double or triple that $4-per-sq.-ft.

number, and with energy costs factored in, this could in fact be one of the most

expensive radiant systems over the long haul. So much for a tight budget.

Regarding open-direct systems, you correctly pointed out that there is less than

a consensus on the risks of Legionnaire's disea~ anociated with these systems,

but the arguments concerning th& risks of open-loop systems are well reasoned

and cannot be easily dismissed. At most, an open system might save about 50¢

per sq. ft. in material costs, compared with dosltd-Ioop systems. Considering the

nontrivial risk of Legionnaire's disease and considering that most radiant homes

have a total construction cost of over $150 per sq. ft., I cannot imagine the logic

behind taking such a risk to save less than 0.3% of construction cost.

Your readers deserve more complete information. Fine Homebuilding should

revisit the subject of low-cost radiant with a more comprehensive article.

-TERRY ALSSE RG . CEO, Warmboardlnc.

"Taking Issue" shows contempt for' freedom If Alex Wiloon believes that an apple a day is a goocI idea, he is frec to persuade me to switch from bananas ("Taking Issue," "Fixing uur homes can help fix our country," FHS #201 amI on­line at FineHomebuilding.com).

But like many other petty tyrants with hundreds of such crusades on many issues, he doesn't trust my judgment or that of 350 milliun other citizen sheep. His idea is apparently not good cnQugh to convince us. So insteaJ he wants the force of law to insert that apple

10 FINE H O MEBUILDING

The Taunton Press Inspil':iliOll for lunJs·on livil1t:~

INDEI'EN()f.NT I'UELL~HF.ItS SINCF 1' 7 ~

Ftumdm. Pa..J andJan Roman

Evr ';' em Timothr Ro.b.

sYe 0,,,,";_ Thomas Luxtder

SVI! C"'~f;'~ ,;. hmc,u./ SuAn Ic.klnoon

svn T«!",~kxY Jay HanI"J'

svr ,;. G .... , Pub{j,),n, H."", Panl Sp.i"l!

SVP & Po.bbJKt. &oJt Crn, Do .. .J<l Unn

SVI' !u"-.. "iJi"t s,./,:, 1(0,1 Elkt.

SlIP Entl"";",, C""t';' Ce""""",, M~rlwi"f. Janine S<:oIpinn

VI~ Hu"",n fVH~«" c.rol M.,,,,,i

VI' ,;. ec",,./k, Warno Rq-1tolda

VI? hljilimm' Patricia Wdliam..,,,

Y1? H"",.«, Katl'r Wo""

Vp. r..~n"'~ intnto.'tiw J.IH>£I. Ren.oll.

VI? Sinzk ''''/'7 SAl" Jay Annl.

THE TAUNTON PRESS

Hook., M~,*";nt: Aud"'r LowroronJo. J'..bfitiJy: Jand Noblin. U;/orWl· Helen J\Il>crt. Ptr., Ch'pm.n, Jessi"" DiDonato. '.ou.rr"cr J(mL.n. Carolyn Mm,brmo. F.rica Sgndm·F""r.t . Sharon ~{;I.Art: All""", >;('"o.Ik<:s, K:"r Bind"r, N:u><y Bo-udrrou. No .. Ft~nT'" Amy Griffin. Sand,. M.hl",·dt. 4nn. I'hiUlp •• Stooke Rot><, urnl Si"s<'" M,mujllffllrinK' lhom ... Greco, Ltur:t Button •.

BII., ;ntu Office, Holly Smidt, l'auid. M."ini. Ltt~l' (;,,,,Iyn J<tw.Joski. MatM."'~ Pn"t PnJdlUtjo1l, Phmp Van Kirk, Niool.Ana,,,, •. J,,,,,;(., KaClmurylr.

Di ... iblltiom P:ml Scipold. W.lter Aponte. frank S ... illO.lJa,·id Dt'["OIO, Lnnn. Fllrlong. Dc:bor.UJ Grewe. Fr~nk Mtolh"urnc, Re;n.IJ" Moren",)"" Riv<n, O:ovld lI<><1rig,,07, Alk, $nron,

FlnaJ>Cc.lAccountinJr. F;",,"U: l!ten Manning. Rich.rd Riv.-ild<. NroulIIillg: Pmick Lamo"Uj:nc, p,l.dU. Jenning<. Lydi a KrILl.i.n, Mioh.<ll. Mondon<:.:!, Judi'h 0"10010. fJait>< Yamin, CuolDi.ohm. Dorothy Sl,.,ko, Sugn Burke, lame< P""'<r.lornine l'>.~ .. LUrr Rice.

l'uHilimenf: Oi.""Goulo ... P"lfillmmIS,IIt"": Jodi Kki". Mindy Koch, J:unk Cannone, Oonn. upalbo. An-dyCor><>~, Kat>q Knorr. C",,,,mn-s...vict; Bonnie &arJ,loy. fXbotah Cicci<), Ka,herine CI"lc, Alfrrd Or""e,. p. ula ferreri, El l •• n MeNuh}', Purida l'ar~ •. Dc",,,, p.~rk.or, l'alri{·i;o Pineau. Betty S"'pncy.

1."., .. &ttry: Mo'Y Ann Col~", C: .. yn<:·l.ynn~ Davis, M,urttn I'ck:lI, Deb" ScntJdcldcr,AndlO' Shorrod,.

I>{;IIyl(}l, Thomp><>n. Harb.,. WiUi~m •. K>.ren Willi.m •.

HUlnaIl Resou l'«I> Christine Li,,""ln. WendyTita.

D ...... n U .. cry.

Infornl.'ion T«lmology Senk .. , Appli"~lio", lJtwIoP"'''''' Hei.di \·([.ldidrd.. Ro~rf Nid'iOn. LinJ..

Rcddington,John V""cino, D.nid Woodhouse. [k,ktc! a~JN<fr<."Its,.!""n A<bm Gregory, reM Cotofana. raul [kIP.dr<, Miducl Lew •• ,

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Tau"t"" Creati"", Midt.d Am.di~L. Luci. Co.xoli. Sorah Opd:lhl. Ka, Richle. Pbo'''P''fh:t.- 50;0" Phi llip>, VukD. o..iu,. Ka".~ (.;0'1 junkn, Mic(ud Dob~e.

f>ubliohing s.'"~" Deborah Cooper. Prq"''',- Rich.rd Iloo<h, Willi.m Bi~"n., D>.yiJ Blasko. Rkh",d Co, • .,.(e, William Godfrty, Orion Le.vitt, Ch.Mam Th.nlmHOnl','" AllIUm"" l'roJ"'~;(m: Lou.ro B<,~ron. Li", [)"f..,. P,mici1 1"'10, K1rhryn $imr",d<, M1rth. Stommu.

T AU NTON INTERACTIVE

Ma'l""w Btr~r.J()di. Dd"I>t,y, D~vJd HoIl, R<ltw:n H.rtm.·, Chn"'''phcrCL\cy, Ru,h o.,h<er .. gr. Li>a I "".nd, Erib For<nun . M>T}' lGt. Gran'. Sh.hul

!("dokhd.n, G.:oIfKnpkJ, Ste'" Lomba,di, Sh.rn. S.nin.ju, Mkhaci Stolt" D,wn Vigl ione,

TAUNTON TRA DE

john Bacig.lupi,AlIi..,n H"ll .... Singld_~PJs.h V1[.ri~ Droub!. M.rk Stick""n.

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APRIL/MAY 2009 11

letters _,;,;;;.,;,;,;;,;;.;;;._. CON TIN U E 0

into my throat. He wants to

require. mandate, and compd. He wants to tax banana~ to 5uh­sidize appl~s. He will provide free downloadable: software so that 1 can spend hours calculat­Ing my minimum allowahle appl<:~-to--banana consumption ratio. He will then send inspec­tors to verify my compliance un

" Like other petty tyrants, he doesn't trust my judgment or that of 550 million other citizen sheep. "

pain of the loss of my permit to eat bananas. He's sure that it's all for our own gexxi.

It's not so much that he feels

contempt for the value of human freedom. He seems Ilever to have considacd it.

-BARRY MILL IKEN

New York, N .Y.

Builders' mind-sets need to change Alex Wil~(>ll's "Taking Issue" essay "Fixing our hom~ can help fix our country" (FHB #20 1 and online at rincHomcbuilding .com) hit the nail on the head and should be mailed to every contractor and builder in the United States.

Up unti l the mid~'7~, our res­idential and industri<ll con~truc-

liun was essentially "energy complan'nt." We didn't much c.'l.re ;Ioom the cost of fuds or energy. Gasoline and fud oil were 5O¢ a gallon. Water was almOlit free. Even after [hc les­sons of the early 197&, change to energy efficiency was grad­ual and eventually slowed. It came alive again only in the recent decade.

When you think about it, we've got IOU years of inef­ficient constTllction behind us.

The postwar building booms of the early and mid-century have built most of the invenwry­millions of homes and indus­trial/commercial buildings.

If we put our minds to it, we could employ hundreds of thousands 1Il the manufacture and installation of energy­efficient appliances and insulat­ing materials. The payback? Most insulation would be made of recycled materials, products [hat would otheJ"wise languish in exptnsive-tv-maintain landfi lls. Employment would increase. The cash we send to

hostile oil- rich nations would slow to a tr ickle

But the real payback i~ that the energy efficiency remallls III place forever. Insulation doesn't wear out; it has no moving p;arts and needs nO maintenance.

Once energy-efficient products become mainstream, there's no

N THE ROAD APRIL 9, 23, MAY 7, 21 : Hear Fine Homebuilding editors Kevin Ire ton and Chuck Miller on The Faith Middleton Show at 3 p.m. ET on WNPR, 90.5 FM, in south9rn New England, or online at www.wnpr.org.

APRIL 11 , MAY 16: Hear Fine Homebuilding editor Kevin Ireton interviewed on The

Money Pit radio show, with hosts To m Kraeutler and Leslie Segrete. To fi nd a local affiliate or to listen on line, visit their Web !:ite ilt www.moneypit.com.

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Rick Arnold conducts seminars on a ll aspects of home building. Visit his Web site, www.build ingeventsolutions.com. to learn more.

12 FINE HOMEBUILDING

gomg b.1ck . J list try to buy a single-glazed window or an in­efficient furnace or boiler today.

Mind-sets need to changc­nut just in Washington, hut throughout the industry.

~JOHN J. CHRISTIANO

Franklin, N.J.

More than a real American can stand I have been a suhserilx:r to yom magnine since it started and also have kept all the Issues. But Alex Wilson's two-page diatribe in the last is-~ue is more than a real AmeriGIll can stand. The reason housing i~ soexpemive is because of ideas such as the!".!:.

Tax credits are giveaway pro­grams. Subsidies and stricter building cooes? More give­aways and Gestapo tactic~. Ren~wable energy i~ in the inf:mt ~tage. Look at what ethanol has done to commodity prices. We need to drill every­wh~re to stop throwmg money oversca~, tocn we can start play­mg with renewable ent"rgy.

Articles on home building arc what this magazine should have, not left-wing political rants. Egomaniacs like Mr. Wil­son seem to think they have th{· righr to tel l everyone ehe how to live.

~VINTO N M. LAMPTON

Agua Duke, Calif.

Energy efficiency Is just common sense I enjoyed Alex's letter to om new pre.~ident anrl agree whole­heartedly. It brings me joy when I read an article {hat pn."Sems "green" or "energy efficieot" as if it were common !ioense fathef

than some "liberal" ideology. I can personally vOllch for the

two-thirds reduction 1n energy usc. In my '50s-era California ranch house, r replaced single­r,me alumi num window.\ with

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conventional wisdom on its head. Now railing is no longer an afterthought-it's an

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letters CONTINUED

up-to-date technology and bought an up-to-date HVAC system (with air­conditioning), I also sheathed the exte­rior of my home with 2 in. of cxpanded­polystyrene foam sheathing covered with an acrylic-stucco system.

Even \vith the added alT-conditioning, I CUt utility hills by one-half to two-thirds for an up-front cost of about a miJprice sport-utility vehicle. S() I say thank you, Mr. Wilson, for your contribution [0 the im:reasmgly important call~ of "smart" home building and renovation.

-RON ROBERTS

via em"ii

President Obama should hire Alex Wilson I was so impressed with the content and direction of Alex Wilson's letter to the president that I want to be sure it was indeed scnt [0 the White House. Smart, pertinent, relevant, and achievable. Mr. Obama seems ready to t:.lke un many of these t:J.~b, and perhaps Mr. Wilson should have a position on his advisory council for energy independence.

_LAUREN VICKERMAN

Pawcatuck, Conn.

Chimney crown will crack I would like to comment on Brendan Mostecki's article "Rehuilding a Brick Chimney" ("FHll #2UI and online at Fine Homebuilding.com). When rebuilding a chimney crown, it would he hetter to follow the advice of the Masonry Advi­sory u:'uncil and the Brick Imtitute of Am ... rica (BIA), both of which recom­mend against several of the practices and details Mr. Mostecki uses.

As shown in the article, tht concrete crown IS right up again~t the tlu ... liner, and the area ~rween the liner.~ is packed with more concrete. Also, the bond break between the last course of brick and the crown 1S apparently missing. Without the~ gaps, there is nu room for expansion. The flue liner could crack Juring a burn because it will rapidly warm and expand at a greater ratc than the surrounding masonry. A better approach would have been to leave an air gap between the flue liner and

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chimney Cfown, later filling it with higb­tcmperature backer material and sealant.

I would recommend a quick online search for Kchimney crown" ti,r proper construction techniques. What the article does show is how to finish the Job quickly by skipping the formwork, caulking, and fall prott:ction that would otherwise help to ensure that both the repair and the crew will last.

-JOHN WALSH

via email

Watch out for carpal-tunnel problems I saw Dana Milb's tip "Modifying a drawer for a keyboard" in the last issue (FHB #201 and online at Fine Homebuilding.com). I agree that [he constTl1crion technique is finc, but [hcre will likely be problems later on for the customer. Fir~t, the front edge of the drawer bas no padding, and the cus­tomer may soon be bothered with rub­bing 011 the wrists. More importam, the shelf d~sll't hold the drawcr at the right JXlsition, and the likely side dlect will be carpal-tunnel syndrome.

Miller would be much better off 1nstall­ing a factory keyboard holder--<me with padding for the wrists and full adjust­ability--to prevent I()ng-term problems. As someone who had problems at work, first uslng the top of the desk to hold the keyboard, then using an inferior under­desk holder, I can see lots of problems should Miller "use it III tbe future in my custom cahinds." r n this case, I recol1l­mend a high-qu:llity factory product rather than a custom-made one.

-CHUCK SHULTZ

Freekold. N.J .

Thinning floor stains can help Charles Peterson '$ article about wood­flouring problems and their solutions (FUB #200 and online at FineHome building.com) was 1l1formative and refreshing. On~ point that was men­tioned, but perhaps should he empha­sized further, is the time and patience required w refini!ih a W1Xx.I tl(XJT.

Although all floor conditions vary, a 200-sq.-ft. floor could require five hours

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A PRII .iM .\Y 2009 15

letters CONTINUED

your safety Home bUIlding is inherently

dimgerous. From accide-nts

with power tools to falls from

ladders, scaffolds, and roofs,

builders risk serious injury and

even death. We try lCl promote

safe work habit5 through our

articles. But what is safe IOf one per50fl under certain

circum5t.anc~ may not be

safe for you under different

circumstllrlC8s. So don't try

anything you learn about Mre

(or elsewhere) unless you're

certain that it is safe for you.

Please be careful. -KEVIN IRETON

editor

16 rINF.1I0MEBUILf)JNG

or more of sanding per grit using the V-Sand orbital sander men­tioned in the artide, depending­on the cupping and ali~'llmcm of me boards., and nOl: including the cleaning be,wecn P.1Sses.

Another item to note is that

although thinning stains i.~ not always recommended on man­ufacturer labd~, it IS important that the stain remains wet when overlapping passes during appli­cation. If the fim pass is already dry, a dark stripe will appear on

the overbp, which is difficult to correel. Thinning the s[~in as

one batch can provide a solution that stays wet longer to allow more time for the overlap.

On several ua:;asions, I have seen wood floors that the homeowner had attempted to

refinish but that lit:eJcd to be refinished by a professional.

Although the ~tep.\ from sand­ing tu st.lining to the polyure­

thane caats are straightforward, it is only with a good understand­ing of the nuances of each step that a beamifully finished wuod floor is hrought to fruition.

-PAUL D. PORTELL

via email

A clarification about dryer ducting I would like to offer a brief comment concerning the Q&A about dryer ven ting (FHD #198 and online at FineHomebuilding .com). The answer says to "uS(:

/lexihle duct only in areas where it can be accesSC'd easily and cle-.lOed." Rut according to the

International Residemial Code (2006 1 RC Section Ml502.2), flexible ducts (or transition ducts) are (Q he u.<;(:d to connect

dryers to the exh<lust duct sys­tem. Per the IRe comment<lry, flexible-duct transitions "must

remain entirely within the room in which the: appliance is installed," and they aTe to

he "listed as transitlon ducts to

comply with UL2158A." My colleagues and I have seen

many flexible duct conm:ctors installed within "acce.'S..~ible"

attic spaces that never get cleaned or arc forgotten about completely. Duct construction

should :llwaY5 be 4-in, rigid metal with joints rllnmng' in the dir«tlon of airflow. Exhausr duces should 00£ be conne<tcd with sheet-metal screws or other fasteners that extenll into

the vent pipe. _ANDREW BOWMAN

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lancaster, Pa,

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n October, Pres-ideot Ru~h

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~ency Economtc Stablliza-tton Act oflOO8. which mcludes update., to (edcr,,! tax credits for C'nergy-c:fficjc;nl homes and those: who make use of renew­ahle energy. The Ulxlatcd cred· its kicked man 1:10.1.2009.

Under the residential energy­efficiency tax credit, homeown­er.; who make Lmprovcmenu in the energy eflicicncy of their

20 FINF. HOMlmUI1..0ING

eXisting primary residenc!' could qualify for :1 (aX credit up [0 SSOO. Improvements 10 the building cnvcl~, including Insulation. exterior doon. and wmdow .. , a re digihlc. High­

dliciency healing, cooling, and water-heating equ ipment is also eligible. Thccncrgy-dncicncy tax credit expires Dec. 31, 2009.

The residential renewable­

cncfID' tax credit, which c:<pires Dec. 31, 2016,allows home-

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-Rob Moody works as a 9(e~iln '

building and education consul· tant for Organic Think Inc. (www

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TRADE 5·jOW

IBS attendance parallels downturn The National Association of Home Builders' Intern.­tional Builden' Show (l8S),

which featured exhibits from more than 1600 busl· ne55es, attracted 60,000

attendees to las Vegas in January, about a third fewer than attended the show in 2008.

Given the S41verity of the housing downturn, NAH8 said the drop in attendance was expected. The Industry group noted that participa­tion was solid at mol'll than 250 educational sessions and exhibits at the show.

This year. the show fea-tured 363 vendon of green products and serviees, a recGrd amGunt, and more than double the number of green vendon who attended last year's show.

-Richard Defendorf writes

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BROKEN BUILDINGS, BUSTED BUDGETS: HOW TO FIX AMERICA'S TRILLION· DOLLAR CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

\. " ~, By Barry B. LePatner with Robert E. Wright and Timothy C. Jacobson

The University of Chicago Press, Chicago. 2008

$25 hardcover (229 pp.); $17 paperback (240 pp.)

In Broken Buildings, Bu:ned

Budgets, construction attor­

ney Barry lePatner dissects

the builder's world of low bids and change orders to the point

that I worried my customers might read it and rebel. My fear subsided, however, and I often

found myself putting down the

book to pump my fist and cheer. LePatner effectively argues that

the inefficiencies of the building

industry and the chronic sched­

ule and cost overruns that often go hand in hand with any con·

struction project are the results

of a business model that allows the builder to assume almost no

risk in the final cost. He writes, ~Once awarded the contract, fal contractor then changes hats. From occupying the highly com­petitive world needed to Se<:ure the project, the contractor now becomes a monopolist insofar as the owner is concerned." Once

the job starts, the owner can· not easily change builders, and

so has to submit to inevitable change orders and delays.

Throughout his ,ritique,

LePatner methodically unravels

Count Rumford had the system. Superior has the ideas.

You dOll" have to sacrifice appeararlce 10 have Rumford periormarlce. The system desigrled O'o1!r two hundred yeats ago by COUrlt Rumford operates as well as ~ ever did. ArId, it carl be configured to complement any dOCor. There's even an easy-to-assemble prefab herrit)i'jjOOne opOOn.

READER SERVlCE NO. 31

24 FINE HOMEBUILDING

the things ,ontractors cite for

cost overruns, such as "hidden conditions" and "architectural omissions." His overar'Ching point is that homebuilders know the business; homeown· ers do not.

The book is an eye-opening e)l.pose that not only offers practical advice for homeown­

ers on how to deal with guys like me but also tells the story of how an industry managed to skirt progress. Home building might be rooted in craft, but it's

frail as a business. LePatner falls

short in delivering on how to fix the industry. But his point-that homebUilders owe theif clients more than good buildings; they owe them a better deal- is well taken. His insights will save a lot of money for anyone who

employs them.

~emando Pages Ruiz is a builder and the author of Building an Affordable House: Trade Secrets for High-Value, Low-Cost Construction (The

Taunton Press, 2005).

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tiDs&techn ues

• submit a tip Tips & Techniques

is a forum for readers

to exd1ange informa­

tion about methods,

tools, and Jigs they've

devised. We'll pay for

any we publish Send details 10 Tips, Fine

Homebuilding, p, O.

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28 FI N F H OMEBUILDING

Protecting finished woodwork in an unfinished house

Width equals jamb plu$ cilsings,

Adhasi\la compatible with polystyrene foams

Prot&ctlon channel made from l·in. pOlystyrene-foam iMulation

... rape IS nOlcO/ssary.

Epo:.y syringe caulk gun

--

In an ideal world, all the trades involved in building a house would be finished

by the time the ra-ally delicate, vulnerable woodwork begins. But it doelm't

. Iways worle out that way. In our case, some painstakingly detailed door jambs

and casings had received their glazing, staining, dry-brushing, and nine coats

of lacquer before everything else was done.

The thought of somebody accidentally bashing one of these Jambs with

/I ladder or a belt.hanging hammer claw prompted me to play defense. As

shown in the drawing .. t left, we used 1·in. extruded.pol}'1'tyrene foam board

to make protective channels that fit ove f th", jambs. Each channel is custom·fit

to its Jamb and is held in place with II few pieces of masking tape. We glued

the foam strips together with OB-3oo, a multipurpose construction adhesive

spedally formulated for plastics and polystyrene foams. A few nails and strips

of duct tape held the chilnnel pie-ces together while the adhesive set up. This

low·tech solution has worked well.

Precision caulking

-M!KE NATHAN

Hailey, Idaho

Faccd with filling numerous nail holes in Auk trim on a recent toh, I wasn't looking forward to the task, especially because the wood-grain finish makes excess caulk rcmoval a chore. A caulk gun jU5t isn't control­lable enough and makes cleanup tough. J was clearing out the toolbox from my boat when I saw a pack of epoxy syringe ~, and the light went on. TheM' syringes arc about If: in . dia., and the tips can be cut from microscopic to about ~ in. The plunger is easily remov­able, and the b.1rrcl can be lo..1dcd with caulk from a gun.

~ online~ VIDEO

Gentle pressure enabled me to place the caulk pre­cisely in the nail hole. A q uick wipe with a fingertip removed thc small amount of excess without obscuring the wocod grain, which would look bad after painting. Tina: or fwr r~fills of the syringe were sufficient for all the trim on a well·adorned three-door garage.

The syringes arc readily available at any marine slOre, such as West Marinc:-, and at many hardware stores that stock epoxy materials. At about $1 a shot, they arc an inexpensive way to caulk with pra::ision.

-DAV !D JONES

POr1age, Mich. ~notes companion video at FineHome buildlng.com/vldeotlps

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i\l 'RI LIMAY 2 0()~ "

tips&techniques __ ..: _________ .:. ____ CON TIN U E D

Ciilmp blocks together, and drill hoi", where

meet.

Anchor-bolt marker r was working solo, laying out sill plates lOr a Habitat for Humanity nume with a slab-on-gradc foundation. I had la\d out tbe inside edge of the 2x4 sill plate by snapping a chalkline 3\-'1 in. from the edge ofrne slab,

as shown in the drawing (below left). When it came. time to mark the <lllchor-bolt locations in

2:><4 blocks marking edge.

the sill, I hunted around for the Larry Haun-inspirc-d bolt-hl)le milrhr

that we typically use, but the marker was nowhere to be found. Fortunately, I found a way to

make a marker from a scrap of 2x4 to do the same job.

Milrk ill norch to locate bolt hole.

As shown in the drawing (above left), I clamped tWO 6-io. blocks of 2x4 together edge to edge. r used

the bit for the anchor bolts to drill a hole at the center of the blocks Hold notch

Align $ill with chalkline

Snap for marking chalkline bolt to mar~ locations. in5ide edge of sill.

where the edges came together. When I separated the blocks, each had a semicircular notch

at the center of one edge. , drew a line from the center of the notch

acrms the 3'll~in. face of the block and down the I Yi-in. edge. and carved a small

notch for my penciL \Vith the sill plate aligned with the chalkline, I

placed the block over thc sill platc with the notch bcar-109 against each anchor bolt. Drawing a mark on the ~in plate at the nu[ch in the block gave me a bolt~hole centerPOInt line exactly 3'illll. from the centerline of the bolt. It worked like a charm.

Spare-blade storage

-KENNETH C KELLEY

Ridgecrest, Calif.

If you usc a reciprocating saw, you've likely learned the~e two things: These saws arc remarkably useful for certain kinds oftasb; and they arc remarkably good at folding a straight sawblade into an L-shape. The last thing I want to do when I'm at the far end ofa crawl­space with a bent blade is to climb out ~nd get anothe: r one. So r k~p one dose at hand by tucking it into the:

7~~::;~-,._:r,ubber boot that protttts the nose of the tool, as shown in the drawing at left.

Tuck a spare blade in the rubber boot.

30 FINf. H()MF.RUII.DINC

_DENNIS ROWE

Cancg~ Park, Calif.

Zero clearance betw99n blade and hardboard minimizes tearout.

Hardboard bas .. pl~hl

'«"in. hardboard aHilled to saw baseplate with double·sided tape

Start with blade fully retracted, then slowly low8r it through hardboard into backin9 block.

Saw's baseplate extends slightly beyond hardboard.

Minimize circular-saw tearout As a one-man trim-carpentry crew, I often use a circular saw to cut full sheets of cahinet-grade plywood to man­ageable siu;s before making final cuts with my tables.aw. To minimize tearout, I've devised the zero-clearance circular-saw base shown in the bottom dra .... ing above.

I start by measuring the saw's baseplate. Then I cut a scrap pH:Te of1A~ln. hardboard slightly shorter in length and width so that it docsn't protrude beyond the ~aw's ba.~eplate edges (they need to slide against my straIghtedge guide during cut$).

~ VIDEO

Next, J retract the blade so that it no longer extends through the saw's base, and I adhere the hardboard to the saw's baseplate with douhle-sided tape. With the blade in this fully retracted position, I clamp the saw to my workbench with a sacrificial b],xk thichr than the stock I plan (0 cut sandwiched bctween the saw and the bench, as shown in the top drawing above. I turn un the saw and slowly lower the blade through the hard­board and into the block until I've reached the necessary depth. The saw is now ready to go.

When I'm finished making my cuts, I POP off the zero­clearance plate by m~rting a f1at~bladed screwdriver or pllrry knife hctwe:c:n the: two baseplates and twisting.

_TOM WALTER

Ale:><andria, Va.

I i •

I ! • , • I

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tips&techniques

w ::J Vl Vl

Yankee s.:;rewdriver

CONTINUED

Modified magnetic bit holder

A cordless screwdriver without the battery problem

Modern magnetic bit r,older

Call me old-fashioned, but I still get a lot of sati.~faction from using myoId hand tools. I ~ometime~ em even outperform modern power tools, especially conllc~S tools, and be quieter and safer at the same time.

I wonder if anyone knows how many man-hours arc wasted every year S('arching for a charged battery or a place to plug in a charger. At precious job-site electri­cal outlets, the old Medusa of extension cords has been replaced by Hydras ofhattery chargers. I wonder, too, ho~" much energy is lost and wasted In the charging and sroring ofbaueries.

And what abom all those batteries? I don't know many people who arc consciemioU$ abom recycling them. And even if they were, I have been told by more than one service cemer that collected batteries are sim~ ply chucked imo the garbage.

I just love the feeling of political and environmental correctness that comes over m~ when I get out myoid

North Bros. Model jl Yankee Screwdriver (for whieh

1 paid $1 at a tag 5ale) and plow in hundred~ of screws without using an electron of nuclear- or fossil~fucl­generated electricity. It is faster than a cordless driver, and r have just as much depth control, if not more. The length of this mood of screwdriver extends my rC.1ch 18 m. to 2'i in., and I c~n snnke it mto tight ~rea s

where a bulky dr ill cannot go. It is ligbtweightand hangs neatly in the eat's paw/trisquare loop of my tool belt.

I admit that the bits for this dinosaur arc cxpensive, shon~lived, and of limited utility with modern fasten­ers. So years ago, r had my local machinist turn a mag­netic bit holder from my .-;crew gun into an adapter for my beloved antique, as shown in the drawing at ldr. I can use any !;.i-in. hex bit and replace it cheaply and quickly when it becomes wurn or broken. The magne­ti7-cd bit not only holds screws ready for dr1V1ng but also can retrieve dropped screws and small hardware.

-ALBERT GINOUVES

Lakevillo. Coon.

Improvised touch-Up paintbrush An insulated stranded wire, like [hat from an old light fixture, makes a handy touch-up painthrush when just a small coverage area IS ftXjuired. Tht.'" size of the mdi­vidual strands and the number of strands in the bundle determine the flexibility and paint-holding capacity. I strip a .,hort length ofinsuhltion off tht.'" t.'"nd of tht.'" wirt.'", ami it is ready to go.

-BOB KE LLAND

SL John's. Newfol.lndland

Clamping tongue-and-groove deck boards Start with damp

A clever method for clamping deck boards bad in FHB iSS (p. 30) uses a pry bar as a bear­

ing point for a pipe damp. Simply insert the pry bar into the gaps between the deck boards,

and then hook the damp to the pry bar. Repeat as necessary. But what if there <>= =-

. then close it

are no gaps between the deck boards?

I installed tongue-and-groove decking on my porch, and as a consequence, I

had to use other damping methods to draw the boards together. I used the rim

Joist as the bearing point for one end of the damp until my 12 ft. of pipe could

no longer re8ch the boards. So I came at the problem from the other side.

A$ shown in the drawing at right, I turned around the clamp's tail stop 50 that

. ,,~ ·r,ild stop

---. =-. . _.

- .-It was positioned to push on the workpiece. Then I used a grinder to rtlrnove a

bit of the webbing from the back of a screw damp. This created a flat bearing ---.-

spot th~t gavil me some purchase on the opposite rim joist. Now I could screw the damp to

its full open position, lind then turn it toward its closed p05itioT! to pu$h on the deck boards.

This trick madtt it easy and fast to get the board5 into position.

_BERNARD fl. D£RBY5H!RE Newtown. Conn.

Rim joist

Gro'nd ;!W;!y

webbin9 to mah a bearin9 poinl.

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tools&materials NEW AND NOTEWORTHY PRODUCTS

HEAD -T O - HEAD

MINI RECIPROCATING SAWS

A t first glance, a small recipnr cating S3W didn't make much sense to m t' , especially in a

category where tex>ls art' judged by size and cutting power. But these three new saws earned their keep on many mort' j~ than r expected.

The Milwaukee (12v) and the: Hitachi (\0.8 v) deliver power-tool performance [0 tedious handsaw work without sacrificing accuracy. I used both tools to remove excess spray~foam Ln.mlation around jambs, to cut holes in

drywall, and to cut rigid-foom Insula­tion, PVC pi~s, and sted pipes.

Ridgid's corded saw is great for all the

~;une tasks as the cordless modeh, but it's a bit too powerful and fnst--<:utting

for really precise work. This is hardly a demerit, though; the Ridgid 5..'lW easily cut through n:lil-<;mbcddcd framing

lumber and Y+-in. subflooring in my tem, tasks that exhamted the cordless saws.

All three saws ha..,.·c a nonorbital

Y2-in. stroke length and accept standard reciprocating-saw blades. If these three modds are any indic;l­

tion of things to come, I'm excited to see how other toolmakers compete in this new category of saws.

Mark CJement is a remodeling

contractor in Amb!er. Pa. His Web site is www.thecarpentersnotebook.com.

Now

MILWAUKEE M12 HACKZ A LL

MILWAUKEE This little tool felt as if it were converting every drop of juke from its sma ll 12'0' battery into pure cutting power. The offset motor truncates the 2'/:>-lb. saw. keeping you clo~e to the work and creating a pommel that allow5 you to push the tool against the work to reduce vibration and to incnilas<l accuracy. The tool's sightlines are excellent from every angle. Blades arc changed using a conventional twist collar, but pinching and turning the collar .jI full 900 to re lea$e the jaw isn't ea,y, e!pecially when waMing gloves. With power and balan'D, this saw', parts work in harmony.

www.milwaukeetool.com

Cost: $165

HITACHI This 2'h-lb. saw works in all the same applications as the M;)­waukee. but with s lightly mOr<l strain and vibration. Although thw CR10DL's boomeraog shape is comfortable for two"handed usa, I found it a bit too loog to use one·handed . The sightlinu from the top and sidu of the tool ars good, but it has bliod spots whwn making overhead cuts. The blad" collar is too $mall to accept 10-in. blades, but I wish evary tool <;could have Hitachi's s imple lever-action blade-change mechijnism.

www.hitachipowertools.com

Cost; $180

PRODUC T UPDATE

Mightier membrane

RIOGIO R3030

RIDGID This corded 51W is a little too jumpy for low-re~jstance work like cutting drywall. but if you lean on it to do thD work of a bigger saw, the power is available. The wlnl cag8 around the nose of the $aw doesn't block the view of tha blade, yet I wish there were more than a wire cage as the barrier between me and the saw's armaturw. The work light is the best of the group, and blado changa~ are standard. This 4-lb. saw might be dllSignDd for one-handed USD, but it's powerful enough that I almost always kDpt a second hand on the front, which left me wilhing for a second grip.

www.ridgid.com

Cost: $100

~/'6· in. DITRA-XL

Schlut e r now has a t hicker alte rnative to its DITRA ti le membrane. DITRA-XL is a better choice for making even transitions between tile and hardwood floo ring , o r when ti ling over single-layer subfloors with joists set 24 in. o .c. Expect to pay $1.70 t o 52 per sq. ft.; www.schluter. com.

"

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RAINWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS

Rainwater colleC11oo II IsslnllallYhin wate r Irom more convontlOflQl SOUrt:I~ 115 limited In Cluantlty or quality. Even when water Is ~bundanl. ralnwatar ulililillion oller. 10 many Icol'tomiC and environmental benellts Ihal It il onl 01 lhe lour.dalK>m %grlln bulklll'llf OUllin.

in a typic'" rainwater syslem. wllter I, coiloc1ed In doWnspoull . prI·fiI .... 11d to remova aolicla. and lltared In e laf9t\ surlace or undergrour1d lank. A PUllll oraws tile wal8r Irom the lank as needed to irri llate IlIwna ar1d landscapinll. orto liIIlWimrntng pools and ~_ Supplemental fih,.lIon and ,terUQ:ation Is recommended 'IotIefl ,.Inwater Is 10 be uud insido IlomIiII or olba !of toilet lIual'lI"", do1hes washing. showering, cook!ng. or dnnklng.

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tools&materials CONTINUEO

NEW CHALLENGER IN TRACK-GUIDED CIRCULAR SAWS OWS520K TRACKSAW

• Manufactured by DeWalt • 800-433-9258; www.dewalt.cCHTI • Corded saw .and S9-in. rail; about $500

DeWalt recently entered a market long domtnatd hy Fcstoo\ with the intnxl uction of its new track -guided circular saws.

DeWalt's TrackS;!\\' has all the features I love on the F C5t(lOi: variahle-speed soft-start motor, riving knife, excdlcot dust collec­tion, goocl em quality, and great ergunom­io. But the saw also surpn sed me with a few new fea tures. First, DeWalt's guide track has antisplintcr strips on both edges; no more spinning the track around when I'm cutting sheet gooJs to size. The track also accepts a T - sqU;;JTC attachment (aoout

130), which reduces setup time for crosscuts and rip cuts. The saw features an ant ikick­hack m~chani~m that hep:; the tool fwm

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--'-. -,. ,.

jumping hack as it's plunged mto wO<Xl or ifit hits a knot. The depth-of-cut scale is in mches, hut the 6Yz-in. blades have a 20-mm arbor, not a stock hardware-store item.

I think th~ Tr;lck$aw is a workhorse and will not d isappomt, but in terms of overall

qual ity and cngine~ring, it's not quit~ as refined as the Festoo1. I'm concerned about the longevity of the plastic knobs and scales. Also, when joining multiple tracks end to end, there IS a t~nd~ncy for a sl igh t mis­alignment in height, which can can~ the saw to catch.

A 28 .. Li-ion TrackSaw is also available and works well, but to me, the benefits of gomg cordless don't outw~igh the higher price ($900). Saws can be ordered with a 59-in. or 102-in. track, or with both tracks.

Kit Camp is the owner of North Park Woodworks in San Diego, Calif.

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from whtre I'd put it. Strippmg the form lllmher was ~sy. In fact, except for the top hraces and a few ~takts, all of the lumber was clean enough to be reused for the house's framing.

Having such success with Fastfoot, I really can't see myself forming footings any other way in tht future. l'1-H~ system is faster, bct­tef, and tel>,'; expc:osive. Who says you can

have only two Ollt of three?

Ron Budgell is a builder in Prospect Bay. NS. Canada.

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APRTl.lMAY 200Q 43

DeckBoards Keep an eye on the stringline, and have a handful of spacers and a board straightener within easy reach

BY MIKE GUERTIN

O n th~ fac~ of it, huilding it cleek

looks like an easy project, and for the most part, it is. There are lots of ways to plan and

install deck boards, and it seems :1) if I've tried most of them. O"('.T the yea rs, I 'v( refined a process thai works for me. Depend­ing nn the deck. I might vary me procc..'~ a bu. but for the most part, I follow the same praaicc: O rder deck boards, manage joint layout, lay down boards with correct sp.lcing, and a U.<Ich the decking w ith neatly aligl)cd screws. Atl."ach step, I try [0 work effiCiently because it's easy to gct bogged down if you're nO[ careful.

First, protect the joists

r u~ to asmmc that pressure-treated deck joists would last forever. but they can rot. espec ially boards made of incised hem-fi r or Dougbs fir whose tre;'ltment pc:netrarion doesn't reach the core of the lumber. Deck fasteners act as wedges and split the joist top~. This splitt ing might not occur initially if the joists are still wet, but it's ine"it:1hle th:1T

over repeated drying and wetting cycles. the joist tops will crack. Capillary action draws m o isture between the deck boa rds and the JOIst tops, and that moisture !>ClUe. into the cr;leks. Add bits of d(:bri.~ mlo the mix, and it's Just;l matter of time befure J ecay t:lkes hold like a cavity in a candy lover 's tooth.

One simple way (0 help the joists rCSi5t water damage is to protect the tOpS with a ~trip of builder's paper or fOufing membr3ne cuI al lcast a half-inch wider than the joist.

The material sheds water that gets between The dcck hoards away from the joisl. I first MW this technique when di~m . .lllt!ing an old

porch floor. Even though the decking had

__ _____________________ _ _______ APRIUMA'f 2009

Done Right

Joins run "..."endicu/ar to the hous •.

www.finchom~I.l\.!ilding.com

Plan 'em out It's easier to maintain a straight run of decking if the joints are staggered, I like to separate butt joints on adjacent boa rds by at least three joists, and I don't repeat 11 butt joint on the same joist for at least four courses.

line 'em up To deck efficiently and still allow for adjustments, I work the bOi!lrds in groups. I place four or fiv/il boards, then insert spi!lc.ers at every fourth joist. After I run a stringline, I check the alignment of the last board and tho distance between the stringline and the house.

Tack 'em down I tack-screw only t he last board, which locks the rest of the group in place. Then I recheck the line and finish fastening the Ii!lst board. I continue laying groups of boards along those same courses all the way to the .nd, then go back and screw down the field .

StringUne 9i~ roy a ref~ence /_-- ", k,~p de,king straight.

,

, I

, I

I I

Leave enough overhang for a clean trim cut.

Mitered decks need extra blocking Where the framing changed direction, 1 added blocking to support the last few feet of decking.

l-+-~'---__ :O:"~.~-!b:~r blocking provides I a/Ol1g thil miter and

apart to anow drainagil.

APRIUMAY 2009 "

46 FINE HOMFRlJILDT'<G

reached the end of ')CrVlce, the 80-year-old Dougla5-lir Joists were in nearly perfect condition; each was capped with a 3-in.-wide strip of#30 tar paper. Where the tar paper had failed, the joists \wre rottt"u. Many manufac­tun::rs sell pla~tic, rubber, and self-adhesive strips JUSt for thi~ purpo~. Instead ofbuymg matenal, I often cut my own joist caps from roll ends of tar paper and syn­thetic roof underlayment that I've saved. With the joists protected, J can start mstalling the decking, using the layout 1 planned.

Board lengths should reflect deck size \Vhcn a deck i.'i .~hon enough, [ order boards 10 span the full length. This works well for decks that are 12 ft., 16 ft., and even 20 ft. if you can find long boards. When I'm framing the deck, T often downsize it slightly (15 ft. lOin. instead of 16 ft., for example) 50 that a full-length hoard will have enough overhang at the ends for a clean trim cut.

\\Then a deck is greatcr than stock lengths can span, I plan for rhe JOInts to tall in a sequence at least 4 ft. apart (drawing p. 45). The decking looks heuer, and it's easier to kt.-ep decking straight when joinl~ arc spread through­our the field of boards. I also avoid boarJs ~horter than 4 ft. at the ends fur appearance's sake. Rather than JUSt ordering a mountain of single-leogth boards and cut­ting them as needed , 1 select a combination oflengths w match the overall deck length. For a 22-ft. deck, I might order 16-ft. and 12-ft. board$ (half a 12-footer is the makeup); on a 42-ft. deck, I would work with 16-fL and 10-ft. hoards.

The L-shape of the 5tl-ft.-long deck shown here leaves a variety of eutofE that 1 could use w finish one course or to start the next. The rrick is managing those pieces to avoid waste. I worked with 16-ft. boards as my pri­mary stock. Starters were 16 ft., 12 ft, 8 ft., and 4 ft. T ran out the courses with 16-ft. boards and uscd the cutoffs as starter stock. Boards sometimes have mipc ncar the ends that creares a narrower or wider spot within 18 In. of the butts. Offsetting the joints by 4 fL spreads out these dit~ ferences In width through the field.

Start at the rim. and work to the house Many builders start the decking ti-om the house and work toward the rim. This sequence is fine provided that you plan the course spacing or design the deck frame so that you don't end up with a narrow board at the outside edge. Narrow hwrds (less than half a board's width) at thc pcri~ meter are hanl to fasten, Ilmir rhe overhang, often loosen, and look funny. I work from the rim toward the house so that T call ~t;Jrt with a full-width board at the POSts.

Notching accurately around the [K1st.~ IS critical to get­ting a straight start for the decking. After the first board is established, I select a bunch of straight, ullifiJrlIl boards and lay down three to four courses. Spacers phced every 4 ft. to 6 ft.. help me to gauge the gap between the deck boards. (On this project, I used deckinR that was kiln-

dned afc('f treatment. $(,I I nt:eded to establish uniform gaps ~twccn the hoards.)

When I'm driving deck M: r CWIi m nail~ withour pilot holes, 1 skip the board cnds and return later to drill the pilo( hnl~ fur ~Iainless-stcd tnm screws. I'm less likdy to split hoard .. ulimg that technique.

Dcekmg doesn't always nm preci~dy p .. ulld to the building. This can he due 10 the rim and building being Out of parallel or to thc deck boards going om of align­mcnt during mstallatlon, There are a couple of wa}'~ 10

deal with out-of-parallel decking: A couple of boards in the last set of decking can bt! ripped with a ta~r, or the joint spacinp; can be adju~ted. Minute adJmtments in board width ur joint spaein.!i: spread out over several courses won't catch the eye, U~ing one of these microad­justments avoids a scvcrc taper rip of the last board next to the house, when~ it can be ~et:n easily.

I always leave a YI-In. to ~-m. space between the last deck board and the huu.e. W:Her and any debris fall­ing into the arca will be f1u~hed OUI rather than become trapped against the fl ashing. where it can fester and accelerate corrosion of metal fla~h ing or rot the deck board. On thiS proJect, the last set of dc:ck ho."'Hris ~nd~d l ~ in. shy of the building, which is a bigger space than I prefer. To dose the: gap, I addeJ \11. in. to Ihe last five spaces by insenlO~ a couple o( lihinu made of plaMic coil stock at each plywooJ spacer. The fa ulting space 10 the building was a ~trong ~ 10.

When the decking changes direction, don't forget the blocking The framing of this L-sll:lpc:d Jeck ran perpendicular to

the building. The decking met at the corncr in a l7-ft.­long miter. From the corner of the house to the corner of the deck, J added diagonal block ing between the joists to pick up the 4;° cuts (drawing p. 45). Rather than a single line of blocking, J added two rows of d iag-onal blocking spoKed about 2 in. apart .!Iong thc 4'5 ° cutl ine. The space lets water drain through the butt joints and moves the­scr~w loc.ation farTher from the end to reduce the chance of splitting the boards.

I also had to cross~b lock joists parallel to the deck boards from the bottom of the L Blocki ng i~ screwed to the joisrs and is cleated bene,lIh tht dram3g<: membrane for additional support

J ran the firs t secllon of decking Ixyond tht" 45° cut­Iin~. T hen I snapped a chalkline and u~ed a plywood siraightroge (0 guidc a perfect cut. I cut 45° ~mts on Ih~ ad joining boards ..... ith a mit~r !kJW, thcn ran the rest of the deck pieces in each course loward the end of the deck. I trimmoolhc bull ends ovcrhangJ/lg the dlXk after all rhc dc.::king was laid. 0

Contributing editor Mike Goertin is a boilder and remodeling contractor in East Greenwich, R. I. His Web site is www.mikegoertin,eom. Photos by Charles Bickford, except where noted.

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Is Your BY DAVE YATES ~,Heating

System an Energy Beast?

Here's how to spot the signs and boost the efficiency of your furnace, boiler, or heat pump

he economy is down, fud com arc up, and chances arc that your heating bud­get IS already busted. You need to do something-but what? Only a few of us arc ready to invest in gcmhermai or solar. The rest of us Tleed to find the answer in the heating system we already have.

For 70% of U.S. household5, that system consists of a furnace that forces hot air through ducts; for 17%, it's a heat pump; and for 11%, it's a boiler that heats with \vatcror steam raniators. 111c rem~l1mng 2% of homes use wood, Co.l[, geothermal, solar, or other he'lring method~. When it comes to fud, 58% of us usc gas (either natural or propane), about 35% use dectricity, and almost 7% use fuel oil.

Your home might not have the most efficient heating system available, bur there'~ good news: You can tune up your current system so that it ~rforms better, keeps you more comlllrrable, and doesn't put a~ big of a dent in your wallet. The following Q&A can help. Although the topics might ~em simple, they're useful 111 diagnosing deficiencies. In fact, I usually end up fielding a lot of these questions from homeowners based on their observa­tions ofhow their heating system is or isn't working. Once you know where your system is falling down, it's IX)Ssible to boost it (and its dliciency) back up.

Dave Yates owns and operates F.W. Behler Inc., a mechanical-contractil1g firm in York, Pa. Technical drawings by John H<lrtman; illustrations by Jackie Rogers.

, "

l' hear a whistling noise around the blower compartment of my furnace. What is causing the noise? Should I be concerned?

You're hearing air leakage. All air handlers (any device with a blower, including furnan:s, heat pumlYi, and central air) have two ducts: one for supply, the other f(lf return. I often lind considerable air leakage at both connection points. If the blower is located in an unconditioned location (attic, crawlspace, or hasement), it is bleeding out heat, or Bm, on the supply side whilt' pulling in unconditioned air that must be warmed (or coolt'd and dehumidified) on the return sidt'o This energy loSS can :.Idd 10% or mort' to your heating and cooling hilk

You can fix theSC' leaks by scaling the connection with sealant andlor top-grade mastic tape rated to withstand the area's exposure. While you're at it, check the air handler's access door, anotht'r frequent source of air leaks. Because the access door must be opened to service the equipment, you want to use only tape or magnetir strip:; to scal gaps. Other spots to seal include filter slots and openings for wiring. Last hut not icast, the accessible ductwork should be examined for leaks. Seal them with high-quality tape, mastic, or seal- C:s:;:~!~~ ant that's compatible with the duct material and with exposure to surrounding air temperatures.

50 FINE TTOM EUUILIJING

I FURNACE BASICS Furnaces use natural gas, propane, oil,

Return ai r or electricity, and are fired when a remote thermostat detects that the temperature in a room has fallen below a preset level. Once in operation, the burner fires

Trunk d uct Bra nch ducts

in a combustion chamber and warms a heat exchanger (electric furnaces have coils much like a toaster). A blower pushes air over the heat exchanger. or coils, and hot air flows through a series of ducts and enters a home's living spaces through registers in the floors, walls, or ceiling. Ducts also supply return air to the furnace, and combustion gases exhaust through a chimney or direct­vent system.

<;t Streaks of dirt are visibl. arOllnd the ceiling registers in our haus •. What'. causing them?

Those streaks are tiny particles of soot blasted across the ceiling by air !caking from around a register that isn't connecfed properly. T hink uf yuur ceil~ ing as the inner layer of a sandwich. If you had X-ray vision, you'd sec the: duct hoot

resting on the attic side of the u:iling with the register below, sandwiching the ceiling between them. If til!: buot isn't fi rmly anached, you're heating (or cooling) your attic-typically unconditioned space-----which means your energy dollars arc being lost to the great outdoors. The same goes for fl oor registers. In either case, the cure is the same: Remove the

register, use a sealant to d ose the gaps bt: twet:n the boot and the ceiling (or floor), and add foam weathersnipping between the ceiling (or fl oor) and the regi~ter to prevent air leakage.

www.finchomebuilding.,om

C,il io, / reg ister

Supply air

Foam weatherstripping

APR1UMAY 2009 51

<;\ Our local oil company;s offering a $29.95 servin special. It seems like a bargain, but does heating equipment need to be serviced every year?

Just as people should get an annual physical, all heating equipment should receive an annual checkup to maintain peak ~_rformanc~ and to keep the home's occu­p..'lnts snfc. Part ofth, service i5 a test fu r proper combustion using an analF~r that provides CO (caroon monoxide), 0z (excess oxygen), and COl (carbon dioxide) levels, as well as net stack (exhaust) temperature. You should ask for a copy of this te~t, or combustion analysIs.

What should I expect from a service call?

• Preliminary combustion analysis

• Chimney inspection

• Top of boiler removed and combustion chamber cleaned

• Soot vacuumed from all suriaces

• Oil filter replaced

• Oil-burner nozzle replaced

• Reauembly; draft in flue and over burner checked; boiler operation tested

• Final combustion analysis

52 FINE HOMEBUILDING

\Vhile the internal surfaces of SOme gas appl iances don't need to be vacuumed (unlike oil units), regubr maintenance is particularly important for newer high-effic iency models. Also, in all units, the chimney or venting shuuld tJt. insFl(~cted periodically to make sure it's nut obstructed. Direy heat exchangers in oil burner~ rob dliciency, which resul ts in increased fuel usage. A layer of soot just Yu: tn. thICk reduces operating efficiency by 10%.

That said, it's not physically possible to clean and tune up an oil-burning appliance properly for $29.95. ('..ompanies offering prices that low often pay technicians a flat rate t{)f each call they make; the more they fit into a day, the more profitable it 1S for them-at your expen~. I often sec those furnaces six to

eight years later, when they're malfunctioning . So accept the fact that ifit sounds too good to be true, it prohably is, and call in a professional tcrhnieian you can truSt at a believable price.

<;\ Our ductwork ;s located in the attic. There doesn't seem to be as much warm air blowing from the re9isters as there used to be. Is that my imagination?

Ductwork that travels through unconditioned spaces (basements, crawlspaces, garages, and attics) needs to be well insulated. Uninsulated duw wa:;te gobs of energy and cre-ate drafts as chilled air spills out of ceiling registers; it's hard to believe how noticeable th i~ i~ until you've fdt it firsthand. Newer codes require R-8 mmunum insulation on dll(t~, but on older flex and duct-hoard systems, it can be as low as R-2.5. Before you consider more insulation, however, remember that insula­tion can hide the real probJ,::m: air leakage. According to the Department of Energy, you could be losing 40% of the heat throug-h duct leaks. A home-energy audit that includes a duct-pressure test can identify those leaks; scaling them with mastic can result in substantial fuel savings. Once the kaks are sealed, add more insulation around the duct.>, either blown-in, Icx.>SC fill, fiberglass batt, or a d uct wrap, as seen below.

Duct wr<op

Say what? Ask a heating contrac-tor tor advice about your home's systems,

and you might get an answer that sounds like it's in a foreign language. Contractors some­

times forge1: that consumers aren't familiar with the lingo that's second nature among

pros. Here, we translate a few of the terms common to the heating-and-cooling industry.

Insulation helps, too, Once all ducts are air­sealed, u!\",;- insulation to limit heat Joss. Owens Corning makes insulated rigid ducts, insulated flexible duct wrap, and foil-faced insulation that can be used to wrap existing ducts (www.owens coming.com).

AFUE: ANNUAL FUEL

UTILIZATION EFFICIENCY

An indicator of how well

gas- and oil-fired ~quip.

ment uses energy. Trans­

lates aasily to dollars: A

9B%-aHiciant unit trans·

fars 98¢ of each energy

dollar from fuel to home.

FIII;<.ible duct insulation steeve

BTU; BRITISH

THERMAL UNIT

The amount of energy

required to raise 1 lb.

of water , oF. In terms

of electrldty. 1 watt

equals 3.4129 Btu.

MBH stands for 1000

Btu per hour.

HEAT-PUMP BASICS Air-lo-air heat pumps use pressurized

Freon gas to absorb heat from the air outside and transfer it to your home. When the thermostat calls 10r heating, Freon is pressurized, it condenses, and then it turns to hot liquid. A

Disconnect

lines

Outdoor compr.uor

Filter

",. Blower

~ The temperatures upstairs and down5tairs are uneven; some rooms are colder or hotter than oth­• rs. What's causing this problem? Can it b. fixed?

You'r.lik.l)' describing an out-of-balance duct system. If a forcc<l-air sysl ('.m Im'rdllcred properly, the flow of supply and return air is unbalanced, resulting, for example:, in a ground floor lhat doesn't stay warm in heating season Qr a second floor that's not suffi­ciently cooled in AC season. Sometimes it's due to (XXX duct design; other times it occurs when air-conditioning i.s added to a heating system without rc-cvalu.1.ting and possibly resizing the ductwork.

If you hav~ probl~ms with individual rooms and you've made sure all the duct~ ace connected properly (believe me, I've:<.ec'n my share of dllcts (Q nowhere), YOll might be able to adjust the dampers and guide a little more (or less) au {Q those areas. Dampers are nonnally located within the first few feet of each branch, or takeoff, and are adjusted hy tllrning an external lever. Generally, when the lever is in line with the duct, the damper is fully open. Airflow also can be reg-

COP: COEFFICIENT EER: ENERGY· HSPF: HEATING

blower forces air across warm Freon-filled coils and through a system of ducts; warm air is distributed through registers in the floors, walls, and ceiling. At the same time, a fan in the condenser sends cold air outside. You can reverse the cycle for cooling in the summer. {Ground-source heat pumps use a water/glycol mixture to exchange heat energy with the earth.}

Trunk duct

~=-=;;;::..:::-

Damp.rs adjust airflow. In a forced hot-air system, you somatjmes can adjust the inline dampers to increase Of decrease air­

Branch doct

I

flow to a specific part of the house. When the le\ler is in line with the duct, the damper ;s fully open. When the laver ;s perpendicu. lar, it's dosed.

1Iiated somewhat at the register ifit's an adjusuble model; however, that can create an objectionable nois.e as air ru_~he.~ past th~ louvers .

\Vhile adjusting airflow this way could improv~ comfort, it doesn't help the system to perform hetter. To do that, you need to call in a pm. A good HVAC contractor uses a nationally approved design program to siu all ~Iltire duct sys­tem properly. Ask the contractor to show you how he or she does the design work, and ask questions. The fix can range from a few simple ad justments to insull­ing a mini-split inverter heat pump in the affected areas to

ripping out everything and starting over, costing from a couple of hundred dollars to several thousand. . . ... ~

MERV: MINIMUM SEER: SEASONAL OF PERFORMANCE EFFICIENCY RATIO SEASONAL PERFOR- EFFICIENCY REPORTING ENERGY·EFFICIENCY

The ratio of the energy Overllll .fficiency MANCE FACTOR VALUE RATIO

input of a heeting or r"lated to ener9Y Indicate, th. hellt· Me,lIu," efficienC)' The cooling efficiency of

cooling appliance to usage. It', calculated Ing .Hici.mcy of heat of .,ir filters. Tha higher an air conditioner or a

its heating or cooling by dividing the net· pumpt. Th. higher th. MERV numbar, the h • .,t pump. The higher

output. The higher thO' Stu output by the the HSPF, th. lower better an air filter works th. SEER number, th.

COp, the more efficlflnt wattage uNdo the cost to operlJte to capture airborne lower the cost to op.rate

the system. thi! equipment. contaminants. the flquipment.

www.finchomtbuilJing.com APRIUMAY 2009 53

l ' hear a lot ahout tunIng up furnaces, but how can I

boost the flfiiciency of my heat pump?

Like furnaces and boilers, your heat pump should be sen'lCcd annually. Cleaning the coils and changing the filter can increase the heat pump's efficiency by lip to

10%. Heat pumps are rated in SEER for cooling effi­ciency and HSPF or COP for heating efficiency. (Sec "Say what?" on p. 52.) The higher the num~rs, the higher the efficiency anJ the lower the operating costs.

If your heat pump oper-ates below 13 SEER and 6.5 HSPF (the current llllnimum

standards >et by the federal government), you should plan to replace it. When you do, ask for a 410A refrigerant­based system (Carrier calls it Puron). The 4 J OA -b.1SCd sys­tems are a bit morc efficient and a hit more expensive, but the R-22 refrigerant currently in use is being phased Out. As Oil result, it's unlikely to be available when newequip­ment wears out.

With toJay'~ fud C05tS escalating, you might also want to consider a hybrid heating system, wherein a fossil~fud furnace is coupled with a high-efficienc), heat pump, allowing you to choose whichever system is least expensive to operate at specific times. These setups often usc automatic controls that seam­les~ly switch from one system to the other based on the internal programming.

54 FINE H OMEBU ILD ING

l' keep hearing about "modulating" technology in furnaces and boilers. What's that?

Traditionally, heating equipment operates on one speed: Either it's on, or it's off. The minute a furnace or boiler fires up, it proouces the .~ame amount of Btu whether it's trying to raise the temfXrature of a house 2°F or 20aF, and whether the air (Jutsidc is _5°F or 50"F. But a numbn of new, high-efficiency stepped-input ("hl-Io fire") furnaces can operate at two levels: low input or high input, with a lower or higher fan speed.

Ikcause the low-input level can be used whcn outdoor air tempc::rature~ are rdatively moderate (roughly 70% of the heating SC--<lson for many of us), modulating equipment promises fud ~a\'ings of30% or more. When the heat-demand load exc~eds the "lo-fire" output, the furnace control steps on

thc gas to meet demand. Modulation technology has been limited to boilers-umil now. York Int('r­

national's recently released Affinity 33 is the inJu~try'> first Lruly modulating gas furnace that uscs outdoor rcset, which adjusts the ~ystem based on the air

A furnace first. The York Affinity 33 is the industry's first modulating gas furnace- and boasts 98% ef/iciancy (www.yorkupg.com).

temperature outside, to determine how hard it needs to run to mcet a home'~ heat loss (from 35% to 100% in 1% increment~). Both the hurner and the blower mooulate as a team to maxim ize Rtu, and the manufacturer claims 98% thermal efficicncy.

Modulation is an almost unn'ersal featun: found on high-efficiency condensing boilers. Here, too, you'll find produCts that can achieve 98% thermal efficiency. Virtually all thesc high-efficiency products use outdoor reset to achieve superior comfort and efficiency.

1 We're not ready to replace our heating equipment right now. What can we do to improve our comfort and reduce fuel bills?

If you've performed the fixes I already mentioned and you're still uncomfortable (or breaking open the piggy bank to meet fud cOsts), you might consider fine-tuning your system with an auxil iary appliance. One option IS spot-treating one or more rooms with high-efficienc), mini-split heat pumps. With efficieocies top­ping out at 26 SEER and 12 HSPF, these ultraquiet hear pumps give you the option of conditioning just the space you're occupymg while letting the rest of the home's mechanical systems hibernate. They're hasieally ~If-containcd units with supply tubes for refrigerant run­

A damper with horse powe r. Motorized dampers aI/ow for controlled airflow through ducts from remote 10000tions and can create heating zones in a formerly one-zone housl<' (www.aprilaire.com).

ning through the wall. The best ones me inverter (variable-5peed) technology, allowing the units to sip only as much electricity as they need to maintain comfort.

If you have:l hot-air system, adding humidification can increase comfort \vhile letting you redUCt! the temperature by several degrees. You can plug in a freestanding unit or h,lVe a pro conm:ct one to

High-grad. your hydronlu. Thormostatic radiator valves fina-rune hydronic hearing systems by controlling tcmpera­turas in individual rooms. Set the dial to raise the temperature in one room and lower it in another (www.danfoss.com).

your furnace for S600 or more. If you have a central system th:1t's not zoned, a motorized damper sys­

tem can deliver hear where you need it most. Multiple dampers can be daisy-chained so that scveral rooms operate as one zone. One caution: It's important to have a good professional do this work.

If you have a hydronic system, you can fine-tune the zones with ther­mostatic radiator valves, which can be installed III every room except where the thermostat is located. Once you set the dial, the valve~ open or d05e automatic.'illy based on tht: room\ temperature. They're a good s0.­

lution in rooms that are chronically overheated or that are seldom used. In an unccrtain economy, investing in energy-that is, the energy you

use in your own home--could be your wisest move. Your ROI (return on investment) begins the second you start using the equipment and can well exceed anything the ~tock market can yidd. Yuu'll add value to your largest invesunent (your home), you'll be more comfortable, and you'll get to keep more of your hard-earned mOlley.

I BOILER BASICS

Boilers heat water with gas, propane, oil, or electricity, and the water heats the home through a hydronic delivery system tnat can include baseboard f'n-and·tube radiators. steam radiators. or in-floor radiant heating. When the thermostat fires the boiler, fuel burns in a combustion chamber, and warm water is pumped through a closed circuit of tubing. (Electric boilers have direct­immersion healing elements.) The water can get as warm as 180°F. depending on the system's design. Because hot water expands, a pressure gauge and a relief

Oilfltt ...

valve prevent the system from failing due to excess water pressure. Combustion gases exit the house through a chimney Of' a direct-vent system.

Oil but~t

<;\. What separates low .. Hiclency heating systems from high-efficiency model.?

Return

Combustion chambef"

DIRECT VENTING

Air One diff.rence is the way the untt Is inleke

I vented,. A 78%-efficient furnace ,(o.r boi~er) ,:,enls into a chimney and uses the home s Intenor au forcombu,tion. New 92%-efficient moods arc designed for scaled combustion. A direct venting line

$C'tup draws outdoor tlXTlOOSllon air. Chimney~vemed heating cquipml:nt continu­

ously drafts hearro ai r out of the hou$e and snips away some of the Btu pnxluced when the furnace is operating. There's abo a hidden energy COSt : wall air inflluation. Whenever Its burner fi res, the chimney-vented unit draws in warm room air to suppan oombustion--air d\''lt must he replaced by (Old ouuidc: air drawn through cracks and ga~ in the home's shell. Eliminate that d raw with a scaled-comhu.uion modd, and your fud bills could fa ll by 30% or more.

Cost also se:parates the top performers from the: rest. But the difference in price between 78%- and 95%-t:fTicient gas-firetf (urnaces has narrowed considerably, to aix'lO[ 11500 for the equipment and installation ((Ists. If your system burns oil, you have fewer choices, and the price gap is wider (about $4000). Sut with evero5hifting oil prices, it's easier to justify the extra expenditure.

www.finchomebuilding.com

~ My furnac. still works, but my heating bills are sky-high. Should J think

about getting a new one1

Given today's rapidly escalating fuel priee50 you really can't aHord not to consider upgrading to a new high-cfficiency furnace. O lder furnaees were const.ructcd with dut:lbility, not

efficiency, in mind. Trimming 20% to 70% off your fuel bills is a realistic expectation when you upgrade to high· perform.mee equipment.

Your existing furnace most likely has a 60% to 78% efficiency rating, which was once considered respectable. The current federally mandated minimum efficiency for fu rnaces is 80%, bm [here arc modcls-hundreds of them-that operate above 92% and qualify for Energy Star rebates. There arc even a few that ClIn achit"ve 98% efficiency by using a feature called "outdoor reset," which modulates both the blower speed anll the hurner's fuel inpuL As you might expect, the better the efficiency, the hIgher the up-front cmu .. But with the rise in fuel prices and the antici­pated 20- to 30-year lik span of:1 fur~ nace, me increased purchase price lXI1es by comparison to the fuel costs saved over time,

APkIUMAY 2009 55

New

/.

Don't even think about tackling these space-saving stairs without a full-scale drawing and a pair of dividers

BY ANDY ENGEL

It was hard to wrap my head around at! the complexities of thC5C Slairs. Not only were: they winders with a ll their attenrhnt geometry, but the howe itself hadn't Ixcn plwnb, level, straight, or squa re since the: Lincoln administration. And there was

some personal stress. Kevin, the: homeowner, is my former boss and a capable carpenter himself. You'd probably expect this because he's the: editor of Fine Homebui/di,.g.

Unlike spir:;d or curved stairs, winders havc straig ht stringers and

turn corners With a serie$ of wc:dgc-sh:lped treads, usually with a run of common ~tain aboveandlnr helow them. Instead ohurning a ror­ncr with a landing, winders squeeu several TlseIS and treads into the

same space, thereby fitting inw a smaller overall foocprim.

Measure total rise at the walk line

Measuring for winders is no diffe rent from mCilsuring for any stair that turns a corner. You need to know the clistancc ~tween the upper landing and the waJJ opposite, and the amount of room you have to

56 FINf.; HOMP.l:lurl.DING

/ •

"

extend the lower cnd of the stair. This is the [Oral available run. You .ll~() nced to know the tOlal risc octween floors. Becau~ neither /loor was lel·d in thi~ house, I measured the overall nsc at the walk linc­defined h~' code as bein&, 12 in. from the narrow em.h uf the treads-­;tOO 1 oveni1.cd the top and hottom risers to allow for scribing later.

ThC$e stairs were to have housed stringers, me;tmng the tre.ads and

riscrs fit into morti!t<s ruutal in the sides of the stringeT5 (FHB #114 and onlme at FlneHomebu ildin~.com). The mortiscs arc angled III accepl wedges (or shims) below the lIearn. and behind the risers, whICh, combined with giue, tighten and bond the joints. I used my regular plywood stair jig ro rout the common stringers (sideb:u p. 60). but I had to make a special i i~ for the winde r treads (mort: on th iS l.l ter).

Start with a full·scale plan drawing

Drawing a plan vicw of the winders full size on a couple of shee:u of plywood helps mc to figure out the: ~ize:s and the angles of the treads and n :o;ecs, and the pitch of the .~tringcrs (drawing p. 58). ( draw both

•

l':dgl':! of at! strmgeu, as welt as a ootled line on each stringer rep­resc:ming the ~~in. depth of lhe tread mortise. The total run ofthl': lower flight isn't known yet, 50 ll':xtl':nd the lower stringer lines a litde farthe r than I think IS needed.

I start my layoot at thl': top, drawln~ in Lin: rummon treads first. For housW stringers, the unit-run layout linc:s n::present Ihe frontsof the risen.; my Unit run on these st;li n. was 9 in., which was the code minimum 10 ConnecticUt. I SlOp whe:n I'm a foot or so away from dte inside corner. Then 1 draw tht: walk li ne. usmg my di\'idcrs (sc:t al 12 in.) tu swing .. n arc around the comer.

Moving to the lOWer flight, I draw a line square to the stringen represcntlllg the b.1ck of the tOP common tread. Thl': back of Ihis tread IS the ~mc nlstance from the corner as the: front of the upper flight's fint common trl':ad. Thl':~ two lines are: thl': beginning and end of the winders.

Most coxll':s now require the narrow end of winder treads to be a minimum of6 in. For Mused-stringer stairs, that diml':nsion is mea~

www.finch'>m~huildlng.cnm

The original stairs turned the corner with three winding steps, but modern codes req uired six winders for the new stair, which also had to fit between lean· ing posts and sagging beams. Notice, too, how the bottom riser had to be scribed to the une .... en floor (photo below), To see more finished photos and learn about the rail­ing installation, look for the Magazine Extras sec~ tion on our home page at FineHomebuikling.com.

~ SLIDE SHOW

.-J

APR!UMAY 2009 "

STEPPING OFF THE WINDERS TAKES SOME TRIAL AND ERROR

• With the dlvld.rs l et a t the code minimum 016 in., the narrow ends of the winding treads are stepped off from the lowest common tread of the upper pan of the stair toward the uppermost common tread of the lower part of the stair. YOLJ might Mve to adjust the dividers slightly to come out right.

" /

• At the (orner, swing the dividers to the other stringer and continue stepping off.

• Ned , .ot the dividers to the IInlt run (9 in. In this CBse). Start at the uppermost common tread, and begin stepping off t he winders along the walk line. Odds arl! that you'll have to adjulit t he dividers again to get the spacing right.

58 FINE HOMEBUILDING

The winder staircase was d rawn full sca le on two pieces of V. · in . plywood cleated together on the back. This d rawing then seIVed

I-----+> Riser

as the basis for the projected elevation of the stringers, and it also served as the pattern whe n it was time to cut the treads. You should do a projected elevation fo r each of the stringers, but

the upper wall stringer is the tricky one on these stairs. leav,", stringer ends long

L --.( The full -sca le elevation drawing is projected f rom the

to allow for scribing.

~-.. plan view. You can superimpose this drawing on I~_ - ? \ top of the plan, but you save space and

( Common plywood at the risk of confusion . tread

Stringer for common treads sits at a stlleIWr pitch.

Joint in wall stringer

Stringer for winding treltds siu ..r a shallower pitch.

For clarity, we've flopped the e levation away f rom

the plan.

, 'A·in . n~ing

'--Win~ect --'-' -' -d--'

Projected elevation v-- Elevation Jines are prOjected from plan drawmg.

wa1l 3 --c==!,

f ~'t k rget to add ,the thid-nlE!$$ of the to~ riser.

/ ~

mman t ~eadS-,--..,.,..- Winder tread,

l

Line represents 'It_in. depth of trem mortised into stringer.

6·,". tread

--~

~ , I Front of I nosing I

I' I

• Connect the dots using it straightedge. Extend the line all the way between the mor· tise depth lines on both string-ers. These lines represent the ,.,. front of the risers and the b ack of the treads. (You draw the tread nosing later.)

'ep r"1 Corner post t.._1 .J

/ W," $tringers _L_~

Walk line;s 12 in. from inside stringer.

"7 ,: - ~ 1 • • _

.'- ' . ~ . . .

/

I

Walk linlil -----

Perspective

Winder tread ---"

pjYWOOd5Ubtrllad,,_r;;~;~·:::.-:::;,~~~;-~~="'''''~--~~ will be hidden by . cove molding.

www.finehomo:-building.com

To accommoda te the t haI/owe r pitch of the winding tread$, the upper WAil stringer was made in two pieces. The joint was rein· forced with biscuits and a plywood gusset on the baek side, ilnd was screwed to the ho",e framing a t installation.

sured at the inside edge of the stringer (not counting the n05ing). To lay (lut the narrow ends of thc winders, I set my dividers to 6 in., and ~arting 3tthe upper flight, I step off the inner-tread width~ along the stringer (photos facing page). At the corner, I pivot the dividers to

the other stringcr :1nd step (lff:1.fl equal number of winders. Depending on the circumstances, you mighr have to ad­

just the dividers until you get the dimension that steps off evenly. If you end up with a ridiculous size thac

approaches the same size as therummon treads, you should rethink things. Try increasing the size of the common treads to decreaSt" [he overall run of the winding section. Play around until you get a compromise that brings the winders in at 6 in. or

a bit more, and mark those sJXlU on the plywOCld. Laying out the treads along the walk line follows

a similar procedure. The starting width ofthe divid­ns i5 the unit run of the common treau5. Starting at the

upper common tread, r step off along the walk line. The same number of steps as taken along the naTTOW end of the

winJer should hring the dividers close to but not beyond the other common tread. If ( end up lxyond, ( refigure the stair as in

the previous example. Most likely. though, I Ju.~t need to open the dividen a little and step it off a couple of times until the dividen land exactly on the common tread.

Wi th two points of each tread marked, I align a straightedge on each pair and draw a line that extends between the stringers. The~ lines represent the front of the riser ahove anu the back of the tread below. The space between the lines is the unit run of the winder treads. To layout the actual treads later, you ncd to draw lines pmalld to these representing the n05ing overhang.

Layout the stringers

The fll[J-~lle plan Jr:J.wing has all the unit runs on it, so all you need to do to draw the stringer

in elevation is co pro ject the riser heights from the existing tread layout, producing what's called

a projected elevation. (Note: In reality, when I drew the elevation for this stair, I superimposed it on top of the

plan view to ~ave plywood and space. But that results in an awfully complicated drawing. To illustrate here, we've projected

the elevation away from the plan for clarity.) Once you have all the ose and run lin(:s drawn, you can supenm­

pose the stringer edges and calculate what size 5tock you need to buy. I lik~ to have about 2 in. of stringer above the nosing and about 1 Y2 in. below the intersection oftrcad and riser.

Because of the change in pitch between common stringers and winding stringers, you might not be able to fit all Ihe Iread.~ :md

APRIUMAY 20U9 "

Wedge. afe 10 In. 'ong and af. tapered at 4-, With the mitQr saw at 2- and worJcing with the grain, I trim the edge of some 1x scrap, flip the board end for end, and cut again, eyeba/Jing the narrow "nd at about 111 in. thick.

To guarantee straight Cllt" , d amp down th. j ig and us. a gllide. I slart the cut with the .saw'.s depth control unlocked, the $01. flat on the jig, lind its edge tight to the guide. I lower the saw's motor lind blade to their full depth and make the cut. I don't ol/ercut tn" corners, but inste~ finish them with a jigsaw_

I ext~md the ,iU t and tt •• d cutouts about 3 in. to 4 in, longer than the actual risers and treads will be. Making the jig larger Ihll" nec.ssary for rhe curr.nt Jtair means that it can be used for other .seU of stairs as w",lI.

60 PIN E H OMEBUlLDl NG

, continue the '''YOllt by holding the appropriate stod: (tread or riser) and a wedge against the initial right angle, and drawing a pencil line that represents the back (or bottom, of the mortis •. I add til. tread nosing, letting it o\ferhang the ,iser by 1'1. in.

\ Wedges go here

/

•

- •

With the long-t,...d Jig clllmped to th ll .tringe" I cut mortises (or the winder treads in a clockwise direction with 8

plunge router and II pattern-routing b it.

Subtr.ads support the wlnd.,,_ The lower cornSf of tna mor­tise should be squared o ff with it chisel so that the subtread can align with the rise r. I screwed the plywood slJbrreads to tho fin­ished treads through routed s lo ts that allow movement.

risers for a flight of stairs on a single piece of stock. You usually can get away with using wider stock for the inside stringers., but the wall stringc:rs nen! to be made in two piccc:!i. Usc [he projected elevations to figure out where [0 10m the two stringers. On this stair, I u~ '5/4 poplar in various widths fo r the mingcrs. the widest being 13 in .

Subtreads. add support

Winder treads afC deep, approaching 2 ft. at the wall side. And these treads are hickory, which is one ofthc most activc worxls available. If the (reads w~ren't allowed some way to move. they probably would have crack~d sev~rcly during the first heating season.

To allow for movement, I used a ~-in. plywood subtread below th~ hickury. Plywood doesn't move much, SO it was safe to glue and screw ~ subtread~ to the stringers and the ri~rs. In the subtreads, I routed slots running perpendicular to the grain direction of the tread and drove scr~ws to keep the two together while allowing the hickory tread ro move. Rosin paper separates the twO to prevent squeaks. Glue and screws attach the risers to the: back of the: tread and subtread, the subtread [Q the riser below, and the wedg~ to the subtr~ad and the stringer. No glue is used ~tween the tread and the 5tringer, M) the tread can move as nttdcd, sliding along dlC plywood subtread.

The mortises in the stringc:rs for the winding treads stOp at the riser face~, and the tread nosing.~ are nOfched to fit against the face of the: stringer while allowing movement. This stair is in its third heating scason with no cracks.

Use a jig to rout the stringers r .ike my standard stair jig, the long-tread jig is made from I-in.-thick plywood (photo above left). The long-tread jig is about 30 In. long and can accommodate maximum tread depths of aooUl 2 fL The Cutout

Old timbers compile_ted thingJ. The upper wall stringer had to be $cribed to {it between a post at the bottom and a beam at the top, then slid over the corner winder, which was already in place.

APRIUMAY 2009 61

No ..... _oks

New w.y. combined with the old. Each winder, with sub tread attached, was slid Into the mortiWs and locked in plltCe with a wedge slathered generously with glue. At the front 01 the winders (top inset), the nosing was notched rather than housed to simplify construc­tion. Under'IMath (bottom inset), pocket screws drew the treads tight to the risers.

for the nosing i~ the thickness of the tread, and it overhangs 1 W in., as on the standard )lg.lkcau5C' of the any;le at which it hits the stringer, the nosing of dl(: tread is longer than the monise. TIlis tt:atun~ allows for notching the nosing to hide seasonal movemem. You'l l notKe that there's no cULOut for routing a riser. Instead, where the riser would meet the tread, the cutOut is deepened by lA in. to allow for the ply­wood suhtrcad. The rISers under the wmders arc butted agaimt the: stringers to simplify the construction of the smirs.

At the b.'lck end, the: cutout i~ made: to the comhined depth of the tread, the J4_in. plywood, and an additional 1 in. for the thick end of the wedge. I make the);C wetlgc:s on a tab/es:lw.

To rout winder ueads, I damp the jig on rhe stringer Soil that its top aligns with the tread larout and the notch for the subtJead line;; up on the riser line. T hen I rout in:t clockwisc dirc:ction. The fnml corner of the morllsc: requires chlscling for the: suhtrc:ad.

Assemble the stairs in place Becau~ their !>lringers ascend .It different pitches, wlnden are: astoundingly unwieldy as a unit. It'$ usually easiest to build them in place, and wa.~ particularly so in this casc because of a structural post in the curner wh ... re the stringers would meet.

1 scribed the firs! waIJ-side stringer to fit between two timber-frame posts and the bottom riser to fit the unlevel floor. Then I wa~ able ttl assemhle the bottom <celiun-stringers, treads, and risers for the first

62 Flr-.!o.. HOMEBUILDl"";

four step~-(Jn the floor nt:xt to the opening. I rolled it mto place, checked for level, and sc rewed it to the wall. The inner stringer was

propped up with a 2x4. In mo§t easc§, the second-floor fram ing would lIot ~[]ow mc to

install the uppermmt tread and riser ifrhe STringers were installed first, so the upper stringers art: generally installed as a unit with thO!>C tWO pieces in place. However, the ~cond-floor framing in this old htlU~ is thin enough to allow access, so that was one problem I aVOId­ed . After joining the two upper stringers with a gusset. I was able simply to slide the upper stri ngers onto the corner tread. whieh was already installed.

Eaeh riser in the wmding sc:ction is a custom fit. I used pinch sticks to measu re the dl~tance hctwecn mit: stringers. Thcanglcs were mea ­sured with a bevel square, and the ri~rs were then CU I 1O:l ~pecifie fit. Installed. the riscn arc pocket-scrt:wetllO the treads alxwe and to

the stringers. 0

Andy Engel is the editor of ProfeSSIonal Deck Builder (and he's "Iso a former editor ilt Fine Homebuilding). He lives in Roxbury. Conn. This ilrt lc1e was adapted from his book Building Stairs (The Taunton Press, 2007). Photos by Patrieiil Steed. except where noted.

-Building Stairs

• •

-, Can a product that provides structure, housewrap, and even insulation save you time and money?

BY CHARLES BICKFORD

R cmember when somehrNly slancd 'idling !)('.:mut butter .lnd pell) in the sam~ jar? Wd l.;l few manufacTUrers have r«endy dc\'d· ~ped sheathing products thar combine two or more functiom in one product. In part, it's an effort to simplify [he: incrcaslnjl;ly com­

plex husiness of building a h()u~.

It didn'r used to be so complicateu. btlt then, il used to cost only JX'nnies [0 hc:at a house, and mold grew only an chccsc: and nol Inside walk The~ day§., it's in everyone's interest to make hou~ as light and as energy efficient as we can. To.that end, the materials and the proce~sc=, Ur huffie huilding have become.- a lot more complex. T.1.kc the evolution of ~hca'hing materi.alll and exterior-wall assemblies o~r the past ioo yc.us, That subdnmaJ layer of J

housc's ~kin has gone from solid I x boards wilh the ~iding nailed directly o\'t' r them ' ,0 hA ~heclS of engineered plywood (')t oriented strand oo.ud (OSB) with a carefully woven collection ofhousewrap. rain scret'os, ta~, anJ fla shmg materials that make an exterior wall pe rfnrm br.ttt'r ;Llid last longer. Plain old USB still has the lion's share of Utj national ~hcathing market (about bO%. according. to the En)(incer<:d ()O( Aswx:i.uinn: www.apawood.org),but It's

intcrt:.Uing to see hvw the industry responds to the evolving building system. I recently investigated three new structural-sheathing products. Of these

matt""ri:II.., .)nc has been on the market for some lime, and 1>\."0 wi ll l:x: d l ~trlb-

uted nationally by the time YOll

r=d this.

What's sheathing supposed to do?

Hisrorically, sheathing's primary jobs were to prevent the house's frame from racking and to cre­ate a sturdy substrate fur sid­ing. These days, building eode~ are specific ahom the strength required of sheathing materi ­als, and the number and type of fasteners that must I:x: u.'iCd to at­tach the sheathing to the huuse's framing. Also, in certain seis­mIC and coastal weather zones, building codes specify even more stringent fastening schedules.

Sheathing also plays an imJXlr­tam role in the movement of air through th e walls of a house. Common seme tells us that sheathing should block outside aIr from Invading the wall cavity and the hOU5e\ interior. How ­ever, OSB or plywood alone cannot suffiCIently prevent air

infiltration-hence, the need for hllilder's paper, houscwrap, and sheathing tape.

Depending on their compo~i­tion, sheathing materials can also speed or retard the /low of watervaJXlr from o~ ~it:kof a wall to the other, a characteristic that's referred to as permeability and IS measured lIJ perm.~ (sec "What's the Difference?" p. 92).

The highu the perm rating, the more diffuse rhe material. For example, OSB ha~ a perm rating between 2 and 3: rigid polyi.~ocyanurate-foam insula­tion ha~ a perm rating of 0.0 1. A house built with brick veneer in Texas should have sheathing with a low perm rating to pre­veor W:Her vapor from being driven inward by the sun's heat. In Massachusetts, the house should probably bave higher­perm sheathing that allows th e: wall cavity to dry in either direc­tioll. (For ~n elegant explanation of this issue, read "Understand­ing Vapor Barriers" by Joseph

FINE HOMEKUI LDING

New material on the horizon

In a few years, you could be nailing

old carpets onto your 2x frame

instead of plywood or OSB. Well,

make that recycled post-conwmer

nylon carpet f1be~ that have been

mixed with VOC·free resins and

pressed betwHn two fiber mats.

Nyloboard (www.nyloboard.com) is

gearing up for nationwide distribu­

tion in the next year and plans to

offer structural sheathing, a combina~

tion siding and sheathing product

similar to T-1'1, tongue-and-groove

boards, and exterior trim. Sheet

,

dimensions range from 'It in. to

I\IA.Ul( NAUTILUS WALL SHEATHING

Georgia-Pacific's new sheathing, Nautilus, consists of its OSS product with a woven housl:twrap glued to one 5ide.

It's meant to be installed as you wou ld any OSB sheathing; GP's proprietary housewrap t ape is applied to aU seams as you would with regular housewrap. Doors, windows, and other penetrations

must be flashed with code-approved flashing tape. Unlike regular housewrap. you cannot cover fl ashing tape wit h the wrap.

The manufacturer recommends cutting sheets with the house­wrap face down to avoid delaminating the housewrap layer, and

that when possible. site-<ut edges be oriented down and always sealed wit h housewrap tape. (The latter tip is meant to replace the protective sealant that GP uses to coat the edges of it s OSB; fresh cuts are more likely to absorb moisture and swell.) The prod­uct is guaranteed against delamination fo r 90 days in the weather.

I wa s able to find only one builder who has used Nautilus. Chad Bell with Blue Sky Construction builds custom homes in Gaines­"i lle, Ga. , and has participated in the test market for Nautilus. He

told me that this sheathing takes a step out of the process, so now he can seal t he building envelope faster. Previously, he used

regular aSB and a separate housewrap; now he's been lIble to eliminate one cost, t he housewrap subcontractor he used to hire. But despite his streaml ined sub list, he says t hat using Nautilus is comparable in cost. Stilt , he likes t he fact that his lumb.r p iles are protected from the weather.

GP announced t he debut of Nautilus in January 2008 and should have nationwide distribution by the time you read this art icle .

Georgia-Pacif ic www.gp.com

What: Polyolefin housewrap bonded to ¥l.-in. OSB.

Installation: Same fastening schedule as ass (6 in. on center on edges, 12 in. on center in field ). Cut edges should be o riented downward and sealed wit h tape.

Perm rating: 0.75 for tne assembly

Weight: about 50 lb. per sheet

Warranty: Expo­sure up to 90 days without delamina­t ion; limited-lifet ime warranty for owners.

Price: GP did not have price informa­t ion by the time we went to press.

'I. in. tho in 4-ft_owide sheets 8 ft .

to 12 ft. long. Nyloboard claims

that the material Is waterproof and

is exvemely resistant to mold and

insects. A 1h-in.-thick 4--ft. by 8-ft.

sheet weighs about the same al a

sheet of 058; their Web site speci­

fies that the panels be installed with

saews. then sealed with elastorneri(

caulk. The only thing Nyloboard

hasn't figured out is a price. but a

company representative assured

me it's at the top of their toodo list.

W.u·to-w" n 9011' . xtM or. Nyloboard LLC has de.,el­oped " build ing m"teri,,1 made from rllKycled carpet­ing, no-VOC nI,itlS, and" fiberglass/ike matting. It has the strength ,md weight of plywood, is rllt.d for structural use, and helps to reduce I,ndfm content.

www.fim:homebuilding.com 2009 ..

Lstiburek a t www.bui ld in g Kience.c.om.)

Sh eathing (\'en can be u~eJ to lnsubte a hou se. Depend­ing on the house'5 location and type of wall assembly, structural sheathing might be nece:;sary on the corners of the house. Undcr these circumsta nces, a bu ilder might choose to ~heathe the rest of the house With rigid- foam insulation to increa:.c the wal15' thermal performance.

Innovation is an ongoing process

For man}' builders, ma rket tu r­moil and the steep learning curve of green building have mad e huilding houscs more challeng­ing t han ever. New p roducts touted to perfurm better and cost leS$ are abundant, hut for most builders, there's a fisk In trying sumd hing new. Even if a p rod­uct has been on the market for a year, it takes more time for anec­dotal acceptance to tr ickle down to those in the field .

The shea thing products shown here a re d esigned largely to make bu ilders' work easier by cutting out steps while still pro­ducing walb that perform well. As w ith any as~ct of building a house, however, success lies in the J ewils. As you' ll see, the in­stallation deta ils of tbe proclllct_~

shown here are one of the hur­dles, a t least w ith the bui ld ers rhat r talked to. Other concerns include performance and cost.

St ill , t hese ma terials ho ld promise, and there are mor~ new mate rials, such as Ny loboard (side-bar p. 64), on the- horizon . Maybe someday, someone w ill make structural sheathing w ith an integral rain scrcen or a mate­r ial w !-lO~e per m ra ting ca n be program med by computer. Stay tuned. D

Charles Bickford is a senior editor at Fine Homebuild ing _ Phot os by Krysta S, Doerfler, except where noted.

66 F INE HOMEBU ILDING

When Huber Industries rolled out AdvanTe<:h sheathing products a few

years ago, builders discovered a panel

product that wouldn't buckle, bubble, or

warp when left out in the elements. So it's not surprising that some builders have

made the short leap of faith to Huber's newest product, the ZIP System for walls and roofs. According to Huber, the ZIP wall

pa nels are made at OSB that has an outer·

membrane laye r of resin-impregnated

paper called Stormex bonded to the exte­

rior face: this outer layer is meant to take

til e place of Ilousewrap. The she;nhing is specified fo r use with

all types of cladd ing, except adhesive· attached EIFS (synthetic stucco), which

requires an additional drainage plane to

qualify for warranty coverage. Seams and flashing must be installed with Huber's pro­

prietary tape for a continuous air barrier. Huber recommends a maximum exposure

of 120 days, the same as most housewraps.

One handy feature of the ZIP System is a

'!&-in. tongue along t he perimeter of each

sheet, which means that installers don't

have to maintain an expansion gap

between sheats.

Chris Van Staalduinen of BlaCK Diamond

Builders in Everson, Wash., decided 10 try

the ZIP System; the thought of not l1aving

to deal with housewrap blowing off

appealed to him. He says that for a 2000·sq.-ft. house, the ZIP System costs

a couple of hundred dollars more than

the price of buying and installing CDX plywood

and housewrap, but ZIP

System panels take less

time to instal l. Convenience seems

to be the major attrac·

tion for many of the builders I t alked to,

and the product seems to be standing up to

performance claims. Hans Porschitz, an engi·

neer with Bensonwood

Homes in Walpole, N.H.,

says that the ZIP System allowed them to reduce the number of components in their factory·assembled walls . Instead of cover· ing wall sections with housewrap and tape that often need repair later, they can build walls in the shop, transport them to the site, assamble them, tape the remaining seams, and have the house dried in quickly. Both Porschitz and Greg Graham, produc­t ion cOOf"dinator at South Mountain Com­panyon Martha's Vineyard, Mass., said that blower-door tests indicated that the ZIP System was creating a much tighter build-

ing than OSB lind housewrap. Graham said that they achieved even better sealing results by following the tape applicator with a laminate roller (photo above).

Although everyone I talked to agreed that the system created a great weather barrier, when it came to flashing , more than a few expressed doubt that the tape would provide an adequate drainage plane. Van Staalduinen said that he still runs a piece of housewrap above penetra­tions up to the eaves to cover the flash ing tape. Other builders seemed to think that an extra layer of housewrap was just good insurance lIgllinst sloppy installations. As

Russ Gamel of Ideal Homes in Norman, Okla., put it, ~h takes the human error out of the equation. -

Available in: 8-, 9., and 10.ft .. long sheets

Perm rating of OSB substrate: 2-3 Perm rating of Stormex: 12·16

Weight: 55 lb. pef 4x8 sheet

Warranty: 15 years (system), 30 yeilrs (panels)

Price: approximately $12 per sheet, or about 45ft per sq. ft., plus the cost of tape.

"'"" .h"dl"llulallldlll);.rom

The age of tape Ever notice that. house under con­

struction an at times resemble an

ornately wrapped Christmas gift?

Housewrap tape, flashing tape, red

tape, blue tape, wide tape, thin

tape. The good part is that un·

like decorative wrapping. these

house tapes serve an important func­

tion: to keep water and air outside.

Housewrap performance depends

on the tape, which must b. installed

to the manufacturer's specifications:

on a substrate th~'s free of dirt, oil,

and other contaminants. MOd, if not

all, tap" ar. meant to be used with

a specific housewrap and aren't war­

ranted anywhere .Ise. In the cases of

Dow's SIS, Huber's ZIP System walls,

and Georgia·Pac;if1c's Nautilus. which

all have an integrallaye, that acts

as a housewrap, the tape completes

the air barrier.

When these products afe uyd

without a separate housewrap (one

that can't be peeled back. anyway),

the flashing around windows and

doors relies on Upe to keep water

from getting between the flashing

and the sheathing. like housewrap

tapes, flashing tapes are usually

spe-eified to b. installed with a par­

ticular product. Installation is limited

by temperature (most can't be

installed below 20°F). and some

must be used with primers (often a

form of spray contact cement) in cer·

tain conditions. All tapes are tested

and code-approved for adhesion and

water resistance, but some builders I

talked with remained skeptical about

the durability of the tape's adhes;"'e

over time. They use an additional

layer of hoysewrap to cover the

flashing tape over penetrations.

W •• tII.rmate Construction Tltp"

(for hous.wrap) and Straight Flu hing Tape belong to Dow's Weathermate Weather Barrier SolvtJons line that includes housewrap, sill pans, li nd sealants. Flashing tape reqvires a contdct-ddhesl"e primer when us&d on 058. Both products have a 10-year warranty.

Georgl.P.-cHlc's Nautlfus se.m tape /s also used to seal the edges of Nautillll pan.'s. It's an inch widlH than most hOUUWT"8p tapes (3 in.'. Ge<H"gi, · Pacific does no t warranty this tape.

ZIP Syst.m t.ape com.sln two widths, 4 In . .and 6 in., and is used for se.a/ing seams and for flashing penetrations. Its hl,.v/4/r weight makes it moro like typ;c.l tlnhing tape , nd less like hOUlewrtlp tape. A tape gun (about 5 150) is specified for instal/lit /on dnd Is the easiest way to ltpply the tape, which has a 1S-year warranty.

APRI L/MAY 2009 67

Sweat-Equity Renovation An 1890s bungalow is returned to its original beauty by an ambitious husband-and-wife remodeling crew

BY JOHN HAWTHORN

My wife and 1 married in September 2()(x), and by Thanksgiving, I was carrying her over the threshold of our first how.e, a 1901 colonial that needed a complete restoration. It took ju~t two years to accomph5h a pristine rebirth of the old house. Almost to the Jay of my sinking the last nail in the Cfown molding and

hanging up my tool belt, my wife appeared, exclaiming, "1 found it." While I wondered what it was that we had lose, she clarified by adding, "1 found our dream home,"

We live in the river community of Red Bank, N.J., so natural ly, this dream home had river views going for it. That's where the good news cnded. As I walked through the 1890s bungalow, my heart sank. The next several years of my life fL15h ed before me. They would be s~nt III thi~ hou~, gutting the walls and ccilings, rewiring, replumbing, install ing a new heating and cooling system, restoring the original Windows, and so on, and so on.

Five years, two children, and one dog later, we finally finished_ Having more than likely savtcd the house from someone else's wrecking ball, we restored it to its period-authentic style while updating it to fit our lifestyle.

Four kitchens and three bedrooms BecauS(: we sold our first hou~e to buy the bungalow, we ]j\'ed on a job site for the duration of the renovation. We h.1.d to complete one or two rooms at a time, move into the finished space, and then begin work on the next rooms. When our daughter was horn, our living space was lim­ited toone room on the first floor. The up5tai rs was under construction,.so this single room was our living room, our bedroom, and our kitchen, all rolled into one.

If the downside to living in a gutted house is conditions that are, at times, downright uncivilized, the upside is plenty of time to try floor plans and to consider detai ls. To gain a complet<:: sense of the available floor space, we mocked up the kitchen using sawhorse tables for the island and surrounding coumcrs, and used masking tape on the floor to establish the hallways and door openings.

Peeling away years 01 "improveme nts_ " The outside o f the house was always charming, but most of the charm was hid­den beneath four layers of roofing, countless layers of paint over the 100-yeaf-old cedar siding, and a porch that was closed in by tripllHrack windows_

70 FINE HOMEIWILl>iNC

1

,

..

We walked through the house pretend ing we had arms full of grocery bags and cunsidert:d where we would like the light switch to he loca.tcrl when going upsuirs at bed­time. This proce&S gave us real-life perspective.

The only tWO rooms that remaiflOO largdy the way we found them were the living room and me dining room. In (1et, the wamscoting In the dining rooll'l--<Ovcrro by so many layers of l)dim thai the trim profiles were almost completely obscured-wa~ i n~pir.llion fin the rest of the downsta irs. The only change to the living room Wa5 the addition of a box-beam ceiling, which was an aesthetIc solution 10 a SlrIIClUr,,[ n ecessity. The so::ond floor, which had originally been an allie, was at some point converted to living space but never reinforced to carry the cxlnl

load. We added str\lctur:lllx:tm~ unner the eXIsting Joisg and dressed them up with trimwork (drawing p. 72).

To help keep the kitchen period authentic, we installed cabinetry that looked as if it could have been in the origi-

www.finchornebllilJulg.com

nal room. We cho.~e tall upper cabincts with inset glass doors to establish a furoiturdike feci (photo p. 73).

Rather than overlOQu 011 c.,binets, we 5Ct u p a large pan­try to store all our food. allowing the rest of the kitchen to be minimal and more efficient. We also dcsignerl and insralled a hidden cahinet in the kitchen wam5Cot to house the microwave and waner ovens, as wdl ~~ a slide..am d rawer below [0 hold the recycling bins. Another feature we fclt strongl)' about. given the sp;1ce allowed, was the additional prep are.1 of 3O-in ... dttp kitchen countcrtops as opposed to the traditional 24-in. depth.

The floor plan also provided an opportunity to connect the kitchen with what uscd 10 he a bedroom. This bed­room oflered the best view of the river behind the house. so we made it into a den.

To help heat the first floor in the wmtcr and to leave open Hoor space for the rest of the year, W~ installed a ~C';alahle flue pipe in the ceiling of the den. This allows

APRIL/M .... y 2009 "

AN AESTHETIC SOLUTION TO A STRUCTURAL NECESSITY The se(:ond I'loor, which had originally been an attic, was Itt some point converted to living space but never reinforced to carry the extra load. To support tne existing floor joists, which were beyond their maximum span, the homeowners ran new structura l beams perpendicular to the joists. r he new beams also provided enough room to run 6·io. HVAC ductwork and became a starting point for It classy box·beam ceiling.

Doubled Original 2.>:8 floor joists were at their

us to rearrange the furniture slightly, run a flexible duct, and hook lip a woodstovc in the wimer. In the spring, we put the stove on a dolly and wheel it to the back deck, where it Stays until wimer wea.ther returns.

Curb appeal came last OUT priority was to have a functional house first. so the exterior upgrades didn't begin until afur the interior was complete. It was frustrating to have the out~ide in such poor shape while the interior looked so good, hut the compromi~ was necessary. Besides, the exterior was always charming; it just needed a lot ofhdp to maximize that charm. JUSf like on the inferior, we did our best to capitalize on the features we had.

2x4 drywall na1ler$ set at

New ,oiling , haso leaves room 10 run 6-in.·diil. ductwork.

Any downtime we had during the interior renova­tion was spent in the basement restoring the 20 original 6-over-6, divided-lite double-hung wmdows. To us, the house was defined by these authentic windows, and the thought of replacing them with modern windows scemed like a mistake. V.'e lived with the old triple-track storm windows for dose to two yc:ars a5 we worked to

[---'--..... find enough vimage blown glass to re:nore all the: bro-

16 in. on center

Built-up posts IrIJMfer load to beam in Ihe basement.

4'/I-in. ,rown molding

1 x painted poplar trim nalled to blocking

" FINE HOMEBUILDING

Beaded co,,,· / molding

ken panes. After tearing off three: layers of asphalt shingb and

one layer of ce:dar shake:s, we: re:plaeed the roof with architectural asphalt shingles and copper valleys. Although the housc alw still had itsoriginallOO-ycar­

old cedar sidewall shingles, they were coated with scv-('rallayers of pliint, and renoring them to their original

"r

l

appearance was si mply not possible. WedC'Cidcd {hat the best choice for the next 100 yeanl was [0 replace the shin­gb. We love the color of new rcd-ccdar shingles, and we wanted to ~taill that fresh look OVI"[ tht: yean, if P'-'S.\ible.

T found a pnxluct called TWP·500 (www.woodscalants . com) that, when applied to fresh cedar, prevenrs;t from

weathering to a silYer or black color. The siding has been finished since 2007, and 50 far, the product has lived up to its claims.

Although we were able to rem ove the many layers of paim from the quartersawn Douglas-fir porch floor, we had to replace about h:l lf of Ihc \)OI1. rds before rclinishing. The porch colu mns were also beginn ing to show signs of rot. We decided [ 0 replace thcm <lnd reuw the origina l

columns (or use as a new kitchen tabletop (photo p. i l).

The payoff was worth the pain There: were m ;ul)' times that we d id oot believe this reno­vation would ever be complete. The road was long, the work W2.S grueling, :mcl we didn't salvage and reuse as much of the old house as we ruad onWflallr hoped. Hut as tough as our li fe was over chose yeilrs, we Lived through it all, formed a bond with our house that ca.n 't be achieved in any other way, and managed to restore the property to what we think is a period~authentic bungalow with some

moocrn charm. 0

John Hawthorn is a budder in Red Bank, N.J. Photos by Justin Fink, 9)(eep! whe re noted .

www.finchomcbmldlng.com

CREATIVE CABINETRY FOR EASIER PLUMBING Aher removing the exist ing kitchen cabinets, the homeowners found that the load·bearing wall studs had been notched heavily to run the sink's waste p ipe. After replacing the damaged studs, they sidestepped the structural problem by insta ll ing II 27-in.­deep sink cabinet flanked by standard 24·in. cabinets. Kept flush on the front face, the d ifferent--depth Cllbinets created a 3-in. space in the back to route the drainpipe. As a bonus, the added depth allowed for deeper countertops .

Plywood svpporls covmertop.

2:. attached to back of 24·in. cabinet

J·in. Jog t y,·in. gap in cabinet for water depth lines

A PR TUM A Y 20()9 73

Just as dr ills and saws have become more port,1b1e, sohave many shop tool.s that we once thought of as stationary. Thickness plancn aren't a new cat­

egory in this list of portable toob, but th"1' an: a group that has grown significan tly in popu­lari ty due to improvements in performancl':. These tools allow me to clean up a poorly surfaced board from the lu rnbc:rprd, en~urc flush jomery by allowing me to plane each board in a stack to the exact same thickn~ and provide design flexibility by allowing me to cmlomi:u. bo.1rd Ihicknesses.

For this reVieW, I te5tcd seven ponablc thick­ness pl-mers, whIch despite a wide range of prices, sha re IOI~ of simila r features. Unli ke many stationary thickness planers, the bed of each model in this review is fixed; the c:uuer­head is raised rmd lowered to ad just thick­ness scniogs. One full turn oCthe height­adjuscmcnterank ~qual~ i;" in. on all moods except the Makita, for whIch a single mrn equals a mure awkward V~ in. Except for the Steel City model, which uscs 26 small cutten arranged in six rows, all the others usc cither twu ur three fu ll· length bladcs.

The neW::tl t :md Ryobi models a~idt:, each planer has extension tablt:s on both the infeed and outfeed sides of the tOll. Although some optrat~ bette r than others, each 1001 uses a paddle-style switch; all but the Ryabi ha\'c a built-in circuit hreaker to prorea against elec· trical overload. Ahhough the severity varied, every machine in this review produced snipe dunng my tcsting, and al1 of the hlado anrl l::Jblcs were slighdy out of paral lel.

Although my favorite, the DeWalt, is the most clI:pcnslYc, the Ridgid is an exceptional val~ at al most half the pnce (Stt p. 78).

Christian M. Whalen is the owner of Black Mountain Company, a home­building, renovation. and woodworking firm in Missoula, Mont. Pho tos by Krysta S. Doerfler. except wh ere noted.

74 FIKF. HOMEHL'ILDING

PRECISION Depth gauges that are barely readable, preset depth stops that are spongy, and adj ustment hand les that spin loosely aren't helping anybody. I want a planer that can be d ialed in precisely to produce reliable results.

PERFORMANCE I don't expect my thickness planer to remove 'II in. from a piece of white oak in a single pass, but I do expect it to produce surfaces that are smooth and free of ripple-like chatter marks, and be reasonably parallel so that one edge of the board is not thicker than the other. Atthough

snipe--a gouge across the width of the board that occurs when one end of the stock gets lifted into the spinning cutterhead-is nearly inevi­table, it shouldn't be worsened by short infeed and outfeed supports and cutterheads that drift from the depth setting during use.

PORTABILITY I typically work alone, so I have to think twice about tools that are too cumbersome for one person to move from job t o job. The planer's weight and center of gravity are concerns, but so are the carrying handles, and the tool's ability to fold neat ly for transport.

~Ib.

Which would you rath.f 11ft?

98 lb.

PRACTICALITY I don't have an engineer on staff, so I a tool that allows for easy adjustments and blade changes. A thorough instruction manual is a great start, but the best tools are designed to be intuitive. My favorite plan­ers provide am ple access for blade changes and include a T-hand le wrench with magnets that allow for safe han­dling of the razor.sharp blades, and the metal gib that is tightened over them.

APRIL/MAY 2009 75

76

CRAFTSMAN 21759 www.craftsman .com $530 Maximum width: 13 in. Depth capacity: 6 in. Weight: 98 lb .

This two-speed, three-knife machine is the largest and heaviest of the group. The depth gauge has presets ranging from 1fs in. to 1 V~ in. , but as on most of the machines, the stops are a bit spongy. Unlike the other planers, how­ever, the Craftsman has a digital depth readout. which increases its accuracy. The 12% .. in. extension tables have roll­ers on the ends, but they have quite a bit of flex. I really like the oversize

paddle switch and removable lock, and the dust-collection system that allows the planer to be attached direct ly to a 30-gal. trash can for chip disposal. The tool left visi­ble chatter marks when cutting at the faster speed, but they were easily removed with a light sand­ing. A hinged cutterh ead caver

ing. The digir,,/ read· out 2!eroes at f in., so it must bit set to -0.25 to yield I JA·in.· thldc board.

makes blade changes stra ightforward, and a spare set of blades is included in the box. The return rollers drop into slots and can be knocked out easily, which is not great for portability. Still, this machine would be a fine addition to a small shop.

F INE HOMEBUILD[NG

GRIZZLY G0663 www.grizzly.com $200 Maximum width : 121/2 in. Depth capacity: 6%1 in. Weight: 66 lb.

This economically priced, entry·leve l planer is a basic unit, but it includes a terrific set of specs and instructions, is easy to transport, and is certainly functional enough for professionals. The extension tables are only 63ft in. long, making the total bed length a bit short at 23Y2 in. The top­mounted, gear-driven depth adjuster functions well but has no infeed depth gauge, only a tape measure with an adjustable indicator. The dust-collection

adapter must be purchased separately. It has a padd le switch with a removable safety lock.

Replacing the blades would be a little simpler if the wre nch were long enough to avoid hitting the motor housing while turning. Although this machine sounded a little rough in operation, it produced a smooth finish with minor chatter marks that were easily removed with a light sanding. My only concern with the Grizzly is its lack of amenities; \ also wonder how it wil l perform over time.

MAKITA 2012NB www.makita.com $530 Maximum width: 12 in. Depth capacity: 6%l in. Weight: 61 lb.

With only a 12·in. blade, th is tool is the best of the small models. It's not big on flashy features , but it's the most compa ct and portable, and the on ly model ready to use right out of the ball. In fact, without

A tight fit. The G,'"I'y·, blade changes afe ham­pered by a short wrench and a tOO-c/OSIt motor. A long T-handled w(ertCh would help.

any adjustments to the scale before my initial test, I set the cutting depth at V. in., and the resulting thickness measured 0.250 in. with a digital caliper. The plastic­covered. gear-driven depth adjustment allows for preCise fine-tuning, though one tum equals V60t in. on this machine, unlike Y l & in. on ali the others. The tape­measure depth gauge is standard fare; the simple d rop- down depth stop made it easy to achieve repeatable thicknesses. The paddle switch has a removable safety lock that snaps into place, but it loosened wl1ile running the machine (maybe that's why Mak ita includes an e.l\tra). The factory-set 9-ln . extension tables are solid and produce an overall bed lengtl1 of 30 in. Infeed and outfeed snipe were equal to the other tools, but the surfaced boards were otherwise free of noticeable chatter marks. A shorter nut driver would make blade-changing a bit easier because tile one provided hits the motor housing.

Uncommon meth, One turn 0' the MaJdta 's depth­adjustm&nt knob &quaIs lin odd %. in. instead of the 'A."in. ra tio on othe, tools.

RYOSI AP1301 www.ryobitools.com $200 Maximum width: 13 in. Depth capacity: 6 in. Weight: 54 lb.

The motor on this machine runs smootl1 ly, but because it has no circuit breaker, it cou ld bu m up if overloaded. Still, desp ite making a lot of chipping noise

whi le planing, t he Ryebi produced smooth surfaces with only minor chatter marks. The dust outlet does not accom­modate anything larger thall a 2V2-in. sll op-vacuum hose, but when I jury­rigged the tool with a 4-in. hose, it worked fine. Even though the features on tnis model tell me it's aimed at hobbyists, the blade-changing protoco l would challenge a mil lwright. Tilere are no positive locks or alignment tabs for posi­

tioning the blades in the clitterhead. After replacing the blade, the instructions just say to check "visual ly" that the b lade is parallel to the cutterhead before

Got snipe? With replacing the gib and tightening

no extension tables and only a 14·in. bed, this planer leaves the most visible and severe 5nipe (0.01 in.) of all the models tested.

the adjustment screws; accuracy just left the building. While the p rice is right and the surfaces produced a re smooth, this unit needs better engineering.

STEEL CITY 40200 www.steelcitytoolworks.com $600 Maximum width: 13 in. Depth capacity: 6 in. Weight: 66 1b.

This machine runs smoothly, but the 26 individual cutters produced a striped surface on the face of the board during my tests. On the plus side, when the cut­ters become dull, they can be rotated 90" and reused, which means less time for blade chcmges. There was virtually no outfeed sn ipe, and a %-in. cutting depth produced a board measuring 0.252 in. with d igital cali pers. The 12-in.-lon9 extension tables make an overa ll bed length of 34 in., hove little flex, and snap up out of the way. Unfortunately, the outfeed table cannot be flipped up when t he dust-collection adapter is in p lace. Because of its slim

www.finehotnebuildin.o:.COIll

Two, tnree, or 261 Instead of 11 two- or three­blade I:l.Itterhead, this model has a cutterhead with 26 small, four­sided blades arranged in six overlapping rows.

shape and built-in handles, this machine is fairly easy to carry. A pin attached to a gauge is used for the depth­of-cut indicator. There are stilt a few bugs to work out on this newly released model, but I th in k this planer co uld be a contender.

DEALING WITH SNIPE

A low-cost, adjustable infeed/outfeed table Some manufacturers have d rastically red uced the amount of sn ipe cre-ated by their benchtop planers, but it eventually comes down to a trade-off.

For these tools to be portable, the fold ing infeed and outfeed tables ilre kept short, and are prone t o misal ignment. But by removing the manufacturer's tables and replacing them with a portable, adjustable,

shopmade version, snipe becomes much less of an issue. This table has only a handful of parts: four

cleats-tINa on the infeed side, two on the outfeed side-and a

long piece of Y2-in . medium-density fiberboard (MDF). The MDF is laid across the bed of the planer so that it

extends out both ends of the tool, and is supported by cleats that are attached to the top of the shop cabi net o r job­site table with carriage bolts and wash­ers. The bolts allow you to raise each end of the MDF to create a slightly bowed table . This bow is the key to eliminating snipe. This setup will reduce the p laner's depth capacity by Y1 in ., but that's rarely a problem.

FineHomebuilding.com Visit the MagazinOl Extras section of our home page for a link to shop drawin9~ of this adjustable infeedfol.ltfeed t<lbl(l.

APRIL/ MAY 2009 77

DEWALT DW73S www.dewalt .com $650 Maximum width: 13 in. Depth capacity: 6 in. Weight; 92 lb.

Despite its weight, tllis compact tool is easy to carry and has all the features I want in a planer with none of the chintzy bells and whistles. The built-in dust chute has a powerful blower that ejects chips into a snap-on dust-collection adapter or through a flat port if no dust collec­tion is used. The 19-in.-lon9 cast-aluminum bed

can be extended to longer than 3 ft. with DeWalt's aftermarket extensions. Instead of an inverted pin, the OW73S uses a more accurate full· length bar to indicate the infeed depth of cut. The preset depth gauge ranges from Va in. to 114 in., and a board run through with the depth set at Y2 in. yielded a digital caliper reading of 0.509 in. The side-mount depth-adjustment crank is sturdy and operates smoothly. Other than the small amount of snipe visible on the infeed end of test boards, this tool produced the smoothest surfaces of all the plan­ers, regard less of cutting speed. Changing the blades is a simple proce­dure done with a T-handle hex driver stored in the lid. This machine is accurate enough for a small production shop, and if you don't mind the weight, it's definitely durable enough for job-site use.

RIDGID R4330 www.ridgid.com $370 Maximum width; 13 in. Depth capacity: 6 in. Weight: 73 lb.

This machine is what I call a hybrid. It has many of the same features found on the large heavy­duty models, but it is almost as light as the smaller models. The two solid 12-in. extension tables yield a bed length of 34 in. and have very little flex. How­ever, the dust-collection adapter is not quite as effective as others, and it prevents the outfeed extension table from being folded up. which is a strike against the tool's portability. As with most of these machines, the preset depth stops-in this case ranging from Ve in. to 1% in.-are a bit too spongy for my comfort; they don't stop solidly, making depth settings a bit of a guessing game. On this model, the blade gib is spring-loaded, so the blades can be replaced without having to remove all the screws-a clever idea. The motor on this machine purrs, but the three-blade cutter­head produced a surface with visible chatter marks that required additional sanding to remove. If my bud­get were tight and r had to choose one model for both shop and job-site use, I would take this machine.

78 FINE HOMEBUILDING

..---------~ Choos. YOllr .poe.d. DeWalt's two-speed feature provides adaptability, Speed 1 (179 cuts per in,) is ideal for hard or figured woods, and for getting Ihll finest finish. Speed 2 (96 cuts per in.; removes material more quickly.

R.peatability made ''''IY. Ridgid's prllsot depth stops, ;Jlthough a bit spongy, are still a helpful featuro, If nothing e/slI, they are good insurance against spinning the adjustment knob too far and cutting a board too thin.

Believe it or not, you need the level only once, and that 's before you ever touch the door

BY GARY STRIEGLER

S t:\'t:ral years ago, I W2lkcd ontoa job site to find one proud employee. On his own initiative, he'd hung all the doors in the house alonc-in less

than three hours. Initially, I was impresl\ecl, but the 20 years that I'd ~n huilding houses tempered my c:<citement with ~keptidsm. A little voice in my head said that I would regret not having gi\'cn him a to-do li~1 before J ieft--(lnc so easy and so short that when J got back, I might find him in the pas­rure behind the hou.<iC:, practicing his Fris~ throw wnh a dry cow patty.

The first door I checked was sufficiently nailed, opened freely, and didn', swing em its own when r let it free from my hands. But the rcst of the doors had plenty of problems. Ucsides the ract that my proud employee didn't once Uk a level, he also fa iled to put , hmu in all the key places. What got me mo~t. though. was that more than a fc:w of the doors were sw inging the wrong way. I'm all fnr getting things done fast, hutaecu­racy is key when it comes to hanging doors. To minimize such mistakes in the futUre, , developed a door-hanging proces.~ that I CQuid easily teach to my crew. It starts with making su re the right door ends up in the right opening.

Mark the rough openings

Ordering doors doesn't Take much effon £In my part because: my sa lesman doc! it. Hut it docs war ram a couple of hours of my time

www.finehomehui lding.com

p r- ',.rrr !'"T'"" --

Hitt9" folK. away from the wlfll. On concrete floors, a vapor barrier protects doors from moisture. Here, the barrier is not in place yet.

and attention to ensure that the doors show up without incident. That's why my sale~­man and r walk through the house room by room with the fluur plan.~ in hand before the electrician starts his rough-in. I like to get door urders out of the way ~fore the dry­wall is installed to allow enough lead time for the order. At this stage, the walk-through is a good opportunity for me to catch any errors in rough-opcning sizes or locations that my framers might have made. It also lets me visualize potential errors in door swing on the plans and to correct them as nefiled.

During this walk-through, I measure the rough openings to make sure they're 2 in. wider than the door size; this leaves ~ in. for each jamb leg and \4 in. of shim space on each side of the door. The door sius usually already account for a 'll-in. reveal around the door (for example, a 36-in. door will measure closer to 35~ in.).

I write the size and swing of each door in pcrmanenr marker on the [Timmer stud ofit~ corresponding rough opening. This becomes the final size. I mark the plans if the size ur swing has changed, and J make sure that my

salesman makes the final list so that if a door shows up that doesn't match what's written on the trim­mer, it's his problem to fix, not mine.

Marking the door swing on rhc uimmer stud also informs subcontracwrs who need to make deci­siom based on this

Size and 5win", Write the door size and swing on tha hinge.side trimmer stud ot each rough opening betore the drywall is installed.

•• FINE HOMEBUILDING

mformation. E1ectrician~ n!.!cd to know the door swing to locate light switches. HVAC contractors position return-air vents and fttd registers 'Iccording to door swing as well.

Finally, my hardwood-flooring COntrac-tor need~ this information for certain rooms if he shows up ~fore we hang the doors. Flooring transitions octween wood and tile, for example, shQuld happen under a dosed door. Ifhe knows the swing, then he can make the transition in the right place even if the door im't installed yet. This process isn't ideal, though. I do my hc.n to get the doors in before any flooring is in place. Then I can set

the jamb legs directly on the subfloor and let the flooring contractor work around them as he goes.

Have a place to store the doors There's nothing worse than not having a place to store all the interior doors for a house when they are delivered to a job site. That many doors--<Jften 30 or so for the hou~ T build-take up a lot of space. So before the truck shows up, I make sure to have a safe, secure place to store them.

It is alway~.a good ide."l [() store mlUwork of any kind in a contrOlled dimate. Doors can scratch walls, though, so if I"m swring them inside, I put them in rooms like the kitchen, where drywall damage will be covered by eahiner.~. Nu matter where the doors end up, they're uacked with the hinges facing away from the wall. IfI have to put the doors in the garage, I

lay down heavy plastic or tar paper to keep moisture rrum wicking intu the jamb legs and the door bottoms. On th,lt note, though, I rarely 5tore rolid-wcxxl doors in the garage hecause they're must prone to movement in humid conditions.

As they're coming off the truck, I inspect each door fur d:lmage. The damage I dis­cover usually happens on the jambs. I look for spliTS in The jambs, edges that have been nicked, and evidence that the door frame carne apart in shipping or from rough han­dling. Solid doors are hard to damage, but I have seen holes in hollow-core doors. All wood doors Gill be scratched pretty easily. Anything that isn't repairable (within reason) on sitegocs back with the truck, and my sales fep gets 1I phooe call.

Assume the opening is not plumb Before I hang even one door, I move all the doors to their respective rough openings.

Once the doors are spread out, [ start the hanging pro<:css by inspecting the rough opening. r make sure there aren't any obstructions like drp.vall, nails, or a long bot­tom plate.

The only time I use a level is to plumb the rough opening. r ehC(:k the edge of tbe hinge­sidt: trimmer stud first to make sure that the wall is plumb (i.e., the bottom plate is plumb to the top plate). Ifit isn't, the door will open or dose on its own. If my level shuws that the wall is within Y1, in. over the height of the door, I leave. it alone. Ifit'5 out of plumb, I tap the bottom plate as needed and toenail it to the suhfloor to keep it in place.

Once the plates are plumb. I move to the inside of the opening. r use black tape to

mark the hinge locations on my door­hanging level. If you don't have a long level,

Clear 1111 pot ential obstrUdkm s. Trim back the drywall 0(1 both edges of each trimmer stud using a rough-cutting handsaw_

tape a short levc:l to a long straightedge like a 3-in.-wide length of~-in. plywood.

I plumh the hinge.-side trimmer stud with one shim at each hinge location. I tack the bottom shim in first, then move to the top, then the middle. Fifl1sh nails can work here, but sometimes, the impact from the nail gun splitll the shim or bluws the nail right through it. Drywall nails ;"lre. a good alternative.

Some people think it's necessary to doublc-shim here to counter the effect of the shim's taper, hut r disagree. UnleS5 the stud is twisted, r put the thick edge of (he shim on the hinge­knuckle side. I usc one shim to cock the jamb just enough to keep the hinges from binding. Besides, using one shim is quicker. Once [he shims arc in place, I usc a utility knife to trim them flush with the drywall.

Tip the door into place Although tht' hinge-side trimmer stud is ready, the opening is not done yet. Install~

Shim the hinge side pl~'mb

Plumb the opening with one shim It each hinge location indicated by the black tape on a door-hanging le .... L Nail the bottom shim first, then the top. then the middle. Use long cedar shims, which are elsier to handle and oHer more adjustabil ity because of their size.

o Starting at the bottom.hinge location, nail the shim in p lace 50 that the thiclc end will face the hinge knuckle. Orient all three shims this way. As the drilwing (below) shows, when the jamb is installed, the nail to the right holds the jamb tight to the thick end of the shim. Th. nail to the left will push the jamb slightly, as indicated by the blue arrow. This will splay

the jamb a bit, minimizing the pOSSibility that the door will bind. The movement is so slight that the eye will nlwer pick it up.

--1H--- Trimme,

Cedar shim

Hinge knuckle

i __ -+ ___ Jamb leg

With the bottom shim nailed in p lace, slide the top shim between the level and the j"mb until the level reads plumb.

Slide the third shim in until it just touches the lovol. If you push it in too far, you' re likely to nudge the level slightly out of plumb. Trim each shim once it's nailed In place. If you're installing doors directly on the 5ubfloor, place a shim on the floor at the hinge side to raise the jamb slightly,

fl''''''"" Is alru dy installed ------

I

If the Hooring is already in5talled, the j.Jmb legs need to be cut. Using a level and it shim, determine the differe nce in height (if any) across the width of the opening. If the floor is level, trim both jamb legs 50 that the door will cleillr the finished floor by abollt 1jz in. If the floor is out of level, trim that much more off the jamb leg on the high side.

www.tinchomebuilding.com ,HRIIJ\-I.4,V ~f)f)q "

Shim and nail, then repeat

Start by nailing the hinge side in place. Then shim and nail the latch side to create an even reveal (or space) between the door lind the jamb. about the thickness of a nickel. Follow the sequence described below, adjust the door as needed, then finish the installation with one more nail through each shim. Don't shim or nail the head jamb; the casing will keep it in place.

o Align the jamb so that it is centered between the drywall on both sides. Next, place one nail through the Jamb and the shim just in front of the stop. Then replace tke middle screw of the top hinge with one

that's 2Y: in. long. The top hinge bears much of the door's weight; this screw solidly anchors the door to the framing. Be aware that overtightening this screw can compress the shim and kick out the bottom of the door, causing it to catch on the latch-side jamb leg. If the door needs adjusting, this corner of the jamb is the last thing to be .djusted.

Center the hinge-side jamb at the bottom; then nail through the jamb and the shim just in front of the Itop.

Center the top latch side, place a shim near the head jamb. and close the door. Adjust the shim to create a r8v811 about the thickneSi of I nickel along the side and top of the door. If the reveal Is too tight, the

door will stick in this corner. Then pllce one nail in the jamb just above or below the shim. Nailing above or below the shim locks it in place but allows you to adjust it until everything is working perfectly. Add a shim from the other side of the door if the gap is too big for just one shim.

Canter the jamb leg, and add a shim behind tha bottom of the jamb leg about 6 in. up from the floor. Check the reveal, and neil the jamb abolll! or below the shim.

Shim behind the latcl1 to ellen the reveal, then HIck the jamb in place above or below the shim.

Add one nail, then dose the door and ch&ck the reveal one last time. Adjust the shims as needed to tune the reveal. Then move to the other side of the door and close it to make sure it meets the stop. If adjustments lire needed here, mllke them in this order: at the bottom of the latch side, at the bottom of the hinge side, at the top of the latch side, and finally at the top of the hinge side. Remember to remolle the long screw if making any adjustments there.

82 FINF. HOMEBUILDING

ing the doors Ixfore any flooring is In place is ideal beeau:>c I don't have to cut any jamb

legs. It saves me time at this stage, but the best pmt is that it ensures a tighter tramition once the flooring is in place. But I don't count on a level subfloor.

Before T pl:1ee rh e door in the opening, J put a sh im on the floor with the thick part

toward the hinge knuck le to raise the hinge side of the jnmh slightly. RaIsing this jamb leg a bit ensures that I'll get the r ight reveal

across the top of the door. Otherwise, if I set the door on the floor and this side is lower than the latch side, I have to cut the latch side once it's hung.

I tip the door into the opening and st<1r t by ",curing the hinge-side iamb leg to the (nill­mer stud. I often slip a wedge under the door

to hold it open and in place while I'm work­mg. r tack the top corner in place and replace

the middle screw on the top hinge wit h a 21/2_in._long

screw th a t fastens in to the

trimm er stud. Then J tack the bottom corner and moV('~

to the top of the latch-side jamb leg. I use one or two shims as needed III each loca­

tion of the latch side, making sure that the jamb remains ;jligned with the wall plane.

Once the Joor is hung, I douhl e-ch eck the reveal around t h e door. I f t he reveal is even and if the door is work ing properly, r make

sure it IS closing fully against the doorstop. If it doem't

meet the stop. T adjust the jamb legs as needed. Occa­sionally, the stop might have to he moved WIth a wood

block and a hammer. When the door is operating

to my liking, J fi111.~h hy add­ing one o r two more naih at

each ~him location along both jambs. Then I trim the latch-side ~him.~. Although this is the end of the hanging process, it's also my

least favorite thing to do. I' ve found that a sharp uti lity knife 15 ideal for the thin end of the shim and that a dovetail saw works best on the thick end. 0

Custom -home builder Gary Striegler lives in Fayetteville, Ark. Photos by Chris Ermides.

CENTERED THE EASY WAY

tf a doOf' is centered betwGeI\ two walts, ZlS at the end of a kallway, there Ihould be an .ven space betweel\ the casil\g and the drywall On both sides. It's pOl.libkt to hang the door as previously described by placing it in the opening and shimming it until it is perlecdy centerad, but that tak" a lot of time. To SlIve time and to ease installation, you c:.an hang the door with the casing attached. This approach makes centering a tall door, like the one shown here, more coOnvenlent as well.

Attach the casing '. gl. After removing any nails that were holding the door in place for shipping, nail the casing to both jamb legs using 18-ga. brads. Make sure the casing is perfectly straight, and create an eyen reveal along the jamb. Leave the head casing off; it will be cut to fit once the door is hung.

Center the top. first . Tip th" door in place; them center it by measuring the space betw ... en the drywall and the casing. Next, place one 15-9a. finish nail through the casing and in to the trimmer stud to the left of the top hinge.

\

Plumb the hinges. With oil

long level tight to the hinges. adjust the bottom of the jamb until it's plumb. Nail through the casing and into the trimmer stud. Adjust the latch side untPi the reveal is even, and nail it in place through the casing as wei/. Finally, install shims from the other side of the door, raplace the top hinge screw, and nail the jamb as you go. Once the installation is com· plete, add the he;,d c"sing.

A l'IUI./ :-'1AY 2IJ09 83

projectga Ilery HIGHLIGHTS FROM FINEHOMEBUILDING COM

An old idea is new again

hen "Finishing

Touches" made its

debut III 198'5 (FHB #25),

readers were encouraged to

"5(:nd color slides and a short

description of Mteworthy

projects" for puhlication In

the dtlXtr tment. Well, times

and tech nology have changed,

bill fhar goocl ide.1 we had

iTl 1985 rem:nos a g:ood idea

today. All the work shown

here wu posted online by

visimN lO OUT new "Proi~(

Gallery." After you 've enjoyed

looking at thc!'oC projeCU, v i ~it

FineHomebuilding.cOlo to Kt:

more examples of our readers'

work. Then post your own

projects. No slides or postage

is required. JU~ I fo llow the

simple insuuctions for

uplo.1dmg you r photos and

project descriptions. Who

knows? Your project might

find iL<; way onto the P.1ges of

ouroltl-fash ionoo m.1gazinc.

84 F1NF HOMF.RUIt.ntNG

Posted by Paul_Denys Thi$ small bathroom wa$ once

chopped in two disjointed pieces: a dosetlike room for the

toilet, and a dark t ub and sink room. The redesigned room

is now a peaceful space with an e nvironmentally friendly

core. The curved t ub is short, but e nough to prOVide the

same floating experience as a longer unit while u$ing less

water, as does the low-flow shower fixture. Looming over

the bamboo vanity and seashell limestone counter, the large

vanity mino r refl ects light throughout the room.

Design by Paul Denys, Denys Builds Designs,

Ottawa, Ont. Photos by Gordon King.

Posted by Tom4055 Most of my projects

are fine furniture, but when I get a commis­

sion to do a Greene & Greene interior, I find

it just as challenging. These cabinets are

African mahogany with individual panes of

German leaded glass patterned after details

found in Greene & Greene's Thorsen House.

The custom leaded-glass sconces were cre­

ated to complement the cabinetry.

Design, construction, and photographs

by Tom Gal/anberg, Gal/enberg Studio,

White Laka, Wis.

www.finl'hoffil'building.COffi

Ski-house renovation

Posted by skiproject This Vermont vacation

house was originally split into two dwellings, a three­

bedroom house and a basement apartment. After a

renovation, the two

units were connected,

and the awkward

layout was eliminated

to improve the flow.

New windows and a

porch demolition

allowed more sun­

light into the house,

while custom stonework and a bright coat of red

paint on t he tower added texture to the home's

exterior and contrast to the surrounding woods.

Design by Russ Crockford, Plymouth, Mass. Con­

struction: Jim Gipe, North C/ar.ndon, Vt. Photos

by Joe WOloik.

APR IL/MAY 200~ 85

Inground gutters keep basements dry

Shed water below grade

Q Last year, I removed the gutters on my nouse

after ice had pulled them away from the faKia. I haven't got­ten around to replacing them becaUH I need to repair the damaged faKia fim. But now my bCKement floods when it rains. I prefer not having gut­ters at all. 15 there an alterna­tive to gutters out there?

-CH RIS COME LL A

via ema~

A Manm Holladdy, a sm/Or t'dirur lit Gr«1JBuiiding

Adviwr.com, r"flit's: The soil around a home'.~ perimeter can be very damp becau~ most of the wind-driven rain that hits the siding ends up ther(:. In snowy climates, when=: roofs are often built without gutters, water drips Jown from the eaVes and saturates this area further. I f your house sits on a particularly wet lot or if your foundation dr:.ill isn't function­ing properly (or is nonexistent), this water eventually finds its way into the baS(:ment.

As a start, make sure that the grad(: pitches away from the home. This statement might seem basic, but you'd be sur­prised how often an improperly pitch~ grade is the root cause

" FINE HOMt-:BUILDING

Finish grade of wet basements. [f I.h~ soil i~ sandy, hOW(:V(:f, this step w()n't n(:(:(:ssarily solve your problem.

In climnes where roof gutters ~ 2 ft. to 4 ft. :::I Masonry

ar(: frequently damaged by ice, _/'~";·ll~ _____ -----''----1]V r fastener th(: most foolproof way to move

----~ -\ / --foundati()n IS to install under- '\." treated ground flashing, also known :.-., furring

as an und(:rgrollnd roof or an ~ inground gutto.':r.

To install the system, dig a 2-ft.- to4-ft.-wide trerxh about I ft. below grade around the foundation, and then install a sloped wat~r h.lrrier. Tht: bar-rier's depth em vary d~per1dillg on sit(: conditions and landscap­ing requirements. Thc least expensive water-barrier oplion is 6-mil plastic, but more durable materials, such as mbhcriud asphalt, pecl-and-stick flashinj::, or EPDM roofing, are good alternatives. especially in rocky soil. To make the water harrier more robust, add a layer of XPS foam beneath it.

Fasten the barrier to the foun­dation at or iu~t below grade with pressurc-treat~ furring and masonry fasteners, such as Tapcon screws. Allhough it's not nece~~ary, you can collt:Ct and further direct water hy adding a perforatcd pipe at the outer ~ge ofthe hurier.

r';"soil/backfill Water barrier pitched 2 in. per ft.

-

When to use black-iron pipe

Q I recently had a System 2000 boiler installed

arid noticed that all the threaded pipes coming off the unit are black iron. I was taught that black-iron pipe would rust if used for water tines. Does thi, mean I can run bl..cX-iron pipe anywhere In my house?

-CHR I S ERMIDES

Beacon, N.Y.

A Bob Romano, st'rtliu man­aga for Abbott & Mills Oil

Heat in Nt'wburgh, IV. Y., rl"plies: 1\.'0, you can't run black-iron pipe just anywhere in the h()u\e. Black-iron pipe is OK for gas lines and for closed­loop hydronic" and st(:am-heat systems because oxygen isn't regularly introduced into the loop. The oxygen in water is what actually fUsts thc pipe. Stick to copper pipe or PEX tubing for use in your home's potable-water lin(:s.

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AP RlI .!MAY 2009 87

..

BUILD EASIER, FASTER AND S M A RTER: ZIP SYSTEM' ROOF AND WALL SH EATHING

ZIP System roof and wall sheathing eliminates the hassles of using housewrap and felt because the structural panels

have built· in protective barriers that provide superior rnoisture protection for roofs and walls during and after construction,

Install the panels, tape the seams with the specially designed ZIP System'M tape. and your job is done. It's just that simple.

To learn how you can get ZIPPED-in :," caH 800.933.9220 or visit zipsystem.com/fhb.

fllOfl1 TMf CAEI>WRS OF fldvanTllc/f~

Cl2009 Huber (f'I9iMe'ed Wood. LLC. A<NMTecI1 Is a "'IIost .. ed lraddmar1<. I<'OtI ZIP System. ZIPPED-",.oo !ll~ accompar>yir\9 ZIP S~stem 100)0 Mel desi:.n .... e traoem""'. ~ H<.It>er Eng~ _. UC. Hl.t:>o>, .. a ' OQisle""; t,adema1<01 J.M. HUC>ef C<>rp<><..uo~. P"tMI! PendillQ

READER SERVICE NO. 85

HUS.10_01fW

CONTINUED

Cut in thfl oiling. Once the final cClat of dear finish is dry, sand the perim­eter of the ceiling with 220-grit sand­paper. Then, u~ing a 2-in. tapered sash brush, cut the ceiling paint into the crown. Thin the first coat of paint with about 10% water, then apply a second coat at full strength.

www.fin .. huInebuilding.com

Cut in stain at the ceiling

Q Try as I might, I can't get it nice, crisp tine where stain-grade crown

meets the ceiling. Is there .iI special order of work or technique for this?

ED BRYA NT

via email

A Tim Leahy, authorof"Fimshmf(&aCf>' /01" Furniture-Grade Trim" (FHB #201,

and onlin~ at FmeHomehuifdmg.com), replies:

Cutting in trim to the ceiling is ch<ll1eng­ing, whether it's st<lin grade or paint grade. The easiest approach I've found is to lap the stain and clear-coat fin i~hes omo the ceiling, then to cut the ceitmg pamt into the trim.

First, I prime the ceiling, then stain and fin ish the trim. After I'm fin ished with all the clear Co.l t S, I sand the perimeter of the ceiling with 220-grit )o;mdpapcr. Then 1 paint the ceili ng with two coats of ceiling pamt. I like to thin the fir~t coat with water (by about 10%) to make i( easier to comrol near the crown. Once the first coat i, cut in and rolled, I allow it to dry; then 1 apply a second. undiluted coat of paint.

In thc end, it's better to leave the stain and clear coats long than to have the ceiling's white p<lint touch the (ilce ufthe crown. People r:lfd y look straight up at the crown! ceili ng intersection. T hey usually look at the crown!ceiling intersection from across the room, where the face of the crown is more noticeable.

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READER S~RVIC~ NO. 85

Introducing

~ Building Advisor.com From BUlldingGrcen and the publishers of Fine Homcbwldmg

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difference? • MOISTURE PROTECTION

Vapor barrier or vapor retarder?

ou don 't have to be a buildin,lt-scicncc expert to know chllt trappt:d

moiSTUre is \),1<1 for h()u~~. To help slow moi$ture diffUSIon through roof. wall, and floor 3sS('mblics, many cxpcrt~ and in some part) uf the country. building cOtles--lem .. nd the use of vapm retarders. Acr~ the Iwildln}lllnduslf)'.

howe"'::f, the term wpor ba".,~ IS commonly I.Lwod In place of vapor rntlllkl", TIlis misuse raises the quc.nlon of whether the two te rm:. categori7.c the: ~me prndut't:; and whether thosl! producl~ h:\\,(' the same performance HailS.

UNDERSTANDING PERM

RATINGS

Ptrmc:lbility, which i\ the amount of moi~ture that can paM throogh a m:ttc rl:ll, 15 mea

surcd in perms. The lower the number, the lc~s permeahle the materi31,md the' more moisture it will block. Contact the manu­facturer [0 gel the perm-rating infvnni\'ion for the product you are thmk 109 :Ihnut using.

VAPOR RETARDERS ARE

All· ENCOMPASS ING

Tile illlcrlMl lon;11 Residenl.lal ('.ode (I RC) defines a v,lp" r retarder as a vJpor-re~ i$t.'nl

materi"l, me:mbran<::.or (o"e:r­ing with a perm rat ing of I or

92 FI N ~, HOMF.AUILOINC;

less. However, the 20071RC supplement recognizes ~ome mate:riah that have: rulings of 1 perm and higher a~ vapor retarders. Ra~ em th6r perm rating, building products fall into one of three c1assc~ of v .. por retan.ler.

The IRe docs not mention v;!pur barriers, hut some manu­facturers amJ :.orne pt:op!c) n

the building-5CIcncc induSU)' usc wpor born« to distingUish a class-I vapor retarder, or an impcrmc:lble materia l.

WHY TERMINOLOGY IS

IMPORTANT

As building science progresses and mfluc::nces the way houses arc built, attention to detail and accuracy are critical. An assem· bly that (<lib fur .. vlIpur barrier IS designed to Stop moisture;: on one surface---under a cnncreTe slab, for example-while more I~rmcablc vapor retarders allow some move:me:nl of mois­ture. If walls, roofs, or floors are configmed with the wrong va por-reta rd ing prooucb. a stfucmre can Ir;!p moisture:. MISUSing mese terms leads to cnnfuslon in product choice. which ulumatdycan lead to fa ilure where: it mailers mOST­

III your h Om<:.

Rob Yagld is an associate fJditor at Fine Homebuilding .

CLASSES CLARIFIED

Class I

At times referr&d to liS

a vapor barrier; II class·' vapor retarder h", " per",.ance level of 0.1 perm or less and is consid.red impermelfble.

Sh •• , -I polyethylene

Class II

A class·1I vapo' retardrff has a permeanee level belween 0.1 perm and

Nonperiorated aluminum foil

Extruded polystyrene grllllr Ihan 'I in. tnick

--l--1 perm and is considered semi.impermo~ble. --

Kraft facing on "berg Ins batt,

Class III

A class-'" vapor ret"rder has" permeDnce leve' betwee" 1 perm a"d 10 perm, a"d is considered semi.perm.abl •.

Most I~tex paints

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ReADER SEJIVlCE NO. 116

APRIL/MAY 2009 93

what's the

difference? CON,,"UOO

• JOINT SEALANT

Teflon tape vs. pipe dope

The success of any plumbing proj­

ect hinges la rgely on the quality

of its joints_ Threaded connec­

tions between metal or plOllstlc

parts can be particularty problem­

atic if not sealed properly. Teflon

tilpe and pipe dopt! ar. used to

fill \/Oids between male and female

threads 10 make joints leakproof

and to prevent metal parts from

rusting together. People often

use pipe dope on top of Teflon

tape, but some milnufactunt~

say th.,. il flO benefit to that

usage and that Teflon tape and

pipe dopff perform the ume

whether they're uwd indl·

vidually or together.

R.Y.

Pipe dope is easier to apply Pipe dopo, techniCilly known as pipe·Joint compound, is available in contlliners as Imall as 1 fl. oz. and as Jarge as 32 fl. oz. To apply pipe dope to the m.le end of a threaded pipe or fitting, swab the threads with the supplied brush full of compound. Although us ing pipe dope can be a bit messier than sealing with Teflon tape, it's fllster. Similar to Taflon tape. pipe dope comes in versions designed for watGr lines and for gas lines. Read packaga. Clfafully bec.use all dOPQ cannot be used on plastics.

Approximate cost : $3 per 8-oz. can

Dopa stays gooey. Pipe dope never hardens, 50 it wiIJ neva, become brittle and flake out of a joint.

That's what your attic needs. Building professionalS know trapped heat and humidity can cause big problems, from Increased heating and cooli ng bills to premature shingle failure and even mold growth. COR-A·VENP soffit vents are the pros' first choice lor superior intake ventilation. They're easy to conceal. can be screwed or power-nailed , resist Clogging with airborne dirt and debris, and most importantly, will allow your anic to breathe. COR-A·VENT soHit vents are also available with a NEW Slalnlsss Steel staple option for use in salt-water or other corrosive environments. Ask us about Stainless Steel today!

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Teflon tape is less messy Teflon tape. which is ilvailable it] 'It-in. to '·In. widths, comes in high- and low-density v€lr5ions. Whil& TQflon tapQ is Isss messy than pipe dope, it can be more difficult to apply properly. If wrapped wrong (in II counterclockwise direction), tm. taps can ball up 15 components are tightened, ruining the seal. Many pros compillin aboU"! the quality of low-density tllpe, which Is Isn expensive. More low-density tape is required to seal a joint properly because it comprenes more than high-density tape. Low·density tape also tends to shred easily. A strand of tape that finds its way into a plumbing line can cause problems.

Approximate cost: 51 pa r roll

ColoM:oded, Teflon tape for residential plumbing comes in three colors. High­density pink tape is used on w"te, lines; yellow tape is designed for gas-line use. White tape (ohen low den­sity) ;s used on wat", lines.

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REAO ER SEIMCE NO. 41

J\l'RH./MAY 2009 "

what'sthe

difference? CONTONU,D

• COLLATED NAILS

Paper, plastic, or welded wire?

When It comes to buying

nails for framing guns, you

can choose among three main

types of collated nails. Manu­

facturers use either paper,

plastic, or wire to hold strips

of nails together at the ap­

propriate angle and spacing.

While coile d nails are available

in welded-wire and plastic col­

lations, stick nails are avaifable

in all three versions.

R.Y.

Why use them?

96 FrNE HOMECUILDI N G

$95/box of 2000

Paper-collated nails arl! the mo~t expensivG option and have ona major performance benefit. When the gun is fired, bits of paper are pushad into tha wood instead of flying around the job site or into the nail·gun user. Also, paper·collated nails won't "flag." or leave collation matarial stuck under a nail head; ;,; can create an uneven surface and prevent nails from seating fully.

Prol: Less flying debris; safer; cleaner; holds more nails per strip than plastic collations; consistent nail penetration.

Cons: Moisture can ruin collation if watllr-rllsis t ant paper isn't used; more susceptib le to damage t han welded·wire nails; typically the most e><pensive type of collat ion.

They're safer than other naill, re quire less cleanup, and lilt nails penetrate properly.

Manufacturers often U$e the least exponsivo typo of plastic possible to collate nails, which creates a nail that performs poorly compared with other types. Whan fire d, bits of plastic ricochet oller the job site or into the nail-gun user. Strips of plartic-collated nails lire also mora susceptible to breaking apart from abuse on the job site. They will salle you some money, but at a cost.

PrOI : Least e><pensille type 01 co llated na il.

Cons: Brittle and the most susceptible to damage; more pronll to jamming nail 9un$; becomes brittle or gummy in cold or hot temperatures; tendency to flag; holds fewer na il s than other co ll ations.

They're cheap.

To keep each nail in proper alignment. somll manufacturers tack-weld strips of thin wire to the side of each nail. Welded-wire na ils are highly resistant t o the eHects of weather and job-site abuse. They aren't indestructible, though. Coiled nails in particular can bend easily. If a co il becomes misshapen, it co~ld be diHicl,llt to feed into a gun properly.

Pro5: RE-s istant to moisture; unaHected by hot or cold envi ronments; lI& ry durabl& in stick form ilnd somewhilt durable in coil form.

Cons; Prone to flagg ing ; ricocheting bib of met.al .are dangerous; more e)(pcn~ivc t han plastic; can become misshapen.

They're extremely durable in any weather and are typi­(;lilly available with high nail

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Windy Ridge Corporati on. Tamworth. NH 03886 READER SERVICE NO. 20

AP RI L/MAY 2C1C19 97

buildingskills LEARN THE BASICS BY BRUCE NORMAN

Making basic PEX connections

EX has made plumbing easier. The cOOlponent.~ are uS(: r~friendly for plumbcn

"­w f-­Vl

A FITTING FOR EVERY SITUATION

and leave water systems immedi~

atcly ready for inspection. The material doesn't require glue joims to sct up, and there is no flux to flush out of the system.

Because PEX's flexibility means fewer joints to connect, jobs are completed faster and with less chance of leaky joint.~. PEX re.~ist.~ the heat loss and scale buildup COOl­man to metal pipe.

PEX also has an ad\'amage over alternative rnateriah in cold weather because of its ahility to expand rather than (rack and break in freezing conditions. This flcx~ ibility also greatly reduces water hammer. the sound of metal pipe hangmg against a house's framing. New adaptive fittings and brachts make PF,X even easier to install.

There are two methods [(j connect PEX that don't require a plumber'S license. (Expansion fittings require a plumber's license in many parts of the country.) The push-fit method (right) is great for quick rep'lirs and requires no special t(')()/sother than a pipe cutter. For damp-ring connections (p. I (0), I I1SC a generic crimper, available at most plumbing-supply stores. and stain l ess~steel band damps. When planning a PEX plumbing project, rcmember that only brass fittings (as opjX>scd to plastic fittings, which are sometimes sold in home centers) are apprO\'ed for underground or underslab use.

Bruce Norman is a licensed plumber in Portland, Ore. Photos by John

Ross, except where noted.

" FINE HOMEBUILDING

>­(l)

"­w f-­Vl

A push-fit A clamp-ring fitting uses connection metal tines connects PEX to hold the to existing tubing, in this metal pipe. case PEX and PEX tubing is copper, crimped onto an O-ring seal. the male end, The fittings and the female are sized by end is either the tubing's soldered or outside threaded onto diameter. eJlist ing pipe.

A push-fit connection

1 Insert the support s l •• v •. This piece prevents the PEX tubing (rom collapsing and breaking the seal.

Some manufacturers integrate the support sleeve into the fitting.

In· line fittings are used to connect separate lengths of PEX tubing, to create a branch line, or to add a valve. -IJ)

Q

\l uJ -.

2 Insert PEX tubing. For a watertight s&l)/, &O$ur& that

the PEX end you want to connect has a straight cut, that the tub­ing is dean, and that there are no scratches on the outside of the IObing.

3 Insert the copper pipe. The copper-pipe end does not

require a support sleeve, but like the PEX, the exterior must be clesn and smooth. Finally, to en!ure a tight seal, give a final push to both pieces entering the connection. This type of fitting can also connect PEX to pE)(.

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buildingski 115 _______ .:;.. _____ CON T r N U E D

Cost cutter If you're plumbing with PEX. you'll want to spring for a tubing cutter rather than rely on a utility knife. However, when it tomes to cutting PEX, almost any PVC cutter will do the job. The BrauCraft PVC cuttar (photo abovo; WoNW.brasscraft .com) hu a ratcheting cutter a~ion that can cut plastic. vinyl. or rubber tubing up to ,,,,. in. In di,.. I thought it was a littl. clumsy to us. but still teft a reasonably dean cut. If )/OU look hard, )/OU

might be able to find a cutter for less onlina; you'll definitely flnd some that cost mar., For $12.95 at local home canters, though, the BrassCraft Is worth the price and convenience.

- John Ross is an associate Web editor.

FineHomebuilding.com Go t o the M agazine Extras section of our home page to .!.ee a video of Bruto Norman damontt rating how 10 maka PEX (om'lections.

100 Fl!\"F. H O M E HO l l.[)!Nr.

0-W

tIi >­en 0-W

tIi

A clamp-ring connection

1 Fit the adapter to the ex.isting pip. first , Whether the adapter

fitting is threaded on galvanized pipe or soldered to c;opper, make the connection to the existing pipe first. Then slip the ring on the PEX tubing, and fit the PEX over the male end of the adapter. 2 Clamp the ring with a crimper. Position the ring

over the middle of the adapter's male end and tighten with a stainless-steel clamp.ring crimping tool. Propcr placement ensures that the ring compresses the PEX tubing over the ribs for a watertight connection.

In-line support Runs of PEX tubing with typical in-line PEX-to-PEX connections should be supported every 3 ft. How­ever, at valve or branch joints, where e.lttra weight could put stress on the line, it is a good idea to add a support dip next to the connection.

Photo< .. ft. bottom: Rod"", Diu

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drawingboard LESSONS IN RESIDENTIAL DESIGN

W;uhor

Making the most of basement rooms

dryQr

Mechanical

BY KURT LAVENSON

Every time I design a haS('ment room, I think of my cousins' Tee room, where as a kid I spent

many of my holidays. This subterranean WOfl~ dal:md was a place of {re('clom.

Now r design basements for a variety of U~~, ranging

from playful recreation rooms to hardworking horne offices [0 serene in-law suites. Although finishing a basement doesn't usually affect a home's extcrior, th~ stealth additions do transform the lives that exist inside a home.

In some ways, a basement can be treated differently from the rest of the house. A traditional house am have a modern ba~mcnt, or a quiet household can have a basement music studio.

In other ways, the basement should be treated the same way as the rest of the house. When a basemr;:nt is finished ""ich as much car~ and detail as the house above, the message is that the space is an e'qual part of the home', not subordinate to it.

Basement stairs should be inviting The stairway lO a rinishcd basement should create a comfortable transition ro the new room. To me, invit­ing means stairs that are open to the main hou:iC, JUSt as

stairs to a second floor would be'. Forgoing doors at the top and bottom of the stairwell connects the basement natura!ly to the main living space.

If you need to separate the basement from the main le\'c:1 with a door {to help contain noise, for instance), don't default to a plain door. I prdcr to use a door that has some glass because it improves the sense of space by giving a hint of what's beyond. Whatever style that you decide to usc, the door should be' high­quality and interesting.

To ensure a welcoming descent, St.1rt with generous dimemions. It's worth stealing a little space from the floor plan to give the stain a minimum width of.~ ft. f) in. ann a minimum headroom of7 ft. Except for rare occasions, such as a wine cc:l13r, when the ~ign delib­eratdy resembles.a dcsccm into a cave, the stairs should

not wind and twist awkwardly. Usc a high.-quality rail-

102 PINE HOMEBUILDING

Utility stairs to grade with bulkhead

HEADROOM IS A PROBLEM IN UNFINISHED BASEMENTS

This unfinished bas&ment has e .... posed ducb, litr\lctural supports, mechanicals, and limited light. Creating a finished room requires hiding or improving each of these elemenu. The following examples show how I \l5ed the space differently for a guest room and a game room.

Open sidewall 01 ltair

Cabinl'lts wrap around ca/umn5 and " roo.;;:; ....

Ducts arfl Ofganizfld into perimeter soffits.

Gradfl is excayatfld for wltlkout doors and larger windows.

TURN OBSTACLES INTO DESIGN FEATURES

In this guest room, the plumbing and ductwork egress. were gathered around the perimeter of the basement and boxed into a soffit, where recessed fixtures cast I curtain of light around the edge of the space. A.nother great alternative Is to relocate them to a conditioned crawlspace. Integrate box beams <lind wrap Lally columns to turn them into de~gn features, Here, a built·in entertainment center directs foot t~ffr(: away from the columns and distracts from their structural role. A TV <:an also hide a low.hanging beam above It by drawing the eye back down.

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APRIL / MAY 2009 103

drawingboard CONTINUI!!D

Uodercounter laundry and refrigerator

Landing changes direction of

Soffit and lighting run aboye entry

FRAME INTERIOR VIEWS FOR A SENSE OF SPACE

entating long8r views in the bS'Iflment adds the perception of space. For this game room, , ..... used tntH strategies to make the space feel larger. Borrowing a little area from an adjacent crawlspa<:e at the bottom of the stain creates room for a display niche that not only makes the landing feel a bit larger but also enhances the trilnsition between the main floor and the basement. The soffit at the bottom of the stain also compf"fises tnll entry. creating a .enu of release when entering the other parts of the room.

Bec,,"use <II game room doesn't require the privilCY of a gUIIst room, the laundry area is screened with a half-wall. The longer view and lighting behind the TV lend depth to the rest of the room.

Finally. adding extltrior windows and dOON is comforting both for views and for natural light. Even without a view, the window well not only leu in more light, but by bringing the sill d051/1r to the floor, it also mitigates the 5en5e of being underground that high windows tend to reinforce.

The bathroom makes the basement an indepen­dent level in the home. It also opens up other possibilities, $uch as a dog-washing area or a changing room for a nearby pool.

center screer'lS laundry area.

ing to indicate that the ba5Cmellt room is part of the living area, not a utility space.

At the bottom, you don't want the stairs to end 3 ft. from a bbnk wall or door as many basement stairs do. Rather, plan a graceful transition into a room or hall. If you have a "dead-end" stair, adding a landing that redirects the last few steps into the room takes the focus otIThe wall at the bottom (drawing above). You also can provide ~patial relief by opening a sidewall along the stairs. Whcn the stairs must take you through tight or awkward spaces, exploit a feeling of compression and release with a bright, open space below.

Add plenty of light The prevalence of natural and artificial light determines how we experience a room. Light plays an amplified role in the ooscment heotusc we are already, if subconsciously, battling claustrophobia.

For anificiallight, recessed cans work well ~cause they do not intrude on headroom, and LED lights can be snaked into locations with limited clearance. I u~ Jimmable halogen lighting l() create a warm glow and often put the~ fixtures in wall niches or above doorways to intf(xiuce a sense of drama and to create a focal point.

High windows above the exterior grade offer natural light and, occasionally, a view toward the sky. Excavating a lightwc11 provides room for larger basement windows and brings the sills down to a comfonable, human scale. (It also can satisfy the egress requircmem

101 FINE HOMEBUILDING

Retaining walls create a beJow·grade patio.

for bedrooms.) On rare occasions, natural light can enter via a sky~ light made of thick safety glass in the floor of the living space above. In the be,t of circumstances, excavate the grade for walkout glass doors to the yard, changing the basement from an inside destination toa circulation route.

Create views for an open f •• ling Outward views clepe nd on the grade around the house, but creat~ iog interior VIstas by removing walls or punching openings through them increase:; the sense of openness and space. Usc partial walls and half-walls to conceal utilities and C'sscmial structural e1emenu while merging spaces into a larger ruom.

Even something as simple as hoxingout the foundation with a nice display ledge can make a room feel bigger and more interest~ ing because there are more surfacCl to engage the eye and the brain. When there '$ an adjacent crawlspace, one of my favorite tricks is to recess a wall niche into the crawlspace. This design is easy and inex­pensive, and it enlarges the room without increasing the footprint.

Varying headroom is also effective. \Vhcn mechaoicals dictate til.'1t one area of the b..uemem have a low ceiling, opening a ~ightline to

an area with a higher ceiling lend.~ a sense ofheight to the lower area.

Kurt Lavenson (www.lavensondesign.com) is an architect in Oak­land, Calif. Drawings by the aUfhor.

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rnastercarpenter ,ID.i~I··i:l·liiI4 BY MIKE GUERTIN

Flashing troublesome eave-to-wall intersections

The exteriur of a hou5C

presents plenry of opportunity for leaks.

A common problem area is the point where the gutter

on a singk-srory roof eave dies into a two-story wall.

Roofers or siding contractors often install ~tep t1a~hing that allo~ys roof water [0 slip behind the gutter and get behind the siding and even the hous.cwrap.

I usc redundant layers of flashing integrated into the housewrap to keep water from getting behind exterior cladding; a kickout flashing directs water into the gut­te r. The process might seem

overcomplicated at first, but the minor expense in time is much Ixtter than having to [ackle rot repairs down the road.

Contributing editor Mike Guertin is a remodeling contractor and consultant in East Greenwich, R.T. His Web site is IVWw,mike

guertin.com. Photos by

Charles Bickford, except where noted.

106 FINE HOMEBUILDING

Houuwrap creates the foundation. Ideally, I like to start by installing a 3·ft. by 3-ft. sheet of hous6wrap (or eyen better, a piece of self­adhesive roof underlayment) to thQ wall befofQ the first truss or roof rafter is placed against it. The sheet acts as a backup at a vulnerable junc­tion. When I can't place the sheet ahead of time. I sometimes can sneak a piece of housewrap back there after prying tha truss or rahar back just 'Ii. in. and pulling any nails in the way.

Flex/ble flashing tape seal' the flave /lind to the wall. I use a wide piece of flexible flashing tape to bridge between the subfascia and the wall. I cut the tape so that it laps onto the hous6wrap above and 3 in. above the roof sheathing.

Th. next-bilst st.artlng point. If / can't get some sort of weather barrier against the wall at tha end of th,;, ,;,ay,;" I apply a piece of housewrap that runs vertically from just below the soffit to at least 3 ft . down the wall, 6 in. horizontally through the inside COfnl;lr, and at least a foClt beyond the end of the eave.

Thinking ahead. Once the flexible flashing is 5et, I apply a pi6ce of housewrap along the wall where the fascia hits. This piece isn't absolutely necessary, but later, it becomes easier to cover the wall comple16ly with a final sheer of house wrap.

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Built 10 Perform

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masterca rpenter ____________ 10. ______ CON TIN U E D

Protect the flashing tape. Although flexible flashing tape is pretty durable, it 's best to protect it with metal flashing and to tra<lt it as il bilCkup for water leaks. I fold a piece of metal flashing for the inside corner between the subfascia and the WillI. A vertical Cl,lt about 2 in. to 3 in. long helps it to fold onto the roof sheathing. I then add a second piece of flexible flashing tape to cover the open corner of the metal f lashing, and I fold it down onto the subfascia.

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The first piece of step flashing should be a kickout diverter After lapping the first piece of roof underlayment up onto the wall by about;ll foot, I install a kickout diverter flashing that redirects water into th'" gutter $0 that it won't channel behind the siding. The model I'm using is made by DryFlekt (www.dryflekt.com); it cost! about $11

and is available in right. or left·hand models in white, ivory, or brown plastic. (Prefabricated copper versions are on the market, too, and cost about three times as much.) I line up the inside cornltr of the di ... erter

'11 in. to lj~ in. lower than the edge of the drip &dg"-Qssentially equal

to the distance you overhang the first course of shingles.

110 FTNF. HOMF.RL'JI.IJII';C;

Bi99 1i1r step flas hing is be tte r; I recommend 12-/n.-wide step flilshings bent fer a 5-in. roof leg ilnd a loin. walllC9. The narrower step flashing just isn't wide enough to pro­tect tne intersection fully.

Finish with tap •. Finally. the hOl.Jse­wrap can be laid up on the wa/J to COVGr the top of the kickovt divener and step flashings. I cvt the wrap itt the turnout in the diverter and seal the top ofthe cut with housewrap tape. The tape adhesive might not last the life of the cladding, but it's a good precaution. RcmGmber thilt there's a layer of housewrap underneath that will keep the water from getting to the sheathing.

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n May", Wunlw'>r k in~ p. 112

86 McCk. Lumber, p.ll1

39 M,~l ulinc C~blO'''. p. 21

114 .\fuwl\"ortl, Anlerica.

Inc., p.1I

U 'A,kn Slonn.. p.19

5 NeLM,-\, P. 21

120 Ne", Con.ctpl Louver.. p.19

117 Now Enll!""'! H ""T, h

I< SoapstQfIC. p_ JJ

17 Ne .... W."ld Teak. p.l12

11 O'M.u~ Sprung 1'l00rs, p. f I

9 O(cidtnt.ll k~lh." p. JJ

10 Occidcnt.ll Lnll,,,,. f. Jf)S

OWJHk 1M NOI So Big HOftu. f. 97

117 I'~~ Supply, p_"

52 Pbnkm.ker. p. 1/2

31 ]'10ClJJC Prodo.rcn. p . .fO

l'I"OKn .... , 1'_ 19

4l PrOttclivc Prod"""" p. 1Ij

Rad,""t<:C. p_ 87

80 Rainf»;",H.r, 1'_ 29

16 Illpid Rule, 1'_1 11

n RtgsiQ 1I.0g'*"'. I' 14

R~i'&~ltonDVD. p.97

Reso:.urct Coo....-vanon

T.mnology.. p 1'f

T",hn"kog,-, p.37

T~clt...,rogy, p. !OJ

23 Rot"n."" Rcoid.c"ti~1

0....11", P II/

-ro ~ller Splfal SuiT, p 41

37 So.Joc .. Scabn .... f. \16

, ~hcn·. Cabin'" and Doo ... r.4J

13 Sch.onJ.r Log H,.nc !>uppl),

Inc_. p. 112

'4 Yraonnc, p. 17

3S ~f<:W Pf<.lucu, 1M., p. 99

36 Scab.n .. D"""I. p. /11

24 ~Id .. n n.:.igru, In<, p.112

95 Shc"~r In>fl<Uk, p 99

21 Shuner Ikpot, p. II J

4' Suflplall S1Stcm .. p, JOJ

42 Sprn Scrttd, I ..... , p. JJ

96 Slanl..,._Bost;tch. p. 1

31 SUl"'ricr Clay

Corpouion, p_ U

" T ,ullIYII, p. /J

T.rmtolI Books. , /IIJ

1 S Tigcrfoom". J4

76 TimbCTw"lfT •• ,I., f. I J2

105 T.c~, p. H·Jj

" Trim·Tn Drr",~11

P,,~lucL" p. Jf

46 Trol~n M.nufO<1"rtlljt. p. 19

64 T .. Jtk Cfttk

~lWarc. p. 1l/

116 Warmb<>ud Rodi.nt

Subit"'>f. p. 93

111 Whitcdl~f><! Bra...,..

Ltd., p. II

~O W'nd, RiJgto

("~"pon.nun. p. 97

14 W<:<>d Idea. f III

2 Wood. St~cI.;\o Gla. J"" .• r 111

:1.5 Wood.rock So.p.ronc

Co., [M., p_ 29

~6 Woodworker'.

Supply, p. JJ

66 Y",k Splral St.rir. p. 95

51 Zipw.l1, In<, p_ 97

;\P RI L/MAY 2009

reatmoments

Caught in the Crosshairs

I thought only one word could incite fear and loathing in my neighbors. That word is/roer, csr~::cial1y when used in

the same sentence with;harr fM (WI. Flut r was wrong. I've found another, even more insidious word: rhrodolit~.

1bett-oh-dough-Iite. II rolls off the tongue so pleasantly, ~oundjng like either an Alpine yood, a small, fossilized sea creature, or a lost tribr: of ancient peopk, the Theodolites. Allcl though it's nonc of those things, thi~ deceptive word docs have two meaning5:

L Survcymg t()()\ for mea5uring horizontal and vertical angles by means of a rotating tclescoJX". 2. Instrument ofth.:: devil.

But I jump ahead of myself. Let me backtrack. My husband and I planned to remodd Ollr hou~, 00 we hired a surveyor to verify OUf property line~. That was the logical first stl!p, right? But [hI! moml!nt the surveyor arrived \vith his theodolite, it became a SCene out of an old western movie. The stranger comes into town carrying an ocId contraption. Suspicioos townsfolk line the street and stare at him. A woman grabs her small child and hides him behind her skirt: "Billy, don't look at that thing. It's the instrumc::nt of the devil!"

Minutes after our surveyor set up his the­odolite, grumbling neighbors surroundl!d him, pelting the poor man with questions. The last time I'd Seen a crowd this largl! on my street, the house on the cornl!r had 20-ft. flames shooting from its roof. Therl!'s noth­ing like a good inferno to brin~ thc neigh­bors together.

,

I j

I

As the surveyor focused his crosshairs on our property lines, the neighbors turned and focused their crosshairs on me. This ~ituation was not good. 1'd already endeared m)'sclf to my immediate neighbor whl!n I asked him to split the cost of a new fencl!. I ~Till remember the look on his face. You'd think I'd ~1id, "Your bab), is ugly and your dog has worms." After that, I was disinvited from all neighhorhood functions and was :llw ~stowed with the coveted title of Block Ogre.

It wa~ ye:m before the neighbors spoke to

me again, but it could have bun worsc. A friend of mine [Old me her own fl!nce hor­ror ~tory. It seems termites were feasting on the fence I~lwttn her property and that of her neighbor, an aging Mother Earth, free­range hippie. The woman would not hear of rl!placing or even fumigating the:: wood. "Termites have a right to live a full life," Ms. F~1fth said, adding, "Even terrnites dl!scrvl! theiT place in the sun."

Although my friend is a lawyer, she felt unable to argue this point and ended up sneaking out armed with a can of Raid aoci spraying the fi::nce under cloak of darkneM. I wished I could follow her lead, but an old­fashioned theodolite must be used in the light of day.

"What are)'ou doing?" my neighbor asked me. His question didn't sound curi­ous, but aecu.~tory. Uh-Qh. It's the fencc fiasco a!l OYer again.

I smiled nervously. "Umm ... just having a little work done."

~-- --.

! I

J j

He e)'cd the surveyor as if the man was an urhan cattle rustler. "What kind of work?"

"Oh, you know," I said. "After a house turns 50, it's Just patch, patch, patch." I checked my watch. "My! Would you excuse lilt:? My cookies must be burning." My e..1fS certainly were. Back in my kitchen, I wondered why sun'eying m)' property lines stirred such animosity. Then I realized that whether it's a fence or a theodolite, it all comes down to one thing: holding on to what's yours.

When a theodolite appears, people believe that they're going to lose ~ething. Would the surveyor discover that my nl!ighbor's driveway was I!ncroaching onto my property and that I actually owned his flower bed? Would we find that the shared fence was plllCCd a foot onto my lot, requiring it to be rom down and moved?

Later, when I rece1\·ed the sun·cyor's report, I learned that my property line did indeed I!xrend into my nl!ighbor's yard. Hut I also learned that, once established---l!\'cn ifthey'rc wrong~propcrty lines arc best left untouched. For the ~ke of neighbor­hCKXI harrnoIl)" r took the report, put it in a folder, and filed it under r: not for Fmu, but for Forg~J About It.

M:lybe now my nl!ighbors will forget that I'm the Block Ogre.

- PI Talinmn 'i~s in .routh~n California.

-

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