August 23, 2016 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Months ago, I decided that this was going to be the Summer of Fun. I had grandiose plans about working less, spending more time kayaking, doing outdoor amateur radio, etc.

Instead, it's become the Summer of Deck.

I've been working on rebuilding two huge decks at my house as well as completing a new deck that extends out from both of the existing decks.

I did NOT build the house I'm in and the existing decks needed lots of help.

The good news is I'm about three weeks away from finishing the project. You just can't believe how many hundreds of hours have been involved in this job.

Fortunately, I've received some help from a young man named James Nigzus. I met James two years ago working on the scenic train.

He's helped carry the old decking up from the lower yard and carry the new decking down. Last night, I had him helping me install the decorative opens in a new windowTrex Transcend facia boards.

I have had great luck selling all my old deck material, plus the old railing, on Craigslist. Before you throw anything away, try to sell it on Craigslist or to a local building materials resale / recycle center.

You can just barely see the gorgeous fascia board covering the 2x10 joists on the lower deck in this photo I took moments ago.

Yes, we put the new furniture out on the upper deck before it's finished because we just couldn't wait.

Today I'll be finishing all the railing except for the few sections next to the staircases.

opens in a new windowCLICK HERE if you want to see WHY I chose to use Trex Transcend - as if the photo above doesn't tell you!!!

Prepare for the STORM Survey

In the last issue of the newsletter, I asked you to take a simple survey about Storm Preparedness.

I GOOFED up and made the second question required when it should not have been. Oh well, no one was injured as a result so I dodged the bullet.

The results of the survey were pretty telling. Here they are. So far 1,251 responses have been logged.

Fifty-one percent are NOT ready.

The biggest reason is because you don't know how to get ready.

Why is this important? Here's a recent example.

Last week, my good friend Veronica Hill was working in Riverside, CA. Mid morning a forest fire started up near the Cajon Pass on I-15. Within hours her home in Wrightwood, CA was under the gun. It was named the Blue Cut fire.

I don't know if she ever was able to get back home BEFORE the authorities did a mandatory evacuation. She and her family were some of the 82,000 people displaced by the natural disaster.

Fortunately, the brave and diligent firefighters saved the town of Wrightwood. Veronica and her family dodged the bullet.

But she could have lost EVERYTHING.

Are you going to be a statistic or are you going to be one who had the foresight and gumption to Be Prepared?

My Roofing Book Status

Six months ago, I was deep into writing an expose' book about how asphalt shingles are failing much earlier than they should.

The book is finished, but NOT PUBLISHED.

The reason is simple. I have to have a company in place to sell and ship an invention I discovered while writing the book.

This SIMPLE invention will allow you to SLOW the damage happening on an asphalt shingle roof that's five or less years old.

The invention will allow you to arrest the deterioration of a NEW asphalt shingle roof.

In my book, I also tell you the asphalt shingles I'd buy if they were my only choice.

I'm HOPING to have the book ready for you to purchase by the end of October.

If you just need the NAMES of the shingles in case you can't wait until then, then opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to get that information. If you buy this, be sure to IMMEDIATELY EMAIL me that you placed your order.

If you buy the information, I'll send you a .pdf version of the book once it's done. You'll just have to remind me of your purchase of the Best Shingle Advice.

DIY Termite and Wood ROT Protection

Yesterday, just as I was finishing lunch sitting on the edge of the deck, I got an email from Larry in Iowa. He had just purchased one of my affordable opens in a new window15-Minute Phone Consults.

He was in a bind and needed an answer FAST.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called him. His issue was about how to protect new vertical-grained Douglas Fir tongue and groove porch decking.

He found a column on my website I had written years ago that contained secret information about a long-lost method used to treat wood to prevent wood ROT and termite infestation.

The bottom line, along with all the other advice I gave him about the BEST PAINT to use and how to apply it, is that he should soak all the lumber in a borate solution BEFORE he installs it.

The borate chemicals are SAFE for humans but wood rot fungi, termites, carpenter ants and other bad things that eat wood HATE them.

opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to buy some of the best borate powder I know of. It's EASY to use.

That's enough for today.

I'm going out now to finish all of the railings for the deck. I'll tape a video today showing how simple it is to install the TREX Transcend Railing system. opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to get more information about it.

Tim Carter
Founder - AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!