DEAR TIM: I recently moved into a neglected house. While working on the landscaping in the front yard, I discovered that the top of the foundation was below grade. Two courses of brick on top of the foundation were covered by a mixture of dirt and mulch. What’s your opinion about how much mulch one […]
Yes, I'm alive! You may have been one who recently emailed me wondering why I've gone dark. It's been at least a month since I've sent out a newsletter. If you're a new subscriber, this is not a typical newsletter. So hang in there. A week ago, I got back from a ten-day trip to […]
"Years ago, I fell under the spell of what many blacktop sealer manufacturers said about the necessity of sealing blacktop driveways. Much of what they said made some sense, but there was always a nagging thought or two in my head that conflicted with what I was being told." Seal Blacktop Driveway Checklist Never seal […]
"Brick walls leak water. They’ve always leaked water. Builders and masons from hundreds of years ago knew this and..." Brick Weep Holes Tips Water gets behind brick walls Weep holes allow water to exit the wall Mortar can clog weep holes Flashings must be installed too DEAR TIM: I live in a brick townhouse. In […]
DEAR TIM: I read your column each week. Your last one talked about deck screws vs. nails, but I need to know about the different choices I have when it comes to deck flashing materials. What are my choices and can you discuss the pros and cons of each and any new and exciting materials? […]
Deck Screws vs Nails DEAR TIM: Recently a deck collapsed near where I live and people got seriously injured. The report blamed the failure on the use of nails that had corroded and couldn’t hold the weight. Could this be right? Every deck I know of has been built with nails and they seem to […]
Happy July 1st! Holy Cucumber, summer is marching along here, and I'm deep into a massive deck reconstruction and addition project here at my own home. You're going to be hearing LOTS about this moving forward. I taped a very cool video about a week ago showing amazing heavy-duty timber screws made by Simpson Strong-Tie. […]
Framing a Door in Existing Wall - It Can Be Done DEAR TIM: I own a summer cabin that’s been in my family for generations. My wife and I decided to make it our full-time home. It needs lots of work that I intend to do myself. One of the projects is relocating the front […]
I promised you the promo code for the Stain Solver sale and have been so busy with the deck job I just lost track of time! It's below. If you're a NEW subscriber welcome and understand that Stain Solver is a Certified organic multi-purpose oxygen bleach cleaner. My wife Kathy and I own the company […]
If you want to really add that special touch to your deck, you should consider using two different colored decking boards. That's what I'm doing with a deck I'm building. I'm using Trex Transcend and my wife has selected the deep Lava Rock color along with the lighter Tiki Torch for the main deck boards. […]
Subscribe to the FREE Ask the Builder newsletter to receive professional advice for your home. Complete the form below and each week you'll get:
Unsubscribe at any time. We respect your email privacy.