Reinforce Concrete Block TIPS: Mortar is strong in compression - weak in tension Concrete block needs steel reinforcement Concrete block should be attached to concrete footer WATCH steel & concrete block video below CLICK HERE for Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter DEAR TIM: I'm building a new home and two concrete block piers toppled over […]
Steel I beams can be used on residential construction. However a steel beam design might require special handling. Structural steel beams are heavier then wooden beams. Consider the cost of special cranes and steel beam prices when using steel beams.
Quick Summary: Compare slab to crawl space wood floor cost Pros and Cons of slab Pros and Cons of crawl space wood floor Karen lives in Saint Cloud, Florida. She emailed me the following: "I would like to build a home that is about 600 sq ft with 1000 sq ft roof to cover the front […]
DEAR TIM: Yesterday I stopped by my new house that’s under construction. I go there at the end of each day to take photos. I saw a strange board nailed across the wall studs that surely is a mistake. It ran at a diagonal from the bottom wall plate up the wall to one corner […]
"You can build a concrete block foundation that’s stronger and more durable than a poured wall so long as the block foundation has lots of vertical and horizontal steel in it and the void spaces in the concrete block wall are filled with pea-gravel concrete." Poured or Block Foundation Checklist Both foundations need lots of […]
DEAR TIM: I need to build some simple outdoor steps to replace ones that fell apart and rotted, even though they were made with treated lumber. I’m fairly handy and have a decent grasp of the math but would love some tips to get professional results. I’d also like to prevent the new steps from […]
Tim Carter shows a nifty trick when framing walls for a house. Don't allow an interior wall to touch an exterior wall. Leave a 3/4-inch gap so you can slide drywall in one giant piece instead of having to cut it at the corners. This wall framing trick also helps prevent air infiltration because the […]
DEAR TIM: I’m in the planning stages for building a new home and I don’t want bounce in my floors. My last home felt like a trampoline yet it was built to code. My new home is going to have a massive kitchen with a giant island that will have a 10-foot by 5-foot solid […]
DEAR TIM: My relatives want to repair failing decorative iron columns and short stubby brick pillars that are part of a front porch on a home that's about 100 years old. A giant section of the house overhangs the front porch and I'm certain the decorative ironwork is helping to hold up the second story. […]
Gordon Doughman is a subscriber to my FREE newsletter. He was kind enough to share a fascinating discovery he made. Allow him to share the story: "Tim, I know in several of your recent newsletters you discussed galvanized nails and the performance difference between hot dipped versus electroplated nails. I recently rebuilt my deck (capped […]
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