Easy Fence Posts and Hanging a Door

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Tim Carter

Easy Fence Posts

Question #1: Tim, what can you share about installing fence posts? My online research has me more confused than ever. Quite a few websites talk about putting concrete around each fence post. Is this a good idea? Are there other options? How deep should fence posts be? I don’t want to waste time nor money. Ken S., Tulsa, OK

Have you run into lots of conflicting information at various websites? I know I have. The reason this happens, I feel, is because the barrier to publishing your opinion is now lower than a limbo stick for ants.

Before the Internet, book and magazine publishers would do a good vetting process to see if the author was an authority. Now that vetting job is on your shoulders and most are not willing to see if the online material has been created by someone who has done the job for years in a professional capacity.

In my opinion, the advice offered by those promoting concrete is ill-advised. I prefer to look at the way ranchers and farmers install fence posts as my north star. If they do use concrete, it’s often only at corner posts and around gate posts in a fence line.

If you have strong soil, the compacted soil will do a remarkable job of supporting a fence post. As you install the soil around the post, just add four inches of soil at a time and compact it using a 2x4 as a tamping tool.

You can use crushed gravel around fence posts too. It’s important to realize the gravel should have an assortment of sizes including fines. Fines are sand-sized crushed rock and the resulting dust from the crushing process. This fine material helps interlock the larger pieces of angular gravel with one another.

Crushed gravel, once it’s compacted and damp, is nearly as strong as concrete. The advantage over concrete is that if you have to remove the fence post, you can remove the gravel with far less effort than if you had to break apart the concrete around a fence post.

The depth of fence posts is important. Shallow fence posts allow you to tip over a fence with ease. If you live in a windy area, your fence could blow over!

I’ve had the best luck installing fence posts about 2-feet deep. This works well for a standard 4 to 6-foot-tall fence. If you plan to have a tall fence over 6 feet, then you might want to have your post extend 30 inches below the surface.

Be sure to call 811 if you intend to dig fence post holes. There might be all sorts of underground utilities in your yard and the last thing you want to do is cut a power or communications cable. Puncturing a gas or water line might also ruin your day.

I’ve got all sorts of extra fence post tips and videos at my website waiting for you. Just go to: fencepost

Hanging a Door

Question #2: Oh do I need your help, Tim. I purchased a prehung interior door and now need to install it. I thought it would be easy to do, but I’ve discovered it does seem to take some skill and magic. What can you share with me to get me out of this pickle? I’ll be appreciative of any advice. Brad G., Clemson, SC

Admit it. How many times have you jumped into a job like Brad and started to flounder? It happened to me countless times early in my building career, but I enjoyed challenging myself. You may only have the weekend to get something done and challenges can quickly transform into disasters.

There are lots of steps to hang a prehung door. It’s important to realize that the rough opening needs to be about one-half to 1-inch wider than the outer width of the door frame. You need this wiggle room to be able to install wedge-shaped shims.

The goal is to have a consistent gap between the door and the door frame. This gap is usually 1/8th inch. The hardest part for most rookies is getting the gap along the top of the door to be the same. One, or both, of the side jambs usually need to be cut off to get the top gap perfect.

Be sure to install the shims behind the door hinges. The most important step after the door is installed is to install a 2.5-inch, or 3-inch, screw in one of the screw holes of the top hinge. This screw needs to penetrate through the door jamb and embed itself into the rough lumber of the wall. This screw ensures the door will not droop over time causing it to rub against the jamb.

I’ve got great detailed step-by-step tips and videos for installing a prehung door at my website. Go to: installprehungdoor

Column 1259

Basement Heating Options

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Tim Carter

Basement heating options can look like this one. It's an electric radiant floor mat. You can install one on a concrete slab and then cover it with tile or laminate flooring. This one happens to be heating my man cave ham radio shack. It's a great DIY project. CLICK the IMAGE NOW to order your own NuHeat Electric Floor Heat Mat.

"An electric baseboard heater works just like a toaster but without the danger of a fire."

Basement Heating Options Checklist

Electric heating is probably your best bet
Do the math before making an expensive selection
Insulate walls with closed-cell foam
Portable heaters work well

What Basement Heating Options Are Affordable?

You might be surprised to discover the most affordable basement heating option is a simple electric resistance heater. It's important to realize that basements are often just cool and not bitter cold.

This means you don't need lots of added heat to make the space comfortable.

Free & Fast Bids

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local baseboard heating contractors.

What Are The Best Basement Heating Options?

Here's a list of the best options:

fixed electric baseboard heating
portable plug-in baseboard heaters
electric under-floor heating mats
wood-burning high-efficiency fireplace

This is a fixed baseboard heater. This one happens to have hot water pass through it, but it could have been an electric resistance coil behind the front plate. CLICK THE PHOTO to have a baseboard heater delivered to your home.

How Do Baseboard Heaters Work?

An electric baseboard heater works just like a toaster but without the danger of a fire. Electricity passes through a resistance coil.

The coil heats up just like an incandescent light bulb gets hot when the filament glows creating light. Modern electric baseboard heaters are safe.

How Many Heaters Do I Need?

Most electric baseboard heaters have a chart that matches the heater to the square footage of the space being heated. Be sure to place the heaters on an outside wall.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local baseboard heating contractors.

Are Under-Floor Heating Mats Hard to Install?

The under-floor heating mats are not hard to install, but they require attention to detail. Often you must embed the mat in a layer of thinset mortar. The mat then needs to be covered with another layer of thinset before you install the finished flooring.

Do the Basement Walls Need Insulation?

Yes, you should insulate the basement walls. Be sure to use closed-cell foam panels and glue them to the walls with no gaps between the panels.

Is Electric Heat Expensive?

Electric heat can be expensive if you waste it. Be sure to install programmable thermostats that turn down the heat when you're not in the basement space. Modern technology has great programmable thermostats that will save you lots of money.

This is a deluxe programmable thermostat. CLICK THE IMAGE to see all your choices. Some are very affordable.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local baseboard heating contractors.

July 25, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on July 25, 2018 by Tim Carter

New subscriber? I'm glad you're here!

Well-read & seasoned subscriber? Interesting issue today!

Week in week out, I do my best to help you save time and money. Every now and then, I need a little help.

Today is one of those times. I'm hoping you'll step up and give an assist. You'll see just below what it's all about as I've got two immediate needs.

I've got some interesting stuff in this issue, so hang in there till the end.

Last Weekend at the Forest Rally

I mentioned that I was going to be in NW Maine late last week up until Sunday morning. I'm now the Chief of Communications for the fabled New England Forest Rally.

We had some excitement on Friday afternoon that made the national news here in the USA. One of the race cars crashed and caught on fire.

The world-class driver, Ken Block, and his co-driver made it out without any injury. They were very lucky as the car caught fire in seconds after the car corkscrewed twice landing shiny side up.

One of my radio operators was less than 100 feet away and able to call in the emergency immediately.

CLICK HERE and scroll down to watch Ken's GoPro video to see what he saw through the windshield during and after the crash. You can't miss the video on the above page - it's a car engulfed in flames. Just scroll down or get to it as you read the article.

Need a Graphic Designer's Help

I want to create a cool patch for my radio operators that donate their time and skills to the rally. But I draw stick people.

I know exactly what I want in a patch and modern computer-controlled embroidery can make it possible. This technology has come a long way and the detail that's achievable is stunning. Look at two patches that I have:

Patch US Islands

patch joshua tree national park

Isn't the color and detail stunning? They can do this same thing on hats, shirts, you name it. The top patch is 3 inches by 3 inches. That's the size I want.

Here's a concept drawing of what I think will work. I'm pretty certain we can get this on a 3 x 3-inch patch based on the one patch you see above.

I want you to imagine the rally car spewing up all sorts of dust. They can do dust in the embroidery! Look at the Joshua Tree patch above and see how the orange and yellow are mixed on the right side.

patch-tims-comms-team

Please contact me if you're willing to pitch in to create the needed detailed artwork to make the patch look amazing. I'm more than happy to write an article about you in my radio blog and link to your website.

The article will show the above concept drawing, your final artwork that was submitted to the patch people and then a sample of the patch.

If more than one designer steps forward my guess is I'll have to flip a coin or ????? If you've created art for embroidery that's a plus. Be sure to mention that!

Haas Garage Doors

Matt from Haas Garage Doors was here two hours ago. He took measurements for some new doors that are going to transform the look of my home.

Right now I've got BLAH BLAND green doors. You'll see them in a before/during/after video I'm going to shoot about the project.

The new doors will take your breath away when you park in front of them as you arrive at my home. Haas has software that allows you to take a photo of your home and current garage doors. They then overlay on the photo what the new doors will look like.

This is what my new doors will look like on my home:

garage-doors-preview
These are going to be superb insulated steel doors with the stunning emerald decorative glass. You really can't see it in the concept image, but the wood grain on the panels will be bi-directional just like if the door were made with real wood.

CLICK HERE to see how Haas Doors can transform your ho-hum garage doors into ones that your neighbors will covet.

While Matt was here I gave him an idea for Haas. It's a mouse barricade. Determined mice want to get into my garage to stay warm and the little demons wreak mayhem in my garage.

Look at the holes they've chewed in the existing door weatherstripping. Does this happen at your home?

If mice try to chew their way into your garage through the weatherstripping reply to this and tell me the state where you live.

My gut tells me this is just a snow belt issue, but I've been wrong before.

garage-door-damaged-weatherstrip

Home Security - My Friend Howard

Have you been thinking about a security system for your home? Or, do you have an outdated system and want the latest technology?

Do you have questions about security you want to ask someone you can TRUST?

As you might suspect, I happen to know trusted experts in just about every field.

Rick Steinau is my go-to expert for pest control. Kathy Ziprik is my public relations expert. Steve Schaefer is my go-to expert for structural engineering. Janet Attard is my small-business expert.

I've got a list a mile long.

Howard Feldman is my go-to expert for home and commercial security. I've known Howard for fifteen years as his wife Barbara was a member of a mastermind group I was in.

Howard is tied in with ADT, the leaders in home security. Howard has been involved with home security for as long, or longer, than I've been building! You know he's an expert!

Please go watch this video of Howard and wait for it at the end is all I can say. Yes, Howard was a little nervous. He's not used to making video, but he sure knows security!!!

CLICK HERE and remember, WAIT FOR IT.

Meghan's Heat Loss Calculation

I need a radiant floor heating expert to step to the plate and help me.

I need a full-blown heat loss calculation for my daughter Meghan's new home.

It needs to be on a room-by-room basis for the purpose of creating the needed heating zones. I also need some design help.

Are you that person? Please reach out ASAP. I'm sure we can work out some way I can promote you and your business!!

Extension Cord Sizing Tips

That's enough for today.

I hope the rest of your week is remarkable.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Cleaning Man - www.StainSolver.com
Invisible Waves - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Stop Brick Leaks and Cut Drywall Like a Pro

Posted on July 23, 2018 by Tim Carter

Stop Brick Leaks

Question #1: Help me, Tim! When a blowing rain lashes my brick-veneer home, water streams down over the inside of my foundation in the basement. I thought brick was waterproof. What’s happening and is there a way to minimize, or eliminate, the water from entering my home? What could have been done to prevent this nightmare? Connie T., Indianapolis, IN

You may have a brick-veneer home like Connie. The brick is just a facade and offers no structural support. Unfortunately, the Three Little Pigs fable has helped foster the perception that brick homes are resistant to huffing and puffing. It’s possible to build a brick-veneer home that doesn’t allow water inside your home, but it requires a vast amount of attention to detail.

Your brick is leaking because of micro-cracks that exist where the mortar touches the brick. The shorter vertical mortar joints are much more susceptible to water infiltration than the horizontal mortar joints.

Water leakage is usually not an issue in a gentle rain shower. The wind-driven rain that pelts the brick is where the issue mushrooms. The pressure of the wind blasting the brick forces water into the micro-cracks. Each successive raindrop that crashes against the brick is like a miniature hammer that pounds the previous drop farther into the brick.

Soon water is streaming down the backside of the brick where it’s less than an inch away from the wood framing of your home! You can see why it’s imperative to have a waterproof membrane covering the wood framing to protect it from liquid water.

The water that flows to the bottom of the brick must be captured by a flashing. This water needs to be redirected to the outside of the house in a continuous pathway that’s immune from getting clogged by the mortar as the bricklayers install the brick.

Your best bet at minimizing water infiltration at this point is to inspect the brick for any large holes or crack where the mortar touches the brick. Repair those with new mortar that’s made using hydrated lime and fine silica sand.

The second step is to apply two coats of a silane/siloxane solvent-based water repellent to the face of the brick. You need a helper to do this. The helper wears a backpack leaf blower and blasts the wall with air as you spray on the water repellent. This air forces the liquid deep into the brick to help block water pathways.

I’ve got all sorts of extra brick veneer water leak tips and videos at my website waiting for you. Just go to: Brick Leaks

Cut Drywall Like a Pro

Question #2: I’m embarrassed about this question, Tim. What’s really the best way to cut drywall? It would seem to me that a power circular saw would create a wonderful straight line. How do you cut straight lines in drywall as well as curved lines? Sam B., Spokane, WA

There’s no such thing as an embarrassing or silly question. Everyone has to start somewhere and I remember cutting my first piece of drywall.

The pros use a sharp razor knife to score one side of the paper face on a sheet of drywall. When you apply pressure to the other face of the drywall panel just behind the score mark, the sheet of drywall snaps quite cleanly in a straight line.

The key is to have a sharp razor that cuts through all the paper and into the gypsum core about 1/8-inch in one pass. Be very careful the knife doesn’t slip and cut any other part of your body that might be in the way.

A circular saw creates massive clouds of dust and should be avoided. Small handheld human-powered plunge saws are a great tool to cut curves, circles, and rectangular holes. Electric rotary saws with special high-speed bits that have cutting edges on the bits are what pros use to cut these curves, circles, and holes.

You can get special small dull plunge blades that fit on electric reciprocating saws to cut drywall on walls and ceilings. The dull nature of the blade helps to prevent cuts in hidden wires and pipes.

I’ve got great videos and extra tips for cutting drywall at my website. Go to: Drywall Cutting

July 18, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on July 18, 2018 by Tim Carter

New Subscriber? Welcome to the island!

Battle-scarred survivor? Tell the new residents how much fun we have!

Tomorrow I have to drive north and east. I'm headed to the Sunday River ski resort in far western Maine. This is the base of operations for the New England Forest Rally (NEFR). I'll be there until Sunday morning when I'll wake up early to drive back home so I can attend 10:30 mass with Kathy.

Three months ago, I was recruited to be the Chief of Communications for the NEFR. That's a fancy name for Herder of 40+ Radio-Operator Cats.

Amateur radio operators are needed along all the circuitous race routes to provide much-needed safety communications for the world-class driving teams, spectators, and all other volunteers. Believe me, there are crashes and people can get hurt.

CLICK HERE to get a grasp of why this is an intense training exercise for radio operators in the event of a local disaster. Be sure to watch the video on the page. I shot that last year as Travis Pastrana left the start line of one of the races.

Turn up your speakers and listen to the engine and turbo spin up at 0:17!!

Help My Buddy Jim

I helped launch a very secret Internet mastermind group back in 1999. It was filled with lots of smart and energetic entrepreneurs. One was Jim Kukral.

Jim's written several books and happens to be an expert on how to get people to notice your business. If more people notice your business, usually you get more sales.

Jim wrote an AMAZING book that shares simple secrets about how you can get LOTS of attention. Most of the tips are low cost. You don't need a massive advertising budget.

What if I told you that one company increased their product sales 700 percent by investing just $50? That's not a typo.

Before we go any further, you need to know that Jim was NOT responsible for the cover of his book. His publisher did the artwork.

This is a FANTASTIC book. If you have your own company or work for ANY company big or small, this book will HELP YOU.

Here's the deal. Jim just needs to sell 65 more copies of the HARDCOVER version to regain all his rights to the content from the publisher.

I bought a copy ten days ago to help him. Can you do it too?

You have NOTHING TO RISK. Why?

Jim emailed me saying, "Tim, if any of your subscribers buy the hardcover book and don't feel it's worth it, I'll send them a check for their entire purchase price."

I pretty much know that you'll not be reaching out to Jim for a refund. You may reach out to me for Jim's email address only to THANK HIM for making you and your company more money!

CLICK HERE NOW to order a hardcover copy. Remember, it MUST BE a hardcover copy that you buy.

Getting Organized

On Monday night, James from Kenya delivered a tool chest to me. Just eleven hours before, the tool chest was in Baltimore. He drove it straight from there to my house in central New Hampshire. He arrived four minutes EARLY from the guaranteed time of arrival!

James Kenya Tool Delivery

Did you know there are several websites where you can have guys like James bid transporting just about anything to anywhere for a reasonable price? Uship.com is but one of them.

James and I rolled down a ramp the new KOBALT series 3000 stainless-steel tool chest. It's equipped with the Kwikset SmartKey technology.

Currently my hand tools are in the worst state of disarray as I've ever experienced. One reason is I keep accumulating MORE tools. I ran out of space to put them several years ago, so I now have a small mountain range of them on my workbench and others are scattered in various cardboard boxes. As the Ask the Builder guy, it's extremely embarrassing to put it mildly.

I'll be creating a video of this nightmare and how this 3000 series stainless-steel KOBALT tool cabinet is going to bring organization and LESS FRUSTRATION to my life. Watch for the video in about three weeks.

How many times have you cursed like a sailor looking for a tool? How much time have you WASTED? How GRUMPY were you?

Perhaps it's time you bite the bullet and invest in a tool cabinet. I should have gotten one years ago. When I was still building, my tools were perfectly organized in cabinets on my utility body truck. Once I got rid of that truck, trouble started and it's just gotten worse and worse.

The video is going to also feature the Kwikset SmartKey technology so you want to be sure to watch it.

Revised Columns Aplenty

I'm on a mission revising all my past columns at the website. It's lots of work, but it's rewarding.

I've decided I'm going to have to start sending out at least TWO newsletters a week to try to keep you up to speed on the revisions.

I've got a BUNCH for you today.

Change the Color of Tile Grout

Stop Water From Entering Brick

Glass Panels for Shower Walls - WOW!

Save Crumbling Concrete - Overlay

That's quite enough for today.

I'll be back at you next week with more information.

Do you have questions? CLICK HERE and be sure to upload a few photos!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Clean ANYTHING ANYTIME - www.StainSolver.com
Create Happiness - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

New Concrete on Old and Change Tile Grout Color

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Tim Carter

New Concrete on Old

Question #1: Tim, I desperately need your help. The concrete sidewalk and driveway at my house are falling apart. The top surface is crumbling yet just below the surface the concrete is as solid as rock. It’s only a few years old. What’s causing this? Contractors have told me I need to tear it all out and start over. I can’t afford this. Is there a DIY solution or a far less-expensive alternative that a handyman can do? I’m looking for a repair that will stand the test of time. Mona G., Lexington, KY

Crumbling concrete like Mona’s is very common. You may have it at your home on your driveway, patio, outdoor steps, or even a retaining wall. The great news is you can often repair this yourself with minimal expense and tools.

There are lots of reasons why concrete spalls. Spalling is where the top surface of concrete flakes off or crumbles. In many instances, it’s traceable to workmanship errors where the concrete finisher added extra water to the concrete while putting the final finish on or he started finishing the concrete while bleed water was still up on the surface.

Mixing extra water with the concrete dilutes the amount of Portland cement in the upper surface. It’s important to realize that the cement is the only component holding the sand and gravel together. If you have too little cement, the concrete can’t withstand freezing and thawing cycles and heavy use. More Portland cement in concrete is always better. This is why the concrete abutments on railroad bridges last for over one hundred years. The railroad owners only wanted to build the bridges one time so they made sure the concrete mix had extra Portland cement added.

You can repair your concrete by installing a thin overlay on top of the old concrete. There are several important steps, but they’re all easy. The first thing is to remove all of the crumbling surface concrete. A pressure washer wand held at a low angle is perfect for this job. Remove all the old failing concrete until you get to solid material.

A concrete overlay can be as thin as 1/16th of an inch or as thick as several inches. Another key point is the size of the stone or aggregate in the overlay mixture. The size of the largest stones in the mix can never exceed 1/3 the total thickness of the overlay. For example, if you’re going to add a 1/2-inch overlay, be sure the size of the largest stones in the mix is not much larger than 1/8th inch! You need a blend of stones and sand in the mix with some of the sand being extremely small. Silica sand is the strongest sand you can use and I’d suggest you buy a bag of it to include in your overlay mixture.

The secret step of the process is cement paint. This nearly forgotten trick ensures the new overlay bonds permanently to the old concrete Cement paint is made blending cold water with pure Portland cement until it resembles latex paint. You brush this onto the damp old concrete one minute before you apply the concrete overlay.

I’ve got all sorts of extra concrete overlay installation tips, mixture ratios, videos at my website waiting for you. Just go to: Concrete Overlay

Change Tile Grout Color

Question #2: Tim surely you can help me. I want to change the color of the grout in my floor and wall tile. I’ve seen ads for miracle roll-on products and wonder if they can be trusted. Can you change the color of grout so it looks fantastic? What do you use? Is it hard to do? Don’t sugar coat the answer as I can handle tough love. Margaret R., Boxboro, MA

You may be in the same situation as Margaret. There are many reasons why you might want to change the color of the tile grout. Fortunately you can do this, however, you need to realize there are scam products out there.

I’ve changed the color of grout before and it’s not easy. The color of the grout between the pieces of real slate in the entrance hall of my last home was supposed to be black. However, it came out a mottled dark gray because I foolishly added a grout additive to the mix. My wife hated the ugly appearance. I discovered there are liquid grout stains that are just like penetrating wood stains.

Using an expensive small square-tipped artist’s brush, I slowly applied the rich black stain to the grout lines. It took weeks of time doing this at night after I had come back from building homes all day.

Avoid using products claiming to be grout stains but are really just paint. Do NOT paint your grout. Keep in mind that you can really only go from light to dark when changing color. It’s virtually impossible to find a penetrating stain that will transform dark grout to a light color. If you put a form-filming paint on your grout, I guarantee you it will peel. Be sure the grout is perfectly clean BEFORE you start the process.

I’ve got great videos and extra tips for changing grout color at my website. Go to: Change Tile Grout Color

Drywall that Gets Wet and Sinks That Fall

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Tim Carter

Drywall That Gets Wet

Question #1: I need your help Tim. I’ve talked to several contractors and their advice is not in agreement. The dilemma is what drywall should be used in what areas of my house. One contractor talks about green board. Another one mentions MMR board. The third contractor hasn’t heard of either of those two. Help! Can you shed any light on what drywall should be used in my bathrooms, kitchens and other areas where water might get on the walls or ceilings? Debbie T., Boulder, CO

Last week I had a conversation with a homeowner and we wandered into the area of contractor competence. Based on the email I receive each week, I’m certain I have enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there’s a definite downward trend in the level of skill and knowledge in the residential contracting field.

Some of it can be traced to the vast amount of inaccurate information I see out on the Internet. There are hundreds of hobby bloggers who publish this or that on their websites yet they’ve never worked a day in a paying customer’s home. If you wander onto YouTube, you’ll be flooded with videos showing the wrong way to do things. It becomes your job to try to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

When it comes to drywall, fortunately, the answer is easy. One of the top manufacturers of drywall in the USA, USG, has published for decades the bible of drywall and plaster. It’s titled The Gypsum Construction Handbook.

If you open this incredible text, you’ll discover a collection of facts, methods and step-by-step instructions you’ll discover exactly what each drywall product is designed for, how to install it, and where not to use it.

The green board drywall the one contractor mentioned is just like regular drywall, however, the multi-layered facing paper on the front and back has been treated to resist moisture. The gypsum core of the board also contains chemicals to resist moisture. Note I’ve not said the green board is waterproof. It’s NOT waterproof.

It’s not recommended for use in areas that are subject to constant moisture. The handbook gives examples of these areas, but I maintain based on my experience that your tub and shower area would fall into this group. I’d not use green board in a tub or shower area that gets covered with tile.

The MMR board is the new name for green board. It’s an acronym that stands for mold, mildew and moisture-resistant. If you don’t want the tile to fall off the walls in your tub, shower, and kitchen backsplash areas, use a waterproof substrate like cement board or some other product that’s guaranteed to be waterproof.

I’ve got several helpful videos for you at my AsktheBuilder.com website showing the difference between the different drywalls as well as a link to get the Gypsum Construction Handbook. Just go to: Greenboard

Sinks That Fall

Question #2: Tim, we had a disaster in my new kitchen. I was washing dishes and the sink dropped into the cabinet below. It’s an undermount sink with a gorgeous granite top that overlaps the edges of the sink. How could this happen? What do you think went wrong? Can it be fixed with ease? What a mess! Krista C., Salt Lake City, UT

Distraught homeowners like Krista contact me once a month with the exact same problem. Their sinks were installed by unskilled workers who thought caulk would hold the kitchen sink to the underside of the stone tops. Oh how I wish we could rid the workforce of these dunderheads!

Professionals install undermount kitchen sinks using several different methods. My favorite happens to be small machine-thread studs that have a flat head with tiny holes in them. These are permanently affixed to the underside of the countertop with high-strength epoxy. It’s important to realize the underside of the top must be clean and free of all dust for the epoxy to work well. That could have been why your sink fell.

Some installers choose to use a non-epoxy method. A special harness that laps over the sides of the sink base cabinet cradles the sink. Special hardware that’s part of the harness draws the sink up tight against the bottom of the stone top. These systems are usually best installed before the countertop is set on the cabinets.

A professional can come to your home and repair the sink. It’s going to take two days as I’d suggest the epoxy cure for at least 24 hours before you finish re-installing the sink.

I’ve got great videos showing the epoxy studs and harness system at my website. Go to: Undermount Kitchen Sink

July 8, 2018 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Tim Carter

New subscriber? Welcome to the relaxed summer publishing schedule.

Been-around-the-block subscriber? Tell the newbies summer is like being in a slow-jazz club.

We just endured a six-day stretch of oppressive hot WX here in central NH. Looking at the national map it's been VERY HOT in lots of places. You could have been far hotter than me, I'm so very sorry about that!

When the temperature soars, I get LOTS of email.

If I could boil them all down to one sentence the question would be, "Tim, what can I do to cool down my attic?"

Before I answer, look at this photo and peer at the white crosshairs and the white temperature reading just below the center of the photograph. That's an infrared image of my own DaVinci Roofscapes virgin polymer synthetic slate. Want to see what it really looks like? WATCH THE VIDEO.

infrared image of DaVinci Roofscapes shingles

CLICK HERE to read what you're up against when you decide you want a cooler attic. You'll discover what I'd do if I was faced with the challenge.

My answer may surprise you.

Painting Rusty Metal

I'll bet you own something that's rusting. The past week I've been under my Ford F-250 Super Duty painting rusty steel trying to extend the life of my truck.

I've been using XO Rust spray paint because I've been painting hard-to-reach places and everything is above me. There's nothing worse than painting with the brush up above you. No matter how careful you are, gravity wins and paint drops on your arm and if you get complacent, on your face.

CLICK HERE to read why I prefer XO Rust spray paint.

I tested a remarkable new rust paint at the same time. I'm impressed with it because of the type of resin that's used to make it.

Resin is a fancy name for glue. Remember, all paint is just colored glue.

The new paint I tried was Rustproof M/D.

Rust Proof Paint Can - Mower Blade

The paint is made with a urethane resin. Urethane is one of the stickiest adhesives known to woman, man, or avatar.

CLICK HERE to see the final photo of what that lawnmower blade looked like 93 seconds after I started painting.

There was NO SANDING involved! All the questions you have about this new paint are at the column. Go ahead, CLICK THAT LINK.

Bar Harbor - MDI Meet Up

I'm going to be on Mt. Desert Island in Downeast Maine next Thursday and Friday night, July 12th and 13, 2018. I'm open to a meet up on Friday night July 13th.

If the WX is marvelous, this is what you'll see:

Mt. Desert Island Maine

If you want to eat dinner together and chit chat for a few hours, then REPLY BACK to this email. It's five days from now, so act fast.

I'll have the big beast with me, the Ford F-250 Super Duty, and you can see the fresh paint under the wheel wells. Of course, you're more than welcome to crawl under the truck to see the other painted areas.

Extension Cords - Don't Pick the WRONG One!!!

House fires are often caused by extension cords. The homeowner unknowingly chose poorly and got one that's too small.

By too small, I don't mean its LENGTH.

CLICK HERE NOW to see how easy it is to make sure you're using the correct extension cord for the job.

I'd only do this if you don't want your house to burn down.

P.S. Yes, that's Rustproof MD paint at the base of my thumbnail. I knew you were wondering!

HUGE Hot Water in a Box

Meghan, my oldest daughter, is getting ready to build a new home on MDI in Downeast Maine.

She's asking for my help in picking out the best products for the home. Radiant floor heating is going to keep her, Brent and the new baby warm.

What would you say if I told you that ALL of the hot water to heat the home and ALL of the hot water for showers, cleaning, washing dishes, etc. is going to come out of a smallish metal box that hangs on a wall?

I'm SERIOUS. You MUST CLICK HERE to see how this magic is possible.

Meghan's going to use a Noritz combi water heater boiler.

You'd never have thought technology could come this far. Wait until you watch the video on the above page. Holy Tomato!!!

What's the Right Drywall for a Wet Location?

Do you think you REALLY know the answer? What is a WET LOCATION?

What is a location with HIGH MOISTURE? Confused? Bwahahahahaha!!!

I'll bet you don't know the answer to that last question.

CLICK HERE, read the column and pay CLOSE ATTENTION to the one photo.

I'm talking about the one that has a RED LINE under some words on a giant sales placard that you no doubt IGNORE when you go to the store.

That's enough for a Sunday morning. I'm getting ready for church.

What are the odds you and I will be on MDI at the same time next Friday night? I hope I get to meet you!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Cleaning Crystals - www.StainSolver.com
Happiness Waves - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

RustProof MD Paint

Posted on July 7, 2018 by Tim Carter

"The paint is a single-component moisture-curing urethane. Urethanes are one of the stickiest paints you can buy."

Rustproof MD Paint Checklist

primer and finish coat in one
sticks well to slightly rusted metal
paint steel or aluminum
two coats five hours apart provide the best protection
thin with acetone

RustProof MD Paint - Paint Rusty Metal

Rustproof MD paint is a special coating for rusty metal. Coating is a fancy word for paint.

The Rustproof MD has a very stick urethane resin, or glue, in it that allows it to bond to rusty metal like your shadow sticks to you.

Do You Have to Remove All Rust?

No, you don't have to remove the rust. I'd get rid of the loose scale and wire brush any really rough areas. Just brush off any rust dust and apply.

Free & Fast Bids

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local painters who can get this paint.

Do You Need a Primer?

No. There's no need for a primer with Rustproof MD paint. It flows onto the rusty metal and its thick body produces a smooth finish in most cases.

Why is Rustproof MD so Sticky?

The paint is a single-component moisture-curing urethane. Urethanes are one of the stickiest paints you can buy. The paint is so sticky that if you don't clean all the paint from the lip of the can as well as the lid before you tap the lid back on to put the paint away, you'll never get the lid off again.

Is It Hard to Clean Up Rustproof MD Paint?

This paint is not water-based and it's more of a challenge to clean you and anything else that gets paint on it. The special solvent vehicle is but one reason why it sticks so well to the rusty metal. I used mineral spirits to clean my hands. You may want to think about using disposable chip brushes you can throw away as you may spend lots of money cleaning a high-quality brush.

Will Rustproof MD Resist Sunlight?

Yes, this paint has special built-in UV resistance. Over time the sun's photons will blast apart the paint, but you might have sold the item you painted on Craigslist or a Facebook Garage Sale group.

Where Can I Buy Rustproof MD Paint?

You can only get this great paint at a NAPA Auto Parts store. Most give you a discount if you're an AAA member. Ask for it.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local painters who can get this paint.

Stinky Garbage Disposal and LED Bulbs that Flicker

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Tim Carter

Stinky Garbage Disposal

Question #1: Tim, no matter what I do, my garbage disposal has a foul stink in it. It’s disgusting. What’s causing it and most importantly how can I get rid of the odor? Once the offensive odor is gone, is there some magic way to ensure it never comes back? Susanne W., Tacoma, WA

You may be one that suffers like Susanne. Smelly garbage disposals in kitchens are more common than you might think. A large number of homeowners reach out to me on a routine basis with the identical problem.

The odor in the disposal comes from rotting food. Your garbage disposal is a machine that grinds up food into a slurry. This slurry coats the inside of the cylinder chamber that contains the spinning grinding teeth.

If you have a disposer that smells like Susanne’s, then you’re not removing all of the sludge from the insides of the disposal each time you use it. What’s more, you could be creating clogs in your plumbing drain lines by the misuse of the disposal because you’re not fully rinsing out the disposal with enough water after each use to carry the sludge out to the city sewer or your septic tank.

Cleaning the disposal is not too hard, but it takes a few steps. You need to re-hydrate any dried food slurry on the side walls of the disposal. You do this by installing the stopper in the large hole at the bottom of the sink. Fill up the sink 1/3 or 1/2-way with warm water.

Leave the faucet water running, pull the stopper out and immediately switch on the disposal. The spinning grinders create a vortex of water in the disposal getting all surfaces nice and wet. Wait 20 minutes and repeat this process. The softer the dried food becomes, the cleaner the disposal will be after the final step of the cleaning process.

Wait another 20 minutes and repeat the process but this time before you switch on the disposal squirt into the water a 1/4 cup of liquid dish soap. Squirt more soap into the disposal as the water runs from the faucet so you create a spinning slurry of soap suds in the disposal.

Adjust the water flow from the faucet to a trickle so the soap suds slurry comes to the top of the disposal. Add more soap if necessary. Keep the disposal on allowing the slurry to scour the inside of the disposal.

Turn off the disposal after 30 or 45 seconds and then rinse away all the soap. To prevent future odor, you need to fully rinse the disposal after each use. Each time you finish grinding up food, fill the sink 1/2-way with clear water. Pull the stopper and turn on the disposal to spin the rinse water around the insides of the machine. This large amount of water helps flush out all the drain pipes preventing future clogs.

I’ve got great a great video for you at my AsktheBuilder.com website showing exactly how to use liquid dish soap to clean a disposal. Just go to Smelly Disposal

LED Bulbs that Flicker

Question #2: Help me Tim! I feel like I’m going to have a seizure at my home. I’ve tried three different LED bulbs in my home and all of them flicker. I’m convinced I’m getting bad bulbs, and the people at the store are being patient. Why are my LED bulbs flickering? Do you think the bulbs are bad or is it some other sinister problem in my electrical system and my house might catch on fire? Brad G., Tulsa, OK

You’d be stunned by the number of people that have the same flickering light problem as Brad does in his home. Guess what? It’s almost never the bulb. LED bulbs, for the most part, are very reliable and create consistent non-flickering light when they get a uniform current flowing through the bulb.

LED bulb flickering can be traced in almost every instance to a non-compatible dimmer switch in the lighting circuit. Modern dimmer switches create the dimming effect by switching the power supply on and off many times per second. Traditional incandescent bulbs have a glowing white-hot piece of metal that creates the light. When the dimmer switches the power on and off the glowing metal starts to cool down and the net result is the light dims. There’s no flickering.

LED bulbs don’t have glowing filaments. When the dimmer switch goes off and on many times per second, the LEB bulb becomes a flickering strobe light. In rare cases, the flickering can be some other power supply issue in case you don’t have dimmer switches. Contact your utility company in this case.

Some switch manufacturers make dimmer switches they claim to work well with LED bulbs. It’s easy to switch out a dimmer switch and this simple project might prevent you and Brad from having a seizure!

I’ve got a great video about flickering LED bulbs and a current list of dimmer switches that work with LED bulbs at my website. Go to Flickering LED Lights

Easy Fence Posts

Hanging a Door

Basement Heating Options Checklist

What Basement Heating Options Are Affordable?

What Are The Best Basement Heating Options?

How Do Baseboard Heaters Work?

How Many Heaters Do I Need?

Are Under-Floor Heating Mats Hard to Install?

Do the Basement Walls Need Insulation?

Is Electric Heat Expensive?

Last Weekend at the Forest Rally

Need a Graphic Designer's Help

Haas Garage Doors

Home Security - My Friend Howard

Meghan's Heat Loss Calculation

Stop Brick Leaks

Cut Drywall Like a Pro

Help My Buddy Jim

Getting Organized

Revised Columns Aplenty

New Concrete on Old

Change Tile Grout Color

Drywall That Gets Wet

Sinks That Fall

Painting Rusty Metal

Bar Harbor - MDI Meet Up

Extension Cords - Don't Pick the WRONG One!!!

HUGE Hot Water in a Box

What's the Right Drywall for a Wet Location?

Rustproof MD Paint Checklist

RustProof MD Paint - Paint Rusty Metal

Do You Have to Remove All Rust?

Do You Need a Primer?

Why is Rustproof MD so Sticky?

Is It Hard to Clean Up Rustproof MD Paint?

Will Rustproof MD Resist Sunlight?

Where Can I Buy Rustproof MD Paint?

Stinky Garbage Disposal

Expert Advice For Your Home