DEAR TIM: I need to discover how to polish marble. In my house, there is some marble flooring that has seen better days. The scratches aren’t too deep, but they look bad.
I also had to cut a piece of marble and now have an ugly dull stone edge that needs to look like the high-gloss polished finish on the top. What’s the secret? Do I need all sorts of expensive equipment? Do I need to use water? Paul H., Santa Barbara, CA
DEAR PAUL: You’re in luck. The great news is that you’ll be able to get very nearly professional results in short order.
It may take a little practice, but I think you’re going to be amazed at how easy it is to take a dull stone edge and transform it to a highly polished surface that broadcasts the natural beauty of the stone.
No Expensive Tools
Guess what? You don’t need thousands of dollars of expensive equipment to polish marble. It’s quite possible that you have a simple tool in your garage or workshop that will allow you to achieve very good results.
There are many different sanding disc kits out there like this. You can shop around at Amazon to see which one is best for you. CLICK THE IMAGE TO ORDER THIS ONE OR SEE OTHERS.
Understand there are at least two ways to polish marble and other stones. You can use the dry method or the wet method. It’s hard to believe, but dry polishing works very well.
Dry = Dust
This method creates a fine dust, so you need to work in a place where dust won’t ruin things. When dry polishing, you need to wear both eye and breathing protection.
It’s not a good idea to ingest stone dust into your lungs, especially stone dust that contains silica.
Silicone-Carbide Paper
Using special silicone-carbide sandpaper that’s made for stone polishing, you can cut away successive ultra-fine layers of the stone until you have a high-gloss finish.
Sandpaper can be purchased that attaches with adhesive or hook and loop technology to a flexible round sanding pad. These pads attach to a regular drill or to a special mounting base that connects to a stone grinder.
At Least Five Grits
The polishing process starts with a coarse-grit sandpaper that has a low number like 24 or maybe 60 grit. As the grit number gets larger, the size of the silicone-carbide particles gets smaller and smaller.
Grit sizes march through the double digits, triple digits and beyond. I guarantee you that you’ll be using 120 grit, 220, 400, 500, 600 and over 1,000 grit.
Coarse First
The process starts by using a coarse-grit paper and cutting away a fine layer of the stone to remove the scratches or saw-blade marks. It’s mission critical that you cut away any and all grooves leaving a surface that may be rough, but all in the same plane.
If you leave small grooves, tinier than the thickness of a piece of hair, you’ll see these as you start to achieve a high polish.
High Gloss Cons
The high-gloss finish works to your disadvantage as you polish. The higher the gloss, the more light reflects off at a different angle from imperfections. This is why you now see the scratches in your marble floor as light that hits the scratches bounces away from you at a different angle than the light that reflects off the polished areas that are free of scratches.
When you use the tools, you need to keep them moving. By that I mean that the drill or grinder will be spinning as it’s on, but don’t keep it stationary in one spot. This is why an orbital sander is the best tool. The sandpaper automagically moves around as it should with just simple back-and-forth motions.
This is a superb orbital sander / polisher. You can get the needed pads that hold onto the sandpaper. CLICK THE IMAGE NOW TO BUY THIS TOOL.
If you can't afford an orbital sander and must use a drill with a sanding disc, you need to slide it constantly across the surface of the stone so the sandpaper doesn’t cut a circular groove into the stone. Moderate pressure is all you need. Let the sandpaper do the work for you.
More Grits = Better Job
It’s best to use many different grits of sandpaper as you start to achieve the polish. You may start with 24 grit, then use 60, 120, 220, 320, 400, 500, 600 and then 1,000. If you skip a grit, you may end up with tiny scratch lines that show through the polish.
You can also use dry diamond polishing pads in the same manner. They also come in different grits with some grits that are as high as 3,000.
Polish A Scrap Piece
It’s best to test your skills on a scrap piece of marble first. Try to get a piece that matches your floor marble now so that you can see what it’s like.
Use some regular sand to scratch the scrap piece and then start to see if you can polish these scratches out like a pro. Once you've achieved success with the scrap piece, advance to your floor and to the cut edge.
Wet Sanding
Wet polishing or sanding has some advantages as the water helps keep dust down and it reduces the friction of the abrasive materials allowing them to last longer.
But the downside to wet polishing is the water on the stone causes the color of the stone to naturally deepen tricking you into believing you’ve achieved success. You may feel you have a gorgeous polished surface as you’re working because the color of the edge or surface matches that of the polished top.
Practice Makes Perfect
But when the stone dries, which can take a while depending upon the porosity of the stone, a dull or scratched surface shows up. It takes quite a bit of practice to achieve professional results using wet-polishing methods and tools.
Recessed lighting problems solved with kit | You can solve your recessed light issue in minutes working from inside the room. No repainting, no hassle! CLICK THE IMAGE NOW TO BUY THIS GREAT LIGHT. MULTI-PAKS are available.
"There are several reasons why your recessed lights turn off by themselves."
DEAR TIM: My husband installed some recessed lights in a family room we just built. I think he goofed something up. Every time I turn the lights on, ten minutes later they automatically turn off.
Also, I feel a draft through these fixtures. Did we make a mistake purchasing recessed lights? T. G.
DEAR T. G.: No. However, your husband very likely made several mistakes during the installation. Some of these are potentially very serious and could result in a fire.
FIRE HAZARD: Do not use the lights again until you have them checked by a professional or by your local electrical inspector. By the way, the electrical inspector DID look at the lights and wiring before they were covered, didn't he? I hope your flashlight batteries are fresh.
Recessed lighting is a very functional type of lighting. It can be used to create a border of light in a room, flood work areas with light, spotlight pictures or sculptures, and as general purpose lighting.
Personally, I prefer to mix recessed lights with other types of lighting fixtures such as indirect lights and hanging fixtures. This creates layers of light that can be peeled from one another to create different moods.
Is the Thermal Protection Switch the Issue?
There are several reasons why your recessed lights turn off by themselves. All Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approved recessed lighting fixtures produced since the early 1980s must have a thermal protection switch built into the fixture. This device will turn off the light if the temperature inside the fixture gets too hot.
It turns off the light so the excess heat doesn't melt the plastic insulation on the electrical wires. If that insulation melts, arcing can happen and a fire results.
After the light cools down, the sensor resets itself allowing the light to turn back on.
If this is what's happening to you, your lights are telling you there is a problem that must be addressed.
Does Ceiling Insulation Trap Heat?
Your problem may be the ceiling insulation. Some recessed fixtures are allowed to be smothered in insulation. These often are designated IC fixtures.
Fixtures without this designation must have a minimum of 3 inches of clearance between the fixture, its junction box, ballasts and any insulation.
The National Electric Code specifically states that nothing should be installed above these fixtures that will either trap heat or block free air circulation through the fixture.
Is Light Bulb Wattage Important?
The wattage of the light bulbs is important. More wattage means more heat. The fixture is rated for a maximum bulb wattage.
In your case, your husband may have installed a fixture without the IC designation. If insulation is too close or on top of this fixture, the fixture will overheat. The problem may also be as simple as the light bulb within the fixture. If it is too large (too high a wattage), the bulb is creating too much heat.
Where is the Bulb Wattage Label?
Remove the bulb and look inside the recessed light housing. You should see labeling which tells you the maximum wattage of the bulb that you can place in the fixture. Be sure to use the approved light trims for the fixture as well. Intermixing trims between fixtures can cause you to lose your UL rating.
Am I Supposed to Feel a Cold Draft Through the Light?
The draft you feel is unnecessary. Many manufacturers now make recessed lights that are completely sealed. Using these fixtures can save you money.
A single recessed light fixture that's not airtight can allow up to 2.5 million cubic feet of air to pass through it in one year. This type of air flow could waste up to 1 million BTU's of energy loss per fixture per year!
Are There Great DIY Electric Books?
If you're looking for a great book for installing simple wall lights to running wire in new construction and in existing walls and ceilings, then Wiring a House is the book for you.
I own this book. Rex Cauldwell makes it easy to understand perplexing electric. CLICK THE IMAGE TO ORDER IT NOW.
This book, written by master electrician Rex Cauldwell, is sure to become an indispensable reference for anyone who wants a common sense guide to residential electricity. The photos and illustrations featured in this book are clear, crisp and easy to understand.
If you're looking for a book with invaluable information on tools and materials, detailed instructions for how to repair or replace the wiring in old buildings and bring them up to code then you need a copy of Old Electrical Wiring. This 400-plus-page book tells you everything you could ever imagine about switch layouts, troubleshooting, and design change.
It also has an extensive glossary of old wiring terms and slang. Packed with drawings and illustrations, including pictures of old devices, this practical book will tell you whether an old electrical system should be torn out or repaired. This book will really help you.
If you have an older home, this is a must-have book. CLICK THE PHOTO NOW TO HAVE THIS BOOK DELIVERED TO YOU BY SPECIAL COURIER.
DEAR TIM:I recently started a room addition project that has a crawl space. My builder insisted on installing a drain tile pipe on top of the foundation footer. Since there's no basement below my room addition, I feel that the pipe is a waste of money. Would you do this on one of your projects? B. F.
DEAR B. F.: Hah, smart builder. You should hug him! The money you are spending for this pipe is a very wise investment. I feel that you're extremely lucky to have selected a knowledgeable builder.
Dual-Purpose Tile
Foundation drain tile systems serve a very important function. They're generally installed to provide a means to channel excess water away from your footing and foundation. However, if equipped with a simple optional pipe, they can also allow you to inject water along your footing and foundation. The value of this second point is frequently overlooked.
This is very important for structures that have shallow foundations and are in soils that have a fairly high clay content.
Most houses or room addition projects are constructed on soil, not bedrock. Soil is made up of small deteriorated pieces of rock. However, these solid pieces only make up a portion of the total space that soil occupies.
The remainder of space is comprised of void areas. These empty areas can be filled with a combination of gas, air, or water in varying amounts. The closest thing I can compare it to is a sponge.
Because of these characteristics, some soils can cause tremendous problems if allowed to become alternately dry and wet. Certain clay soils expand when wet and contract when they alternately get wet and then dry.
Secret Soil Water Injection Video
Watch this video to show you how to get water fast into clay soils using a simple soaking hose. You can use this method if your builder didn't install a water injection pipe up from your drain tile.
Some clay soils react dramatically to moisture variations. They actually shrink and swell. Parts of Texas have clay soils that wreak havoc on homes that don't have fantastic foundations that can withstand the stress.
Use an auger like this that you attach to a cordless drill. You drill down into the soil and then put small pea gravel down into the hole. CLICK THE IMAGE TO BUY THIS GREAT AUGER NOW.
You can demonstrate this very easily with certain types of sponges. These sponges tend to shrivel up when dry, however as soon as you wet them they 'puff' up. Can you imagine how your house or room addition reacts when this happens to the soil surrounding your foundation and footer?
Trick the Soil
There's an interesting thing about these soils. When subjected to an even, constant state of moisture content, they usually don't shrink or swell. They have a strong tendency to stay the same size.
The trick is to maintain this delicate balance. Geologists have a fancy name for this condition -- dynamic equilibrium.
For those of you who have decided to stay with me on this, here's the payoff. Your drain tile system allows you to easily maintain this state of dynamic equilibrium. Here's how it works.
Add Water To Tile
During dry spells or drought conditions, you can inject water into your drain tile system. This allows you to trick the soil in contact with your footing and foundation. It will have no idea that it hasn't rained in months.
To be able to inject water easily, you must have your builder install a 'T' fitting in your drain tile system. A pipe will extend to the surface from this 'T' fitting.
This simple pipe allows you to easily inject the necessary water to saturate the soil surrounding your foundation footer.
I usually recommend that people insert their garden hose into this riser pipe, turn the water on low, and let it run overnight. If you do this once a week during drought, or very dry conditions, you generally will not have any problems. You must monitor the water flow carefully if you have a basement. If your foundation is not waterproofed, too much water might possibly cause a leak into your basement.
Soil Maps
You can check your soil characteristics by using a soil map. These maps and descriptions are usually available for free at your county offices. They're also available online in many instances.
Often they can be found in the agricultural department or the engineering and building department. These maps are prepared by geologists who specialize in soils. I highly recommend that you obtain one prior to building your next home or room addition.
A fireplace will puff smoke into a room if its design is flawed. The physics of smoke rising into a chimney is complex and several things must be done right so all the smoke from the fire exits your home.
It's important to realize there are three aspects of fireplace design you should be concerned about. The first is the inner shape and design of the firebox where the fire burns (firebox), the hidden smoke shelf area above the firebox, and the flue that rises up and through the roof.
Here's the fireplace once finished. Maggie and her daughter did a magnificent job and the hydrated lime will look this good for decades. Copyright 2017 Tim Carter
All three of these things MUST BE done correctly or your fireplace will send billowing smoke into your home. All you need to know is below.
Is Stone the Best Fireplace Material?
Stone fireplaces can be very durable. Granite and many other dense stones can make a gorgeous outer face of your fireplace. Here's one I saw in Southwest Harbor, Maine.
This is a stunning fireplace made with real stone. The colors of the stones really make it visually attractive. The mason did a magnificent job of shaping the stones so they fit like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
The second design consideration is what the fireplace looks like to those who look at it while in the room. If you need inspiration and want to see stunning photos of some fantastic fireplaces, then order Fire Places: A Practical Design Guide for Fireplaces and Stoves
The Brick Industry Association has three excellent pamphlets about fireplace and chimney design and construction. I recommend you read these three things:
The best fireplace design dimensions are the ones that ensure your fireplace will not smoke. The Brick Industry Association is perhaps the most respected source of fireplace design criteria in the world.
Be sure your mason builds your fireplace according to the values in the following table. All the data is courtesy of the Brick Industry Association.
.
Fireplace Opening Width
24"
28"
32"
36"
40"
42"
48"
54"
Fireplace Opening Height
24"
24"
29"
29"
29"
32"
32"
37"
Firebox Depth* See Note Below
16"
16"
16"
16"
16"
16"
18"
20"
Rear Firebox Width
11"
15"
19"
23"
27"
29"
33"
37"
Rear Firebox Vertical Height
14"
14"
14"
14"
14"
16"
16"
16"
Smoke Chamber Height
19"
21"
24"
27"
29"
32"
37"
45"
Throat Height
8"
8"
8"
8"
8"
8"
8"
8"
Nominal Flue Size
8x12"
8x12"
12x12"
12x12"
12x16"
12x16"
12x16"
16x16"
Minimum Chimney Height
18'
22'
19'
21'
15'
19'
23'
23'
*Note: The firebox depth does not include the thickness of the facing material you see when looking at the fireplace.
The firebox design is critical. Here is a photo of a new masonry firebox in my own home. The rear wall of the firebox rises vertically from the floor of the fireplace and then begins to slant towards the fireplace opening just at the top of the gas logs. The sidewalls of the firebox are vertical. Note that the firebox is not the same width front to back. It gets narrower towards the rear of the firebox!
This blueprint is nearly 100 years old. The architect knew EXACTLY how to design the fireplace, chimney, and firebox so it would NOT SMOKE. Use this as your North Star.
Can You Mix and Match Flue Sizes With Chimney Heights?
You can mix and match flue sizes with chimney heights. To properly size a flue, you must use a Nomograph.
It's always better to use the smaller flue size when you have two choices. When using the smaller flue size, you will be required to raise the height of the chimney.
Do Tall Chimneys Draw Better Than Short Ones?
Taller chimneys draw better than short chimneys of the same flue size.
Is the Smoke Chamber Height Critical?
The smoke chamber height and design are very critical. You generally can't see this space as it is hidden above your fireplace damper.
How High Up Should the Damper Be Above the Fireplace Opening?
The bottom of the damper should be a minimum of 8 inches above the top of the fireplace opening. This part of the fireplace is called the throat. If your damper is not at least 8 inches above this spot, you will have smoking problems for sure!
I urge you to read the pamphlets I have mentioned from the Brick Industry Association. They have excellent illustrations which will enable you to clearly see what I am trying to explain! The following table and its values are courtesy of the Brick Industry Association.
What is the Best Mortar for the Beige Fire Brick?
The best mortar for firebrick is fire clay. It's often called refractory cement and it rated for temperatures above 2,000 degrees F.
This is fire clay. It's a fine powder that you mix with water. CLICK THE TUB to have it delivered to your home in days.
Fire clay is a fine powder you mix with water to the consistency of gravy. You dip one edge of the firebrick into a pot of the wet fire clay to coat it. You don't want large wide joints. The joints between firebrick should be no greater than 3/32nds of an inch!
DEAR TIM: My new home is under construction. I'm in a disagreement with my builder about what's going to happen under my garage slab. Right now there's a trench around the inside on all four walls where they had to dig to install the foundation.
The center of the garage area is undisturbed dirt and rock that's been there since the dinosaurs roamed. My builder says he's just going to fill it in with the dirt he dug out and all will be well.
I think that's a mistake. What should be done? If he does use the dirt is there a special way to install it? Are there other things that can be done? What would you do? Tom M., Binghampton, NY
DEAR TOM: Un-compacted fill under concrete slabs of any type is a recipe for disaster. The slab could be for an entire home, it might be an exterior patio slab, a front porch slab, a driveway, etc. Concrete is an amazing material, but it has an Achilles heel.
Concrete has tremendous compressive strength. This means if you squeeze it, it often takes 3,000, 4,000 or more pounds of pressure per square inch to get it to crack and fail. But the exact same concrete mix, when you stretch or bend it, engineers call this tension, has on average only one tenth the strength as it has in compression.
Soil Settles
If un-compacted, or poorly compacted, soil or fill sinks under a slab you end up with a hollow spot. If you drive on this concrete and apply pressure to it, the concrete tries to bend or stretch to conform to the hollow spot. The result is almost always a crack and the concrete slab drops down. I see photos of this unnecessary damage all the time.
Add Water to Compact
You're correct that the dirt in the center of the garage area is solid fill. Mother Nature, over time, does an amazing job of compacting soils. Rainwater plays an important part of this process. Adding water to fluffed or disturbed soil will go a long way to accelerate natural compaction of soil particles.
When I was still building on a daily basis, I would go to great lengths to water the fill soil in utility trenches and around the outside of a new home to get the soil to settle faster. Many builders don't take this extra time.
Engineering Specs
Your builder can use the soil he dug out of the ground to fill the trenches back in, but to do it right requires lots of work. A soil engineer can develop a compaction plan that speaks to the amount of soil that can go in the trench at a time, the fancy name for this is a lift, what tool needs to be used to compact the soil and how long the tool needs to be used to get the soil compact.
When fill dirt is placed in large amounts for highways and other projects, the fluffed dirt is brought in, spread out in thin layers and then compacted by large machinery designed to compact dirt and rock. The moisture content of the fill dirt is important as is every other facet of the operation. The same process can be done for smaller jobs like yours.
Your builder has all sorts of options if he doesn't want to go to all that work. Each has to be studied to see which is the most cost effective.
Concrete Block Ledges
One option is to lay concrete block up off the interior ledge of the footers to just below where the concrete slab will be. These can be spaced at 4-foot intervals around the interior foundation walls. The concrete slab will rest on these and provide solid support down to the footer.
The slab will have to have steel rebar, no less than one-half-inch in diameter in both directions spaced at 2-foot centers to make this work. The steel bars need to be placed so they line up with the concrete block pilasters.
The slab then acts as a bridge between the pilasters and the compact dirt in the center of the garage.
The easiest fix to the situation in my opinion is to just fill the trenches with self-compacting gravel. This is what I used to do on my jobs. You may be lucky to have a gravel company that has a truck equipped with a conveyor belt that will shoot the gravel in place so very little work has to be done by hand.
I was lucky to build in an area where there was abundant rounded sand and gravel. This was created by the massive continental glaciers that covered much of the northeast USA and the upper Midwest about 15,000 years ago. When all that ice melted on it's own with no help from us, it created untold cubic yards of this wonderful rounded gravel.
Pea Gravel
I preferred to use washed pea gravel for filling trenches like this in garages. This gravel is the size of small green peas and it naturally compacts as it's put into a void space. Visit a few local gravel pits in your area to see if they have this small rounded gravel.
You can also fill the trenches with a gravel product that's a mixture of washed sand and different sizes of rounded gravel. This product requires water to get it to naturally compact and you need to install it in layers no thicker than one foot at a time.
If you have to use crushed stone, be aware that it requires mechanical compaction so the pieces of gravel interlock. This extra step is costly and it must be done correctly so your slab never fails.
Color match paint is possible using a Color Wheel or Color Computer. You can also use a handy hand scanner and phone app. (See Below) If you want to use this older color wheel, you dial up the color you need and it shows you the colors you need to combine to get you there. CLICK THIS IMAGE NOW TO BUY THIS INEXPENSIVE TOOL to create basic colors.
"If you decide to attempt to color match paint yourself, the process requires patience, excellent lighting, soap and water, and lots of luck. You can do it."
Color Match Paint Tips
try using a color match paint app first
take a color chip sample from wall to paint store
last resort is to try blending paint at your home to get the match
DEAR TIM: I need to color match paint in my living room. I recently modified my curtains. This required patching numerous small holes. It's now time to match the flat wall paint adjacent to these patched areas.
I've never had luck in getting an exact color match from the paint store. The shades are close but you can always see the painted area.
Is there a way to match the color so I don't have to paint the entire room? Have you ever had success in matching colors in a situation like this? Vivian S., Cincinnati, OH
DEAR VIVIAN: Paint matching has driven many people close to the edge of insanity. I recently met a frustrated woman in a paint store who said that she had over fifty small cans of paint in her basement. These cans represented failed attempts at trying to perfectly match a wall color.
A paint matching machine scans an actual paint sample and reverse engineers the amounts of pigment it would take to create the color it sees.
Matching existing paint colors can be done. If you expect a paint store to do it for you, you need to bring in a clean sample of the paint color.
Paint stores have amazing optical scanners that can compute the needed pigments to match the sample you provide. Usually, the sample needs to be about 1.5-inch square.
Yes, there are color match paint apps for your smartphone! The last time I checked, there were over five of them.
Sherwin Williams also makes a small hand-held scanner that you press against a painted surface and it gives you the best color match for one of their paints. It's called the Color Muse.
This is the Sherwin Williams ColorSnap Match tool and phone app. CLICK THE PHOTO now to have it delivered to your home.
Watch this video to see how it works.
How Long Does it Take to Match Paint?
A paint store with this equipment can give you a very close match within minutes. Often they'll mix a small quantity of paint, open the can, put a small amount of the new paint on your sample and use a blow dryer to see how well it matches.
How Do You Match the Paint Gloss?
The same color formula will render different shades of a color depending upon the sheen or gloss of the final paint. Keep that in mind!
How Do you do DIY Paint Matching?
If you decide to color match paint yourself, the process requires patience, excellent lighting, soap and water, and lots of luck. You can do it.
I've had great success in the past. Recently I successfully matched a nine-year-old light beige color in a client's living room.
I did this by getting a slightly darker shade of beige than what was on the wall and I started to mix different small amounts of the paint with pure white paint until I got a perfect match. I was very lucky.
IMPORTANT TIP: The color or hue of an object is actually generated by the light that's illuminating the object.
Sunlight produces all of the wavelengths or color possibilities that we can see with our naked eye. If you live in a place with low humidity, it's a cloud-free day and the sun is high in the sky, the colors you see of things outdoors are pretty much the true color of that object.
What are The Golden Hours?
The golden hours are referred to that time of day just after the sun rises and just before it sets. Reds, oranges, and yellows are more vibrant at this time of day.
Let's say you're standing outside at noon on a cloud-free day at the Grand Canyon. You're blown away by the rocks and sky.
But you fall asleep and take a nap waking up just as the sun is about to set. All of a sudden the reds and oranges in the rock formations are far more vivid.
You're in what's known as the golden hour.
What's happening is the sun's light is now passing through lots of the atmosphere at such a low angle in the sky and the blue and green light rays of natural light are getting absorbed by the atmosphere. Only the reds, oranges and yellows of the color spectrum are making it through all the air and they enhance anything that's red, orange or yellow!
The same phenomenon happens at sunrise for about an hour.
Can Artificial Light Mimic Sunlight?
Artificial light created by any type of light bulb has a hard time mimicking all the wavelengths in sunlight. It's really hard to mimic Mother Nature.
Most light bulbs only put out part of the entire visible light spectrum.
As a result, an object viewed in natural sunlight outdoors at noon as we talked above can look very different when observed under artificial light (paint store fluorescent lights, living room lamps, etc.).
Parking-lot lights are good examples. Have you ever noticed how your car sometimes appears a very different color at night under harsh sodium vapor lights?
Many parking lot lights are sodium vapor or halogen. The trend now is to LED bulbs. All of these tend to create a very narrow band of color they produce.
Is Flat Paint the Easiest to Color Match?
Yes, flat paint tends to be the easiest paint to color match.
The sheen or gloss of paint also makes it very difficult to match colors. It's much easier to match flat colors than those with gloss.
High-gloss paints are very unforgiving. It's almost impossible to touch up a defect using the same high gloss paint just days after a new paint job!
Should I Wash Surfaces Before Color Matching?
Yes, you first need to wash surfaces with soap and water before trying to color match them. This process is necessary even if you decide to repaint the entire room. Paint should always be applied to a clean, dry surface.
The washing will remove accumulated dirt, grease, and smoke particles. It is virtually impossible to get an exact match on a dirty wall surface.
Grab the paints that get you close, some disposable cups and measuring spoons and you can start to blend paints until you develop your own custom formula.
Get A Close Match First
Once the walls are clean, proceed to your local paint store and ask for numerous color chip samples that are close or match your wall color. Take these back and hold them against the walls in different spots on a sunny day.
Attempt to select a color on a wall that receives indirect sunlight. Never hold a chip on a wall illuminated by a sunbeam. If you're lucky, a color on one of the chips will match closely.
How Much Paint Should I Buy?
Proceed to the paint store and purchase the smallest quantity of flat paint that can be custom tinted to the color chip you feel is the closest match. Some paint stores or hardware stores can do this with very small amounts of paint saving you money.
Should I Start With A Darker Color?
Yes, when doing DIY color matching, start with a slightly darker color.
I've had the best luck matching colors when I select a color that is slightly darker than the color I am trying to match.
Purchase an additional pint or quart of plain white paint at the same time. You'll need this to adjust the color back at your house.
Does Paint Dry Darker?
Yes, paint has a tendency to dry darker than when first applied.
Apply a small amount of the pre-mixed paint to your wall. It may look like a perfect match when you first apply it. Many flat paint colors deepen as they dry.
The paint tends to dry darker because as the water in the paint evaporates the color pigments concentrate causing this phenomenon. If the paint dries darker, that's fine.
You'll now start to make micro-batches of paint on your own using your plastic measuring spoons and paper cups.
Measure Accurately
Take a teaspoon of the tinted paint and a teaspoon of the pure white paint and mix them together in a paper cup. Always rinse and dry the measuring spoon completely before you scoop paint from a different can.
Apply this to the wall and allow it to dry for twenty minutes. The use of a hair blow dryer will accelerate the drying time.
Different Recipes
Adjust the proportions of white paint and colored paint if you don't get a perfect match. Keep track of the test paint areas and the proportions of paint that you mix with one another. With a little luck and lots of patience, you'll probably get an exact match.
DEAR TIM: My current 1,100 square-foot single-story three-bedroom one-bath home is not large enough for my growing family. To get a somewhat larger new home that barely meets our needs costs $200,000 more than what I can sell my existing home.
It seems as if I need to stay put and add space here. My lot is small so a second story seems the only way to go. How hard is it to add a second story to a home? What do I need to think about? Maria E., Sacramento, CA
DEAR MARIA: It's not too hard to add a second story to a home. You have quite a bit to think about to put it bluntly. There are so many things to consider, I almost do not know where to start.
Old Houses = Big Bargains
Fortunately, you've already done part of the mathematical analysis that has illustrated a point many people overlook. You can almost always buy square footage in an existing or used home for far less than new-home square footage.
A new home in a great location on a nice lot can be very pricey. Older existing homes in great neighborhoods often can be fantastic bargains when you simply compare them to a new home if you find out how much each one is selling for per square foot of finished living space.
The first thing you need to do in my opinion is to visit your local government zoning office. They should be able to tell you if you're permitted to add a second story. Ask them about total structure height.
Many building and zoning codes only allow the top of the structure to be so many feet above the grade level. For example, the Ohio village I used to live in didn't allow the top of any part of the house's roof to be higher than 35 feet above the soil around the house.
You need to do some fast quick calculations to see what the total height of your house would be with a second story. If there are existing homes in the neighborhood with them, you shouldn't run into any zoning restrictions.
Subdivision Restrictions
You may have to visit your local recorder's office at the same time to see if any subdivision restrictions were recorded with your property deed or plat.
As crazy as it sounds, maybe the developer of your land included restrictions that simply do not allow second-story additions. This might be very common in the desert southwest and other areas where a taller home might block the view of another homeowner.
Get Current Remodel Costs
If you determine you can add a second story, it's time to talk with at least two remodeling contractors who have done this type of work.
Interview a few and ask them to provide addresses of several homes where they have added a second story. Ask them what they feel the current cost per square foot is to add the necessary room to your home.
Guesstimates
Be sure to ask what the extra cost might be to add a full bathroom. Remember, these are just guesstimate numbers and you should be prepared to pay as much as 20 percent more as the plans are developed and challenges of your job are addressed.
Do Simple Math
Using these very rough preliminary numbers, see if you can afford to add the amount of space you need.
Let's say you feel you need 800 more square feet of space. If the current cost for a second story in your market is $175.00 per square foot, then you're already at $140,000. (2017 numbers) Add an additional $8,000.00 more for the full bath, you're looking at a possible cost of $148,000.00. Then you need to add the 20 percent contingency. You're now just south of $178,000!
Can you borrow this much comfortably? Visit your local banker or mortgage company and ask them to help you with a quick refinancing analysis.
Pre-Plan Checklist
If you qualify for a new loan, you should now start thinking about the actual project. Here's a partial list of the things I see as issues:
Will the current exterior walls support the load of the second story?
Is the foundation strong enough to carry the new load?
How will the plumbing from the new bathroom connect to the existing?
How will the new staircase between floors impact the existing floor plan?
Is it better to install separate heating and air conditioning for the new space?
Do you have to install a new electric service and panel for the added electrical loads?
Does the contractor know how to minimize sound transmission between the new and old spaces?
Is it wise/affordable to add special storage or possibly attic trusses in the new roof to gain bonus space?
How would you like me to build your new home? It's probably impossible for me to fit your job into my schedule, but I will gladly share hundreds of my tricks and building secrets with you and your builder. Check out my New House Specifications.
If you're lucky and the remodelers you speak with are experienced, they may add several more things to my abbreviated list.
Let's say you are a go to do the job. You can get the money, you can add a second story. It's nothing but rainbows and unicorns.
Here's the reality. Nothing could be more disruptive than ripping off the roof of a home, building a new subfloor, second-story walls and then a new roof.
I've read stories where some very skilled remodeling contractors were able to disconnect the roof of an existing home, have a crane lift it up and set it aside while they quickly build the new floor and set pre-fabricated exterior walls.
This all happened within a 36-hour period so the house would not get rained on while the roof was off.
Even with this kind of blitzkrieg work, it's enormously disruptive. If you do it the old way and it takes days to tear off the old roof, build the floor and walls and then the new roof and it rains at some point, well, you get the picture.
Major Disruption
Furthermore, as you begin to proceed with plans, it would be very wise to speak with two or three homeowners who went through the same process of raising a roof. Ask them about how they dealt with the disruption.
The best questions to ask might be what they would do differently if they could rewind the tape and play the experience over once more. You just might be surprised with their input.
Permanent concrete repairs are possible, well, nearly permanent. It's possible to expect a 20 - 30 year life expectancy from a properly executed repair. That isn't so bad if you ask me.
The trick to a long-lasting concrete repair lies in bonding the new material to the old material. Many people think that the new patching material will magically stick to the old concrete.
The concrete that makes up your steps, driveway, sidewalk, etc. is usually comprised of four basic ingredients: water, sand, gravel, and Portland cement. The cement is the glue that holds the sand and gravel together.
It does this my reacting chemically with the water that you add to the mixture.
Hydration
As soon as you add water to cement powder, a chemical reaction begins to happen. It's called hydration. Very tiny crystals begin to form. These crystals interlock with one another and lock into and onto any irregularities of the sand and gravel particles.
This chemical reaction is what's responsible for transforming the plastic mixture of concrete that resembles thick applesauce to solid rock hours later.
The more crystals that form, the stronger the bond will be. This means you don't want to add the minimum amount of Portland cement to your concrete that you're mixing for your repair.
Concrete Glue
Have you ever seen those home repair shows on TV? Some show the fairy-tale couple who mix a concrete batch up and pour it into a hole.
If we could go back and do an autopsy of the patch, we'd probably see lots of stones from the new mix that are touching the old concrete. A piece of stone aggregate is not going to bond to the old concrete.
It's very important to have a uniform amount of cement paste coating the old concrete. This is the primary reason for most concrete patch failures.
Secret Cement Paint
The old method of securing a patch involves simply mixing up a cement paint. I was lucky enough to be taught this trade secret by an old concrete mason when I was a young man.
Nothing could be simpler. You take Portland cement, add water until you have a paint consistency.
In the first three minutes of this video I show you how to mix up a batch of cement paint:
This cement paint is then brushed onto the old concrete surfaces where the new concrete material will touch it.
Great Concrete Patch Mix Video
Watch this video to see what the concrete mix should look like right before you pour it or use it as a patching material. I was mixing it to use to make large in-ground piers for a large shed.
It doesn't matter. I would have mixed it the SAME if I was doing a small repair.
Clean, Dust-Free and Damp
The area to be patched must be free of all loose stones and grit, free of all dust, and finally slightly damp.
Just before you're ready to install the concrete patching compound, you simply paint a thin coat of the cement paint onto the clean, solid, damp old concrete.
Immediately cover the cement paint with the patching compound. Never allow the cement paint to dry. It can dry rapidly if you're working in the sun on a hot day.
If you chose not to use cement paint, you can use many of the acrylic bonding agents that are available. These chemicals are not much different than the resins used in paints.
Here's a great bonding agent for concrete. It's affordable and works well. CLICK THE IMAGE NOW TO ORDER IT.
There are bonding agents that you add to the patching compound, and there are bonding agents that you paint onto the old concrete. You can actually use both, if you wish. These compounds work very well if you follow instructions to the letter.
Some of the bonding agents you paint on the old concrete must cure slightly before you add the patching compound. They are usually a milky white color when you paint them on.
Depending upon the temperature, wind, and humidity, they then become clear. When the agent turns clear you can then add the patching compound.
Pin the Patch
Large concrete patches such as a step, corner of a driveway, sidewalk, or patio must be attached to the old concrete with a mechanical pin. The cement glue or additives will not do the job on their own.
I've successfully employed standard reinforcing steel bars for years. They're inexpensive, easily obtainable, and the new concrete readily grabs onto the bumps and knobs on the reinforcing steel.
The rough profile of the bar also is an advantage when you drive it into the old concrete. As long as you drill the right sized hole for the rod it is virtually impossible to remove the rod. In fact, as you drive the rod into the old concrete it will feel tighter than when you drive a nail into wood.
Smaller galvanized nails can be used for pins as well for small repairs. Just size the pin for the amount of concrete you're installing. You want at least an inch of concrete to surround a pin.
Concrete Pins VIDEO
Watch this video below please to see what I'm talking about with respect to pins to hold one concrete patch to another.
This video is number five of a seven-part series about putting in a trench drain. In the video I wanted to show a homeowner how to deal with a situation where they ran out of concrete and how to hold the old to the new.
In this particular case, there was no need for the cement paint because the second layer of concrete I was adding was going around the entire drain.
Pay attention in the video how the pins are at opposing angles so they act like anchors once the new concrete hardens around them.
Installing the Pins
I've had the best luck in my repair work when I used 1/2 inch reinforcing steel driven into a 1/2 inch hole. Hammer drills quickly drill holes into old concrete.
If you don't own one, they can be rented at any tool rental shop. You can buy one if you plan to do lots of work. It will pay for itself.
I own this hammer drill and it's a top performer. The lithium-ion batteries provide all sorts of power. CLICK THE IMAGE to BUY IT NOW.
I prefer to drill at least a 3-4 inch-deep hole when possible. Try to stay away from the edges of the old concrete.
You want to drill directly into the center of the old concrete. Use a four-pound, or heavier, hammer to drive the steel pin.
The length of the pin should be predetermined. In other words, don't cut off the steel after it has been driven into the old concrete. Always try to maintain a 1 inch or better coverage of patching material over the pin.
If you have the time, I would also recommend that you paint the pin with a good metal primer. Rebars can and will rust within your concrete patch. If it gets bad enough, the rusting pin will expand and actually crack the patch! The extra time spent painting the steel pins is worth it.
X-0 Rust Paint
Here's an exceptional paint to use to paint steel rebar. It already has a primer in it so you can use it on bare steel.
Here's a spray paint that's great for steel beams and columns. It contains a metal primer. This brand also is available in quart or gallon cans if you have LOTS of steel to paint. CLICK THE IMAGE TO ORDER IT NOW.
Concrete Repairs in General
Loose paving bricks, flagstone, marble, sandstone, etc. can be successfully repaired. Keep in mind the earlier points concerning concrete paint, dust, and a rich patching compound.
Weather is also important. How many people think that hot or warm, dry, breezy weather is the best time to repair concrete? Raise your hands now.
This is the worst time to do these repairs! Hot sun and wind take the water out of concrete too fast. Water needs to be retained by the concrete for weeks so the magic crystals grow and grow.
Temperatures around 60 F with overcast skies and no rain forecast are the best conditions to do any concrete work.
Hydration Water
Remember earlier, when I said the cement needs water to start the chemical reaction that starts the crystals growing? The cement also needs water to maintain the chemical reaction.
How long? Well, let's say for 2 - 3 months or so. In actuality, it's really longer.
If you mix up a patching compound batch, install it in hot breezy weather, the water may leave the mix before enough crystal have grown. The patch will be very weak. It will crumble.
Has happened to you? Now you know why.
Dampen the Old Concrete
Take the time to dampen the area to be patched. Concrete absorbs water. You want to pre-load the old concrete with water so it doesn't suck too much water out of the cement paint and the repair compound.
Cure the Concrete
Take the time to cover your work with plastic after you are finished. You can also spray the patch with water after it has become stiff. Do this for 4 - 7 days and you will be amazed at how strong your patch will be!
If the patch is out in the open, try to shade it from the hot sun as well. You can do this by covering the patch with a piece of plywood or OSB that creates nice shade.
Mixing - Easy as 3 - 2 - 1 (Well maybe 1.5)!
Concrete patching material can be purchased two ways: premixed in bags or raw materials that you have to mix. The raw material route is almost always cheaper by a long shot. Plus, you'll have the necessary pure Portland cement on hand.
You need the Portland cement to make the cement paint.
Gravel Size
One thing you always need to keep in mind is the size of the gravel you need. If you're patching a deep hole, say 3 inches or deeper, you can use 1-inch gravel. This gravel has pieces of stone ranging in size from large grapes to small green peas.
Common sense would tell you that a shallow hole just can't be patched effectively with a mix containing large gravel. Shallow patches will require pea gravel or coarse sand!
Mix Formula
When you do use gravel in your mix, use these proportions:
3 parts gravel
2 parts coarse sand
1.5 parts cement
0.5 parts hydrated mason's lime
The old rule of thumb was always 3 - 2 - 1. However, since the cement is the glue and you only want to do the patch once, why not add a little extra cement?
Hydrated Lime - Secret Ingredient
Do you recall the great book written by J.R.R. Tolkien - The Fellowship of the Ring? In it was a powerful quote by the character Galadriel,
“And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge.”
This applies directly to hydrated lime. It's rapidly becoming a myth in the building industry. Hydrated lime is an amazing material that makes concrete stickier and it has mystical self-repair capabilities of micro-cracks that might develop in the concrete
I always mix hydrated lime in my repair mixes to boost the holding power of the mix.
This is excellent hydrated lime. It's a fine white powder and it's going to look great on your home. CLICK THE IMAGE TO ORDER SOME RIGHT NOW.
Thin Patches
If you're doing a stucco patch or replacing a flagstone, brick etc., you will not use gravel. Then mix:
2.5 parts medium sand
1 part cement
0.5 parts hydrated lime
Add just enough water to make the mix like stiff applesauce.
This will be a great mix. The patching compound should be at least 3/8 inch thick after it's applied.
Finishing Concrete
Finishing concrete is easy. It takes two things - a little time and some patience. Decent tools are recommended, but aren't always necessary.
Believe it or not, a simple block of wood will produce excellent results. I've done it on many occasions.
Sand to the Surface
To achieve a nice sand finish (the easiest), you need to drive the gravel pieces at least 1/4 inch below the surface. This can be done by rubbing a board across the top of the concrete patch back and forth in a seesaw fashion. You can also lightly pat the concrete just after it's poured or put into the patch form.
Do this several times after you initially pour the concrete. This board removes excess concrete and brings sand and cement to the surface.
Patience
Now you must be patient. Remember the magic crystals?
Every minute that passes, more and more grow. The only issue is the air temperature. The hotter it is and if the sun is beating on your concrete, the faster the crystals will form.
If it's cold out and the materials and mixing water were cold to start with, it can take hours and hours for the concrete to start to get firm enough to finish.
Pro Results
To achieve really nice finish results, enough crystals must form so that the surface of the concrete is firm but plastic. It's hard to describe.
But watch this video to get an idea of how firm the concrete must be so you can trowel it:
When you initially pour the concrete, the mix is fluid. This is no good, as your tool makes marks.
But if you wait too long, the concrete will get too hard and you'll have problems.
You simply need to watch over and experiment. Temperature and humidity play a big part in the set time. Watch yourself in hot weather. The concrete can get away from you!
No Added Water
NEVER trowel back in bleed water which will in many cases appear at the surface. Bleed water is what makes the concrete look as if it is sweating.
Bleed water happens because water is the lightest of the four ingredients in concrete.
Leave this water alone! It will evaporate quickly in most cases. Troweling it into the surface will weaken the surface of the concrete. You're diluting the cement! This is the primary cause of concrete scaling!
This is the same reason you don't want to add too much water to your concrete mix making it easy to install. Too much water weakens the concrete.
Smooth Steel-Trowel Finish
If you desire a smooth, steel trowel finish, you must first finish the surface and achieve a sand finish. This is done by gently swirling a wood float, block, or magnesium trowel over the stiffening concrete.
Once a few more crystals grow, the concrete can be finished with a steel trowel. This trowel and skilled workmanship bring the cement paste to the surface. As this hardens, you can get a surface as slick as glass. It's truly and art form. Don't expect perfect results your first try.
DEAR TIM:I feel our new home has some serious problems but our builder disagrees. The house is less than 6 months old but we have ugly white deposits that are leaching out of our chimney, a wing wall that juts from a corner of our home and a retaining wall
I feel there must be something wrong for this to happen. The more I scrub the worse the problem gets. What's wrong and what can be done to fix the problem? Andrew M., Loveland, OH
DEAR ANDREW: Don't put the noose around the builder's neck just yet. The white deposits you are seeing are probably not his fault, although there might have been some things he could have done during construction to minimize the presence of the powder.
No Harm No Foul
The first thing to realize is that these mineral deposits are just an aesthetic problem. They don't compromise the structural integrity of any of the masonry in and about your new home, but chronic water that gets into masonry can cause problems over time.
The white powder you see is efflorescence. The brick, stone, concrete block, mortar etc. contain water soluble salts that are the source of the white deposits. Soil behind retaining walls can also contain these same salts.
These trapped salts are set into motion when water enters masonry. The water dissolves the salts and carries them through the masonry towards the surface. Sunlight and wind draw the water to the surface but as the water evaporates, the salts are left behind.
Years to Wear Out
The salts contained in the brick, mortar, stone, concrete block eventually exhaust themselves and the white mineral deposits simply go away. But salts within soil can persist for decades.
This is why efflorescence on the face of a retaining wall is almost impossible to cure unless you remove the backfill, clean the wall and apply an asphalt waterproofing compound on the back of the wall.
IMPORTANT TIP: Do NOT try to wash off the powder deposits with water or an acid-water solution.
Each time you try to wash the chimney and wall surfaces to remove the salts, you actually compound the problem. The water you use dissolves the salts again and carries them back into the mortar or the masonry.
The surfaces typically look fantastic when wet and you think you've solved your problem, but the white powder appears again when the surfaces dry within hours or days.
How To Stop It
To stop the efflorescence now, you must stop all water from entering the masonry surfaces. This is somewhat easy to do at the chimney and any exterior masonry walls, but far more difficult to do with the retaining wall.
If you stop the water, there is no transport medium to carry the soluble salts to the surface where you'll see them.
Efflorescence Video
Watch this video to grasp what you're up against.
Silane Siloxane Water Repellents
Your chimney and wing wall can be treated with a great silane-siloxane water repellent. This is a clear liquid you apply with a garden hand-pump sprayer. They'll travel deep into the masonry if you have a helper using a backpack leaf blower.
As you spray the wall with the clear liquid, the helper blasts the wall with the air from the blower. This air pushes the sealer deep into the masonry.
This is a magnificent silane - siloxane water repellent that soaks into concrete. CLICK THIS IMAGE NOW TO ORDER IT.
Here is classic efflorescence. This brick is at my daughter's school and is only 2-years old. This is a small wing wall and the top of it can get wet. Efflorescence is very common on new brick and stonework.
Retaining Wall Woes
The retaining wall that's backfilled with dirt should have been treated as it was built. The back side of the wall where the dirt touches it needs to be coated with an asphalt waterproofing compound.
If the wall builder had done this, even if it was just liquid asphalt, that would have stopped water infiltration into the wall.
Remove The Fill
It's very hard to do now as the fill behind the wall will have to be removed, the wall cleaned and allowed to dry and finally the back side of the wall can be waterproofed. Too bad this wasn't done when the wall was built.
It would have taken hours instead of the days it will now take to stop the efflorescence.
Mild Weather
I would not try to do any remedial work until the weather moderates. You want days where the temperature rises to 65 F or above to get excellent results from the sealants and water repellents.
Be sure to inspect the chimney crown for cracks that might allow water to enter the chimney's masonry core. If you discover cracks, you need a different elastomeric coating for the chimney crown.
The one stone in the center bottom of this photograph is completely covered with a thick layer of minerals. It is perhaps the worst case of efflorescence I have ever seen other than deposits in a cave.
Tough Love Talk
I think you should have a discussion with your builder to see if he will help you out with the retaining wall fix. Perhaps he can excavate the fill and clean the wall and you apply the waterproofing compound. The builder can then backfill since he has access to equipment that can do it rapidly and easily.
Can You Wait?
Efflorescence happens. It is part of building new things. It eventually goes away on its own, but this process can take years, even decades. When possible, it's best to just let the problem diminish on its own.
Stopping water from entering masonry is the best way to make efflorescence stop. But it is not as easy as one might think. Water can enter masonry and travel up, down and sideways!
Rising Damp
You can actually get efflorescence on masonry walls caused by moisture in the soil that wicks up a wall. In Europe this is called the rising damp. It's almost impossible to cure this defect.
Efflorescence growing in the mortar of a brick fireplace. PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Hannum
Over the years, I've seen many different spellings of efflorescence. Here's my growing list: effervesce, effervescence, effervescent, effleresants, effloreflance, efflorescence, efflorressance, effluorescence, eflorescence, eflorescents, ellforesce and ifflorescence.
Tar paper has a proven track record of success. It will keep this shed dry for hundreds of years if the shed is maintained. (C) Copyright 2017 Tim Carter CLICK HERE or THE IMAGE NOW TO BUY TAR PAPER
DEAR TIM:I'm building a room addition, and as I demolished my outside wall, I discovered tar paper was in the wall. I thought tar paper was just used on roofs.
Why did they use tar paper in the wall? Should I use it on the walls of my room addition? What about all the new fancy products I see that were developed to replace tar paper? It's all very confusing. Rob R., Lebanon, OH
DEAR ROB: I'd wager that hundreds of thousands of houses here in the USA, and possibly millions across the world, are still standing because smart builders of old used tar paper as a weather barrier.
You're correct that it's been used under roofing for years to help keep wood dry. It does the same thing on walls if given the chance.
Demolition Proves Tap Paper Works Well
I've also had the pleasure of tearing apart many an old exterior wall. On just about every one that was wood-framed, I found tar paper under the exterior siding material.
The tar paper had become brittle in almost all situations, but it still worked. You could put water on the black paper, the water beaded up and didn't penetrate to the wood behind.
Old-Growth Lumber
I don't know what builders of old used before tar paper, but I can only assume that once crude oil was discovered and then refined for it's many current uses, builders immediately saw the benefits of a waterproof product made from oil that could be applied in sheets.
One reason homes built before the 1900's didn't rot at the alarming rate you see lumber rot today is the old homes use old-growth timber.
This timber has a much more equal ratio of hard, dense summer wood to the less-dense spring wood. Summer wood is the dark band you see at the end of a cut log. Springwood is the light-colored band.
The spring wood is added to the tree in the spring when water is usually abundant. Come July, the wood that's added is much denser because it's usually dry that time of year. The summer wood, by it's very nature, is very rot resistant.
How Tar Paper is Made
Tar paper used to be made by soaking a porous paper made from cotton rag scraps with thinned liquid asphalt. Asphalt, of course, is one of the final products that comes out of a catalytic convertor that's used to refine crude oil.
The paper comes in different weights. The most common weights are 15-pound and 30-pound tar paper. The 30-pound tar paper is heavier and has much more asphalt in it.
Not the Same
While impossible to know unless you do an expensive analysis, the asphalt used to make modern tar paper contains much more oxygen than it should.
The tar paper made between 1900 and 1980 probably will last far longer than the tar paper made today.
Fiberglass Mats
Much of today's tar paper is made using multiple fiberglass mats as the cotton rag industry has declined significantly over the past few decades. This is just part of the reason why fiberglass shingles were introduced. There simply was a shortage of cotton scrap to make the mats that are the foundation of shingles.
The big reason fiberglass pushed aside cotton-fiber mats was they could run the giant mills three times faster than if they used cotton. This means more profits for the asphalt shingle manufacturers.
UV Damage
Since felt paper gets covered with something not long after it's installed, there's little chance it will degrade. The ultraviolet rays from the sun attack the exposed asphalt and cause it to oxidize and cross link with adjacent asphalt molecules. This cross linking makes the asphalt brittle.
Tar Paper is Time Tested
Using tar paper to protect wood sheathing and wood framing members on houses, room additions or outdoor sheds is a fantastic idea. This time-tested product is affordable, it's easy to work with and it's readily available.
Tar Paper Video
Watch this video to show you tar paper being installed on a large shed I built in the summer of 2013.
Overlap Correctly
The trick is to make sure you install it so it overlaps correctly. You want each piece to overlap the piece below it. Feathers on birds, fur on animals and shingles on a roof use this same method to stop water penetration.
It's all about shedding water. There are pre-printed lines on the tar paper that help show you where to end the overlap. Usually 2 inches is plenty on a horizontal seam. If you have a vertical seam where one piece ends and another starts, make the overlap at least 6 inches.
Overlap the Top of Your Foundation
Another great installation tip is to make sure the first strip of tar paper is installed so it overlaps the top of the foundation at least an inch. You want any water that does get behind the siding to run down and never be allowed to get near any wood. Many homeowners and builders fail to create this mission-critical overlap at the foundation.
New Weather Barriers
The newer weather barriers made from synthetic fabrics are great products. I've used them as well as tar paper. Some of the new products come in tall 10-foot-wide rolls that allow you to cover a typical one-story house with only one vertical overlap seam!
Here's a typical synthetic water barrier that takes the place of tar paper. This material is 4-feet wide and 250-feet long! CLICK THE IMAGE NOW TO BUY IT.
It's not uncommon to have a roll that's over 100 feet long, if not longer.
You surely can't do that with tar paper as it usually only comes in rolls 3-feet wide. This means you'll have at least four horizontal overlap seams in a typical single-story home.
More Labor
Tar paper will take more labor to install than the newer wider synthetic weather barriers, but if you're doing the work, it costs you just your time. You just need to do the math to see what material will save you money.
Drainage Channels
Some of the newer weather barriers have great drainage channels built into them. These channels help direct water quickly down and away from the exterior siding material. They also promote quick drying allowing air to get behind any siding. This is a good thing.
Tar paper does not offer this. Siding applied directly over tar paper creates a sandwich effect and can trap water between the siding material and the tar paper.
If you want vertical drainage with tar paper, you have to add treated lumber strips on top of the tar paper. This is a time-intensive process and requires all sorts of skill.
I don't add vertical drainage strips on my jobs when using tar paper because I take the time to install the siding so that water will have a very tough time getting to the tar paper. Just use the best practices when installing siding and you'll get the same results.
