March 13, 2022 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

Issue #1173 (I think...)

Can you nudge Patrice and Jana and ask them to keep it down a bit? I know you're sitting with them at the New Subscriber table. Look to your left and you'll see Tess, Jeff, and RJ. Swivel your noggin to the right and you'll notice Carol, Joe, Stephanie, and a gaggle of others who are experiencing their first newsletter along with you. WOOT! Thanks for your trust.

But what about you? It's possible you signed on with Issue #515. Do you recall this photo?
blue and red akro plastic parts bins

I discovered these amazing plastic parts bins back when I was building a room addition for Rachel and Dale Friemoth in Maderia, Cincinnati. Once Dale introduced me to these affordable time savers, I purchased about 100 of them to use on the shelves in the back of my covered utility body.

That truck bed had 48 linear feet of shelves to put them on! My Ford F-250 was a hardware store on wheels. The bins made sure I always had the correct bolt, screw, anchor, pipe fitting, wire nut, etc. I rarely had to stop working to leave the job site to get a needed fastener or part.

You will LOVE these bins as much as I do. I still have all of my original ones as well as new larger ones. They come in different sizes and a multitude of colors.

You might discover it's best to store things by color. Nails could be in blue bins, screws in red bins, plumbing fittings in yellow bins, etc.

You'll be so organized! Look here to discover more tips on this type of storage and to PURCHASE the EXACT high-quality bins I've used for over 40 years.

House Inspection Checklist

Point your peepers at this photo and tell me if you feel it would be a good idea to have my home inspection checklist on your phone or in your hand when you walk through it to see if you should put in an offer to buy it.

victorian house laconia nh

What things inside or outside the house are deal breakers? Do you know what it costs to hire an ASHI home inspector? They're the BEST inspectors out there but why hire one to only discover the house isn't worth buying?

Why not discover the deal breakers BEFORE spending all that money with an inspector to then start the house-looking process all over again?

You can save well over $500 by using my house inspection checklist!

Spring Work Gloves

If you live down South, then you've already started your spring projects. Well over 217,345,908 other USA citizens are still waiting for warmer and slightly drier weather.

You may want to try out these gloves to protect your hands that got soft over the winter:
leather work glove on hand

I've been testing these gloves all winter shoveling snow and I find them to be extremely comfortable.

Go here to see other photos and to see what I loved about the gloves.

Spring Shed Project

I want you to look again at the photo below. It was in last week's newsletter. How would you like to have a handsome shed like this? How would you like over-the-phone help if you get stuck building your new shed?
ADA compliant Shovel Man
You have the skills to build a simple shed like this. Remember, elephants are eaten one bite at a time. You start buy investing in an excellent set of plans that will allow you to easily visualize all the components of the shed, including where each wall stud goes!

Get the shed plans now and let's you and I build the shed of your dreams this spring. What say you?

victorian shed

Join my Discord!

This past week. I got set up on Discord with the help of a new friend. It's a fascinating SAFE platform that will allow you to hang out with me and lots of other Ask the Builder friends whenever you have a chance. It reminds me of a coffee shop, a conference center, and in some ways the new wing of my high school with nine different classrooms.

Watch a few videos to get your head around this amazing technology. I believe within SECONDS you'll see how you and I can use the amazing Discord technology to SAVE YOU LOTS OF TIME AND MONEY.

Perhaps the biggest benefit is you can often get an answer to a problem you have 24 hours a day. Some other Discord user might be in the Ask the Builder area sipping a latte or working on a wood lathe. She or he will stop and help you if I'm sawing logs or otherwise busy.

Think of Discord as the Comment Section under any of the columns on my website (they currently don't work!), but on the most powerful steroids known to woman or man.

screenshot Ask the Builder Discord server
You can join Discord for FREE and:

  • start to discuss home improvement topics with new friends
  • share photos of your projects
  • ask any questions about anything
  • discover really cool links that I share during my LIVE video streams
  • uncover so much more

I realize you're a busy person, so the Discord platform allows you to interact with me if I'm on it during the day or you can get help from others who might have the same interests as you.

We've set up quite a few topic areas if you just want to hang out in those places. Check out in the left column all the topic areas. Realize I can ADD MORE if you don't see a topic area you'd like. Just ask me to do it.

I think you get the point. Trust me, you'll be WISE to join my Discord. Remember, it's FREE!

That's enough for a Sunday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
HILTON HOTELS Uses - www.StainSolver.com
Mr. DX - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!
P.S. Do you know how to attach a treated lumber bottom plate to concrete using only regular nails? Come on, tell the truth for goodness sake! Go discover how I do it.

House Inspection Checklist for Buying/Renovating

Posted on by Tim Carter
restoring an old house

House Inspection Checklist - Are you thinking of renovating an old house like this? You better get my checklist! Copyright 2022 Tim Carter

House Inspection Checklist - The Best One is Here

Not too long ago, I was driving to get an estimate to install a new muffler on my truck. It was just after sunrise and a large sewer project forced me to detour across a street I’d never been on before. As luck would have it, I happened upon an old Victorian house that had seen far better days just as the early-morning sun was giving her a tender morning kiss. It brought back vivid memories of the first old house I purchased and then renovated in the following months.

Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” I can speak to the validity of this, and fortunately, I didn’t know much when I purchased that wonderful quaint 3-bedroom home in an FHA auction in the spring of 1975 for $8,000.00.

2865 Minto Ave Cincinnati

This is the first house I owned located at 2865 Minto Avenue in Cincinnati, OH! It's still in marvelous shape as of 2021. I remember dumping all the plaster from the second-floor rooms into a chute we had made that extended out from that upper dormer window on the far right. The plaster chunks went into Tony Albanese's 3/4-ton 1950s pickup truck with the flat-head engine in the driveway creating a massive dust storm. I'm sure the neighbors were most unhappy. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter

If I knew then what I know now after all these years of working in old homes for paying customers, I don’t know if I would have purchased it. To be sure, visions of grandeur were floating in my head and that of my new wife of six months just as they did in Mr. Blanding’s in the hilarious Cary Grant movie Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream Home.


I had all sorts of support from my father-in-law who happened to be a medical doctor but real-estate investing was his hobby. But I lacked a wonderful checklist that would have helped me identify possible trouble spots and definite deal-breakers. As I marched through life, I accumulated the hard-earned knowledge that has allowed me to create a really helpful old house inspection checklist.

Foundation

Here are a few things that you should think about if you’re about to go all-in as I did back on that warm spring day. First and foremost, you need to make sure the old house has a great foundation. Just recently, my son was thinking of purchasing an old house and he sent me a photo of a diagonal crack extending from the corner of a basement window down to the floor. The house was almost 100 years old. The crack was less than 1/8th inch in width and there was no evidence of water seepage and the concrete was not offset.

foundation shrinkage crack

The red arrows point to the crack in the house my son was looking at. It's probably 100 years old. Note it's not wide and there's no offset. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter

My wife thought this was a major defect. I pointed out that it’s normal for concrete to shrink as it cures and cracks at window-opening corners are as common as flies at a summer picnic. The fact there was no water seepage and the concrete was still in the same plane telegraphed to me that there was nothing to worry about. After all, this crack had been there for probably 99 years!

It’s important that the old house’s framing, or bones, are in great shape with no cracks, wood rot, or insect damage. The carpenters of old knew how to keep wood in great shape and most made prudent use of simple tar paper to keep the structure dry for decades.

Plumbing - Is it Cast Iron?

The mechanical systems are next. The presence of cast-iron plumbing stacks is not an issue, especially if you can see the cast letters XH on the pipe. These letters indicate that pipe is extra heavy and might last for hundreds of years so long as the previous homeowners didn’t put liquid drain cleaners down the pipes.

cast iron pipe

Here's a typical cast iron drain pipe. It's suspended from the ceiling in a stairwell in one of the oldest buildings in Southwest Harbor, Maine. You can see how the lettering is cast into the pipe. Since you don't see the XH in the lettering, it means it's standard weight. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter

If you do see cast-iron plumbing vertical pipes, it almost certainly means you’ll have smaller horizontal galvanized pipes that drain sinks, showers, and possibly tubs. These pipes will almost always be in poor shape and require replacement.

Electrical Wiring

Old electric wires and cables found in most houses built in the early 1900s simply were not designed for today’s modern appliances. You can count on having to install lots of new cables to kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and other rooms where you might have appliances that consume lots of power.

HVAC System

Don’t underestimate the cost to retrofit your heating and cooling system. Many very old houses simply don’t have the supply and return air registers in the correct locations.

HVAC Return Air

The red arrow points to a large wall-mounted hvac return-air vent. The furnace or air handler is probably on the other side of the wall behind that door. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter

My first house had all the supply vents located on the inside of the house. Decades ago HVAC pros discovered it’s best to flood exterior walls with either heated air in the winter and cool air in the summer. That means the return air registers must be across the room on inside walls. I doubt you’ll see this setup on a house built in 1905!

Lead Paint

If the house was built long before 1967, you can be sure it’s got lead paint both inside and outside. You don’t have to get rid of it, but you most definitely need to understand how to work with it so you don’t get poisoned or poison a loved one. Even scraping exterior lead paint is an issue as you can contaminate soil you may use for a vegetable garden. Never ever sand lead paint.

Trim Woodwork

Realize that you can match both interior and exterior wood trim if you’ve got a big budget. Old-fashioned lumberyards in your area might have their own mill or they know of a local one that can cut new knives that will create matching profiles for all the fancy woodwork inside or outside your home.

custom woodwork with mill profile cutter blades

This is custom woodwork I had made to match window and door trim in a Victorian house built in 1900! Woodworking mills can create any profile you can draw. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter

Checklist

I offer a very helpful checklist that can save you hundreds of dollars on a professional home inspector. It points out many of the deal-breakers. Once you find a house that gets a good rating from my checklist, then hire an ASHI inspector. Here’s where to procure my checklist. Be SURE to click on this link:

Get the Best House Inspection Checklist

Column 1446

Aunt Margaret

Posted on by Tim Carter

This remembrance was written in 2009. There's no embellishment whatsoever.

Margaret Carter Foltzer

“Let’s go visit Aunt Margaret,” my Dad said. If I’d had a mirror in front of me, there’s no doubt my eyes and grin were wider than an airplane-hanger door. Margaret was my Dad’s older sister, and she lived with my Uncle Louie in a majestic old home in North Avondale, an original suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. Aunt Margaret was a fun aunt. Trips to her house were guaranteed good times.

margaret carter foltzer

Aunt Margaret is on the right in the stunning flouncy dress. She was 31 in this photo. What a piece of eye candy. WOWZA! I have no clue who the older woman is but she could be my grandmother!

Aunt Margaret was a magical woman. I’m not an expert in human genetics, but there’s not a doubt in my mind that my positive attitude, Peter-Pan maturity and my-cup-is-overflowing outlook are directly related to her DNA. Aunt Margaret always greeted me with a huge smile, a hug, and something nice to say, except for those days when Uncle Louie had stretched her patience tighter than a banjo string.

Once my Dad and I got to Marge’s house, my Dad called her that, we entered through the back door into her huge kitchen with soaring 10-foot ceilings. I remember it was a Saturday and for some reason that always meant moist cinnamon coffee cake was somewhere on the counter. Margaret knew that I savored this treat and no sooner had I entered the room from the climb up the outside steps she inquired, “Timmy, how about a piece of coffee cake?”

margaret carter foltzer

Here's Aunt Margaret fishing in Florida. No sunscreen back then!

My face told her all she needed to know. Standing in the center of the kitchen, she handed me a generous piece of the pastry. Not wanting to sit down, I immediately took a bite and crumbs exploded from the edges of my mouth landing on her spotless floor. She just laughed poking fun at her brother asking him if they never fed me at home. Aunt Margaret always teased my Dad, but it was all in good fun. That’s what most brothers and sisters do.

Once I devoured the last bite of the coffee cake, Aunt Margaret chuckled, “Well Timmy, you made a little mess. Let’s clean it up.” She didn’t get a broom or a mop out of the closet. In one quick motion, she touched the crumbs with the tips of her fingers and they stuck to her skin like nails to a magnet. I was dumbfounded. In my five long years on the planet’s face, I had never seen crumbs magically attracted to fingers like that. The floor was spotless and she just laughed. What was this mystic power that my Aunt possessed? Just like all professional magicians, she didn’t reveal her secret, but years later I figured it out.

My First Time

Aunt Margaret and Uncle Louie loved to entertain. I have crystal-clear memories of adult parties at their home. My sister and I would amuse ourselves running up and down the plush carpeted stairs to their second floor as the adults talked about money, politics, work and who knows what. The steps were unlike any I had ever seen. When you got to the top of the steps, the hallway went left and right. It was the coolest thing ever.

Margaret was all about appearances. She dressed to the nines, had gorgeous black hair and a drop-dead gorgeous smile. Although not full-figured, she was very attractive. She applied this same set of standards to the buffet of food at her parties. The sterling silver and cut-glass platters, bowls and silverware gleamed. They were filled with all sorts of scrumptious food and treats. The sideboard table in the dining room where they all resided was as crowded with people as opening day at the Reds baseball stadium.

margaret carter foltzer

Even as she aged, Aunt Margaret was gorgeous. This photo was probably shot in the late 1960s at Aunt Juanita's 3rd wedding is my best guess.

At one particular party she gently took my hand while no one was watching and whispered in my ear. “Timmy, I’ve got something I want to show you. Come with me,” the words escaped her lips like a puff of fragrant spring air. We walked across the crowded dining room to the sidebar table that was overflowing with food of all sorts.

“Try this for me please,” she purred with a smile on her face. Aunt Margaret had never led me down the wrong path. I trusted her more than an explorer does a compass. But she was handing me the strangest white thing I’d ever seen, and it appeared to be covered in thick blood. I must have grimaced and pulled back, but with her lips inches from mine, she softly implored, “I know you’ll love this. Go ahead and take a bite.”

Mustering up all the courage a kid can when presented with a strange food, I gulped and didn’t disappoint her. After all, it was Aunt Margaret, I loved her, and she was looking deeply into my eyes as any temptress would. At that instant in time, I’m convinced she wanted me to eat that cocktail shrimp more than she wanted life itself. She knew how good they were, and she wanted to be the first person to show me.

I bit down into the ice-cold crustacean, and the cocktail sauce flavor set my mouth slightly ablaze. There was just enough horseradish in the ketchup to give the sauce a tangy flavor. The firmness of the shrimp was intoxicating, not to mention it was tasty. Aunt Margaret’s laughter undoubtedly was sparked by my eyes lighting up in response to the heat and taste. I’m sure my request for more intensified her chuckle.

Aunt Margaret was but one of my fun aunts. All three of her other sisters had great smiles, perky personalities and each took me under their wings in a special way. Thelma, Juanita, and Edna Mae were a bright spot in my childhood, but Margaret’s magical fingers are something I’ll never forget, much less her raven hair, sweet smile, and taste in food.

As I’ve grown older, I’m convinced Margaret saw herself in me. I often have that same vision when I see children. You just seem to be able to predict what they’ll turn out to be. I wish Margaret was still alive today, so she could see if her intuition was spot on. Now that I think about it she didn’t need the proof - she already knew. God bless you, Aunt Margaret!

March 6, 2022 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

Issue 1172

I know why you're sitting at that huge table with Robert, Holt, Tyrone, Mary, Carol, Juan, and about 70 others. This is your first issue! Pop the cork and let's celebrate!

But what about you? It's possible this is your 269th issue. Can you go back in time and recall this photo?
flood damaged hardwood floor

Did you look closely at what's under the flooring? I'm talking about the other pieces of wood? What's going on? If you don't know, it would behoove you to read this column especially since Spring rains are upon us!

Magnolia Schools & STAIN SOLVER

A few days ago, the Magnolia School District in Anaheim, California, placed their THIRD order for STAIN SOLVER. They order HUNDREDS of pounds at a time.

Nicole, an administrative assistant in the facility management department, said to me on the phone, "You really need to contact every school in California. Tell them we love using STAIN SOLVER to clean all surfaces in the schools. We want to use a certified organic cleaner and keep our kids SAFE. STAIN SOLVER is magic!"

We've embarked on reaching out to every California school using a great CA Department of Education website.

You can help us too. What about keeping your kids or grands SAFE? What about your students if you're a teacher? Are you directly or indirectly connected to a school in your community?

If so, can you reach out to the facility manager and share Nicole's comments? Can you help us grow STAIN SOLVER organically?

One of the least-known attributes of STAIN SOLVER is its ability to deep clean surfaces. If you keep surfaces wet with the solution for a bit over 30 minutes, you can remove just about all bacteria and de-activate viruses.

Doing this achieves what you can do with chlorine bleach, but without the nasty smell and danger of ruining something by destroying a fabric or removing the color of the item. You know how dangerous it is to use chlorine bleach for goodness sake!

If you're not familiar with what STAIN SOLVER can do, understand it's a multi-purpose cleaner that cleans anything water washable. It SAFELY gets out stains other cleaners struggle with.

STAIN SOLVER is non-toxic, there's no odor, it's both fabric and color-safe.

WATCH the videos here and see why STAIN SOLVER is magic.

Look at the photos Lorene sent me showing the before/after of her Kuerig Duo coffee carafe. You simply won't believe her story.

By the way, my favorite all-time before/after photos sent in by a customer can be found here. Before you look at the AFTER photo, try to guess the color of the cap.

Limestone Garden Walls & Arches

Look at this photo of a limestone arch my grandfather built with his own hands. He was a baker for goodness sake!

limestone garden wall arch

You should see the fountain he built as well as the giant apartment building. Wait until you read the mysterious newspaper clipping from the 1930s!!!

Amazing Flashlight

I wanted to share with you again this fantastic flashlight I use weekly. I LOVE LOVE LOVE its extra night-vision red LED light in case you need it while setting up camp after sunset or on a hike in the dark to see an owl moon!

coast px20 flashlight

You should really read my review of the Coast PX20. When you do, I guarantee you'll buy one or two for yourself and your soulmate.

Spring Shed Project

Is this the year you've decided to build that shed you've been putting off? How would you like an ultra-detailed set of plans to work from? My plans show you how to build your shed EVEN THOUGH YOUR SHED may not be the exact same size as the ones on the plan.

Look at the photo just below. I can help you build that shed or any shed you need!

Here's the best part. Let's say you need a nudge or help over a hump. I offer phone coaching to give you the confidence to get the job done right with no wasted time or money.
ADA compliant Shovel Man
I did three calls last fall with Cosmo out in Seattle. With my help he was able to get his deluxe shed completed before the big rains came.

Get the shed plans now and let's you and I build the shed of your dreams this spring. What say you?
victorian shed

What You're MISSING

My LIVE video streaming is going really well. I've made quite a few new friends. We get to chat in real time during the stream.

This past week here's what you've missed by not watching LIVE. Remember, when you watch LIVE, you can ask me questions in real time!!!

History of Ask the Builder Part ONE

History of Ask the Builder Part TWO

How to Clean a Coffee Maker - Secret Tips

How to Clean a Deck - BIGGEST MISTAKES!!!

Bottom Line: You can ask me any question about your house M-F during my LIVE stream that begins at 4 PM ET. Go here to watch the LIVE stream.

Try it and be amazed.

That's enough for a Sunday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
HILTON HOTELS Uses - www.StainSolver.com
Mr. DX - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Do you know how this starts a fire with NO FLAME?

waterproof electric arc lighter

This could SAVE YOUR LIFE out on a hike. I recommend you get one. I've started quite a few fires with mine.

March 5, 2022 Last Call

Posted on by Tim Carter

If you're a new subscriber in the past six days, this is a LAST CALL alert. I send these when a sale is about to expire. A normal newsletter will be delivered to you early tomorrow morning.

Sewer Gas Smell Book
Price DOUBLES Tomorrow

Last week, I announced my newest eBook - Sewer Gas Smell. I gave you a 50% discount if you bought it over the last seven days.

The seventh day is TODAY. The SALE PRICE ends tomorrow as soon as I turn on my computer and have had three sips of coffee.

You can SAVE $15.00 NOW.

Do you know what it costs to have a plumber or two come out and SCRATCH THEIR HEADS not solving your sewer gas problem and driving away with your money?

Yes, hundreds of dollars. My book will SAVE YOU ALL THAT MONEY!

It only takes 30 minutes to read this short book. You can almost always FIX the sewer gas issue yourself.

GO HERE NOW and DOWNLOAD my Sewer Gas Smell eBook. You'll never regret doing it.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
MASTER Plumber since 1981

Limestone Wall and Arch

Posted on by Tim Carter
Rock wall with arch

Limestone Wall and Arch | My grandfather, who was a baker, built decorative garden walls and arches like this. So can you! Photos of his work from the 1930s are just below. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter

Limestone Wall and Arch

My grandfather was a baker in Cincinnati, Ohio in the very early 1900s. He and my grandmother owned and operated a neighborhood bakery in Clifton Heights, just 400 feet from where I was born. Once he retired, he decided to build an eight-unit apartment building just down the street from the bakery. He named it Valley View because it had a commanding view of the Mill Creek Valley. I never got to meet him as he was sent to Heaven fifteen years before I was born.

valley view apartments by William Carter

This is the actual building my grandfather built. It was done in horrible financial conditions with the Great Depression raging.

valley view apartments Cincinnati OH circa 1930

You can see why my grandfather named his dream Valley View. See its roof? See how it has a commanding view of the Mill Creek Valley from all second-floor apartments?

newspaper clipping of Valley View plans

What intrigue!!! I'd love to ask my grandfather what in the holy heck was going on here!

There are quite a few photos of him in the family photo albums of him standing next to limestone walls, arches, and a stone fountain he built with his own hands in the apartment building gardens. They were gorgeous and keep in mind there were no YouTube videos to watch, probably no great DIY books at the local library, or home improvement shows to watch on cable TV. Somehow, somewhere my grandfather gleaned the information to build stone walls and arches on his own. You can do it to with his inspiration and a little help from me.

limestone arch cincinnati oh

My grandfather built this. He was a baker for goodness sake! You can do this too.

Almost all stone is suitable as a building material for outdoor walls, arches, and fountains. After all, the rock most likely has withstood thousands of years of exposure before it was quarried or hand-picked from a road cut or stream bed. My grandfather used pieces of fossiliferous limestone that is abundant in Cincinnati, Ohio. Limestone is an excellent material to use. There are thousands of buildings all over the USA that use fine-grained limestone for their facades. It’s extremely durable.

Charles Carter sitting at stone fountain

That's my grandfather sitting next to a fountain he built behind his Valley View apartment building.

Do Limestone Walls and Arches Need Footings?

Whenever you build with limestone outdoors, it’s wise to install a sturdy foundation or footing. This is true no matter what stone you use. If you live where the soil freezes, be sure the bottom of this footing is below the local frost level. The footing helps spread the load of what you’re building on the soil below. I prefer my footings to be at poured concrete at least 8 inches thick with 5/8-inch-diameter steel bars in it every 2 feet on center to ensure the footing doesn’t fall apart or bend. The footing should be no less than 2 feet wider than the wall or arch structure you’re going to build. You can discover more about how to build a footing here.

If you’re building a retaining wall that’s 4 feet high or shorter, you’ll rarely get into trouble. The issue with retaining walls is the tipping force increases at a greater rate the higher the wall goes. Any wall over 6-feet tall should be designed by a structural engineer that has a deep history of producing plans for retaining walls. You can discover the different types of retaining walls you can build out of limestone here.

How Do I Start Building With Limestone?

Laying limestone can be challenging and I suggest you build a small test structure first to get the hang of it. Be sure the stone is clean and dust-free so the Portland cement mortar will adhere well. Most stones you work with are slightly tougher to work with than brick. Brick has suction and when you lay brick, the brick absorbs the water in the mortar quite fast. This allows the mortar to get stiff within minutes.

This doesn’t always happen with stone so you often have to make the mortar mix a little drier. When working with limestone like my grandfather used, you can rest assured his mortar mix resembled mashed potatoes, not applesauce.

What Type of Mortar is Best for Limestone?

I recommend you use a strong mortar that’s one part Portland cement, three parts medium or coarse sand, and 1/2 part hydrated lime. The hydrated lime will make the mortar a little more sticky and it greatly enhances the strength of the mortar over time. All three ingredients are quite inexpensive.

If you have the time and want extra adhesion between the mortar mix and the stone, you can coat the top of each stone with cement paint just before applying the mortar mix. Most people won’t have the patience to do this. Cement paint is just a mixture of Portland cement and clear water. You blend the two so it’s the consistency of regular latex paint.

Are Limestone Arches Hard to Build?

Stone arches are not that hard to build. The Internet is littered with videos and photographs of the arch form you need to build using plywood or oriented strand board. The arch form needs to be as wide as the stones that are being used to create the arch.

What Prevents the Arch From Collapsing?

The walls that the arch sits upon need to be substantial. You can get clues, guidance, and inspiration once again from photographs of arches that are as plentiful on the Internet as opinions about current events. You need to realize that gravity is pulling on the arch and wanting to spread the vertical walls below it apart. Robust walls will resist Mother Nature’s desire to bring the walls to the ground for many many decades.

arched stone bridge

You can build arches with NO MORTAR like these two bridges. They are in southwest New Hampshire and used to carry car and truck traffic. You can build a smaller version for foot and pony traffic. Photo Credit: Tim Carter

To give you an idea of how big to make the walls, you should look at the stone archway that graces the entrance to Avon Fields Golf Course in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Refer to the photo at the top of this column.) There you’ll discover a limestone decorative structure that has an arched opening that’s about 3 feet wide. The walls on either side of this opening you can walk through are just a little bit over 3 feet wide as well. This stone arch has been in place for almost 100 years with minimal maintenance and still looks magnificent.

Before you start your project, I urge you to look at hundreds of photographs of stone walls, arches, etc. to get an idea of what’s possible. Pay close attention to how the mason cut and fit the stones in the arch. I know you can do this and think of the company you’ll be in!

Column 1445

February 27, 2022 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

Newsletter Issue #1171

Is this your first issue? It might be if you're Jan, Rocco, Julie, Jason, Barb, Steven, Arla, and about 100 others who became part of my virtual family in the past seven days. Welcome! You're in very fine company I might say. This issue is chock full of tips and a special announcement about my latest book!

You, though, might be a dusty subscriber like Josh. He subscribed about fifteen years ago! If a little dust has accumulated on you for lots of years, you might remember this very basic column I penned explaining the most basic things you need to know if you're about to build a deck.

Work Boot Review

Not only do I get to test tools, but I often test work clothes and boots. Boots and shoes might not seem like intimate clothing articles but they are. It's not as easy to get a comfortable fit as you might think. Just look at the shape of peoples' feet the next time you're at the beach!
timberland pro direct attach boot

I recommend you go here to discover the brand and model of these boots. They passed my most RIGOROUS test the first day. Most boots FAIL it!

New Sewer Gas Smell eBook

For the past 18 months, I've been kicking a can down the road. I started writing a short book that would SAVE YOU hundreds and hundreds of dollars. But month after month, it languished in an open window on my iMac desktop.

I finally finished it two days ago! Do you think foul sewer gas has transformed the toilet bowl water the sickening green color you see in the photo just below? Is that one way to test for a sewer gas leak?
toilet bowl - green water

My new Sewer Gas Smell eBook allows you to find where sewer gas is entering your home and then I share how to STOP it.

I've solved hundreds of sewer gas issues over the phone with folks like you. As crazy as this might sound, some homeowners have called in four or more plumbers to no avail.

These homeowners told me the plumbers scratch their heads, shrug their shoulders, and drive away dumbfounded with $100 in their pockets. Seriously, I've talked with homeowners like you who have PAID hundreds of dollars to plumbers who couldn't solve the sewer gas problem.

Those days are over. I've been a master plumber since 1981 and know how to locate the source of sewer gas.

Once you flip the pages in Sewer Gas Smell, there's a very good chance you'll discover the source of the sewer gas in your home and stop it in minutes.

I've decided to offer this new book to you for 50% off for ONE WEEK ONLY. I've even autographed the book for you on the last page!

The book is an INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF eBook.

It has a very easy-to-understand question/answer format that allows you to locate the source of the wretched gas often in minutes.The book is very short and you can consume it in less than 30 minutes.

I URGE you to get my new Sewer Gas Smell book now before I raise the price. It will go back up to its normal price on Sunday, March 6, 2022.

My Next Book:

New Home Building #HACKS

I've already started on my next project. In reality, I've been working on it for decades.

Imagine I handed you a magic wand and you were standing on a vacant lot where you were going to build your new home. I then said, "Wave the wand and say Alakazam!"

As soon as you stopped talking, a giant cloud of smoke billows up from the ground and there in front of you is your new house but it contains countless cool things and features in it you never thought were possible.

Here's a tiny list of things you may have never thought to include in a new home. They cost very little to add to a new house or even one undergoing a major remodeling:

  • wire all lights in the house on dedicated circuits only for lights - when the power goes out and you hook up your generator, you have light in every room!
  • a hot/cold-water hose bib in your garage
  • wider hallways
  • attic or garage storage trusses
  • combination radon removal and water collection under slab, crawlspace slab, or basement

You'll simply not believe all the cool things you can have in your home and many are not that expensive.

Here's where it gets interesting. I want YOU to help me with the book! I want to include YOUR suggestions! You may already have some fascinating features in your home that make your life easier. What are they?

What do you hate about your house? What would you change right now if you could? What would make EACH ROOM in your home perfect?

If you could have a wish, any wish, for some amazing feature in your home, what would it be?

If you share your ideas or wishes with me as well as your email address, I'm going to give you a FREE PDF copy of the book once it's complete. My intention is to finish this book before May 1, 2022.

Go here and fill out the form. Thanks!

That's enough for a Sunday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Hilton Hotels USES: www.StainSolver.com
Lake Sunapee: www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. What do you think is the BEST heating system for a house? The answer might surprise you! I share exactly what I'm going to have in my next home. I'll bet you can't guess both things!

radiant floor heating manifolds

February 22, 2022 Flash Message

Posted on by Tim Carter

Live on WLIP

I thought I'd let you know that in just 15 minutes or so - that would be about 3:37 PM ET today, February 22, 2022, I'll be LIVE on the air on WLIP in Kenosha, WI.

I'll be on Frank and Kim Carmichael's Happenings Radio Show.

I NEVER KNOW what Frank is going to ask me. So it's SCADS of FUN.

CLICK OR TAP HERE and once on the page look up at the top for the LIVE LISTEN button should you want to catch the show.

Tim Carter

P.S. I used to do my own live call-in radio show for twelve years back in Cincinnati. Live radio is a HOOT!