Apple & Mac Computer Users – Please Read

Posted on by Tim Carter

If you have an Apple or Mac computer, READ this NOW. If you don't, you can just delete this message.

I'm really lucky to be part of a very exclusive and secret group of Internet entrepreneurs. In the group are some very savvy computer users and Apple and Mac experts.

I just got an alert from one member, and he said I could share it.

There's a nasty Trojan virus injection that has infected many Mac computers.

Fortunately, it's EASY to see if your machine is infected.

I created step-by-step instructions showing you what to do at my personal blog.

I hope all is well with your machine.

I'll be reaching out to you with a newsletter next Tuesday. I just got a really cool IRWIN level today that I'll be reviewing for you. There's other news too about glass countertops. 

Mortar For Stone Veneer Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Hi, I'm Tim Carter and have you ever wondered how stones get affixed to walls, such as a fireplace surround? How did the stone mason get those to stick and stay on the wall?

One thing they didn't do was to use that liquid-nail stuff in a tube. What really happened is the mason mixed up some sand and Portland cement and then stuck the stones to the wall. But if he was really good, he put in some hydrated lime.

This stone wall is inside the house and it's not subject to much weather. But many places have a stone wall on the outside, where it's stuck to a masonry wall or you want to stick it to a wood frame house that has a stucco finish.

Mortar Recipe for Stone Veneer TipDo you know what? If you want to do that and want it to stand the test of time, you need to mix up a real, special mixture of Portland cement, sand and lime. And there is another special trick.

If you want to know more about that and exactly how to do it, click on the image to find out how. If you want to put stone on a wall, all you have to do is mix up sand, Portland cement, lime and water.

April 3, 2012 AsktheBuilder Newsletter & Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

Yesterday, I had lunch with a great couple, Mike and Kathy, who live in Cincinnati, OH. They were up here in New Hampshire looking at land and houses. They're thinking of moving up here.

Fortunately, they had some really good weather, and they saw at least one house that is of great interest to them. They wondered about the snow, wildlife and a few other things, including the much-maligned black flies. Well, they deserve all that malignity as far as I'm concerned.

I suggested to Mike and Kathy that they construct a free-standing, screened-in porch in the backyard of the house. I did this years ago for a client who had magnificent plantings in her yard.

The screened-in structure was only away from the house about 15 feet, so it was not a journey to get to it. But the effect of sitting in this space surrounded by plants, flowers and other things was magical. Keep that in mind if a screened-in porch is in your future.

 

Stain Solver Sale!

Stain Solver Oxygen BleachIf you're a long-time subscriber to this newsletter, you know that spring means Stain Solver. If you're a new subscriber, Stain Solver is, perhaps, the most powerful and the purest oxygen bleach made completely in the USA, with USA ingredients. I know for a fact that many other oxygen-bleach products have raw materials sourced in China: Land of the Tainted Dog Food, Lead Paint in Toys, etc.

Most people who purchase Stain Solver during the annual spring sale use it to clean decks, wood and vinyl fences and boat docks. But there are hundreds of other uses for the product. If it's water washable, you can almost always clean it with Stain Solver.

Just today, I was on the phone with Kathy in Pensacola, FL. She wanted to know if she could use it to clean red spots that were on her 2002 Honda car. The spots were caused by trees in her yard. I said absolutely yes, so long as she followed some special instructions that I had emailed her.

The sale is only going to last for one week. We'll have the sale end on Tuesday, April 10, 2012, at midnight Eastern Standard Time. We're extending the sale because Easter is this coming Sunday.

Here's what you need to know. I fully expect to sell out. We did sell out of all inventory during the New Year sale in January, of all months! So I'm terrified the demand will be so strong we'll sell out again.

We stocked up the warehouse AND we have a huge manufacturing run starting next Monday. But even then, I expect to sell out of certain sizes.

If you need your Stain Solver soon, then I BEG you to order now. Not tomorrow, not this weekend, and most certainly not next week when I remind you. If you order NOW, I'm almost positive you'll have it shipped immediately.

The sale is 10% off the two small sizes (SS02, SS05) and 15% off the three bigger sizes (SS09, SS18, SS50). Of course, we now offer Stain Solver with Free Shipping to the lower 48. That's a significant savings on the bigger sizes.

 

Cleaning and Sealing Your Deck eBook

The AsktheBuilder team burned the midnight oil to get another thing ready for the Spring Stain Solver Sale - my latest eBook.

Cleaning & Sealing Your Deck eBookMy guess is you feel you know everything about this topic, after all, how hard is it to clean and seal a deck? Well, you can make a boatload of mistakes.

Too many people come to me each year asking for help after they've ruined their decks while cleaning them. Many more are frustrated because the expensive sealer they applied peeled. Others wonder why their deck turns gray in such a short time.

I cover all of this and much, much more. Before I wrote this book, I did some research. I could not find any other book like it - no authoritative book about the process of cleaning and sealing. I did find a small chapter about the topic in another book, however, no book that was devoted entirely to the topic.

Wait till you see everything that's in the eBook. One of the best parts, in my opinion, is Chapter 10 - Homeowner Questions. These are real questions. Some are unbelievable. Wait till you see them. I guarantee you that you will discover at least one new thing about deck cleaning and sealing. I know for a fact I'll debunk at least one myth.

One of the best parts is that buying the eBook gives you secret access to a massive test I'm starting in a month. In May of this year, I'm beginning a side-by-side test of many brands of deck sealers on both cedar and treated lumber. Tests like this are done all the time by the manufacturers of the sealers, but they NEVER give the public access to the results.

You can buy this eBook at two places:

  • AsktheBuilder.com shopping cart
  • Amazon.com (link is below)

Go here to purchase the new eBook from my cart. It's only $4.

You get a 20% discount over the price of the eBook at the Amazon Kindle store for this next week if you buy it from my cart. My version is a standard PDF file that everyone can usually open on their computer.

If you purchase this eBook from me, and I truly hope you do, would you do me a favor? If you feel it's worthy of a great review, can you go to Amazon.com and leave one for me? It will really help me sell the ebook to the world. Thank you so much. Here's the link to it on Amazon.com.

 

Crown Molding in 60 Minutes or Less!

Back in 1999, I published my first eBook. It was everything you wanted to know about crown molding. It sold really well, but now it's time to update it with new photos and really shrink the size of the book. Why, you ask?

I discovered that 90-percent of the buyers just wanted to discover how to put the molding up in a regular room with inside corners and maybe an outside corner. So that's all this new book is going to cover. Nothing more.

I will discuss using a compound cut miter saw, I'll discuss using a coping saw, and then I'll tell you how I cut crown molding perfectly every time NOT using these two tools.

Would you help me? What are your questions about crown molding with regards to just standard inside and outside cuts?

Please don't ask questions about vaulted ceilings, crown on cabinets, crown going up staircases, etc. I cover all that in my existing eBook. Here's my existing Crown Molding eBook that covers just about every situation. But don't buy it if you want the new one.

Please reply to this email and if you would change the Subject Line to: Crown Molding, that would be great. Just ask me anything you want about regular inside and outside corners, nailing questions, splices, caulking, uneven ceilings, etc. Thanks in advance!

 

Video of the Week - Blacktop Crack Repair

Last week, I got countless emails thanking me for my Tip of the Week. It was about disguising a blacktop crack repair. Would you like to watch a video of me doing it? I thought so! Enjoy!

 

Tip of the Week - High-Performance House Paint

Are you going to be painting the outside of your house this spring? Do you want to use a house paint that really lasts and lasts? You want one that contains as much urethane resin as possible.

I've been using urethane house paints for over ten years and the results are spectacular. Sherwin Williams has made one called Duration for years. You may be able to discover other brands with urethane. Be sure the surface is squeaky clean before you apply the paint. Read the label!

 

Thanks For the Replies!

Last week I asked you to Reply to the Newsletter Email. You know the old saying, be careful what you ask for! Oh my, you were most generous and I was flooded with replies, most of them humbling. Thanks so much for your kind words.

But, and you knew this was coming, right? There's always that self-centered person or two that has to speak up. I thought you'd enjoy the one response I decided to share:

"Hey, send me some new interior designs which are not familiar to the market."

My reply was, "Sure, do you want me to come over and repaint your house while I'm at it?"

Remember, you can always reply to this newsletter and comment, say Hi or complain. Depending on my workload, I may or may not be able to respond.

 

Yelp!

Do you use Yelp? It's a great website that helps you discover the best and worst businesses of just about any type near you. I use it all the time.

It's great when you're out of town - say on business or vacation - and you need to locate a restaurant, a specialty store, a great motel, etc. I'm sure there are other websites like this. I have the Yelp app on my smartphone so I can have the functionality with me all the time.

I added a review of my own last week for a great small business here in New Hampshire. Read it and tell me what you think.

 

Q & A of the Week - Flagstone Patio on Crushed Stone

DEAR TIM: I intend to install a flagstone patio in the very near future and have been told I can place it on compacted crushed limestone that contains screenings. What are screenings and will this method work? The person giving the advice said the crushed limestone beneath the flagstones would eventually harden like concrete. What steps should I take to install the limestone in this fashion? I want to know if this will work as I don't want to have to tear everything out and start over. Tim G., Geneva, IL

DEAR TIM: Flagstone is one of the most popular patio materials I know of. The reasons are many. It is extremely durable, it looks magnificent and is naturally slip-resistant. It is also heavy so I can see why you only want to install each ......

Click Here to continue to read this flagstone column.

Wall Removal Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter
floor trusses

Wall Removal Tips | If you use full-span floor trusses like you see above, your wall removal job will be simple. All walls below the trusses are NOT load-bearing. You’re looking at magnificent floor trusses. These are spanning 28 feet, but you can go greater distances with ease. There’s no need for a bearing wall or beam under them to support the weight of the floor above. (C) Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I’m bound and determined to remove a wall between my kitchen and dining room to make the space more open. My husband says it can’t be done saying there are too many things in the wall, and that it could be a bearing wall. I’m frustrated. Money is not an object as I recently came into a sizeable inheritance. What are the real obstacles when removing a wall, and is it possible to achieve my goal of an open space? Can you share any tips to help me? Beth G., Charleston, SC

DEAR BETH: I’m sorry for your loss, but happy for your gain. The good news is that you can have that open space you desire. The cost to get there is directly related to how complex the job turns out to be. Believe it or not, this job could be as low as a 2 on the AsktheBuilder.com difficulty scale, or it could pin the meter at a 10. You often don’t know until you do some detective work.

What's Hidden Inside Walls?

Let’s start by describing some of the things that are hidden behind the drywall, plaster or paneling that’s covering your walls. For starters, there’s a very high likelihood you have electric cables in the wall. Very few walls have no electric cabling in them. These cables are not hard to relocate.

Inside the Wall.

These are just a few of the surprises you’ll discover behind drywall, plaster or paneling when you go to remove a wall. Photo Credit: Tim Carter

You could have cable TV cables, doorbell wires, heating ducts, cold-air return ducts, radiant heating pipes, steam pipes, plumbing drain or water supply lines, central vacuum piping, clothes dryer exhaust piping, pluming vent pipes, support columns, huge beams, etc., inside of the walls. That’s a partial list of challenges.

Can You Relocate Pipes and Wires?

The good news is that almost all of these can be relocated, but there’s always an expense involved. Some things are much harder to move and relocate than others. Massive beams and support columns hidden in a bearing wall can be logistical and engineering nightmares. Rerouting a large plumbing drain line in a wall can be a daunting project for a plumber. It's not uncommon to have to move pipes in a wall.

Who Should I Contact for Wall Removal?

The first thing I’d do is to contact a seasoned remodeling contractor, builder, or carpenter.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local remodeling contractors who know how to remove walls.

They often know how buildings are constructed and can easily spot clues that tell you what’s in the wall in question. This discovery expedition is much easier if your home has an attic, basement or crawl space that allows you to see both the top and bottom of the wall in question.

What Can You See On Top of a Wall?

For example, if you have access to the top and bottom of the wall, you may clearly see plumbing drain lines exiting the floor or plumbing vent pipes exiting the top of the wall in the attic. You may clearly see heating pipes or ducts that penetrate the bottom of the wall in the basement or crawlspace.

How Do You Locate Hidden Beams and Columns?

Hidden beams and support columns are tougher to spot. In the last house I built, there was a wall between our family room and breakfast room that had a door way and a pass through opening. You’d think that would be easy to remove that wall. The truth be told, there was a massive support column in that wall, and the roof load on top of it would have been very difficult, if not impossible, to relocate.

My situation is very rare, and for most houses you can almost always open up the wall in question. You may have to install a small corner vertical chase or fatten up a nearby wall to handle the things that will need to be relocated, but almost always it’s possible.

Should I Use a Small Camera?

If you can’t get a contractor to come out, you may be able to rent a great tool that can help you. I have a wonderful digital viewer that allows you to poke a small hole in a wall and insert a small flexible shaft that has a camera attached to it. On the tool’s screen, I can see what the camera is seeing inside the wall. The tip of the tool has a LED light to illuminate the dark cavity.

Using this tool and making numerous small holes that can be patched, you can quickly see electric cables, plumbing pipes, ducts, etc., inside the wall. However, this camera will not be able to easily tell you if you’re looking at structural columns and beams. It’s smart to use one of these diagnostic camera tools to see what you’re up against.

Is Lead Paint a Hazard?

When you do go to remove the wall, understand that if the house was built prior to 1967 there’s a good chance you’ll be dealing with lead paint. Unfortunately, the EPA enacted insane regulations in the recent past that stipulate harsh penalties to contractors that don’t follow the safety measures.

These regulations have added thousands of dollars to the average cost of doing simple demolition in houses. While there is a risk with lead paint dust, there are measures that can be taken to deal with this dust that are less expensive than what the EPA mandates.

Is it Hard to Locate Lead Paint Remediation Contractors?

What’s more, you may find it very hard to even find a contractor that’s willing to do the job because of the regulations.

Many contractors have decided, after consulting with their liability insurance companies and their attorneys, that it’s not worth it to bid on jobs like this. The EPA regulations had an unintended consequence of creating a horrible lopsided supply and demand situation. Fewer contractors to do demolition work means much higher costs. Thanks so much, Uncle Sam.

You can watch an informative video that shows a video on wall removal right here. Just type “wall removal video” into the AsktheBuilder.com search engine.

Column 929

Refinishing The Old Deck

Posted on by Tim Carter

Time again to refinish the old deck (35 years) in preparation for a family gathering. Used Stain Solver to clean up everything and Defy (Saver Systems) to finish it up.

Good for another four years!

John Refinishing The Old Deck

NOTE FROM TIM CARTER - Founder of AsktheBuilder.com - posted October, 2016: I no longer would apply Defy deck sealer to any exterior wood that I own at my own home.

Photo Credit: John Cervenak

John Cervenak's Deck

After Cleaning

John Cervenak's Deck

After Staining

 

If you want to submit pictures and the story behind your project, CLICK HERE to go to the Before & After Submission Page.

Deck Refinishing Nightmare

Posted on by Tim Carter

I rebuilt my cedar deck and made the mistake of using a Big Box store's Premium Semi Transparent Stain. Looked great the first season, but after a single winter, it began peeling. I attempted to save it by touching it up but after winter #2. The finish was beyond saving, and I had to bite the bullet and sand it off. I used Sikens to refinish and it came out great.

Moral of the story - use a real oil stain, not a film type product.

Jack Miller

Photo Credit: Jack Miller

Jack Miller's Deck

Before Sanding

Jack Miller's Deck

Sanding Completed

Jack Miller's Deck

After Restaining

 

If you want to submit pictures and the story behind your project, CLICK HERE to go to the Before & After Submission Page.

Cleaning & Staining Boat Dock

Posted on by Tim Carter

"Hi Tim,

We live in sunny St. Petersburg, FL. Of course, that means our docks take a beating 24-7-365. My Before Photo is from the roof of our house just prior to some renovations, thus the wood and trusses in the photo. Following the renovation, I was able to focus on the dock.

I applied Stain Solver oxygen bleach per your instructions and was amazed at the results. Guess I shouldn't have been but it was far beyond my expectations given that the dock had not been touched in three years (that I know of, could have been longer as we just purchased). A During Photo shows the results.

I then ordered Defy's Extreme light walnut colored stain. It was shipped for free form Jacksonville - great job by Duval Paints. (No local vendor available.) I applied two coats within the twenty minute window and I think the results speak for themselves. I still have to do the edges and will be replacing the railing but so far so good. Stain Solver and Defy, your two recommendations, did the job. Looking forward to seeing how Defy stands up to the extreme conditions.

All the best."

NOTE FROM TIM CARTER - Founder of AsktheBuilder.com - posted October, 2016: I no longer would apply Defy deck sealer to any exterior wood that I own at my own home.

Tim Connolly

 

Tim Connolly's Boat Dock

Before

Tim Connolly's Boat Dock

During

Tim Connolly's Boat Dock

After

If you want to submit pictures and the story behind your project, CLICK HERE to go to the Before & After Submission Page.

Fish Pond with Waterfall

Posted on by Tim Carter

"I was looking at some of your videos and saw you had one on garden ponds, I would like to show you the one I built for my back yard.

The pond is 3' deep x 14' wide x 12' long with a 6' waterfalls. I did all the digging myself. I had help setting the liner, but I put all the rocks in myself.

I built this last summer, and at this time I have four Kio fish, one butterfly Kio, and some different gold fish. It's a great thing when you in the back yard listen to the waterfalls. Oh yes, the birds love it too! They think it is a big bird bath. Thanks for looking."

Mike Rignola

Mike Rignola's Waterfall

Mike Rignola's Fish Pond

 

If you want to submit pictures and the story behind your project, CLICK HERE to go to the Before & After Submission Page.

Basic Wood Decks

Posted on by Tim Carter

"My Very Basic Decks.

Both decks are made out of pressure treated lumber, I purchased the spindles and made my own handrails. The upper deck is 12' x 14' and lower level is 12' x 19'. I added the gazebo last summer to keep the sun away from my sliding glass door.

The stain I used was Olympic Maximum penetrating oil formula toner, and the color is Redwood Naturaltone with the white stained handrails. We spend a lot of time on this deck watching the birds and listen to my fish pond waterfalls."

Mike Rignola

Mike Rignola's Wood Deck

Mike Rignola's Wooden Deck

 

If you want to submit pictures and the story behind your project, CLICK HERE to go to the Before & After Submission Page.

March 27, 2012 AsktheBuilder Newsletter And Tips

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in this Issue?

Latest News
Deck Cleaning & Sealing eBook
Decorate with Doors
Tool Review
Invisible Websites		 Tip of the Week
Reply to this Newsletter
Cell Phone Do-Not-Call List
Video of the Week
Q & A of the Week

 

Lake in WinterAnother week has blown by. The unseasonable very warm weather is now history, and we're back to very normal early spring cool temperatures here in New Hampshire. In fact, tonight it's going to be downright cold. 23 F is the predicted low as I type this.

Ice out on the lake happened last Thursday. It was magical to watch it all disappear in a matter of hours. By the end of the day, I had dropped my dock back into the water. That's the official start of summer as far as I'm concerned.

I sent in a soil sample to the State of NH Co-operative Service late last week. Kathy and I are putting in a vegetable garden in a new spot in our yard. We figured we'd let the soil scientists help us succeed by telling us what needs to be done with the soil. I know it needs amendments. It's got great drainage. I've got some great plans for this garden.

 

 

Deck Cleaning and Sealing eBook

I've finished writing my latest eBook about deck cleaning and sealing, but now I'm in the process of completely reformatting it. I should have it ready for you next week, just in time for the annual Spring Stain Solver Sale. Pay attention to next week's newsletter for the sale news.

You may be a past customer that's purchased Stain Solver to clean your deck, patio, house siding, or any other outdoor thing you own. It's the cleaner of choice for thousands. It's great to use to clean any deck, be it wood, composite or totally synthetic.

I need one last favor from you concerning the eBook. Your questions last week were absolutely amazing. Wait till you see all the questions and my answers. Oh my gosh, wait till you see the fantastic questions. Many I would have never thought to include.

But here's what I want to know now. Could you please share with me what deck sealer you have had the best luck with, the worst luck with, and how long, on average, before the sealer you've used fails?

Please take the quick survey here:

AsktheBuilder.com Deck Sealer Success Survey

I'll be sharing all this data in the eBook so you can see who's having the best success and with what product.

Finally, do you have any stunning photos of your deck? If you happen to have Before and After photos, that would be fantastic.

Would you like to show it off? Do you want your deck photos in the eBook? I can't promise it, but if you want to let others see the magnificent deck you have, you can submit the photo(s) here. If I use your photo(s) in the eBook, you'll get a copy of the eBook at no cost and I'll send you a 4-pound container of Stain Solver to use on any cleaning project at your home.

 

Decorate with Doors

LE Johnson Door HardwareHave you given thought to doing some interior remodeling this spring? Are you tired of the bland doors you have between rooms? Are you aware that you can get some stunning doors that hide away in a pocket or slide on a wall-mounted rail that allow you to stop futzing with the swinging-door blues?

LE Johnson has been, for years, the hardware I've used to create the pocket doors in my past homes and many of the houses I built and remodeled. Some people shy away from pocket doors because they feel they're problematic. I never had an issue with any LE Johnson door at my house or on my jobs. The last thing you want is a problem with a pocket door. I've never had a problem with LE Johnson.

Imagine a new door or doors in your house that have decorative glass in some or all of the panels. The look is absolutely a show stopper. You'll feel better about your home and your friends and neighbors will be green with envy.

If you're planning to build a new home or do a room addition, absolutely plan to install space-saving pocket doors. They're easy to install, and they glide like the door is floating on air. Want more information about these great doors? Spend plenty of time at the LE Johnson website.

 

Tool Review - Coast Rapid Response 3.00 Pocket Knife

I received a pocket knife to review last week. Looking at it through the clear rigid plastic packaging, I was anxious to test this attractive knife.

You'll see why when you see its photo. I think you'll love my review, if not, I want to know why.

Actually, you can HELP me once again. You're able to leave comments at the bottom of all my columns and reviews. Tell me what you think of the review in a comment. It's easy to do!

Don't forget to use the social media button widget at the top left of the page. Clicking those buttons helps spread the word about AsktheBuilder. Believe me - I really need your help doing that.

 

Invisible Websites

Have you ever stumbled upon a website, a nice looking one that looks professional, and then discover the information at the site may be bogus? Or there's a hidden agenda?

While doing research for my Cleaning and Sealing Your Deck eBook, I came across any number of websites that make you wonder about the quality of the information at the website.

When you click the About Us link on these sites, you typically get wording like this:

"Welcome to XXXXXXXX website. This site is a compilation of the best expert advice for your xxxxxxx projects. Whether you need to know about how to blah blah blah blah blah, this site is a resource for do-it-yourselfers looking for home improvement advice. Check back often for updates and new articles."

There's no mention of who's creating the content at the website, no names, no nothing. Yet they say it's "expert advice". Are you serious? How can they make that claim? How can you validate the claim if you don't know who wrote it and their level of experience?

This is what I'm fighting each day online.

Here's how you can help. When you visit a website to get information about a topic, STOP reading what you went there for and go find the About Us page. Click and read that first.

If you don't discover anything about the person, the expertise they have, number of years of hands-on experience in the field, awards they've received, etc., then I suggest you have no way to gauge if the information you're about to rely on is really expert advice.

Of course, it's even worse in forums and advice you glean from social media posts. How do you know the expert level of people in those situations?

I'm on a crusade now to try to educate consumers just like you to not pay any attention to sites like this and to spread the word to your friends to avoid them. These sites are making it increasingly difficult for AsktheBuilder.com and other great websites to survive.

 

Tip of the Week - Disguising Blacktop Crack Repairs

You may be getting ready to seal your blacktop drive this spring. If you have cracks in the drive, you may be using a special caulk for the purpose.

If you want to do a better job of disguising the crack, just caulk about a foot of the crack and press down in the caulk some of the small loose stones that erode from your driveway. Be sure the stones are clean, dry and dust free.

You can also sprinkle some dry coarse sand onto the top of the caulk. Tap it down to embed it in the caulk with a paint stick or wood shim. Adding the stone and sand makes the repair more durable and it helps to match the crack with the drive.

 

REPLY to this Newsletter

You can help me in another way. If you like this newsletter, I want you to just click Reply and send me a High 5, a Thank You, or any other salutation.

I may not be able to respond due to my workload, but your reply sends all kinds of good vibrations through the Internet and it helps me in more ways than you'll ever know. Thanks in advance if you can do this.

 

Cell Phone Do-Not-Call List

If you don't want telemarketers to call your cell phone, you need to call this number and get your cell phone number added to the Do-Not-Call List. 888-382-1222

 

Video of the Week - Replacing an Asphalt Shingle

Do you have a damaged roofing shingle or two on your roof? Can you get up there safely? Do you want to try to tackle the job yourself to save some sweet moola?

Watch this video.

 

Q & A of the Week - Flagstone Patios

DEAR TIM: I want to dress up the look of our existing concrete patio. Is it possible to install flagstone or similar material directly over the concrete? What do you use to adhere the flagstone to the concrete? Can I enlarge the patio without fear of future cracking where old meets new? Kathy D., Batavia, IL

DEAR KATHY: Wow! What a gorgeous patio you will have. Flagstone can be installed directly on concrete. In fact, it is the only way I would do it if you desire an easy to maintain surface and one that stays flat for the entire time you intend to use it. Your biggest challenge will be ....

Click Here to read all about Kathy's challenges and how I suggest she do this job.