Pocket Door Hardware

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My wife wants me to install a pocket door. I have to admit that I’m pretty intimidated by this project. I don’t want to make a mistake and install a door that rubs. What’s more, I’m terrified of what’s behind the wall. Are there any tricks to installing a pocket door that will be trouble-free for years? I really need your help to get me in the right mindset. Todd B., Grove City, OH

DEAR TODD: I've been where you are now. It's easy to get intimidated about a project that you've never done or done long ago. The best way to proceed is to do as much research as possible and plan for as many problems as you might think will rear their ugly heads as you move forward.

Surprise, surprise! When you go to install a pocket door in an existing home, you’re often met with challenges like these cable TV wires. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

The good news is that once it's time to install the actual pocket door hardware, you're long past the hard part. In new construction, this job is as straightforward as chewing gum. But in a remodel situation, you have to deal with walls that might be out of plumb, hidden utilities in the wall, and structural issues. All of these can be overcome, possibly with a little help from a professional if you're out of your comfort zone.

Let's talk about rubbing pocket doors. I had that problem years ago when bought what I thought was a fine pocket door frame. It was made from lumber and I just had to nail the entire contraption in place.

All went well for about nine months then I got a call from the homeowner. Sure enough the door was rubbing and scratching the paint. I traced the problem to a horizontal brace in the frame that warped inward pinching the door. I had to tear into the wall and replace that pesky piece of lumber.

Then another problem arose months later. The door kept jumping off the track. I was really upset at that door hardware.

I soon discovered you can purchase pocket-door frames that have warp-free metal studs and a track where it's impossible for the door to derail. I immediately switched to that hardware and have never had a problem in the past 25 years.

You shouldn't be terrified of what's behind the wall where your pocket door frame will nest. Virtually everything that might be a problem can be dealt with. It may not be easy to move electric cables, plumbing pipes, heating vents or pipes, or even a structural column that you uncover, but it can be done. It's all a matter of money and time.

If you're lucky enough to have your original house plans and they are detailed, you can get a handle on any structural issues. If there are nearby bathrooms under, next to or above the location where your wife wants this new fantastic door, you could have a drain stack or vent pipe in your way.

It's easy to patch plaster or drywall, so why not cut some inspection holes to see what's in the wall cavity where the frame needs to be? That should help you plan ahead before you really get started. If you move ahead, you'll be removing the entire plaster or drywall surface in this area, so it makes no difference about creating small holes at first.

To have a flawless finished pocket door, you need the best hardware and frame. I've already described that. Be sure the kit you pick has trolleys that have three wheels. These are the ones that can't jump the track.

It's really important that the frame for the door be installed in the same plane. This means that the wall can be out of plumb (not recommended), but that it can't be twisted like a pretzel. A wall that's twisted is problematic when you try to insert a non-twisted item like a large flat door.

You avoid twisted door frame rough in situations by making sure that the bottom and top plate are in straight lines and the wall studs extending between them are absolutely plumb.

Use a long straight edge to confirm this. Don't trust putting your 4-foot level on a wall stud. The stud can have a crown in it and the portion you have the level on may read level, but the top and bottom of the stud may be out of whack. All you have to do is make sure the wall studs at each end of the pocket-door rough-in opening are absolutely straight with no crown or bow in the studs.

The top of the frame that comes from the factory must also be installed absolutely level. This should not be hard to do. Use shims if you have to get it level.

Plan ahead for the thickness of the finished floor. You don't want a massive gap larger than 3/4 inch under the door. Even worse is discovering that the door needs to be cut off at the end of the project because you installed the frame too low. The high-quality pocket door frames come with pre-engineered metal wall studs that make it nearly impossible to install the frame too low.

Column 884

May 19, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Black Flies
Solar Attic Fans
Washington DC Meet Up
Preventing Caulk Tube Clogs
Quick Stain Solver Tip
Gravel for Driveways and Roads

Latest News

Have you ever had to deal with black flies? I'm not talking about the large black flies that pester you during a cookout. I'm speaking of the little demons, about the size of a grain of uncooked rice, that are the bane of the Northeast, Canada, Alaska, Minnesota, etc. It seems any place that has an abundance of lakes or fresh water has these fiends.

Last week, they finally made their annual spring arrival here in New Hampshire. I found myself working outdoors up on my land fixing a washout of a gravel roadway. Even though I sprayed myself with Deep Woods Off, the little creatures bit me in several places on my arms. It's the periodic itching that drives me nuts.

Do you have an effective incantation or secret potion that works to prevent the biting? I've asked local workers up here who have to deal with it daily and they just say suck it up. Excuse me while I scratch the back of my upper arm again. Arrggggggghhhh.

Solar Attic Fans

Ellen, the first employee at AsktheBuilder, handles all of the incoming email and questions we get at the website. She does a great job trying to help you. But occasionally you stump her and I need to jump in.

This morning she sent me an FYI email about a frustrated homeowner who had purchased several solar-powered attic fans. He had copied us on an email he sent to the manufacturer. Sadly he mentioned us in the email saying that I had nailed the fact the units were not effective. But this was AFTER he installed them and then went online to see WHY they were not working.

I mention this for several reasons. Try to resist the slick marketing claims made by new products. Slow down before you buy and try to go online and do some research to see if the products really do work.

Don't become a lab rat. These are the early adopters. You're first out of the chute so you'll not find anything online as to whether the new product works. It's too early.

Here's my past article that the man found after he had already wasted his money:

https://www.askthebuilder.com/solar-powered-attic-fan/

Remember, if you're on Facebook, PLEASE leave a comment at the bottom of the column telling others what you discovered when reading my column. You'll see the Facebook comment widget at the bottom of the column. Thanks in advance!

Washington DC Meet Up

I'll be in Washington DC next Monday and Tuesday. I'll have four hours to kill on Tuesday, May 24, 2011. We can get together late afternoon and early evening before I fly back to New Hampshire. Do you want to get some liquid courage and nutrition (some feel they are one in the same) with me?

We had a meet up in January in DC, and it was well attended. Email me immediately if you're interested and let's get together to chat it up. Meet ups are fun. You can ask any question you want about any topic. It doesn't have to be about home improvement.

Preventing Caulk Tube Clogs

When you use a new caulk tube for the first time and don't use it all, the caulk in the spout will harden and clog the tube if you don't cut off the air.

There are any number of ways to accomplish this, and I've had fantastic success blending two methods together.

I carefully cut the spout 99 percent of the time so that it matches the diameter of either a 4d or 6d finish nail. After I'm done caulking, I squirt out a dab on a scrap piece of wood that the size of green pea, maybe a little bigger.

Then I insert the correct nail making sure that it fits snugly in the tip of the tube as it slides in.

I leave at least 1/4 inch of the nail exposed and then take the excess caulk and pack it around the nail where the end of the tube is to act as a secondary air seal.

When it's time to use the caulk again, I just use a pliers to pull out the nail.

Quick Stain Solver Tip For Wendy in Colorado

I just got a question from Wendy who subscribes to this newsletter. She wanted to know if my Stain Solver could be used in modern front-loading washing machines. Her instructions say NOT to use powders. I've found this the case with many of the new washing machines.

My guess is that because the machines use such small amounts of water, they don't want you to put the powder on the clothes AFTER you have loaded the clothes into the machine. Doing this allows the concentrated powders to leave splotches of discoloring on your clothes because the powder couldn't dissolve and dissipate. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The solution to this problem is EASY. You can add powder, and my mighty Stain Solver, to the front loaders successfully.

All you need to do is add the powder FIRST and then pour in about a quart of warm water to get the powder to drop through the holes in the stainless steel drum. The warm water starts to dissolve the Stain Solver and gets it ready to work on your clothes once you load them and start the machine.

So Wendy, get out the Stain Solver and get your clothes really clean!

http://www.StainSolver.com

Gravel for Driveways and Roads

If you're getting ready to repair a gravel driveway or possibly enlarge one, you need to make sure you use the right product. This is mission critical if your driveway is on a hill.

All too often I see rookie homeowners use a gravel that's rounded. Using that is like driving on marbles. The rounded surfaces of the gravel provide little friction to all the other pieces and they move. Your tires won't bite into round gravel. They most often sink and you can get stuck easily.

Gravel for roadways, walkways or any surface where you want traction should be angular. The more angular the pieces are the better. They interlock with one another and it takes much effort to move them. The gravel works even better if there are fines in it. Fines are small crushed rock particles. These create even more friction between the different pieces of gravel.

Here's a past column of mine that pretty much sums up some of the top tips when building a gravel drive:

https://www.askthebuilder.com/build-a-gravel-driveway/

Sincerely,
Tim Carter

Test Ad

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Tim Carter

Moen Test Ad

Cutting Pex Tubing Video

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Tim Carter

Cutting Pex Tubing

Hi, I'm Tim Carter, and today I want to show you a quick tip on how to properly cut Pex plumbing piping tubing. Very simple to do, but first let me tell you what not to do.

I know you will be tempted to use a circular saw or a miter box saw to make the cuts. But don't do it!! These saws will just tear up the pipe and in fact, the pipe might even explode while cutting it this way. That's no good.

Maybe you want to use is a hack saw. Well, you might be able to get halfway decent results, but what will probably happen is you will get ragged edges from the teeth on the blade.

Another option is a razor knife but this is a dangerous tool to use. It might slip and cut you. It will give you a really smooth edge if you have a sharp razor blade.

Finally, here's the tool that the piping manufacturer want you to use. It looks like a fancy pair of scissors or shears. It is made for both the 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch tubing. Watch how simple it is to cut the tubing with this tool.

Just take the Pex piping, put it in the shears and just easily squeeze the handle. It easily cuts through like butter. The advantage is it gives you a nice clean cut that is square to the length of the pipe. That is important for a great fit on the fittings. It's that simple.

Metal Flashing Installation Tips

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My builder is talking about installing metal flashing as he's putting up my vinyl siding. What in the world is this material and why is it necessary? What is it usually made from? Some other people I've talked with have no idea what it is and feel it's not necessary. I don't want to waste money, so can you tell me all you can about flashing and if you would use it when you build the homes you work on or worked on in the past? - Tara P. Oak Harbor, WA

DEAR TARA: Oh gosh, I don't have near the space here to tell you everything I know about flashings of all types. My guess is I could write two or three small books to cover much of the topic. Suffice it to say that flashings have been around for hundreds of years, and if I was in charge of the building code and the best building practices manuals, these materials would be here for a millennium or more.

After this funny shaped piece of metal flashing is installed, you typically only see the tiny lip at the bottom. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Flashings are used both on exterior walls and primarily on roofs. I describe them as a transitional material. When a flashing is used on a roof, it typically is used to transition from roofing material to something that's not a roof. Flashings can be made from many materials including tin, copper, galvanized metal, plastic, wood, lead, etc.

For example, you would have a piece(s) of flashing where a skylight, chimney, dormer, plumbing vent, air vent, etc. extends up through a roof. The roofing material stops at these things and something must connect the roof to them so there is no leak. That's the job of a flashing.

In your case with the vinyl siding, your exterior trim work has horizontal fascia boards at the bottom of the house and each story line. When the vinyl siding rests on top of these boards, a piece of flashing is needed to create a leak-proof conversion between the first piece of vinyl siding and the horizontal fascia board.

Here's why the metal flashing is so important in your case. You have to think about how roof shingles or feathers on a duck work to get a good understanding.

The reason ducks and birds stay dry is because the way feathers overlap one another. Water can't get under the feathers to the duck's skin. That keeps them warm and dry.

That's where the idiom "Like water off a duck's back" comes from. Water readily flows off the duck because of the composition of the feathers and the overlapping layering.

To keep your house dry so it doesn't rot, you need to build it the same way. This goes for exterior siding as well as roofing. Each time you transition between materials, say foundation, siding, brick, windows, doors, etc. you need to make sure each material sheds water over the top of the material below without getting behind or under the materials.

In your case, there is a great need for a flashing that runs along the top of any of the horizontal fascia boards. There are many different metal flashing shapes, but in your case the metal laps over the fascia board perhaps 1/4 inch, then is bent at a 90 degree angle to pass over the top of the fascia board, then bent again at a 90 degree angle to go up the wall so that it extends behind the first row of vinyl siding.

You should be able to see how this would work to shed water. Without the flashing in place, water would roll down the vinyl siding and contact the top of the fascia board. It would run along the top until it found a tiny crack and then it might flow behind the fascia. This could cause a leak indoors or start to rot the wood fascia board, the wall sheathing, or any other wood indoors.

With the flashing in place, let's see what happens. The water runs down the siding and at the bottom of the first row of vinyl siding it drips off and contacts the metal flashing as it runs across the top of the fascia board. The water then runs off the flashing because it can't go up the flashing as it extends up behind the siding. It rolls off the down-turned edge of the flashing on the face of the fascia board on it's way to the ground below.

To make sure the flashing works to it's best ability, the ends of the flashing at each far end of the fascia board should be turned up making a tiny curb. This forces the water to flow off the front of the flashing across the face of the fascia.

Without these tiny end curbs, the water can roll under the end of the flashing, especially in a fierce wind-driven rainstorm. This expert detailing is often not done by rookies or people who've not got a grasp of what's going on.

Furthermore, because of capillary attraction, the down-turned end of the flashing that folds down over the front of the fascia board should have an air space between the flashing and the fascia board. What's best is that the down-turned edge of the flashing actually should kick out away from the fascia board so the water forms into droplets that fall down to the ground.

If the flashing is tight against the face of the fascia board, the capillary attraction of the water can actually pull the water uphill under the flashing and into the back of the fascia, board. Never underestimate the power of capillary attraction. It's rotted out many a home.

Column 882

May 4, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
Working with Wood Glue
Work Gloves Review
AsktheBuilder on Facebook
Mother's Day Accessory Gift
Latest Columns
Disclaimers & Other Stuff

New to the AsktheBuilder.com newsletter? Welcome!

If you want to read all past issues, here they are for FREE! - https://www.askthebuilder.com/category/qa/ask-the-builder/newsletters/

Latest News

Jim, a college buddy of mine, emailed me yesterday. He's got a problem with a minor landslide in his backyard and wanted to know if bushes would help solve the problem. In his case the answer is No. Trees and large bushes can stabilize soils in certain situations, but not this one.

What state do you think my buddy lives in?

California
Colorado
Ohio
Oklahoma

I'd be willing to wager two pints of Aglamesis Mocha Chip ice cream that you would have picked California. Mudslides and landslides out in California make the national news each winter.

Odds are only a handful of you got it right. The answer is Ohio, and more specifically Hamilton County, Ohio. This is where my friend Jim lives. Would you ever guess that this part of the Midwest has the highest per capita landslide damage of any other place in the USA? You can discover much more about the crazy geology in southwest Ohio at the website two fellow geologists have created.

Why's this important to you? What's it have to do with your home? Unless you've figured out how to permanently levitate atoms or you live on a houseboat, your house is built on the Earth. And believe it or not, the soils and geology of your area could be something you should know about. Landslides, flooding, drainage issues, radon, abandoned mines, sinkholes, etc. could all affect where you think you might want to live.

Before buying, do some research. Talk to seasoned firefighters that have 20 or more years of experience. Ask them about emergency calls made to the street you're thinking of building or buying an existing home. See if your county extension agent has a copy of the soil map for your county. The wealth of information in this document will blow you away. Just be aware that what appears to be a perfect lot, may have some serious issues. If my buddy Jim had gotten a copy of the Hamilton County Soil Map, he probably would have never purchased the lot.

You can get some great soil data, apparently for free, from this US Department of Agriculture website. Be sure to take your time and read the instructions on how to use the real-time interface.

Working With Wood Glue

Last week, I was building some support blocks made from ¾-inch plywood that fit above the space between my kitchen ceiling and the cabinets. For some reason, the builder built the house with a finished ceiling height of 100 inches which meant I had to fill that gap with trim molding.

I was using standard carpenter's yellow glue made for interior purposes. It's tough not to have smears, so I had a grout sponge and a bucket of water to get any traces of glue off the face of the painted cabinets. If it were to dry, oh it would be a nightmare to remove. Plus, the glue dries much darker over time than when it's wet. So you need to really pay attention to make sure you don't have any residue behind.

As I used the glue, there was more air than glue in the bottle. I was hoping the seal would allow me to compress the bottle squeezing out excess air. But that didn't work. So I added a few drops of water to the top of the glue to keep it from hardening in the bottle. That way it's just like new when I go to use it in possibly three or four months.

Work Gloves Review

The past few days I've been up on some land I own here in New Hampshire working with a great friend Peter Hall. Peter and I were repairing some storm damage from two weeks ago that washed out sections of the road that takes you to the top of the hill. The storm caused some debris to clog pipes that run under the road which, in turn, caused the water to overflow onto the road and erode the gravel.

Peter was at the controls of his cool Kubota excavator machine and I was the ground or hand man. Usually there is a person on the ground doing spot work with a shovel or assisting in other ways.

I was wearing my favorite work gloves from Milwaukee Tools. I've been using them for a few years and I have to tell you that so far I've not found a glove that fits my hand better than these. They are so comfortable, you don't even know you have them on.

There is an adjustable velcro strap so you can tighten them on your wrist. They are breathable. They are black, so they don't really show dirt. I believe you'll like them. There are different gloves for different tasks, but here are the Milwaukee Work Gloves I was wearing yesterday.

That's an affiliate link. If you buy the gloves, I get a small commission.

AsktheBuilder on Facebook

Do you use Facebook?

Moments ago, I helped Jan pick the PERFECT countertop material. She discovered I used to barter chili for gems at 5 am in the morning. Go read the thread!

http://www.facebook.com/askthebuilder

Become a fan and you'll get the free tips every time you login to your Facebook page!

Mothers Day Accessory Gift

Steve's a very close friend of mine who lives in Southern California. He's a computer genius and a former rocket scientist of sorts as he used to work for the Jet Propulsion Labs. He's got a dream mom named Patti. His dad Jim is awesome too. It's a great family.

Anyway, since you're on a computer reading this, this has everything to do with you, especially if you're in the growing legions of Mac users like me. If your Mom has a Mac, then you absolutely must keep reading. This is going to make for a great little extra gift for her on Mothers Day, this Sunday!

I used PCs for 25 years, but about four years ago, I exploded when it took 8 minutes to get my PC to go through the start-up menu. I got up from my desk and went out and bought a new MacBook Pro. But switching from a PC to a Mac was a little intimidating, I'll admit that.

Steve has helped solve that! He convinced his Mom to buy a Mac, but she found herself in the same boat as I was so he started creating these cool short videos that help you understand just how intuitive a Mac is.

Yes, I bought David Pogue's Missing Manual book to help me, but Steve's videos are an excellent resource so you can really see in real time what's going on as the mouse moves on the screen and gets clicked.

If you need help or know of someone who is a new Mac user, Steve's MacHelpforMom.com website - and his Newsletter - is just what you need. Be sure to watch the video of Patti on the home page. Since she already lives in LA, she won't have to commute far to her new job. I have a feeling Hollywood is going to be calling her up. See if you don't agree! Leave a comment with Steve about his mom.

GOSH! I just watched a video there about how to take screen shots and I discovered three new tricks. I'm going back now to sign up for the newsletter. WOW!

Latest Columns

Water Damaged Drywall

Counter Depth Refrigerator

Disclaimers and Other Stuff

I do product reviews frequently. Please read my Disclosure Policy to understand the relationship between me and the companies that make the products or offer the services I review.

PERIODIC OFFERS: This is a free newsletter filled with thousands of dollars of advice for your use and pleasure. From time to time I do offer you some of my products to help offset the time and resources I put into this newsletter. I hope that you consider this when you see me make you an offer.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Friendly Question Reminder!

If you have a question for me, don't hit the Reply button just yet. Go immediately to my web site and type in the keywords about your problem into my Search engine. The search box is at the top of every page of my web site. You could have your answer in seconds if you do this! Please pay attention to all links you see at my web site. The exact products and services you often need are right in front of you, and you might be ignoring them.

I'll be back soon with more tips!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do it Right, Not Over!

AsktheBuilder.com
100 Swain Road
Meredith, NH 03253, USA

Marble Floor Repair and Cleaning

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: We just had marble flooring installed in our bathroom. The room has radiant heat with plastic pex plumbing stapled to the underside of the wood subfloor. I was struggling to clean the marble the other day and discovered there are cracks in the veins of the marble. I'm in tears wondering what to do. What do you think caused the cracks, how can they be repaired and is there an easier way to clean marble? Please don't tell me I have to rip out the floor and start over. Denise P., Concord, MA

DEAR DENISE: I'm sorry this has happened to you, but the good news is that there may be a very easy fix. We'll talk about that in just a bit. I'm assuming that the cracks are somewhat minor and that large chunks of marble are not coming up from the floor.

Let's talk first about the possible causes of the cracking. There are many. One or more of these could be the cause of your angst.

The seemingly harmless black tubes under the wood floor possibly contributed to the cracks in the marble flooring above. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Your radiant heating could be the problem as it can cause expansion and contraction in the subflooring that stresses the marble. Stone usually has very high compressive strength meaning if you squeeze it, it doesn't fail. But most stones have low tensile strength - the force that happens when you pull or stretch something. Expansion of the wood floor under the marble, especially if the marble was adhered directly to the wood, could be pulling the marble apart.

The wood floor structure may also be a contributing factor. If the floor is springy and not stiff, the slight up and down movement like that of a trampoline, could be causing the same tension cracks. If there is a large tub that gets filled with water in the room, that concentrated weight can compound the problem if the wood floor joists are undersized.

The marble installer could have also made a mistake. He may not have incorporated a crack isolation membrane as part of the installation process. These membranes ensure the marble floor floats on top of the subfloor so that any sideways movement in the subfloor is not transferred to the marble flooring. This stops the tension forces from pulling apart the marble.

Finally, there could be other structural issues with the house that are manifesting themselves in the bathroom flooring. If you only see cracks in the bathroom, odds are this is not the case, but it's a remote possibility.

If your house is a new one, the issue could be also traced to lumber shrinkage. The lumber used in new homes can sometimes acquire lots of water during the construction process. As the lumber dries out, which can take sometimes over a year, this causes the wood to shrink. Shrinkage creates tension.

Now it's time for the good news. Since you have marble flooring that naturally has random veining, it's easy to disguise the repair of the cracks. I would start by doing a very small test using a wall grout that matches the color of the veining. Grout the cracks in the marble as if they were joints between tile.

It's very important the grout you use is quite stiff. Make it the consistency of premixed cake icing you'd buy at the grocery store that is about 60 F in temperature. As icing gets warmer, it becomes more fluid. You don't want that in your situation.

Use a rubber float to apply the grout and get all of the excess grout off the marble. There will be a very slight haze of grout on the marble. Don't remove this from the marble for about 30 minutes, then using only a very slightly damp sponge. You want to make sure you don't dig out any grout from the crack. The grout must be at the same height when dry as the marble floor.

I've found that oxygen bleach is a remarkable cleaner for marble. Just a week ago, I used it to remove a stubborn grease stain from marble.

Oxygen bleach is commonly sold as a powder that you mix with water. It attacks organic stains using just oxygen ions. It's color safe and should not harm the marble at all.

The trick is to mix up the solution and pour it onto the floor. You just let it soak on the marble and grout and allow the oxygen to do the work. After 15 minutes, scrub it with a stiff nylon scrub brush and rinse. The results should be remarkable.

Column 881

April 28, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
Bucket Ape Tool Review
AsktheBuilder on Facebook
Rusting Gutters
Helping You
Washington DC Meet-up
Stain Solver Sweepstakes
Latest Columns
Boring, But Necessary Stuff

Latest News

Spring is really trying hard to come to New Hampshire. The Friday before Easter it was 58 F and pretty sunny. That's tee shirt weather up here, especially after you've been buried under snow for three months.

Then last Saturday morning, I awake to wet snow falling. By the time it was over, two inches were on the ground. It looked like December. Easter Sunday, by 1 p.m., the ground was clear of that white covering! Crazy weather indeed.

Yesterday, we put the wood panels on the dock that lowers into the water like a drawbridge. That's how I suggest to Mother Nature, "Okay, it's time for summer!"

lake winnisquam nh

Tool Review - Bucket Ape

When I offer tool and product reviews here in the newsletter, I almost always have tested the product to ensure it does what it says. Here's an example of a time I've not done this. The reason why is the tool is so caveman simple, I already know it's going to work. And work WELL.

Have you ever grouted ceramic tile? Let's say a large floor. You then know that part of the job is emptying out the water bucket countless times in a vain effort to keep the rinse water clean. The cloudy water in the grout bucket is part of the reason there is always a grout haze on the tile.

Imagine if each time you rinsed your sponge in the bucket there was NO GROUT in it. How is that possible you ask? Easy. The Bucket Ape allows you to transform a five-gallon bucket into a crystal clear rinsing station right where you're grouting.

A water hose feeds water to the bucket and a threaded drain fitting at the bottom side of the bucket connects to a second hose that pipes the water outdoors. DUH! As the water flows into the bucket, you get to rinse your sponge completely clean each time. It's a tile setter's dream tool. But wait, it gets better. Do you have a septic system like I do?

This tool is PERFECT for cleaning paint brushes and rollers for anyone, like me, on a septic system. You don't want to ever put latex paint into a septic system or a leach field. I so wish I had this great tool this winter while I was painting the kitchen.

The inventor has set up a special page at his website where you can get a discount. You can buy the entire kit or just the parts to make your own Bucket Ape. If you have scrap hoses around and a bucket, all you need is the Bucket Ape tray and the special fitting for the drain hose.

If you do buy from this link, I do get a very tiny commission on each sale. I only do this with products I really believe in.

AsktheBuilder on Facebook

Do you use Facebook? Here's some of the stuff we discussed in the past few days at the AsktheBuilder.com Facebook Fan Page:

http://www.facebook.com/askthebuilder

I posted another mystery photo that you had to guess what it was.
Luke commented about my past column on Tankless Water Heaters
I helped James cut his patio blocks.
I shared how I got a grease stain out of a new marble top.
and MUCH more.

Become a fan and you'll get the free tips every time you login to your Facebook page!

Rusting Gutters

Lloyd Adams from Memphis, TN wrote to me:

"My wife and I built our house 22 years ago. The roof is good for awhile longer, but my galvanized gutters are rusting and leaking causing obvious problems. The gutter replacement job is more pressing, but I hate to install new gutters only to have them damaged when the roofers do their thing in a couple of years. Is this a needless worry, or should I go ahead and have the roof work done a bit early to spare potential damage to the gutters?"

Lloyd, I'm wondering if it's possible to salvage the gutters. If the rusting is not too bad such that the metal is paper thin, I'd use a special rust primer paint formulated to stick well to rust and then add a second coat of finish paint on the insides of the gutters.

Be sure to clean them well with soap and water to get all the dirt out before you paint. Once the paint is dry and cured, that can take two weeks, I'd coat all the soldered seams with the special sealant that's used on aluminum gutter joints. That will stick well on top of the paint. I love the sealant made by Alcoa.

Helping You

I need help from you once again so that I can do a better job of making your life easier. Here are some facts:

Tens of thousands of people come to AsktheBuilder.com each day. No doubt each and everyone has a problem. They sure as heck aren't coming to randomly surf my website.

I have thousands of pages of information at my AsktheBuilder.com website. So much information, that it's HARD for you to quickly find the tens of thousands of answers that are there.

If you're like most I talk with, your life is getting more complicated each day. You don't have the time or patience to look through all my content to get to the answers you need.

I get many emails each day with people asking pretty simple questions, but they want the Staples Office Supply store EASY button. If you're one of these people, you just want the quick answer. Right? I don't blame you one bit.

Here's an example. Carol B., from Cincinnati, OH, contacted me several days ago. She had a new concrete slab poured and it developed a crack. She was getting conflicting information about why it happened, who's fault it was and most importantly, WHAT could be done now to fix it.

All of that information was at my website. I've written extensively about it. But Carol was too busy, frustrated, or didn't have the patience to sift through my stuff to find out what to do. I understand that. Lately, I've been in the same mood and have little patience when faced with dilemmas.

After thinking about Carol's situation and knowing the answer was there for her, I had an epiphany.

What if Carol had seen at my Ask Tim page this announcement:

Do you have a problem? One of my 3-Minute Answer Guides could Solve Your Problem Right Now!

You click through and discover there's an Instant Download guide that you can read in 3 minutes or less. The document covers the causes of the problem, how it could have been prevented and the best part - SOLUTIONS to the problem that work.

What do you think about this? Would you like simple documents like this?

Would you take this SHORT survey to help me flush out this idea?

There is a place in the survey where you can tell me WHAT quick guides you want to see.

Washington DC Meet-up

It looks like I'll be in Washington DC again on May 24th with about three hours to kill late afternoon. If you're interested in meeting again and chit chatting, let me know.

Stain Solver Sweepstakes (Now over!)

We're having a new sweepstakes for Stain Solver! Go here for the details.

You could WIN a lot of Stain Solver. Better go look at this.

Latest Columns

Here are some columns I've loaded to the website. I really NEED your help.

When you read a column, note the SHARE button at the top near the headline. Could you do me a huge FAVOR and Share the column if you're on Facebook or Twitter? It will really help me if you do this.

Also, note at the BOTTOM of every column, you can comment to your Facebook friends if you discovered something in the column. That also helps me spread the good word to all that AsktheBuilder.com exists!

http://go.askthebuilder.com/CondensationProblems

http://go.askthebuilder.com/ConcreteRepair

http://go.askthebuilder.com/HardwoodFlooring

http://go.askthebuilder.com/TapingDrywall

http://go.askthebuilder.com/CentralVac

http://go.askthebuilder.com/KitchenRemodelingIdeas

Disclaimers and Other Stuff

I do product reviews frequently. Please read my Disclosure Policy to understand the relationship between me and the companies that make the products or offer the services I review.

If you wish to Unsubscribe, look all the way at the bottom for the Unsubscribe link. All you have to do is click it to stop getting this newsletter.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Friendly Question Reminder!

If you have a question for me, don't hit the Reply button just yet. Go immediately to my web site and type in the keywords about your problem into my Search engine. The search box is at the top of every page of my web site. You could have your answer in seconds if you do this! Please pay attention to all links you see at my web site. The exact products and services you often need are right in front of you, and you might be ignoring them.

April 25, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Tim Carter

If you're a NEW subscriber to my AsktheBuilder.com newsletter in the last five days, this is NOT a normal newsletter.

This is a very quick reminder that one of my annual promotions is about to expire.

Yes, the Annual Stain Solver Spring Sale is going to END at Midnight tonight April 25, 2011. You have only HOURS left to save not only money, but lots of your possessions.

Use this promo code: ENJOYYOURBACKYARD to get a 25 percent discount off our normal pricing.

If you're a long-time subscriber, you know three things:

Stain Solver oxygen bleach is perhaps the best stain cleaner out there.
You know Stain Solver is as green as can be. It's made in the USA from USA ingredients that are food-grade quality. You can't get better than that.
Stain Solver cleans hundreds of stains.

Just last week, we got dramatic before and after photos of how Stain Solver was used to clean grape jelly from brand new seat cushions.

Yes, it's an amazing product. Don't miss out on this sale.

Go here to discover all the facts about Stain Solver:

http://www.StainSolver.com

Thanks!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com and StainSolver.com

AsktheBuilder.com
100 Swain Road
Meredith, NH 03253, USA

Pex Plumbing Tips

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Tim Carter

Connect PEX in Seconds - No Experience Needed!

This column was SO GOOD that I shared with the 31,000 subscribers who read my April 14, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

DEAR TIM: Money is very tight in this current economy and I just can’t afford to hire a plumber to install new water supply lines in my home. I’ve seen the pex piping and feel it's the way to go as there are no soldered joints hidden in the walls.

Is it hard to install pex plumbing tubing? Can you share some secrets and tips? Am I crazy to think that I can be successful doing this? Dan G., Belle Mead, NJ

One Practice PEX Joint and You're a Pro!

Let's assume you're allowed to do the pex plumbing installation work. I feel, with a little practice, you can be successful doing this major job. There are just a few areas where you'll need some sweet skills to ensure you don't have a leak.

Let's talk first about the many advantages of pex tubing and pex plumbing fittings. As you've already noted, since the pex piping is similar to electrical wiring, there are no joints in the pipe if you decide to install a separate pipe to each fixture from your main mechanical room where the water supply enters your house. That one characteristic of pex is an enormous time saver.

PEX Plastic Has a Memory

The pex tubing I've worked with, and had the best success with, is a special plastic that has a memory. Don't ask me how they figured it out, but when you stretch the material it fights to go back to it's original shape and size.

This property allows the piping and little compression collars to grab tightly onto the knurled surface of the male adapter fittings. This is what creates the leak-free connections between the pex tubing and a manifold or a valve at the end of a run.

PEX Expanding Tool - Just Get Hand-Powered One

To stretch the piping, you need a special tool that has an expanding cone tip. As you crank the tool, this cone expands the plastic.

Here's a PEX hand expansion tool. It's hundreds of dollars cheaper than a power tool. CLICK THE PHOTO now to have this delivered to your home.

The warmer the pipe is, the easier it is to accomplish this. Cold temperatures cause the plastic to react sluggishly. This means it expands slower and goes back to its original size slower.

These special tools come in both hand powered and a sleek cordless electric tool that's very handy. You'll have to get one of these tools to do the job, so give a serious look at the cordless tool. Once you've completed the job, you can sell the tool online if you desire and get back probably 65 percent of the price you paid for it.

Connect PEX Using the UPONOR System

I have PEX in my home and it's the UPONOR system. It has these caveman simple compression collars that keep all joints leak-free. Watch how SIMPLE and FAST it is to make a connection:

Main Manifold May Stretch Your Comfort Level

The only place I can see you having problems is installing the two manifolds in your mechanical room. These are usually made from copper and have a shutoff valve at each port where you connect a water line. You'll have to securely attach the manifold to the wall and do some great soldering to connect the manifold to your water supply.

Some plumbers are moving away from the manifolds and installing pex piping like traditional water supply lines. In these cases you do end up with joints hidden behind walls.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local plumbers who can do PEX in case you're afraid.

If you decide to install your system like this, you need to be very conscious of water pressure and friction losses. You'll have to install a 1-inch main trunk line that eventually downsizes to 3/4 inch and then 1/2-inch pipes that supply each fixture.

Employ Best PEX Practices

Be sure you follow all best practices when working with the pex piping. I would absolutely read any and all information that the pipe manufacturer has available. Be sure you don't pinch the pipe. Drill holes that are large enough for the pipe to pass through easily.

You also need to be aware of all the limitations concerning drilling and notching structural framing members. You just can't go start drilling large holes in floor joists. You can't notch floor joists.

The building code often contains good illustrations that show you exactly what you're allowed to do without compromising the structural integrity of your home. Check what's on the other side of a wood member before drilling. You could penetrate a wire or a gas line!

Practice First With PEX - So Simple

Finally, I would highly recommend testing your skills before you advance to putting the pipe and fittings in your home. Create small test joints where you connect a pex pipe or two to actual shutoff valves.

Then connect these short test pipes to your existing plumbing system. See if you have any leaks. Be sure you understand how to completely expand the pipe, rotating the tool as you expand the plastic and then quickly install the pipe and compression collar over the male end of the adapters before the pipe returns to it's original size.

Don't hope that you have leak-free joints. Remember, hope is the emotion of last resort. You hope for something when you can't control the outcome. In your case, with practice, you can control everything!

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local plumbers who can do PEX in case you're afraid.

Column 880

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News

Solar Attic Fans

Washington DC Meet Up

Preventing Caulk Tube Clogs

Quick Stain Solver Tip For Wendy in Colorado

Gravel for Driveways and Roads

Cutting Pex Tubing

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News

Working With Wood Glue

Work Gloves Review

AsktheBuilder on Facebook

Mothers Day Accessory Gift

Latest Columns

Disclaimers and Other Stuff

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Friendly Question Reminder!

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News

Tool Review - Bucket Ape

AsktheBuilder on Facebook

Rusting Gutters

Helping You

Washington DC Meet-up

Stain Solver Sweepstakes (Now over!)

Latest Columns

Disclaimers and Other Stuff

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Friendly Question Reminder!

Connect PEX in Seconds - No Experience Needed!

One Practice PEX Joint and You're a Pro!

PEX Plastic Has a Memory

PEX Expanding Tool - Just Get Hand-Powered One

Connect PEX Using the UPONOR System

Main Manifold May Stretch Your Comfort Level

Employ Best PEX Practices

Practice First With PEX - So Simple

Expert Advice For Your Home