February 22, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Lastest News
Termites and Water
Past Newsletters
Facebook Fun
Snow Dragons
Toilet Wax Gaskets
Water Pressure Booster Pump

Remember, Do it Right, Not Over!

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.

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.

Latest News

Oh how time flies. I'm swamped on the kitchen remodeling project here at my own home. It's fun but it's frustrating. I was to have a helper, but that person got tied up on another project. Lot's of dust here and I'm almost over the hardest part.

But what I wanted to share was something that happened to me when dealing with one of my suppliers. Yes, even I can get into a tussle about money. You would think I'm immune to that. Well, such is not the case. It's not a large sum, but it was the principal of the issue. I didn't want to pay for something that wasn't my fault.

There's no need to share the details of what happened, but I can tell you that the reason it's going to work out just fine is that I did follow all the advice I've given others for years: Put it in writing. You're thinking contract right? Well, you don't normally sign a contract to buy certain items.

In this case, the fact that my free Gmail email account SAVES every email, and that of my wife, allowed us to show the supplier where the communication problem broke down. You may use some other email program or online web-based email. No matter. The point is, don't delete emails. Gmail archives all of them automatically. Others I'm sure do the same.

Once we went back into our email archives, we were able to prove that we were NOT at fault. The emails clearly showed who dropped the ball.

This is the problem with doing business on the phone. You have no recording of what was said. If you do business like this, after you hang up the phone I urge you to do a quick summary of the key talking points. Put them in an email and send it to the person you're ordering from or doing business with. Ask them to reply to the email so you can prove they got it.

The emails that Gmail saved for us are going to buy a month's worth of propane. Thank you Google!

Termites and Water

TermitesMoe M. sent me a tip about termites. Here's what he said:

I just want to share with you one quick point which may be of interest to your subscribers. My in-laws had a leaky pipe basement (occasional small leak) and they never got around to do anything about it. Boy were they in for a surprise when termites came flocking in, moisture basement seem to be great locations for termites to set up shop.

True indeed, Moe! Termites really need moisture. I have quite a few past columns about termites. Know that the little worker termites constantly are foraging for food. They do this non-stop. They also try to supply the colony with different sources of food. They don't like to put all their eggs in one basket.

PAST Newsletters!!

AsktheBuilder NewsletterYou may go to the trouble to archive my past AsktheBuilder newsletters in your computer. Know that I do the same at my website. Also realize that the enormously powerful search engine at my site can really help you if you know that I mentioned something and you can't find it in your archives. Just type in a keyword or a phrase and see if my engine finds it faster for you.

Facebook FUN!

AsktheBuilder on FacebookDo you use Facebook? I can see why it's SO popular. A month ago, I launched an AsktheBuilder Fan Page. It's been great fun.

Here's what you missed the past few days by not being a fan. I took a photo of a problem here at my house. I then asked the fans to comment how they would fix the problem. My plan was to see if someone had a better way! You should have seen all the responses.

I plan to do that as often as possible. Go check this out. Heck, if you don't have a Facebook account - it's FREE - this may be the thing to get you going.

www.facebook.com/askthebuilder

Snow Dragons

Last issue of the newsletter, I lamented about the crazy Medieval knights who slaughter the last dragons causing them to go extinct. I need a pet dragon up here in New Hampshire to melt the snow on my roof.

Marty Hovey, a great friend of mine and one of the original subscribers to this newsletter sent me a link to a modern snow dragon!

Toilet Wax Gaskets

Helen Harris of Taneytown MD emailed me:

toilet wax gaskets

My granddaughter's husband put new wax seal on toilet. Problem - he flushed the old sticky seal down the toilet and we think that is what is causing the toilet to now clog up. We used a snake and it came back with some of that waxy stuff on the end. After snaking, it was okay for a few days then clogged back up again. Is there something that will dissolve it or flush the remainder away? I don't know if it is hung up in the pipe or what and the toilet paper adheres to it and that's how it is clogging or what. Any ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Helen, what a problem. I don't know of anything that would readily dissolve that wax. That would be very problematic as if a person used that with any frequency in a toilet, it would break the seal. I'm afraid you'll have to just continue to rod out the pipe.

Never ever put something sticky like that down a drain pipe. I'm sure he knows that now.

Water Pressure Booster Pump

If you could read my daily email, here's what your executive summary would be:

Tim, the people that email you just want the Easy Button. They are busy and just want the products and services you use personally. If it's good enough for you, then it's got to be great for them.

You know what? That's exactly the common thread in most of the email I get. You just want me to tell you what to buy or who to hire.

To that point, I made a decision over the past two years to go out and find what I feel are the BEST products out there. The ones that really work. I have problems of my own at my home and don't want failures.

This is why I found the best gutter guards. This is why I did the research and found the best water conditioning system, or what I feel is the best.

This home I bought here in New Hampshire is on a well. The well pump only produces 50 pounds of water pressure. That pressure drops to 30 pounds before the well pump comes on. It's dismal pressure, especially when you realize I came from a house in Cincinnati, OH that had 90 psi. That was just over the recommended limit, but I never had issues with any of the fixtures.

So on my list of things to find was a fantastic water pressure booster pump. It's a long story, but last summer the owner of a great Yankee New Hampshire manufacturing company called me. I got to meet Ned and his team back in November of last year while visiting his facility.

He showed me these gorgeous variable-speed booster pumps that were to be used on large buildings, college dorms, and restaurants. Places that needed reliable water pressure all the time.

I discovered there are vast differences between pumps. The variable speed one is quieter and does a superior job than some of the cheaper ones on the market.

I blurted out, "Wow, do you make smaller ones for a residential house that will take my pain away?" Ned grinned and walked me over to a shelf that had this pre-built system ready to go. I believe he said, "Tim, this little pump will deliver 80 psi at 10 gallons per minute till the cows come home. This assumes you have enough water coming into your home to supply the pump. I can't make water that's not there."

I've been a master plumber for over 25 years. I could see the pump could be installed with no problems. It was just like hooking up a new electric water heater. One water line in, one water line out and connect an electric cable.

The entire pump, expansion tank and all-important electronic pressure regulator is all mounted pre-wired and connected on a painted steel frame. You just set it in place, pipe it and wire it. It's unbelievable.

Ned was quick to point out that some of the smaller 120 volt pumps you just plug into an existing outlet that's on it's own circuit. In other words, they are SIMPLE to install. I went for a 240-volt model that required it to be hard wire it into my electric panel. That was easy to do.

Three weeks ago, I had one installed here at my New Hampshire house. The entire job took less than two hours. The moment the pump was turned on, I had incredible pressure. WOO HOO!!! I'm one happy camper as is Kathy. I'm going to tape a video showing my pump as soon as I get past this kitchen job.

So here's the bottom line. Ned wanted to buy advertising on my website. I said No. I've decided to do it a different way. Since you just want me to tell you what I use, then I'll just get compensated IF you decide to take action. So Ned and I worked out a deal where I get a tiny commission if you buy a pump like mine. It's a win-win-win.

At the end of the day, you win because you get a great product made here in the good ole' USA! Ned and his workers win as well. I win because I can start to reinvest the commission money to grow my team to help find even MORE products you want.

You can go to Ned's website, but I URGE you to call them. Make sure you tell them you heard about him from me. You can order directly online if you want, but it's best for them to ask some questions so they can absolutely make sure you get the right pump. Ned and I want to make sure the pump is going to work perfectly in your home.

Go to Ned's website and tell me what you think. He's got a great installation guide if you want to do it yourself. If you want to hire a pro, it should take about two hours. That's not bad!

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

Central Vac

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I was touring a new home that was open. One of the features that really interested me was the central vacuum system. It seems like one of these would be really handy. What’s involved when you install a central vacuum? Can you share some tips, especially what not to do? I hate making mistakes. Ray H., Newtown, PA

DEAR RAY: I've been really lucky for the past twenty-five years in that the past two houses I've lived in both have had a central vac. I have to tell you that I don't know if I would be able to handle going back to a traditional hand-held vacuum that you have to lug around the house.

This is a rare site. Here’s what a central vac outlet looks like with the plaster or drywall out of the way. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

This is a rare site. Here’s what a central vac outlet looks like with the plaster or drywall out of the way. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Perhaps the biggest misconception about central vacuum systems is the myth that they can only be installed when building a new home. That's simply not true. It's absolutely easier to install one when the walls are wide open, but believe me, a talented installer can put one in an existing home with relative ease.

When you toured that new home, you saw outlets on the walls that looked something like an electrical outlet. These have a door that flips open and the end of the central vac hoses plugs into the hole. Small metal contacts inside the outlet cause the remote motor in the vacuum to immediately turn on and you're ready to work.

The pipe in the walls is 2-inch diameter. The inner diameter of the flexible hose that you use to clean with is approximately 1 and 1/4 inches in diameter. This is by design so that it's virtually impossible for the hidden pipe in the walls to become clogged. If an object can pass through the flexible hose in your hands, it can make it through the walls to the actual vacuum canister.

There are any number of mistakes you can make when installing a central vac system. One is putting in too few outlets. You have to account for furniture being in your way, so the length of the flexible hose doesn't always reach as far as you might think. You'll never regret having too many outlets. The central vac parts to do this are pretty inexpensive.

You can really make a mistake where you locate the canister. Most systems have the motor and the canister as one unit. The motor can be pretty loud, so I highly recommend putting this out in your garage. The added benefit to this is when you empty the canister or replace the bag dust is kept out of your home.

Some installers will take a shortcut and not run the exhaust pipe outdoors. Don't fall into this trap. You want the air to exit the house in case it has very fine dust particles in it. The only way I'd not exhaust a central vac outdoors is if the manufacturer could promise me there would never be dust in my garage or basement. Always follow the instructions of the manufacturer. If they say to exhaust the machine outdoors, do it.

If you put your canister and motor in your garage, be sure there is an outlet on the machine. If not, then put in a regular outlet in a wall on the garage. It's so handy to be able to use the central vac to clean a car.

Perhaps the most common mistake I see when installers put in a central vac, and one that does exhaust outdoors, is NOT installing a fresh-air intake. A central vacuum consumes vast amounts of air when it's turned on and it needs to get that air from outdoors.

central vac system

If you have a very tight home, the operation of a central vacuum could possibly cause backdrafting of combustion gases down metal chimneys or vents into your home which could cause carbon monoxide poisoning. It can also make a house smell like smoke if you have wood-burning fireplaces or wood stoves as the vacuum gets its replacement air by sucking it down a chimney.

Installing the piping for a central vac system in an average-sized new house usually only takes part of a day. The pipe glues together with regular PVC cement. You can cut the thin piping with a simple hacksaw, making sure you remove any burrs from the cut ends of the pipe. Burrs can grab onto hair and possibly lead to a clog years from now.

You have to also run low-voltage wire from the outlets back to the motor. This is very easy to do. Just use electricians tape to adhere this small wire to the side of the plastic vacuum piping.

Be sure you check your canister frequently to ensure that it's not full of dirt and debris. As the canister or bag fills with dirt, the suction power of the vacuum starts to drop. Use common sense and avoid picking up rocks or gravel with your central vac. Sweep up that with a regular broom.

I've not installed a Beam central vac, however I've put in quite a few Nutone and VacMaster units. Another popular brand is an Electrolux central vac. I'd always let price be my barometer in this situation as the better vacuum systems will almost always have better parts and motors. These cost more, so the total price of a better unit will almost always be higher than a cheap brand.

The column was mentioned in the April 28, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips & Newsletter.

Column 871

Taping Drywall

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: Is taping drywall that hard to do? I watched it done on a television show and it seems like it's not too tough. What taping drywall tools should I be looking for? Surely you have some secrets about finishing drywall with all the jobs you've done. What are the biggest mistakes you feel rookies make when mudding and taping drywall? I want my job to look like a professional did it, so please help me out. Wanda P., Haverhill, MA

DEAR WANDA: Let me first say that you could ask these questions to ten different professional drywall finishers and probably get back ten different answers. What's more, entire books have been written about the topic, perhaps the best being The Gypsum Construction Handbook published by the experts on the topic, the USG Corporation.

Taping drywall is an art. It requires training and good hand-eye coordination. PHOTO CREDIT: Kathy Carter

It's my honest opinion that taping drywall is much harder than it looks on the shows you watched. I've done video work for years and can tell you that a talented videographer and editor in post production can make the toughest jobs look like a cake walk. What the camera can't communicate is the muscle control you must exhibit to get the drywall tools to produce professional results.

I had an employee who worked for me for years. This individual was never able to master the art and craft of drywall taping. His results were sloppy and he'd either leave too much joint compound under the tape or he'd press out too much allowing blisters to form when subsequent coats of compound were applied. No matter how much training I offered, the results were dismal. I'm convinced the failure was a blend of lack of desire and a severe shortage of hand-eye coordination.

Here are a few of the most common mistakes I see rookie drywall finishers make. The first is using the joint compound straight out of the box or bucket without mixing it with a small amount of water. The joint compound, or mud as it's called by the pros, must be smooth and the consistency of warm cake icing. If you tilt the mud pan it will flow slowly in this plastic state. Avoid adding too much water as it will dilute the adhesive that's in the joint compound.

PHOTO CREDIT: Kathy Carter

Remember, joint compound is basically glue and dust. I say this because the compound is designed to stick to the drywall paper and it's made from very finely ground ingredients that turn to dust as you sand them. But make no mistake, top quality joint compounds are made to exacting standards.

Another common mistake is not keeping the precise amount of material between the tape and the drywall. I say this because you might wish to use the traditional paper tape in lieu of the self-adhesive mesh tapes. Many a debate has raged between professional drywall finishers about which tape is better - mesh vs. paper. I happen to use the traditional paper tape, and have never had an issue with it.

To get a feel of how small the margin of error is when taping drywall, take a straightedge or a broad knife and place it across the tapered edges of two pieces of drywall. Note that the gap is no more than 1/8th of an inch. This means you need no more than 1/16th of an inch layer of mud under the tape. This leaves you with a thin coating of mud the same thickness to cover and hide the tape on your second application of joint compound.

It should be obvious that the consistency of the mud must be very plastic so you can achieve this result. One secret trick is to be sure that the mud you apply to the seam is no thicker than 1/8th inch before embedding the tape. Be sure the mud is even, smooth and without lumps or voids. Embed the tape and run your taping knife across it smoothly with even pressure to press out the excess mud making sure you leave the proper amount.

To get professional results you'll have to have great taping drywall tools. I love using my stainless steel mud pan. I use a flexible taping knife that's just under 6 inches wide. Before I used it the first time, I used a metal file to slightly round the corners of the tool. Straight from the factory these tools have very sharp corners that can cut into the paper tape as you strike inside corners when taping.

Some professional drywall finishers prefer to use trowels to apply mud. I started using broad knives 36 years ago and never gravitated to trowels like you see a plasterer use. I have a 10-Inch and 12-Inch broad knife both of them stainless steel.

Professional finishers who tape entire houses in one day will use a tool called a banjo.This handy tool applies the exact amount of mud to the tape. The best analogy I can offer is those packaging taping machines that apply clear tape to cardboard boxes. The banjo eliminates the step of you applying the mud to the wall as the tape comes out of the machine with the mud on it.

There are countless other drywall taping tools that you'll discover if you visit a business that sells drywall and specialty tools to drywall professionals.

Please read my Disclosure Policy about products I recommend.

Column 870

February 9, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
Facebook Fan Page a Hit!
Zibra Open-It
Meet-up Reports
Water Pressure Booster Pump
Construction Heaters
Amprobe Tools
Latest Book I Read
Digital Thermostat
 
Remember, Do it Right, Not Over!

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.

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.

Latest News

DragonI'd like to talk to the idiot medieval knights who slayed the last dragons. We've had a constant flow of storms here in the Northeast and although I LOVE the beauty of the snow, I'm growing tired of raking it off the roof here and dealing with it near my front door.

The person who designed the house I'm in should not be allowed near a drafting board or CAD program ever again. I have this U-shaped design where a long garage is parallel with the long house. It creates this 10-foot-wide canyon that ends at the front door. Three roofs converge in this area. When you rake the snow off the roofs or even go to shovel the walk, there's no place to put the snow by this time of year. A handy pet dragon would make short work of the snow.

Last year I was driving my son back to college in Burlington, VT and he had the idea of the future. He said, "Dad, in a few years the snow plows will just have lasers. The lasers will melt the snow and create a dry road." You know what, he may be right. We'll see.

Facebook Fan Page a Hit!

My new AsktheBuilder Facebook fan page is really getting lots of attraction. Are you on Facebook? If so, consider stopping by and click the button to become a fan. Then you'll get great tips and news blips that I don't put in this newsletter.

www.facebook.com/askthebuilder

I'm trying to get you to share photos of your projects and the things you're working on. I want to see what's happening at your home.

One of the great benefits of the fan page, from my perspective, happened yesterday. Nadine, a fan, alerted me that AsktheBuilder was mentioned two days ago on the CBS Morning News show. Had it not been for the post by Nadine, I'd have never known about that. Thanks Nadine!

Zibra Open-It

I have the pleasure to review new tools on a frequent basis. Some are great and others are ho-hum. I only tell you about the ones that I feel are fantastic and will really help you.

Zibra Open-ItAbout two months ago, I got one in the mail that I felt would be a dud. It was some funky looking shear or scissors. It's called the Zibra Open-It. I ignored it, but my daughter Meghan immediately looked at it and opened it up. It came in one of those impossible-to-open clear plastic containers. You know what I mean? The ones you use a razor knife on and practically kill yourself as you slice through the plastic.

Meghan opened the tool, read the instructions and started to cut up the packaging as if it was paper. And believe me, it WORKED! She handed me the tool and said, "Dad, this is going to save lots of trips to emergency rooms for stitches." She's right. I've always worried when cutting up packages like that. In the handle you also have a tiny Philips and slotted screwdriver and a retractable utility knife. You're going to love this tool.

Here's a link to Amazon where you can buy it. It's an affiliate link. I get a tiny commission if you buy the tool.

Meet-Up Reports

Just over a month ago, I had a blast one chilly afternoon in Washington, DC. I was in town to witness New Hampshire's newest US Senator Kelly Ayotte being sworn into office. After that ceremony, I was picked up by subscriber John Davis and taken to Pat Troy's Irish Pub in nearby Alexandria. Joining us there were John Carpenter, Jay Brinkmann, Oscar Paquette, Jason Pauwley, Doug Kingman, and John Davis' wife and daughter Christine. We had a great conversation about many topics.

Then a week later I had another meet-up in Orlando, FL while at the Builders Show. We all had a great breakfast. I made a mistake at that one and forgot to write down the names of all who braved the chilly Orlando weather to come out. What's more, I didn't have a great camera with me. From now on, we'll create a photo album of all the meet ups.

I was wondering for those who live within driving distance to central New Hampshire if you'd want to have a sleepover meet up? You and your significant other would rent a room for one night - you could stay the entire weekend if you want - at the Atwood Inn. Wait till you see their new website and the videos of all the rooms!! Go watch the video for the White Mountain Room, but be sure to watch the video first on the home page for it to make sense.

My plan would be to meet you at the inn at about 4:30 on a Friday or Saturday night. I'd order in some pizza for dinner and we would chit chat about anything you want till about 9 pm. Everyone would hit the rack and then be downstairs for breakfast at 8 am. I'd stay till Noon continuing the conversation and then everyone would go their separate ways.

We could talk about problems at your house, I could help you with planning for an upcoming project, etc. That's what we did in DC as Oscar brought great photos and drawings of a water problem he was trying to solve. But any topic is fair game. At the DC event, the conversation drifted to politics as you might imagine.

Only seven couples can do this sleepover at the Atwood Inn. If others want to come, you'd have to stay at other nearby motels. If this is of interest to you, send me an email with Sleepover in the subject line. We'll see if we can pull it off.

Water Pressure Booster Pump

Last week, I had a new water pressure booster pump installed at my house. The early reports are AMAZING. I want the pump to operate for another week before I share all the details. But suffice it to say that it's easy to install if you have moderate soldering and electrical skills, it's compact, and it comes from the factory completely assembled.

This pump will work if you're on a well like me or if you have poor city pressure. The entire installation only took two hours. The best part, I've now got unbelievable 80 psi at a full flow rate of 10 gallons per minute throughout the entire house.

I'll share photos and will have a video done for you just as soon as I let it run another week. So be patient!

Construction Heaters

Two days ago, I did one of my 15-Minute Consults. The woman had a room addition under construction and there was all sorts of water leaking around the windows, under the bottom plate of the walls, and icicles hanging from the cantilevered floor overhang.

After talking it out with this distraught woman, I traced the problem to a vent-free propane heater the contractor was using to stay warm while working. When you burn any fossil fuel, it creates water vapor as a byproduct. There was so much water vapor it condensed on the cold wall surfaces saturating all the insulation. It was a mess. Don't let this happen on your job.

Amprobe Tools

Amprobe Digital MultimeterI've got more tools news. In the past month, I've also had a chance to test drive several Amprobe Tools. I used a very slick pocket multimeter to check to see if a zone thermostat here at my house was delivering line voltage to a circulating pump. The meter confirmed the pump was getting voltage. It was easy to use!

Then I used their cool non-contact voltage tester that allows you to find hidden wires behind walls with pretty good accuracy.

And yesterday, I used the plug-in continuity tester to help me isolate a circuit breaker so I could kill the power to a circuit while I moved an outlet.

All in all, the tools worked perfectly. The above link is an affiliate link so you know.

Latest Book I Read

Shadow Divers by Robert KursonIf you click the above link to look at the Amprobe Multimeter, you can see the last book I read. It was Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson. It's all about two weekend divers who successfully identified a German U-boat about 60 miles off the New Jersey coastline. It was an sensational read. I got an enormous education about deep-sea diving as the U-boat was down about 230 feet. From what I gleaned from the book, there aren't too many who venture that deep in the water. You'll like this book if you love history and thrilling narrative.

That's an affiliate link if you're keeping track.

I'm now reading the 5,000 Year Leap. Next on tap: In the Wake of Galleons.

Digital Thermostat

I'm getting ready to test a Venstar digital thermostat soon. I need to make sure I can connect it to one of the thermostats that operates one of the zones of my boiler. I've been crazy busy and have not had the chance to look at this setup in great detail. Here's what I'm looking at:

http://go.askthebuilder.com/venstar

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

Hardwood Flooring

Posted on by Tim Carter

Hardwood Flooring | These pieces of hardwood flooring, believe it or not, will end up looking like the finished floor just beneath them once they're installed, sanded, and finished. All that's needed to make the color transition is water-based urethane. The above flooring was not stained.©2021 Tim Carter

Hardwood Flooring - It's Time Tested and Gorgeous

DEAR TIM: I'm about to undertake the installation of hardwood flooring. I'm talking about traditional tongue and groove hardwood that's 3/4-inch thick, not engineered hardwood flooring. My plan is to try it myself and only call in hardwood flooring installers if I mess up. What do you think of this idea? It can't be that difficult to install as you just nail the boards to the floor. Do you know anything about hardwood flooring cost? What tips can you share to help me do this job by myself? Susan W., Palo Alto, CA

DEAR SUSAN: I usually encourage people to try things themselves for any number of reasons. First, it's fulfilling to accomplish a task and stand back seeing stellar results. It's also possible to save money. But when it comes to installing hardwood flooring and you're a complete rookie, I'll have to tell you that you're probably going to fail.

Is it Hard to Install Hardwood Flooring?

It's a true art and skill to install the material you've chosen. And forget anything you've seen on some of the cable television home-improvement shows where they gloss over the finer points of installing this wood material that can last generations.

To get an idea of all you need to know, you should read my other hardwood flooring installation column. Seriously, CLICK or TAP HERE and absorb all you see.

What Tools are Required to Install Hardwood Flooring?

You need the following minimal tools to install hardwood flooring:

  • a special angled nailer
  • mallet
  • circular or miter saw
  • a wood chisel
  • a measuring tape

I'll never forget watching the first hardwood floor go down on one of my jobs. The tools the installer used were some I'd never seen. He had a funky-looking spring-loaded nailing tool that he hit with a rubber mallet. This tool drove special nails at the precise angle through the tongue of each piece of the flooring.

If you’re interested in learning more about the estimates to install hardwood floors I have an article here.

AsktheBuilder Podcast

CLICK this image and listen to the first call on the podcast. I talked to Jill about how to repair wood kitchen flooring, and possibly installing an inlay border as an option. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

Does the Hardwood Have to Acclimate?

The hardwood flooring material must acclimate to the temperature and humidity of your home. This can take a week or two. The material needs to be unpacked and air needs to be able to get to each piece of the flooring material.

But that was the glory part. What's mission critical is to make sure the flooring material acclimates to your home. This means the wood you're going to use must be brought into the home and allowed to normalize itself with the house's temperature and humidity. This is a step often overlooked by rookies. If you don't let the wood acclimate, gaps may eventually form between the pieces of wood. It can take days for the wood to become stable.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local contractors to install hardwood flooring.

How Do You Prevent Squeaks in the Flooring?

Professional hardwood installers know all sorts of tricks to ensure that squeaks don't happen. They use special nails that have tiny barbs and/or ribbing on the shaft allowing the nails to really bite into the subflooring.

Should Felt Paper Go Under the Flooring?

Yes, you should install felt paper under the new hardwood flooring.

You'll also see professionals install 15-pound felt paper under the strips of hardwood. This is an added touch that helps prevents vapor from entering the underside of the wood in case the wood is being installed over a crawlspace or a damp basement. The felt paper also helps, to a very small degree, with squeaking.

Should Low Spots Be Filled In Before Installation?

Yes, low spots in the subflooring should be filled in. The hardwood flooring should not flex when walked on.

Have you thought about how you're going to deal with a subfloor that has humps and low spots in it? If you make a mistake here, you'll absolutely end up with squeaks or gaps down the road. Professionals use a long straightedge to detect humps and low spots. They fill the low spots with asphalt shingles to support the hardwood strips.

hardwood floor with inlay fireplace

This is the hardwood floor, with decorative inlay, that was in my own home I built. The installer I hired used a straightedge and shingles to make the hardwood perfect. There are many hardwood floor inlay designs and medallions. (C)Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

How Do You Nail the First Piece of Flooring?

The first piece of hardwood should be installed parallel with a string that is the baseline for all the flooring.

What are you going to do when you nail your first piece? How will you know it's perfectly straight? The entire floor builds off the first piece, so it must be correctly installed. The pros that worked for me used to carefully string a line across the room and laid the first pieces exactly to this line. It's important that the line hover just above the wood so that the pieces you install don't nudge it as you face nail them.

Is the Layout of the Flooring Important?

The initial layout of the flooring is very critical, especially if you're extending the hardwood into several rooms. You want to avoid, if possible, cutting narrow strips next to any of the walls where the strips run parallel to the walls. Be sure on these walls where the wood runs parallel, that you don't install it tight to the drywall or plaster. Leave a gap that's as thick as the baseboard that is on the wall. The bottom of the baseboard needs to be slightly above the flooring so that the wood can expand into the void space in case the humidity soars.

Should Prefinished Hardwood Flooring Be Installed?

If I've talked you out of installing the floor yourself, you may want to try some prefinished hardwood flooring. Some of it can be easy to work with. But be sure to follow all the instructions with respect to acclimating it to the room.

What is a Floating Hardwood Floor?

A floating hardwood floor is one that is not nailed to the subfloor. The pieces interlock and they become one giant piece of flooring that's usually installed over thin foam for soundproofing.

Floating hardwood flooring is also gaining in popularity. It's not nailed to the floor below. The pieces interlock with one another. Sometimes the connection is mechanical and other times it's a glue joint. These flooring systems can be challenging to install if you've never done it before.

Will I Love Hardwood Flooring?

You'll love your solid hardwood flooring if you decide to use it. It's the only material I'd use in my own home. I love everything about it. Perhaps the best part is knowing that it can last hundreds of years if cared for. If you care for the finish, it only needs to be sanded lightly the first time it's installed. Every coat of finish after that only requires a light screening of the previous finish. There's no need to sand away the wood.

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Ice Dam Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Ice Dam

Hi, I'm Tim Carter from AsktheBuilder.com and I'm outside, as you can probably see some snow falling. A really big snow storm is headed this way. I want to show you someone that a lot of people don't get to see up close and personal. It is an ice dam on the roof.

What has happened is this. If you look under the roof ice dam, you will see the soffit and the exterior of the house. Well, guess what's happening? Right behind the ice dam where you can see the shingles. There is enough heat that can pass through the insulation and radiates to the underside of the roof deck. This heat melts the snow pack.

As soon as the melted snow flows down the roof and touches the ice-cold gutter, it starts to freeze instantly. As this process continues, the ice damming gets thicker and thicker.

On another area of the roof, there are no ice dams. So why is there no ice here? What is different? This roof is over the garage and there is no heat in the garage. Thus, no heat comes up and heats the underside of the roof. Melting the snow pack and causing it to freeze when it hits the cold edge of the roof.

If you want to prevent ice dams, there are a couple of choices. First thing is to get the snow off the roof. Don't beat the roof chopping ice, remove the snow pack with a snow rake.

Another one of the ice dam solutions is putting a radiant barrier on top of the insulation, making sure it doesn't touch the insulation. This barrier would run up the underside of the roof leaving an air gap of about 1-1/2 inches on top of the radiant barrier. This barrier would cause all that escaping heat to be deflected back down into the house.

If you want to stop the ice dam leaks, you will need to put an ice and water shield on the roof. (Click here to watch my Ice and Water Shield video.) This ice dam membrane will prevent the water backing up behind the ice dam from getting into the house as the water gets under the shingles. In heavy snow areas, like New England, the ice and water shield needs to extend up the roof about six feet. Better yet, apply it to the entire roof. This ice dam membrane can only be put on when you are re-roofing or building a new home.

This popular and important video was shared with all my readers in the January 28, 2014 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

Concrete Repair

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I’ve got an unexpected concrete repair I have to make to my poured concrete foundation. A water leak caused me to have to remove drywall in my basement. To my surprise, I discovered rows of holes 5/8-inch diameter in my concrete walls, some that have water dripping through them. These perfectly drilled holes are not random, and are as deep as the foundation is thick. What created them? How can I patch them so they don’t leak? What’s the best material to use when doing concrete repair for cracks or holes like this? Bryan R., Cincinnati, OH

DEAR BRYAN: The gremlin that created those holes worked at your home years ago in broad daylight. The holes were not drilled, they were created by smooth steel rods that were part of the foundation form panels that were used to create your concrete foundation.

These rods passed through the concrete forms. Slots at each end of the rod held a steel pin that prevented the concrete forms from expanding outwards under the enormous weight and pressure of the fluid concrete that filled the forms to create your foundation walls. Once the concrete set and was hard, the form panels were removed and the rods tapped out with a hammer leaving these holes with the smooth bore.

I have to believe that the foundation contractor used a concrete repair product at the very least on the outside face of your foundation that’s now covered with dirt. Unfortunately, he may have used the wrong thing for basement concrete repair.

There are many concrete repair products out there, but my personal favorite for this situation is a powder that contains Portland cement, bentonite clay and some other ingredients that cause the patching material to get hard quickly and expand at the same time. Bentonite is a fine clay that expands when it gets wet.

This hole in a concrete wall can be repaired permanently with the right product and technique. PHOTO CREDIT: Bryan Rubenthal

Many homeowners might try to repair and patch these holes with bricklayer’s mortar or just a mixture of Portland cement and sand. Or they may think that an epoxy concrete repair is even stronger. The trouble is regular mortar or Portland cement shrinks ever so slightly as it hardens and cures. This creates a tiny pathway for water to enter through the holes.

You need a product that actually expands as it cures, much like you see spray foam insulation. If you’ve ever used this foam you know it goes into a crack one size but hours later it’s much bigger as the foam has hardened.

These expanding hydraulic concrete repair cement products are readily available at hardware stores, building supply businesses and home centers. They come as a dry powder in a can and will clearly say on the label that they expand as they harden. This is mission critical. Look for that on the label.

One such product is Waterplug Hydraulic Cement. (Please read my Disclosure Policy about products I recommend.)

These products often contain ingredients that cause them to harden pretty quickly. It’s not uncommon to have a work time measured in just a few minutes not hours. I’d only mix up what I could use in ten minutes. You can sometimes extend the work time by refrigerating the powder to get it cold and using very cold water as you mix it.

Be sure to vacuum out the holes and remove all debris. If you can insert a small bottle brush to get out any dust or silt that’s on the concrete, this will really help ensure patching success. You want the concrete surface in each hole to be perfectly clean with no dust, dirt or debris.

Just before filling each hole with the expanding concrete repair product, use an old spray bottle and spritz the hole with a spray of clean water. You want the surface of the inside of the hole to be slightly damp. This will really help the patching material bond with the dry concrete.

If you have running water coming through the holes now, try to wait for a dry spell to do the repair. Some of these hydraulic repair cements will work if there is moving water, but it’s not always guaranteed.

You don’t need to fill the rod hole to it’s complete depth with the repair material. If you just get it into the hole about 2 inches, that should be plenty.

Once the material hardens after about 30 minutes, try to keep it damp by spritzing the concrete wall around the hole with the spray bottle and clear water. If you can keep the repair compound wet for at least 24 hours or more, it will really help create a strong and permanent repair.

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Condensation Causes – Lots of Things In Your Home

Posted on by Tim Carter
condensation causes green framed wet window

Condensation Causes | This glass has window condensation on it that can peel the paint and cause both wood rot and mold if it is not stopped! You can STOP window condensation with ease.  Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

Condensation Causes - There are Many In Your Home

DEAR TIM: My husband and I have huge condensation problems in our garage and new home. The garage was unfinished by the builder, but we just added wall and ceiling insulation and vapor barriers on the walls and stapled them to the underside of the garage ceiling. We then covered the walls with plywood and the ceiling with drywall. A vent-free propane heater helps keep the garage somewhat warm. We are also getting condensation on windows inside our home that are close to the garage. What’s wrong? What can we do to stop the window condensation as well as the frost on the garage ceiling and the water that’s running down the garage walls? Regina W., Alexandria, MN

DEAR REGINA: Oh my. You’ve got major problems indeed. Preventing condensation is not as easy as one might think, especially where you live in frigid Minnesota. Condensation causes are probably many in both your garage and your home.

condensation causes two car garage

The open garage doors with snow on the ground are allowing everything in the garage to get cold. If the weather heats up and moist air gets into the garage, condensation will form on metal objects for sure.

What Causes Condensation in a Garage?

There are several dynamics happening that are contributing to your massive garage condensation issue. First, you made an enormous mistake installing a vapor barrier on the ceiling of the garage. Ceiling vapor barriers are high on the list of condensation causes.

How do I Prevent Condensation Damage?

You need to immediately crawl up into the attic space above the garage, move the insulation out of the way and cut out the plastic vapor barrier from between each of the trusses. You can replace the insulation once you get the plastic out of the way.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local contractors to stop bathroom condesation.

Should I Have Roof Ventilation?

Be sure you have plenty of roof ventilation, I suggest several turbine roof vents, to adequately provide lots of air movement through the attic of the garage. Be sure you have plenty of soffit ventilation so cold, dry air can be brought up into the attic space as the turbines exhaust the water vapor.

Where Does Water Vapor Need to Go?

The water vapor generated by the melting snow off your cars and that created by the propane heater needs to exit the attic space before it can condense on the underside of the roof sheathing. Turbine vents moving in the wind up in Minnesota will do a fantastic job.

condensation causes

Cars can bring in snow that melts into gallons of water packed onto the undercarriage of the vehicle. This liquid water easily condenses on the cold surfaces of the garage. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Does a Vent-Free Propane Heater Cause Condensation?

The vent-free propane heater you’re using is creating water vapor that's causing the condensation. When you burn any fossil fuel like propane, water vapor is a by-product of the combustion process. You’re pumping lots of water vapor into the air inside your garage when the heater is operating. Add that to all the meltwater that undoubtedly comes off your cars, and you can see that this water needs someplace to go.

Do Vapor Barriers Trap Water?

The vapor barriers you installed on the walls and ceiling are keeping the water vapor trapped inside the garage. You want a vapor barrier on the walls, but not the ceiling. The water vapor will readily pass through the ceiling drywall and the insulation on its way outdoors.

How Do I Minimize Garage Condensation?

To minimize condensation in your garage, and I suspect some of the water vapor from the garage is getting into your main living area, you need to cut down on the water that’s in the garage. It’s not easy to do, but try to get as much snow off the underside and out of the wheel wells of your car before you park it inside each night.

How Long Should the Propane Heater Run?

Limit the use of the propane heater. When it’s on, it’s pumping water into the air of the garage. My guess is that you want to heat the garage just to keep the cars warm. If that’s the case, I can tell you that they don’t mind being cold.

The condensation you’re experiencing inside your home may lessen considerably as soon as you allow the water in the garage to escape through the garage attic and then to the outdoors through roof vents.

What Causes Condensation Inside Houses?

Condensation inside houses is caused by:

  • houseplants
  • cooking with boiling water
  • allowing laundry to dry indoors
  • a humidifier
  • aquariums
  • steamy showers and tub baths
  • vent-free heaters

Remember that condensation is a moving target. As the outdoor temperature drops making window surfaces colder, water vapor in the air will condense on the glass much faster and in greater volumes.

How Do You Stop Condensation?

You stop condensation by doing the following three things. You can do all of them or just pick one. These all come with a price tag.

  1. Minimize or eliminate the source of the moisture. That’s not always as easy as it seems.
  2. Raise the temperature of the surface where the condensation forms above the dew point of the humid air. This prevents condensation from forming on the surface. This option can be very expensive as you’re burning lots of fuel.
  3. Set up a fan to blow air across the surface where the condensation is forming. This air movement will often prevent the condensation from forming because it just puts the water vapor back into the air until such time as it can’t hold anymore.

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January 18, 2011 AsktheBuilder Tips And Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Newsletter?

Latest News
Builders Show
New Products at the Show
AsktheBuilder Facebook Page
New York City Moms & Stain Solver
New Share Button
Latest Columns

Remember, Do it Right, Not Over!

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.

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.

Latest News

There's a light snow falling here in New Hampshire as I write this newsletter. It's a gorgeous winter's day. I'm absolutely going skiing tomorrow. No doubt about it. Come with me tomorrow afternoon over at Ragged Mountain.

I hung and filled all of Kathy's bird feeders out on the deck a couple of weeks ago. The hungry birds have a convention of their own outside each day gorging themselves on the food since the snow cover has cut them off from easy pickings.

Yesterday in the trees closest to the house, I saw a giant pileated woodpecker. Wow, those birds have a brilliant red head and are enormous. I thought a pterodactyl had landed in the tree at first!

Last Week at the Builders Show

I believe I've been going to the annual Builders Show for almost 16 years. The first one I attended was in Houston at the Astrodome. I'll never forget how confused I was and how out of place I felt. The size of the show made me feel very insignificant.

Go back about seven years ago when the real estate and building bubble was growing larger and larger, the show was expanding faster than Oprah's waistline when her personal trainer goes on vacation.

Five years ago, the show was in Orlando, Florida as it was last week. If you've ever been to the Orange County Convention Center, then you know how big the show can be when both the West and South Buildings are packed with booths. It's enormous.

However, for the past four years the show has been shrinking. This year, I estimate, the show was just 35 percent the size it was five years ago. The entire South building was shuttered and vacant. In the West building, there had to be at least 100,000 square feet of show floor that was void of booths.

On opening day, the aisles were not overflowing with attendees. It was eerily quiet and subdued. Many manufacturers of products had no presence at the show. In years past, the aisles were so crowded with people, you were constantly bumping into one another and it was very difficult to make your way through the crush of people.

I don't see this changing anytime soon. The show is just a ghost of what it once was. It's so bad that you can't even find a bottle of water in the Press Lounge. What a way to treat those who are there to advertise the show for FREE! It's a shame. I will be attending the Kitchen and Bath Show in Las Vegas at the end of April. This show has, I believe, been growing in size. We'll see.

New Products I Saw at the Show

Even though the show was dismal from my perspective, I did see some products that may be of great interest to you.

At the Sears Craftsman display, I saw two fascinating products. One was their cordless tool Quikboost battery charger. Let's say your run out of power on a job. You take out your battery and pop it in the charger. Push the Quikboost button and in three minutes the charger gets you back up to 25 percent charge. That may be enough juice to allow you to complete the job.

Sears was also showcasing a riding lawn mower that had Turn Tight Technology. It's a special linkage in the front axle that turns one wheel more than the other. On most riding lawn mowers both front wheels stay parallel as you turn them. By making the inner wheel turn tighter, you get a much tighter turning radius. This large mower had, I believe, just an 8-inch turning radius. That's more than enough to get you around a small tree that's got some mulch around it.

At the Daltile booth, I saw all sorts of new or newer tile that looks like hardwood flooring, or textiles of all things! Yes, you can buy ceramic tile in 6-inch by 36-inch strips that have a hardwood design and color imprinted on them. You lay them randomly to look like strip hardwood flooring.

Do you want a log cabin? But not the maintenance associated with logs? I saw vinyl siding that resembled logs. Crazy. This is not necessarily a new product, just that it was at the show. You can Google "log vinyl siding" to see it.

Here's another product that's not new, but was on display. At the LE Johnson booth, they had their magnificent hardware that's made for bi-fold doors. If you're an old-time subscriber to this newsletter, you know that they make the best pocket door hardware.

But I'll bet you didn't know about their 1601 hardware for bi-fold doors. This hardware allows the doors to swing out completely from the frame giving you great access to the entire closet. Traditionally bi-fold doors have been a royal PIA as when folded up. They were in the way of you accessing things in the closet.

Announcing the Long Awaited AsktheBuilder Facebook Fan Page!

For well over six months, you may have been one of my great fans who's begged me to start a Facebook Fan Page. I was bogged down with the move and just had too many irons in the fire.

But now it's up and live. If you're a Facebook user, I'd love for you to become a fan and send the word out to your Facebook friends about the page. Here's a few reasons why it pays to be a fan of AsktheBuilder on Facebook.

First, I'm going to try to post late-breaking news and tips on the page frequently. You'll see these posts on your Facebook News Feed, and all posts will be archived on the Ask the Builder Facebook fan page.

For example, I could have used this tool last week while at the Builders Show to update you with great products I was seeing. I did this on my Twitter feed, and it showed up at the Facebook fan page because I have the two accounts connected.

Emergency messages, recall alerts, or other last-minute news will also be put on my fan page. This means you get these messages quickly if you're a Facebook user.

You also get to write on the Ask the Builder Wall at the Fan Page. I have that unlocked. This allows you to share tips so others can benefit. The intention is to create a community so that we can all discover new things that will save all of us time and money. Of course you can comment on posts of mine or add a comment to that of another fan. Ah, the complexity of Facebook!

The bottom line is this new Fan Page should be beneficial to you. I'm hoping you Like it, get it? You need to go to my fan page and click the Like button!

www.facebook.com/AsktheBuilder

New York City Moms and Stain Solver

Moms, I need your help to introduce Stain Solver to the nation.

Fifteen years ago, I lugged the first 100-pound sack of oxygen bleach Stain Solver down the basement stairs at my home. We used to mix it back then a bucket at a time using a garden trowel. Ellen, Kathy and I would bottle it and carry the boxes ready to ship to you back up the steps. It was insane. As you might expect, the business has grown. Now, we regularly ship truckloads from our distribution center.

This year, Kathy and I have assembled a crack team to take Stain Solver to the next level. We're finally ready spread the good word and enlighten as many people as possible how to clean and save their stuff with Stain Solver.

With the help of a professional public relations firm, we've sent out invitations to the top lifestyle magazines to meet up with us in New York City for a little event we're putting together Tuesday, March 1st. You and your stories about Stain Solver are at the heart of this event.

If you're a mom and have used Stain Solver, we'd love for you to share your story with us. What has Stain Solver saved in your life and how can it help the lives of others? Would you consider sending your photos, videos, drawings, and stories of anything you'd like to share with us and the magazine editors? Your experiences will go a long way to prove to the magazine mavens that Stain Solver is really an amazing product.

Wait, there's more. If you're a mom who has saved something with Stain Solver and live in the city or within driving distance to New York City, we want to invite you to the event on March 1st. All you have to do is share your story, in person, with the magazine editors at the event. Just an honest conversation with me and the editors about Stain Solver. There will be good food, good conversations and lots of fun.

Afterwards, I'd love to say thank you by taking you out to dinner. We'll have a blast. Please email me soon if you can come to the event with your story and possibly the item you saved with Stain Solver!

New SHARE Button

When you go read all the latest columns at the AsktheBuilder website below, you'll see something new. Look just to the right of the headline above each column. See the Share button? We just installed it yesterday on every column. Take your mouse and hover over it. Look at all the options you have.

In seconds, you can share a helpful column with your friends, on your Facebook page, your Twitter feed, email it to a relative or co-worker, etc.

I'd appreciate it if you would start to use that each time you're at the site. The increased exposure and traffic helps me to keep the content at AsktheBuilder for free. More traffic to the website also allows me to improve it and to add more features that will help you.

Latest Columns - Try the Share Button!

Do you struggle with a Clogged Toilet?
What's Sheathing?
Discover Deck Piers
Joist Hangers Allow You to Hide Beams!
Get Engraved Brick for your Patio!
Wood Beam Benefits
Granite Countertops Tile - Crazy, but True

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Discount Ceramic Tile

Posted on by Tim Carter
ceramic floor tile

This snap-together ceramic floor tile can save you money in hidden ways. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Discount Ceramic Tile

DEAR TIM: I don’t know about you, but money is really tight in this economy. I want to install a new kitchen floor and desperately need discount ceramic tile. Ceramic tile costs seem to be through the roof, so I need a tile that I can install myself with little experience. Do you know of any discount tile flooring that will allow me to freshen up a room that really needs help? Can you share some ceramic tile flooring installation tips? Amy B., Baltimore, MD

DEAR AMY: Discounted ceramic tile can be found in many places, but you need to look way beyond the price of the actual tile to see what your floor will end up costing you in the long run. Some tile stores and home centers operate like grocery stores.

A savvy ceramic tile store owner may get you in the door with an attractive price on the tile, possibly selling it at cost or at a thin margin, but then they soak you for all the other supplies you’ll need to install the floor. The cost of the grout, adhesive, underlayment board, etc. may be way overpriced.

You also need to know that discount tile may be inferior. The clay that’s used, the glaze and the firing process may be all substandard. You may get a tile that fractures or cracks easily or doesn’t wear well. Not all ceramic tiles are made the same, not by a long shot.

Porcelain ceramic tile are currently the rage right now. They are very durable, and the modern printing technology and equipment allow patterns to be imprinted that mimic the look of natural stone. The downside to porcelain tile is that you need a diamond wet or dry saw to make all cuts. Dry saws create lots of dust, so make cuts outdoors and wear a great mask to ensure you don’t breath in any silica dust from the tile.

You may be very interested in a new ceramic floor tile that can be found online. This tile requires no adhesive, often no underlayment and absolutely no grout. You save money on all three of those components before you even lay your first tile!

These new tiles snap together just like old-fashioned interlocking acoustic ceiling tile. They are precision made and come with recessed edges that create a natural-looking grout line once the tiles are connected. I estimate that a person could install an entire 10 foot by 12 foot kitchen floor, with all cuts made, in several hours. The best part is that you can walk on the floor immediately and move in furniture the moment the last tile is snapped into place. There’s no wait period for adhesive or grout to dry and cure.

This floor tile comes in attractive designs and finishes. It’s very durable porcelain tile. You will not be able to cut it with a traditional tile cutter that snaps tile along a scored line. The trick to minimizing your rental time on a wet saw is to install all the uncut tile first and then leave the cut tile as the last ones.

Another trick to lowering your cost when renting a saw is to have at least two helpers. One helper is marking the tile to be cut and the second helper is the saw operator. In the time he makes trips to and from the saw, the marking helper hands him the next tile to be cut.

The most important thing about installing this new snap-together ceramic tile is understand your floor needs to be solid and in the same plane. Same plane doesn’t necessarily mean level. It means that there are no humps or low spots in the floor. Uneven subfloors mean the tile will not fit together well and that they may crack. If you step on a tile with a void spot under it, that tension can easily crack a tile.

AsktheBuilder Podcast

CLICK this image and listen to the second call on the podcast. I talked to Greg about what can be done with porcelain tile, including borders to offset certain spaces. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

You can eliminate humps and dips by using pourable self-leveling compounds. Using these materials adds an additional step that will slow you down as the material needs to dry and harden. But if you want professional results, the smoother and flatter the subfloor is, the better your new tile will look once installed.

Discount tile stores can be found both online and in traditional sticks and bricks stores. If you want an education about how different the tile can be, take the time to visit a ceramic tile store that sells high-quality or expensive tiles. Talk to the store manager and have her/him demonstrate how inferior a discount tile may be.

I clearly remember years ago buying discounted ceramic tile. We used it in a sun room in the second home I renovated. This tile had a great pattern and color, but the core of the tile was a deep red clay. When the tile chipped, which it did with little effort, you would see through to the red core of the tile. It was a stark contrast to the lighter glaze that made up the color you saw on top of the tile.

This tile was also quite soft. It took very little effort to snap or crack it. That’s not an issue if the subfloor is rock solid. But if you’re installing ceramic tile on a wood floor system that has some flex to it, be prepared for lots of cracks in the tile if its strength is low.

Column 866