Basement Foam Board Installation

Posted on January 21, 2021 by Tim Carter

Basement Foam Board Installation - Inside or Outside

QUESTION: I’m 23-years old and just got out of college. I bought my first small house and am about to remodel my basement. The previous owners of the house glued 2-inch-thick foam insulation to the poured concrete walls. It’s got an aluminum foil face on it. Then they covered that with an open-cell foam board that’s 3/4-inch thick. It seems the smart thing to do is tear all this off and I started to do just that but thought to ask you before I go any further. The foam board seems to be in the way of installing the electric wires that I know are supposed to be behind the insulation. What’s the best way to deal with this situation and is the foam board even any good? Matthew W., Grand Rapids, MI

You’ve got to applaud Matthew for having the smarts to do some research before making a mistake. He was about to make a costly one. His question is also a great example of not having enough life experience to be able to apply critical-thinking skills to a dilemma. I have an old saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know.”

How Old Were You, Tim, When You Bought Your First Home?

I loved Matthew’s question because it flooded me with memories of my own first home. I was also 23-years-old when I purchased a quaint three-bedroom Craftsman home in the popular Hyde Park neighborhood of Cincinnati, OH. It was an FHA repossessed home I won at an auction for just $8,500.00. It turns out I was the only bidder and I guess the gaping hole in the roof of the master bedroom was a turn off to other bidders.

Is it Hard to Get a Bank Loan for Flipping Houses?

No bank would finance the opportunity and fortunately, my father-in-law’s hobby was real estate investing so he became the lender. I needed an additional $8,000 to fix up the house. My new wife and I moved in for just nine months and we sold it for $35,000.00. That was a tremendous return on investment, and it’s possible Matthew is on the same path to leap-frogging homes. It’s best to do this when you’re young!

How Much Did You Know About Building at Age 23?

What’s amazing looking back is how much I didn’t know at the time. This project became an incubator for me and I made a few mistakes that I never made again. None were critical to the overall long-term health of the house.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local foam insulation contractors.

Should I Tear-Off Foam Insulation From the Wall?

Let’s now jump into Matthew’s conundrum. Holy tomato, for Pete’s sake don’t tear any of that insulation off the walls! The previous owners were wise and made a fantastic investment by putting all that foam on the frigid poured concrete walls. What’s more, the use of foil-faced foam is even smarter. It’s a radiant barrier and bounces heat back to its source. The only mistake I feel they made was adding the extra layer of open-cell foam over the foil-faced insulation. This will reduce the ability, to a degree, of the foil to bounce the heat of the basement back into the basement.

What Size Studs Should be Used to Frame Basement Walls?

If I were in Matthew’s basement right now, I’d start to frame the walls using either 2x3s or 2x4s. I’d create an air gap of about 3/4-inch between the back of the wall studs and the foam insulation.

Look at how the foam insulation is built into the actual poured concrete pre-cast walls! This is an excellent example of a precast concrete foundation wall system. This one is by Superior Walls. Note how the corners are mitered, the closed-cell insulation and interior wall studs. Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

What Does the Air Gap Do?

This air gap serves two purposes. First, it allows you to create plumb walls should the poured concrete be out of plumb. Second, the air space allows a place for any rogue condensation to evaporate.

Did You Use Foam on Your Basement Walls?

When I finished the basement of my last home in Cincinnati, I simply did what I said above, but there was no foam glued to my poured concrete foundation. I used regular fiberglass batts in the wall-stud cavities to insulate the room. Before adding drywall, I covered the walls with a 4-mil vapor barrier. The 3/4-inch air gap between the back of the studs and the concrete created the air break to help prevent mold and mildew growth should a tiny amount of moist room air make it behind the insulation.

Will Condensation Be an Issue?

Matthew should never have condensation problems because his foil-faced foam is a fantastic vapor barrier. As long as the seams between each sheet were sealed with aluminum tape and the gap at the floor caulked, no moist room air can get to the cold concrete.

How Do You Install Electric Cables and Wires in Studs?

He also doesn’t quite understand how to install electric cables and wires. I’d never want mine to be touching the poured concrete walls. He can simply drill holes in the center of the wood studs and pull the cables between boxes just as you would in any normal interior or exterior wall of a home. My advice to Matthew is to try to locate any videos made by the authors of the National Electrical Code and soak up all that delicious information.

Is Foam Board a Good Insulator?

Matthew wants to know if the foam board is good. Closed-cell foam is a fantastic product and I used it to insulate the floor of my outdoor shed. I installed this foam in such a way that it’s flush with the top of the floor joists.

Should the Foam Touch the Warm Side of the Wall Surface?

You want the insulation to be in direct contact with the surface that is on the warm side of the room. This is why you put fiberglass batts in direct contact with radiant-heating pipes and heat transfer plates that are attached to the underside of a floor. Never ever create an air space between the radiant tubing and the insulation.

If you’re young like Matthew with much more to discover about home improvement, or you’re any age, it would behoove you to become part of my free newsletter family where each week I share lots of wonderful tidbits about how you can have the best home on your street!

Column 1389

Mail Chime Review

Posted on January 21, 2021 by Tim Carter

Mail Chime Review | You can see the Mail Chime receiver sitting on the window sill. The bright red light means I've got mail! The red arrow points to my mailbox at the top of the driveway. The receiver also generates four high-pitched BEEPS in addition to turning on the red light. Once you walk back inside with your mail, just quickly press the reset button and the Mail Chime is on guard once again for your friendly mail carrier! PRO TIP: Once in a while leave a tiny nice prize in the mailbox with a note for your carrier. It will pay off in spades in the future - trust me. CLICK or TAP HERE or the photo to have a Mail Chime delivered to your mailbox in days!

Mail Chime Mailbox Alert - Simple, Elegant, and Affordable

I installed a new Mail Chime mailbox alert system yesterday in just minutes.

It was easy, the components are well-made, and the instructions were crystal clear. It's rare you get all of these things with one product. If you want an example of horrible and confusing installation instructions, look at my First Alert smoke and carbon monoxide detector review.

CLICK or TAP HERE to have a Mail Chime delivered to your mailbox in just days!

Look at all the photos of the Mail Chime below.

How Far Away Can my Mailbox Be?

The manufacturer recommends that the receiver in your home be no more than 300 feet away from the mailbox.

Does the Mail Chime Receiver Have a Volume Control?

Yes, there's a rotating volume-control knob to adjust the sound output. You can turn off the sound completely and just rely on the red light.

How Does the Mailbox Sensor Attach to the Mailbox?

The Mail Chime sensor comes with double-sided tape. Be sure you clean the surface of the mailbox lid before you attach it.

Will the Mail Chime Sensor work on Different Mailboxes?

Yes, It will work on wall-mounted mailboxes and mail slots cut into doors. The sensor activates when any lid is moved a certain distance.

Can an Average Person Install the Mail Chime?

Yes, the installation process is simple. You just have to use a small #0 Phillips screwdriver to remove four small screws on the sensor. This allows you to install the tiny battery that powers the radio transmitter. Reassemble the sensor cover, take off the cover to the double-sided tape, and put the sensor on the mailbox lid. All you have to do next is plug in the transformer to a wall outlet and then plug in the tiny DC jack into the back of the Mail Chime receiver. It's so very simple!

These are the components you have to install. A caveman could do it so I know you can too! CLICK or TAP HERE or the photo to have a Mail Chime in your mailbox in days!

This is the inside of the Mail Chime sensor. You install the tip of the small battery towards the red wires. The beige patch is the double-sided tape. I've not yet removed the silicone paper exposing it. I did that just seconds after cleaning the lid of the mailbox lid of all dirt and dust. CLICK or TAP HERE or the photo to order your Mail Chime.

This is the sensor control. It's pre-set at the factory. READ the instructions before you start messing with this. CLICK or TAP HERE to order the Mail Chime now.

This is the back of the Mail Chime. On the left is the volume control. The small hole is where the DC adapter jack plugs in. CLICK or TAP HERE to order the Mail Chime now.

This is the mail chime sensor installed on the inside of my mailbox lid. Pay attention to the directions of the arrows. They must point UP to the sky when the lid is closed. CLICK or TAP HERE to get your own Mail Chime. You can't have mine!

Check out my Cresent Lufkin Chalk Reel review. I did it just before this one.

Exterior Painting Costs 2021

Posted on January 19, 2021 by Tim Carter

Exterior Painting Costs 2021 | This house needs a paint job. The peeling paint is a chronic issue because there's no vapor barrier covering the soil under this building. Water from the soil soaks into the backside of the wood siding and steams off the paint on hot summer days. (C) Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

Exterior Painting Costs 2021 - Use Urethane Paint & Oxygen Bleach

Exterior painting costs are going up with inflation. To save money long-term, you want to purchase the best paint and clean your house well so it's many years before you paint again.

What is the Best Exterior House Paint?

The best exterior paint hands down is a urethane house paint. You want one that is made with a urethane resin. The resin is the glue component of paint. Paint is simply colored glue. If you look at the chemical formula for a vinyl-acetate resin paint, you'd discover quickly it's almost identical to the formula for a high-quality yellow glue.

This is a urethane house paint. Look at the label. CLICK or TAP HERE to order it now.

What are Exterior Paint Costs?

Right now, in 2021, you're going to see the cost of a gallon of high-quality paint range from $45 to $65 per gallon. Each gallon only covers about 350 square feet, so you can easily spend $1,000 on paint for a house that has lots of siding to paint.

What Do Painters Charge?

Painters can charge anywhere from $35 to $60 per hour. In some dense urban areas, it's possible a great painter might get $70 dollars per hour or more. Keep in mind that a painting contractor has to match the withholding tax and Medicare taxes that each employee has to pay. In addition, the painting contractor has to pay Workman's Compensation fees,

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local painting contractors.

Unemployment taxes, and general liability insurance premiums. Workman's Compensation fees for painters could be as high as 15% of the hourly rate, maybe more. These rates are determined by how dangerous the work is. Painters are on ladders all day, need I say more?

What is the Best Way To Clean a House?

The best way to clean a house is to wash it just as you might wash your car.

You may be tempted to use a pressure washer to clean the surface of what you’ll be painting. I maintain that these infernal machines don’t get things as clean as you might want. In all my tests, there’s always a very thin film of dirt left behind after aiming the high-pressure stream at a surface.

Should I Use Oxygen Bleach?

I prefer to wash my surfaces using a solution of oxygen bleach mixed with some liquid dish soap. Oxygen bleach deep cleans the surfaces, it removes algae, mold, and mildew. STAIN SOLVER is a made-in-the USA certified organic oxygen bleach.

Stain Solver black background yellow scoop

Stain Solver is MADE in the USA with USA ingredients that are food-grade quality.

I use a soft brush used to clean RVs to apply the cleaning solution. The rubbing with the brush and rinsing with clear water removes all traces of dirt.

What is the Best Weather to Paint?

Overcast weather with temperatures in the 60-70 F range with no wind is the best weather to do exterior painting.

You may be tempted to paint in full sunlight on a breezy day. Paint chemists I’ve interviewed in the past have told me that overcast days with no wind are the best as the paint tends to dry a little slower. Pay close attention to all the instructions on the finish paint can label and follow them to the letter.

Do I Have to Prime Bare Wood?

If you have to prime bare wood or metal, look once again to the label on the finish paint can. Some paints prefer a particular primer. To get the best results, apply the finish paint as soon as the primer can be recoated. This allows for the best mechanical and chemical bond between the two different paints.

How Long Can a Paint Job Last?

A great paint job can last fifteen and even twenty years! I know because the last paint job on my Cincinnati, OH house lasted that long. My current house in NH has urethane paint on it that's now 10 years old and it's in perfect condition. The house was painted in the summer of 2010.

Column 1306B

Dry Well Installation

Posted on January 19, 2021 by Tim Carter

Dry Well Installation - They Rarely Work

Do you think a dry well installation job is going to solve your drainage problem? You've come to the right place. I'm a college-trained geologist with a focus in hydrogeology - the study of groundwater.

Why Don't Dry Wells Work?

Dry wells don't work in most cases because the subsoil in the pit is often a medium or dense clay. The reason potters use clay to make pots and bowls is that water can't travel through it. Your dry well simply becomes a tiny swimming pool or pond in your yard.

Look at the dense hard clay that is just below the topsoil in the above photo:

The problem gets worse though. It's all a matter of capacity.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local contractors who can solve drainage issues.

How Much Water is in a Dry Well?

There's little space for water in most dry wells because the hole is filled with gravel and stones! Let's do the math on the above dry well the homeowner dug.

I estimate the diameter of the hole is 24 inches based on the trench entering the left of the dry well. That trench is probably 5 or 6 inches wide. The dry well is probably 30 inches deep. It's hard to dig a hole much deeper with such a narrow throat.

Assuming the dimensions above are correct, the homeowner removed 7.85 cubic feet of earth digging the dry well.

There are 7.48 gallons of water in a cubic foot. This means the dry well with nothing in it could only hold 58.74 gallons of water.

How Much Space Does the Gravel Take Up?

The gravel in a dry well consumes a vast amount of the space. It reduces the capacity of the water the well can hold. Look at this next photo sent to me by the homeowner. I think you might agree the gravel takes up at the very least 80% of the space in the dry well.

If the gravel does take up 80% of the space, then the dry well in these photos can only hold 11.74 gallons of water!

If you're using a dry well to capture the water from your roof, you'll need lots of wells! One inch of rain on an average roof can produce about 2,000 gallons of water!

Where Does the Water in a Dry Well Go?

The water in a dry well will slowly move through soil that has air spaces in it. Topsoil usually has lots of air space, but in many locations topsoil is thin, often less than 3 inches thick.

I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and the soil profile for much of the region is a very thin topsoil usually about 2-3 inches thick. You immediately then encounter a dense brown or gray clay that doesn't drain at all.

This is the soil profile at my last house in Cincinnati, OH. Look how thin the topsoil is - it's barely 4 inches just below the grass in the upper left corner of the photo. You can see the two distinct dense-clay glacial soils above the footing on the far wall. The medium-brown soil was deposited by the Wisconsin Continental Glacier that left the area about 12,000 years ago. The dark-brown soil beneath it was from the Illinoisian Continental Glacier that left the area about 600,000 years ago. (C) Copyright 2021 Tim Carter ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - DO NOT COPY this photo without permission.

I moved to central New Hampshire in 2008 and the soil here is completely different. It's amazing sandy well-drained soil. The rich topsoil is also just a few inches deep in most locations but the subsoil under it has a tremendous amount of sand in it and water flows readily through it to the bedrock below. There are many clear-running springs throughout the area created by these soil conditions. The Breck-Plankley spring in Bristol, NH is but one example.

What's Better Than a Dry Well?

You should deal with water exactly as Mother Nature does. She allows water to flow overland or soak into the soil.

Roof water should be piped to the lowest spot on your lot as far away from your house as is practical. Installing downspout drain lines is easy in shallow trenches.

Subsurface water moving through the topsoil or in sandy subsoil can be captured and diverted around your home using a trench drain or linear french drain.

Cross-section of a Trench Drain or Linear French Drain including the all-important perforated french drain pipe. I can CALL YOU ON THE PHONE to help you solve your drainage problem. Copyright 2021 Tim Carter ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - Do NOT COPY this graphic.

I've helped thousands of homeowners solve wet basements and crawlspaces with these trench drains by talking to them on the phone. The typical phone call lasts 30 minutes or less.

Column

January 17, 2021 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on January 18, 2021 by Tim Carter

Nice try. You were trying to slither past me, weren’t you? We need to have a little talk about that. I get it. You’re a new subscriber, this is your first issue, and you might be a little shy. Don’t fret! This is a welcoming place and every week right here at the top, I greet each new subscriber like you!

But this newsletter may have been showing up for so long in your inbox that you recall when I was a judge on that amazing reality TV show. Remember?

What, you’ve already forgotten? You mean my acting was that poor? Oh my. Click the link above and read the fascinating story about that experience.

This newsletter is filled to the brim with lots of information. Let’s jump in feet first. But before we do, you need to make sure you’re not surrounded by tohubohu.

What? You don’t know what tohubohu is? For Pete’s sake, you better find out FAST before something very bad happens to you!

Too Much Stuff

Do you have too much stuff? Your garage, basement, or attic looks like a stuffed sausage, doesn’t it? Or, maybe you’re paying nearly $100 a month, or more, to rent an offsite storage facility. UGH!

Why not build a shed of your own and add value to your property? All your stuff will then be just feet away when you need it and you can keep that storage-fee money in your pocket. That’s a win-win.

Look at this photo of the shed I built at my last home in Cincinnati, OH.

CLICK or TAP HERE to see the finished photo. It’s going to BLOW YOUR MIND when you see what it ended up looking like.

Guess what? You can get the same results with a little help from me! Yes, I can help you build your shed!

Hardwood Flooring Cost

Please peer at this photo of the hardwood floor in the family room of my last house in Cincinnati:

When the phrase hardwood flooring cost pops into your mind, does your heart skip a beat? What are the different species of hardwood and how will each one hit you in your pocketbook?

That’s a funny word, isn’t it - pocketbook? Do you still use one? My grade school friend Charlie Deters had something similar to one. He didn’t like loose change rattling around in his pants pocket. He used an oval rubber change holder that had a slit in one face. You’d squeeze it open to put in or take out the coins.

How much longer do you think the word pocketbook will survive in our language? The popularity of words waxes and wanes over time. Please CLICK or TAP HERE to get a feel for current hardwood flooring costs and how they’ll affect your pocketbook.

When Will Wallpaper Come Back?

Decorating trends change for a host of reasons. I place all the blame on the decorating products industrial complex. The companies that make products you use in your home are tasked with coming up with new products.

They introduce these trends using influencers who employ Jedi mind tricks. This powerful psychology can cleverly pry money from you as you change the look of your home to be part of the in-crowd.

Here’s how my basement bathroom in my Cincinnati house was decorated. What do you think of the three different wallpapers? I don't know about you, but each time I used this bathroom, I felt like there was sand between my toes. I could smell the kerosene from the burning tiki torches! I'd swear there was a salt-air breeze, but it turned out it was the exhaust fan.

Decorative wallpaper can produce these strong feelings and emotions. You should really take some time to look at a few wallpaper books.

I installed everything you see in this photo. Check out that bamboo wall trim - REAL bamboo I cut in half using my table saw - and the bamboo Moen faucet! And what do you think of that sink? It was just a copper pan and I punched a hole in the center to accommodate the faucet drain. WOWZA!

Wallpaper was sizzling back in the early 1900s then cooled off. The decorating merry-go-round brought it back into favor in the 1970s and 1980s. Is it time for wallpaper to be the belle of the ball again? If so, you’d better CLICK or TAP HERE so you’re up to speed.

Drain Lines and Septic Tanks

Have you ever seen the inside of a full septic tank before it’s pumped? Probably not if you’re a city dweller. Check this out:

Riddle me this: Do you know the BEST WAY to care for the plumbing drain lines in your home whether your waste goes to a city sewer or a septic tank?

Come on man, be honest! I’ll bet you don’t do what I do at my house. CLICK or TAP HERE to get a full grasp of how to care for drain lines and septic tanks.

Larry’s Concern

Last week I shared a video of a revolutionary plastic vent pipe I used at my daughter’s new home. You should really watch that video - especially if you want to have context for what Larry shared with me after he watched it. Here’s what he sent:

“Tim, your video on the polypropylene pipe is very interesting. My concern is most equipment manufacturers have not accepted this as a design pipe for their product which could lead to warranty problems. I think I would look very closely at the installation instructions of my selected device. Also, if a problem occurred your insurance might be an issue.”

Larry was SPOT ON with his analysis! Congratulations, Larry! He pointed out that you need to read the installation instructions.

You must follow the instructions and only use approved products that connect to the appliance so you don’t void the warranty.

If the instructions are not clear, then you need to STOP and reach out to the manufacturer, or their field representative to resolve the issue.

You know what this means, don't you? It means you should READ THE INSTRUCTIONS WEEKS BEFORE you intend to install the product, not after you've uncrated the appliance.

That’s plenty for a Sunday, right?

IMPORTANT MESSAGE:

Thanks for supporting me by remaining a subscriber. Soon I’ll have a huge favor to ask of you. Johnson Hardware is the biggest sponsor of this newsletter. Without their annual support, there would be NO newsletter.

I simply wouldn’t have the time to devote to producing it for your reading enjoyment.

Johnson Hardware compensates me for investing the hundreds of hours each year I devote to sharing money and time-saving tips in this newsletter.

This is why, in a few weeks, I’ll ask you to do one simple thing that will only take a few minutes.

“Tim, what’s in it for me? Why should I do the one simple thing?”

Simple. You’re guaranteed to get a taste of delicious eye candy and decorating inspiration by just looking at the photos I share with you. Thank you in advance for taking the time to do this.

You might think of the few minutes you spend looking at the photos as supporting a favorite magazine you look forward to reading each week.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
FAST Delivery - www.StainSolver.com
Cool Waves - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. How in the holy heck can you install a flat-screen TV on glass? (hand waving frantically in the air.) “Me Me Me - pick ME! Sister Mary Holywater, I know the answer.” CLICK or TAP HERE to discover a magic way to make it happen. Class dismissed.

Soundproof Condo Ceiling

Posted on January 16, 2021 by Tim Carter

Soundproof Condo Ceiling | Soundproofing insulating batts like this added during construction can help soundproof a condo ceiling. CLICK THE IMAGE NOW TO DISCOVER OTHER GREAT SOUNDPROOFING PRODUCTS YOU CAN ADD AFTER CONSTRUCTION IS FINISHED.

Soundproof Condo Ceiling - Not Easy After Construction

QUESTION #2: Tim, I live in a condo and wonder what might be done to lessen the noise I hear coming from some of my neighbors. Are there any easy fixes that I might be able to tackle? Linda S., Chicago, IL

Soundproofing spaces is a science. Do a small amount of research online to discover how radio broadcasting booths are soundproof. Most are immune from the noise that’s trying to get inside the room and then into the live microphones!

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local contractors who can soundproof condo ceilings.

How Does Sound Travel?

Sound travels through the air. The easiest thing to do is to try to seal any air leaks between your condo and the ones around you. Imagine if your condo started to fill with water, where would it leak out? These are places the air is leaking into your condo.

Soundproofing rooms begins with stopping all air movement between rooms. Remove the cover plates from electrical outlets and caulk the gap between the drywall and the side of the electrical box. I’d then install a foam gasket behind the outlet cover to try to stop other air leakage.

Can Sound Leak Into a Condo Under Baseboards?

Yes, the sound could be leaking under the baseboards of your condo unit. If you have toe stripping, you may want to remove it and caulk any gaps between the floor and the baseboard trim. Recessed ceiling lights are the toughest thing to seal because some need air space to ensure the fixture doesn’t overheat.

What Can Stop Sound Coming Through the Condo Entry Door?

Weatherstripping the entry door will stop sound from passing into the condo. Hallway noise infiltration can be minimized or eliminated by installing weatherstripping around the door. Seal your door as if you were battling bitter cold air out in the hallway.

What Soundproofing Should Happen During Construction?

Here are some great ways to soundproof a condo during construction:

walls between condo units should be solid masonry
floors between vertical condo units should be poured concrete
all air passageways between condo units should be plugged

There are many things that can be done during construction to make condos soundproof. Trying to retrofit a condo can be prohibitively expensive. As a last resort, consider a subtle white-noise generator in your unit to combat unwanted noise. I’ve heard they work well.

Can Cork Soundproof a Condo Ceiling?

Cork is an amazing natural soundproofing material. It can work wonders. You can get cork tiles that glue onto a ceiling.

These cork flooring tiles were used to cover the steps as well as the entire recreation room that’s at the bottom of the staircase. But you can use them to cover a condo ceiling too! PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Column 1316 B

What is Tohubohu

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Tim Carter

messy desk workbench tohubohu

Tohubohu, What is it? - It's a Great Word for Starters!

Tohubohu is best described as mass confusion, disarray, or disorder.

Much like you see on my small workbench to the left of my desk in the above photo!

Excuses are reasons for failure, but I've been so darn busy I've just not had the time to keep it neat. Yes, I know where each thing is under the other thing thank you very much!

Another example of tohubohu is what you see when you first open a new jigsaw puzzle. All the 500, or 1000, pieces are jumbled up and in a state of chaos in the box. Only after you fit the pieces with great care, does the confusion transform into harmony!

Check out this amazing jigsaw puzzle. Holy cow, this would have been a mass of jumbled pieces when you popped off that box lid!

This is a rocking space jigsaw puzzle. Do you love tough ones? There are lots of great 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles here.

Yay for discovering a new fun word, right? How about another one?

Do you have a gewgaw in your house or car?

Hardwood Flooring Cost

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Tim Carter

Looking for accurate cost information related to hardwood flooring?

Perfect, you’re in the right spot. In this guide, you’ll learn:

Why you should choose hardwood flooring
What the average installation cost is for hardwood flooring
What the cost of various hardwood flooring types and styles are
How you can save money with hardwood floors
and much more!

If you're considering having hardwoods installed in your home, there's more to think about than the cost. You'll want to get quotes from various companies and installers, spend time reviewing the different styles you can choose from, and prepare to see magic unfold with the finished product.

There are a lot of perks that come with installing hardwood flooring, and as you review your flooring options you'll find that there are a lot of things to enjoy as homeowners that come with replacing your existing floor with your preferred type of hardwoods.

The hardest part is choosing the type of wood you want and checking with flooring installers to get on their schedule so you can enjoy the final masterpiece. Here's what you need to know.

Why Choose Hardwood Flooring?

Installing hardwood floors is a bold way to make a statement. Not only are you able to get rid of old flooring that may look worn, but you can replace your old floors with high-end solid hardwood that gives your home a classic, timeless look.

Hardwoods have a way of fitting any style and decoration, and they act as the foundation that pulls the elegancy of a room together. They're also easy to keep clean and give your home a natural look.

What Is The Average Cost Of Hardwood Flooring Installation?

Most installers will combine the pricing of installation with the cost of wood. You can typically get pricing on both the square footage and labor for installation between $4 and $12 combined. Flooring itself usually ranges from $3 to $7 per square foot with an additional $3 to $5 for installing the flooring. The average pricing may change with exotic woods and if your installer needs to also provide underlayment before putting the new hardwood floor down.

Per Square Foot

Most hardwood flooring ranges between $3 and 7 per sq. ft depending on the type and quality of the wood. More rare hardwoods can be more expensive when it comes to the total cost.

Average Labor Costs

Depending on how much flooring you need installed, most installers will provide labor for $3 to $5. You may find that large, commercial retailers will provide you a deal on labor if you use them for both purchasing your flooring and installation.

What Is The Cost Of Hardwood Flooring By Type of Material?

Depending on the type of flooring you're looking for, the price will vary. Pricing for the cost of hardwood floors varies based on the square foot, type of material, and labor costs. You can get a quote for it all combined through various flooring installers.

Maple

Unstained maple flooring can cost between $6 to $8 while stained maple flooring can average between $8 and $14 per sq ft.

Pine

Pine is considered a softwood and typically runs on a lower pricing scale compared to other hardwood floor options. You can usually purchase it for $1 to $6 per square foot. Most pine flooring runs closer to $1.50 to $2.00 sq. ft.

Bamboo

Bamboo flooring is made from mature bamboo poles or culms. These culms are then sliced into strips and crosscut to the length desired. Your average cost for it ranges between $2.75 to $3.50, but higher quality bamboo can run as high as $5 to $7 per square foot.

White Ash

A gorgeous choice of white ash runs between $6 and $8. However, if you're looking for a little DIY project with staining and sealing, you can purchase white ash flooring for around $4 unfinished.

Hickory

When it comes to flooring material, hickory wood has a larger range of pricing compared to most hardwoods. Depending on the quality, thickness, and durability you can purchase it for anywhere from $5 to $15.

Red Oak

Compared to its pricier sister oak option, you can expect to pay between $2 to $6 per square foot for red oak flooring. Compared to other wood options, red oak is considered more of a traditional hardwood and ranks high on the Janka hardness scale, serving as a median measurement for other hardwoods.

White Oak

Flooring costs for white oak average around $5 to $8 per square foot. Unfinished white oak can be found for roughly $3.50, which isn't a large difference from the cost of most finished white oak flooring.

Brazilian Walnut

Running in deep, rich colors, Brazilian walnut flooring is a more unique option when compared to laminate or natural stone. It's incredibly durable and you may need to refinish it every few years to keep up the maintenance. However, it is considered both an engineered wood and exotic wood, meaning that it averages higher pricing compared to other hardwoods.

You can find that each plank averages $9 on the lowest scale for solid wood and $5-6 per plank for engineered wood. For top of the line Brazilian walnut flooring, you can expect to pay around $15.50 per square foot and sometimes higher.

What Is The Cost Of Hardwood Flooring By Style?

Picking the type of flooring material you want usually covers a major part of how much your floors cost on top of labor costs, but many installers and retailers will also charge you based on hardwood flooring style.

Wood Look Tile

Pricing for wood look tile fluctuates depending on quality, durability, and type. Higher quality can range between $6.00 to $12.00, but on average you can find durable and good looking wood look tile between $0.89 to around $2.80

Wide Plank

The average cost of hardwood wide planks range around $3.95 at a minimum and $12.83 at a maximum. Homeowners often seek this type of flooring out for its reminiscent ways of bringing back the old days. Hardwood wide plank easily captures the essence of old-style homes.

Herringbone Pattern

Popular for its zig zag looking designs, herringbone is a beloved hardwood flooring pattern. Depending on your local climate vs the subfloor, you may need to discuss with your local contractor whether solid wood or engineered wood is the best option to use with the herringbone pattern.

Many companies will add around $2 to $4 to your installation costs for this specific pattern since it is so defined and unique. One Californian resident noted that her contractor advised many installers will increase pricing by 30% for the pattern. The great thing about herringbone is that you can still get to choose your option of hardwoods, including teak or tigerwood.

Parquet

Installing a parquet style for your flooring will typically start at a base rate of $3.50. The style uses geometric shapes such as squares and triangles to craft unique patterns for your top layer of flooring. This can be a distinctive choice for homeowners wanting to have a design like no other.

How Much Does Prefinished Hardwood Cost?

The average national cost of prefinished hardwood installation is $5 to $8 per square foot. You can save money by using softwoods like pine, but you'll be trading durability for lower pricing.

How Much Does Engineered Wood Flooring Cost?

Basic engineered wood costs an average of $3 to $9 per square foot while mid-grade and higher quality engineered wood ranges between $6 and $12 per square foot.

Hardwood Flooring Pros and Cons

The advantages that come with hardwood flooring greatly outweigh the disadvantages. The most noticeable remark you'll think of when it comes to installing wood flooring is that it can be costly but it can also be cost-efficient.

Here's what you need to know when it comes to weighing the positives with the negatives if you're considering wood floors:

Pros

Easy to match various interior designs
You have a surplus of styles to choose from
Hardwood flooring is easy to clean and maintain
New flooring typically comes with an installation warranty
Retains less bacteria and is less porous compared to options like natural stone. This can drastically improve the air quality of your home, as flooring options like laminate can assist bacteria in lingering which can lead to mold and airborne illnesses.
Hardwood floors are seen as a high-quality investment because they're made to last long term. They can increase your home's value should you ever put it on the market and are considered a home improvement.
Color in hardwoods doesn't fade compared to options like carpet

Cons

May need refinishing every few years
Hardwoods are not water friendly and can warp if moisture gets trapped beneath the top layer and settles
Noticeable scratches will appear after time from wear and tear
The upfront cost of hardwoods can cost more than other flooring options, but the long-term cost is your trade-off.

What Additional Costs Are Added to Installing Hardwood Flooring?

For irregular shapes, such as areas around vents, the cost of installation may be higher than your average pricing. However, this cost will be included with the total installation fee.

Additionally, if you're replacing old floors, you may have extra costs to remove the current carpet or any subfloor that needs replacing.

The need for subfloor replacement is most commonly found in older homes where the previous owners may not have taken care of the home's flooring. Most contractors will charge for the removal of the old floors and the disposal of it.

Should you purchase new baseboards, require any type of sanding during your hardwood floor installation, or desire any special pattern, your total cost may vary from the average expenses.

Below is a great video to show you the process for installing wooden subfloor in a basement!

How To Save Money On Hardwood Flooring Installation Costs?

If you're concerned about the overall cost when it comes to installing your hardwood floors, there are a few ways to save money that don't require you to DIY. One major way to save on hardwood installation is by buying your flooring from the installer. Most retailers will cut you a deal if you use them for the purchase of your flooring and installation.

You can also save big by working in sections. Should you have the time and not mind the difference in flooring for a temporary period of time, installing hardwoods by zones can help you prevent spending a large amount of money upfront and assist in splitting the payments.

Additionally, if you can remove and dispose of your old flooring yourself then you can cut out the contractor's fee. It won't save you loads of money, but it will save you a few pennies here and there.

If you need more advice when it comes to hardwood floors, subfloors, or have any kind of installation questions, don't hesitate to ask. We're more than happy to assist you in all of your hardwood flooring installation needs.

House Drain Lines and Septic Tanks

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Tim Carter

Septic Tank Pumping | This is a septic tank about to be pumped. It’s a best practice to do this every two or three years. Septic tank cleaning should be done just as you clean your house. Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

Septic Tank Pumping - It's Really Important to Protect the Leach Field

QUESTION: Howdy, Tim. I discovered on your www.AsktheBuilder.com website that you’ve been a master plumber for forty years. I recently moved from a city house on a city sewer to a rural retirement home that has a septic tank.

What can you tell me about septic tanks and any best practices? At my last home, I had clogging issues in my main drain pipe and the drain-cleaning man said the issue was grease.

What are some best practices when it comes to drain lines in any house and how does one keep them flowing well at all times? Frank T., Johnston, RI

Hah! I was in Frank’s shoes twelve years ago when I moved from living in the city on a municipal sewer to rural New Hampshire with a septic tank. Fortunately, I had a pretty strong background in septic tanks even though during my plumbing career I installed just a few of them on the outskirts of Cincinnati, OH.

What are House Drain Lines?

House drain lines are the pipes that transport water and waste to your septic tank.

Let’s first talk about the drain lines in any home no matter if you’re on a city sewer or a septic tank. Assuming your drain lines have been installed correctly with the correct amount of slope, water and solid waste should normally flow to the sewer or septic tank with no issues.

What is the Best Slope for a Drain Line?

The ideal slope of a plumbing drain pipe, in my opinion, is 3/16ths of an inch of fall per foot of run. You may think more slope is better, but if you have too much slope, the liquids can outrun the solids as they move down the drain lines. You don’t want this to happen as solid material sitting in a drain pipe can start to build a clog.

What are the Top Two Causes of Drain Clogs?

Grease and flushable wipes are the top two drain clogs.

Talk to any municipal sewer worker or septic-tank pumpers and they’ll tell you that grease and the newer flushable wipes are probably their biggest nightmares. You would do really well to sop up all grease from your cooking pots and pans with used paper towels. Put these grease-soaked towels in your garbage. This means even wiping grease-covered plates with used paper towels before washing them. You want to minimize all grease from entering your plumbing drains.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local septic tank pumper companies.

You can use flushable wipes if you want, but don’t flush them. Put them in a sanitary garbage can in your bathroom. Watch my Flushable Wipes video on my website to see why you should never ever flush these fabrics.

What are Great Septic Tank Additives?

You can go online and buy septic tank treatment products that contain active bacteria that will start to eat grease that may be coating the insides of your pipes. It’s a great product that will also prevent septic tank leach fields from getting clogged with grease.

septic tank treatment additive green gobbler

Here's one septic tank treatment product. CLICK or TAP HERE to see other septic tank treatment products.

How Can You Flush Out Drain Lines?

You flush out drain lines by pouring hot water and lots of water into them at one time. Think of how flood waters wash debris down to the oceans of the world.

Here are a few things I do at my own home to keep my drain lines flowing. I pour about 15 gallons of very hot water down my kitchen sink about once a month. As you know, hot water does a pretty good job of dissolving grease should you not want to invest in the bacteria product that will eat it.

How Much Water Should I Use to Flush Drain Lines?

Each week I pour ten gallons of water as fast as possible into the highest toilet in my house. Invoking the knowledge I received in my high school physics class, this water creates a vigorous flash flood within the pipes and especially the horizontal building drain pipe below my basement floor. Not to be gross, but the best analogy I can give is imagine blowing your nose. You get just about everything out and the pipes are wide open.

What are Septic Tanks?

Septic tanks are magic boxes where wastewater from houses is treated with natural bacteria. They really are so long as you use them correctly. In an ideal situation, the only thing that would enter a septic tank is what comes out of your body and any very tiny food scraps that might make it past a kitchen sink strainer. That’s all you should ever put in a septic system.

What Happens Inside a Septic Tank?

Mother Nature then takes over inside the tank. Natural bacteria starts to eat the waste. When a tank is operating as it should, each time you flush a toilet and 1.6 gallons of water enters the tank, the same amount of partially treated wastewater leaves the tank headed to the leach field.

What is a Leach Field?

A leach field is almost always a network of pipes where the wastewater is distributed to a very well-drained soil that’s very sandy. The water seeps out of holes in the pipes and enters the sandy soil. Here other bacteria and oxygen work hand-in-hand to purify the wastewater.

What Happens to the Water in the Leach Field?

Understand that the water that leaves the leach field becomes ground water. Once purified by the good bacteria and oxygen in the soil, it can almost be as pure as rainwater. I know this sounds hard to believe, but understand that in many rural areas a leach field from one neighbor is on higher ground than the neighbor below. The water naturally flows downhill on its way to the ocean!

Should I Put Chlorine Bleach in a Septic Tank?

You never want to put chlorine bleach, or products containing it, into a septic tank. This bleach is so strong it can kill the bacteria that eats the waste. Any other chemicals are bad too. The same goes for paint. Never clean paint brushes inside a house and allow that water to enter the septic system.

How Often Should a Septic Tank Be Pumped?

It’s very important to have the septic tank pumped every two or three years. Be aware of where the manhole is that gives the technician access to the tank. As crazy as this sounds, my neighbor’s manhole is buried about four feet under his driveway. I saw his house being built and the builder and plumber never installed risers to get the manhole closer to the surface. That’s a giant mistake!

Painting Over Wallpaper

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Tim Carter

Painting Over Wallpaper | This tropical wallpaper border was easy to install. It requires minimal wallpaper-hanging skills to achieve professional results. It happens to have a plastic coating on it so you could paint over it with a water-based paint. Want to know how I installed this tropical-themed wallpaper? ©2021 Tim Carter

Painting Wallpaper - If Not Coated, You Must Prime it With Oil Paint

QUESTION: Tim, I’ve got decades-old wallpaper in my kitchen I want to paint. It’s in great shape with only two small tears. Can I paint over the wallpaper or must I remove the wallpaper before painting? The paper was applied directly onto the drywall. Frank H., Yorktown, VA

A few years ago, a ham radio friend of mine taught me an interesting thing. He said, “The power is always in the question.” This is a great example of it. I know what Frank want’s to know, but it might have been better if he asked, “Tim, is it a good idea to paint directly over wallpaper and if so, is there a special paint?”

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local painters who will paint wallpaper.

Can You Paint Wallpaper?

The truth is, you can put paint on just about anything. It’s similar to putting lipstick on a pig and many people paint things to disguise not-so-good-looking things. But the issue here is that most paints now are water-based. Water-based paints can often wreak havoc with some wallpaper.

Does Wallpaper Have a Plastic Coating?

Some wallpaper has an ultra-thin plastic coating that resists water penetration. This is why some wallpapers are scrubbable and washable. That’s a good thing.

Does Old Wallpaper Have the Coating?

But some wallpaper, especially older paper doesn’t have this clear coating. It’s just paper. You probably know if you get most paper wet, the water soaks right through. When this happens with non-coated wallpaper you can get ugly blisters in the wallpaper minutes after painting it with a water-based paint.

Does Oil Paint Create Blisters?

Oil paints don’t create these blisters. This is why I recommend painting wallpaper with an oil primer or some other product like shellac. Just be sure that the primer doesn’t contain water. Once the oil primer dries, you can paint the wall with whatever you want, including blacktop sealer, although I don’t really feel that would be a good look or smell.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local painters who will paint wallpaper.

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