Replace A Foundation

Posted on by Tim Carter
house having new foundation

Replace a Foundation | This house is being restored and a new foundation is on the to-do list. Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

Replace A Foundation - Just Lift Up the House

QUESTION: I’m thinking of buying a house that has a crawlspace. The foundation is in very bad shape. While the house looks quite bad, it’s got good bones. Is it possible to completely remove a bad foundation and install a new taller one? What’s involved? Who does this type of work? What would you make sure gets done if you’re going to all this work? Hanna S., Hartford, CT

Hanna needs to negotiate a really good deal on this dilapidated house. The good news is the old foundation can be removed and replaced with a new cast-concrete foundation creating a full basement. The task is not much different than eating an elephant. You just take one bite at a time.

Moving an Entire Neighborhood of Houses

Hanna’s question reminded me of a fascinating time early in my building career. Fresh out of college, I had just rehabbed my first house in Cincinnati, Ohio. It didn’t need a new foundation, but it was otherwise in pretty bad shape. Four months of work transformed the house back into its former glory.

About a half-mile away, a developer wanted to put in a small shopping mall, but there were about ten houses and an apartment building in the way. Not only did he buy all these properties, but he proceeded to move them about a mile away on some wooded land he purchased at the end of a street. I remember watching these houses, and parts of houses that were cut in half, creeping down the road to their new foundations.

Hanna needs to contact different foundation contractors to see which ones have done exactly what she wants to do. Not all foundation contractors have the expertise to work underneath a house that’s suspended above the work site sitting on cribbing made with timbers the size of railroad ties.

These foundation contractors will also know the names of the different house-moving companies in the area. The first step in the process of tearing out the old foundation and installing the new one is to prepare the house as if it’s going to be moved to a new location. House-moving companies do this like you might brush your teeth. It’s just another job for them.

Lift the House High Enough

I’d consider several things if this were my job. For starters, I’d want to make sure the house was lifted high enough so there was positive drainage away from all sides of the house. The building code’s minimum standard is 6 inches of fall in the ground in the first 10 feet of horizontal distance away from the foundation. I feel 12 inches of fall is much better.

Create a True Full-Height Basement

If the budget allows, I’d also try to pour the new foundation walls as high as possible so a true 8-foot ceiling height might be achieved in the basement. Hanna needs to make sure a great high-performance vapor barrier is installed under the new basement concrete floor.

To lift an entire floor, you'll have to jack up floor joists. Pros do this by sliding large I-beams under the joists so all the joists go up at the same time and same rate.

Install a Radon-Capture System

I’d also install interconnected perforated 4-inch pipes beneath the new basement slab to capture radon gas that might be seeping up from the local bedrock. A riser pipe that connects to the below-slab pipes should then be extended up to the roof to vent the radon.

Column 1372A

September 20, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

You might be a brand new subscriber. I’m so glad you’re here. You should know that this could be the most unusual newsletter I’ve ever produced in the twenty-four years I’ve been publishing them.

Please bear with me and next Sunday you’ll see a normal one.

Are you a long-time or recent subscriber? I’m sure you’ll appreciate this issue because it’s an opportunity for you to reciprocate. I’m quite certain I’ve shared information that’s helped you, now it’s your turn to lay some great feedback and tips on me!

I Truly Need Your Help

It’s important for you to realize not only am I the founder of Ask the Builder but soon after starting my syndicated column in October of 1993, Stain Solver came to be in a most unusual way. Stain Solver is a certified organic multi-purpose cleaner. If something can get wet with water, you can use Stain Solver to clean it.

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover how Stain Solver resulted from a routine phone interview.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not some cheesy long-form sales letter to get you to buy Stain Solver. If you’re a business person, work in a business, are a business owner, and/or have a strong business background, please keep reading.

Have you made mistakes in life? I know I have, and I continue to make them each week! They’re teaching and discovery moments. One of my biggest mistakes looking back through the lens of time was not investing more of my time in the Stain Solver business. This mistake has caused Stain Solver to languish and just putter along like one of the kiddie cars at an amusement park. It’s a product that should be mainstream.

Looking back over the past twenty-seven years, I spent nearly 99.95 percent of my time nurturing the Ask the Builder business. If I could get a redo, I’d have split my time 40 percent in the Ask the Builder endeavor and 60 percent in the Stain Solver business. But that’s water over the dam.

This is why rear-view mirrors are small and windshields are big. Right now, I’m looking forward through the windshield and you can help me have a better view.

You may be a loyal customer who uses my Stain Solver to clean countless things around your home. You know it works better than any other cleaner you’ve ever used. I get testimonials week in and week out attesting to this.

Just last week, I talked with a woman who’s a professional property manager. We had a great conversation. She said, “Tim, please don’t stop making Stain Solver and for goodness sake, please don’t alter the formula. I’ve NEVER FOUND ANYTHING that works as well and I’ve tried every cleaner out there.”

She then proceeded to share a story about how Stain Solver saved a very expensive quilt that a renter had ruined with spray-on tanning lotion.

I’ve sold Stain Solver for over twenty years to a giant corporation. They use it at the end of each workday to clean coffee and food spills in cubicles and carpeted hallways throughout their massive office buildings.

I sell Stain Solver to a large motel in West Virginia. The manager uses it to clean the hallway and room carpets as well as all their ceramic floor-tile grout. Oil-field contract workers stay in the motel Sunday-Thursday.

They come back to the rooms with their oil-soaked boots and clothes and you can imagine what the carpet looks like when they check out. CLICK or TAP HERE to see how well Stain Solver gets rid of oil! Be sure to read Georgia’s short story.

Restaurants buy Stain Solver to deep-clean all their cutlery overnight and to remove grease from all kitchen surfaces.

A giant school system in California buys Stain Solver because they want to use a certified organic cleaner around the kids.

I could go on and on and on about all the different businesses that use Stain Solver to clean things with dramatic results.

How You Can Help

I’ve got an ambitious goal of doubling or tripling the Stain Solver business in the next year. That may seem like insanity but it’s possible with your help.

You may be a homeowner who uses Stain Solver and I’m glad you do. Now it’s time to increase my sales to businesses. I feel I can achieve my sales goal faster going this route. But guess what, I could be wrong and you might be able to tell me why!

I need you to help me discover the best way to sell Stain Solver to more businesses. I’ve created a giant list in alphabetical order identifying lots of businesses that can use Stain Solver.

CLICK or TAP HERE to see if your business is on the list.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: All businesses can use Stain Solver. Remember, any surface that’s water washable, Stain Solver can deep clean better than any cleaner you now might use.

Wave Your Magic Wand

What I want to know is this: if you had a magic wand, what might be the fastest and easiest way to get Stain Solver in the hands of your business or OTHER businesses like yours? What are the challenges of trying to sell a cleaning product to your business?

Would you please do me a HUGE FAVOR and answer those questions and a few others about your business?

Imagine you’re on the Stain Solver Board of Directors and at a planning meeting discussing this ambitious plan! You've now got the floor and we all want to hear your ideas!

CLICK or TAP HERE to help me grow Stain Solver.

Thanks so much! I’ll report back and share some of the best suggestions.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
World’s Best Cleaner - www.StainSolver.com
Generate Cool Waves - www.W3ATB.com

SHARP Steam Countertop Oven SSC0586DS

Posted on by Tim Carter
sharp steam countertop oven

SHARP Steam Countertop Oven | Look at that yummy soft pretzel surrounded by a halo of steam! CLICK or TAP HERE to purchase one.

SHARP Steam Countertop Oven - It's Compact & It Works

I've been testing the SHARP superheated steam countertop oven for about two months now. I have to say it's exceeded my expectations.

sharp steam countertop oven

This is it. Gleaming stainless steel and easy to operate. CLICK or TAP HERE to purchase one.

The first thing I cooked was a store-bought deluxe pizza. I was really interested to see if it would get the crust crispy. I have to say it was the best store-bought pizza I've ever had out of any oven. The suggested temperature and time settings were perfect.

sharp steam countertop oven

Here's the pizza I cooked. It's still got time to go as you can see on the control panel. The crust was PERFECT! Burp! CLICK or TAP HERE to purchase one.

Recently I heated up some soft pretzel prizes given to me by a dear friend. The Bake/Reheat mode along with the steam made the pretzels the absolute best I've ever had even at a carnival or arena. Be sure to melt some butter and brush it on the pretzel before you sprinkle the coarse salt on it if you want the true soft-pretzel experience. It was all I could do to NOT eat three of them at once creating a carb coma. They were that good!

This oven is very compact and it uses, on average, 25 percent LESS electricity than your normal 240-volt large oven. It's perfect for just about every small cooking or heating task.

Does it Really Cook With Steam?

Yes! The oven has this small water reservoir that is just below the control knob. You fill it with about 8 ounces of water to the fill line and when the oven is on, it converts this water to steam. It's perfect to make hot dog buns just like I used to use at Skyline Chili out of the steam bun warmers! The steam also helps keep other food moist.

How Many Cook Modes Does It Have?

The SHARP steam countertop oven has five handy cooking modes:

  • Broil/Grill
  • Bake/Reheat
  • Pizza
  • Warm
  • Toast

These modes have pre-programmed settings to choose from so you get perfect results depending on what you want the oven to do for you.

sharp steam countertop oven

This is how you make delicious food. Just spin the round knob and push those two buttons and a food coma is sure to happen! CLICK or TAP HERE to purchase one.

Was it Easy to Use?

The controls are very easy to use. You just turn the round knob to select the mode you want, push the SELECT button, and then rotate the knob again to select temperature and cooking times.

Is It Easy to Clean?

Yes, it's easy to keep clean if you just wipe it down after each use. Be sure it's cooled down! Read the owner's manual for the best practices with respect to cleaning.

What Else Comes With It?

A broiling pan and crisper tray are included.

What About the Technical Specs, Measurements, Etc?

Easy! CLICK or TAP HERE do get the skinny from SHARP.

The FTC requires me to share that SHARP sent me this oven at no charge to review. I'm a small operation and simply don't have the resources to purchase products and invest all the time to test and create reviews like this. SHARP did not pay me money to create this review and all of my observations and opinions above are factual. The only thing I'm unhappy about is this oven may derail my weight-loss program.

What Causes Etched Glasses in Dishwashers

Posted on by Tim Carter
drinking glass - no longer clear

What Causes Etched Glasses | This drinking glass of mine used to be crystal clear. Cascade dishwashing gel ruined it. This column was SO GOOD that I shared with the 31,000 subscribers who read my October 4, 2020 newsletter. Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

Author Update: Don't skip over the last paragraph below from Brad Booth.

What Causes Etched Glasses - It's Chelants & Cascade

QUESTION: Tim, please help me. I remember reading in past columns that you’re a master plumber and have some sort of science degree.

My husband and I are at odds as to what’s slowly ruining all of my wonderful clear glasses and heat-treated glass items in my kitchen. Each time I remove them from my dishwasher, they look worse. My husband states it’s just hard water.

I tried soaking some of the ruined things in hot white vinegar and there was no change. It’s got to be something else, but I can’t figure it out. Can you shed light on this? Sandra P., Las Vegas, NV

Are you suffering like Sandra? I am! The clear drinking glasses in my own home are slowly getting ruined just as Sandra described. Sandra’s correct that I’ve got lots of experience with dishwashers being a master plumber since age 29 and having worked in a commercial kitchen operating a powerful chili parlor dishwasher for over 12 years. A five-hour physical chemistry class was a requirement for my geology degree.

etched drinking glass next to a new clear one

The glass on the left is brand new. The one on the right is etched beyond repair. Proctor & Gamble's Cascade dishwashing soap is to blame. Photo credit: Tim Carter Copyright 2024

Is the Cause Hard Water?

Many years ago, I was first introduced to this strange conundrum by my mother-in-law. I was a brash young man and she showed me one of her ruined small drinking glasses. She asked me if I knew what was going on. “Sure, it’s just hard water deposits. Let me take it home and restore it.” I tried soaking it in white vinegar, a mild acid that has no trouble dissolving hard-water mineral deposits. There was no change. I then got out my toxic bottle of muriatic acid and tried it full strength. There was no change. I was flummoxed.

As time passed, I deduced the issue had to be with the actual dishwashing detergents - be they powders, gels, or pods. In all my years of washing glasses by hand, they never suffered from etching, so whatever was happening was happening inside the steel box with the thrashing water spray.

Automatic Dishwashing Soap Etches Glass

Last month I finally had it. I reached out to what I believe is the largest USA manufacturer of automatic dishwashing soap, Procter & Gamble (P&G). They make the Cascade product I use. Since I’m a member of the working media, they were kind enough to accommodate my press inquiry.

A senior scientist from P&G explained that a perfect glass-etching storm can happen inside a dishwasher if you have these four things: soft water, low soil load, high temperatures, and chelating agents. She went on to say, “Chelating agents, or chelants, are a major part of auto-dishwashing formulations because they form soluble complexes with calcium and other metal ions, enabling them to remove food soils and limescale, soften water, and boost hygienic cleaning action.” When you soften water as I do at my home, you remove the calcium from the water. Uh oh!

To prevent glass etching, she suggested not rinsing dishes and glasses, wash in shorter cycles, not using the pots-and-pans or sanitizing settings, and using a dishwashing product that contains zinc.

The bottom line, in my opinion, is that if you want your clear glass to remain clear, you better do what I had to do as a kid. Wash them all by hand with normal liquid dishwashing soap. Your other option is to just keep buying new glasses after they get etched should you not want to wash them by hand.

AUTHOR UPDATE: Brad Booth lives in Columbus, Ohio. After reading the above column he sent:

"I just read the problem about glasses clouding in the dishwasher by Sandra P., Las Vegas. Cascade IS THE PROBLEM! I had the same problem with glasses, even coating my dishwasher filter using Cascade. Switched to Finish Powerball nine years ago and NO problem anymore! I've had no clouding of glass at any setting, temperature, or heat dry! Also, the screen filter no longer gets coated and clogged with white substance! Try any product except Cascade and see if that helps you."

Here's the Finish Powerball product. You can bet I'll be trying it:

Finnish Powerball diswasher soap

CLICK or TAP HERE to have this delivered to your home. I DOUBT you'll find this at your grocery store.

Dishwasher Detergent Warning! Is your detergent harming your dishwasher? CLICK HERE to see what happened to my dishwasher.

Column 1371

Certificate of Occupancy NH

Posted on by Tim Carter

"The building code is not a set of recommendations. It’s a pass/fail document. Something either meets code or it doesn’t. There’s no gray area."

Certificate of Occupancy NH - Don't Issue Until All is OK

QUESTION 2: Tim, I’m at my wit's end. My builder thinks my new house is finished but there are numerous defects. He had the building inspector through and this government official issued a certificate of occupancy (CO). The builder says this is proof everything is okay. I know there are numerous items that are against the building code and I hired an engineering firm to produce a report to verify this. How would you settle this scrum? Meredith S., Windham, NH

Oh my, Meredith’s plight is oh so common! I receive identical emergency requests from homeowners all across the USA on my AsktheBuilder.com website each week. The problem is growing and it’s very troubling.

I’ve done expert witness work in situations like this for the past twenty years. The last case I was on had me crawling over the roof of the Brazilian ambassador’s house on the Caribbean island of Antigua. It was a mess!

As I see it, there are two problems in Meredith’s case. Let’s assume she’s correctly identified numerous code issues. If that’s the case, the building inspector that issued the certificate of occupancy has made a mistake. The building code is not a set of recommendations. It’s a pass/fail document. Something either meets code or it doesn’t. There’s no gray area.

The way I prevailed in all my past cases was to ignore quality issues for the most part and just stick with code violations. I’d go page-by-page through the code and any section that had a measurement requirement, I’d go measure that item in the house. I’d then take a photograph or two to prove that the item didn’t meet code.

What Are Examples of These Measurements?

Here are examples of parts of the building code that require measurement standards be met:

  • stair risers and treads - look for the minimum deviation in riser heights - check the top and bottom riser
  • handrail height
  • deck railing post connection method and strength - see below video
  • hallway width - often hallways are 1 inch less than the code requires
  • stair/step landing size
  • amount of foundation showing between soil, siding, or brick
  • amount of fall of the exterior soil away from the house in the first ten feet of horizontal run

There are quite a few other places in the building code that provide minimum and maximum measurements. Be sure every part of your home or project complies.

Does an Expert Need to Do This Measuring?

You don’t have to hire an expert to do this. You can read the code and take measurements. Be sure to take photographs of the flaws. It's best to assemble all of the flaws you discover in a simple spreadsheet you can share with the head building inspector. the columns might have headers such as:

  • Descriptive Code Section Heading
  • Actual Code Section Number
  • Phrase describing the flaw
  • Amount of measurement deviation
  • URL of photos - upload photos to the cloud allowing you to link to them

CLICK or TAP HERE to see an example of construction photos in the cloud.

How Can I Resolve This With the Building Department?

You need to create the list of known building code defects and document them as stated above. Schedule a meeting with the head building inspector and point out all the flaws. Demand that the CO be rescinded and not re-issued until such time as a follow-up inspection verifies everything in the house meets code.

Column 1371

September 13, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

I know, you’re a seasoned subscriber and you might be miffed that I devote this top spot to welcome new subscribers. Rest assured; I appreciate your loyalty! But if you’re a new subscriber in the past six days, welcome! I hope I can save you scads of money and time with tips you’ll find here.

Do you remember the video I recorded after I went on my virtual trip to Paris, France? I dove into their culture and came up out of the water with the strangest tip! CLICK or TAP HERE and watch this short video to see what it was, Oui’ oui’!

Repair a Shallow Blacktop Pothole

Several days ago, I recorded a new video for you. If you’ve got puddling on your blacktop, you should fill in the spots before they become giant holes.
Blacktop Epoxy Repair - Shallow Hole Repair

CLICK or TAP HERE to watch how I do it using a fantastic exterior epoxy and magic stones and sand.

An Uncomfortable Conversation

Frank and Kim Carmichael have me on their Happenings radio show as a guest usually once a month. I simply love being on the show because I never know what they’ll ask me.
Happenings Q&A Radio Show

Sometimes we don’t even talk about home improvement! I was on a few days ago and Kim was trying to figure out how to avoid having uncomfortable conversations with contractors who come over to quote a job.

She said, “Tim, if I mention that you or some other source said to do a job a certain way, I know the contractor will get offended and the conversation’s going to go off the rails. How can I be sure the job is going to be done the right way?”

Kim’s right. Many of the contractors I know have fragile egos and if you challenge them with suggestions, methods, and products they might l recoil. It can be very ugly indeed.

I shared with Kim how I’d do it. As is often the case, it requires more work on your part, but it’s worth it unless you have more money than Jeff Bezos. Most of us don’t.

Step 1. Select ALL the fixtures and materials you’re going to use before you call a contractor.

Step 2. Get the installation instructions for the items and read them. Note the important steps or warnings.

Step 3. When you meet the contractor, show him or her photos of what you’ve selected and begin to ask questions that probe how the contractor plans to install the items. You want to see if he knows what he’s doing.

Here’s an example. You might have picked out a new front door. The instructions clearly call out for a specific flashing pan under the door to prevent wood rot. CLICK or TAP HERE to see one.

door flashing pan

So you might ask, “Can you tell me what you do to prevent wood rot under the door?”

If the contractor doesn’t mention using a flashing pan, then you might say, “I watched a video online that showed using this flashing pan. What do you think of them? Have you used them before?”

These are simple non-aggressive questions and any PRO contractor will not be offended.

The best contractor will answer that he’s used flashing pans and he might even ask you what you want him to do. If he does, you simply say, “Well, I’d like you to install the new door exactly as the written installation instructions say to do it.”

This is not hard, and after all, it’s your money.

Burrowing

Trisha, from Hartford, WI, reached out to me. She asked:

“I have an animal that burrowed under the sidewalk that is attached to my front porch. It's small, probably a chipmunk. Should I use polyurethane 2-part spray foam or use hydraulic cement to fill the void? There is no damage and no cracks to the sidewalk but I'd like to fill it before it becomes a problem.”

My answer was:

“Neither! Just mix up a slurry of sand and get it to flow into the hole as best you can. The two products you mention are overkill and a waste of money.”

Now, that said, let’s imagine you WANT to burrow under a sidewalk to extend an electric line. Here’s how I do it:

cut pvc pipe

CLICK or TAP HERE to see how I use that huge hypodermic PVC needle. Be sure to SCROLL DOWN and watch the video of me using the needle. There’s NO BLOOD involved.

Roof Maxx Review

I wanted to re-share my review of a product you may see advertised on TV - Roof Maxx.

CLICK or TAP HERE and be sure to spend some time combing through the comments.

Gutter Guard Truth

I’ve been seeing a significant number of ads on TV at night for a gutter guard product. Ads like that cost vast sums of money and you pay for the ads when you buy the product.

micromesh gutter guard

I’ve done exhaustive testing over the years about which gutter guard design is the best. I have ones on my home here in NH that perform very well.

CLICK or TAP HERE and be SURE TO WATCH ALL THE VIDEOS on the page.

That’s more than enough for you to munch on for a Sunday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
SUPER Cleaner - www.StainSolver.com
NH Champ Skeeter Hunt - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Have you ever seen a color photograph that is then rendered in black and white? Modern photo software will do this for you.

CLICK or TAP HERE and discover WHY YOU SHOULD BE DOING THIS with INTERIOR WALL PAINT!

Fill Driveway Holes

Posted on by Tim Carter
blacktop patch - perfect match

Fill Driveway Holes | Can you believe how the blacktop patch to the left is almost a perfect match? The blacktop defect was too shallow to fill with a normal patching compound. Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

Fill Driveway Holes - Use Exterior Epoxy, Stones & Sand

QUESTION: Tim, I read a previous column of yours where you talked about how to fill driveway holes in a concrete surface using sand and Portland cement. You talked about installing concrete overlay. My issue is I have a few shallow puddles in my blacktop driveway and I know this ponding water will eventually create a far more serious issue. The normal patching products sold in bags will not work as the depression is too shallow. I tried using it once and it all peeled up. How do you recommend creating a patch that stays put and matches as closely as possible the rest of the blacktop? I’m 78 years old and quite sure I can follow your directions. Katie D., Laurel, MD

You may have the same problem as Katie. I know I do! There are three places in my blacktop driveway that have sunken. I didn’t build the house I currently live in. One of the areas is where the underground electric and cable TV wire passes under the drive. I’m quite sure the contractor didn’t compact the fill in the trench and/or he used the wrong material.

Two other locations are probably poor fill as well. Two years ago, I removed all the crumbling blacktop in one of these areas and did fill it with 1.5 inches of the cold-patch blacktop that Katie tried with no success. I’ve since had a little more settlement in this area and quite a bit of the cold patch has eroded. In other words, my driveway is the poster child for the problem that Katie and you might be facing.

Why Is Epoxy a Great Thing to Fill Driveway Holes?

Several years ago, I became aware of a fantastic exterior epoxy that’s made to repair concrete and asphalt defects. It can also be used to fill cracks larger than 3/8 inch in concrete slabs. I’ve tested it in my harsh New Hampshire climate and it’s unfazed by bitter cold temperatures. It’s also performed well when the sun has raised the temperature of the blacktop so high you can’t walk on it with bare feet. In other words, this epoxy is worthy of your attention.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE QUOTES from local handymen that can do this repair for you.

If you were to just use the epoxy to fill driveway holes, you’d end up with a medium-gray monolithic patch. That’s the color you get when you blend the white epoxy component with the black component. Your blacktop, if it’s like mine, is actually a mosaic of different stones, sand, and the black asphalt cement you see holding the stones and sand together. I decided it was really easy to match this look with a minimal amount of effort.

pc masonry epoxy

This is the EXACT epoxy I used for my driveway repair. It's going to be there for years. CLICK on the IMAGE to order some now.

Why Should I Read the Epoxy Instructions?

The first step in the process is to stop and read the instructions on the label of the epoxy. Pay attention to the temperature range when you can install it. I decided to wait until the daytime temperatures were in the mid-70s F and I worked in the shade.

How Thick is the Epoxy?

The epoxy components have the consistency of very thick peanut butter. I used a stiff bent 3-inch scraping tool to blend them together on a large thin piece of plywood. I discovered wide side-to-side strokes did an excellent job of thoroughly mixing the epoxy. Don’t try to scoop and turn it over in a large pile as it’s just too sticky to do this.

Where Do I Get the Stones and Sand?

It’s important to realize that before I even unpacked the epoxy, I gathered up some stones and sand from the edges of my driveway. These things used to be part of my blacktop. Each winter the NH ice plucks some from my drive. If you don’t have any stones and sand, just take a closeup photo of your blacktop and go to a nearby gravel pit to get matching stones. Trust me, you’ll never regret taking the time to do this.

black sand

This is great sand to use to sprinkle between the stones. It will simulate the asphalt cement in your actual blacktop. CLICK on the IMAGE now to order it.

How Thin Can the Epoxy Be?

What I love about this epoxy-repair method is the epoxy can be feathered to just 1/16th-inch thickness. This allows you to make a repair that absolutely gets rid of any puddling. In my case, the thickest part of my depression was about 5/8-inch.

What Prep Work is Required?

To achieve a permanent bond, you must get rid of any dust from the blacktop as well as any other loose stones. I employed my hand-held leaf blower, garden hose, and a push broom to do this. I basically washed and rinsed the blacktop and allowed it to thoroughly dry.

I mixed up equal amounts of the epoxy ending up with about a half-gallon of material. Using the scraper, I transferred the sticky goo from the plywood to the center of the depression and worked my way to the edges. I was careful to not put the epoxy outside of the depression. I also made sure the epoxy was about 1/4 inch lower than the other flat portions of the blacktop outside of the depression. The stones and sand would be used to make up the difference.

The epoxy I used has a very long open time. You have plenty of time to work with it after mixing. Looking at the mosaic of stones in my existing blacktop, I started to place larger stones in a random pattern throughout the epoxy. I then scattered smaller pebbles around the larger stones. I was careful to use the smallest pebbles at the edge of the patch.

Do You Compact the Stones and Sand?

After all the stones were placed, I then scattered dry sand over everything. I wanted the sand to hide the epoxy. I used a scrap piece of 2x4 to pack the stones and sand into the epoxy and to make sure the new repair was flush with the surrounding blacktop.

I wish now I had purchased black sand, but when you view my patch from a distance only a perfectionist would complain about the light-colored sand.

I created a video for you to watch to see the epoxy I used and how I did the job. Check out the video below.

Column 1370

September 6, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

Greetings and salutations! Are you one of the nearly 100 new subscribers in the past seven days? Welcome! I reserve this top spot in the newsletter to honor your presence.

You, though, might have been with me so long that you remember the mind-blowing column and illustration I created that caused your jaw to drop. Come on, I know you remember!! It was the one about lumber shrinkage. CLICK or TAP HERE to discover a question you can use to win a bet or a game of Trivial Pursuit!

Where Was I?

I like to take photos. I was a member of my high school yearbook photography team spending hours in the darkroom producing contact sheets and final black-and-white photos. I also volunteered to work in the largest darkroom at the University of Cincinnati as a geology undergrad.

I'm going to try to share an interesting photo as often as possible of things and places that cross my path. Here's one I shot this past Wednesday. There's a clue in the photo, if you strain your eyes, that will allow you to pinpoint where I was. I'm looking for you to share with me the exact name of the beach.

I'll let you know the answer in the next newsletter. Watch for it next week to see if you were spot on.
rusty chain on beach

Oxymoron ALERT

You may have been one who teed up and took a swing at me last week about the clever oxymoron I included in the insurance alert piece.

Peaceful protestors don’t loot and commit arson for goodness sake!

Robert’s Stinky Hats

About ten days ago Robert, a contractor subscriber to this newsletter, reached out to me with a STAIN SOLVER success story. You’ll love this one:

“I'm sure you get lots of messages touting wonder and amazement over your Stain Solver. I was just so amazed I had to share my story. I'm a contractor in central Illinois, often working on projects that are not air-conditioned. I keep a hat for such occasions to catch my sweat.

A month or so ago, I noticed my hat smelled quite badly, and upon wearing it, my head smelled bad. I wondered how to clean it, talking to my wife and mother-in-law. They suggested a dishwasher with a plastic cage to help the hat keep its shape.

Well, I remembered an email you sent about the lady who cleaned her son's baseball cap, and I decided to give it a shot. (CLICK or TAP HERE to see the photos of the hat Robert is talking about) I mixed up a gallon of warm water with STAIN SOLVER per the directions, grabbed my hat, dropped it in, and the fizzing started.

I used a plastic spoon to agitate for a minute or so, and then rinsed it out. My hat was clean and good as new. The water was unbelievably gross. I couldn't believe how dark and dirty the water was. Now my hat looks clean and smells clean again. I went ahead and washed about a dozen hats. Thank you, Tim.”

If it were me, I would have allowed the hat to soak for about 30 minutes. It seems Robert had it in the solution a much shorter time but he was still happy with the results.

CLICK or TAP HERE now to order your STAIN SOLVER now.

STain Solver Oxygen Bleach

Revive Cedar Chests or Closets

Ron emailed me last week. He wrote, “I have a storage room with cedar walls. How can I get the cedar smell back?”

Well, all Ron had to do was type the following two words into the search engine at AsktheBuilder.com to discover his answer:

cedar smell

Look:
cedar smell search results

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover how easy it is to make the cedar aroma so strong and pleasant that you’ll want to stay in the closet or cedar chest all day!

STOP Getting Lost

Have you ever had an issue with Google Maps where you enter in an address, navigate to it, and then discover you’re not exactly where you’re supposed to be?

Did you know you can HELP IMPROVE Google Maps? They have a very responsive team that works on your suggestions.

Just last week, Google Maps was off by about 500 feet for an address on a main road here in NH. I submitted a correction and they’re working on fixing it so others will navigate to the correct driveway.

Look at these two screenshots to see how to start the process. The FIRST text link you need to click is Send feedback. It’s in the lower RIGHT CORNER of Google Maps:
Send Feedback to Google Maps

After you click that link, a new window opens giving you choices of what to do. Select the one that best fits your correction or suggestion and follow the easy step-by-step directions:
Google Maps Feedback Choices

How To Create Mold In Your Home FAST

Elliot emailed me last week. Here’s what he wrote:

“In a recent article of yours about exhausting moist air from bathrooms you mentioned that if you were in a snowy area you may have to extend the pipe up higher. Why not use that warm moist air in the wintertime to make your home feel more comfortable? Perhaps consider using a small fan to blow the air out of the bathroom into the rest of the home.”

CLICK or TAP HERE to see why you MUST NOT do what Elliot suggests.

Random Question(s) Feature

I’m thinking of creating a new feature in the newsletter called, Random Question. Let’s see how it goes.

Scenario: An orchestra is playing a song. The musicians all have sheet music in front of them on their music stands. You can see this exact scenario in the opening 15 seconds of this video. CLICK or TAP HERE. Just about all of them have to use two hands to play their instruments, especially the violin players.

How in the heck do they turn pages and NOT stop playing? They’re all playing the same notes and if what they’re playing spans several pages, how is it the music doesn’t stop? What keeps them from turning to the wrong page? Why don’t we hear sheet music hitting the floor?

Fear - It’s Paralyzing

Did you know that the emotion of fear automatically blocks the part of your brain that performs critical thinking and reasoning?

I’m sure you’ve experienced this before. It’s happened to me and I can confirm that when fear has overtaken you, your ability to think clearly is severely impaired.

It’s one reason why basic training in all military branches tries to squelch fear to show recruits that they can survive any situation.

Cleaning Cutting Boards

This morning I decided to clean and purify my kitchen cutting boards. Do you have ones like these?
Cutting boards

CLICK or TAP HERE to see how I did it. I also have a #HACK to get out deep tomato sauce stains.

Bill's HAPPY Email - Over the Top!

Several days ago, I received an email from Bill just before dinner. It had been a tough day for me and Bill put a smile on my face wider than the airplane hanger door for a B-52 bomber!

CLICK or TAP HERE and look just below the bullet list to read Bill's message.

That’s probably enough for a Sunday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
CERTIFIED ORGANIC - www.STAINSOLVER.com
Dihs and Dahs - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Planning on sealing concrete before winter? CLICK or TAP HERE to see what sealer I feel is best.

Fiskars Pro Isocore Mauls

Posted on by Tim Carter
fiskars wood splitting mauls

Fiskars Pro Isocore Mauls | Here are two mauls that will last generations. CLICK or TAP HERE or the photo to have them in your hands in days.

Fiskars Pro Isocore Mauls - Split Tough Wood Fast

I tested the two Fiskars Pro Isocore Mauls and had great success. Within minutes, the small 2.5-pound maul became my favorite.

It's so nice to have a small maul the size of a hatchet that creates small kindling faster than kids eat ice cream on a hot summer day.

CLICK or TAP HERE to just order them now because I know you'll be SATISFIED as I was.

Fiskars 6 Pound Maul

You can see why this 6-pound maul splits wood FAST. Look at the aggressive angle. CLICK or TAP HERE to order it now.

Fiskars 2.5 Pound Maul

This is such a wonderful small maul. It's a perfect weight and produces nice small kindling FAST. CLICK or TAP HERE now to have it in your hands in just two or three days.

Fiskars 2.5 Pound Maul

Here's the small maul side-by-side with a typical hatchet. You can see why it will do so much better splitting small pieces of logs into excellent kindling to get a FAST fire going. CLICK or TAP HERE to order the small maul. You'll LOVE it.

Do the Mauls Come with Saftey Caps?

Yes, both mauls come with a cover to protect the semi-sharp end.

Do the Mauls Have a Great Guarantee?

Yes, I believe there's a lifetime warranty on the mauls - the heads won't fly off into the ether or the woods.

What Didn't You Like About the Mauls?

I found that sleeping with them was uncomfortable. I liked them so much I wanted them with me at all times, but I just don't like cold steel against my feet at night.