Old barn
Last week and this week, we were drywalling in an old Barn. A company we do a lot work for, Post Farm Structures, built a recreational area inside of a an old bank barn. They framed around the old barn beams so they would be exposed.
Our task is to neatly drywall and tape around these beams. We have done a similar thing in our own home and in a small office area in another bank barn.
This is a tedious job and cannot be rushed. The beams are rough hewn. The drywall rasp became our greatest friend in this job.
You could think of a drywall rasp kind of like a plane. It sands the cut edges down and make is smooth, or if there is an edge that is too snug, you can rasp it down a bit to it it would fit better. It takes just a little bump on the beam to cause a break in the drywall when in stalling it. It is slow moving.
Pam and I have been working long hours to get this job done for their deadline. Because it was a two hour drive from our home, we opted to go down one day, stay over night, then return back home the following evening.
We will be posting pictures of this work shortly.
Taping 2
First coat. Let it completely dry before you apply second coat.
There really is no extra important part to your work. Whether building a house, doing some renovations, or only drywalling, all of it is important. As with anything, starting with a good foundation is truly number one. If you need to correct a mistake further down the line, then you will never regret putting in the extra effort on the foundation.
When it comes to drywall, foundation is also important. Even if you mess up on the third coat or sand too much off, that can be fixed. If the tape is not sticking well, there is air bubbles or cracks after you paint, then you are starting over again from the beginning.
I did a ceiling job during a time when I was learning how to use my homemade mud and tape box. I made the mistake of assuming that there was enough mud on the paper, from the box, to fill the crack underneath. After the 3 coat, I began to see a hairline crack the entire length of the joint. The initial thinking was that it was the vibration. There was a lot of movement in the floor above. I figured a coat of durabond 90 would resolve the issue. It was difficult to take off all that paper, but when I did, I noticed there was not enough mud in the crack itself. It was an easy fix, I put on a coat to fill in the crack and then re-taped. The crack never came back.
Sanding is the dreaded portion of the taping procedure. There are some ways to lessen it however. For beginners, it would be better if you applied several coats and build it up rather than put on a thick coat and have to sand most of it off. As referred to in the previous post, if the first applications of mud are done right then there is much less sanding.
Thin out your mud for the first coat with the tape. And make sure there is lots of mud underneath. You really can't go wrong here by putting on too much mud. If the mud is thin enough, it will squeeze out from under the paper. Thick mud will not squeeze out and does not grab the paper well. Allow the tape to dry completely before applying the second coat. Don't put the second coat on too thick.
When I do corners, I let the first tape coat dry well, then I will use a 4 inch trowel on one side let it dry and then come back and do the other side after that is dry. Press harder on the trowel away from the corner so that it will feather in.
As for tools. Always avoid the trowels that look too much like a triangle with straight sides. You will usually see them in the paint departments and they are the cheapest. Trowels that have a nice curve will give you a smoother finish and will not dig into the edges. Plastic trowels would be better for doing small jobs. In fact, there are times when I will use plastic trowels because they are more flexible. I prefer a hawk to hold my mud over a small stainless steel or plastic box, but that is more of a preference than technical.
Taping
The taping is, for most people, the worst part. Not a huge fan of it myself. But it is also a very important part. Nothing worse than walking into a newly finished room where you can see every tape joint clear as day.
It takes a very practiced hand to hold the trowel just right for a smooth finish. To know how much mud is applied and how far to span the joint to make the smooth finish. If done right, in the first couple of coats, there is hardly any sanding. Though any sanding is a lot of sanding. The dust from even the lightest sanding job is messy and travels throughout your house through every nook and cranny.
Setup is important. What you want is a clear room free of obstructions. You may have limited space but do your best to keep your area clear. Seventy percent of your taping job is spent looking up. Removing hazards are important. If there are too many items to find storage for, then I will pick a sheet of drywall installed on the ceiling and put those items directly underneath away from the tape joints. That way they will not interfere with the taping. Usually, I put a spot of mud on the screw heads first before I store the items there.
Good tapers will not mess around. They are fast, got a style down pat and learned to make a good wage doing what everyone else hates. If your place is not clean when they come they will say "call me when you are ready" and they will move on to the next job. Cut offs and bits and pieces of building materials on the floor are a nuisance. They use stilts and/or rolling scaffolds etc. Any kind of garbage is a hazard to them.
I am not a fast taper. I do quite a bit of taping and it still takes me more time that someone who specializes in that alone. However, my finish is great and I have happy customers.
For years I have taped by hand. I have a trowel for everything. From 1 inch to 10 inches. In the end, the best for me is a 4 inch on the corners and 8 inch for both the beveled and butt edge of the drywall. Corner trowels, I no longer use. Many times that I have used them, the corners tend to crack (not all) and I have had to caulk them after painting. People swear by the corner trowels but you will rarely see a pro use them.
For years, I used mesh and paper tape combo for years. Paper on the butt end joints and corners, and mesh on all the beveled edges. Now, I use tape only. Mesh is great, fast and easy but I still prefer paper. A few years back I made a mud box. It holds the roll while the paper is threaded through the bottom of a box filled with mud. When you pull the paper through, it comes out with just the right amount of mud on it. Of all the cheaper gadgets I've seen, this is the best. You can find a small version online called a mud or a tape buddy. It is small and compact, haven't used it but it is based on the same principal.
There are several keys to success in drywall taping. 1. Larger cracks are filled with mud before you begin applying the tape. Preferably the quick dry compound which you can mix in small amounts. 2. The right amount of mud under the tape. Pro tapers rarely take the mix out of the pail and use it. They usually water it down a bit especially for the paper application. Second coat I might apply it right from the box to build it up a bit. That is if the mix is is a good texture. Also, not enough compound will result in air bubbles which will not show up until you apply the paint. 3. Wide tape joints, especially on the butt ends. 12 inches of mud feathered on each side for a butt end. And 8 inches of mud on the beveled joints. Corners need maximum 4 inches on either side. 4. A trouble light. Shining it sideways on your work will help you find your flaws. Or it may discourage you. LOL
There is certainly a knack to handling the trowels. It takes time and not everyone can get it quite right. I learn to put different amounts of pressure on one side of the trowel, or know when to hold it in a flatter position or more upright.
I will discuss a few more tips and tricks in my next post.
Never you mind the mess. Anything to do with taping is going to be messy.
Drywall
Yes, drywall lifters can be used for walls too.
One of my favourite jokes about boarding drywall is to call ourselves professional screw ups.
Drywall boarding and taping is my main bread and butter. We do a lot of it. Today we installed 5/8" drywall on a fourteen foot ceiling. Once done, we installed the top sheets all the way around the room. Tomorrow we will finish all the way down to the floor, board a couple of bathrooms and hopefully be ready for taping.
In the past year or so, companies that hire us to install drywall, are asking us to use 5/8" on the ceiling. It is not so much a fire rating but mostly because it is more ridged than 1/2". Especially when most trusses are place 2 feet apart. If you go into an older house, you will sometimes see the ceiling drywall bulging downward. Another way to prevent this is to use a specific ceiling board. It is a great product but not all building suppliers keep it in stock. 5/8" is more readily available.
Another question that people often ask me is why do I install the top board on the wall first. The main reason is that drywallers want to press that sheet tight to the ceiling. With a sheet underneath, it is not impossible but more difficult. You can get a good grip and press it up tight. Also sometimes the ceiling may not be perfectly even all the way across. Rather than having to trim down the drywall to make it fit, it is easier just to place it first. If you are only dealing with a couple of boards in your own basement, you may try to "get away with it". Pros do not want to struggle and have to adjust every board. Once the top is placed, then the bottom sheet can be installed. It would be good to have a drywall wedge to lay on the floor and press it tight to the board above.
One trick to stop missing studs with the screws is to make marks where the studs are so you can see them while installing the drywall. For instance, when I finish boarding the ceiling, I will walk around the room and make a mark with a pencil on the ceiling for each stud. I will do the same on the floor so when I place the bottom sheet, I will have a mark to go by.
How many screws. Well that depends. On walls, I place 4 screws per stud for each sheet. You have the top and bottom screw and one on the 16 and 32 inch mark. When I have newbies with me, I keep a level with the 16 and 32 inch marks on it. They simply lay it out on the top and bottom screws and then place the mark. It teaches them to not miss. On the ceiling, I double the screws on the 16 and 32 inch marks. I separate them by 1 1/2 inches. On the ends I use 5 screws. On the rare occasion the ceiling studs are 1 foot apart. I will place a screw on every stud and only double them up on every second stud. On my drywall lifter, I have the 16 and the 32 marked on the "H" frame so that it make it easy to line up.
Soffit Facia, evestrough, aluminum.
No house is ever complete without soffit, facia and eavestrough. Soffit does not just provide a finished look to the house, it provides breathing and air flow. In the olden days, the soffit was placed to stop the wind from getting into the attic and to prevent birds and other critters from nesting in the attic. They would often seal the eves up tight to prevent even wasps and bees from getting in. And who would blame them. However, sealing the soffit area completely has been shown to cause rot. If there is any moisture and no air flow then you have a perfect environment for molds. Without airflow, it will take a long time to dry out a wet area.
The building that I worked on had no vent holes whatsoever and they had insulated right into the soffit area. My job was to put on new aluminum soffit to match the other buildings. Before I could do that, I drilled a series of 4 inch holes into the old plywood soffit. Then, I removed as much insulation out of the soffit as possible. I pulled out old insulation, blankets, quilts and a few other unusual items used for insulation. It was sealed up tighter than a drum.
When I do aluminum soffit, I always choose to use the vented style. That is the style with all the perforations to allow air through. I have seen bad attic rot in the past and I do what I can to prevent it. You can still purchase the plain unvented soffit. At the very least I would recommend is that you place a vented type every fourth sheet.
The principal is simple. Your attic is insulated out to the stud framing members. Then a styrofoam moore vent is placed to prevent the insulation from blocking off the air flow. This keeps the insulation near your ceiling and helps maintain good temperature control inside the home. The air flows up through the soffit vents, through the moore vents and then up through to the roof vents which are mounted on your roof. The air flow allows good drying and prevents your attic from over heating.
Aluminum fascia is mainly a protective cover for the outside edge of the soffit and the underlying wood.
Evestrough does not require a hugh explanation. It catches the rain coming off your roof to prevent erosion on the ground around the house. It also channels the water and controls where it should flow. If you ever been at a house where there is an troughless eve above the doorway, then you want to cover up to prevent the roof runoff from hitting you.
There is another rain dispersal system that has been around for a few years. Instead of catching the rain in a trough, it spreads the water out. When the rain runs off the roof, its design is to break the drops up into a mist and dispersing it over a 5 to 10 ft area. I have not seen this in action, but have considered trying in out one day.
As for the aluminum brake. It is the first time I have ever used one. For years, I would make my own corner boxes (where the gable eve and flat eves connect) by hand. I have used creative methods to bend the aluminum with clamps boards and screws, so it looks strait. Since I am lacking in experience in this area, I will say, it may be time consuming but it is far less time consuming than my home made contraptions I have used in the past. I don't think I would use anything other than an aluminum brake in the future. It takes a bit getting used to and you should use a few scraps and experiment. Once you get the hang of it, you will not want to do it any other way either!
It is also handy for covering old outside wood trim around windows and doors. Measure, measure and measure is the name of the game. If you want it to look good, don't make it so tight that it's corners round as you install the flashing. But don't make it loose either. You will have to experiment and get to know how you want it to look.
Siding
The last week we spent doing siding, fascia, soffit, evestrough and aluminum braking and bending. It has been very busy. I have not posted so I will try to catch up while this stuff is fresh in my mind. Tonight I will tackle siding.
Vinyl siding tends to go rather fast once you are set up. With siding, if all the framing and boarding and the house wrap is done there is not a whole lot preparation. You get your tools together, prepare your jigs for making accurate cuts. Give yourself an outside work bench and you can bulldoze ahead. It is more favorable to have a light breeze. Windy weather makes the job so much harder. Also, take a trip to the store to find caulking that will match the vinyl. Siding specialty stores will carry it if your local hardware does not.
People ask me if the siding should be done before the soffit. The answer is yes and no. In order of construction, when building a house, siding is always done first. Especially with wood cladding like board and batten. The boards are placed first, then the soffit and then the batten. However, it does not always work that way and sometimes there is a preference. For instance, when I am doing the newer siding, with the bulbous profiles, I actually prefer to do the soffit first. I do this because the siding will indent with the screws as I try to install the soffit "J" channel against the wall. Preferable I will do the soffit first, then install the vinyl "J" channel against it and do the siding.
Last year I had crew of co-0p students install siding on my home. It was difficult for the teacher to keep a good eye on them at all times. Though I must say. He is a great teacher and spent a lot of time with each crew team. About a week after they were done, I noticed that many pieces of the siding was coming loose on every side. To make a long story short, we had to remove every side and reset all the siding. At the top, on the gable ends, we lost almost one complete strip. On the front and back we cut off about 3 inches of the top.
What they had done wrong was obvious. They placed the sheet and didn't pull it up at all. The first few fall winds got underneath and ripped them right out. Thankfully their cuts were good and I only had to make adjustments for the angles on the gable ends. It took us about 5 hours a side to remove and reset.
It is major important to know how much upward pressure to apply once the siding sheet is snapped in place. And please be aware, vinyl must click into place, not just lay over one another. Once you know how much pressure, it is simple. It is all about feel. I pull up until I can tell that the bottom edge of the siding is lightly touching the bottom edge of the lip that it is snapping on to. Or another way to word it. I pull up until you can feel the point where it stops. Even though the vinyl has some give, do not stretch it to make it tighter. It will take a few times to get the feel and then you keep to that standard.
Roofing nails are best for placing siding. And they should never be hammered in all the way. The siding needs room for expansion and contraction. Leave the nail heads out just enough for movement. Do not make it snug. After the nails are in, (rule of thumb) you should barely be able to slide the siding.
Drip caps and gable end cuts are always the most difficult. Contractors do the drip caps different ways. For the drip flashing above doors and windows, I tend to cut it about one inch past the width of the vinyl "J" channel. Then I cut a slit to match giving at least a quarter inch for expansion. Then the siding and drip cap is caulked with a matching color on the top side of the drip cap sealing it from the elements.
Gable edge cutting trick. Start with the right or left side. Take a cut off, a few feet long and snap it into place near the edge of the soffit. Use another short piece and rest it on top of that piece and also against the angled soffit or roof line. Pull the snapped piece over so that the bottom corner meets with piece against the soffit then draw your pencil line. This will give you an exact angle. Try to be neat with cutting this first one for it will be used as an angle template for the rest of the siding. Then do the same for the other side so you will have both templates. The templates should sit right on top nicely as you draw the lines for the cut.
Protrusions like pipes and vents that cannot be removed are have to be done right. You can do it two ways. In my case, I had a three inch vent pipe coming out at the bottom and going up to the roof. If you cut the vinyl so that it ends half way around the pipe and start a new piece halfway around the other half. Overlaying the edges as per usual. Another way, is to cut the hole to match and put a slit in the bottom of the sheet to be able to slide the sheet over. The trick here is to have a flat cut off piece to fit inside the slit to seal it and make it sturdy again. Caulk the flat piece before you slip it in.
All my cuts at the top of the siding are done by hand. Mostly full sheets, I try to get in a screw or nail so it can not be seen then use caulking to hide it. Thin strips, I put a few dabs of caulking in the channel on the backside of the sheet. Then slip it into place.
Dealing with hardware stores
One of favorite places to browse and shop around is at a hardware store. Most of the time when I am working out of town, I will browse through the hardware stores in that area and see what they have. From time to time, I find a new widget or thingamabob that I haven't seen before. Sometimes I run across a gadget that has been out for years but I have some how missed, or didn't get the memo. Up till about 10 years ago, I would love old time general stores in the country. They usually had something different. However, with the internet, they have updated and some of that old stuff is disappearing and "Fred" has retired.
One of the most annoying pets peeves I have with dealing with hardware stores is the lack of knowledge. It used to be that you would often see Bob or Fred waiting to help you out and he has been there for the last 20 years and knows every trick in the book. He's been there and done that so many times, he knows exactly what you are talking about even though you are not explaining it quite right.
Nowadays however, there are so many young people, they are smart but they lack experience. You go into a store with a plumbing issue, for example, and they look at you like you are an alien. There are the stores that do the in-house training for each department. Big box hardware stores are notorious for this. Training is always a good start of course, but without experience, it lacks the trouble shooting techniques. They also usually train their staff general things about the trades. The staff takes it as though it was gospel-truth. I can't tell you how many times I have argued in the big stores about how it is supposed to be done or that their way is not the only right way. Experienced contractors may tackle similar jobs differently, depending on their particular circumstances. The one way only method, just doesn't cut it.
To quote an old cliche', sometimes I have to find a way to fit a square peg in a round hole. It used to be that we always knew the right person to ask. We love the guys who knew what "the same but different" meant; or realized that the problem is unique and required a little tinkering to fix. There are a few of them out there. But they are becoming rare birds.
Hardware stores don't know everything. Years ago Pam and I had to work out a plan when I sent her to the hardware to trouble shoot a problem. Unless it is something really simple, we never tell them what we want it for, nor what we are doing. She would often go to the store, tell them the problem and they would sell her a solution. Back at home, I wondered how they came to that conclusion. Nowadays, she tells them that I am inventing some strange thingamajig. Or that I am tinkering with something and this is all I want. {But for Pete's sake, don't tell them what I want it for.) Their unwanted solution could be because of a poor explanation on our part but we doubt it. It was more than likely, a lack of knowledge on their part. Often times the stores would teach them one way to fix something, or they will tell you that you will have to replace the entire system when all that was needed was a simple replacement part.
On the other hand, if you are new to the handyman game, many problems may seem unique. You may not have seen it before but it still could be common. If that hardware store has not heard of it, then just say thank you and go to another. For example: recently, a customer of mine drove to the hardware store get a replacement faucet for her bath tub. The clerks swore there was no such replace part like hers, that hers was unique in some way. Well she drove to another store and there it was, the exact match.
Do it yourself kits turn out 90% of the time to be useless. And I don't have much to say about installation kits either. For instance; painting kits with a roller, a tray, a brush and some painters tape are usually a very poor deal. They pick out some of the worst selling items and pack them into a kit hoping some one will not know the difference. The cage for the roller is flimsy and bends easily, the bristles fall off the brush. About the only thing that works is the tray to use as a water bowl for the dog. Installation kits like tub surrounds kits fall short as well. There is not enough glue to complete the project properly. We usually buy three or four tubes not just the two that come in the kit. Yes it can be done with two but not sufficiently.
It is my standard expectation nowadays to visit several hardware stores for problem solving. I am never afraid to say "I don't know" or say "thank you" and walk away. I take a balanced approach to shopping and sometimes that requires a little strategy. If you are new to the handyman game, many problems may seem unique. You may not have seen it before but it still could be common. As with most things, don't expect instant answers and miracle cures. Shop around and don't be concerned about visiting the next store.
Strapping, insulating and siding.
This week our task was to install siding on an older cinder block building. In order to do this we first of all had to wrap the building with house wrap. This is often called typar or tyvek. There really is no difference. It is house wrap. Just like it does not matter whether you buy a sheet of drywall from ICG or Westroc. It is the same product doing the same thing.
The tyvek is a fiberous membrane which wraps around your house or building. It does not allow water to penetrate it. But unlike plastic, it allows the building to breath preventing moisture buildup.
The house wrap was also a great separator between the wood and the concrete block. This is incredibly important. Wood and concrete do not mix. The concrete draws the moisture out of the wood causing faster rot. Even concrete which has been dried for years should not have wood placed on it directly. Building codes require a separator.
Next the strapping which turned out to be a bigger chore than we expected. The strapping is first drilled with a regular wood drill bit. We did it on 2 foot centers and now looking back, could have don't it on 3 foot centers. Then the strapping is placed on the concrete and we use a hammer drill through the pre-drilled holes and into the concrete.
Now I must say here that I am not a fan of tapcon screws which are designed for screwing into concrete. Although they are considered structural, they can slip and lose grip in the concrete. They are also almost 3 times as expensive. My personal favorite is decking screws with electrical wire cutoffs. Lets say you need a 3 inch screw for your application. You cut a piece of old electrical wire the same length. (14 gauge is all that is necessary but 12 gauge will do as well) Do not strip the wire. The rubber on the wire is a key component to getting a strong grip. You always drill the hole 1/4 inch longer than the screw. This way it has a little "playing room" to grip and pull the wood in tight. Then you insert the wire into the hole and put in the screw. You will literally break the wood apart before you can pull it out. Decking screws are best because they are coated and will not rust.
Moving on the insulation, this was another pain. The stores did not have 1 1/2 inch ridged insulation in stock. We originally wanted to install blue or pink styro-foam but they only had shiplap which allows for overlaying one against the other in stock and we needed butt ends so that it would sit flat against the strapping. As a result, we ended up using a product called Thermomax. They only carried it is 3/4 inch so we had to double layer it.
Thermomax is an amazing product. Also known as code board or foam board. The best type has the thin layer of tinfoil on both sides. An 1 1/2 inch provides 9.2 R value. The shiny tinfoil reflects the heat or cold back.
It took us all week to strap and insulate. Monday we will be siding. We are also throwing in some aluminum sheeting installation as well as soffit, facia and evestrough.
Kitchen Faucet Change.
Last weekend we had a customer who needed a few odds and ends done. Our first task was on Friday evening. We had to remove a bathroom sink for a counter top refinishing. The customer found a man who resurfaces counter tops to look a lot like formica. He did a great job. When we removed the sink we noticed there were no under counter shut off valves. Many homes built before the '80's didn't have shut off valves under the sink. This is an important feature and allows for easy faucet and sink replacement or repair.
Saturday morning we waited until the fomica was done and then went back and installed a new bathroom sink. As per usual, when replacing a different style sink, the P-trap also has to be replaced to match the drain hole. Rarely, will you have have two different style of sink that will match the existing drain pipe.
People sometimes ask me why we have P-traps under every sink. In short, it is to prevent the smell of the sewer from coming back up through the drain. The trap holds water, which acts as an air lock preventing smells from returning.
Moving on to the kitchen we removed an old corroded garburator. I am not a fan of garburators which chop up food particles under your sink and send it down the drain. Nowadays, we compost our food wastes which is so much better for the environment. In removing the garburator, we had to rebuild the drain under the sink including the P-trap.
Oh yes. The kitchen faucet. Have you even worked on something that supposed to be so simple, and it turned into a very difficult problem? Well, this kitchen faucet proved to be just that sort of thing. It took me 2 hours to remove one kitchen faucet. If the customer was not home to see the trouble that this faucet caused, she would never have believed it. I can't imagine why a simple job took so long.
What had happened was, the old nut that clamps the faucet tight to the sink was not only corroded but cross threaded. A handy man has only so many tools and this one would have required an air ratchet. Nevertheless we plugged away at it. Our first break came about an hour into the task when the nut moved for the first time. We were were excited and before the next movement it seemed as though we had only imagined that it moved. Finally, after much determination, the bolt was off but not before jamming again on the last few threads. Whoever put this on, must have worked just as long to get it on tight. They should have figured something was amiss.
The kitchen counter top had been leaking near the faucet for a while and was losing integrity. The customer did not want to replace the counter top at this time so we added a strip of plywood underneath to hold the faucet tight. We were fortunate that the threaded pipe on the faucet extended long enough to included the extra layer of plywood. Often, this is not the case. The only other way to fix it, is to use a piece of galvanized sheet metal with the appropriate holes pre-drilled.
We also changed the tub faucet cartridges. Rather than change to a new faucet set, most hardware stores keep an abundant supply of replacement parts. With a little knowhow, your old dripping faucets can be made to work like new. Sometimes the hardware store may not have the exact part. However, if they say they don't have it, take a run over to the next hardware store and likely you will find the very part you need. I have often run to several hardware stores just to find the right part. This is normal. One store cannot possibly stock every possible part. This took up the rest of our Saturday before we had the kitchen and bathroom in working order again.
Monday evening. we continued with the same customer. We replaced the bathroom fan, which was slightly larger. The original installation was poorly vented. They used a 3 inch elbow for a 4 inch outlet. We quickly fixed that using a 4 inch flexible elbow. Problem solved. No more noisy fan.
We did a few other odds and ends and we earned a happy and grateful customer.