Building Product Defects Happen All the Time Building product defects can sap money and energy from you. Building materials made in factories can contain latent defects. These are hidden time bombs that can explode causing mayhem in your life. It’s not easy to spot them, but there are some things you can do to prevent […]
Match Brick Mortar Color - It Starts With the Sand You may not know this, but I received a bachelor of science degree in geology many moons ago. I was fascinated by the topic, and it helped me build houses and buildings that would not fail. Hydrogeology, the study of groundwater, and continental glaciation were […]
Efflorescence or White Mold? 99% Of The Time It's Silly Salt The seasonal tumblers are all clicking into place here at my home. The same thing might be happening where you live. My central New Hampshire town, much to my dismay, uses rock salt to fight ice and snow on the roads. Yes, it works, […]
Your Chimney Might Be Your Roof Leak Location Roof leaks plague countless homeowners each year. Talk to experienced roofers and they’ll be the first to tell you the vast majority of leaks happen at flashings. A roof flashing is a transitional material. It connects your roof to something that’s not your roof. Plumbing vent pipes, […]
Clay Paving Brick - Get Yours from the Spaulding Brick Company
Clay Paving Brick are the Best - Forget About Concrete Pavers If you read my column on a regular basis, then you know about two months ago I touched on the perils of using paving brick made from concrete. That column talked about how those bricks fade in color over time as the thin colored […]
Oxalic Acid Cleaner - It's a Great Rust Remover Not a week goes by that you, or another reader or two or three or twenty, might reach out to me with a fantastic question about the column of mine you’re reading. Often you might ask why I failed to dive deeper into the topic. You […]
Mortar Recipe Tip Go here to get the amazing mortar recipe tip including secret recipes and installation tips to change the color of concrete. Links to the colored pigments are included!
How to Prevent Brick Foundation Problems - Go to the BIA A few weeks ago, a visitor to my AsktheBuilder.com website wanted to know about brick foundations. Karen had this ambitious desire to build a small 900-square-foot house by herself. She was well aware of her physical limitations and asked me if it was possible […]
Brick Pavers Fading - You Can't Stop It QUESTION: Tim, I have a big decision to make and need your help. I love the look of colored brick for paving including my driveway, sidewalks, and patio. The issue is I’ve started to pay attention to older installations of colored concrete paving brick and many look […]
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