Curtis Gomes runs a building and remodeling business in Providence, RI just south of where I live. Read what he sent me: "At what temperature is it too cold to pour concrete in sonotubes? 30 degrees F?" Here's my answer: Curtis, believe it or not, you can pour concrete successfully at much colder temperatures, even […]
DEAR TIM: In the past year my asphalt shingle roof seems like it has really started to go bad. I see large areas of my shingles that have no granules. You can see the fiberglass fibers in the mat. The disturbing part is my roof is only 14 years old and the shingles came with […]
Jim Fiste is getting ready to reroof his home in Cedarburg, WI. Let him fill you in with the details: "I have a roof valley that is formed by two intersecting cathedral ceilings. Both ceilings have ridge vents and 2' vented overhangs. However the portion of the valley above the overhang only has venting at the ridge […]
Ronald A. Carleton has trouble with paint peeling on his patio in Port Clinton,Ohio. Perhaps paint is not practical. How's that for alliteration? Here's what Ron wrote to me: "What's the best product to apply to pre-painted cement on a outdoor patio? The pre-painted area in the sun area flakes off while the shaded area stays […]
DEAR TIM: I plan to build a privacy wood fence as soon as the weather breaks and want to do all my planning now while the ground is frozen. I've got many questions, not the least of which is how to secure horizontal wood framing members to the vertical fence posts so the weight of […]
Bob Monninger had a shed built at his Antioch, Illinois home. Let him finish the tale. "I had a shed built this summer by a company called Tuff Shed. It's a very good one, 10 X 14, all wood. It sits on a concrete slab. I have installed insulation on all four walls, the ceiling, and the […]
Debbie Foley has a question about her cedar potting table that's stored outdoors all winter in Pickerington, OH. "I have a cedar potting table that must remain outside over the winter. What should be done to care for it over the winter? Should it be covered and if so what should we use to cover it? […]
Melinda Schlottmann and her husband are building a shop in Stagecoach, NV. They made a mistake when purchasing the roofing. What's important is they don't make a SECOND mistake. Here's what Melinda sent: "We are finishing building a shop with a low slope roof. We purchased what we thought was rolled roofing and after opening the […]
John Sneddon, who hails from Glasgow, Scotland, in the United Kingdom, just purchased a metal shed and realizes he could have an issue with condensation. "Hi there, I have just purchased a Yardmaster 10ft x 13ft Metal Shed but have just found out that these are prone to condensation inside. What I am looking to do […]
DEAR TIM: Our four-year-old house's attic creaks as well as has cracking noises during windy times. The sounds are very loud, waking us up. It sounds like something is going to come crashing down through the ceiling above our bed. It's very unsettling! The builder sent fellow to add 2x4's to some of the trusses. […]
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