Quick Column Summary: Install a blacktop driveway over gravel Is additional gravel needed You need the right gravel, installed in layers Dawn Coleman, from Munford, TN, is about to install a new blacktop asphalt hot top driveway. But she doesn't feel good about the estimate she received. Let her tell the story. "I currently have […]
Quick Column Summary: Brick walls leak in heavy rain Can I drill weep holes into brick Do not drill bricks Coat bricks to stop water infiltration Sara, who lives in Elgin, IL, has an issue that plagues hundreds of thousands of homeowners. Let her tell you all about the water that runs down her basement […]
Quick Column Summary: Have asphalt shingles improved There are great shingles out there Metal roofing is great too Use ice and watershields Barb Koehler, who lives in Moultonborough, NH, is facing an expensive re-roofing project. I have a feeling she has the same decroted pieces-of-crap shingles on her house that I have. Read this: "Tim, […]
Quick Column Summary: Basement with water issues and mold Is it the builders fault Building code is for the minimum standard Research and detailed planning is required David Fern has lots of water and mold in his basement. He's one unhappy customer and wants to know who should have paid to make sure this didn't […]
Quick Column Summary: Best way to install stone veneer WHAT does the manufacturer say The warranty is most important Cement paint will help get a great bond Dan Ritchey, from Malta, Montana, asked: "Do you have to use metal lathe and thinset on stone veneer or can you apply a scratch coat on cement board […]
Quick Column Summary: Can asphalt drive be covered with crushed rock Make sure there are 4-6 inches of angular stone A thin layer of stone will eventually expose asphalt The new stone will not interlock with the asphalt Karen Cesar, who lives in sunny and warm Tuscon, AZ, is getting ready to tackle a paving […]
Simple Common Roof Rafters Quick Column Summary: How do you create a roof rafter You need 4 simple tools and geometry How to determine your roof slope DEAR TIM: I'm now retired and starting to attack a huge list of projects. One of them is building a simple shed and I have no clue how […]
Quick Column Summary: Brick steps falling apart Can bricks be reused Why all brick are not the same Reuse the brick with special mortar Raimond Cheung was working on his brick steps at his house in Rego Park, NY and got stumped. Here's his question: "My old brick step is falling apart. I took a few […]
Glue Rocks Together - Use Magic Epoxy Below Quick Column Summary: Stacked rock sculpture What is the bonding material Use a rock/masonry epoxy Maurizio Magnani was perplexed after visiting a public park in Duarte, CA. Here's what he wrote to me: "I would like to build a river rocks assembly I saw at a nearby […]
Quick Column Summary: Need to fix a planter Can it be ground down and leveled Easier to start over Link to video series Barbara Mandese, who lives not to awful far from the San Andreas fault in Monterey, CA, reached out for a life preserver after throwing out her back mixing concrete. Read what her […]
Subscribe to the FREE Ask the Builder newsletter to receive professional advice for your home. Complete the form below and each week you'll get:
Unsubscribe at any time. We respect your email privacy.