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, […]
Cracked Stone Small stones can be cracked with a sledgehammer. But what about solid bedrock that extends through the globe to China? Well, you use a giant jackhammer when blasting is too expensive or there are other houses too close to the blasting site. Part One of this two-part series is below the Cracked Stone […]
How to Break Bedrock Most rocks are very hard. Granite is especially hard as is the Meredith Porphyritic Granite. Cracking stone with a giant jack hammer is cheaper than blasting with TNT.
Mortarless Stone Veneer - It's a Time-Tested Product Do you follow trends in design, building, clothes, etc.? You do realize the primary motivation behind these changing trends is to pry hard-earned money from your wallet or savings account. Are you old enough to remember when pink and gray ceramic tile was the rage? How about […]
Limestone Wall and Arch My grandfather was a baker in Cincinnati, Ohio in the very early 1900s. He and my grandmother owned and operated a neighborhood bakery in Clifton Heights, just 400 feet from where I was born. Once he retired, he decided to build an eight-unit apartment building just down the street from the […]
Pressure Washer Dangers are Real - Be Super Careful Do you own a pressure washer? I’ve had no less than five of them in my lifetime. I must say they’re amazing machines when you use them correctly and on surfaces that won’t be harmed by the powerful blast exiting the nozzle at the end of […]
DEAR TIM: I’m building a very small house and love the look of natural stone. I also intend to build some low garden walls that I want to look like stone too. I’ve seen the artificial stone at building centers and home and garden shows. What’s your opinion of this fake stone? Will it last? […]
Outdoor Sink Restoration QUESTION #1: I’m in the process of restoring a grand natural stone outdoor sink. It’s made from some type of natural stone. Locals tell me it’s soapstone. Once restored, it’s going to be used as a beverage serving station for outdoor parties. Someone painted it years ago and after stripping the paint, […]
This is not a normal column of mine. I’m sitting in my man cave writing this column several hours before I talk to Amanda on the phone. She lives in Oklahoma and her new home covered with artificial stone made from colored and textured concrete is leaking when it rains and the wind blows. These […]
Stone Step Treads Tough and Colorful Stone step treads are strong, long-lasting and gorgeous depending on the stone material you use. I've got a set of stone steps at my own home here in central New Hampshire. It's important to realize I love stone as a building material. Not only do certain stones look gorgeous, […]
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