Organic mastic is a material for bonding shower and bath tile that cures by evaporation. This type of adhesive is suitable for installing ceramic tile on interior floors, walls and granite countertops. Organic mastics are purchased premixed; no further addition or liquid or powder additive is needed. There are two basic types of organic mastic. Latex-based mastics contain water; petrochemical-based mastics contain a solvent called toluene. Each type is made up of two components; a bonging agent and a mixing agent. Do not use a petrochemical-based mastic to set finished marble; the chemicals will discolor the stone. Latex-based organic mastics and any of the thin-set adhesives can be used with stone tile products. Because organic mastics are premixed, they are the easiest and most commonly used adhesives for residential use and remodeling. they are especially popular for use on walls because they hold tiles as soon as they are set in place, eliminating tile slippage. Mastics can be used in dry installations with plywood, wallboard, plaster, portland-cement mortar, formed concrete and masonry substrates. Not all mastics are compatible with all substrates so check product labels. Organic mastics can be used in properly prepared wet areas, though considerable care should be taken if applying a mastic in a heavily used wet area such as a shower or bath in an area like San Antonio where the climate can add to the project's length of time. Organic mastics are not suitable for use around swimming pools or in exterior remodeling jobs. Check product labels for appropriate uses of individual brands. Despite their ease of use and popularity, organic mastics are inferior to thin-set adhesives in a number of ways. They do not have the bond strength or flexibility of thin-set in most cases. Use caution when performing a remodel job with organic mastics. The vapors in petro-chemical-based mastics are flammable and dangerous when inhaled - take proper precautions and always keep children and pets away from any job site in your home. Mastics are sold in cans. There may be some oil or water floating on the surface when the can is opened for the first time, similar to paint. If the mastic is difficult to stir, it may be too old to use and should be returned. You can store leftover organic mastic in a cool, dark place but it does not keep very well, even in a properly sealed can, so try to purchase only the amount needed to save money. Clean tools and mastic spills as soon as possible, while the mastic is still soft. Hardened mastic is nearly impossible to get off. Remove solvent-based mastic with paint thinner; for water-based mastic, use water. Like other pre-finishes, windows are a transition from the rough frame to the finished house. Made under factory conditions and controls, windows have tighter tolerances than the stud wall construction. As such, before they are nailed in to the rough openings, windows are often shimmed so they fit level, plumb and square in the opening.
If the framing is accurate, there's usually minimal shimming of each window - minor adjustments that align it perfectly in the hole provided. If needed, shims can be installed along any edge and from both sides of the window, with the two tapered edges of each shim meeting in the middle of the window's edge between the unit and the rough opening. Builders or window installers may shim before they caulk the opening. Fastening a window to the frame may occur from the sides of the adjacent framing, or through a factory-applied nailing fin that extends from the edges of the window and is held tight against the outside sheathing to accept nails through to the wall studs. Often, the fin is flashed at the top before the installation of the exterior finish. Once the window is secured to the frame, many builders will remove the sashes or unhinge the glass portion of a casement or sliding window that set them aside, protecting them from damage in a kitchen or bathroom. Contractor lingo - condensation is the formation of water from air-borne moisture on a surface when temperature of that surface is below that of the air. Because it has been linked to an increase in home fires, codes in areas ban the use of aluminum wiring in new construction. But some codes still permit both all-aluminum wire and aluminum wire that is copper-coated. If you are planning for any new wiring, copper wire is the popular choice.
Although more expensive, copper wire is far more safer and convenient. When inspecting your new home, consider the number of electrical outlets, particularly in your new kitchen. Are there enough light switches throughout the house? Correct fuse or circuit breaker size: Electric stove - 50 amps Clothes dryer - 30 amps Water heater - 30 amps Washing machine - 20 amps Dishwasher - 20 amps Furnace - 15 amps A circuit breaker has a tripping mechanism that opens a switch when current exceeds rated amperage. In may respects, a circuit breaker works like a switch of its own. When flow returns to normal, you have to reset it. entrance to Los Altos, CA area Home to a little under 30,000 people, the city of Los Altos saw dramatic home remodeling growth between 1950 through today, where the city shows no signs of slowing down. The cities name means "the Heights" or "Foothills" in Spanish. Los Altos has a semi rural atmosphere that the city tries to protect to this day, and many homes reflect this casual yet luxurious lifestyle. Kitchens and bathrooms (and homes in general) often have a rustic, outdoorsy feel vs. a sleek ultra-modern one. Los Altos is a hotbed for Silicon Valley heros to make their home, including the late Steve Jobs, various Google leaders and even Terrance McKenna. Installing individual shakes or shingles can take three to five times as long as installing asphalt fiberglass-based shingles. Two alternative materials are available, however, that can speed up installation. Shakertown's cedar shingles and shakes are bonded with waterproof adhesives to form three ply, 8 foot long panels. The panels do not need sheathing and can be nailed directly to studs. Shakertown two-ply panels can be applied to sheathing or to furring strips. A self-aligning feature and the need for only two nails per panel per rafter speeds the work, and no straight edge or gauges are needed.
Another product that speeds installation is Masonite's fiberboard-panel roofing product, Woodruf, which is manufactured from highly compressed wood fibers. Woodruf comes in 12-48inch panels that are 50 perfect more dense than natural wood and resemble wood shakes when installed. It takes 32 to 36 Woodruf panels to cover 100 square feet. If left uncoated, these panels weather to a natural gray cedar color in most cases. This is a popular home in places like Greenwich and along the coast in Los Altos. Brick molding is the trim, usually profiled, that surrounds a door or window on exterior side (despite the name, it is found on homes with just about every type of siding). The trick molding generally fits between the door or window frame and siding, which butts up against the outer edges of the molding pieces. Drip edge flashing fits over the top piece of brick molding and is often slipped beneath the siding above the door or window opening. Damage occurs most frequently on the top section, especially at the mitered corners.
1. Pry off the damaged brick molding with a flat pry bar. Repair any siding damage behind the trim. Also replace any deteriorated building paper. 2. Cut a piece of new molding slightly longer than the damaged piece. Cut to size and test-fit the replacement piece. 3. Miter-cut new brick molding pieces, prime and paint them to match, and nail them to door or window framing with 16d galvanized casing nails. Apply a bead of construction adhesive to one of the mating ends before making each joint. Set the nail heads and fill the nail holes with exterior wood filler. If cleaning, adjustment and lubrication of the rollers and tracks don't correct a problem with a poorly operating sliding door, the chances are good that the rollers require replacement. To access the rollers, remove the door and lay it across two padded sawhorses.
On many newer doors in kitchens and bathrooms, you can simply pry out the roller with a screwdriver. On older doors, however, you may have to disconnect the stile from the bottom rail, then slide the roller out from the end. On these, the same screw that connects the rail to the stile also holds the roller in place. Bring the old rollers to a glass repair shop to find remodeling replacements. If the shop doesn't have the model you need in stock, they may be able to order one for you, especially if you can ID the manufacturer. To install the new rollers, simply reverse the sequence you used to remove the old ones. Adjust as needed after the door is reinstalled. Exterior Trim and Siding: Caulk all joints around window and door frames, don't forget to caulk under window sills. Also caulk joints between siding and other trim strips or battens, such as corner molding, along eaves and gable ends, and between siding and base trim. Use paintable, acrylic caulk for general purpose work.
Entry points: Plug holes where pipes or wires enter the house. Fill large hole with expandable foam. smaller gaps can be filled with acrylic caulk or silicone seal. When sealing around hose bibbs or bathroom doorways, squeeze tubes are usually easier to handle than a caulk gun. Use extreme care around electrical work. Foundation areas: Fill gaps between the siding and foundation of your home. Fill deep cracks with closed-cell foam backer strips or backer rope, then apply a high-grade masking caulk. also caulk between the foundation wall and the mud sill if possible. This step is done from the inside of a crawlspace or basement in most cases. Use polyurethane caulk for this work. Exterior wall-mounted vents: Dryer vents, exhaust vents and other wall-mounted vents should be caulked. Instead of running a bead of caulk around the outside of the vent, remove the vent, caulk around the opening in the wall and then reinstall the vent. Wipe off any remnants with a rag. Attic areas: Seal joints between wallboard and the top plate of the wall; extend short beads of molding paste along both sides of the joist bottoms where they cross the joint. Seal joints or gaps where vent pipes, ductwork, recessed bathroom fixtures and other areas exit through the ceiling. No one needs to have an entire workshop in a garage or basement, unless you are big on home repair. That said, a basic set of tools is essential to help maintain your property. Keep the following tools and equipment clean and stored in a dry, temperate place and always think safety first:
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