Category: Projects

October 26, 2022 – The One Thing That Didn’t Get Done This Season

October 26, 2022 /

The Fall has finally arrived. We had an extraordinary extended summer that lasted three weeks into October. I have never seen this before. The truth is I feel I was lucky to get more than the siding done in the first place. But, I had hope that I could squeeze in staining the deck railing in September.

Of course, some choices I made and compromises on other priorities effected my ability to squeeze it in. I choose to go to the range in September and October. My wife wanted new doors and a window installed. A lot got done, just not the railing. It’s one of those things that started with giving the wood a few weeks to dry out that turned into no time left to complete.

But, it’s OK. I don’t regret taking some time for what I want to do. It wasn’t worth arguing with my spouse on what she wanted done. What I am trying to say is that we all have things that didn’t get done. Hopefully, they are things that have justifiable reasons like mine.

I really didn’t think I was going to write this much on that situation. What I had intended to do was talk about water based vs. oil based stains. When it comes to decks or outdoor exposure, there are no winners here. No single coating type can withstand year over year water and traffic and look good. So, we need to accept the limitations and look at the pros and cons.

One choice to make is do nothing at all. In my area of the country, pressure treated wood is made out of hemlock, whereas a large area of the country pressure treated is southern yellow pine. The two are distinctly different in appearance, hemlock pressure treated wood is very rough due to the process. In my opinion, it is best left alone or treated with a solid stain or paint (more on that later). Woods like cedar and redwood weather gracefully and do not need protection to last for years.

Eventually, they will start to get rough as water raises the grain repeatedly. The use of stain will extend the life of the wood for much longer. So let us look at the two choices. Water based uses water as the carrier for the resin. Imagine millions of little balls floating around. As the water evaporates, the balls get closer and closer until they touch and eventually become one. This leads water based coatings to form a film.

With oil based, the resin is dissolved (not really, but close enough). This allows it to penetrate into the wood. As the solvent evaporates the resin sets with contact to oxygen which causes it to ‘harden up’. I am ignoring things like epoxy coatings and water based alkyds (alkyd is the type of polymer that is used in oil based) and all kinds of other technology like silicones (ABC’s Water Seal).

Film forming (water based) versus penetrating (oil based) are the largest performance differentiators. Film forming has the best overall durability and protection. The major downside is that once failed, recoating must be done with water based and my observation is that the films tend to peel. This causes recoating to be less than satisfactory.

Oil based tends to have significantly less durability. Typically I see one to three years maximum. The primary advantage is recoating is significantly easier because there is no peeling. I also think that oil looks the best. So, this is the solution that I chose.

Of course, I would be remised to not mention the clean-up aspect. There is no doubt in my mind that that I would have started and did a couple hours a day if I wasn’t afraid of the pain in the butt it is to clean oil based brushes and supplies. That is how I work primarily, finding full weekends is almost next to impossible. When I go to tackle this next year, I will just have to jump in and deal with the consequences.

I can’t recommend brands because I am not familiar with the choices. I did sit through some marketing oriented reviews and it seemed like there were some repeat brands that showed up. I would recommend seeking advice from a paint store rather than a box store or even contractors. I didn’t buy from my favorite paint store because consumer reports gave it terrible reviews so I went with a brand that came up as best in category in several different reviews.

Remember, price is an indicator of performance. $30/gallon has different expectations than $200/gallon in my book. Lastly, lumber from the lumber yard has about 20% moisture content unless it is pressure treated and then it is significantly more. It needs a few weeks to dry out for a proper application of coatings. Even though most films are breathable, meaning moisture can get out (as well as in; ever seen something painted and rotten at the same time?), you want the best mechanical bond you can get so the film doesn’t flake off. That doesn’t happen when something like water vapor is pushing the opposite direction or moving the grain underneath.

End Your Programming Routine: The solution here is complicated with no good choices. The truth is this is why I chose to use synthetic decking in the first place. I already said that I was going with oil for the railing for looks and future maintenance. That being said, if I was going for a solid stain, I would probably have chosen a water based product.

October 12, 2022 – Installing a Replacement Window

October 12, 2022 /

Do you wonder why I talk about flashing so much? I mean, who doesn’t like to see a good, quality flash? I know what you are thinking and yes I am trying to joke around a little bit. But, seriously, flashing is the key to a quality job. There are tons of videos out there to show how to do this properly. Just remember, think like a raindrop.

There are three ways to go about this job. The first is to order replacement windows. This is essentially a widow without a nailing flange and the idea is that you remove the old window the one pops into the hole. This does not disturb the existing siding and trim assuming the window you are replacing does not have a nailing flange already and all of those details are in good condition

The second way to do it is to buy a new window and cut the nailing flange off with something like a reciprocating saw. This simulates a replacement window at usually significantly less cost. Then there is the right way. That is to cut off the siding and trim so that the window and opening can be flashed appropriately.

The window that I was actually replacing was used when I purchased it. Someone had already cut the flange off. I bought it second hand for $40 and I tried to make it water tight. It was a fine window, but my wife wanted a window that actually opened so that we could install a portable air conditioner in the future (actually this year, but it is already October so we won’t see those kind of temperatures again until next summer).

Out went the window. The next thing you want to do is prep the opening. I really like this self sealing membrane product. It is sold in the area of windows, it is really sticky and it seals around nails and punctures. You want to flash around the window opening to protect the framing from getting wet. If this is a replacement, you want your flashing to hang over the house wrap so that any water that might get behind the window stays on the outside of the wood.

Start at the bottom and work around the opening. Here is a link from someone doing it right. Note, there are some slightly different techniques but they all are a variation of the same thing. After the flashing, set the window into the hole as centered as possible. Just like doors, do everything you can so that the window is square and plumb.

If that is true, nail in the window. I like a 2″ roofing nail, nailed every other hole on the flange. The point is to get the window nailed into the structure and two inches is enough to get through the window and the sheathing and get enough grab into the structure. Now, you want to flash over the flange to keep all water on the outside of the house wrap.

Believe it or not, when siding the very next thing you would do is the window trim before the siding. This is because the trim and the siding mate with a caulk bead. I have come to the conclusion that these should also be flashed with metal or membrane but I didn’t do it here because I would have to pry all the siding loose so that I could slide flashing underneath. I reused and installed the trim in the reverse order I took it off.

The takeaways here are 1) order an appropriate window 2) install it plumb and square 3) flash the opening properly before and after. If you do these three things, then you will have a successful replacement. Obviously I didn’t cover everything, you may have to remove the interior trim for instance. I also typically use a 6″ tape. Mostly, I split it in half because this is some expensive stuff.

End Your Programming Routine: I bought this window on the same day as I bought the front door. So, it has been in the queue for a little bit. The weather has really cooperated so that I could do all the things I have wanted to finish before fall/winter set in. Once the trim is in, it is time for the fussy part of caulking and painting. but that is it, Take you time, have a stable work area, watch some videos and think before you act, you can do it.

October 5, 2022 – Modifying a Door to Fit in an Existing Frame

October 5, 2022 /

Sometimes new doors are called ‘slabs’ but this also works for used doors. The most important aspect is the measurements. Precise measuring will mean the difference between fitting and not fitting as well as operating properly.

  1. Measure the dimensions of the existing door and the one that you are wanting to replace. It probably goes without saying, but if your replacement door is smaller than the one you are replacing, this isn’t going to work unless you can figure out some sort of weather stripping to seal the gap.
  2. Pick a reference point to measure. I like the top, hinge side corner. Take a measurement from your reference point to the top and bottom of each hinge. Also measure the top and bottom of your lock set holes. This is for both doors.
  3. Now it is time to do some figuring. Is it possible for your door to fit? Does it need to be modified to do so? And if so how?

If you look at my measurements, the door wanted to use was wider and taller than the door I was replacing, check. The middle hinge was in the same spot when I measure from the top. So, my strategy was to trim the width off the hinge side and reposition the top and bottom hinges so that everything matches. Since I was measuring everything from the top corner, this gave me the freedom to trim the extra inch off the bottom without consequences.

Unlike hinges, lockset holes are a standard 2 3/8″. This means that I really didn’t have to measure the top and bottom of each hole, I elected to just go from the top of the door to the top of the hole. Note that I measured the difference between the the top of the deadbolt to the top of the operating knob. Also note that the spread is different which means that I am going to also modify the strike plate for the deadbolt to work.

For square cuts larger than an 3/16″, I opt for a circular saw to remove. But, when you start getting into tapers or real thin removals, I use a router with a straight cutting bit against a straight edge. You could also use a hand plane or even better a power plane but that is a tool that even I don’t have. I really didn’t want my hand plane to be removing fiberglass either.

After the door is sized properly, it is time to recut the hinge mortises. I use the Milescraft HingeMate 350 for a lot of extra help. This job can also be cut with a chisel, by hand if you don’t have a router. I already owned and used these templates a couple of times so of course for me it was a no brainer. I actually reviewed this product in 2020.

Despite my best efforts, I still had to modify the width after a test fit. I ended up taking another 3/16″ off the strike side. Ideally, I would have left that side alone, but this was the fastest way to get the door up as daylight was fading quickly. Because I created new fitting problems with the deadbolt and lockset. My backup plan was to put the old door back into place for the night.

End Your Programming Routine: None of this work is particularly difficult but I would say that it is not for the DIY feint of heart. If the door that you are replacing was not installed square or your holes are off, you may be in for a difficult time. You are potentially racing against time and the weather to get the door installed. So keep those things in mind before you start.

September 28, 2022 – Pre-Hung Doors

September 28, 2022 /

Now that we know how to take a door out, it is time to talk about adding a new door. Sorry if you were hanging on for this after the previous entry, you have now had an open hole in your structure for several weeks! I fully intended to capture the installation of the new door but got busy and forgot.

To make matters worse, I have decided to modify the existing door rather than replace the entire structure. So, I won’t document installing a pre-hung door this time. But, let’s talk about them anyway.

Things to know before buying a new door:

  1. How wide is the existing door? Typical widths are 36”, 32” and 28”. This is how the new doors will be marked for sale.
  2. What is the swing of your door? When on the outside of the door, the side of the hinges will either be left or right. That is the swing.
  3. Know your framing, for depth. Old houses like mine have true, 2×4 framing, new houses are 2×6. By the time you add 1/2″ of drywall, 1/2″ of sheathing and siding, all of this makes a difference when buying a pre hung door.
  4. Do you have a standard door (or opening)? Measure the height of the door, it should be 80″ in height. If your door is less than that, it is possible to modify the door but cutting the frame and door down but is much more work.

This is the reason that I modified the door rather than the casing.

It’s not a great picture, but the reality is the frame of the front door is half an inch wider than the current frame in the back door. The main house is framed with true dimensional lumber where as the back of the house is framed with modern lumber. Instead of 4″ thick, it is actually 3 1/2″ thick. If you have this situation, you are going to either have to cut down a door built for 2×6 walls, add onto a frame that is framed for 2×4 walls or order a custom door.

The truth is there are no good options. I made what I thought was the easiest and quickest method by trimming the door and moving the hinges. Guess what, it worked. It takes some fussiness and careful measuring but it can be done.

The nice thing about a new door is that all of the weather stripping is new. Everything should operate smoothly and easily like the handles and latches. Today, you don’t even have to mortise the lockset in many cases. This is secretly one of my least favorite things to do. If it is a used door, take the time to fix the weather stripping, paint when everything is off, make it install ready.

The next thing to having the right fitting door is to make sure that when installed it is plumb and level. The door will never operate properly if it is not. Do everything possible so that the door can be installed plumb and level including modifying the siding, drywall or structure. I can’t express the frustration you will have over the life of the door if you do not.

End Your Programming Routine: Since I cannot show the installation of the door, I will leave it at that. We got lucky in that I was able to modify both doors to make them work. It very easily could have not worked out because I wasn’t paying attention to all of the variables when my wife ordered the door. Trust me, I have made all of the mistakes before, including ordering a door that was too small for the framing, installing crooked doors that don’t function, having to add onto the structure, removing sheathing., etc.

September 7, 2022 – Removing a Pre-Hung Door Properly

September 7, 2022 /

My wife has been hounding me to get new doors for years. I like the look of the front door, but it has never operated the way it should. I have messed around with the lock sets and the screws holding the door in place but it is no use. It is imperative that doors are installed plumb and level for them to operate to expectations. I finally gave in and when I take a level to the exiting door, it is way out of whack. Now it the time to finally get a door that works properly.

Generally speaking, a pre-hung door is simpler to handle than just a door blank. It should be cutting the entire unit out and replacing the entire unit. Getting the entire unit plumb and level should be easier as well because the door should operate within the frame correctly.

Of course, you can always get a door out by destroying the frame. And if your door works properly, you could just replace the door and not the opening. In this case, I am going to put the front door in the back because my wife want’s a little more privacy than the current back door offers. And since it is easier to install as a unit, I am going to talk about the way to get the door out without destroying everything.

Step 1, Cut all caulk and paint lines around the trim, inside and outside the door using a utility knife. Note: in a pre-hung door, the exterior trim is typically part of the unit. Make sure it is all the way free before prying on anything.

Step 2, Carefully remove the interior trim so that it can be reinstalled.

Step 3, Locate the fastening mechanism of the door frame to the structure. Some use screws through the hinges while others are face nailed through the frame itself. If screwed, remove them. Also, consider not just the hinge side but also the strike side. Long screws are often used to secure deadbolts. If the frame is nailed, it is best to cut the nails with a reciprocating saw.

One other tip, if you can see shims in between the door frame and the structure (like the picture above, upper left corner) it is a good bet that there is a nail or screw in that spot. Shims are uses to get a solid backing to nail/screw through so that the frame stays square.

Step 4, If the frame is free on all four sides, then carefully rock the the entire assembly out of the rough opening. I find this easier to do when the door has been removed from the frame because it is a lot lighter

If all goes well, you should have a door and frame that you can use somewhere else or even donate. As an FYI, most contractors do not take a lot of respect or care for re-use. So, if you hire someone to do this job, don’t expect that you will get a re-useable result unless you specifically ask for it. Also, expect that it will cost more because being delicate takes time. I missed my chance at salvaging fence boards because they just cut the panels and threw them away before I could talk about it.

End Your Programming Routine: Sometimes things are easier said than done. For instance, it looks like there was caulk/adhesive added behind the door frame but it somehow missed the installation and therefore the door wasn’t stuck to the structure. What I would have done in that case is sacrifice the outside trim to try and keep the rest of the door frame together. Overall, this took me about two hours. I will talk about installation coming up in the future.

August 31, 2022 – Shop Siding, Before and After

August 31, 2022 /

It is a good thing that I am done because summer is almost over. I ended up finding more rot in the facias and I debated leaving it. Ultimately, I decided that I had everything setup and I was in the mode, so I ended up spending a full day taking care of the unexpected damage. But, it is done.

As I like to do, I thought that I would provide some project accounting. What did this project really cost?

Hardware$111
Paint$45
Siding$555
Lumber$34
$746

I did spend more than this, but they were unrelated costs to the project. They were expenses for my home and apartment that I picked up because I was already at the store. It is possible to argue that I may not spent the money if I wasn’t already purchasing project supplies.

I wish that I had kept better track of my actual hours. I should know that I am going to write about it by now. I am just going to have to make an guess at this point.

SidingDemo12
SidingSheathing/underlayment10
SidingPainting26
SidingInstallation12
SidingFinish5
SidingMaterials Purchase15
Siding Subtotal80 hrs
FaciaAll work20
Total100 hrs

My biggest labor expense was in painting. I did paint everything by hand and every exposed surface got a primer coat and two topcoats before installation with touch-up afterward. Had I installed everything then shot it with a sprayer, I am sure that I would have driven that cost down to 8 hours. I also feel like some of my trips for materials were wasteful. I had to replace the Hardi boards that broke as I was unloading and I made one trip to purchase a 15 degree finish nailer plus caulk (more on that some other day).

I am giving myself a raise on this project because of inflation. If I estimate my rate at $35/hour then my labor is $3500 and my overall cost is $4246. A smart contractor is going to add some contingency to the job, like 20%. I would estimate the overall value of the project to be $5000.

End Your Programming Routine: The project actually totaled more time than I expected. It was the painting phase that seemed to really drag on. Of course, most weekends I spent some time but not really sun up to sun down or even a straight eight hour day. The truth is, I didn’t really feel like I needed to work that way. But now, I need to move onto other things while the weather is still good. It feels good to finish however.

August 17, 2022 – Forget the Projects, There are Car Problems

August 17, 2022 /

Just because I haven’t posted about my project in the last two weeks, doesn’t mean I am not working on it. The siding is done, I am working on the rake board and that is about done so this is finally wrapped up. Check out YouTube for more on that.

My niece was having some issues with her car. She asked me to take a look at things. One was an obnoxious clicking noise (even when the car was off) and the other was a headlight that wasn’t working. She bought the actuator after watching some YouTube videos. I took a look at the headlight.

It turns out that there are two actuators in the glove box area. after swapping the closest one, it was still making the clicking noise. Fortunately, the second one was the exact same part, so I took the old one from the front and put it in the back. Problem solved. You can see from the picture that the culprit is broken teeth on the plastic gear inside the housing.

Supposedly, my nephew changed the headlight bulb a couple months ago. I suspected that the problem was bigger than the bulb. Well, it didn’t take long to identify the problem. One wire was broken and the connector was burned (and the bulb was ruined). The wiring harness was snaked through the headlight assembly. I was hoping that I could just purchase the piece that I needed without replacing the entire assembly.

After a trip to the parts store, they gave me the idea of simply splicing a new connector onto the existing wiring. The only problem was that the new connector was much bulkier than the original so I ended up cutting the plastic structure so I could fit the bulb and connector in the space properly.

The whole thing took about three hours. The first was messing with the actuators trying to determine the problem and how to get to it. Then it was two hours to get the things put back together and get replacement parts. Considering the scope of what needed to get done, I think the time was pretty reasonable and they are now fixed.

End Your Programming Routine: Admittedly, if I was a mechanic, I probably wouldn’t have approached the project in the same way. However, I didn’t do anything that I wouldn’t have done to my own car. Despite the fact that I had to do some modifications to make it work, I still believe that the work was quality and this should be a permanent fix.

August 10, 2022 – Speaking of Throwbacks

August 10, 2022 /

How about some video from 2020? I filmed 90% of this video and I never finished it because I got busy and forgot when I was roofing. At the time, I thought it was worthless because I didn’t get everything I wanted and so the videos just sat. That being said, last week I was watching it to see if I could cut it into segments and I decided I just needed a little more that I could do after the fact. So I did.

Is it my best work? No, I could probably added five minutes more and made it more comprehensive. But, I don’t think it is that bad.

I spent a lot of time trying to edit this. Something seems to happen and I am not sure if it is the 10 minute mark or the 1GB size. I tried everything I could from saving in lower resolution to different programs. There are still some glitches in the video that I don’t see in the raw video. I suppose for what it is worth, I need to be mindful of keeping things shorter because this was too much work.

End Your Programming Routine: Filming something while you work is difficult (or at least takes some practice). I find that if I focus on my work, then I forget to film what I had intended. If I am focused on filming, I make mistakes with my work. Maybe this really requires an outline or script? I don’t know but I am sure practice helps too. That is what I am doing.

August 3, 2022 – YouTube Blast

August 3, 2022 /

Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I have been creating very short videos with tips on siding. I don’t know what it is going to amount to, but I was looking and my nail gun repair video got 41 views in the last 24 hours (when I am writing this). So, that platform is getting some degree of engagement. That means I am taking the cheap route here and linking to my recent YouTube work.

I think that you get the idea. All of them I am putting into a single playlist. You can find that here if you want to keep up or watch them all at once.

End Your Programming Routine: There is that saying ‘the heart wants what the heart wants’. I have often thought that if something that I work on ever takes off, I would need to shift from writing or doing whatever I want to something more focused (more like a job). I know that siding tips are not everyone’s cup of tea but it makes sense to foster something that is getting engagement like YouTube.

July 27, 2022 – What Does Mind the Details Mean?

July 27, 2022 /

Fortunately, I had a good weekend for project work. I will say that I strongly believe that details are almost never executed properly. It costs too much money to do so. So, that is what I am going to explore today.

1. Painting all six sides. This is the one that is the most frequently skipped and the one that takes the most time. I like to get two coats on the exposed face of the parts before installation. Then I come back and fill holes and do a final touch up. To put more simply, I prime all six sides. Then I paint the exposed faces twice.

2. Caulk is not a building material, it is more like gap insurance. It is there to prevent water from getting to a properly detailed assembly and for aesthetic uniformity. In theory, caulk should be unnecessary. From my informal observation, I have only seen one caulk remain flexible and intact after five years of exposure. That is OSI Quad. Be aware, this product is not easy to tool as it is solvent based which is why I rarely use it. This caulk joint shown below has failed. I know for a fact that it is not flashed behind the trim.

3. Flashing has a proper order and should be used more frequently. Flashing is what mitigates caulk failures. Today’s installation guidelines for Hardi plank or LP call for a 3/16″ gap between adjacent edges. Those gaps must be flashed for proper water protection. Caulk if you choose, but expect failure and consistent maintenance. Notice that the z flash is on top of the trim flashing.

4. Fix your mistakes a you go. Here, I miscalculated my board length because of the offset from the corner trim. The truth is the board wasn’t even a true 12 feet, it was actually 12′ 1 3/8″, so it would have never lined up properly. What is the harm? Not having joints line up on studs leaves them susceptible to eventual warping because there is not enough structure to nail the trim and secure them adequately.

5. Building materials are expensive, do the best job you can with the best possible materials. As the saying goes, 80% the work in painting is in the prep. Sure, good paint is $90 a gallon but after you have spent hundreds of hours getting ready, don’t cheap out on something less than adequate. It just shows that you don’t actually value your time.

6. There is a time and place for shortcuts. That place is not while the project is happening. Think about this, you probably don’t need to rebuild your car’s engine because the air conditioning stopped working. However, if you do want to rebuild the engine replace all of the wear parts whether they need it or not. I am talking about things like bearings and seals. Shortcuts are for eliminating or delaying the need for the project.

7. Finally, I want to say that we all make mistakes. The difference between a professional and an amateur is how to recover and not get derailed.

End Your Programming Routine: I have been thinking about making some Tik-Tok length videos with one tip per video. With everything that is going on outside of my project, I have a difficult time actually scheduling something extra. It’s weird but my YouTube subscribers keep growing despite the fact I am hardly active. It might be worth putting a little more effort into it.