Building Confidence

Welcome to Dave's Shop Talk's Home Improvement Newsletter of questions from our members on their construction projects, a Tip of the Month and a home remodeling article, both from our website at https://daveosborne.com.

Tips of the Month

If you have a multibit screw driver, use the bits in your variable speed drill to make a power screwdriver.

If you spill a drop of paint on concrete, quickly grab a handful of dirt and rub it over the paint before it dries. Later you can wash off the dirt.

Ask Dave!

Hi Harlon,

These panels require a 3 in 12 slope. For a 12' span you need a drop of 3' for the required slope or raise the back end 3'. This is the requirement for a roof. For a floor the minimum requirement is 1/4" per foot. This would work out to 3" slope in 12'. A water drain pipe minimum slope is 1/4" per foot of slope.

Sorry about this, but 1/2" in 12' would not do anything. The least I would do is to lift the back side up by installing a 2x4 on edge under the framing.

Dave

Thank you, Harlan, that's good to know.

Dave

We don't limit our designs by the size of material. If this workbench is in the middle of the room, then reaching from both sides is not a problem. If against the wall in a shop, which it will be most of the time, 4' wide is too wide, in my opinion.

Dave

Hi Mike,

Usually, we build stairs at the framing stage of the house. We use 1" plywood for treads and 5/8 ply (sub-floor material) for the risers. This holds the stairs together, as well as provides backing for the treads and risers, whether carpet, hardwood or whatever. If you use the same thickness on the treads as on the floors, you don't need to worry about different thicknesses, etc on the steps. Building codes require 1" treads.

If installing hardwood directly to the stringers, get the pre-fab treads that are 1" thick with the nosing built in.

In your situation, with the treads open and 5 feet, I would sheet the treads and risers with 5/8 standard sheathing plywood and cover with 3/4 hardwood flooring material. Use the proper 1 1/4 nosing that matches the flooring. I wrote an article on this:

http://daveosborne.com/dave/articles/install-hardwood-stairs.php

Miter the nosing in the corners, orient your pieces to match the groove in the nosing. At the one side put the two grooves together with a spline that you rip yourself out of hardwood. Make the spline snug but able to slip into the grooves as easily as the tongue does.

On the rounded out tread for the bottom step. We usually buy this part to match the hardwood flooring. These parts, including stair handrail parts are available at Wood Finishing stores. Checkout my article on handrails.

Here is a pic of my stairs:

Hope this helps,

Dave

Hi Andy,

I can think of 2 possible solutions:

Install a belly band around the cottage, on top of the 1/2" plywood. You would also need a row of flashing on top of the belly board and another row below it. This would be an easy solution. Belly bands are very popular around here, between different or the same courses of siding, vertical to horizontal. They are also used to break up the look of a tall wall. Belly boards or bands are usually combed face 2x10. Miter the corners around the house.

OR:

Rip tapered strips from 1/2" to 0 about 18" to 24" long (at least the length of 2 rows width of siding). With vinyl siding being hollow, it is very forgiving in relation to uneven surfaces, vertically. Horizontally, this is a different story. You should be consistent horizontally. Even a 1/4" shim will help between a couple rows of siding. Install these strips on top of studs, above the 1/2" plywood.

Dave

Hi Andy,

#1: A belly band is a board usually, 2"x10" that is installed around the walls of a house in a continuous band. There is flashing above and below it. It breaks up the look of the wall, a bit. Around here, most of the corner boards and belly band boards are combed face. This combs come from describing the face of the board, which looks like someone took a comb to it and left small ridges and valleys in the surface. It usually comes primed, as well.

#2: 'horizontally this is a different story' means that in the horizontal plane, or the length of the board plane, the wall surface should be consistent and flat. In other words if the wall is wavy, the siding attached will look wavy. On the other hand, vertically, it is not that big an issue. If the wall has a 1/4" board sticking out between rows of the vinly siding, it is not that noticeable as it if the 1/4" was sticking out all the way up the wall.

Does this help?

Dave

I like it. I would install the flashing on the wall first, then install the tarpaper over the flashing on the wall side. This would force any moisture to go out along the flashing. Dave

Dave

Feature Article of the Month

(taken from our website: DaveOsborne.com)

Electrical 2: How to Wire a Three Way Switch

VERY IMPORTANT! Before working on any electrical modifications of your home read the first article in this series: Electrical 1: Electrical Safety.

A three-way switch is used for turning one or more lights on or off from two different places. For example, turning the light on or off from the top of the stairs and turning it off or on at the bottom of the stairs.

The trick with wiring switches is that you only switch the black or hot wire. You'll notice that in both diagrams, the white or neutral wire goes through the switch boxes and connects to the light - it is not switched. On the 3-way switch, the white wire is used as an extra switch wire and is said to be colored black. Whenever an electrician uses a white wire as a hot wire, he/she will put black tape or colorant on it to distinguish it as a hot wire, rather than a neutral.

Notice in both diagrams that the black wire is used for switching purposes in combination with the red and white wires. The white wire connected to the three-way switch is colored black to show it is not a neutral wire. The black wire from the power source is shown connected to the three-way switch at the common terminal of both switches. This common terminal usually has a red, copper or black screw and the word COMMON stamped on the back of the switch. The other terminals usually have brass screws.

The first drawing shows the wiring of a three way switch with the power source entering the light box.

This second drawing: How to Wire a Three Way Switch Power to Switch shows the wiring for a three way switch when the power source enters one of the three way switch boxes.

Almost the End

Read hundreds of diy articles, answered questions and dozens of plans and projects all written by Dave.

Become a Member and Dave will personally eliminate any doubts you might have about your projects by email.

Dan and I thank you for your interest and support of our Website. We hope we can help you with your present and future projects.

Get complete access to our website - Subscribe Now!

We BUILD CONFIDENCE. If you need advice on Building or on your projects at work or home you can make a very small investment and subscribe to our website, then send me any questions or uncertainties you might have via email. There is no extra charge. That is all part of your membership to our site!

Help us with the cost of putting this info out by becoming a member. Subscribe now!

Please tell your friends and family about our site and this Newsletter.

Dan and I wish all our readers and members of our website, all the best in 2022 and stay safe out there and thanks to our Front Line Workers. All of them.

Hi, I'm Dave Osborne. With over 50 years experience as a journeyman carpenter, foreman and contractor in heavy construction I enjoyed working with apprentices and sharing the tricks of the trade that others shared with me. Now I get emails from Members all over the world and we include many of my answers in our Free Monthly Newsletters. Some of my answers include drawings and instructions specific to a project, but may also answer your questions. I use correct construction terminology, so you can confidently inform your building supply dealers or contractors exactly what you need.