Building Confidence


Volume 22 Issue 5
ISSN 1923-7162


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 http://daveosborne.com.

Tips of the Month

When determining the swing of a door, stand outside the room. The door should open into the room. If the hinges are on the right hand side, it is a right hand door, it swings to the right.

Clean out air ducts once per year. These are the dryer, bath and kitchen fan ducts, as well as, furnace and HVAC (Heating, Venting, Air Conditioning) ducts.

Ask Dave!

Stair riser Calculator does not seem to figure in the thickness of the riser material. I'm using 1 1/2" material for the tread with carpet and 3/4" material for the riser.

Only put in the thickness of the tread, not the riser. If the carpet is going on the floor as well as the treads, don't include that thickness either. The purpose for putting in the tread thickness is to know how much to cut off the bottom of the stringer and then to drop the stringer down that amount, as well, from the top floor. So if the finish on the stairs is the same as the top and bottom floors, this will make each riser work out to be the same height, which is what you want.

If you have any more questions or don't understand this, please continue to ask questions, until you are satisfied. A drawing or photo may also help me to understand better what you are having difficulty with.

Dave

Hi Dave Hope all is going well and it's getting warm in Canada. It was is the low 80's in Plymouth MA today. I want to secure a Grab Bar in a fiberglass tub enclosure. My plan was to open up other side of the wall, removing the sheet rock and install wood blocking between the 2 x 4 wall studs. Is there a secure way to attach the bar to the fiberglass only? I believe I have see fasteners but I am not sure what they are called and where to source them. Thanks Ron

Hi Ron,

It is getting warmer, here on the coast, 23 C (73 F) which is not bad for this time of year, way above normal which is 16 C (61 F).

Your plan is a good one. I would not trust anchors in the fibreglass. I was lucky when I installed a grab bar to my elderly Aunt's shower - I found a stud right there.

Usually a tub is away from the stud wall, so you may need backing on the face of the studs. I would go through the wall on the opposite side, as well and have a look. I would start with a 2x4 on the flat between the studs, horizontally. Just put it in place, but don't fasten it in yet.Place one at each end of the bar whether it is horizontal, vertical or on the angle. If the fibreglass is away from the wall, put in a piece of wood as a filler between the fibreglass and the 2x4. Remove the filler and the 2x4 and screw the filler onto the face of the 2x4. Fasten the 2x4 in position, between the studs, backed up to the fibreglass of the tub. Then screw the 2x4 to the studs either from the opposite side of the studs or toe-screw into the stud from the 2x4, just be careful not to go into the tub. The bars are then screwed through the tub into the filler and the 2x4 with heavy wood screws which need to be pre-drilled.

Hope this helps,

Dave

As you can see from the photo, a number of years ago I bumped out part of my house. Photo of the house of a member of our site before renovation. The problem is I don't have 8' ceilings in that room. I'm getting ready to bump out the rest of the house. The addition will extend out to the edge of the new slab after I get the old one out. So wanting 8' ceilings this time I know I am going to have to change/add to the roof. I will be moving the electrical service. Any suggestions when it comes to the roof? Love your web site!!! Thanks Tristan

Hi Tristan,

Yes, I have a couple of suggestions for the roof, depending on the length of the addition. If you could give me the measurements of the existing house and the addition, the outside widths (W) and lengths, (L) I can draw up a roof plan for you. I need the height (H) of the roof. I also need to know where you live so I can make sure the roof will support your local wind/snow load, if any.

Here is a drawing to help you get the correct measurements:

Drawing of the roof of the house of our member with each length labelled.

Glad you like our website!

Dave

Drawing of the same roof with each measurement noted. I'm going to pour a slab from A to B.(B is the edge of house) Slabs will measure 7' x 36'. If for some reason it has to be a little more, thats fine. Thanks Tristan

Here is a drawing showing what the new roof will look like:

Drawing of new addition to the house showing the new roof slope with measurements.

Dave

From Sabrina, my eldest daughter:

Is the white stair skirting installed *before* the floor covering (laminate flooring, in our case)? Drawing of a stair skirt.

Yes, it usually is installed before the stringers are installed. If installed later each tread/riser has to be cut out/scribed, a bit of a trick!

Hope this helps,

Dad

Thanks, Dad. I'll tell Curtis. (He sent this from my account.) We like the look of the skirting and it seems that all the pictures I look at of wood (laminate) stairs, have the skirting. I want to paint the risers white & have the treads be laminate--I like that look, but wonder if it would look weird without the skirting. What do you think? Thanks! Love, Sabrina

The skirt definitely dresses it up, alright. We don't have a skirt on our stairs here and I think it looks okay.

Love,

Dad

Didn't realize that you don't have a skirt. Your stairs are gorgeous! Yours are different from ours--in more than one way, obviously--in that yours are mostly open on both sides where ours have a wall on one side. Do you think that wall would look funny with the newly laminated & painted stairs abutting it directly? I have a hard time picturing things like this in my mind. I should try to find some pictures of stairs without the skirting to compare. Sabrina Just found this! It does look ok without the skirting, but the skirting is nice. At least if we want to do it later we can, and if we like how it looks without it, then we'll just leave it. Is this how you would do it too, Dad? Seems to make sense to me, but anything involving accurate measuring is scary to me! Love, Sabrina

Yes, this will work. I would scribe the skirt before you put on the treads. This way any gaps will be covered with the treads. The skirt has a function, other than aesthetics, here. The laminate flooring is never cut to fit tightly between walls, there needs to be a gap for expansion and contraction, not so critical when one side is open. Similar to the baseboard the skirt will cover this expansion gap.

Love,

Dad

Thanks, Sabrina, for your question. Just to make it clear, Sabrina does phone me and talk once in a while. We don't just send each other emails.

Feature Article of the Month

(taken from our website: DaveOsborne.com

Plumbing and Ventilation 3: Questions on Plumbing and Ventilation

Here's a list of Dave's answers about plumbing and ventilation you might find of help. Click on a title to see its answer.

Heating Ducts

I am refinishing the basement and need two additional air ducts in the bedroom and bathroom from the existing central air conditioning plenum. I need suggestions and/or diagrams on the proper assembly. I want to use rigid ducting and am looking at possibly 4" or 6" diameter with the total length of both locations of 8 linear feet.    [see answer]

Installing A Shower Valve

Can you tell me how to install a shower valve in my new bathroom. The two 1/2" water pipes are stubbed out between two 2X4's in the wall. I just don't know how to mount the valve between them. Is there some type of special bracket that is made to do this?    [see answer]

Pex Pipe

I see a lot of people using pex for domestic water in new houses. In your opinion what are the advantages and disadvantages of using it.    [see answer]

Plastic Sewer Pipe To Cast Iron Bell

We are renovating an old house that has a septic system. The pipe to the septic is cast iron. How can we change this pipe to plastic pipe?    [see answer]

Pouring A Shower Pan

Do you know about the type of cement to be used for the shower pan?    [see answer]

Range Hood Vent

Where can I find info on installing a rectangular range hood vent?    [see answer]

Toilet Space

How much space for a toilet is normal (the smallest) to have between a vanity and a bath tub?    [see answer]

Washing Machine Vent

How do I vent a washing machine without hooking up to a vent stack or through the roof?    [see answer]

Wet Vent

What is a wet vent? How do you vent tubs and showers?    [see answer]

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.



Your source for building tips, woodworking & furniture plans, house plans and building advice directly from Dave...

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.

ASK DAVE!

The Benefits of Membership

Membership gives you full access to our hundreds of how-to articles, woodworking plans, converters, calculators and tables. Our Stair Calculator is one of the most popular on the internet. We have projects you can build for (and with) your kids, furniture for your wife, and sheds and gazebos. If you run into a problem or need advice your Membership includes unlimited email questions to me through our Ask Dave quick response button.

Join us!








legal