Installing Door Trim
Basics

The trickest part of installing new trim is to keep the trim level and plumb in relation to the door frame.

Begin by marking a 'reveal' edge line around the frame after the old trim is removed. This will give you a guideline to install the new trim. Using a combination square, adjust the end to 1/4" in. Place it flush against one side of the doorjam and using a pencil up against the end of the ruler, slide the handle and pencil down at the same time along the edge of the jamb, marking the reveal line. Mark the head jamb and other side jamb in the same way.

To mark the reveal I use an adjustable try-square. The white knob loosens a clamping screw which lets the 12 inch ruler slide for adjustment. This tool is Next stand a piece of casing up against the door jamb. Make sure the bottom has a clean level cut and is straight. Sometimes the drywall may stick out a little from the trim. Take a sharp knife and cut this area out so it is not protruding and the trim will lay flat agains the jamb. Cutting the top piece.

If the casing on this project, for example, was 2 1/4" wide, then begin with the top casing piece; measure along the top (the long edge) 35 1/8". This dimension comes from addition the 30 1/8" door opening plus 1/2" for the two reveals, plus 4 1/2" for the two casing widths. These numbers work out easy because for each of the top pieces, simply measure the door opening and add 5".

With the casing peiecs laid out on a smooth surface, align the corners carefully and drive 1 in brad nails into the outer corners. The nailer has to be carefully positioned or the brad will pop out the back side, or worse, the front face. Both pieces of trim must be held securely or the impact of the nailer will move them.

Drive in just one brad into each side of the miter joint. Note: brads are driven only at the outside of the corner, and there is nothing to connect the inner area of the miter joint. When the casing is assembled this way, it is very fragile and must be handled with extreme care. The purpose of these nails is to keep the miter joint aligned properly if the wall surface is uneven. It may take longer to install casing when they are not first connected because the miter joints rarely line up well.

With the casing assembly in place attach it with 1 inch brad nails. Start at a top corner, making sure that the edge of the casing lines up with the pencil marks made earlier. Drive the brads into the door jamb, so they must be kept close to the inside edge of the casing.
First secure one corner, by driving one brad on each side of the joint.
Then secure the other corner in the same way.
Drive a few more brads into the top section.
Then fasten each side piece, working from top to bottom. Straighten out any warpage as they are fasten.
Typically use 5 or 6 brads on the top, and 8 to 10 brads on each side.

Click here for a free estimate on trimming your house

Soldering Copper Pipes
Basics

Soldering copper pipe, or "sweating" as they call it in the trades, relies on capillary action to create a well-sealed joint. By using a propane torch to heat up the two pieces you are joining, solder is "sucked" into the joint and spreads evenly between the pipe and fitting. Once it cools, you should have a solid, leak-free joint that will last for years.

Use care when working with a torch. Keep the flame away from wood framing or other flammable materials. Also remember to let your work cool before handling it.

Plan ahead. Determine all the materials you will need to complete your plumbing project. Make sure you have enough copper tubing and fittings to make all your turns and straight runs. The last thing you want to do is run to the hardware store in the middle of a project.

Before cutting new pipe, consider the makeup distance (length of the part that will go into the fitting). Cut new lengths of copper pipe with a tubing cutter designed for copper. To use the cutter, twist the knob until the cutter wheel makes contact with the surface. Rotate the cutter around the tube, tightening after each revolution until the pipe easily snaps in two.

After you have cut the tube, clean the inside from burrs with a round brush file or with the retractable reamer often found on tubing cutters. Burrs can cause pipe friction, so reaming them out helps ensure a smooth flowing joint.

Next, use an emery cloth, steel wool or sand paper to smooth and polish the last inch of the outside end of the pipe until it is shiny. Do not overdo this. Also, clean the inside of the fitting from the end down to the shoulder (point where it bends) You can use an emery cloth or steel wool but you will find that a pipe brush makes cleaning easier.

To ensure flow of the solder, use a small stiff brush to apply flux around the inside of the fitting and around the outside of the pipe end. Place the fitting on the pipe end and turn the pipe or the fitting back and forth once or twice to spread the flux evenly. Then position the fitting correctly. It is best to wear gloves for this part to prevent chemical injury to your hands.

Turn on the gas torch's control value and then light the nozzle end with a striker tool. Adjust the flame so it is steady and strong, making certain that it is not aimed at anything flammable. If necessary, shield surround objects with a flame guard.

Next position the torch nozzle about 4 inches from the fitting and move the flame back and forth to distribute the heat evenly. It is important to get the fitting hot but not too hot; the flux will burn and simply vanish if it is over-heated. Be careful where you hold the pipe, as it will become hot.

You'll know if the joint is hot enough when the solder melts on contact with it. Test the temperature by touching the solder wire to the joint occasionally as you heat the fitting. The instant the wire melts, the joint is ready for action.

Turn off the torch, and touch the solder wire to the edge of the fitting; capillary action will pull molten solder in between the fitting and the pipe. That's right! It will actually suck it into the joint. Keep applying the wire until the line of molten solder show all the way around the fitting. Once the solder cools (in just a few minutes), wipe the excess flux off with a damp rag.

Check out my web site: www.anderson-construct.com

Vinyl Siding Basics

How much does it cost to side a home?

Good question! Varibles include style, design, quality, taste and uniqueness of the house. Square box houses with few windows are easier to side than odd shaped with many different size windows and doors to cut around.

When looking at vinyl siding samples make sure you really check the quality vs. the value. The quality of the siding product will add or subtract from the value of that a particular manufacturer product will be reflected in the price of the product.

Why? Because once the job is done you are left with the quality of the products installed and the level of craftsmanship with which the products were installed. There are a few other factors depending on what products you are looking at but as a whole not much else matters in the long run. In short, do your homework it will pay off in the long run

VINYL SIDING VOCABULARY

Ext. SqFt is a term that we use to denote the total amount of siding material needed for a particular siding job including material waste.

PSF is short for "per square foot" and is a unit of measure that we use in association with price.

Poly-vinyl chloride (PVC)is a chemical. A white, water-insoluble, thermoplastic resin, derived by the polymerization of vinyl chloride: used chiefly for thin coatings, insulation, and pipings. Also called PVC.

Siding Industry Average Price: These prices are the maximum prices you should ever entertain paying us or any other company for a particular product and/or service in the Siding Industry. (SqFt, Sq.Ft., sq.ft., ft2, Ext. SqFt) is a term that we use to denote the total amount of siding material needed for a particular siding job including material waste. Siding could also be calculated using L.F or linear foot.

Underlayment is a thin paper-like product applied to the exterior of a home before new siding.

Click here for a siding estimate on your home

Installing a Suspened Ceiling
Acoustical Ceiling - Grid Ceiling

The most common panel dimesion installed is 2x4. To calculate the layout, begin by determining your height. There should be 3 inches gap between plumbing and 5 inches between electrical lights and acoustical panels. Minimum ceiling height is 7 foot 6 inches.

Begin by snapping a chalk line around the room at the chosen level. Install right angle moulding grid just above the chalk line.

To hang the main runners for the panels, cut the main tees to length with tin snips. Set them on the right angle moulding at each end. Support them every 4 foot with a #12 or heavier wire which is attached to eye screws which are fastened into the joists above.

Lock 4 foot cross tees to the main runner grid by inserting the tabs intot slots in the main tees and then wiggling them until they snap into place.
Slide the panels up diagonally through the grid openings, and alower them into place. Install any recessed lighting panels. Cut border panels as necessary with a sharp utility knife.

Be sure hands are clean or where gloves to protect oil and smudges from damaging ceiling tiles when they are installed. Raise ceiling panels at an angle to above the ceiling then lower then into place, resting on the main runner and grid tees.

Ceilings installed only $1.60 sq ft - Material & Labor! Click here for more information

REPAIRING WINDOW SCREENS
Easy steps to follow

Replace sagging, torn and rusty screens

Most screens are easy to remove and replace. The frames will be either wood or metal and the screens with either be aluminum or fiberglass. Chances are, the frames themselves will not need attention nearly as often as do the screens but cleaning the track they rest in will keep the dirt from accumlating, and allows them to fit tightly

Begin by using a screwdriver to pry up the spine that runs around the perimeter of the frame.

Pull out the spine and remove the old or damaged screen fabric with new screen fabric over the frame. Using a sharp utility knife or scissors, trim it so that it is just slightly larger than the frame (about 1/2" inch). Then snip off the corners. (the piece cut off will shape a triangle)

With the convex wheel of a screen-spline roller, force the screen into the spline channel. Then push the spline back in and using the roller's concave wheel, force the spline into place by stretching the fabric taut. Cut off the excess fabric with a utility knife.

(If the screen frame is bent - consider replacing it rather than repairing. It just isn't worth the effort to reshape it)

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Installing a Base Cabinet
Simple instructions

Using a stud finder, locate the wall studs to which the cabinet will attach. With a pencil, mark the stud locations on the wall. Make sure you will be able to see the marks after the cabinet is in place. Draw a straight vertical line to indicate the center of the studs.

Level the cabinet from front to back and from side to side. Use shims if necessary to raise it the high point of the floor or otherwise change its position. Some vanities adjustable levelers built into the legs eliminate the need for shims on the floor.

Drive screws through the cabinet back rail and shims into the wall studs. Trim the shims with a sharp chisel or knife so they will not be visible when the countertop is in place. With the sink and faucet set installed, position and attach the countertop to the cabinet from underneath.

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Installing Laminate Flooring
How to measure

A laminate floor is not attached to the substrate. Rather, it floats upon a sheet of foam underlayment. Planks should be at least 2 inches wide, a narrrower piece is more likely to buckle.

Begin by measuring the width of the room at several places, taking into account the 1/4 inch expansion gap you must leave between flooring and the wall, then make some careful calculations. Divide the width of the room by the width of your planks. If the remainder is less than 2 inches, you will need to rip-cut the first piece.

For example, if the room is 120 inches wide and the planks are 7 inc wide, the room will hold 17 pieces, with 1 inch left over (17x7=119). In that case, plan on using only 16 full width pieces, which will leave you with 8 in of leftover space (16x7=112). Rip cut both the first and last pieces at 4 inches.

Install the first board at a long, highly visible wall. At each end of the wall, measure out from the wall the width of the first plank plus 1/4 inch, and make a mark. Ask someone to hlep you snap a chalk line between the 2 marks. Measure to see that the line is a fairly consistent distance from the wall at all points. Make sure the first board will be close enough to the wall for the base molding to cover the gap.

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Considering doing it yourself?
Here are some considerations:

Time and energy: Most people underestimate their time enormously. You may have the desire, but do you really have the time that it will take to finish the project, all the way through. After a long day at work, how much time is you are willing to invest.

Tools: The right tools make the projects go fast and cause less stress. The finished project will look more professional. But, the cost of the tool is a major factor.

Talent: The Home Improvement channel makes it look so easy. Remember, a six-pack and a few friends may not be all that is needed to complete the job with a worthy outcome.

Dust: Face it, remodeling is messy. Can you live with tracking in and out of dust and for how long.

Do-it-yourself assistance - click HERE