Fences & Retaining Walls

• Q&A: Retrofitting a Brick Wall With Insulation

  Q. I'm rehabbing an old brick house in Charleston, W.V. I want to insulate the exterior walls, which are balloon-framed with 2x4s, unsheathed, and finished with brick. There's a 1- to 2-inch air space between the 11/2-story-high frame wall and the brick siding, and a weep system at the base of the...

   

• Lobo Products Bib Bob T-Post Driver/Puller

  Putting a temporary fence around your job site can mean pounding in a lot of T-posts.

   

• Neighborhood Stabilization Gets Boost from HUD

  The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has launched a $50 million effort to provide technical expertise to communities hit hard by foreclosures.

   

• Retaining Residents is the Key to Pushing NOI

  Keeping projects in top shape and retaining residents were common themes at the Apartment Finance Today Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., last week.

   

• Q&A: Is It Safe to Retrofit Exterior Foam Insulation?

  Q: I built a lot of homes in upstate New York in the 1980s using 2x6 studs, fiberglass batts, and a poly vapor retarder for the shell. Given the rising cost of heating and cooling, the owners are asking about energy upgrades to their walls. I'd like to suggest adding 1 or 2 inches of rigid foam on...

   

• Rescuing a Manufactured-Stone Wall (Subscriber content)

  A properly flashed water-resistant drainage plane is essential when installing stone veneer over a wood-framed wall.

   

• Q&A: Best Corner Framing

  Q: What's the best way to frame outside corners?

   

• On the Job

  Tricky miter; giant jig for big ellipses; tree protection

   

• Dressing Up a Truss Roof

  Rafter tails and gable overhangs transform an otherwise plain-looking exterior.

   

• Air-Sealing Attics In Existing Homes

  For best results, locate the heat loss with a blower door and an infrared camera.