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Q: How do you go about using sand instead of concrete for thermal mass in a radiant floor, as mentioned in the Sept. ’98 article "Hardwood Flooring Over Radiant Heat"?
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Floating floors offer some advantages over conventional hardwood strip flooring: They’re more dimensionally stable, come prefinished, and because they’re laminated, are available in wood species that would be cost-prohibitive in full-thickness flooring. Here’s a survey of what’s available.
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There are three types of rigid foam insulation — expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene, and polyisocyanurate. Each has its own characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. Whether your application is above or below grade, inside or out, this guide will help you choose the right product.
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Q: We are planning to use 1-foot-square granite tiles in a kitchen counter application because it is more affordable than granite slabs. Can I install the granite right over plywood, or do you recommend Durock as an underlayment? What type of grout would work best? How wide a space should we leave...
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Q: I’ve built a number of homes with staple-up radiant heat tubing under vinyl flooring in the kitchens and baths. Recently a client complained of staining in his vinyl floors. In the bathroom, long dark streaks are bleeding up through the vinyl, and in the kitchen, small dark circles about the...
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Defect litigation has become a billion-dollar industry in Southern California, driving many contractors out of business. A defect specialist describes the most frequent errors he encounters — from structure to finishes — and tells how to prevent them.
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Tool belt system, tailgate step, cold weather paint, stronger felt underlayment, retrofit downlight kits
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Curbed tile shower pans have to be watertight. A veteran tile contractor shows how careful detailing of a waterproof membrane and special drain makes for a trouble-free shower floor.
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Plastic laminate, with its choices of colors and patterns, has moved from countertops to floors. We follow a professional flooring contractor as he shows how to lay a flat, durable finish floor with this versatile material.
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Spray foam defended, CO detectors