Deep History
Green Mandates ~ Mapping Disaster
Daunting as the coastal climate can be, the home-building industry has the capacity to construct homes capable of withstanding the ravages of hurricane-force winds, floods, home-crushing waves, incessant rain, high humidity, short drying cycles, scorching sun, and corrosive concentrations of salt...
Double Doghouse Dormer
Following the 2004 hurricane season, Florida-based Mercedes Homes paired up with researchers at the DOE's Building America program to design and build a truly hurricane-resistant home. But as researchers and builders have come to understand only too well, a home that provides complete protection...
Resisting Uplift
Pneumatic Shingle Knife ~ Cellular PVC Decking ~ Last Line of Defense ~ Closed-Cell Foam Sealant ~ Stable Shower Stall
As CEO of Stormont and Company Builders of Kitty Hawk, N.C., Paul Buske builds homes on the Outer Banks that are a far cry from the simple one-story cottages he spent summers in during the 1960s and 1970s. These typically wide, tall custom homes stand on piling foundations; include complex roofs...
Cupping Callback
Storm Maker
The small, gasoline-powered portable generator is the classic ad hoc response to a major power outage. Yet it may be the homeowner's worst possible choice. Able to provide only enough output for a few lights and a refrigerator, gas-powered generators need frequent refueling and make a lot of noise...
An Ocean of Energy ~ Virtual Tsunamis
Gambrel Roof Structures and Wind Uplift
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Residential Framing Revised ~ Backdrafting Reminder ~ No Free Lunch
As federal and state governments try to get a handle on the pollution problem and the impact of "volatile organic compounds," or VOCs, they're turning their attention to paint. A cascade of regulations, moving from the EPA down through regional commissions and finally taking effect at the state...
Hot Roof ~ Heavyweight Contender ~ Job-Site Desktop ~ Strong-Wall Resource ~ ADA-Approved Door Handles ~ Sweet Cedar Railing ~ Flexible Arches ~ Steel Column Templates ~ Low-Vibration Recip Saw ~ Uplift Panel ~ Impact Curtain
Plywood vs. OSB: Which Is Better?
Along the coast where wind-blown rain is a regular weather feature, it's no surprise to builders that the exterior of a home must be carefully detailed to manage water. Properly installed housewrap and flashing are the key elements of an effective water-resistive barrier. But rainwater is not the...
Houses That Swim
Extreme Green
Making Gambrels Work
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Crawlspace Mold ~ Drainage vs. Drying
As building codes address wind-zone construction with extra vigor, more metal hardware is being required to tie buildings together than ever before. Framing anchors, ties, hold-downs, braces, tie-downs, hangers, connectors, straps - every year more steel is needed to build and remodel houses. And...
All-Season Doors ~ Tough Exposure ~ New Lows for Low-E ~ Timber Tamers ~ Safe Step ~ Engineered Conservatories ~Dry Gear ~ Anchor Bolt Holders ~ Taking a Stand
Where the codes once concentrated mostly on verifying that buildings could handle gravity loads, now coastal homes must also resolve the complicated load effects associated with high winds: uplift, shear (or "racking"), sliding, and overturning. Ted Cushman takes a closer look at one kind of...
Because of the hurricane risk, many coastal states already have tough wind-resistant construction standards, and the rest are moving in that direction. But can structures built to withstand hurricanes offer any protection from tornadoes? The answer, reports contributing editor Ted Cushman, is yes …...
Risky Business ~ The End of an Era
When a 1,500-pound drop hammer is falling from 10 to 15 feet, hitting the butt of a 25-foot timber pile a few hundred times, and you have 70 or 80 piles to do, the neighbors tend to get up in arms no matter how charmingly you may have introduced yourself, notes contractor Eric Borden. His company...
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Rain-Screen Query ~ Heads Up on Soffits
Weatherproof Moldings ~ Lighter Fiber Cement ~ Impervious Siding ~
Tall-Wall Studs ~ Breathable Roofs~ Paperless Drywall ~ Screws for Composite Decking
Potable Water for Secluded Sites
Building in the Danger Zone
A rain screen offers the ultimate defense against water intrusion, provided you get the details right. That's easy enough to do with lap siding but considerably more complex with shingles. Custom home builder and remodeler Mike Guertin, who is accustomed to wind-swept rains in his area of the Ocean...
When a Tree Falls - Premium Prices - Currents
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Water Woes - Foundation Resource - Durable Decks?
Few dispute that construction-site erosion poses a significant problem. Muddy roads and cloudy streams tied to a decade-long nationwide building boom have left many residents eager for a clampdown, especially in coastal areas, where water quality is a crucial issue. For contractors, the upshot is...
Structural Screws - Stainless Steel Air Nails - Dry Ply - Humidity Control - Termite-Tough Insulation - Trus Joist Shear Panels - Sliding-Glass Security - Rubber Soil - Soft, Hard Flooring - Metal Munchers - Impact-Resistant Skylights
The projects that D.P. Thomas Construction complete each year on or near the water around Wrightsville Beach, N.C., range in cost from $150K to well past the million-dollar mark. What owner Dave Thomas started as a small remodeling firm in the 1970s has grown to become a local authority on the...
The Causes of Condensation
Sand Blasted
Callbacks typically result from three things: poor design, faulty construction, or the actions of a clueless homeowner. While this is true everywhere, coastal environments are a whole lot less forgiving of such errors. Wind-driven rain and infrequent drying opportunities can drive moisture deep...
Designing Roofs Along the Coast
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Dodging a Bullet
Window Seal ~ Job-Site Heat ~ Bamboo Countertops ~ Durable Decking ~ New Plastic Trim ~ Deck Drainage ~ Dramatic Door ~ Hollow-Point Bit ~ Safety Plugs ~ High-R Insulation
The eaves of a home can expose the structure to the ravages of wind-driven rain on two fronts: when soffits are blown out during a storm, and when winds of 90 mph or greater drive water through vented soffits. Effective December 2006, the Florida Building Code requires soffit systems to be able to...
Lift-and-Slide Doors ~ Crawlspace Mold
For coastal developers, the preservation of wetlands often seems like a hindrance to growth. But advances in the science of wetlands restoration and new environmental policy just may be able to find some common ground. Aaron Hoover looks at the issue of "compensatory mitigation" and the policy of...