Paul Fisette is a wood technologist and former director of the Building Materials Technology and Management program at the University of Massachussets in Amherst, Mass.
Q: I know that some framers are using lumber treated with SBX (sodium borate) as a substitute for ACQ because it is less corrosive to fasteners, but I'm concerned about short-term exposure to rain and the longevity of the borate treatment itself, which co
Q: After stripping the original siding from a 30-year-old house, I'm being asked to re-side with 4x8 and 4x9 fiber-cement panels designed to look like stucco. The installation instructions permit caulking at the vertical joints, but call for Z-flashing at
Q. Drip-Edge and Roofing Membranes When using peel-and-stick roofing membranes, does it matter if the membrane goes under rather than over the metal drip edge at the eaves? In my work as a home inspector, I've noticed that these membranes get installed bo