July 2009 Table of Contents

A hidden steel frame allows these wooden stairs to defy gravity. Read more

Accuracy in laying out and building the foundation helped keep the rest of the job on track . Read more

To ensure a watertight job, don’t skimp on the underlayment. Read more

A roundup of tools and materials found on the floor at JLC Live in Providence, R.I . Read more

Hardware corrosion from PT lumber; upside-down beam design Read more

Sealed crawlspace testing sheds new light on energy performance ; Advanta shuts down its credit cards; students win clean-energy prize for rice-husk insulation panels; more Read more

Can the roots of a tree actually dry out the soil beneath a foundation enough to cause the concrete to crack? Read more

The federal stimulus plan's energy tax credits for insulation are based on the 2009 IECC, which raises the wall insulation requirement for climate zones 5 and 6 from R-19 to R-20. To meet this requirement, the R-value of the cavity insulation must be at least 3.63 per inch. Does this mean that standard R-19 fiberglass batts used to insulate 2x6 walls would not qualify for the tax credit? How about Icynene, an open-cell spray foam with an R-value of 3.6 per inch? Read more

After replacing both a condensate pan and a pump, the plumber fixing my client's leaky air-conditioning coil finally determined that the problem was actually in the condensate drain. The drain's small trap was clogged with a mucuslike substance; unclogging it was a simple repair that took just a few minutes, but (needlessly) replacing the pump and pan cost my client a couple of service visits. Is the trap really necessary or is it just a way for hvac installers to set up nuisance service calls? Read more

Setting up a storefront Read more

Drywall shim on a roll; truss spacer; replacement sliders; zero-VOC primer/stain-blocker; heavy-duty garage doors; more Read more

Ridgid offers two new pressure washers built with Subaru engines and Cat pumps — components the company considers commercial-duty. Read more

Cuffsox were designed on the job by a contractor to keep sawdust and dirt out of his boots. Read more

Many work lights are directional, but Husky's 360-degree light on a tripod will illuminate an entire room. Read more

Magnum's Precision Ultra-Lite WPi CT boots feature a plasma-based waterproofing treatment that the company says was originally developed for the military.. Read more

Inspired by the horizon- indicator instrument found on airplanes, C.H. Hanson's new Precision Ball Level uses a weighted floating ball to find level, plumb, and any angle or slope in between. Read more

DeWalt's DC020 is a portable 38-watt fluorescent work light that runs on the company's 12- to 18-volt cordless tool batteries or line voltage. Read more

Duluth Trading Co. says its Fire Hose canvas pants are tougher than most other work pants — but the dense weave can be a bit warm in the summer. Read more

Miami’s STA Architectural Group originally planned to use solid ipe for the eight columns on this high-end residence, which is currently under construction in Bal Harbour, Fla. But when logs of sufficient size turned out to be unattainable, the firm asked Orleans, Mass., boat-builder Suzanne Leahy to build the columns out of mahogany. Read more