June 2011 Table of Contents

Features
Permanent Wood Foundations Permanent Wood Foundations

Pressure-treated wood foundations (also known as permanent wood foundations, or PWFs) have been around at least since the 1940s, and my own experience with them dates back 20 years or so. Read more

Tightening A House Shell From The Outside Tightening A House Shell From The Outside

Our construction company recently completed a major remodel and energy retrofit of a split-level home in northern Vermont. Read more

Building Safer Decks Building Safer Decks

Decks have seen little attention from building codes over the years, despite the fact that they often bear the weight of parties and public gatherings. Read more

New 12-Volt Drill/Drivers New 12-Volt Drill/Drivers

The new generation of lithium-ion subcompacts are lightweight and surprisingly powerful for their size. Read more

Letters
Letters Letters

Builders sound off about competitive bidding; sealing poly with mastic; questions about California roof tile standards; gluing sheathing for air sealing; more Read more

News
JLC Report: Residential Fire-Sprinkler Requirement

Sprinkler foes buoyed by Pennsylvania victory; federal court rejects challenge to revised OSHA fall-protection rules; more Read more

Q&A
Reusing Old Barnboard in a New Home Reusing Old Barnboard in a New Home

Here's the right way to treat reclaimed wood for insects and mold before using it inside a home. Read more

Soundproofing Strategies for Creaky Floors Soundproofing Strategies for Creaky Floors

Options include screwing unglued subflooring down, acoustically sealing seams and gaps, and installing a sound-mitigating ceiling below. Read more

Business
Make More Money By Controling The Growth Of Your Building Business Make More Money By Controling The Growth Of Your Building Business

When I was a young builder in the early '80s, there was an old-timer in town who worked with a couple of his sons, a small crew, and a handful of good local subcontractors. Read more

Products
Idiot-Proof Railings Idiot-Proof Railings

The Stair Simple Axxys Railing System uses unique pivoting connectors to join the stair rail to the newel post and the balusters to the rail, eliminating any need for complex miter cuts. Read more

No-Fuss Drain No-Fuss Drain

All of American Standard's bathroom faucets feature the easy-to-install Speed Connect Drain. Read more

Reclaimed Polystyrene Cornice and Crown Moldings Reclaimed Polystyrene Cornice and Crown Moldings

Outwater says its 100% Recycled Cornice and Crown Mouldings are made entirely from reclaimed polystyrene but match the quality of moldings made from virgin polymers. Read more

Pivoting Bookcase for Creating Secret Rooms Pivoting Bookcase for Creating Secret Rooms

Hiding the entrance to a utility room behind a moveable bookcase is a terrific idea until you try to find hardware that's up to the challenge. Read more

Hands-Free Bath Faucet Hands-Free Bath Faucet

Three years ago, Delta introduced a line of kitchen faucets with a battery-operated sensor that made it possible to turn on the taps without touching them. Read more

Mahogany Doors Mahogany Doors

If you're looking to create a dramatic entryway but can't find the right door, consider a custom mahogany unit from Borano. Read more

No-Distortion Foam Window Sealer No-Distortion Foam Window Sealer

TriggerFoam Pro Window & Door Foam will not disfigure window and door frames when it expands, says the maker. Read more

See-Through Shutters See-Through Shutters

According to its maker, the Armor Screen Fabric Hurricane Protection System defends windows from flying debris as effectively as plywood but installs and packs away much more easily. Read more

Snap-Together Subfloor Snap-Together Subfloor

Barricade SubFloor Tiles combine a high-performance OSB top surface with an XPS rigid insulation base layer. Read more

Inconspicuous Doorstop Inconspicuous Doorstop

The DoorSaver II is a replacement hinge pin with an adjustable mechanism that uses the exposed portion of the hinge leaf (rather than the soft face of the door or casing) as a stop. Read more

Less-Costly LEDs Less-Costly LEDs

ViriBright LED Light Bulbs offer the efficiency, durability, and dimmability of LEDs at a price closer to what you'd expect to pay for high-quality compact fluorescents. Read more

Premium Gutters Premium Gutters

The 5N1 Gutter System is intended to be installed when the house is built. Read more

Toolbox
Max AKHL1230E 500-psi Compressor Max AKHL1230E 500-psi Compressor

I was introduced to the Max PowerLite high-pressure pneumatic fastening system in 2007 while testing framing nailers for Tools of the Trade magazine. Read more

Toolbits
Simplified Crown Molding Simplified Crown Molding

The Cut-N-Crown System features a plastic jig that replicates a molding's spring angle so that you can cut both sides of a miter without resetting the saw. Read more

Tight-Space Drill Tight-Space Drill

With LED lighting and a head length of only 3 3„4 inches, Milwaukee's M18 Cordless 3„8" Right-Angle Drill Driver might make life a bit easier for cabinet installers - or anyone who works in dark cramped quarters. Read more

No Tool Needed for Recip Saw Blade Changes No Tool Needed for Recip Saw Blade Changes

If you've ever had to rummage around for a lost Allen key, you'll appreciate Metabo's new ASE18 LTX 18V cordless reciprocating saw. Read more

Carpenter's Kilt Carpenter's Kilt

When temperatures soar, why not try a distinctive approach to keeping cool? Read more

Backfill
Artist-Renovator Makes Tile-By-Number Mosaics Artist-Renovator Makes Tile-By-Number Mosaics

When artist-renovator Doug Hopkins arrived at the kitchen and bath phase of his first remodeling project, he decided to make his own decorative tiles for the showers, baths, kitchen counters, and wood-stove surrounds. Read more

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