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Archive for the ‘1/4" slope per sq.foot’ Category
Xypex diy waterproffing
How to waterproof a masonry blockwall , with a stucco finish painted, often the paint appears to create bubble pockets and destroy the visual surface. Retaining walls in yards have garden beds that require weekly watering and irrigation, but even when french drain systems are implemented, the concrete masonry block wall soak’s up and absorbs the moisture. As the moisture filters through the wall it is slowly breaking down causing water damage and destroying the integrity of the structural block wall. 
Xypex crystaline Concentrate is designed to work as long as the is intact, we have used this process on either the positive or the negative side of painted block wall surfaces. For repairs of existing finishes, all the painted finish coat must get removed. Small jack hammer or pneumatic chisel, the paint and the finish float coat, as well as the brown coat gets demoed off. Any cracks or deteriorated openings need to be treaty and filled prior to the Xypex application. Hairline cracks won’t be affected, but any 1/8″ or larger cannot allow the Xypex formula to perform it’s magic.
Once the demolition process is complete, a slurry mix of Xypex concentrate can be sprayed or brushed on, the thicker the better. After curing is complete a finish stucco can be reapplied to desired appearance. If being painted again, the paint has to be breathable and not an elastomeric sealer or the like. Be sure to consult your local codes and read all instructions pertaining to products used.
1/2″ ply DIY
The average home will be sheathed with a 3 ply 1/2″ cdx plywood that can span 24″ centers for the roof rafters, 1/2″ plywood has been facilitated in home construction roofs for quite some time, and generally found the least expensive common sheeted material in your local lumber yards and home improvement stores. 
Are you a commercial CADS manager?
Plywood is a manufactured wood, made by gluing together a number of thin veneers or plies of softwood or hardwood. A common reason for using plywood instead of plain wood is its resistance to cracking, shrinkage, twisting/warping, and its general high degree of strength. Also, plywood can be manufactured in sheets far wider than the trees from which it was made. It has replaced many dimensional lumber on construction applications for these reasons.
Another 1/2″ plywood product most generally used on panelized roof systems, or commercial construction roofs such as Wal-Marts or Home Depot roof structures, where 3-1/8″x 18″ sub laminate [glu-lams] beams spanning 20′ or so, between larger Glu-lams that can span 40′ or so. These mini lams are on an 8′ centers layout with 2x stiffeners, 24″ centers, fastened with hardware [stiffy hangers] and then sheathed with a 1/2″ struct one plywood sheet, this material is a 5 ply material that can span length wise over 2 foot centers with the ability to not flex much or give under normal live load weights. Plywood has certainly change building norms, and in some cases fire retardant when called for. Next time standing in line at your busy home improvement warehouse store, look up and you will see exactly what we are saying here….
DIY Xypex systems
The best is here and now, we use Xypex to waterproof from the positive or negative sides of block walls that have been painted and their products work like nothing else on the market. Read further that even the President agrees with this newer waterproofing method, who knows how much he may know about building and construction methods? But we know here at My-diy that its works, over and over ……….
Remarks by President Obama concerning:
“NEW CONCRETE MATERIALS THAT LAST LONGER AND ARE WATERPROOFED FROM THE INSIDE OUT...”
At a press conference on July 2nd, 2009 in the Rose Garden of The White House, President Obama, after meeting with CEOs from a number of “innovative energy companies”, spoke about a new clean energy economy and the importance of encouraging these companies’ efforts.
Based on his discussions with these CEOs, President Obama cited energy saving examples such as LED lighting and solar energy innovation. Most importantly, from our point of view, he also included comments about new concrete materials:
“New concrete materials that last longer and are waterproofed from the inside out, and that can mean that bridges and roads and buildings can last 20 or 30 years longer than using conventional concrete.”
His comment indeed represents support for integral concrete waterproofing as an alternative to traditional membrane or barrier systems, a challenge and opportunity that has been the very basis of the concept, design and development of Xypex crystalline technology. Xypex has, without doubt, led the way with integral concrete waterproofing in North America and, although The President did not endorse any particular product, we are very pleased that he is so clearly drawing attention to our type of technology and innovation.
D’Arcy Mainwaring
President
A Stucco NO! NO!
Here is a stucco no, no! In this photo, the simple project of combining a stair stepped yard border line, the walkway below the cedar 1×6 dog eared fence is poured in place and has the treated 4×4 fence post’s set during that concrete placement.
The public sidewalk was poured on the graded slope so 2 elevations are the challenge. Stucco exterior finish was the call at all the concrete below the fencing, the proper approach would have avoided this problem, cement materials cannot adhere to wood for any length of time, but the answer is adding some stucco lathe screen or wire fastened to the post to allow the stucco brown coat some tooth to grab and hang onto for life!
This property is located in Redondo Beach CA, where the homes median price range is over $700 k, and 10 years ago even in this current market the ROI has more than doubled. Location, location, location kids, but the name of the game is real estate anywhere has proven to beat any stock market over time…
Thoughts will become things
Every now and then again we will find ourselves fixed on an idea, thought or premonition. And with the constant bombardment of commercialism, media news and advertising surrounding our lives how can this not be? When Andrew Carnegie figured a way to fabricate mountain ores into a battleship, this perhaps did not happen overnight, rather starting as an idea and slowly manifesting into something tangible. The power of your brains or thoughts as well as opposing thumbs can be the sole difference from man to animal.
Many a day and night we have all struggled to grasp and hold onto a simple life changing decision such as maybe “how am i going to stop that leak?” well we here are living flesh that, given all the elements of any equation, the human mind still has to concentrate to a point to enable a solution, think-think-think using your mind is the greatest gift that any one God will have ever granted. An education is imperative, no doubt, but having a masters degree in any field, still requires a plow…..
Rain Gutter dilemma’s
Average homeowners throughout this world can now relax and need not to fret any longer about their rain gutters. With the expansive widths of the average fronts of our homes, my experience here lies in the fact that rain gutters cannot perform as designed. ![no push causing malice [mosquitos/ dryrot / water damage]](http://www.my-diy-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/thumbnail-23.jpg "no push causing malice [mosquitos/ dryrot / water damage]")
Water has to have a 1/4″ per foot slope to jettison the moisture to the down spout at the end, and not a sole likes to see a highly noticeable crooked rain gutter attached to the front of their homes. It appears wrong and anti symmetrical, common fascia board widths consist of 4″ to 12″ heights while, after installation causing a loss in fascia profiles when buried by drip edge flashing and shingle overhangs accentuating this dilemma.
I’m launching an all new and improved rain gutter marketing campaign that will easily and virtually correct and eliminate all of these aforementioned appearance and functionality problems. Take this opportunity now and tell me your stories of and why this may inexpensively be of service.
Napoleon Hill, Charles Hannel, Henry Ford, Tim Ferriss etc., all these great men that have changed many lives and authored books on self development, championed the fine art of mastermind groups to create change for all as well as a way to wealth through the laws of nature. “success requires no explanations, failure permits no alibis”
Avoiding water Damage
The incredible thing about water and the world is there can be nothing in existence without it. Perhaps all my readers certainly understand this concept, unlike when traping water and the damage it will surely cause over any amount of time. The average home annual upkeep is approximately $2,100 U.S. with weekly or monthly service accounts included. The longer that i have facilitated products and fabrication of home repairs / home maintenance / remodels / and additions etc., the further my conclusions have generated the simple fact that water needs an out. As this element evaporates and emits the gases needed while drying, my team and i have seen it move 1000’s of pounds of cement, hardwood flooring, and stucco IE., to completely disintegrate and destroy almost any type of building material[s].![retaining wall french drain [A WATER CAN GET OUT SYSTEM]](http://www.my-diy-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cimg0135-768x1024.jpg "retaining wall french drain [A WATER CAN GET OUT SYSTEM]")
The image here will allow the reader a little insight to this building to avoid water damage idea, this is a 4″ french drain designed to catch normal water runoff and push it to the downhill side of the 8″ block retaining wall, it is actually sitting atop the highest part of the lower footing [ not dirt ] and will filter through and out to the natural grade.
Fascia do’s and dont’s [how to prevent expensive repairs]
Can you believe my client actually paid for this for this fascia board/ termite repairs, removal and replacement, 2-1/2 years ago, in California during a drought period. We also will point out that 1×6 fascia board was not pre-primed before install and fastened by the drip edge metal roof flashing by the face nails through the bottom half of the drip edge flashing. Forcing it tight against and not letting it perform it’s designed task.
Extremely important is the fact that the moisture has to fall free from the roof and away from the face of the fascia board. This allows the costly repairs of real estate construction work, more time [6-10 years] between home improvement repairs.
Tools required: nail puller / small prybar / tin snips / electric reciprocating saw [sawzall] / straight claw hammer / primer / paint brush etc. DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME and REAP the REWARDS of HOME OWNERSHIP!
Fascia board replacement [drip-edge metal]
To fully understand how to protect the biggest investment in your portfolio’s, the curb appeal that will allow all viewers to smile upon approaching, is the front elevation of the house. Damage caused to the fascia board, often is coming from the top of the roof and not dripping free to the ground or into the rain gutter. 
The illustration here shows how moisture from the roof line is able to fall from above and drip clear and free from the roofs eave, this will absolutely give your home a much longer life span, lower maintenance up keep per a better built fascia board / roof edge metal assemblage.
When the water falls free and does not soak into your hard work on a daily basis, keeping termites farther away and giving you more time to spend doing the things you love.
diy how to handle 90lb bags of concrete mix
When there is a will there is always a way for the DIY’er. Concrete mix [redi-mix] bags are sold in 90 lb bags, and there are like move your sleeping 13 year old, but with no handles. If you have a few bags to mix for that patio slab for instance, there is a great technique to facilitate this chore. Diy home improvements for your real estate portfolios. The object to save your back and ease the dumping process. All these types of jobs needs you to get the mix into your choice of mixing bin. IE, wheelbarrow/ electric mixer / bucket or whatever?
[A] 
The first step is to set and lay the bag of mix flat over a short piece of rebar, where the center of the bag will fold as you lift upwards on the rebar.[B] take a utility knife and cut the bag across the width [C] Now as you lift the rebar or halfing tool, the cement, ceramic tile grout or bag of mix, will split into half with the sides standing. The open tops set upright waiting for you to grab and dump into your mixing apparatus. The beauty lies in the fact that for an extra minute of work you’ll be able to continue this fun chore the whole entire day.