Fine Homebuilding Magazine

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contributors • THE VOICES OF EXPERIENCE

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

letters • READER FEEDBACK

tips&techniques

Changes to the building codes

TWO SAWS ARE BETTER THAN ONE

Specialist sander

Hi-tech hard hat

Smooth Operator

No-compromise cordless grinder

The Complicated Role of a Water Resistive Barrier • Choose the right product and install it well, because if you’re not keeping water out, nothing else matters

SIX WAYS TO MANAGE WATER

A CLOSER LOOK AT WATER-RESISTIVE BARRIERS

WRB FAQs • I interviewed a number of manufacturers’ marketing folks and product managers for this article. One thing that I asked all of them was, “What are the most common question you get about your products?” Here are some of the most applicable responses.

Installing Reglet Trim • How to this tricky without pull off detail callbacks

WORKING WITH REGLET • The term “reglet” comes from masonry and refers to the groove cut into a mortar joint to receive counterflashing. The clean lines and minimalist look of reglet trim originated in commercial buildings. Here we used Fry Reglet moldings (fryreglet.com). The company manufactures the trim in steel and aluminum—in unfinished and prefinished versions—for use with drywall, plaster, stucco, and fiber cement.

INSTALLING REGLET • The secret to a successful reglet-trim installation is ensuring the pieces don’t move, which can lead to cracks in the joint compound that conceals the nailing flange. It’s also important to overlap the exposed part of the reglet in corners and transitions or you’ll end up with gaps that are impossible to conceal with caulk or filler.

Built For Catastrophe • This coastal Washington home is built to stay upright, even during weather events that would destroy the average house

SHELTER FROM THE STORM • The main living space is located on the second level in case of storm surges and flooding. It’s oriented to protect against excessive sun exposure and optimize shade potential for maximum occupant comfort, while letting in light and views from the north.

Air-Sealed and On Piers • An up-in-the-air solution to sealing an elevated floor

BRACE AND LIFT • The floor system sits on a pressure-treated 2x foundation attached to concrete piers. We build a standard floor frame on top of that—but we don’t nail it until we’ve lifted it and sheathed the bottom. This floor was small, so a couple of doubled-up 2x4 strongbacks secured with long structural screws into each joist were enough to hold its weight; for larger floors, calculate the load and size your strongbacks, screws, and lifts accordingly.

SEAL THE UNDERSIDE

INSULATE AND CAP

Job-Site Protection • Products and methods to keep your clients’ stuff clean and safe

COVERING ASSETS • Our clients are often living in the homes we’re remodeling, so we have to protect and show respect for their possessions. Before a job starts, the project manager walks the entire area affected by the proposed construction and identifies all the objects to be left in the space and those that must be removed. We also identify what trim or other building materials are to be saved and which are to be donated or disposed of. Different colors of tape or spray paint identify different categories.

PROTECTING SURFACES • We shield floors and flat surfaces from foot traffic, dropped...