shirlock homes

42,907 reputation

250102

bio	website	axiomhomeservices.com
	location	Windham, ME
	age	61
visits	member for	2 years, 9 months
	seen	7 hours ago
stats	profile views	2,313

General Building Contractor, Certified Home Inspector and Licensed EPA Renovator. I am winding down my years of pounding nails, building custom homes and additions, renovating kitchens and bathrooms, and converting cellars and attics into beautiful living spaces. I am doing more and more home inspections as my bones age and my back gives out. Now I find it easier to look objectively at home structures than to build them. My goal here on Stack Exchange is to help DIY'ers do it the right way and share my years of building experience with them. I may not always give the most popular answer, but I will always give my best informed advise.

	42,907 reputation	bio	website	axiomhomeservices.com	visits	member for	2 years, 9 months
250102 badges		location	Windham, ME		seen	7 hours ago

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May 8	comment	How do you keep from dropping grout all over when tiling? Yes. I use a silicone rubber covered 10 inch trowel. Never use a metal blade type tool to push grout, it will scratch the tile.
May 7	comment	Should I finish staining my half-stained deck with rain coming? Don't cover it with anything that will touch it !!!!! If the satin is not cured, it will stick and you will have a mess. Rather have water spots and do a second coat than have to deal with peeled stuck coatings.
May 6	comment	What techniques are there to smooth out or remove textured (knockdown) drywall? Skim coating is a good idea. Just be certain the texture is secure to the ceiling. Scrape off any loose material before mudding. Also use my secret skim mud recipe.
May 6	comment	What techniques are there to smooth out or remove textured (knockdown) drywall? did you mean 3/8" drywall????
May 6	comment	How to clean hard soap scum and lime from bathtub? try a product called "Barkeeper's Friend". It has a super fine abrasive that is safe for glossy surfaces and clear coats and Cyrillic acid which works well on dried on and old lime, calcium, and other solids. Worth a try and on the shelf at the grocery store. Also works wonders on dull headlight covers.
May 6	comment	How can I prevent a tankless propane on-demand water heater from freezing up in very cold climates? where the hell do you live that gets -50F ? WOW. BTW, an on demand water heater doesn't need to use the chimney. I usually has a direct vent/exhaust out the side of the building.
May 5	comment	How do you keep from dropping grout all over when tiling? feed the grout from the hawk directly to the wall with your trowel. Then just hold under, don't rest the hawk on the tile, a half inch away. Start at the bottom and work your way up. Push the grout up and sideways and you won't drop as much.
May 2	comment	How do I determine if a wall is load bearing? Rare that a partition wall parallel with the floor or ceiling joists would be load bearing. Usually the joists end at a point that is load bearing. this is in the center of the building or along the parameter. load bearing areas will have posts supporting beams in the basement, where joists rest on the beam.
Apr 30	comment	How can I prevent an above-ground pool underlayment from failing due to erosion at one location? I am a true believer in finding the root cause for problems. Some DIYers tend to look for the quick fix and not willing to take the extra time to do it right. Not necessarily this person's situation, but see so many questions looking for the magic bullet.
Apr 27	comment	Can I build a 28" retaining wall using blocks with no lip? @Eric: Can you explain what you are referring to as a lip? I am not really sure what you are talking about. May be just a difference in vocabulary. Are you referring to interlocking lips on the paving stones?
Apr 27	comment	How can I insulate my attic conversion, without pulling down the plasterboard? If the cavities are vented and covered directly with sheetrock, then they cannot be insulated. This situation is a no no!!! Soffit to ridge venting should not be done in a closed cavity.
Apr 26	comment	Are flexible PVC couplings rated for direct burial? I think the clamps may suffer underground, but if you use some neoprene tape (ice & water shield etc.) on the joints I'm sure it will last indefinitely. There is no pressure, so any fairly rust resistant coupling should work fine.
Apr 26	comment	What are the issues with using sour smelling paint? Once you have painted over the foul primer with some new paint, the problem should be gone forever. Glad you threw out the old stuff.
Apr 24	comment	Should I use underlay when tiling a bathroom? pouring and leveling an inch of concrete on a floor is a real trick. Stick with the hardy backer. Poured concrete on plywood is not a great idea, more water. Also, it can't be removed easily if one wants to change the floor at a future date.
Apr 24	comment	What type of nail gun is recommended? Clip heads have served me well for over a decade and you have so many choices of sizes and styles in stock at box stores, ie: common, galv, threaded, etc.
Apr 24	comment	What type of nail gun is recommended? @Eric. I have two bostitch framers. One is over 10 years old, been re-sealed three times (normal for the amount of use) at no charge by bos at shows when you buy a case of nails. the damn thing is bullet proof. It has taken headers from 30 feet up with no damage. I use only clip head nails. you can load a lot more and no debris flying in your face. For what little use you will give it, it will last a lifetime. There is no real advantage to round head nails, they both work fine.
Apr 24	comment	What are the issues with using sour smelling paint? Is the paint now dry? How long has it been on the wall?
Apr 23	comment	What type of nail gun is recommended? What size is your air compressor?
Apr 23	comment	Is creating a concrete driveway a diy? LOL. I love this answer.
Apr 22	comment	How do I know if my power drill needs to rotate clockwise or counter clockwise to drill forward? I have never in 50 years seen a counter clockwise drill bit. All bits drill clockwise.