Questions tagged [construction]
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396
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How close can I set a post to the base of a retaining wall?
Any recommendations how close you can put a post (4”x4”) which will be 2 feet deep in the ground and close to retaining wall? The wall is just 1 year old.
I am going to build 3 sides of fence to cover ...
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When an outbuilding's floor joist system is mounted on concrete piers with brackets, how is the sill plate fastened to the perimeter? [closed]
When the floor oist system of a one-storey outbuilding like a 200 sq ft shed is bolted to cylindrical concrete piers using U-shaped brackets |_| and there is a "sandwich" of 5/8 plywood ...
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I want to build a simple wooden outhouse but the ground is soft - how to make sure it's stable? [closed]
The old outhouse at our rural property has been slowly collapsing for years already. The two problems with it are rotting wood at the base, and soft ground which has resulted in one side slowly ...
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Is this old house safe?
I bought an old house (built 1960) which had been abandoned for the last 30 years.
There was no concrete used in the construction, the base is made of some kind of white stone until about a meter up, ...
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Can I put a 2x10 ceiling joist Douglas Fir#1 at 21-6 span at 24 on center?
In my garage I have a span of 21 feet and 6 inches with 2x8 rafters.
Can I put a 2x10 ceiling joists on 24OC for an ADU? They will be sitting in the top plate of the walls.
I am in California, and ...
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3
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How do you level and fasten joists over uneven concrete for a deck?
Update/solution for future reference: I used a laser level set 20in. above desired top the joists and then laid a joist on its side next to where it would ultimately be positioned and then used a ...
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Raising a sagging section of my houses central beam ~1.2 inches
My house was built in the 1980s and is your standard rectangular home, garage/basement on the bottom and living space above. I've been renovating the basement slowly and am trying to remove a few ...
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What are interlocking table legs like this called?
For temporary support of a glass pane, I have been looking for cheap steel rods bent
into this simple upside-down U shape (the bottom two points will contact the ground):
The idea is to join a few of ...
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2
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116
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Will my custom table frame support a soapstone top?
I’m having a custom dining table made. The base will be white oak and measure approximately 68x38. The top is going to be soapstone and is 3cm thick and weighs approximately 500 lbs. The stone ...
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Subfascia size rafter tail mismatch
I'm in the process of redoing the fascia + soffits on my house. My roof framing consists of trusses with 2x4 top chords (so the tails are 3.5" tall). I'm planning on doing a 2x8 subfascia (7.25&...
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Moving a Crossbar in a barn style shed
I have a 12x20 workshop and it was shipped with this Crossbar that is in a very inconvenient spot.
+-----------------------+
! ! ! !
! ! ! !
! Loft. ...
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What style of home and type of construction is my home built in 1900 in Georgia, USA?
Just purchased this home this year, it was built in 1900 and is Northwest of Atlanta, GA. The real estate and hazard insurance companies considered it a "wood frame," but upon trying to ...
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42
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Can a roof be supported with a 2x12 which is cantaleverd 8'?
I'm building a 12x24 building with 8' of the roof 10psf. being supported with one 2x12 on each side cantaleverd 8'from the other 16' of the building. Will a single 2x12 on either side of the 8 x 12 ...
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Need to support a 3500 lb hot tub 7’x6.5’
Deck is 12’x 8’with mid span posts(6’). Double 2x10 beams around. 16” center 2x10 joists. All posts 6x6 treated S-Pine as well as all lumber. Tub is placed over the 6x8’span. (1/2 of the deck. Will ...
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Is it possible to pour a monolithic concrete pit?
I'm pouring a concrete storm water pit over an existing pipe. This is basically a big box without a lid. Most jobs I've seen pour the base first, let it cure, and then place the wall forms on top and ...
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Help identifying the method of construction my house uses
Walls are approximately 13.75” thick. Listed as stone and stucco.
I saw what looks like water damage in a corner and the, what I’m assuming is plaster, had been damaged. I cut the paint to expose ...
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Drywall over old roof and shingles
We’ve added a garage addition on to our home. The new roofline of the garage encapsulates an existing first floor roof. I’d like to incorporate the area above the existing roof into the new garage ...
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270
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Need to move a power pole prior to new addition. Whats the cost? [closed]
I need to relocated a utility pole on a line going to a single home, pushing it back to the treeline. Once it is moved I need it to then go underground for the new pole to the house in the same ...
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Can I start the minor work before the construction permit has been issued?
I need to replace the ceiling in my kitchen from drop ceiling tiles to sheetrock. Will this be regarded as minor work? On the New Jersey state website (https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/codes/alerts/...
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Help! Is our contractor skimping on us on our basement foundation repair?
Our contractors just finished a job to completely redo one of our basement foundation wall, but we have some questions about the quality of the work.
They assured us it was fine, but is it normal to:
...
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129
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Concerns with new deck structure
We had a new deck built by contractors, and have a few concerns on what I might need to fix, or have them come back to repair:
Looks like a mistake/mismeasurement here, but is it alright to lean a ...
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Are these roof members structural support?
I’m fairly new to DIY home improvement. Are these arrowed parts structural support? I’m looking to vault the ceiling below but I’m not sure if I need to involve an engineer.
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Adding storage above garage ceiling
I'd like to add some storage space in the ceiling of the garage. It looks like someone got a start on it already. There looks like a 16 foot 2x4 nailed into the top of the wall on both sides with one ...
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69
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What's the safest way to pour a slab without undermining existing posts [closed]
Im working on a 2 story addition that is resting on 6x6 posts. Unfortunately due to timing I was unable to work out pouring a slab prior to our contractor begining our addition project and pouring the ...
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3
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94
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Replacing foundation piers. How's this temporary shoring/support of our home?
We're having piers underneath our house replaced. Temporary shoring is the responsibility of the contractor.
Any thoughts on this? For perspective, this is holds 2 stories, 14' span. My biggest ...
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88
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Weather proof and insulate free standing building floor
I'm looking for suggestions on how to best insulate and protect an exterior office (shed) floor from the elements. The structure base will be built on top of helical piles, 6-8" above the ground ...
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54
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will a partition wall float?
While replacing some burnt lumber I found a partition wall sitting perpendicularly atop two 2x8 joists.
I need to remove said joists and the subfloor above them back to the carrier beam.
I'm thinking ...
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1
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193
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Sharing a Post Between 2 Beams (Deck)
In my deck design I have some beams (triple 2x10) that meet at posts (6x6). If I align the angled beam with the edge of the post, then that would allow the remaining 1" of the post for the ends ...
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114
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Where do I place beams for a deck with an angle?
I'm working on the design for a deck and I'll be having a long angle in it. I've used Home Designer Pro to work on the design, and it generates all the framing.
My question is concerning the beam ...
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285
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What is the proper way to add another subfloor layer?
I am currently replacing carpet with hardwood flooring. The subfloor is OSB laid on-top of joists. The hardwood manufacture has recommended that a layer of 1/2 plywood be added to the subfloor in ...
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I've had to box out a drain pipe from the roof and a steam riser: do I need to vent the box so that condensation doesn't accumulate inside?
Redoing my kitchen, two pipes run along the corner of a wall: a steam riser for the upstairs radiator and a down pipe for the gutter on the roof. They are within one or two inches of each other. I'm ...
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What is this treatment on the walls of my basement?
I'm wondering what this covering is on the walls in my unfinished basement? Most of it is pretty hard and rigid, though there is some near an exterior door that's flaking off. This mottled texture and ...
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Outswing exterior door in 6inch wall- did contractor install correctly?
We're doing a large addition with 6" walls and the back outswing door doesn't seem right, and a little research indicates there are specific doors/windows for 6" walls but neither our ...
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185
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Steam mop hardwood floors
How bad would it be to steam mop hardwood floors once? I got new flooring through my house and then had to have a lot of drywall work done. The floors were not covered (I didn't know better). I've ...
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What fastener to affix 2x6 support to 16" deep 16'L lvl?
I am building a temp support wall using 16" lvl and 4 built up 2x6's on each end for support "legs".
What fastener would be best suited to join a single 2x6 to the face of a 3.5" 2 ...
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73
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Loft bed design question [closed]
I am building a twin loft bed. The loft would be a DIY bed with 4 legs, but have a design challenge on one leg side of loft bed.
There is an air floor register located to one of the 4th leg.
So how ...
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536
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How to add brick mould to this?
Learning how-to doors!
Old door was inswing that had exterior brickmould built in. New door is an outswing that does not have this feature.
How can I add brickmould to this fiberglass door as it sits, ...
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60
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Horizontal joist losing support from vertical support joist in Garage ceiling?
It’s happening in few more places which causing horizontal joist turning into little curve.
What mending brace plate should I use?
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How to improve oddly designed Pergola structure stability?
I recently removed a 1980's hottub set above my deck, this removal caused me to realize some of the exterior hottub seating turned out to be a bit more structural supporting then first thought.
I am ...
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Is my garage door header calculation correct?
I'm adding an 8' opening to an existing 2x4 wall originally built almost 30 years ago. The wall is definitely load bearing as it currently supports the ends of 30' trusses on 24" centers. I live ...
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Curb around the perimeter of my exposed basement
I want to remove this window and install a door in my exposed basement. There is a 5" high by 4" deep curb around the perimeter of the basement which I would need to remove, but I do not ...
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Preventing squeaky floor
We had a major house fire and our house has been demo'd down to the frame. The floor is 2x12 x 8 long joists that butt against each other on the cross beam supports. We plan on using adhesive on the ...
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How much flex can a wall have that supports tile?
I have a short divider wall in my bathroom that separates the shower from the rest of the bathroom. Originally the wall was made of 2x2 wood. Topdown image showing the wall in question colored blue:
...
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Would you know the weight capacity of a roof for a pool house aprox. 400sq ft used as an entertainment space ie. furniture, garden pots, hottub etc.?
We would like to have the ideal weight capacity for anything thrown at us basically. If we have to rent out the house the added benefit should be a roof top that can hold additional people, furniture, ...
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Build a door frame
We have a back porch about 235 sq ft. the previous owner installed it directly on the 2x4s and purlins. It is extremely noisy.
Will removing metal sheets then laying plywood/OSB and felt and ...
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Why do many garages only have 2-3 ceiling joists
I've noticed several garages now that only have 2-3 ceiling joists typically a 2x6 or 2x8. Why is that? I thought you would need joists spanning the whole length. It seems typical in older garages in ...
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Best way to turn my detached garage into an insulated shop?
There is a pretty large detached garage on my property (built ca 1995) approx 16' x 29'. Previous owner had started putting R-11 insulation on the walls and underside of roof, but I think may want to ...
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158
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Building a pergola against a garage - can I attach a ledger board to garage door header?
I'd like to attach a pergola to my garage, and add a yard-facing door as well. Here is an annotated picture of my garage:
I wrote "roll door" on the picture, but in case it matters, I am ...
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4
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How to make this pulley system more efficient?
I am trying to make a portable pulley system to lift heavy stuff. I made the following prototype using 8 individual pulleys:
When I pull the rope, the load should seem approximately 8 times lighter ...
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What size scaffolding wooden planks should I use
I'm erecting scaffolding with 5'x5' frames and 7' crossbraces. I want to use wooden planks. OSHA planks apparently are 2" x 10" x 8' Southern Yellow Pine and cost about $30-$40. At the ...