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    Unusual structure

    So buying a 1910 farm house fixed upper for my son. There is a truss like structure though not sure it's really a truss. That doesn't matter - whether the "top chord" is that or if the bottom chord is doing the work. This sits directly on top of a wall dividing two bedrooms on second floor, and...
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    Mildew on wood

    I'm going to "refinish" these spindles. Should I do anything extra for the mildew or just pressure wash, lightly sand, and prime and paint? I was also thinking about setting bottom end in a pail with an inch of preservative before priming. It will be sitting on a 2x5.
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    Mini-split and "central heating system"

    Helping my son buy a house in PA. Fixer upper - gut, all new electric and plumbing, etc. Want to do mini-splits with a pellet stove as "back up" but probably will be main heat source. Insurance company is saying a house has to have a "central heating system" and pellet stove won't do that, and...
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    Rafter Thrust Calculator

    Found this on another Web site. Believe it is credible. I'm fine with the prescriptive requirements of the IRC but thought this would be useful if designing a horizontal beam as a means to resist rafter thrust. I guess flying buttresses too. :)...
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    I don't do cars, but if I did...

    I think I'd jump on this. https://www.facebook.com/share/1CWkEYMhsZ/
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    Main bedroom addition

    Thinking about adding a master bedroom on ground floor. Age and knees making stairs (code min 8.25 x 9 in NY) harder. Just in thinking stage. First question have not built "new" since the requirements for continuous exterior insulation was added. I'd like to stick with the vinyl siding...
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    well water pressure problem

    Turn on any spigot in house, hot or cold, runs fine for a moment, then slows to a small stream. Same symptom at drain valve before below gauge. It was near 40 but dropped fast like pressure. Best I can find is turn off pump power, close ball valve to not drain whole house, drain the tank, and...
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    LED can-less wafer light code and detail questions

    Installing t&g porch ceiling and plan on installing 9 canless wafer lights. I've ordered them from nuwatt. These have separate junction box with driver and cord and plug connected water. Code wise is it perfectly acceptable for that box to be laying on ceiling? Is it required to be able to...
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    t&g ceiling - **** joints

    Should I bevel ends at but joints or cut square? I'll have quite a few joints. If I square cut, what is simplest thing I might but on top of joint? Interested in appearance but more interested in sealing against bees and wasps, which I know were previously a problem. Lots of paper wasp nests...
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    DeWalt 705 miter saw won't tilt

    Google failed me. I've had this saw for 20 years and never a problem. Been using it nearly every day for past few months, including bevel and miter cuts. Today I try to tilt saw and it frozen. Won't budge. Haven't tried tapping it hard yet. Have been cutting a lot of Axek so wondering if that...
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    open valleys on shingled roof

    I've done open valleys with galvanized W valley flashing before. Shingles run to within 2 to 3 inches of center, trimmed parallel to center, and top corners clipped. Googling, I see laying full shingles parallel to valley, end to end, **** 2 to 3 inches from center, and then whole shingles laid...
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    4 pin trailer connector

    is there a way to disasemble this plug or just snip it off? Best option to attach new? Totally new area for me - I know nothing.
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    Dry or damp?

    Planning down lights in porch ceiling. Determing if this is a dry or damp location is not simple. The building code board more or less say dry. Roof just like a house with a solid ceiiling - no different than an attic. Made me wonder if recessed lights in a soffit was dry or damp. Anyone...
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    Furring porch ceiling

    Furring ceiling joists to install 1x6 edge and center bead t&g pine. One section about 8 x 12 with furring needed perpendicular to joists 16" on center. Other section is wrap around - about 6' deep - with joists 24" on center parallel to needed furring, with 2x4 blocking 24" on center. I don't...
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    Wall flashing on reroof

    Another challegene on my porch addition, after I have decided to reroof existing. Picture shows existing wall flashing. I suspect this was not nailed through on original roof but on reroof they nailed through it. It's very well sealed - caulked - to that bottom piece of vinyl. My best idea at...
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    ice and water shield

    As I progress with my porch addition, I've decided I should replace existing porch roof - just a little over 3 squares. I'd like to cover entire roof and leave it exposed for a few weeks while I build addition over it. Like adding a false dormer. Am I safe leaving icexan water shield exposed...
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    Concealed beam hangers

    I'm installing somee headers on my porch addition and am using Simpson concealed beam hangers. (Concealed have flanges turn in rather than to sides if you didn't know.) Mine are triple 2x6. Using the recommended screw, I measure I have to cut header 3/26" short of post to post clear. In fact I...
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    Porch post conundrum

    Received porch posts for porch addition. Attached is the installation instructions I downloaded. How would you attach posts to floor with the aluminum plinths? FWIW, these match the profile of existing just about exactly. Pleased. The existing posts, there for 30 years and seem fine, are not...
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    GRK AnglePro Hidden Deck Fastening Tool

    Saw this and thought I'd try it. I'm putting down 4/5 x 6 pine decking. It's terrific. Maybe not as fast as an auto feed deck screw gun but pretty fast, and love the fasteners being hidden. I sprung for the SS screws - over $50 for 200 - and think I will be very pleased with look and longevity.
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    roof sheathing

    My search here for roof sheathing didn't yield much - probably wrong terms. Small hip roof porch addition - probably not on piece of ply not cut - all hips and valleys - 9 pieces total. Unheated and 60 PSF dedign snow load. Asphalt shingles. 16" o.c. rafters. Metal "W" valleys. I prefer CDX...
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