Nelson's Gazebo

Some math with the scientific calculator app for the first time on the new HTC Droid. Pretty cool.

Nelson's Gazebo

Post's are set & the Glulam's are ready.

Haida Skirl siding

The Nelson's cabin included some great siding: Haida Skirl. It is a hand planed tight-knot cedar with natural wane left on the bevel. This gives the rustic charm that the Nelson's were looking for. They had originally requested that we use a false log. Most of their neighbors in this mountain town have some sort of log application. I sent them to Lakeside Lumber, & after reviewing the options, they elected Skirl (and I was very happy).

The cabin is in an area receiving upwards of 100 inches of rainfall per year, & I felt that a cedar product would be a great choice for longevity. They also had felled some native cedars & had them milled on site. We were able to then size the lumber and get some cool trim lumber that matched perfectly. It was all double coated with Land Ark exterior finish (with fungicide & UV inhibitor.) It's a couple years old and looking great!

Some of the other exterior finishing touches included: Timber Truss', Wrapped Porch finished with TimberTech composite decking, chain's for downspouts, 1x4 tongue & groove cedar soffits, stained concrete patio, and custom, oversized alder doors. All in all, it makes for a great getaway.

Watch for more upcoming- it looks like we are getting to help add an outdoor firepit & gazebo with the same post-n-beam hybrid construction.

Window Installation 101- Step 5

Now onto the inside. The last & final water-tight seal is created between the window & flashing that wraps onto the framing. Install foam backer rod & exterior caulking; Fortiflash makes a great caulk for this application, along with a handful of others. This is around all four sides, preventing any water from to enter as well as forming a great air infiltration barrier (no drafts!)

Next is to cut & install the surround. This is the 4 pieces that extend from the inside of the window to the outer edge of the drywall. For this project we are using pre-primed Hemlock fir. We are still maintaining the integrity of the age/appearance of the home; an extended sill with an apron below as well as a back band around the edge (available at specialty millwork shops- McCoy in Portland is my preferred supplier). I cut the sill & header pieces to the width of

window- not tight to the framing. Then the sides are cut; length of window less the width of the material doubled up (1 3/8" off the total in this case). The sides and top are as wide plus a 1/16" as the amount of framing & drywall to be covered, & the bottom is however much further out your extended sill will project into the room. You also need to leave the sides as long as they are going to be in the end. Make the cuts from the bottom, so the over cut won't show. I use a 12" miter saw along with a portable table saw w/a miter guide for most of my trim jobs. I use a 2" 18 gauge brad nail to build the surround. It is then installed resting on shims 16"o/c. Spray foam is applied to the gap between the 1x6 & the framing, ensuring no drafts or air-infiltration.

Now the legs & lentil are cut to size. the legs should extend from the sill, where they will rest, to 1/4" above the bottom of the window surround. On interior trim, I recommend a 1/4" reveal on all casings. The lentil rests on top of the legs & extends from the one outer edge to the other. Make sure to get your joints flush with each other and add a shim if necessary.

Another preference that I have is to chamfer interior butt-joints.

We refer to this as "celebrating" the joint. In reality, without a lot of work, they are not going to meet up & blend together acceptably, so I prefer to bring more attention and add a purposeful shadow line detail. If you opt to not do this, you will need to rip the eased edge of your flat stock (squaring it), add a biscuit, and prepare for some light sanding and filling. And I still find that over the years these joints have a tendency to telegraph through the paint... your call.

I now add back-band. Mitered corners are a must, and take your time to measure and cut accurately. The same rule applies here as on the exterior: a little too long is preferable. Glue the corners & pin them together on the floor, then install it like an applied picture frame. I use 23 gauge headless pins, but in the past I have used a 23 gauge wire narrow crown staple or a brad nail in a pinch. I use a 2 1/2" 15 gauge trim nail to pin the casing to the wall solidly, especially when casing doors.

Now set any nails if required. I fill the holes with light-weight spackle and a putty knife (or a chisel if I forgot to grab everything I should have).

Tape any edge you desire a nice crisp line at, apply a bead of caulk along all the linear joints. Work fast & don't let the caulk skin over before you have a chance to finger it. I like Miller's painter's caulk for interior finish situations, but most of the acrylic latex caulks would work fine. Get to know what's available and what cure's without too much shrinkage, which ones skin too quickly, etc. Peel the tape back on itself while the caulk is still wet. Let it dry for a day. Inspect & light sanding where it will help & paint.

Window Installation 101- Step 4

Time for exterior trim. This window is on a 100 year old house & we wanted to keep the look somewhat consistent with what is already on the house. For a farm house in the 1920's, in the NorthWest, flat stock is traditional.

I recommend butt-joints whenever possible on the exterior of the home. In this region, we have pretty harsh conditions for wood to deal with. Hot-dry summers with long hours of exposure to UV light (from 5am to 10:30pm at the extremes), and cold, damp winters with constant moisture; along with the occasional fairly severe extreme cold snap with quick onset conditions of very low humidity. This keeps wood pretty confused, and makes keeping a mitered corner looking good in an exterior application nearly impossible.

We used JumboTec 60 minute paper for our vapor retarder. It is an excellent & cost-effective product. When applying, make sure to install it in a shingling fashion.

Like feathers on a bird, scales on a fish, or shingles on a roof; start at the bottom & work up, giving ample room for layering, and making sure to tuck it under the counter flashing at the bottom of the window. Then add another layer of Fortiflash membrane flashing, at the bottom, then the sides, last the top.

Measure your first piece flat stock for the window sill. Here we used 5/4x6" without a true sill. My personal preference for material for painted exteriors is pre-primed finger-joint cedar. It comes with all the traditional qualities of cedar (straight & weather resistive) and is much more affordable than true cedar. The other option in the budget category is pre-primed SPF. This has become an industry standard in our area, but I strongly recommend against it. It is Spruce/Pine/Fir & often finger jointed as well. Over time it tends (on wider stock in particular) to warp and twist. It is does not have the natural properties of cedar to protect against weather over time, either.

Back to measuring: first the bottom of the window, then the sides from the top of the window to the bottom of the piece of wood being used as the sill (window + 5 1/4" in this case), then the top outside trim to outside trim (window + 10 5/8" in this case). While installing, "blind-caulk" the bottom trim. This is a bead of calk on the back-side of the wood set against the wall. This is a secondary measure preventing water from getting behind the wood. Keep your nailing regular & just beyond flush, so there is a small depression to receive caulking afterwards. You can use a pneumatic gun, or hammer & nails. Either way, use hot-dipped galvanized 7 or 8 penny nails (2 3/8" X .113 for a gun). If you are working on the coast, upgrade to stainless steel nails for ALL siding applications! Install the sides, blind-caulking the top edge, and finally the header (lintel)- blind caulking it on the upper edge as well.

The original house had a 2x2" band around the exterior window trim, providing a thickened edge for the shingles to meet. We accomplished this with some 2x2 that we rabetted to cap the 5/4x6. These we mitered, & they will hold up over the years due to: its small & stable size, it is cedar, & glue. Get the rabet's done first: we took out 1" x 3/4". Then cut to size, remembering that a bit too long will be to your advantage (like 1/16" to 1/8"). Glue & nail the corners together & then fasten to the wall. Again, keep the nails regularly spaced. This looks more pleasing & also helps find the nails if remodeling is needed in the future.

We then installed the sidewall shakes. We used 24" pre-primed #1 shakes with a single course 12" reveal. Remember to double up the first course.

You must leave gaps, approximately 1/8" to 3/16" at the edges. Also, remember to layer, & try to keep the sizing random. The trickiest part is weaving the corners, but with some patience you can get the 100 year old look (no corner boards). The biggest pointer is to slightly over-cut & then rasp-plane down to flush with the other piece. You need to remember to keep things running level; snap lines with your chalk box on a small project like this. It's not the quickest way in a production setting, but it works well in tight small spaces.

Now caulking around the trim & window & you are ready for paint! The caulking should set up for almost a month, but at least give it a full 24 hours.

Window Installation 101- Step 3

It may not actually be the 3rd step, but it is the 3rd installment of the "how-to". So... here it goes:

We are ready for window installation. The hole is prepped & flashed, checked for level & square, & you should have verified that the window you are going to install fits in the opening with approximately 1/4" to spare all the way around. In new construction when dealing with vinyl windows the opening is called out on the plans as the size the opening is supposed to be framed at. The windows ordered should arrive 1/2" shorter in the height & length. So a 5/0X4/6 will actually be 59 1/2" wide & 53 1/2" tall. (Also, the opening is referred to in ways: casement= hinged from a side, awning= hinged at the top, single-hung= sliding up, double-hung= sliding up or down, & x/0= sliding from left to right if looking @ it from the outside... the 'x' represents the operable part & the '0' represents the fixed)

Place carpenter's pencils in the bottom corners & about every 2 or 3 feet on the sill. The window will rest on these during installation, ensuring a gap at the bottom of the window which helps with potential water having an escape route as well as ensuring the window room for movement as the house/addition settles over the first year.

Now, apply a continuous bead of caulk @ the sides & top of the opening. DO NOT APPLY TO THE BOTTOM! This again allows for an evacuation route for any potential water intrusion from above. We are directing it where we want it to go. Outside & down the wall, on-top of the vapor retarder.

We have a 1/6X2/0 single hung window. Remove the screen if there is one, & make sure the window is locked closed. Working from the outside, place the window into the opening on top of the pencils or shims (verify that the weep-holes are on the outside & at the bottom). If you are working alone, slide it to the right, make mark, then slide it to the left. Now, split the difference between the two spots & slide the window to roughly centered.

Take a 2" galvanized roofing nail & drive it into one of the bottom corner holes in the window fin. Don't drive it all the way, in-case adjustment is needed.

Check for level & adjust if needed. This will help to ensure proper function of the operable parts. Tack the window in place, unlock it, & check for proper function. If all is well, fill every other hole in the fin along the sides and bottom, leaving the top alone. At the top, install the nails above the fin about 1/2" and drive part-way, bending them over to hold the window in position while allowing for potential movement in the framing.

You are now ready for vapor retarder & more flashing.

Window Installation 101- Step 2

I have found that different products stand up under pressure in different ways. Some products in the construction industry have been around for 100 years & longer, while some are still under development. As a general rule, I opt for good-old-fashioned-tried-&-true things. Window flashing is an area that has changed almost daily since the advent of "double-paned aluminum" windows w/an integrated installation fin. This has made product knowledge invaluable, & difficult to stay on top of, but I try. Basically I have found the old saying: "Everything is not created equal" to be true. As a general rule, you also get what you pay for. The products I am showing aren't the only ones on the market. I even know of a couple that might out-perform, but the Fortifiber line is among the best @ innovation & quality, while remaining readily available and affordable.

Caulking is placed @ the bottom corners (a healthy bead @ approximately 1/4"). I choose Moistop here and a couple other places due to it's excellent adhesion to vinyl windows & other flashing materials.

Then, place the corner shields @ the bottom corners. These are another product that I believe is money well spent. Again, they

are manufactured by Fortifiber.

Next, place a strip of at least 6" butyl based flashing membrane. I like the FortiFlash, but several manufacturers make quality products. I look for good flexibility & adhesion. Some other options are: BlueSkin, Grace, & WetFlash. Make sure that the inside will wrap onto the flat portion of the sill past where the inside of the window will be (if you keep it in 2" or more, it should be adequate.

Continue applying the flashing membrane. The idea, with all exterior weather-proofing systems, is "shingling". Think of bird feathers or fish scales. Always overlay & work from the bottom up. The outer-most layer will be @ the top, always. Whether you are laying roof shingles, horizontal plank siding, or flashing in a window. So, think like water & layer things starting at the bottom.

The pictures should give a good idea of what the product will look like at the stage we are at. If it seems redundant, complicated, or over-technical; it is. But that is what keeps the weather were it should stay, out-side.

Next: Actually Installing the Window!

Window Installation 101

Windows, while adding much to the outward appearance of a home as well as providing needed ventilation & natural light inside, provide a set of challenges that often remain overlooked in the exterior cladding of a home. I have spent some time installing windows & over-seeing window installation, & correcting poor window installation. So, I recently found myself working on a small remodel/addition with one window needing installation. I decided this would be an excellent opportunity to show a couple pointers & techniques that we employ to ensure a weather-tight building envelope & give the customer a lifetime of service.

Window Install 101- step 1

Step 1: You have a framed house, addition, barn... whatever & if it has windows, there should be holes in the walls. In the Pacific NW, most everything we build is inspected, including the type & thickness of plywood used for framing as well as the type, length, diameter & spacing of the nails used as well as if they were installed flush & straight. All of this might not seem of great importance relating to how to set a window, but... the required inspections limit our ability to install the vapor retarder right after framing. This makes window installation a bit more tricky.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE BEGINNING WITH AN OPENING THAT FITS THE WINDOW YOU WILL BE INSTALLING! Check for square (the diagonal measurements should be equal) and the sill should be level. You should also check the window itself. Sweep the sill, & check that it is clean/free of debris- as well as dry. This is to allow proper adhesion for the flashing materials.

Tack flashing paper across the bottom of the sill. You can use a couple roofing nails, or a hammer-tacker w/A11 staples. In either choice, keep the penetrations at the top & minimize the amount (less is more). The flashing paper should be loose @ the bottom- this allows for the vapor retarder to go underneath it later.