Wood / Discussions

We recently bought a house that was likely constructed in the 1920's or 30's and we would like to install siding on it.  Currently it is clad in insulbrick and some of it is starting to break down.  The previous owner told us that the walls are constructed of 2x4 studs with no insulation and lumber sheathing on the ins...

I have cedar on the floor of my porch and want to clean it up. After sanding I could apply tung oil but it has a long cure time so I was wondering if I could use Brio instead? Prato Verde makes a number of natural finishing oils, so there will have products for exterior decks, you can see the options of Prato verde fin...

...wood oil finish, you can read more here – Natural Food Safe Wood Finishing Oil for Floors, Counters & Decks Anytime you have clawed feet on a wood floor you will be at risk of scratches to the wood and the sealer, so its more about finding one that is easier to repair when the scratches happen. Most wood floors are...

...wood (which I have sourced). My questions pertain to best and most healthy approach with regards to: 1) Radon -- I have a radon issue and have recently installed an active depressurization mitigation system which is working well!  In re-doing floors there is an opportunity to futher seal the basement concrete floor aga...

wood, composite, or any other? What brand do you recommend? To learn what materials are best for decking and for how to build durable deck that will last you will find what you need on this page -  How to Build Beautiful Decks that Last - Top Tips & Photos There are a few minor tips for deck building that can grea...

...wood, engineered wood, any particular brand? Also for kitchen and bathroom floor, what do you recommend to use tile, travertine, marble? There are a few things to consider when choosing flooring for a home, and as you mention, we have often chosen different materials for bathrooms or kitchens to improve durability sinc...

...wood or carbonized wood siding, also known as Shou Sugi Ban, is a a matter of slightly charring the outside surface of the wood. See our page here that explains better Shou sugi Ban carbonized wood siding  There is no specific wall assembly that is necessary for installing Shou Sugi ban wood, it behaves just as other f...

...wood sheathing (on top of ext stud wall, underneath finish ext siding) has formaldyde, glues all of which are toxic.  What can I use that will be non-toxic, or at least much less toxic? Thank you very much! pier charter OSB and plywood exterior sheathing no longer contain Urea Formaldehyde, so they really aren’t that t...

I have a 540 sq ft room that needs new framing, insallation, interior and exterior walls.  Termites and woodrot have eaten the exterior walls posts and beams. And as it is 15 ft in the air with sun exposure I hope never to paint the exterior.  Suggestions?   Anytime you are looking for a structural solution like this y...

...woods and plats used in construction sites There is a growing market for buying and selling used building materials online, the following page can help you figure out how and were you can do that regionally - Where to buy and sell used building materials I hope you are able to find what you're looking for on that page....