Seattle Custom Home builder - cantilever decks

Whether you are a Seattle custom home builder or a Seattle home owner, cantilever deck construction is like anything else.  It can be done correctly and be trouble free for years with periodic maintenance.  When a cantilever deck is built with shoddy construction practices the problems can become significant due to the structure extending inside the living space.  There are three problems this Seattle custom home builder runs into a lot in repairing cantilever decks that are in a state of failure.  Lack of maintenance , poor waterproofing, undersized joists and too little back span.
All buildings require maintenance to keep them functional.  Cantilever decks are no exception and should be inspected and cared for often as any problems that arise can work their way inside the building multiplying the cost and inconvenience of repair. Garden debris (leaves, pine needles, etc) should never be allowed to build up on the deck surface.  Allowing organic debris to build up invites, dry rot and pests that can compromise the structure.  Caulk joints, flashings, and membranes that are used to separate the exterior portion of the deck from the interior structure should be inspected and maintained regularly.  Builders with experience working in the wet Seattle climate generally have the experience to limit maintenance needs.
Probably the most damage we Seattle custom home builders see arise from poor waterproofing in cantilever deck construction is lack of slope away from the building.  With a waterproof walking surface on a deck the deck should slope away from the building at least 1/8″ per foot and ideally 1/4″ per foot.  With an open joint decking the slope is less important but the joist should still slope away from the building somewhat.  Lack of proper metal flashing elements is another big contributor to failure in a cantilever deck construction.  Since the joists of the deck are integral to the ceiling and floor of the building, protecting the area where the joists exit the building with proper waterproofing techniques is important.  Any Seattle custom home builder should be paying close attention to this.
Another problem I have seen in repairing cantilever deck construction is the under sizing of the joists and too little back span.  Having undersized joist leads to a soft and squishy deck that will move to much when in use.  Having the structure move and bounce works on the joints and creates construction problems over time.  Even when the lumber is sized correctly the system will not function correctly without the right back span.  The rule of thumb is the back span should be 2.5 x the length of the over hanging deck surface.  For example a 4 ft deck would need a 10 foot back span which would require 14′ joists.
If construction defects are present in your cantilever deck construction, taking measures to repair the deck sooner rather than later will avoid may more potential headaches.  In some of the repair projects the damage was so severe that the cantilever system was completely removed and post and beam deck structures installed.

Seattle remodeling - Paints and coatings cont.

Feb

19

Seattle remodeling – paints and coatings cont.

Posted by: KEKeever | Comments Comments Off

Aside from painting, staining and finishing wood and drywall there are many more substrates that will receive paint and/or coatings in any given home remodeling project. Steel, aluminum, concrete, concrete block… The key is to select the right paint or coating for the job. Using the wrong paint or coating in your home remodeling project can be catastrophic to final results. A paint designed specifically to stick well to concrete may not be the best choice for painting your steel deck railing. Paints and coatings aren’t a one size fits all home remodeling project product. The factors that drive a decision on what product to use in a home remodeling project are: What’s the color and or/sheen desired? What’s the substrate? How durable does the finish need to be to last an adequate duration of time. Is the product you are considering un reasonably harmful to the environment? An example for a Seattle remodeling project might look like this: Imagine a steel railing on a 2nd floor Juliet balcony. The owner might want to use the most durable coating possible to avoid having to work off a ladder and repaint when the coating fails. This might drive the owner to consider powder coating. However powder coatings don’t have quite the color the owner wants. So because the owner of the Seattle home remodeling project values durability over getting the exact right color, powder coating is selected. The best resource when navigating the murky seas of paints and coatings for your Seattle home remodeling project is to talk to the paint and coating manufacturers as they know the most about the use of their products.

Seattle Remodeling - Paints and Coatings

I don’t want to get into colors.  We’ll leave that up to the designers.  Paints and coatings in most home remodeling and quality custom home construction is a fairly simple affair.  The most important thing to consider when talking paints and coatings is surface preparation.  Surface prep typically consists of cleaning, sanding, caulking, filling and priming.  The best Seattle remodeling contractors will take the time to make sure surfaces that are to receive coatings are kept clean and undamaged during construction.  Priming is not always necessary for the finish coat you might be considering.  However if the surface is not primed when that is a requirement for the finish coat, problems will certainly arise.  Some new paint products out have the primer built into the finish for a single coat application.  At this time I have not heard if durability is an issue.  Personally I would let someone else be the guinea pig on the new paint products and if after 5 or 10 years of home remodeling contractors using the product if the product is still on the market and making people happy, then try it out.  More and more home remodeling contractors and quality custom home builders are using pre primed material for elements that are slated for painting.  Not only does this save a step in the paint process but it also protects the unfinished material from the elements during construction.  Not everything can be bought pre primed but for exterior elements it makes sense to pre prime or even pre finish when you can here in Seattle.  More on paints and coatings next week.

Seattle Home Remodeling - Walls and Ceilings part 2

Continuing on with last week’s wall and ceiling discussion.  Even when drywall isn’t the finished surface of the wall or ceiling it’s typically installed as a backer in most home remodeling projects.  The drywall can be both the finish material and the underlayment for other finishes.  The best Seattle home remodeling contractors and custom home builders know better than to use drywall under tile in wet areas like a shower but it can be used for tile backing in dry areas like around a fireplace.

Seattle Home Remodeling – Walls and Ceilings – sky’s the limit.

Some common wall finishes applied over drywall in Seattle home remodeling projects are:  Wall paper, wood or tile wainscoting, wood paneling, sheet metal paneling, plaster coatings…  Same is true for ceilings.  In home remodeling there isn’t really a limit to what can be used for a wall or ceiling finish material.  We used Moroccan doors as the ceiling finish for a Bellevue home remodeling project that included a meditation room.  Other common ceiling treatments used in home remodeling include:  Plaster finishes, box beams, crown moldings, wood paneling, sheet metal…   The most common finish over drywall is paint.  Suffice to say there is an endless array of paint colors and methods of application.  I’ll dig a little deeper into paint in another post.  Really, just about anything can be used as the finish for a wall or ceiling in a home remodeling or custom home building project.  It comes down to how will it look and how much will it cost.

Walls and ceilings are usually part of a Seattle remodeling project of any size.  Both walls and ceilings have the potential to have, finish trim, electrical devices and plumbing fixtures so choosing the appropriate finish materials for the room is important when planning your Seattle remodeling project.  In other words, having painted drywall walls and painted drywall ceiling with wood box beams in a shower isn’t a good idea and if your Seattle remodeling contractor suggests otherwise, it’s time to re-evaluate.  I’ll go over drywall finishes first.

Seattle Remodeling Contractors – Drywall finish levels.

There are 6 levels of drywall finish.  Out of levels 0-5, only 2-5 really get used in practice.  Level 2 is what most remodeling contractors call “fire taped”.  The drywall is basically unfinished but has been taped at all it joints and fasteners have been covered.  This level is usually used in remodeling a garage, mechanical room or where the fire rating of the wall needs the assembly but the drywall will not be the visible finished material.  Level 3 is us textured drywall.  The drywall is finished to a level where there are still imperfections that are visible.  Then the drywall is then textured which hides the imperfections.  Level 4 and 5 finishes are both for smooth wall applications.  Level 4 is a fairly flawless finish but does not treat the entire surface of the drywall where level 5 coats the entire surface of the drywall making it more appropriate for high sheen paints or other finishes.  Level 4 is the most common when looking at a smooth drywall finish in a home.   Most Seattle remodeling contractors will match the existing drywall finish unless it’s all new or will all be demolished.  So the wall or ceiling paint or coating determines the level of drywall finish and the level of drywall finish affects the cost.  Thus it is helpful to let your Seattle remodeling contractor know the finished look for each room to be able to get real pricing.  More on walls and ceilings next week.

More on Tile for Seattle Remodeling

Aside from the uses of tile in the best remodeling projects, described in my last post, the category also includes pavers.  Pavers are typically used in home remodeling projects in exterior applications ranging from a driveway or walkway to a covering on a waterproof deck.  When pavers are used in applications that will require them to stand up to being driven on the best remodeling companies will mortar set them  on a sub grade slab.  If the application is for a walkway that will only be foot traffic the pavers are typically set on a bed of crushed rock and sand.  Regardless of the application the underlying surface preparation is important to the paver system performing well over a long period of time and the best remodeling contractors will provide the appropriate base material.   Pavers for this type of applications come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors.

 Another popular way to use pavers is as a walking surface over a waterproof deck.  These systems are usually referred to as a “pedestal paver” system.  Waterproof decks have slope built into the surface to guide water to a drain, gutter or scupper.  Side note:  We’ve seen many waterproof decks built flat or with reverse slope.  In that case hiring a remodeling contractor will be a requirement to correct that condition.  The pedestal paver system has the ability to make the walking surface over the sloped surface flat and level.  Of course this needs to be planned ahead of time so there is enough depth to accommodate the minimum thickness of the pedestals and pavers.  Another important detail is making sure the waterproofing element for the deck is appropriate to implement a pedestal paver system.  The best home remodeling contractors will take all of these factors into account when putting the right system together for you.  The pavers for this type of application are typically square or rectangular and come in various colors and thicknesses. 

As I wrote in my earlier post, finishes are the aspects of your project that propel it from just a remodeling project to the best remodeling project for you and your family or business. There are a multitude of finishes from counter tops to wall coverings. Just figuring out where to start is difficult. So I’ll start with tile.
Tile includes: Ceramic tile, glass tile, cut natural stone tile and pavers. Tile can be used in many different ways and on many different surfaces. It gets used as flooring, wall covering, shower and bath surrounds, ceilings and countertops. Tile comes in many different sizes, shapes and thicknesses, from small mosaic to large format tiles. The huge variety of tile in the marketplace can make tile selection a difficult process. However the best remodeling contractors make these selections gel together seamlessly.
Tile flooring: Tile selected for a kitchen floor will likely be different than a tile selected for a shower floor. Shower floors require tile’s ability to withstand a wet environment and also require a non-slip surface. This is why smaller tiles with larger grout lines are usually used for flooring in wet areas and the best remodeling contractors will guide you in this direction. In a kitchen or dining room where tile is selected as the flooring, anything goes. However you wouldn’t want your kitchen floor to look like your shower so it’s typical to have a larger format tile with smaller grout lines. Ceramic tile is the most economical tile with the exception of hand-made ceramic tile which can be quite expensive. Glass tile and natural stone tile are more expensive tile options. Natural stone tile varies in cost with the availability or scarcity of the natural stone and how far away it is imported from. Not all tiles are appropriate for flooring and you should always check to make sure the tile you are selecting is appropriate for that use. The best remodeling contractors will be able to get the answers you need when navigating the sea of tile available. When you start looking at tiles and then get into accenting areas of the floor the choices are almost endless. I highly recommend getting some design help from a good retail tile gallery or a designer to help narrow things down.
It has become very popular to heat tile flooring and I can vouch for its benefits. We have it in our bathroom here in Seattle and love to walk onto the floor in the winter and feel the warmth radiating up into our feet. We’ve installed heated shower pans but I am not sure I would personally appreciate the benefit of that. The best remodeling contractors will be able to give you the pros and cons when discussing your tile flooring needs and wants.
More on tile next week. See you then.

Seattle Remodeling and New Home Building - Finishes

I'm not going to stick to this list exclusively because I'll be including items that are not in the CSI list  like cabinetry, counter tops, plumbing, and electrical finishes.

I've decided to start a series of weblog articles dealing with interior finishes. What are finishes in a home remodeling or addition project? Well according to CSI or the "Construction Specification Institute" finishes are as follows:

Metal Support Assemblies	Plaster and Gypsum Board
Tile	Terazzo
Ceilings	Flooring
Wall Finishes	Acoustical Treatment
Paints and Coatings

 
The reason I have decided to start this series is because these things are what you see and feel when you start to live in your new custom builder home or newly done quality remodel. There's a ton of choices within each finish item and trying to balance function, with cost and maintain a coherent design aesthetic can be overwhelming. It was one time that when a person got architectural designs for a home remodeling project most, if not all, of the finish selections were planned in advance with the help of the architect interior designer. For whatever reason, this is not the norm anymore. Increasingly people are getting bare bones "permit drawings" without any specifications and taking on the daunting task of making the most important selections with regards to the done look of your home remodeling project. Not to mention the finishes make up a large part of the general home remodeling or new custom home builder construction budget. So stay tuned for every week updates on this topic.