Often, my job can be as engaging as a four-star movie. I get the official sneak previews of the newest tools in the market. Sometimes, I even get a demo and use them around the house.
Turn to the help wanted ads in almost any newspaper and you'll see listing after listing asking for "three years experience ... minimum five years experience ... experienced person wanted."
They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I have another one: Doing cheap work and cutting corners and then being shocked when the homeowner is unhappy.
Before you hurt yourself jumping out of your Barcalounger so you can dial up the editor to launch complaints about this piece, a thread on the Walls and Ceilings bulletin board regarding "Box Marts" struck a nerve in yours truly and was the motivation behind this month's diatribe.
Until recently, per Construction Specifications Institute Division 10260 (PVC/Aluminum Products), PVC was the material of choice for wall protection items...
Modern gypsum board has as its predecessor a product called "Sackett Board," a composite material that was made of layers of thin plaster placed between four plies of wool felt paper.
Perhaps the most common phone inquiry I get is to do an "EIFS inspection"-whatever that means. The word "inspection" has a lot of connotations, such as checking the EIFS application process while it is occurring on a new building and investigating known problems on EIFS walls.
John Platon is vice president of business development for KHS&S Contractors, one of the largest walls and ceilings contractors in the United States. I recently traveled the West Coast with Platon and we discussed a variety of subjects.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced an alliance with the Gypsum Association to foster safe and healthful aggregate operations nationwide. The top leaders from the two groups signed the agreement at the Gypsum Association's fall meeting in the Woodlands, Texas.
Lafarge North America Inc. announced investing approximately $120 million to expand the capacity of its state-of-the-art gypsum drywall manufacturing facility in Silver Grove, Ky.
The International Code Council board of directors approved the establishment of the Labor Management Advisory Committee at its 2005 annual conference. The LMAC will promote public health, safety and welfare in the built environment by serving as an international forum for labor and management to communicate with the ICC.
Structus Building Technologies, the manufacturers of No-Coat Structural Drywall Corners, announced the signing of 15-year agreement with Grabber Construction Products for the distribution of the No-Coat branded products.
United States Gypsum Co. announced that it will significantly expand manufacturing capacity for ready-mixed joint compounds at its Jacksonville, Fla., plant.
The non-stick polypropylene SealPro paint tray comes with a plastic lid that locks onto the tray forming an airtight seal, similar to plastic food storage containers.
The company introduces two floor screed products, Dyna-Screed SLU and True-Screed Cementitious Underlayment, which are products for the resurfacing of concrete floors with minimal labor and installation time.
The Gold bi-metal utility blade features a titanium nitride coated edge, which offers up to five times life when compared to standard carbon steel blades.
The company's line of polished plasters consist of polished lime stucco, well-aged slake lime, combined with natural stone aggregates and colored with natural pigments.
Using the proper tools helps one to work faster and more efficiently-and that's exactly what automatic taping and finishing tools are designed to do. When automatic taping tools are used, not only will taping and finishing be completed more quickly but higher quality finishes will be produced in less time with less effort. Automatic taping and finishing tools help the professional drywall finisher work smarter, faster and more profitably.
For its second year, the Walls & Ceilings staff decided to award contractors whose work deserves recognition with its annual Excellence in Design Awards. The four categories awarded this year are Drywall, EIFS/Stucco, Ceilings and Ornamental/Plastering. The entries were judged by a panel of W&C staff and members of its editorial advisory board.
John Loch of Master Drywall and Plaster Inc. can't stop thinking nor talking about a product he's been using more and more of. The Green Bay, Wis., contractor just finished using this material on a 5,000-square foot house in the suburbs of the city and is itching for the next project where his crew can get their chops on more of this material. Customers seeking a typical drywall or plastering job from the company end up demanding that this product be worked into the project. Loch considers the possibilities and says with a little imagination and great skill, this material can accommodate most remodeling needs.
I just completed drywalling a house for a good friend of mine's son. We all know how dumb working for a friend or a relative is. To make it worse, my friend and his son are both custom builders. They also live in Rhode Island, which is a skim coat plaster area.
If clients are looking to dress up an ordinary room, suggest installing crown molding. Very few products make a visual impact like this, which gives a subtle yet elegant design element to any space. And with the proper tools and set up, installation can be easy.