Re-Building After a Hurricane

I write hurricane articles fairly regularly during the season, pretty much to get folks to prepare early, not at the 11th hour.

I keep most supplies all year round, but the specific ones I need for the big blow, I can get at Home Depot early in the day. I've found that here in the bedroom communities south of Houston, folks that commute to the city are expected to show up, stay until the last minute, and storm-proof the facilities. "Do ya want yer job next week?"

That's the way it was when I worked for Marriott. It was a difference of opinion. I thought my family and my major lifetime investment was a priority and my boss thought a hotel property (which the guests had mostly fled) was a more important investment. Good old Howard said, "Take one for the team, Kelly!"

I don't think so.



Anyway, there is plenty of devastation in the wake of a major storm. Sometimes a remodel is needed, but there are times when nothing short of a demo and re-building will do.

If you have to re-build or you're just adding on, I suggest doing it right. Go green construction and use Insulated Concrete Forms for your exterior walls. Not only are you going to save money in the long run, but you will be able to withstand those winds.

Go for it, uh-huh!

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Preparing for Hurricane Season

It's been a quiet hurricane season so far; not a hint or whisper of a Katrina or Ike. Unfortunately, most of out memories are short-lived.

Don't fall into this trap, folks. Prepare now, now, I tell you! Don't be one of the Gomers standing in line at Home Depot.

There are many things you can do to prepare now. First and foremost is getting your supplies together for protecting your windows.

For most folks of frugal means, this means 1/2" plywood. The best way to secure them is with Plylox hurricane clips.

Need tools for storm-proofing your home? Take 10% off all new Porter-Cable tools and accessories. No coupon code required. Discount will be applied automatically at checkout.

Those of you with deeper pockets might choose to go with metal storm shutters.

That done, focus on these items:

• Flashlights
• Batteries
• Canned food and bottled water
• Emergency medical kit
• Weather radio with a hand crank
  

With luck, we'll dodge the bullet this year. Statistically, this is a good probability. But like the old commercial says, "It's not nice to fool with mother nature!"

Project Medicine Cabinet

That's right, a recessed medicine cabinet. I've been working on it a hour or so a day for a while and the end is near.

There is a reason why I always scratch my head when woodworking project plans say, "one weekend," or "one day". The fact of the issue is that the majority of time is not-work time. This is time waiting for glue or finish or homemade wood putty to dry.

Sanding always takes its temporal toll too.

Biscuit Joints Beat Dowels

Joinery is one of my favorite aspects of woodworking. About two years ago I made the leap from dowels to biscuits. Wow.

What a difference in accuracy. On the medicine cabinet I used Porter Cable biscuits on the trim face and the door. All I lack now is finishing and hanging the door and cutting and installing the shelves.

Plexiglas Shelving

I ended up opting for Plexiglas shelves (actually a non-brand name version). Why? For one thing, it looks sleek. For another thing, it's a good strength vs thickness compromise. Wood just uses too much valuable real estate.



Wood. Choose Wisely.

I went with poplar for the body but red oak for the face and door frame. For the door face and the back parts, I used luan (also called lauan) plywood. Hey, it's cheap and looks good too!

Is it just me or has the price of red oak gone down at Home Depot? Maybe there's a downtick in the home remodeling market and they're trying to boost sales?

Anyway, I'll post an article when I finish the cabinet. As for the plans, I'm toying with the idea of making the plans into an ebook and offering it as a sign-up gift for subscribing to my newsletter. Any takers?

Gotta Love Home Improvement Shows

My wife spends a lot of time watching those popular home makeover shows. Are they reality shows? Are they personality shows? Are they educational shows? Are they thinly-disguised shills for Home Depot and Lowes?

All of the above, I'm afraid. But that's alright - it gets homeowners busy doing their own home makeovers. That's aces in my book because that's the business I'm in: showing homeowners how to DIY and tackle remodeling projects.

They Sometimes get it Wrong...

Many times I catch myself walking through the room when one of these shows is on, and I overhear myself saying, "No, that's just wrong!"

I'll be the first to admit, sometimes I'm partly wrong too. Well, not wrong, just of another opinion. In most projects, there's more than one way to skin a cat. For example, one time, the macho DIY guy was doing a backyard project.

He was going on and on saying, "We're using Red Cedar for this project because it's weather resistant and it's a renewable resource!" What?? So since when isn't pressure-treated pine not weather resistant and a renewable resource?

Bottom line is that a whole lot of people are going to go out and spend extra money they don't need to because they think they're saving the environment.

Keep it Simple

Another time, they advised the viewers to go out and rent a compressor and hopper to texture a room. Ow! Messy, expensive, and not needed; not when there are simple ways to texture drywall.

Turbo-Speed Home Makeover

Another thing I find interesting about those shows is the speed with which they complete the projects. Never worked for me! For one thing, I always run into something unexpected that demands a clever workaround.

I usually need something I don't have or decide I want and end up going to the local home improvement center. (OK, I just like shopping there!)

Anyhow, TV networks, keep those shows coming! You inspire us all and give emerging designers a platform for exposure. And my wife keeps me busy...

Remodeling Made Easy: Prehung Doors

In a world where everything is compartmentalized, shrink-wrapped, solid-state, and plug 'n play, it's no surprise the construction market is responding with some ease of use strategies of their own.

Case in point - prehung doors. The concept isn't new; in fact, Home Depot is full of them. The issue is that most homeowners still see hanging doors as something mysterious. The fact of the matter is, installing a prehung door is easy if you just follow the sequence of steps; 1,2,3...

Variety is the Spice of Life

Yes, it's true even with doors. Prehung doors can be had as elegant mahogany entry doors or the lowly hollow-core interior closet door. No matter, they're all simple to work with, barring existing complications.

These kind of doors have long been the mainstay for commercial exterior doors; not the pretty front glass ones with the displays, but the heavy steel ones lurking out back in the alley by the dumpster.

I've installed a lot of these in my day, and thank goodness for the sturdy steel "spreader" at the base of the jambs. The block masons tend to knock things out of whack.

Time is of the Essence

The only time things are critical is when you're installing your home's front, back, or side door. Why? Well, you want to be able to lock up at night when you go to bed. The trick is to make sure you've got all your tools and materials laid out and get an early start.