Here’s an interesting product - it’s an additive that make concrete waterproof. I’m sure there are a variety of manufacturers out there, but one company I found is called “Hycrete.” It might be a great idea if you were building below grade, or were worried about water intrusion through the slab. Fortunately, this shouldn’t be [...]
I’ve dedicated several earlier posts to the wonders of concrete stain. Up until now, however, I wasn’t sure if there was an alternative to the acid-based colorants. Acids work GREAT, but they aren’t the most environmentally friendly of products. And, there are certain challenges to staining indoors (like ruining your paint, millwork, etc).
So, without further [...]
Previously I’ve written about the merits of cement fiberboard siding. Recently, I found a new blog by a fellow designer/builder that features a great panel-version of this material. Here’s a photo from Jason’s blog, with the installed product:
This product is called “Cem Clad” and is manufactured by US Architectural.
For the last few months I’ve been working on the shop and the studio apartment as separate renderings. Last night I merged the two files into one finished model. I’m still working out the finishing details like siding and paint colors.
Yet another way to handle deck railings…and about a million other construction challenges. These are cool systems!
Called a “Kee Klamp,” These fitting use various size pipes to build frames for numerous applications. You can use iron pipe, aluminum pipe, or even galvanized gate pipe.
Some great sink and faucet choices:
Toto Nexus TB794DDC
Ikea has a good alternative to the Kohler Wading Pool. It’s called the Hollviken and costs about $80. It’s available in 23″ and 21″ widths. Sadly, it only has one hole. The matching faucet isn’t as stylish as the Toto, but it’s reasonably priced ($80 Enskar)
There are several ways to heat the studio. These also affect what sort of finished floor we can have.
Radiant Heat/Hydronics: This entails a boiler, PEX tubing, and a system that’s pipes hot water through the walls and floors. It’s probably the nicest type of heat money can buy. There are several variants including: PEX [...]
Spoke to Keri Foster of Foster Roofing. She says her roofs are going to be 3-4x the price of composition shingles. However, they come with a lifetime warranty and are much more green. They also provide superior cooling, as the roof doesn’t retain heat like asphalt shingles. Keri says to roof both houses with tar [...]
French doors are great for light and air. However, screening them can be difficult. Here’s an option that allows for a rolling/retractable system. Some manufacturers include Mirage, InVent, Breeze, and Wizard.
Wizard is locally available through Kraft Mobile Screen Services.
Communitecture is recommending the Integrity line of windows by Marvin. What makes these nice is that they are fiberglass on the outside (strong and paintable) with real wood casements on the inside. It will be interesting to see how these price out. These can be found locally at Accurate Door and Window and Portland Door [...]