The Home Improvement Thread

[GreenLantern]

Ahh ok, it also seals against moisture. My understanding is that when the moisture gets in it causes condensation which can eventually lead to mold, or at the very least compromise some of the materials in there behind your drywall. So areas that might leak, like around your doors and windows, need to be sealed up to prevent a constant flow of moisture from building up over time. But please someone who knows more on the topic correct me if I am wrong.

[PaperBagger'14]

Flooring experts:

I have a mix of carpet and laminate flooring on my main floor. Would it be easier to rip the carpet up, clean up the underlay and put down plywood to match the height of the existing laminate or rip everything up and match the heights that way? The carpeted living room is mostly square with 1 funky corner at the stairwell. My laminate is at the front door, then carpet in the living room followed by laminate in the dining room and kitchen. 2 transitions in total.

[Fuzz]

Is their excess plywood under the laminate? What makes you think you would need to raise the previously carpeted area up?

[puffnstuff]

Laminate is laid over a substrate material and not directly on the plywood like the underpad/carpeted areas. Usually a quarter to a half inch difference.
When I re-floored our house I removed the stuff under the laminate. It was a half inch mdf type product. Giant pain in the ass, but necessary. Then a new sub floor went down everywhere to level everything.

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Flooring experts:

I have a mix of carpet and laminate flooring on my main floor. Would it be easier to rip the carpet up, clean up the underlay and put down plywood to match the height of the existing laminate or rip everything up and match the heights that way? The carpeted living room is mostly square with 1 funky corner at the stairwell. My laminate is at the front door, then carpet in the living room followed by laminate in the dining room and kitchen. 2 transitions in total.

Kind of depends what you're going to put down for your future flooring. Assuming it's new laminate or hardwood then you're much better off matching the additional subfloor under the existing laminate. Tile flooring likely requires more subflooring than you have anyway so adding to it would make sense.

[V]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Flooring experts:

I have a mix of carpet and laminate flooring on my main floor. Would it be easier to rip the carpet up, clean up the underlay and put down plywood to match the height of the existing laminate or rip everything up and match the heights that way? The carpeted living room is mostly square with 1 funky corner at the stairwell. My laminate is at the front door, then carpet in the living room followed by laminate in the dining room and kitchen. 2 transitions in total.

Almost looks like you're planning on installing a new floor over the existing laminate. I would recommend against doing that.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

From what I was looking at earlier, the sealant is used at the top and bottom of the walls to get a proper seal. You can use it on the studs as well, but that seems like overkill to me.

You only need it at the bottom of the walls and not the top. Just overlap and tuck tape the ceiling and wall poly.

[V]

Our inspector told us to use the acoustic sealer at the top between all the joists.

[Ducay]

Great timing. Was acoustic sealing a couple walls last night. When did the LePage Acousti-Seal turn into silly string? You can't get that stuff to stay put. It makes endless strings when you try and do anything (move the gun, end a bead, wipe it off hands, etc).

Frustrating and messy to no end. Almost like it is a prank product

[OMG!WTF!]

Acoustic seal is great and you can only get a better result by using it on every joist and both top and bottom plates...that is if your goal is to keep air out/in. It can actually be overkill and cause other problems in houses like attic rain. So the question is, is the detached garage heated? It might be better to not use sealant and allow for some air transfer...especially if you are bringing in big, hot, snowy cars all winter. Or if you're planning on using a space heater with no make up air return it might be better to not be super sealed. I'm not sure about that but just something to consider.

[GreenLantern]

You will acoustic seal at the top with the ceiling poly, then you overlap the side wall poly with the roof poly and tuct tape it. Any poly to poly you just need tuct tape, poly to wood you need sealant.

[woob]

So, what's everyone's thoughts on using Sharkbite for an enclosed plumbing job? I'm re-routing some plumbing in the wall behind a bathroom vanity, and I want to go from copper to Pex without soldering. Internet seems to be mixed on using it for work you can't see/access after completion.

[V]

I don't have a problem with it. It's worked well for me so far.

[TomLeeMC]

Just had my kitchen floor and main bathroom floor and tub surround tiled, everything has been grouted and sealed just wondering what CP would recommend I caulk? Not very excited to get the caulking done as I know I'm going to make a hell of a mess but I know it probably needs to be done.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by V

Our inspector told us to use the acoustic sealer at the top between all the joists.

And ours made us use it between every sheet vapor barrier going up and down the wall, as well as around each electrical outlet and light fixture. Sometimes I wonder if they even have a clue.

Yes, it is super sealed off now, but it was a lot more work. Good luck trying to get a different opinion though. We had to switch inspectors 3/4 way through and the new one said it wasn't necessary. Problem one was the old one said we had to do it or it wouldn't pass inspection.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by woob

So, what's everyone's thoughts on using Sharkbite for an enclosed plumbing job? I'm re-routing some plumbing in the wall behind a bathroom vanity, and I want to go from copper to Pex without soldering. Internet seems to be mixed on using it for work you can't see/access after completion.

I used it a couple years ago, haven't had an issue. My dad talked to a plumber about them and he was pretty big on them for DIY. The biggest issue is they cost more, but it is worth it for a small job, especially because they rotate freely.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by TomLeeMC

Just had my kitchen floor and main bathroom floor and tub surround tiled, everything has been grouted and sealed just wondering what CP would recommend I caulk? Not very excited to get the caulking done as I know I'm going to make a hell of a mess but I know it probably needs to be done.

http://lifehacker.com/use-painters-t...cau-1690830160

Let me know if it works

[Fuzz]

^ I tried that but waited a little to long and the caulk was kinda tacky. Got caulk everywhere. Total disaster. I've found the best device is those caulk smoothers, you can get them in the caulk section. Work very well if you wet them so the caulk doesn't stick to much, and you wipe off the excess caulk whenever it gets messy. I also haven't had much luck with the GE Silicone caulk sticking to the tub, so try a different brand caulk.

Caulk. teehee.

[Cube Inmate]

On the vapour-barrier topic...

I have a mass-produced, 1980s Calgary house in which I'm sure the vapour barrier was poorly done and probably not sealed. Has anybody here actually torn out walls in a house of this era and found significant mold problems? I'm kind of crossing my fingers here and hoping that, outside of grow-ops or heavily-humidified houses, our climate is dry enough that cavity moisture isn't a serious problem.

Stories?

[V]

I've only ever used my finger for spreading caulk. I've never really had a problem with it looking okay. I'm probably not fussy enough.