Board and Batten Back in Fashion20240306020110

Board and Batten Back in Fashion

Our image for today is of a green ‘carpenter gothic house’ dating from 1840 in New Haven, Connecticut. There’s something about this enduri...
Can I Decorate the Exterior in Winter?20240227052218

Can I Decorate the Exterior in Winter?

Most of us prefer to do our home decorating on warm, dry summer days, when the paint dries quickly, and there is less chance of the weather deteriorat...
Are Permanent Wood Foundations Effective?20240220060302

Are Permanent Wood Foundations Effective?

The foundations of most North American houses are poured concrete, onto which the walls rest beneath ground. However, in the case of timber frame home...
All About Tongue and Groove Wall Sheathing20240212014125

All About Tongue and Groove Wall Sheathing

A modern building envelope has several layers of thermal, air, vapor, and water protection. Siding is the first layer of defence, although we wouldn’t...
Blind Nailing Versus Face Nailing Siding20240206011015

Blind Nailing Versus Face Nailing Siding

One of the great joys of siding is the free-flowing lines of the planks. We do our best to stagger the joints, so these don’t create an obvious patter...
Attic Ventilation Must Be Comprehensive20240130013918

Attic Ventilation Must Be Comprehensive

Most buildings in Calgary have insulation in their ceilings, to prevent outside temperature entering the occupied space below. This keeps their interi...
Butt Joint Flashing for Fiber Siding20240123045455

Butt Joint Flashing for Fiber Siding

If you had new siding installed by another contractor, but find spots of damp on your inside walls, it is possible they did not waterproof the butt jo...
The Frustrations of Uneven Fascia Boards20240102062617

The Frustrations of Uneven Fascia Boards

There are several givens in home construction we cannot change, and do a decent job at the same time. The ones we work with most are the need to keep ...
Do We Put New Shingles Over Old?20231227020355

Do We Put New Shingles Over Old?

The short answer is no, we do not put new shingles over old asphalt ones in Calgary, unless there are exceptional circumstances. But please stay with ...
Window Flashing and What to Know20231219071316

Window Flashing and What to Know

Window Flashing is a Tape that Waterproofs a Window Frame in an Opening Flashing is a water-proofing material that we fix around joints e.g. in a roof...