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The Concepts of "Owning Land" and "Green Building"
5 commentsDoes my lot extend vertically down into the center of the earth and up to the outer reaches of the ionosphere? Once you start thinking about land "ownership" there is a lot to consider. In terms of green building, what makes one option green while another is merely "green-washed"?
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Air Sealing with Owens Corning's new Energy Complete system
6 commentsI'm a huge believer in Spray Foam for air sealing, but foam will only air seal the cavity that it's sprayed into. Here's where Owens Corning's new Energy Complete has a leg up on Foam. In this video you'll see how their system does an excellent job of air sealing so that their total-fill fiberglass system doesn't have any air flow issues to deal with. -Matt Risinger
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How to Soundproof a Wall Separating a Bedroom From a Family Room
In this video you'll learn some easy techniques for Soundproofing a bedroom from a noisy Family Room next door. We're using Quietrock which is a specialized drywall made for reducing noise transmission along with Hilti Putty Pads for air sealing outlets and Acoustical Sealant. These simple techniques make for a very quiet bedroom.
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Getting Started
3 commentsInitially, when my husband and I decided to build rather than buy our first home, I imagined that building a house would require equal parts fearlessness, determination, insanity, discovery, compromise and joy. Doing it with as much sweat equity as possible while simultaneously considering cost, sustainability, and the future of my marriage, however, is a special kind of crazy.
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Stealth Door With Heavy-Duty Hidden Hinges
23 commentsHave you ever picked up a piece of nice hardware and smiled? If so, then you're an official hardware geek like me! Check out this amazing Hidden Hinge from Sugatsune we used in a door install we like to call our "James Bond" door. -Matt Risinger
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Porch Rot: How $2.00 in Flashing Could Have Saved $150,000 in Repairs
10 commentsA bad and easily correctable flashing detail led to $150,000.00 in repair costs.
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Flashing for Hose Bibs - QuickFlash Review
3 commentsWe as builders are so diligent about using flashing boots on our roofs but when it comes to wall penetrations we're so lax about holes! In this video we'll show you how we use QuickFlash boots to correctly seal the water out of our walls. -Matt Risinger
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Radiant Barriers for Exterior Walls
4 commentsYou always hear about radiant barriers for roofs but why not treat your walls the same way? In this video you'll see how we're using a foil facing on our South & West facing unshaded masonry walls.
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A Handcrafted Kitchen
i have designed and built about 10 sets of kitchen cabinets i also did the tile electrical stain paint texture appliance installation pluming etc i like for there to be one person responsible for...
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How to Retrofit A Radiant Barrier: Paint it On
This 10 year old house didn't have a radiant barrier on the roof and replacing the plywood wasn't an option. We sprayed on Sherwin William E Barrier paint for an easy retrofit that should easily pay for itself with lower attic temperatures. Simple, affordable, easy. Pretty nice.
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How to Paint Fiber-Cement Siding
Painter Jim Lacey shares some tips for caulking and painting fiber-cement siding. read more
