We’ve got an anniversary coming
Not long ago, I asked Justin Fink, our young assistant editor, when he was born, and he replied, “Issue 6.” It was a visceral reminder that Fine Homebuilding has been around for a long time now. (It was also a reminder that Justin’s a first-rate smart aleck, but then, that’s what it takes to survive around here some days.)
Fine Homebuilding will soon celebrate its 25th anniversary, and we’d like your help. Above all else, we think this magazine is about you: the community of people who come together in its pages. You come here to learn, to share your experience, and to argue about better ways of building. So it’s only fitting that your stories be heard in our silver-anniversary issue (FHB #177, February/March 2006).
What’s the best thing that ever happened to you because of Fine Homebuilding? What’s the worst? Did we help you build your dream house? Or did we cost you all the profit on a remodeling job because your customer saw that article about making concrete countertops? If you were around for our 20th anniversary, then check out FHB #137 (pp. 58-61) for some examples of the kinds of stories we’re looking for. (You’ll also find examples on our Web site, www.finehomebuilding.com.)
Try to keep your stories short—200 words or less. Be serious, be sentimental, be silly, but be quick. We need to hear from you by Dec. 1 at the latest, and sooner is definitely better. Send your stories to Fine Homebuilding 25-Year Tales, P.O. Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470, or email us at [email protected].
We’re also looking for photographs—compelling pictures that somehow embody the spirit of Fine Homebuilding. Whether it’s a photo of a finished project or a work in progress, someone working hard or people appreciating the fruits of their labor, we’re looking for dramatic photos that say craftsmanship, dedication, generosity, and home. If you have a photo that you think fits the bill, then send it to us. Who knows? Maybe we’ll use it on the cover.
—Kevin Ireton, editor
The argument against vinyl siding
“Is vinyl siding green?” I appreciate that Betsy Pettit (FHB #172, “Q&A,” pp. 100, 102) doesn’t take a knee-jerk environmentalist stance on this question, and that she carefully weighs the benefits and drawbacks of the main siding options. But she certainly should have mentioned the reproductive toxins off-gassed by vinyl plasticizers and the increased risk of asthma.
In a fire, vinyl releases hydrogen-chloride gas and dioxin, leading the International Association of Firefighters to support bans on PVC use (1 in 5 lb. of our construction scraps are incinerated, too). This airborne contaminant will settle into the soil afterward, making the ill environmental effects last for decades. As to recycling, of the 17 billion lb. of vinyl manufactured in the United States every year, only a fraction of a percent makes it to a recycler. It’s not cost effective to build the facilities, and to the bulk of the plasticsrecycling community, vinyl is considered a contaminant.
I wish I knew of the ideal green siding material, and I think the market is ripe for some major industry R&D. But until then, I’m going to concentrate on, as Ms. Pettit points out, proper installation of wood and cementitious products.
—Geoffrey Gainer, San Francisco, Calif.
Watch your footing with PVC air hoses
Nice overview on air-hose types in “What’s the Difference?” (FHB #173, p. 112). One major flaw was overlooked concerning PVC hoses. They retain their coiled-up shape and refuse to lay flat on the floor, making them a major trip hazard.
—S.J. Chant, Wyalusing, Pa.
Unhappy with grout
I read your write-up on Traffic-Master’s new stainproof grout in the June/July issue (FHB #172, p. 36) and persuaded a good customer to try it.
I followed the instructions, but the grout is very tough to work with. Worse, when I returned the next day to remove the haze, the grout had shrunk and cracked.
I called the tech-support number and was told I probably used too much water during cleanup. That’s doubtful. I’m a general contractor, but I tile five or six baths a year myself. Further, the directions say to wet the tile before grouting to aid in removal. The tech-support assistant said to “simply” reapply grout over the cracked material and all would be fine. She also gave me a completely different procedure for cleanup than is in the instructions.
The instructions on the container lead you to believe that you install this stuff like real grout. On the phone, I was told that “the product is an acrylic polymer and has very different characteristics than a cementtype grout.”
That is undeniably true. The haze doesn’t want to come off. Removing the haze requires water, Simple Green, and an incredible amount of scrubbing. This product isn’t ready for the real world, and it’s not marketed fairly. I lost hundreds of dollars on labor and additional grout. I also lost my next job because I couldn’t get to it in time.
—Jim Gage, via email
Assistant editor Justin Fink replies: You’re not the only reader to contact us with complaints about this product, so I called the Roanoke Companies Group and got the following response:
“We were disappointed to learn about your readers’ experience with our product. Fortunately, customers who have expressed dissatisfaction are fairly limited in number and are largely general contractors. This leads us to believe that many are adhering to the old rules of grout application when using our product.
“Because TrafficMaster Stainproof Grout is very different than traditional grout, we offer product training and education to trade professionals about our product. And in the spirit of continuous product improvement, we strive to learn from all customer experiences and have recently introduced product enhancements that take into account user behavior and techniques.”