Door Astragal on Double Doors

Nothing is more frustrating the getting a new door, gather up everything you need to install it and quickly realize the door is too big for the hole!! Getting the correct rough opening for double doors is essential in keeping you from pulling your hair out.

Allow for all the contingencies when installing double doors. This may  include allowing extra space for a door astragal.

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Post and Beam Construction

This is a pole building we built a few years ago. It’s a great looking functional building! Wish it were mine…

Often times builders can be slightly intimidated by pole structures. The construction concept is still the same as conventional framing, with a few twists. Most likely, you will need cranes or at the very least forklifts to aid with lifting of the heavy beams. Another consideration is cutting the heavy timber. Invest in a large circular saw that will allow you to cut the total thickness in one pass. This will save time and eliminate the need of flipping and cutting from the back side.

 

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When Should I Hang My Doors, Before Or After Drywall??

Normally interior doors get installed after the drywall is hung taped and finished. One of the biggest advantages is your doors will stay cleaner and will be less likely to be damaged. Drywall hanging and finishing can be messy. You could end up with drywall mudd on the finished surface of your doors. Not to mention the dust from sanding is very fine and will end up in every nook and cranny of the doors.

See the correct order for Installing Doors Here

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How to Add Window Extension Jambs

When installing vinyl or other windows, you may need to add a jamb extension. This is particularly difficult in older homes that have thicker walls or newer homes when the extension jambs do not come pre-applied.  So what is an extension jamb,  this is simply adding a small piece of wood in order to make the window the same depth as your wall thickness. I have done this for years using shims and I must tell you, WHAT A PAIN. Here is a secret to making this EZ!!!

Using EZ-Hang brackets makes this task a snap. Instead of trying to shim and nail through the jambs, all you need is to attach EZ-Hang to the back of your jambs, set the frame in the opening and screw it to the wall! Wow, what a time saver!

You can see the step by step instructions for installing window extension jambs here.

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Air Nailers vs. Airless Nail Guns

I had a few windows to add extension jambs (by the way EZ-Hang works great for extension jambs)  and trim out. I thought rather than get out the compressor and the hose, I’ll just grab the hoseless gas powered gun. Well after a half hour of charging the batteries, changing fuel cells three times and still no firing of nails, frustration set in. I grabbed the hose and compressor and was on my way.

Airless nailers can be “finicky” sometimes and will only fire if the gun is clean, batteries charged and fuel cell is fresh. By the way, just because the fuel cell is new doesn’t mean it’s fresh.

I have had my gas powered nailer for a few years now, for the most part it’s fairly dependable,  but I would never give up my air trim nailers. While the hose can be a pain, you learn to work with it. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when my air guns have firing problems too, they are just less frequent.

If you are having problems with your Paslode nail gun the first thing you need to read the Paslode manual and checkout how to clean the nail gun. One of the most common causes for these guns to have mis-fires is because of a lack of maintenance. If you do not have the manual for your Paslode nailer you can download one here. www.paslode.com/owners-manuals.html

Besides that, gas cylinders are a problem sometimes even if they are new. If you just replaced the gas cylinder and the nail gun will not work, try another one.  This switching of cylinders can get expensive. Also, sometimes the end that goes on the gas cylinders will not snap on correctly or completely. I have had them spray CO2 all over, so take care when engaging the cap.  correctly.

Check for jammed nails in the magazine.  Paper from the nails can sometimes cause them to bind up and not slide front. Make sure to always use nails that are only for the Paslode nail gun.

The firing pin can also be a problem. The firing pin will bend sometimes, but usually because of lack of the right nails or maintenance. Another problem that can happen is that the o-rings around the firing pin will break or crack. When this happens the gun may not fire or the pin will not return after it shoots a nail. If you are having these problems then check the o-rings both top and mid-pin to make sure they are in good shape. If they are chipped or cracked in anyway the gun will not work correctly.

The battery contacts on these nailers are also a problem. They can get dirt and dust in them or become bent. If they fail to make good contact they can cause the gun to have all types of problems. If you are having unexplained problems then check the contacts of both the battery and the gun. You can clean them with a soft cloth or sometimes with a pencil eraser.

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Repair Or Replace A Rotten Door Jamb or Sill

Ok you have replaced that old door with a new one, in just a few short years it has rotted out again! But why!! If you don’t prepare the opening correctly, caulk in all the right places and throughly paint everything on the door jamb it will fail! Sooner than later…

You can just replace the lower half of the door jamb and sill, but that is time consuming and you’ll need a router and table saw.

The best solution is to make sure everything is done properly from the start. Fixing a rotten door frame or sill is an article that can help.

To do it right, remove the door and install a whole new jamb legs. That way you can also access if the water has started to reach further in the building, flash the opening, attach the aluminum threshold to the new leg, put preservative on the new leg to prevent this from happening again, and keep it from looking like a beaver fixed your door.

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Wonder What People Look For When Hiring A Contractor?

In a recent survey conducted by A Concord Carpenter, people were asked to select the reasons important to them for choosing a contractor. They were allowed to choose “all that apply. “

Below are their answers:

95.5% selected, “quality workmanship as most important.”
86.4% selected, “knowledge and understanding of the project.”

59.1% selected, “prompt return of phone calls.”
54.5% selected, “on time with appointments.”

50% selected, ” reputation.”
50% selected, ” finishing work on time.”

45.5% selected, ” problem solver.”
45.5% selected, “compatible personality.”

40.9% selected, ” referred from a friend.”
40.9% selected, ” excellent references.”

22% selected, ” professional appearance.”
10% selected, “clean job site.”
4.5% selected, ” lowest price.”

While every individual will pick a builder for their own reason, I find this quite interesting. Notice how price is at the bottom, I would have thought this would have been higher on the list. I think a key attribute not listed here would be “trust”. I have found if homeowners trust you, not only will you get the job, but things will go much smoother during the complete project. Of course you must have high quality to go along with it, but trust in my opinion can be a major factor in the decision process.

For more door hanging, building and construction tips and tricks, visit EZHangDoor.com

Have You Ever Lost or Forgotten Your Keys?

Wouldn’t it be nice to just press a few buttons and have your front door open. Actually that is a reality now. Many name brand lock companies offer keypad entry systems for home door knobs and deadbolts.

No more fumbling for keys in the dark. When you hit the keypad a backlight comes on, presto you enter your preset code and entry is granted.

Here is a few of the features on a new lock that I installed about a year ago.

• Keys work in lock as a back up or option
• Ability to re-key your lock yourself as needed
• One touch locking
• Back lit keypad
• Code allows 4 to 9 digits
• Inside LED indicates if door is locked or unlocked.
• Optional auto-locking feature locks an unlocked door when closed for 30 seconds
• Optional alarm indicates if three consecutive, incorrect code attempts have been made
• Optional audible sound when key pad is touched.

Read all the pros and cons of installing a keyless entry system.

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Common Door Installation Problems And How to Correct Them

Have you ever had a door installation drive you bonkers. While the invention of EZ-Hang has solved many of the age-old installation pit-falls, there are a few situations you may encounter with the framing that could hamper your door installation and possibly a little frustrated. A few things to watch for and some tips are:

• The most common problem caused by the bottom plates not being straight across or out of alignment is you just can’t seem to get the door to fit tightly to the door stop. A common term for this is your door is out of plane. There are a few fixes to this problem, most of which is completed by trial and error.
• When you have an uneven gap across the top of door, it can be caused by two common problems. The first is the door hinge side is out of plumb. This can be easily checked with a level placed on the jamb or hinges to check if they are correct.

Don't let this happen to you!

Tips:

Verify the width and height of the door frame are each 1/2″ smaller than the rough opening width/height.

Verify the rough opening is square. The diagonal measurements should be the same. Maximum allowable deviation from square is normally 1/4″.

Verify the rough opening is level and plumb. The maximum allowable deviation is 1/8″ to 1/4″.

The rough opening sill must not be crowned or sagged.

Minimum double studs should be used at all rough openings.

The exterior face of the rough opening must be in a single plane.

For more door hanging, building and construction tips and tricks, visit EZHangDoor.com

How To Use EZ-Hang On Your Window Installation

Watch this video and see how the same door installation system can be used on when installing your windows. When you install your windows using EZ-Hang™ you’ll get a strong easy, trouble free and energy efficient window installation. Watch the video to see how to install a window for years of trouble free operation. Learn more now!

For more door hanging, building and construction tips and tricks, visit EZHangDoor.com

Measure on a diagonal to make sure your window is square