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We were working in a beautiful new home in Milford recently. The Owners had the home custom built with numerous unique built-ins, an awesome kitchen, two circular staircases, and many other beautiful features. The house is a 6,500 square foot eye-popper. It is new and it all looks beautiful—-FOR NOW. As I walked through the house I realized that within a year, drywall nail or screw pops will start appearing. Nail or screw pops are unavoidable as they occur when the house foundation settles and the framing shrinks and expands. Once the house reaches its equilibrium the pops can usually be permanently repaired. What can’t be corrected, at least not easily, are the long cracks that are likely to appear on the outside of drywall corners where the metal corner bead has been bumped into or where the wood below has shrunk. Adding mud over the crack will not prevent the crack from re-appearing later though this is the method that most Builders use to get through the warranty period applicable to new construction.

In production building many Builders will often use less expensive products whenever they can get away with it. After all, they only have to warranty the house for one year by law. It seems that there is no end to the ways a production Builder can cheapen the product for the unsuspecting new Buyer.

One cost saving method is to use metal corner bead for drywall. For more than 50 years metal corner bead was the standard. It was easy to install and it lasted. When modern finishing methods started to include drywall and not just lathe and plaster, Builders continued to use metal corner bead as there was no better alternative. Fortunately, that has changed. WWW.GRABBERMAN.COM offers a product called NO-COAT corners.

Over the past 12 years we have converted from exclusive use of metal corners to exclusive use of NO-COAT corners. We use NO-COAT ULTRAFLEX 450 or ULTRATRIM ¾” Bullnose for exterior corners and the NO-COAT ULTRAFLEX 325 for interior corners. These products are composed of paper tape laminated to a co-polymer core. Since metal is eliminated there is no potential for rust stains which sometimes occur with metal corner beads. Nails or screws are also not used during the installation of NO-COAT corners.

The product is packaged in either sticks or rolls. There is little waste with the rolls and it is nice to use one long piece rather than a bunch of pieces abutted next to each other. Also, the rolls take up much less space in the truck. The only drawback to a roll is the space and time needed for cutting.

Installation is easy. Simply coat the wall with a thin layer of drywall mud (sold in a bag or bucket) and embed the NO-COAT corner as you would any other paper or fiberglass tape. The initial coating can be accomplished with a drywall knife or with a corner roller dipped in a bucket of mud. Once the mud is on the wall, press the NO-COAT corner into it and squeeze out the excess drywall mud, wiping it away with your knife.

We use the NO-COAT corners exclusively so we found it helpful to purchase the accessory installation tools which speed up the embedding time substantially. Using the accessory tools (shown below), press out the excess mud in one quick motion rolling over the inside or outside corner.

For Bullnose corners the process is the same except that the drywall must be cut back ½” on each side to allow for additional mud to go behind the bullnose and allow the piece to adhere at the correct angle. Once the corner is set in the mud, use a mudding knife to immediately apply another coating of drywall mud and trowel until smooth.

The top coating is the same as any other corner. After allowing the base coat to dry, apply another coat of mud. Let dry and, if needed, apply an optional coat of mud. When completely dry, sand smooth, prime, and paint. The profile of the NO-COAT corner will generally take less mud to finish than a metal corner. Also because the base coat of mud and the first topcoat are applied at the same time, there is a time savings over using fasteners followed by the first coat of mud,

NO-COAT is stronger than standard metal corner bead. Tests were performed by Grabber using 5 lb weights dropped from different heights onto equal lengths of finished corners composed of either metal corner bead or Grabber NO-COAT corner. The damage to each of the corners was examined. In every single instance the NO-COAT corner performance was superior to the metal corner bead.

I first discovered proof of this myself on a job site. I was carrying a solid core door into a room and I accidentally ran into one of our finished NO-COAT bullnose corners. I hit the corner head-on, not with a glancing blow. The corner took the full force of the weight of the door and my momentum and it did not crack! I was very surprised as I had expected substantial damage to result as I have witnessed with metal corners.

We usually purchase our Grabber NO-COAT corners at Ryan Building Supply in Southfield http://www.ryanbuildingmaterials.com though there are other suppliers catering to drywall professionals that carry the NO-COAT products within metro Detroit. Retail customers can purchase a limited supply of NO-COAT products at http://www.homedepot.com or http://www.amazon.com. Do not be fooled by other products that have similar characteristics. We have tried a few only to be very disappointed with the results. We don’t feel that it is worth the risk of a call-back to repair a crack resulting from using a product other than genuine NO-COAT corners.

While the cost of the actual NO-COAT corner material will likely be two to two and a half times more than metal corner bead we find that the labor savings, durability, and customer satisfaction are well worth the extra cost.

I am reminded of a fairly new house in Shelby Township where we spent nearly a week removing dozens of failed metal drywall corners back in 2007. There were long cracks along the edge of many of the metal corner beads. Unfortunately, the Builder’s warranty had expired so the Homeowners had to bear the full cost of the repairs themselves. After removing the metal corners, all of the fasteners, and the drywall mud build up, we installed Grabber NO-COAT corners. In addition to repairing the corners, we also had to repaint dozens of walls. It cost the Homeowner several thousand dollars for the repairs which could have been avoided had the Builder not tried to save what would likely have amounted to less than $100.

In December of 2014 that same Homeowner called us to work on another damaged drywall area in her house. While I was there I inspected all of the corners that we replaced back in 2007. They all looked like the day that we finished the repairs. There was not a single dent, ding, or crack visible on the NO-COAT edges while several new cracks had appeared along the metal corners that were not previously displaying any damage. The metal corners continue to fail while the dozens of NO-COAT corners have proven just why Grabber can offer a Lifetime Warranty against defects with their corners.

Excessive dust is probably the most common customer complaint encountered during a typical home or commercial remodeling project. Dust reaches every nook and cranny so anything that can be done to contain it while cutting lumber or sanding drywall will help reduce anxiety. As can be seen in this chart, the point during a major construction project where the customer mood level is lowest when the dust levels are at their maximum, which is usually at the drywall sanding stage.

We used to purchase rolled plastic and use masking tape to contain the dust. That worked to a point, but the plastic was always falling, and the tape would sometimes leave residue on the ceiling or take paint off. It wasn’t an optimal system, but it was all we had. Then about 10 years ago we stumbled upon a ZipWall product booth at a remodeling convention in Chicago and watched a demonstration of the product http://www.zipwall.com/ . Immediately we saw the potential. Since then our collection of ZipWall poles has grown from a single set of 4 to more than 20 over the years. They can often be found at multiple work sites.

The ZipWall system is composed of a set of spring loaded telescoping aluminum poles with a rubber pad at the top and bottom that holds your rolled plastic sheeting (sold separately) tightly to the ceiling and floor without the use of tape. The poles are easy to use and one person can usually wall off a room in about 10 minutes.
Our most frequent usage has been to set up small areas within a room to contain dust while repairing large ceiling or wall holes. They are also great for isolating a room that has a lot of wood cutting or demolition taking place . ZipWall sells an optional “zipper” that installs on your plastic sheeting but we have found that the zippers are expensive and don’t work well. A cut flap on one of the side “walls” works better for entering and exiting the sealed area. Unfortunately, that is also the source of any dust release from the area so it is best to attach another piece of rolled plastic over the flap to act as a door. Use masking tape to seal the top of the additional piece over the flap. Do not apply tape to the side or bottom of the additional piece as it becomes difficult to enter the “walled” area.

After using the ZipWall system for awhile, we started coming up with other uses for it. On several occasions we found that we could set up a wet saw in a customer’s finished living room. It sure beats walking a long distance or working out in the freezing cold to cut a tile . The ZipWall space can contain all of the dust and water. We simply place plastic sheeting on the floor with a drop cloth over it to prevent slippage. Clean up is a snap.

One time we set up the system at a local college. The poles were placed on top of A-frame ladders to create a huge tented area (20’ high x 30’ wide) for an Artist to work on a large wall mounted art project. The other Artists were envious of the lack of cleaning needed after the project was complete.

In our Workshop, we have a Spray Booth set up using the ZipWall system. Since it is so easy to set up and tear down, we can utilize the space either for construction of cabinets or the finishing of them, depending upon how much space is needed for each phase. The ZipWall system prevents the sawdust created during the woodworking phase from reaching the items being painted, stained, or clear coated.

Since the Environmental Protection Agency’s RRP rule went into affect a few years ago, we have seen many other uses for the ZipWall system including quick set up to contain lead paint chips during replacement window or door installations. The system also works to contain harmful lead debris during other home remodeling projects as well.

They really are very handy. No longer just for Contractors, the Home Depot has recently made them available to the Do-It-Yourself Homeowner too.

Have you ever wondered why one person can have great success with a deck sealer year after year, while another person using the same sealer has peeling issues, warping wood and other problems? Of course, there could be a lot of reasons, but there is likely a good explanation.

Consider, for example, what happens when you take a piece of lumber and submerse it in water. If that board is untreated, water will pass through the wood into the pores bi-directionally, or in two directions. The wood will retain its shape though swelling may occur. This is one basic reason why the wood on ship wrecks that have sat at the bottom of the ocean for hundreds of years are still in the same condition as when they sunk. Another good example of this is when a hardwood floor has sat under water due to a flood. The floor boards will warp so thoroughly that they will pull the nails out of their substrates and the tongue and groove will separate.

Take that same piece of wood and place it in a puddle of water so that the bottom of the board is wet and the top of the board is dry. Water will move through the pores from the bottom of the wood up into the top of the wood, evaporating at the surface. In this situation, water is only moving in one direction. When water moves in a single direction through the wood, the wood will start to warp and crack as the proteins and fibers within the wood realign and cross link. The extent, speed, and type of warpage are determined by several factors including the resins within the wood, the size of the pores, the length of time it remains wet, the temperature, etc. Inevitably, the wood will warp, crack, and perhaps cup.

Deck treatments fall into two categories, those that seal the pores of the wood completely (we’ll call them Group A), and those that leave the pores open (Group B). Some Group B treatments will act more like Group A if the sealant is applied too thick, so it is important to follow the manufacturer’s suggested application guidelines.

Leaving the wood pores open will allow bi-directional water movement. The wood should retain its shape, not cupping, cracking or warping. The Tri-Pups, Inc. staff recommends that you use sealants that keep the pores open when you can’t seal every side of the wood. Decks built at or slightly above ground level should always be treated with sealants from Group B leaving the pores open. Some examples include Penofin Blue Label, Cuprinol Decking Oil and Protector, Behr Premium Semi-Transparent Weatherproofing Wood Stain, and Sherwin Williams Deckscapes. Group B sealants can be used for most exterior wood surfaces.

For upper balcony decks, open staircases, outdoor furniture, and fences that have wood that can be treated on all sides, you can use either Group A or Group B sealants. The use of a Group A sealant can eliminate water passage of any kind, from all directions. Examples of Group A sealants include the entire line of Thompson’s Water Seal products, Olympic Maximum Waterproofing Sealant, and Olympic Wood Protector Waterproofing Sealant.

The situation to avoid is sealing one side of a wood surface with a pore sealing Group A product when the other side of the wood is inaccessible and therefore remains with untreated open pores. In this instance, water will still pass through the wood from the open pore side into the sealed pore side. Because the pores on top are sealed, the water movement is mono-directional leading to warping. The wood doesn’t have to be physically lying in water for this to occur. Temperature and humidity differences can cause condensation and capillary action, wicking and water intrusion. The effect is the same as laying the board in a puddle of water and waiting for it to warp.

Has your wood been previously treated? Are you using the same product for the re-application? If not, we recommend completely removing the old sealant prior to applying the new sealant as there is the strong possibility that the two sealants could be incompatible. Whenever possible, it is best to use the same product every time the wood is treated throughout the life of the wood. Applying a Group B sealant over a Group A sealant will likely result in peeling and flaking. There are some manufacturers that tell you that after their product has aged a few years it can be covered with any product. In our 15 years of deck treatment experience, we have found that to be untrue, especially when applying any Group B product over any Thompson’s Water Seal product.

Remember, before treating any exterior wood, it is best to properly clean the surface to remove dirt, mold, and other contaminants. Allow the wood adequate time to dry out completely before applying the sealant.

Please feel free to contact Tri-Pups, Inc. at 248-597-2929 with any questions you may have about the proper sealing of exterior wood surfaces.

We at Tri-Pups inc. recently had an opportunity to work with DRI-core, a sub-floor panel that is designed to raise your finished floor off of a concrete surface. Most of the big-boxes like Lowes and Home Depot sell DRI-core, and the pricing is about $1.65 per square foot. DRI-core is especially useful in basement finishing which is where we used it. The bottoms of the OSB panels are composed of a moisture barrier (plastic) that is raised. This allows any water that may seep into the floor to run under the panels to a drain, keeping the floor above it dry.

The panels are strong enough so that the floor does not have to be totally level. The Manufacturer specifications recommend that you level the floor prior to installation, but we found for practical purposes that we were able to just apply floor leveler to the worst areas and that the boards and shims could span anything else we encountered. Since the flooring we were installing was to be carpet, rather than hardwood or a laminate finish, we knew that we had a little wiggle room with the leveling process. Did I forget to mention that this was probably one of the most unlevel basement concrete floors I have ever seen? The concrete looked like it was poured by a bunch of drunken bums!

The DRI-core panels are Tongue-and-Grooved like hardwood, so they are direction-oriented (right or left handed). You have to keep this in mind when you are making your cuts around the perimeter or you will wind up wasting panels. You also have to anchor the perimeter in order to stretch carpet. We usedRamset nails rather than screws to save time and cost. The photos below show Ted installing a DRI-core panel, and a partial picture of the finished room. Note the drain in the center of the DRI-core in the finished picture. We left the existing drain open, and installed an extra cover on the finished DRI-core to note the location of the drain. There is actually a 1-1/2” air gap at this particular point. Now if the drain needs to be worked on or used in the future, it is clearly identified and accessible.

The floor is now ready for Carpet installation!

If you think that this product may be a good fit for a project in your home or business, please give us a call at 248-597-2929 or visit our website at www.tri-pups.com