Parrish Construction

Archive for February, 2010

Q—We are having a house built, and are concerned about the plywood subflooring. It has gotten wet several times, and is starting to look weathered. Should we be concerned about it deteriorating?

Friday, February 5th, 2010 Posted in Construction Process, FAQ, Flooring, Materials- Construction, New Construction, Safety Hazards, Spring, Structural Issues, Waterproofing, Winter | No Comments »

A—Subflooring sheathing, both plywood and oriented strand board (OSB) are designed with water-resistant glues to resist the amount of rain and snow typically encountered during construction. I’ve seen floors that had been exposed to the weather for months perform flawlessly. ...

Q—We’re planning to install new wood floors. Since they’re so expensive, we’d like to get a good installation job, especially avoiding or minimizing cracks between boards. Do you have any advice for us?

Friday, February 5th, 2010 Posted in FAQ, Flooring, Heating/Cooling, Kitchens, Remodeling Concerns, Ventilation, Winter | No Comments »

A—The key to a good flooring installation is the control of moisture and humidity. Wood expands as it absorbs moisture and shrinks as it dries, making it prone to movement as the humidity in the home changes with the seasons. Here ...

Q—The new wood flooring I had installed this past summer has cracks developing between the boards—some as much as 1/16” wide. Why is this happening? Should the cracks be filled?

Thursday, February 4th, 2010 Posted in FAQ, Flooring, Freezing Temp. Problems, Heating/Cooling, Winter | No Comments »

A—The cracks are caused by shrinkage of the wood as it adapts to Colorado’s extremely dry climate. Most finish-grade lumber, such as flooring, is kiln-dried in ovens to a moisture content of about 6% by weight—dry enough in most states ...

Q—Is My Attic Fan Poisoning Me?

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 Posted in Advice to Clients, Energy-Saving Tips, FAQ, Heating/Cooling, Safety Hazards, Summer, Ventilation | No Comments »

A—An alert reader has contacted me with a safety concern related to attic fans. He referred me to an article which details a study conducted on the safety of these fans. This study concluded that under certain conditions, attic fans ...

Q—Our contractor plans to use “Scissor trusses” to create a vaulted ceiling in our family-room addition. What is a scissor truss?

Monday, February 1st, 2010 Posted in Additions, Architecture, Blueprints, Construction Terms, Design Tips, FAQ, Remodels/Additions, Roofing/Ceilings, Structural Issues, Ventilation | No Comments »

A—You’ve probably seen more conventional roof trusses being installed on new homes under construction. They are engineered and factory-fabricated structural members designed to effectively span wide areas, often without center support. Typically with a triangular shape, they incorporate the roof ...
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