Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum banner

load bearing opening

23K views 116 replies 18 participants last post by  superseal 
#1 ·
You'll all be happy I'm not working heights on this one :laughing:...

Neighbor has been at me to install his new patio door since October 2011 and I'm finally finding time on the schedule to get it done.

Basically need a 6'0" x 6'8" opening created through a solid masonry house to accommodate the install.

Got a late start this morning and the 60 mph gusts we had today made for an interesting dust storm :rolleyes:

Anyway, I'll keep you updated with the lintel installation and such as I progress through this.

On the docket today...Layout; removal of 2 sheets of heavily glued
80's interior paneling to expose the furred out drywall; saw-cut perimeter; primed up two lintels and started brick removal.
 

Attachments

See less See more
6
#74 · (Edited)
A lot smaller than the Dewalt...this radio fits anywhere and is quite rugged. Sounds good too!

No sure i like the AC cord set-up but it'll do. I'm always trashing job site radios anyway so I'll keep you updated how it holds up.

AM/FM/MP3/ipod and a weather tight storage dept for the latter :thumbup:

8 hour run time on reg lithium and 16 on the XLT's - gotta love that.
 

Attachments

#78 ·
chisel

SUPERSEAL; The chisel you showed in early portion of this post may possibly have been made by DASKO TOOLS. The reason i say that is i have one that looks identical. I have had it forever,is one of my favorites, would rather loan someone my tooth brush then that chisel. The stamping on mine says DASKO.
 
#80 ·
SUPERSEAL; The chisel you showed in early portion of this post may possibly have been made by DASKO TOOLS. The reason i say that is i have one that looks identical. I have had it forever,is one of my favorites, would rather loan someone my tooth brush then that chisel. The stamping on mine says DASKO.
I'm gonna check the stamp mark if I can find one and let you know...

As far as the box - my wife gave it to me many moons ago and I believe she got it from her mother. Looks like plastic or ivory inlay and some type of tropical hardwood on mine - always assumed an islander crafted these for the tourist trade...seen many very similar.
 

Attachments

#82 ·
Thanks. In my opinion it's often better to go to a flea market or garage sale to get steel tools. Steel today is not of the same quality it once was. I remember reading that there was a company smelting down old railway ties and producing some very good steel, also there were some italians that were taking the slag that the Etruscans had piled up and were producing some excellent steel as well. Both are way better than the steel that comes from recyling old vehicles which have already been recycled 3 or 4 times.
 
#83 ·
So,... when I did this job a little while back, I told the customer that his porch roof flashing had to be leaking from all the various stains on the exposed ledger, rafters and exterior brick wall under the roof. He said it would leak during heavy rains only and it didn't seem too bad :rolleyes:

I disagreed and told him to call me when needed :laughing:

Well, the door has been in a couple of weeks and I get the call :thumbup:

"It was leaking pretty good the other night", he says of the porch roof.
Running down the exterior brick wall under the roof like he's never seen he says :whistling

I said yea, pretty easy to see with your new door aah!... The last guy cut a reglet and stuffed a narrow piece of plain aluminum in there with a back pitch toward the brick... no caulk, just stub nails punched in there to hold it. My door didn't leak as I panned and weeped for such occasions, but this has to be fixed I say.

Upon closer inspection I made recommendations of new flashing, cleaning, spot pointing and PD application to the wall section above.
Also got a re-caulk the window unit as that's shot too.


A good day for pressure washing and...Ducks :blink:

I almost tripped over this lady when I wasn't looking were I was walkin'
today... where the hell did she come from?
 

Attachments

#85 ·
So I'm a Italian Frenchman I guess :laughing: Pass me those fries would ya ;)

Got held up this morning cause I had a tub caulking job to do for a client and what a mess - didn't even want to take any pictures of that one.

I won't mention names but we all know those companies that stroll out and do inserts over existing tubs. In and out in one day and everything is good so they say.

We'll, some probably do look nice but cutting out moldy silicone on a two year old plastic tub with plastic tile walls, with joints everywhere, that was done twice already - not my idea of a nice job.

Alright, rant over...did someone say reglet :laughing:

Cleaning and spot pointing was performed yesterday to the wall above the porch and this afternoon, I swung by and cut the reglet for some new aluminum counter flashing.

Yes, we all know this should be copper or lead in a perfect world and the owner was informed :whistling,...he decided on the coated aluminum since it's SOP around these parts and it's a little less expensive than the alternatives. Truth is, I gotta feeling he's gonna be hiring me to re-do this entire porch in the near future so I'll probably be rippin' this back off soon enough.

Regardless, he wants to try to keep it watertight in the meantime so back to work I go :thumbup:

70 years old...the brick cleaned up nice don't ya think?...just water, no chemies :no: I did apply clear silicone caulk to the old flashing to keep the cleaning water from flooding the framing and everything else...Like I said, the first guy just tucked it in and called it a day, no mind it was back pitched in spots :blink:

The cleaning also removed a lot of grime on the mortar joints so I should get some good absorption of the PD sealer which is next on the list.

Wants me to take a look at the chimney also while I'm here :whistling
 

Attachments

#86 ·
Since my brake is 10'6" and the porch is 20' - I did it with one seam.

Good thing we didn't have those 50 mph winds here today :whistling

Hey, what the Duck is up with this :blink:
 

Attachments

#88 ·
superseal, really enjoy your project logs. the wildlife is key. do you take photos with your cell phone or just keep a point and shoot in the truck?

that makita radio is pretty great except for a few things...

the reception is awful, i finally stuck an eight foot chunk of romex in there and i can get some stations.

wish it had a cd player, and charged the batteries.

its best feature is that i've had it last almost 2 full work days on a 3.o battery.

whats the rapid set mortar product you use? i've used the "rapid set" brand cement on some countertops and it was a wild ride...
 
#95 ·
superseal, really enjoy your project logs. the wildlife is key. do you take photos with your cell phone or just keep a point and shoot in the truck?that makita radio is pretty great except for a few things...

the reception is awful, i finally stuck an eight foot chunk of romex in there and i can get some stations.

wish it had a cd player, and charged the batteries.

its best feature is that i've had it last almost 2 full work days on a 3.o battery.

whats the rapid set mortar product you use? i've used the "rapid set" brand cement on some countertops and it was a wild ride...
I'm always carrying the Iphone with me for when I've fallen and can't get up :laughing: and also use a canon a570is. Dell picture studio does the rest.

As far as rapid set - I use all different brands,...thoro, mapei, etc...
Ran across this Rapid Set @hchepo and decided to give it a try for grouting the cores of the door jambs...liked it a lot and would use it again.

I pay much more for mapei Planitop x and If I need fiber I can can just add it is what I'm thinkin'.

Is this what your talking about...http://www.rapidset.com/MortarMix_data.asp
 
#90 ·
I must have got a good one or something - reception is awesome compared to others I've had, no problems at all.

And, while it's not a Bose system, it sounds pretty dang good to me.

Cd's won't last on my dusty sites and the non-charger is no big deal.
Wait,...are you guys having mosh pits at your job sites?:rockon:
 

Attachments

#92 ·
So I stroll over today to put the sealer on and check out the chimney.

Hate this new PD in a box and bag...Just waiting to get smashed in the back of my truck.

I just transfer it to one of the original containers and all is good :thumbup:
 

Attachments

#93 ·
Some of you like animals I suspect...This guy was at the tub caulking job yesterday. Real friendly American BD, 9 months old and quick as a rhino :blink:

He smacked me in the coconuts twice...i swear it hurt :rolleyes:

Hey, this chimney is pretty whacked - gonna need more than I thought :thumbup:
 

Attachments

#94 ·
"S" for Super I guess :laughing:

Cool, get to do some additional work here :thumbsup:
 

Attachments

#96 ·
After the chimney inspection the other day I made some recommendations for repairs and the customer was receptive to my concerns.

First, the antenna is coming down since cable been around since the
70's :rolleyes: and that's the last time it saw any action. Wind wrecks havoc on these type installs and can loosen up small chimneys like this especially in their deteriorating stages.

Top flue liner is hammered and has to be replaced; crown needs a fixin', bricks need pointing, flashing needs a little work and of course PD upon completion. I did sell him a stainless lining system which will be done in the fall, so in the meantime, I through a cover over the flue and will retro-fit this later.

Let me get back to work here...
 

Attachments

#97 ·
Popped out the top flue today and replaced it as necessary. Even under the threat of rain I pointed her up and replaced the crown.

Customer didn't want to spring for a traditional saw-cut, concave jointer style, so paste over Philly style was the solution :laughing: No matter, done well, it holds up very well with this type brick. I actually did the next door neighbors house about 25 years ago at least and it still looks good.
 

Attachments

#100 ·
No cutting, no lime, horsehair brush, bucket trowel, hawk, W. Rose slicker matched to the averaged size joint,... beach sand and Portland type1, very rich mix...breaking all the rules of traditional masonry for sure.

Regardless...it's the main style of re-pointing services offered by most of the local masons and you rarely see a residential single which is saw cut and traditionally done.

I do offer the service and educate the customer regarding the potential issues but most balk at the price and just want it done like their neighbors house :rolleyes:

Obviously, not all buildings qualify for this style depending on the fundamentals in place, but you probably wouldn't believe me anyway if I told you I've got buildings 30 years out that look like they were done yesterday.

Over the years you get good at picking out what works and what won't in certain scenarios and i try to give my customers options if possible.

That's not to say everybody chooses this style...These couple of clients in the neighborhood had me do it traditionally...
 

Attachments

#99 ·
Pointing 30 ft. up on a chicken hook...three fidy, fitting a flue...three fidy, crown replacement...three fidy...pointing behind a letter of the alphabet, standing on a ladder...priceless :laughing:
 

Attachments

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top