Decks, Batteries, Boots & More
Be it dripping decks or muddy feet, spring construction is underway.
Water Control Under a Deck or Balcony
Zip-Up UnderDeck is a clean looking vinyl rain collection "ceiling" for under decks and balconies. A "U" channel on outside edges and "I" channels between narrow snap-together panels creates a totally watertight sloped surface under any structure designed to let the water through. An "under the deck" rain gutter collects the flow to dispose of the water conveniently.
We often create such a water control system with corrugated fiberglass panels, but the locked together Zip-Up UnderDeck system has the unique quality of being certified to Florida hurricane wind resistance standards. With our more frequent extreme weather events, controlling water flow and resisting high winds is becoming a Canadian necessity.
www.zipupunderdeck.com
White Head Trim Screws for use with all types of Pressure-treated Wood
Screw Products, Inc. has just added white head trim screws to their wide range of speciality construction screws. Useful for all white trim applications, the size range from 9 x 1-5/8" up to 9 x 3" makes it ideal for fastening white deck boards to pressure-treated joists. Their proprietary coating is certified to resist ACQ wood and all lesser evils.
Don't forget that after years of pulling our hair out about corrosion of fasteners and brackets with ACQ pressure treated wood, MicroPro technology is now established throughout Canada and eliminates this corrosion problem. Things can still rust, but are not accelerated by the chemicals in MicroPro wood. www.screw-products.com.
Gas for Your Deck
Paslode has just released their new CF325 Li-on Cordless Framing Nailer. It has depth adjustment, even with gloves on, fits between 16" centre joists, and of course has no hose, cord or heavy battery. They like to brag that with its compact size and freedom of movement, it is a framing nailer especially useful for deck building. It handles nails 2" to 3-1/4" in length, .113" to .131" shank diameters, at 30°C. www.paslode.com.
The Movement to 5 Ah Batteries Continues
Bosch has joined the next step battery evolution (I talked about Metabo's 5.2 Ah battery in the Nov/Dec issue) while keeping the weight under control with its BAT621 5.0 Ah 18V Lithium-ion FatPack battery. Using innovation in high capacity low-resistance cells, Bosch has managed to maintain an identical size and weight footprint of the previous Bosch 4.0 Ah and 3.0 Ah 18V batteries. They claim it to be the lightest and most compact 5.0 Ah battery pack currently offered in the market. Higher Ah means more working run time between charges, and better performance with high load tools like rotary hammers, impact drivers and reciprocating saws.
www.bosch.ca.
The Bent Landscaping Spike that Tightens Paving Edgers
Common straight spikes slack off a bit with time, allowing sand erosion and effacement of the edge bricks and stones. The Edgetite Spike has a bent tip that, when driven into the soil, causes it to shift. This not only forces the edger rail tighter to the bricks, but the angled penetration resists future movement more than a vertical spike. Rather than just a common spike, they call it the "Precision Engineered Landscaping Spike." Watch the video: www.mcpsupply.com. www.edgetite.com.
Something New in Joist Hangers
I was searching for new bracket hardware for decks when I stumbled across this totally new product from Simpson Strong Tie for indoor use: Joist hangers designed to be installed over up to two layers of 5/8" drywall!
The wide footprint support and top plate nailing pattern allow you to install your drywall first, then the joists. Because the joist is now hanging totally on the top plate of the wall, the top plate must be restrained during construction by a strap on the other side to prevent rotation. The DU/DHU face-mount hanger and the DHUTF top-mount hangers are available in sizes that accommodate most joists used in multi-family construction, including I-joists and trusses. www.strongtie.com.
Finally-Construction Galoshes for INSIDE the House
Although galoshes are defined as something to prevent shoes from getting muddy or wet, the Yuleys Shoes prevent your messy work boots from messing up your customer's house.
Taking off your boots or walking around in slippery paper overshoes is time-consuming and dangerous. The Yuleys rubber "step-in" over-boots are construction solid and easy to use. Simply step in; dropping the heel locks them into place. Step on the back tab to "step out" of the Yuleys as you leave the house. Simply hose them off to keep them clean.
You have to choose the right size so they fit tightly to your boot. Now you can go quickly in and out of your client's house without worrying about leaving tire tracks or scratching the floor and you have good traction on smooth surfaces as well as full safety boot protection. A Canadian invention out of Ottawa. www.Yuleys.com.
Montreal-based TV broadcaster, author, home renovation and tool expert
Jon Eakes provides a tool feature in each edition of Home BUILDER.
www.JonEakes.com