What home improvement work did you do today?

Pool excavated today

 

It’s been exciting to see the horses in the barn and using the arenas now! It’s funny to see them getting exercised in the horse walker for the first time. A few of them tried to kick and fight being exercised until they get smacked by the next panel behind them on their back end.

 

Recently sold my Tundra to put a pool in. Getting outrageous quotes and wait lists till this time next year. Did you have any trouble finding someone to do yours?

 

Beautiful.

 

The finished summer project ended up costing me more than I thought. It’s fully insulated, wired, vented and a hooked up to the house central heating and cooling. I can live in it if the family drives me nuts

But really I’ve learned the hard way if I want to store nice stuff it has to have some environmental control.

 

I raged on our smoke detectors last night. I was searing some meat and even with the range hood on full blast, the damn smoke detectors started howling. The silence button wasn't working. Seeing as both detectors on our upper floor are less than a 10 feet from each other, I disconnected power to one. I then took the one nearest our bedroom, ripped it out and smashed it. So satisfying.

So today I went out and bought a Nest smoke detector and installed that. Much better. Now I can shut it up from my phone.

 

I put 10 of them in this old house - it was an investment but they are awesome. I also like how they make little path lights in the halls at night when they detect somebody walking.

 

Been waiting for a while to do this one. Had it planned for 4th of July weekend (3 days off) but had to be pushed back for the fence and other things. So Labor Day weekend will be spent laboring on a new roof on the shed.

Moved into the house in June and got to see the inside of the shed the day we signed the paper work. Got access to the shed, and while the wood framing inside was fine, the roof was fucked. Mushrooms growing upside down from it. It needed replacing years ago. There was a foot of bougainvillea vine on it that just kept it wet and penetrated what little water proofing it had.

So, phase 1: Demo

Didn't look bad right?




Where the mushrooms grew from.



The top layer of 3 strips of roofing paper. Nothing holding it down but a staple in four corners. I pulled it off in one piece.


Underneath.



Yes, that's a hole. I made it slightly bigger by simply poking it with a finger.


Just tar paper for water protection. It didn't work.


What a difference some sun makes on one side.


The guy who built it used proper wood screws and hit all the framing underneath. It'a a well built shed, but he had no clue about water proofing and dry rot.

 

I would definitely stay away from particle board, especially when doing a roof. Use a good exterior grade plywood and it will probably save you lots of headaches. Good luck with your project.

 

Your shed currently has an osb (oriented strand board) plywood. Which is very common for residential construction roof decking. You can install a 7/16” cdx plywood instead if you want something a little stronger. Your roof looks like it’s a self adhesive rolled roofing material. It’s typically less expensive than a shingle roof and very quick to install. If you want a more durable roof you can have a modified bitumen roof installed. The modified bitumen roof is applied with a torch so make sure you get a professional to install if you go that route.

 

Round 2. It was understood that the work would be done around other jobs. No worries about how long it taking. It is only about 4 days work so far.

 

Already have the shingles and the Owens Corning Water and Ice sticky adhesive barrier. I know it's for metal/tile roofs, but I'm gonna overkill it with some silicone depending on how the shingles are.

In the first pic, there's an apartment building right next to the shed. Where that corrugated plastic is there's a stairway. When I was up there yesterday, there was someone hosing down the stairs and surprisingly there was a lot over water making its way onto the shed. So there's a chance of water coming in from the side and getting underneath the shingles, hence the use on silicone or Sikaflex.

 

You really shouldn’t need silicone under the shingles or the underlayment barrier. I would recommend you install drip edge after you install your roof decking and before you put your moisture barrier down. You can install ice shield as a second layer of protection if you want.


Another product I would strongly recommend is Zip roof decking. It is an osb plywood with a membrane already coated on the sheathing. You can install the zip taping over your joints and it’s water tight. I’m a big fan of their wall and roof decking. The tape isn’t cheap though since it sells for $25 per roll! Just another suggestion.

 

Put up bistro lights across the back yard. Of coarse the tundra helped out like always. Next project is grass revival, have to figure out what killed it in the first place.

 

Never seen the Zip system before.

I went with some 3/4" plywood at $40 a piece, Owens Corning Water And Ice protection for the moisture barrier. I know I shouldn't need the silicone, but I only want to do this roof once, and as someone once said, "Overkill is underrated". I don't want any capillary action/capillarity happening from the overspray of the stairs from the apartment building getting hosed down.

I had a friend come over and help with some of the install, just getting them plywood up onto the roof. I wrapped the water and ice underneath at the edge so it would go past the wall. The framing is solid, but not exactly square. Oh well.





Found out why there was 2x4 on the side. lol


All the plywood on. Little strips at the very top about 5" wide to make up for the over hang at the bottom.


Put the drip edge on. Got it yesterday at the Homie Despot, but I was a little short and had to go back again today to get just one more stick of it.




Got some treated wood to replace the old rotting ones.


The side before the drip edge.


All the drip edge on. Now for all the water and ice.




So there's water barrier around all the edges and under the drip edge. And water barrier on top of the drip edge.



And son of a motherless goat. I ran out of water barrier with about 8 feet to go.



All in all I got more done today than I thought I was going to. So another trip to The Depot in the morning and I can start shingling the roof.

 

Trying to decide where I should hang this bad boy up.

 

So on the hottest day of the year so far I spent it outside, on a roof, in the sun. I am not a smort man.

But I got it all done.

First thing this morning was to got to the Home Despot and get more water and ice barrier to finish it.



But since I still had 95% left of the roll, I decided to use it and add another layer across the top ridge the full length of the shed.


I got the Owens Corning Desert Tan shingles. This pic shows the Liquid Nails I used on top of the drip edge. OverKill.


South side done. Lunch break.



Several hours later, the entire roof is done.







Now for many beers to help rehydrate.

 

Did more work on the shed. Today was the door. This inside of it was a mess. So I put a sheet of 3/4” plywood on it so that I could also hang stuff on it.

 

The neighbor loves him some sheds.

 

Umm, where did you get that awesome hammock bed type thing with the awning?? Looks fabulous to sleep on outside!

 

Yup. These are all track houses built back in 1955 with only 1 hallway closet. So other than the garage, there's no storage for anything bigger than a folded sheet.

 

I know when I watched Flip or Flop not only was the price is unbelievable to hinks and rubes like me, but what I always notice was the small size of the bedrooms 2 and 3. When ever they staged for open house I would point out to wife that only a small bed and end table was in the room, where do the dressers and chest of drawers go.

 

Definitely overkill. When it comes to building materials, especially roofing, sometimes less is more if everything is installed correctly. I have seen a ton of drip edge installed just a little bit wrong which leads to problems and water damage. Layering products that aren't meant to be layered might be an issue. The ridge cap shingles look like they arent sitting flat, maybe due to the nails having to go through too many layers. Also did you do a starter coarse of shingles along the drip edge? Looks like you just started laying a normal row and its not overlapping a starter course or the drip edge. The reveal also looks off to me which may not be an issue but with roofing its best to follow the manufacturer specs of overlap, reveal, starter and ridge courses as well as underlayment requirements

 

The pool project is getting close to wrapping up - tavertine was done about a week ago and site cleanup and fence install happened late last week


I found out my sub that was supposed to order my RV gate fucked up and hadn't contracted that out, so I had to get to work to pass the inspection on Tuesday...


I was able to make some off the shelf parts from Home Depot work. The custom gate panels would have each been another 4 inches wider, so I had to get creative with the sides. I think it'll work for now.

I also refreshed the existing side gate while I was at it


I also had to add springs to both gates, add spring hinges and replace the deadbolt with a knob on the back door, and cover the dog door with steel panels and one way screws... Would have been nice to know this shit more than 4 days ahead of time, but what can you do. At least I got a workout this weekend, and it was only 115 out...

 

My wife loves it. I bought it a few years ago.

$340 Abba Patio Outdoor Portable Double Chaise Lounge Hammock Bed with Sun Shade and Wheels, Grey

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GHRM2T6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

The ridge cap shingles are more or less decorative at that point. The back side shingles went up and over the ridge then the front side shingles did too. It is just a shed after all. As long as it keeps the water out, the shingles stay on in a storm and I can safely walk on it if necessary, I’ll be happy.

 

Planted this plumeria a little over a week ago and it blossomed last night. I've never had this color but now it might be my favorite(these don't come in black).



I also have a pink one that should bloom next week, two different purples that might not bloom until spring, a pink/white/yellow and a plain white/yellow. I told my wife for years that I wanted these, she didn't like them but now she's into them more than me.