Best Practices Guide to Finishes for Wood Floors
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Guide to choosing and applying finishes on wood floors
Penetrating Sealer and Wax Systems Useful for Solid Wood Flooring
Surface Finishes for Solid Wood Floors
Maintenance and Reconditioning Procedures for Solid Wood Floors

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This article explains how to choose and apply finishes to wood flooring. This article series discusses and provides a best construction practices guide to the selection and installation of building interior surface materials, carpeting, doors, drywall, trim, flooring, lighting, plaster, materials, finishes, and sound control materials. This article includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Our page top photo shows a satin polyurethane applied by the editor (D Friedman) over a hand-restored 1850's wide plank floor in Wappingers Falls, NY. No stains were used. Original paint, a mixture of oxblood and milk, had to be stripped by hand. Power floor sanding would have risked grinding the floor to an un-natural flatness.

Also see INTERIORS of buildings, our home page for information about all topics relating to building interiors.

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Wood Floor Finishing Guide

As described in the book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction Chapter 5, Interior Finish:

If possible, allow the home’s heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to run for two weeks after the flooring is installed before sanding and finishing. The most common site-applied floor finish today is oil-based polyurethane, although waterborne urethanes are rapidly gaining market share due to their fast drying, low level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and non yellowing appearance (although “ambering” formulas are now available).

For those seeking a more rustic, lower-gloss appearance and willing to wax and buff periodically, traditional oil sealers and wax remain an option. Finishing options are summarized in Table 5-6.

Table 5-16: Finishes for wood flooring (C) J Wiley, S Bliss

Penetrating Sealer and Wax Systems Useful for Solid Wood Flooring

These finishes are generally made from mixtures of linseed or tung oil, sometimes with synthetic polymers and additives to improve hardness and drying time. Usually two coats of a penetrating sealer are applied, followed by a coat of wax, providing a low-sheen, rustic appearance. While easy to apply, the finish is fairly high-maintenance, requiring periodic buffing and rewaxing to keep it looking good.

Over time, the wax will become discolored from dirt and grime and will need to be stripped. In its favor, high use areas of the floor are easy to touch up without sanding and refinishing the entire floor.

Surface Finishes for Solid Wood Floors

Most site-applied finishes today are oil-based or water-borne urethanes applied to the surface of the wood in three or more coats. In general, any high quality urethane applied properly will provide a durable, moisture-resistant surface.

While water-borne finishes had some quality problems when first introduced for residential use in the late 1980s, they have continually improved and now offer durability equal or superior to traditional oil-based urethanes. While most floor finishes claim in their marketing to be the toughest, hardest, and longest lasting, moisture-cured urethane is generally considered the toughest site-applied finish.

The most durable finishes, some with warranties of up to 25 years, are available only on factory-finished flooring.

Whatever finish is applied, follow the manufacturer’s instructions closely. The following recommendations apply to most site-applied finishes:

After sanding, wipe the floor with a lint-free tack cloth and allow to fully dry. Use mineral sprits for oil-based finishes, water for water-borne finishes.
If you use a stain or penetrating sealer, make sure it is completely dry before applying the top coats.
Make sure the temperature is right—65°F to 85°F for most finishes. Colder will delay drying; hotter will dry too fast and the finish will not level.
Keep indoor humidity from 45% to 75%. Higher humidity will delay drying and can harm the finish.
Provide exhaust ventilation during drying. Poor ventilation can cause a soft or rough finish.
Allow each coat to fully dry before applying the next coat. Multiple thin coats make the best finish.
Lightly abrade finish between coats as recommended by manufacturer. (Not required with some water-borne finishes if recoated within 3 to 6 hours—follow manufacturer’s recommendations.) Prefinished Strip and Plank Flooring. Many solid wood floor products are now available prefinished in thicknesses from 1 2 to 3 4 inch for roughly twice the price of comparable unfinished wood. In addition to speeding up the installation and eliminating the dust and fumes associated with job-site finishing, these finishes have several other advantages:
The most durable finishes, such as UV-cured urethane and acrylic impregnation, can only be applied in a factory (see Table 5-6 shown above)
Finishes are applied in a dust-free, controlled environment.
Factory finishes typically carry long-term warranties.
There are no surprises in the color of the finished floor.

The main disadvantage of this approach is that the installer must take extra care not to mar or scratch the finishes during installation, adding to the installation cost. Also, most prefinished flooring is chamfered to some degree to hide the inevitable differences in thickness from one board to the next, called overwood, which results from small variations in water absorption, swelling, and shrinking among flooring boards. Debris or irregularities in the subfloor can also cause an uneven surface.

The grooves in deeply beveled flooring tend to trap dirt and can cause problems when it is time to sand and refinish, particularly with stained flooring. Unless the bevels are sanded away, they are hard to strip and difficult to match, leaving dark lines in the refinished floor. One approach is to refinish before the old finish is completely worn through by just lightly abrading the surface prior to recoating or using one of the no-sand refinishing products.

To address these concerns, most flooring manufacturers now offer prefinished flooring products with no bevel (square edged) or nearly invisible “microbevels” that minimize the effects of a beveled edge.

Maintenance and Reconditioning Procedures for Solid Wood Floors

A sealed and waxed floor typically needs rewaxing no more than once or twice a year to keep it looking good.

ith surface coatings, most manufacturers do not recommend waxing. If a surface-coated floor gets lightly scratched over time but has not worn through to bare wood, it can be recoated in most cases without complete re sanding. After thoroughly cleaning the floor with a non residue cleaner, rough up the old finish with steel wool, light sandpaper, or a sanding screen, then apply a new coat of finish. Many coating manufacturers now offer no-sand refinishing products as well, formulated to bond to the old finish without sanding.

No wood floor should be flooded with water during cleaning. Either use a dry mop or a wet mop that has been squeezed dry. Water can find its way between floor boards and through scratches, swell the wood, and undermine the finish.

-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

Resources: Manufacturers, Industry Associations, & Sources of Indoor Wall Materials, Flooring, Carpeting, Lighting, Sound Control Materials

Drywall Trims and Accessories

Clinch-On Products, A Deitrich Metal Framing Company www.dietrichindustries.com Nail-on and clinch-on galvanized metal corner beads

Con-Form International/Strait Flex www.straitflex.com Strait-Flex fiber-composite mud-on corner bead for inside and outside off-90 degree angles

Drywall Systems International www.no-coat.com No-Coat prefinished drywall tapes for inside and outside corners, off angles and bullnose trims

Flex-Ability Concepts www.flexc.com Curved metal top and bottom plates for curved wood or metal stud walls

Grabber Construction Products www.grabberman.com Drywall screws, corner clips, and fiberglass mesh tapes

Insta Arch Corp. www.instaarch.com Galvanized steel preformed and custom arches for drywall

National Gypsum Co. www.nationalgypsum.com ProForm tapes and finishing compounds

Pla-Cor www.pla-cor.com ABS corner trims, bullnose, 3-way corner caps, and flexible arches

Phillips Manufacturing Co. www.phillipsmfg.com Metal and vinyl corner beads, bullnose trim, and flexible bullnose and angled arch trim

Trim-Tex www.trim-tex.com Vinyl drywall beads, flexible arch beads, and finishing accessories

U.S. Gypsum Beadex and Sheetrock-brand tape-on metal corner beads and trims. Complete line of drywall finishing compounds

Vinyl Corp., A Deitrich Metal Framing Company www.vinylcorp.com Full line of vinyl beads and trim

Prefinished Wood Flooring

Alloc Inc. www.alloc.com Snap-together, no-glue long-strip and single-strip laminated flooring

Anderson Hardwood Floors www.andersonfloors.com Laminated strip, nail, glue, and floating

Armstrong World Industries www.armstrong.com Bruce, Hartco, and Robbins prefinished plank and engineered strip

BHK of America www.bhkuniclic.com Snap-together, no-glue laminated wood flooring

Columbia Wood Flooring www.columbiaflooring.com Prefinished solid strip

Duro-Design www.duro-design.com Floating click-lock oak flooring

Gammapar www.gammapar.com Engineered wood strip with oil, UV-cured urethane, or acrylic-impregnated finish

Junkers Hardwood www.junkershardwood.com Floating solid strip with metal clip installation

Kahrs www.kahrs.com Laminated strip with UV-cured acrylic urethane, nail, glue, or floating

Lauzon www.lauzonltd.com Prefinished strip, laminated strip, and click-lock laminated plank

Mannington Mills www.mannington.com Laminated strip and plank with polyurethane and aluminum-oxide finish

Medallion Hardwood Flooring www.medallionhardwood.com Prefinished solid hardwood strip and plank with aluminum-oxide finish

Tarkett Wood Floors www.harris-tarkett.com Prefinished solid hardwood, laminated, and long-strip flooring

MercierWood Flooring www.mercierdurable.com Prefinished solid strip and laminated strip with aluminum-oxide finish

PermaGrain Hardwood Flooring www.permagrain.com Acrylic-impregnated laminated strip and plank

Zickgraf Hardwood Flooring www.zickgraf.com Prefinished solid strip with UV-cured urethane with diamond and aluminum oxide

Bamboo Flooring Producers & Sources

Bamtex (a division of Wood Flooring International) www.bamtex.com Laminated bamboo and palm flooring

Duro-Design www.duro-design.com Laminated bamboo flooring with durable water-based finish

Gammapar www.gammapar.com Acrylic-impregnated bamboo flooring

Hawa Bamboo Flooring www.hawabamboo.com Prefinished bamboo flooring with aluminum-oxide finish

Natural Cork www.naturalcork.com Prefinished glue-down or nail-down 3-ply bamboo planks with aluminum-oxide finish

Resilient Flooring Manufacturers List

Congoleum www.congoleum.com Vinyl sheet flooring and tiles

Domco (division of Domco Tarkett Group) www.domco.com Vinyl sheet flooring and tiles

Forbo www.forbo-flooring.com Linoleum sheet and tiles

Mannington Mills www.mannington.com Vinyl sheet flooring and tiles

Nova Distinctive Floors www.novafloorings.com Laminated linoleum surface over fiberboard and cork planks, floating installation

Tarkett www.tarkettna.com Vinyl sheet flooring and tiles

Cork Flooring Manufacturers & Sources

American Cork Products Co. www.amcork.com Prefinished parquet tiles and floating floor planks

Amorim Revestimentos (formerly Ipocork) www.wicanders.com Floating or glue-down laminated cork tiles with UV-acrylic or oil finish

BHK of America www.bhkuniclic.com Snap-together, no-glue, laminated cork flooring with UV-acrylic finish

Expanko Cork Inc. www.expanko.com Cork tiles with wax or polyurethane finish

Korq Inc. (212) 758-2593

Natural Cork www.naturalcork.com Glue-down cork tiles and floating laminated planks with UV-cured acrylic finish

Nova Distinctive Floors www.novafloorings.com Laminated cork planks with glue-down and floating click-lock installation

WECork www.wecork.com Cork tiles, sheets, and floating floors

Polymer (Urethane), MDF, and Vinyl Trim Producers & Sources

Burton Mouldings www.burton-mouldings.com MDF(medium-density fiberboard), polymer, flex, and wood

Fypon www.fypon.com Polymer moldings and components

Nu-Wood www.nu-wood.com Polymer moldings and components

Outwater Plastics www.outwater.com Polymer moldings and components

RAS Industries www.rasindustries.com Polymer moldings and components

Royal Mouldings (formerly Marley Mouldings) www.royalmouldings.com Polymer, polystyrene, expanded-PVC, CPVC, and acrylic molding profiles and components

Flexible Trim Manufacturers & Sources

Flex Trim www.flextrim.com Flexible polymer moldings

Resin Art www.resinart.com Flexible polymer moldings

Industry & Trade Associations for Carpeting, Lighting, Finishes, Wood Products, Flooring, Painting & Decorating

American Lighting Association www.americanlightingassoc.com

Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industries www.awci.org

Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) www.carpet-rug.org

Drywall Finishing Council www.dwfc.org

Forest Stewardship Program www.fscus.org

FloorFacts www.floorfacts.com

The Gypsum Association www.gypsum.org

National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association (NOFMA) www.nofma.com

National Wood Flooring Association www.woodfloors.org

Painting and Decorating Contractors of America www.pdca.org Smartwood/Rainforest Alliance www.smartwood.org

-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

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INTERIORS of buildings

BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE
Best Interior Finish Practices
  BUY: PRODUCT SOURCES, INTERIORS
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  DRYWALL Best Practices
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  FLOOR, RESILIENT VINYL or CORK
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  FLOOR, WOOD SOLID STRIP, PLANK
  FLOOR, WOOD ENGINEERED, LAMINATE, INSTALL
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  FLOOR, WOOD INSTALLATION GUIDE
  FLOOR, WOOD MOISTURE
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LIGHTING, INTERIOR GUIDE
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Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop. The Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ^® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.

"The Elimination of Unsafe Guardrails, a Progress Report," Elliott O. Stephenson, Building Standards, March-April 1993
"Are Functional Handrails Within Our Grasp" Jake Pauls, Building Standards, January-February 1991
Access Ramp building codes:
- UBC 1003.3.4.3
- BOCA 1016.3
- ADA 4.8.2
- IBC 1010.2
Access Ramp Standards:
- ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), Public Law 101-336. 7/26/90 is very often cited by other sources for good design of stairs and ramps etc. even where disabled individuals are not the design target.
- ANSI A117.4 Accessible and Usable buildings and Facilities (earlier version was incorporated into the ADA)
- ASTM F 1637, Standard Practice for Safe Walking Surfaces, (Similar to the above standards)
America's Favorite Homes, mail-order catalogues as a guide to popular early 20th-century houses, Robert Schweitzer, Michael W.R. Davis, 1990, Wayne State University Press ISBN 0814320066 (may be available from Wayne State University Press)
American Plywood Association, APA, "Portland Manufacturing Company, No. 1, a series of monographs on the history of plywood manufacturing",Plywood Pioneers Association, 31 March, 1967, www.apawood.org
Animal Allergens: Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Cleanup & Prevention Information for Asthmatics and regarding Indoor Air Quality.
Asbestos: How to find and recognize asbestos in buildings - visual inspection methods, list of common asbestos-containing materials
Asbestos HVAC Ducts and Flues field identification photos and guide
Asbestos products and their history and use in various building materials such as asphalt and vinyl flooring includes discussion which draws on Asbestos, Its Industrial Applications, D.V. Rosato, engineering consultant, Newton, MA, Reinhold Publishing, 1959 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 59-12535 (out of print).
Asbestos Identification and Testing References

Asbestos Identification, Walter C.McCrone, McCrone Research Institute, Chicago, IL.1987 ISBN 0-904962-11-3. Dr. McCrone literally "wrote the book" on asbestos identification procedures which formed the basis for current work by asbestos identification laboratories.
Stanton, .F., et al., National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 506: 143-151
Pott, F., Staub-Reinhalf Luft 38, 486-490 (1978) cited by McCrone

ASHRAE resource on dew point and wall condensation - see the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook, available in many libraries. The following three ASHRAE Handbooks are also available at the InspectAPedia bookstore in the third page of our Insulate-Ventilate section:
- 2005 ASHRAE Handbook : Fundamentals : Inch-Pound Edition (2005 ASHRAE HANDBOOK : Fundamentals : I-P Edition) (Hardcover), Thomas H. Kuehn (Contributor), R. J. Couvillion (Contributor), John W. Coleman (Contributor), Narasipur Suryanarayana (Contributor), Zahid Ayub (Contributor), Robert Parsons (Author), ISBN-10: 1931862702 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862707
- 2004 ASHRAE Handbook : Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning: Systems and Equipment : Inch-Pound Edition (2004 ASHRAE Handbook : HVAC Systems and Equipment : I-P Edition) (Hardcover)
  by American Society of Heating, ISBN-10: 1931862478 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862479
  "2004 ASHRAE Handbook - HVAC Systems and Equipment The 2004 ASHRAE HandbookHVAC Systems and Equipment discusses various common systems and the equipment (components or assemblies) that comprise them, and describes features and differences. This information helps system designers and operators in selecting and using equipment. Major sections include Air-Conditioning and Heating Systems (chapters on system analysis and selection, air distribution, in-room terminal systems, centralized and decentralized systems, heat pumps, panel heating and cooling, cogeneration and engine-driven systems, heat recovery, steam and hydronic systems, district systems, small forced-air systems, infrared radiant heating, and water heating); Air-Handling Equipment (chapters on duct construction, air distribution, fans, coils, evaporative air-coolers, humidifiers, mechanical and desiccant dehumidification, air cleaners, industrial gas cleaning and air pollution control); Heating Equipment (chapters on automatic fuel-burning equipment, boilers, furnaces, in-space heaters, chimneys and flue vent systems, unit heaters, makeup air units, radiators, and solar equipment); General Components (chapters on compressors, condensers, cooling towers, liquid coolers, liquid-chilling systems, centrifugal pumps, motors and drives, pipes and fittings, valves, heat exchangers, and energy recovery equipment); and Unitary Equipment (chapters on air conditioners and heat pumps, room air conditioners and packaged terminal equipment, and a new chapter on mechanical dehumidifiers and heat pipes)."
- 1996 Ashrae Handbook Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning Systems and Equipment: Inch-Pound Edition (Hardcover), ISBN-10: 1883413346 or ISBN-13: 978-1883413347 ,
  "The 1996 HVAC Systems and Equipment Handbook is the result of ASHRAE's continuing effort to update, expand and reorganize the Handbook Series. Over a third of the book has been revised and augmented with new chapters on hydronic heating and cooling systems design; fans; unit ventilator; unit heaters; and makeup air units. Extensive changes have been added to chapters on panel heating and cooling; cogeneration systems and engine and turbine drives; applied heat pump and heat recovery systems; humidifiers; desiccant dehumidification and pressure drying equipment, air-heating coils; chimney, gas vent, fireplace systems; cooling towers; centrifugal pumps; and air-to-air energy recovery. Separate I-P and SI editions."
- Principles of Heating, Ventilating, And Air Conditioning: A textbook with Design Data Based on 2005 AShrae Handbook - Fundamentals (Hardcover), Harry J., Jr. Sauer (Author), Ronald H. Howell, ISBN-10: 1931862923 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862929
- 1993 ASHRAE Handbook Fundamentals (Hardcover), ISBN-10: 0910110964 or ISBN-13: 978-091011096
Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
Brick nogging used as soundproofing is mentioned in this article on Popular Forest
Brick Nogging, Historical Investigation and Contemporary Repair, Construction Specifier, April 2006. Historical use of brick in timber-framed buildings, drawing on the investigations of the Kent Tavern in Calais, VT. "Brick nogging is a European method of construction which was brought to the new world in the early-nineteenth century. It was a common construction method that employed masonry as infill between the vertical uprights of wood framing." -- quoting the web article review.
Photo of very rough in-wall brick nogging at an architects website
Building Research Council, BRC, nee Small Homes Council, SHC, School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, brc.arch.uiuc.edu. "The Small Homes Council (our original name) was organized in 1944 during the war at the request of the President of the University of Illinois to consider the role of the university in meeting the demand for housing in the United States. Soldiers would be coming home after the war and would be needing good low-cost housing. ... In 1993, the Council became part of the School of Architecture, and since then has been known as the School of Architecture-Building Research Council. ... The Council's researchers answered many critical questions that would affect the quality of the nation's housing stock.
- How could homes be designed and built more efficiently?
- What kinds of construction and production techniques worked well and which did not?
- How did people use different kinds of spaces in their homes?
- What roles did community planning, zoning, and interior design play in how neighborhoods worked
The Circular Staircase, Mary Roberts Rinehart
Construction Drawings and Details, Rosemary Kilmer
"An Example of Colonial Paneling", Norman Morrison Isham, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Vol. 6, No. 5 (May, 1911), pp. 112-116, available by JSTOR.
Dust from the World Trade Center collapse following the 9/11/01 attack: the lower floors of this building contained spray-on fire-proofing asbestos materials.
Energy Savers: Whole House Systems Approach to Energy Efficient Home Design [copy on file as /interiors/Whole_House_Energy_Efficiency_DOE.pdf ] - U.S. Department of Energy
"Energy Savers: Whole-House Supply Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Whole-House_Supply_Vent.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11880?print
"Energy Savers: Whole-House Exhaust Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Whole-House_Exhaust.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11870
"Energy Savers: Ventilation [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Ventilation.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
"Energy Savers: Natural Ventilation [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Natural_Ventilation.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
"Energy Savers: Energy Recovery Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Energy_Recovery_Venting.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11900
"Energy Savers: Detecting Air Leaks [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Detect_Air_Leaks.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
"Energy Savers: Air Sealing [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Air_Sealing_1.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
Falls and Related Injuries: Slips, Trips, Missteps, and Their Consequences, Lawyers & Judges Publishing, (June 2002), ISBN-10: 0913875430 ISBN-13: 978-0913875438
"Falls in the home and public places are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in the United States, but are overlooked in most literature. This book is unique in that it is entirely devoted to falls. Of use to primary care physicians, nurses, insurance adjusters, architects, writers of building codes, attorneys, or anyone who cares for the elderly, this book will tell you how, why, and when people will likely fall, what most likely will be injured, and how such injuries come about. "
Fiberglass: Indoor Air Quality Investigations: Health Concerns About Airborne Fiberglass: Fiberglass in Indoor Air from HVAC ducts, and Building Insulation
Gypsum Construction Guide, National Gypsum Corporation
Gypsum Construction Handbook [purchase at Amazon.com] H17, Technical Folder SA920 and PM2, PM3 and PM4, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin ST., PO Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124,
Humidity: What indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?
Ice Dam Leaks in building attics and roof cavities, how to inspect for evidence of leaks, identify causes, and correct bad attic ventilation, improper roof venting, and these causes of attic mold or roof structure damage
"Insulation: Adding Insulation to an Existing Home [copy on file as /interiors/Insulation_Adding_DOE.pdf ] - ," U.S. Department of Energy - tips on how to do your own check for the presence of absence of insulation in a home
Insulation: Selecting Insulation for New Home Construction [copy on file as /interiors/New_Home_Insulation_DOE.pdf ] - , U.S. Department of Energy - "Your state and local building codes probably include minimum insulation requirements, but to build an energy-efficient home, you may need or want to exceed them. For maximum energy efficiency, you should also consider the interaction between the insulation and other building components. This is called the "whole-house systems design approach" [copy on file as /interiors/Whole_House_Energy_Efficiency_DOE.pdf ] -
Insulation Types [copy on file as /interiors/Insulation_Types_DOE.pdf ] - , table of common building insulation properties from U.S. DOE. Readers should see INSULATION R-Values & Properties our own table of insulation properties that includes links to articles describing each insulation material in more detail.
Lath & Plaster Systems [copy on file as /interiors/LathPlaster_Nat_Gypsum.pdf ] - , 092300/NGC, National Gypsum Lath and Plaster Systems, National Gypsum Corporation, 800-628-4662 describing National Gypsum's Kal-Kore brand plaster base
Lighting, proper use of: proper aiming of a good flashlight can disclose hard to see but toxic light or white mold colonies on walls.
Metal Lath Specifications, Specification for metal lath and accessories, Lath and Plaster [copy on file as/interiors/Amico_lath-inside.pdf ] - from Amico, a lath and plaster accessory producer.
Mobile Home Inspections common defects unique to factory built housing, inspection methods
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST (nee National Bureau of Standards NBS) is a US government agency - see www.nist.gov
- "A Parametric Study of Wall Moisture Contents Using a Revised Variable Indoor Relative Humidity Version of the "Moist" Transient Heat and Moisture Transfer Model [copy on file as/interiors/MOIST_Model_NIST_b95074.pdf ] - ", George Tsongas, Doug Burch, Carolyn Roos, Malcom Cunningham; this paper describes software and the prediction of wall moisture contents. - PDF Document from NIS
Nogging: See this photo of exposed bricks on a building exterior on a building exterior in Canada. [Thanks to Carson Dunlop, Toronto - see References below].
Pergo AB, division of Perstorp AB, is a Swedish manufacturer or modern laminate flooring products. Information about the U.S. company can be found at http://www.pergo.com where we obtained historical data used in our discussion of the age of flooring materials in buildings.
Piquet Wall Construction: See this photo of piquet wall construction - involving timber-framed wall construction with long top girts, diagonal timber bracing, and small diameter logs placed vertically along with concrete chinking to fill in the wall plane.
Plank House Construction: weblog from plankhouse.wordpress.com/2009/01/25/plank-house-construction/ and where plank houses were built by native Americans, see
Large 1:6 Scale Plank House Construction / P8094228, Photographer: Mike Meuser
06/12/2007 documented at yurokplankhouse.com where scale model Museum quality Yurok Plank Houses are being sold to raise money for the Blue Creek - Ah Pah Traditional Yurok Village project.
Plastering, PM 5, Product & Systems Technology, US Gypsum, May 1998, web search 10.5.2010, original source: http://www.usg.com/rc/technical-articles/plaster/ [copy on file as/interiors/Plastering_USG.pdf ] -
plastering-technical-guide-veneer-plaster-joint-reinforcement-systems-en-PM5.pdf
United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin ST., PO Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124,
Paraphrasing from this document: USG uses the term shadowing in this document in describing the visual effect over gypsum board joints caused by the lower moisture absorption rate (take-up) and lower capacity than gypsum base face paper. Shadowing at joints occurs where veneer plaster is applied over tape joints, requiring a second coat to completely hide the tape, providing a visually uniform surface. USG Advises: "This [second] cover coat must be allowed to harden and dry before plaster application is started.
Plastering Skills, F. Van Den Branden, Thomas L. Hartsell, Amer Technical Pub (July 1, 1985), ISBN-10: 0826906575, ISBN-13: 978-0826906571 [purchase at Amazon.com]
Re-Bath, tub lining products is a bath tub relining manufacturer and distributor located in Tempe, Arizona - see rebath.com
Rubblestone Wall Filler: See this Lartigue House using exterior-exposed rubblestone filler between vertical timbers of a post and beam-framed Canadian building.
Slips, Trips, Missteps and Their Consequences, Second Edition, Gary M. Bakken, H. Harvey Cohen,A. S. Hyde, Jon R. Abele, ISBN-13: 978-1-933264-01-1 or ISBN 10: 1-933264-01-2, available from the publisher, Lawyers ^ Judges Publishing Company,Inc., www.lawyersandjudges.com sales@lawyersandjudges.com and also from the InspectAPedia Bookstore (Amazon.com)
The Stairway Manufacturers' Association, (877) 500-5759, provides a pictorial guide to the stair and railing portion of the International Residential Code. [copy on file as http://www.stairways.org/pdf/2006%20Stair%20IRC%20SCREEN.pdf ] -
What Mold and Allergens Look Like: mold identification photos to help identify mold - choosing what to sample in buildings
How to Clean Moldy Wood Framing & Sheathing How to clean/seal mold from/on exposed lumber or plywood subfloor or roof sheathing indoors - some suggestions based on our field and laboratory research
Lighting, proper use of: proper aiming of a good flashlight can disclose hard to see but toxic light or white mold colonies on walls.
Manufactured & Modular Homes: Modular Building Systems Association, MBSA, modularhousing.com, is a trade association promoting and providing links to contact modular builders in North America. Also see the Manufactured Home Owners Association, MHOAA, at www.mhoaa.us. The Manufactured Home Owners Association of America is a National Organization dedicated to the protection of the rights of all people living in Manufactured Housing in the United States.
Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens.
How to Find and Test For Mold in buildings A "how to" photo and text primer on finding and choosing the right spots to test for mold in buildings
Stuff that is not mold but is often mistaken for it - things you may not want to test. Also, not all "black mold" is toxic - here are examples of harmless black mold.
Simple Adhesive Tape Sampling of Moldy Surfaces - how to send a mold sample to our lab
Mold Sampling Methods in the Indoor Environment - In-depth article: detailed critique of popular mold testing methods - Is your mold test kit worth the bother?
Mold-Resistant Building Practices, advice from an expert on how to prevent mold after a building flood and how to prevent mold growth in buildings by selection of building materials and by anti-mold construction details.
Slips, Trips, Missteps and Their Consequences, Gary M. Bakken, H. Harvey Cohen, Jon R. Abele, Alvin S. Hyde, Cindy A. LaRue, Lawyers and Judges Publishing; ISBN-10: 1933264012 ISBN-13: 978-1933264011
Slips, Trips, Missteps and Their Consequences, Second Edition, Gary M. Bakken, H. Harvey Cohen,A. S. Hyde, Jon R. Abele, ISBN-13: 978-1-933264-01-1 or ISBN 10: 1-933264-01-2, available from the publisher, Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company,Inc., www.lawyersandjudges.com sales@lawyersandjudges.com and also from the InspectAPedia Bookstore (Amazon.com)
Steps and Stairways, Cleo Baldon & Ib Melchior, Rizzoli, 1989.
The Staircase, Ann Rinaldi
Common Sense Stairbuilding and Handrailing, Fred T. Hodgson
The Art of Staircases, Pilar Chueca
Building Stairs, by pros for pros, Andy Engel
A Simplified Guide to Custom Stairbuilding, George R. Christina
Basic Stairbuilding, Scott Schuttner
The Staircase (two volumes), John Templar, Cambridge: the MIT Press, 1992
The Staircase: History and Theories, John Templar, MIT Press 1995
Steps and Stairways, Cleo Baldon & Ib Melchior, Rizzoli, 1989.
"The Dimensions of Stairs", J. M. Fitch et al., Scientific American, October 1974.
"The Elimination of Unsafe Guardrails, a Progress Report," Elliott O. Stephenson, Building Standards, March-April 1993
"Are Functional Handrails Within Our Grasp" Jake Pauls, Building Standards, January-February 1991
"Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
Weaver: Beaver Board and Upson Board: Beaver Board and Upson Board: History and Conservation of Early Wallboard, Shelby Weaver, APT Bulletin, Vol. 28, No. 2/3 (1997), pp. 71-78, Association for Preservation Technology International (APT), available online at JSTOR.
What Style Is It?: A Guide to American Architecture, Rev., John C. Poppeliers, S. Allen Chambers, Wiley; Rev Sub edition (October 6, 2003), ISBN-10: 0471250368, ISBN-13: 978-0471250364
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