Thompson’s Exterior Multi-Surface Cleaner with oxy-foaming action is formulated to remove dirt, mildew, and other stains from a variety of outside surfaces including wood and composite decks, concrete, masonry, and even some fabrics.

The powerful oxygen cleaner contains no bleach, making it gentle on surfaces. Apply with a pump up sprayer or watering can and then allow 5-10 minutes for the cleaner to soak. Scrub the surface with a stiff brush, then rinse it off with a hose. Thompson’s Exterior Cleaner is available at The Home Depot.

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• (687) Small Town Green: Building an Energy Efficient Home

This house on the Alabama Gulf Coast has a beautiful view of Mobile Bay, but the homeowners’ haven’t been able to enjoy it since Hurricane Katrina destroyed their deck in 2005. To remedy the problem, we’re adding a 500-square-foot addition—along with two porches, a deck, and a swimming pool.

The scenic view comes with a price, since the addition must be built strong enough to stand up to the hurricanes that often sweep through the area. Extra planning and beefed up construction are needed to try and keep history from repeating itself. In addition, stringent new building codes must be followed and permissions secured in order for the work to proceed.

Foundation

Once the location for the addition had been laid out, excavation on the foundation began. A shallow trench was dug to guide the backhoe which removed the bulk of the dirt. When excavation was compete, reinforcing rods were cut to fit and the footings poured.

Since the lot sloped down to the water, a high concrete block foundation wall was needed to make the addition level with the existing house. Rather than using standard concrete block covered with brick, split-faced blocks were used to give the wall a finished appearance.

Once the blocks had been laid, the walls were filled with concrete to further strengthen them against a storm surge. Steel straps were added to the concrete to tie the foundation directly to the wood framing for the floor.

Swimming Pool

Excavation for the swimming pool next to the addition was done at the same time as the other foundation work.

After the shape of the pool had been established, steel reinforcement was used to add strength to the walls, and the concrete for the bottom and sides was applied. The coping around the edge of the pool was covered with tile and topped with stone.

Floor Framing

When the concrete in the foundation walls had set, the framing of the addition began. The heavy duty 18’ long floor joists were put in place, followed by the subfloor.

Wall Framing

The walls for the addition were framed and raised next. Since much of the main wall facing the water was composed of three 9’x 9’ window units, it was important to make the framing between them as strong as possible.

The steel straps that had been embedded in the concrete foundation were attached to the wood framing to tie the entire structure together. Once the walls were in place, framing of the ceiling and roof could begin.

Ceiling Framing

The ceiling joists and rafters add strength to the overall structure of a building, which can make a real difference when faced with the possibility of winds over 100 miles per hour during a hurricane.

Laminated beams were used to span the width of the addition and tie the walls to the main structure of the house. Ceiling joists were then installed at right angles to the heavy beams to give additional support and provide a way to attach the drywall for the ceiling.

Roof Framing

The ridge board for the roof attached to the main roof of the house. Due to their long length, the rafters had to be pieced together from two pieces of lumber joined together with a diagonal scarf joint and reinforced on each side with plywood gussets.

The rafters were supported every few feet by vertical struts attached to the ceiling joists, along with steel hurricane straps to tie each one to the walls. To keep the overhang on the gable end of the roof from damaging the remainder of the roof in high winds, it was built to break away if the wind is too strong.

Once all the framing was complete, the roof was decked in plywood and covered with asphalt shingles that matched the roof on the rest of the house.

Windows and Doors

When building in hurricane prone areas, the type of windows used plays an important role in determining whether the home will survive a storm. For maximum protection, special laminated ImpactGard glass from JELD-WEN Windows & Doors was used for the addition. ImpactGard glass has an interlayer of plastic sandwiched between two sheets of glass to keep the window intact during high winds or windblown debris.

Since the large window units for this project weighed 600 pounds each, installing them took quite a bit of effort. Once they had been set in place, the window and door units were carefully leveled and secured to the framing. The flange around the outside was then sealed with a self-adhesive flashing material for a watertight seal.

For more information, go to Room with a View.

Other Tips from This Episode

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• (695) Room with a View, Part 2
• (685) Family Room Addition: The “Hunt” for More Room

“I built a retaining wall out of stackable blocks last year, and they are turning white and chalky-looking. When I wet them down, the blocks look great, but when they dry out they look white again. I don’t like what I’m seeing – can you help?”
-Steve

Those powdery white stains on your blocks are likely caused by efflorescence. As concrete cures, the moisture slowly migrates to the surface of the block where it evaporates into the air. Like a candle wick, the water brings dissolved salts and minerals from within the concrete mixture. As the water evaporates, those minerals are left on the surface of your block, giving it a whitish, hazy or streaky stain.

In most cases, this problem is temporary – eventually the salts will all be removed from the concrete, and the efflorescence will stop. How long this takes depends on the ingredients with which the concrete was made, and how long it takes for the concrete to cure and dry out completely.

However, with landscape retaining walls, your blocks are constantly being exposed to ground water and hydrostatic pressure, which can force moisture (and more salts from the soil) into the blocks to later show up as efflorescence.

Efflorescence on wall at joints in the underground drainage channel.

Here are some tips for dealing with efflorescence:

• Efflorescence is ugly, but it does not affect the strength or functioning of the block.
• Normal efflorescence should stop once the concrete is completely cured. Ongoing streaky stains or cakey buildup, particularly at joints and cracks, may indicate a problem with water infiltration and drainage.
• It’s important to reduce the amount of moisture that is getting into your wall. Mortared walls should be treated on both sides with a waterproofing sealer. Non-mortared, stackable retaining walls should be backfilled with gravel, with water drainage directed off to the sides. This prevents water pressure from building up in the soil behind the wall (and forcing itself into the concrete blocks).
• Avoid pressure-washing or overly wetting your blocks. This makes them look nice at the time, but it forces water into the concrete, inviting more efflorescence.
• Clean off light stains with a dry, stiff brush, then remove the dust with a damp sponge. If you have heavy stains, try scrubbing with white vinegar. Stubborn stains can be removed with a masonry cleaning solution.
• Cleaning solutions are often specialized to address particular mineral stains. Understanding Efflorescence (EaCo Chem, PDF 8.43mb) has an illustrated guide to different types of efflorescence, as well as recommended products to address each problem.

Further Information

• Efflorescence–Prevention is Better than Cure (pavezone.com, PDF 258kb)
• How to Build a Stackable Block Retaining Wall

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Before the stucco can be applied to the exterior of a house, cement board is cut to fit and attached to the walls with screws. Trim pieces around doors and windows are cut from foam blocks with fiberglass mesh embedded in the stucco to give added strength.

Retaining walls can be a great way not only to help with erosion and water drainage, but also to create beautiful, usable garden space. And thanks to interlocking, stackable blocks, the project can be completed in a weekend. Building a retaining wall is a tough job, but it’s something most homeowners can handle, as long as you’re able to do some heavy lifting and are willing to get dirty. Here’s what you need to know to build your own stackable retaining wall.

Stackable blocks come in many styles and colors.

Stackable Concrete Blocks

Stackable stones are made of concrete, with a decorative finish on the front and a lip on the back. The lip fits snugly against the block below it, creating an interlocking joint that holds up to pressure, while the decorative front gives an attractive finish. The stones are often slightly wedge-shaped to allow you to create gentle curves. With many styles, thin “topper” stones are also available, to give the wall a finished appearance.

Low retaining walls can also be used to create pleasing curved lines.

Materials Needed

For this project, you will need:

• Work gloves
• Shovel and/or mattock
• Brick chisel and small sledgehammer
• Level
• Wooden stakes
• String and a line level
• Soil tamper
• Gravel (sharp, not rounded) or rock dust
• Landscape fabric (optional)
• Interlocking stackable stones and toppers

Estimating the number of blocks you’ll need is tough. Count on at least one block per linear foot, and count on it taking more blocks than your estimate suggests!

Stackable stones interlock to create a strong joint with a stepped-back effect.

Layout and Planning

• Before you begin, check with your city utilities office, or dial 811 to make sure there aren’t any buried pipes or cables in your digging zone.
• Use a garden hose to lay out a pleasing line for your retaining wall. Mark the ground using flour layout lines or landscape marking paint.

A properly leveled and tamped-down trench is important for building a strong wall.

Digging the Trench

• Along your marked line, carefully dig a trench slightly wider than the blocks (ideally, the width of your soil tamper), and deep enough so the first course of blocks is below ground level. Cut straight down with the shovel keep from disturbing the surrounding soil.

• Make the trench as level as you can, to save time later.
• If your wall goes across a slope, you can dig a series of stepped trenches so that only one course of blocks is below ground.
• Tamp down the bottom of the trench using a soil tamper.
• Add several inches of sharp gravel or rock dust to the bottom of the trench, and use this layer to do your final leveling and tamping.

Burying the first course of stones keeps the wall from sliding or moving.

Laying the First Course

• Start at the edge of the wall that’s most visible, or the edge that butts up against another structure. If your wall goes across a slope, start at the lowest end.
• Position the first stone in your trench. Make sure the stone is level from front to back and side to side. Adjust by lifting the stone and adding more gravel or digging deeper as necessary.
• Hammer wooden stakes in the ground at each end of the trench, and stretch a string between them even with the top of the first stone. Level the string with a line level, and use the string as a guide for laying the rest of the first course.
• Continue laying stones side-by-side along your trench, making sure they are level. Getting the first course right is the key to a successful wall.

The first course goes in carefully with the help of levels and a string guide.

Laying Additional Courses

• Each row of blocks is offset from the one below it. If your wall has straight edges on the ends, start your next course with a block that has been cut in half.

• If you’ve worked hard to make sure everything is level, then this is the fun part. Continue laying courses of stones, making sure the lip of the stone is tight against the stone below it, and also making sure the seams are offset. The front edge will have a slightly “stepped-back” look due to the lips on the stones.
• Periodically check to make sure the stones are level and wobble free.
• Build up the wall to the desired height, and top with topper stones if desired.

Topper stones add a finished look.

            Cross-section view

Backfilling

• To keep your wall clean, spread landscape fabric up against the wall before backfilling.
• Backfill the area behind the wall in layers, with gravel against the wall and fill dirt behind it, firmly tamping down each layer.
• Finish with a layer of topsoil.

This wall is stepped up to fit the contours of the slope.

Further Information

• Retaining Walls (Video)
• White Efflorescence Stains on Retaining Walls
• Building Retaining Wall (PaverSearch)
• How To Build a Stronger Retaining Wall (Reader’s Digest)

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“I have a tree root that is growing under my concrete sidewalk and raising it up. What do you recommend I do for this?” -Gloria

Unfortunately, this is not a problem with an easy solution. You could work around it by replacing your sidewalk with adjustable or movable pavers that can accommodate the growing roots. However, to solve the problem and keep your concrete sidewalk, you’ll need to cut the tree roots (called “root pruning”) and then repair the sidewalk.

Root pruning is highly stressful to trees and cannot be done indiscriminately. The success of root pruning depends on the species, size, and age of the tree, the location of the cuts, environmental conditions, and the overall health of the tree. Some trees—such as Bradford pear, birch, and conifers—respond very poorly to root pruning. Others may recover but can be more likely to fall later due to a lack of support. I recommend that you contact an arborist for advice before doing this yourself, or consider hiring a tree surgeon who can make the proper cuts to save your tree.

If you choose to go ahead with root pruning, make sure you’ll only have to do it once, by installing root barriers to prevent further damage from growing roots. Root barriers are generally made of fabric or plastic and have to be installed up to 4 feet deep to protect nearby pavement or structures.

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While expensive, concrete drives are durable and can be given a number of surface textures. To prevent cracking, reinforcement wire is embedded in the concrete, and expansion joints placed at regular intervals.

The key to a gravel drive is to make sure you have a good base of well compacted material before applying 4”- 5” of rock or limestone. Edging the drive with plastic, wood, or brick will keep grass from encroaching on the drive and prevent the gravel from spilling over into the lawn.

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Though labor intensive, an asphalt drive goes down much faster than concrete, making it much less expensive to install than concrete. Before installing a new asphalt drive, be sure it has a good clay base and is properly graded and compacted so it will drain well.

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Asphalt driveways can develop cracks and deteriorate over time. To keep your driveway in good shape, it’s important to clean, repair, and seal it every few years.

Start by removing any grass or dirt that has encroached on the drive, then clean it thoroughly with a pressure washer. Once it’s dry, fill any loose spots and cracks before applying a latex sealer over the entire driveway. Block off the driveway and allow the sealer to dry at least 24 hours before driving on it.

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