“…easy to follow and encyclopedic in its breadth” — The Washington Post
RENOVATION 4TH EDITION
COMPLETELY REVISED AND UPDATED
MICHAEL W. LITCHFIELD
Renovation 4TH edition
C o m p l e t e ly R e v i s e d a n d U p d at e d
Renovation
TH
4edition
michael W. litchfield
Chip Harley, technical editor
t
Text © 2012 by Michael W. Litchfield
Photographs © 2012 by Michael W. Litchfield and Ken Gutmaker, except where noted.
Illustrations by Vincent Babak, © 2012 by The Taunton Press, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Pp
The Taunton Press, Inc., 63 South Main Street, PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
e-mail: tp@taunton.com
Editors: Scott Gibson, Christina Glennon
Technicaleditor: Chip Harley
Copyeditor: Diane Sinitsky
Indexer: Jay Kreider
Coverdesign: Jean-Marc Troadec
Interiordesign: Carol Petro
Layout: Laura Lind Design
Illustrator: Vincent Babak
Photographers: Michael W. Litchfield and Ken Gutmaker, except where noted
Coverphoto: Justin Fink
eISBN 978-1-62113-783-2
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The following manufacturers/names appearing in Renovation are
Maestro Wireless®; Magic Trowel®; Makita®; Malco® TurboShear™;
trademarks: 3M® Fastbond®; Accu Vent®; Acousto-Plumb®; AdvanTech®;
Mapelath™; Marmoleum®; Marvin Tilt Pac®; Masonite®; Medex®; Medite®
Ahrens® Chamber-Tech 2000™; Air Krete®; American/Aldes®; Aqua Mix®
II; Metabo®; Microllam®; Miracle Sealants® 511 Porous Plus®; MiraTEC®;
Sealer’s Choice®; Ardex Feather Finish®; Autodesk® AutoCAD®; Azek®;
Mohawk®; Moistop Corner Shield®; Multi-Strip™; Murphy® Oil Soap;
B-I-N®; Bahco®; Basement Systems®; Bazooka®; Benjamin Moore® Fresh
Mylar®; Natural Cork®; OSI® Pro-Series®; Paint Shaver®; PaperTiger®;
Start®; Benjamin Moore® Natura®; Bituthene®; Black & Decker®
Parabond®; Parallam®; Peacekeeper®; Peel Away®; Perform Guard®; Pico®
Workmate®; Bondo®; Bostik®; Caesarstone®; Carborundum®; Carlisle
Wireless; PL Turbo™; Plaster-Weld®; Plyboo®; Polyken® Foilastic®; Power
Wide Plank Floors®; Cedar Breather®; CertainTeed Winterguard™;
Lite®; ProTrim®; Q-Lon®; R-Wrap®; Ram Board®; Ready-Strip®; ReStore®;
Channellock®; ChoiceTrim®; Citristrip®; Clear Lam®; Climatek™;
Rev-a-Shelf®; Rhodia®; Rock-On®; Romex®; Roto-Split®; Safecoat®;
COPALUM®; Corian®; Crack-Pac®; Crescent®; DAP®; DELTA®; DensShield®;
Sawzall®; Senco® DuraSpin®; Shaw® Floors; Sheetrock®; Sherwin-
Diablo®; DMF Lighting®; Dow®; Dremel®; Dumpster®; DuPont™ Corlar®;
Williams® ColorSnap®; SierraPine®; Silestone®; Simplex®; Simpson
Duct Blaster®; Durabond® 90; Durapalm®; Durock®; EcoSeal™; Elmer’s®
Strong-Tie®; Skilsaw®; Skype™; Smart Strip®; Snap-On®; Sto®;
Glue-All®; EnergyComplete™; Fastrip®; Federal Pacific®; Festool®; Flood®
Structurwood®; Sturd-I-Floor®; Super Glue®; Super Jumbo Tex®;
Floetrol®; Flood® Penetrol®; Formica®; Fortifiber®; Fypon®; GacoFlex®;
Suppress®; Surewall®; Surform®; Swanson® Speed® Square; TEC™;
GAF Weather Watch®; Gammon Reel®; Goof Off®; Google Maps™; Google
Teco®; Teflon®; Tergitol™; Thorobond®; Thoroseal®; TileLab®;
SketchUp™; Gorilla Glue®; GreenHome® America; Greenlee® Nail Eater®;
TimberStrand®; Titebond®; TopNotch®; Torx®; Triton™; True Value®;
Grip-Lok®; GRK Fasteners™; Habitat for Humanity®; Hafele®;
TrusJoist®; Tyvek®; U-Sand®; Ultraflex®; Velux®; Vise-Grip®; Vulkem® 116;
HardieBacker®; HardieTrim®; Henry 208 Wet Patch®; Homax®; Home
W.R. Grace Ice & Water Shield®; Wall-Nuts™; Watco®; Weld-Crete®;
Depot®; Home Slicker®; HomerWood®; Igepal®; IKEA®; iPad®; Kilz®;
Weldwood®; Weyerhaeuser®; Wire-Nut®; Wonder Bar®; Zinsco®; Zinsser®
Kleer®; Kohler®; Krazy Glue®; LaHabra®; Lauzon®; layfastSBS®;
Jomax®; ZipWall®; Zircon® StudSensor™; Zodiaq®.
LeadCheck™; LevelQuik®; Lift Off®; Lion Miter-Trimmer®; Lutron®
AboutYourSafety: Homebuilding is inherently dangerous. From accidents with power tools to falls from ladders, scaffolds, and roofs, builders risk serious injury and even death. We try to promote safe work habits throughout this book. But what is safe for one person under certain circumstances may not be safe for you under different circumstances. So don’t try anything you learn about here (or elsewhere) unless you’re certain that it is safe for you. Please be careful.
“Many hands make work light.”
this book is dedicated to the many
hands that helped make mine.
Acknowledgments
O ne spring day in 1972, I bought my first home, of BuildingLab, Emeryville, Calif., for his friendship and
an old Vermont schoolhouse built in 1826 that
great insights into green building practices. Thanks also to
was standing at all because of its massive oak
BuildingLab’s Hide Kawato and John Fiske for many kind-
post-and-beam frame. Otherwise, its roof was
nesses. And thanks to the Wednesday Night Gym Rats.
shot, its foundation was caving in, and its new owner had
Scores of builders are listed below. But special thanks to
more enthusiasm than sense. (Or money. The old place cost
these contractors whom I relied on again and again: Dave
$6,000, and I had to borrow most of that.) Once I realized
Carley of Bainbridge Island, Wash.; Eric Christ of Halperin &
what I had gotten into—and that no books were complete
Christ; Dean Rutherford of Rutherford & Singelstadt,
Richmond, Calif., and his wife Marty, both great souls. And
builders with questions, and they, good souls, shared
deep gratitude to Chip Harley of Holland Harley, Berkeley,
what they knew.
Calif., for his wise counsel as technical editor of Renovation.
Forty years later, I’m still at it.
I couldn’t have done it without you, Chip.
In intervening years, I had the good fortune to help launch
These people contributed significantly to individual chap-
Fine Homebuilding magazine, so I got access to talented
ters: ReadingaHouse: Roger Robinson of First Rate
designers, builders, and tradespeople across North America.
Property Inspection in Oakland, Calif., and coauthor of
The first edition of Renovation was published in 1982, not
House Check: Finding and Fixing Common House Problems
long after Fine Homebuilding hit the stands, and the
(The Taunton Press, 2003). PlanningYourRenovation:
information-gathering model was the same for both: Find
Huge thanks to Fran Halperin, Sharon Low, Sandra Almador
the best people, go to their job sites, and work as hard as
Mora, David Glaser, Russell Hamlet, Dave Carley, Robin
they do to photograph and record the process.
Supplee, Mike Derzon, Stephen Shoup, Melanie & Nayaran.
Renovation 4th Edition is thus the fruit of four decades.
Tools,BuildingMaterials: Dave Yungert of Truitt & White
All told, more than 500 people have helped me create or
Lumber in Berkeley, Calif., once again let us cherry-pick and
update the information in these editions. So once again,
photograph their latest tool releases. Roofs: Thanks to the
I have a lot of people to thank.
insulation crew of Abril Roofing: Jose Bustos, Francisco
Sally and George Kiskaddon of Builders Booksource in
Padilla, Francisco Vargas, and Raul Foyfan. Doors,
Berkeley, Calif., have been champions of all four editions of
Windows,andSkylights: Bill Essert of Wooden Window in
Renovation. Their independent bookstore has perhaps the
Oakland, Calif., and Manuel Morgado of Truitt & White were
widest and deepest selection of design, construction, and
extremely gracious with their time and contacts. Thanks to
code books anywhere, and they will gladly ship orders.
the talented crews doing the work: Ray DeMuro and Joe
Among architects and designers, I thank Glenn Jarvis,
Gonzalves; Franco Arellano, Claudio Matute, and Ioane
Robin Pennell, and Jon Larson of Jarvis Architects, Oakland, Serguetasi of Wooden Window; J. Luis Perez of Brooks
Calif., for generously sharing projects, contacts, and insights; Weitzman; Tim Thorvick and Eli Chavez of BuildingLab; and Russell Hamlet of Studio Hamlet on Bainbridge Island,
Gary Schroeder, at the top of his game, in skylights.
Wash., for always exceeding my expectations; Fran Halperin
Exteriors: Les Williams of L.A. Williams Copper Gutters,
of Halperin & Christ, San Rafael, Calif., for her exquisite
Oliver Govers, and my old friends from Holland & Harley,
taste; Jerri Holan, FAIA, Oakland, Calif.; and Stephen Shoup
Jesus Beltran and Heberto Mendez. StructuralCarpentry:
Mike Guertin, John Michael Davis, Bob’s Iron in Oakland,
Thanks to the good people at The Taunton Press
Calif. Masonry: Sally McKnight of the Irish Sweep, Alameda, who helped me in myriad ways or who will, in the course Calif. FoundationsandConcrete: Mike Massoumi of Impact of things, produce this book. At Fine Homebuilding and Construction, Albany, Calif. ElectricalWiring: A thousand
GreenBuildingAdvisor, thanks to Brian Pontililo, Chuck
thanks (one for each question) to Michael McAlister, my coau- Miller, Dan Morrison, Rob Wotzak, Martin Holladay, Joe
thor on Wiring Complete (The Taunton Press). And many
Lstiburek, Andy Engel, Mike Guertin, and others whose
thanks to Cliff Popejoy, whose rigorous reading of the chap-
insights or photos I drew on. On the book side, thanks to
ter improved it immeasurably. Plumbing: Albert Nahman,
Maria Taylor, Allison Hollett, Katy Binder, Alison Wilkes,
Mario Hernandez, and Cesar Enrique Ruano of Albert
Janel Noblin, Diane Sinitsky, Christina Glennon, Sharon
Nahman Plumbing, Oakland,Calif. Thanks also to Ron Kyle.
Zagata, Amy Griffin, Carol Singer, Nora Fuentes, and
KitchensandBaths: Catherine Moncrieff and Stuart
Tinsley Morrison.
Brotman of Bowman’s Gate Design, and Marciel Dornelio.
I am delighted that illustrator Vincent Babak returned for
Thanks also to Steve Kirby and Les Baker of Baker Granite & the fourth edition and very grateful that Muffy Kibbey of Marble. EnergyConservationandAirQuality: I am very
Berkeley and Art Grice of Seattle took the beautiful house
grateful for the help of Scott Gibson, who, along with David
portraits in chapter 2. On the copy side, Scott Gibson’s calm,
Johnston, wrote Green from the Ground Up (The Taunton
kindness, and wisdom (especially in the deep waters of
Press, 2008); Donn Davy of Green Home Savvy; and Mike
energy conservation) made this a much better book. And in
Rogers of GreenHome America. Thanks also to Jon Larson,
35 years of book writing, I have never had an executive editor
Andy Engel, and Tim Snyder. FinishSurfaces: Many thanks
who was the equal of Peter Chapman. If I ever get caught in
to Steve Marshall of The Little House for the soundproofing
a hurricane at sea, I want Peter at the helm.
sequence, and his crew: Jose Rodriquez, Javier Santiago,
Lastly, I express my great joy, deep love, and unbelievable
Roberto Padilla Lopez, and Benjamin Santiago. Tiling seems good fortune that Jeannie is part of my life, and that the to attract colorful characters, including Dan Blume, Josue
world’s best dog was part of the bargain.
“Blanco” Zazueta, and Victor Estrada Martinez. Finish
—Mike Litchfield
Point Reyes, California
are restoration carpenters Jim Spaulding of B.C.E. in
Alameda, Calif., and John Michael Davis of New Orleans, La.
Thanks for all your help. Painting: Many thanks to Greg
Scillitani and his capable crew, Greg and Scott.
Wallpapering:Peter Bridgman is considered to be one of the
finest installers of wall coverings in the San Francisco area.
Flooring: Many thanks to Pawel Bajer (and his father John)
of Tegan Flooring. Thanks also to Mark Clarine and Jeff
Molina of Floor Dimensions, shown installing resilient floor-
ing and carpeting, respectively.
Table of Contents
introduction
4
chapter 3:
Tools
43
chapter 1:
Tool Safety
43
ReadingaHouse6
Tools to Own
45
Tools to Rent
55
The Roof
9
House Exterior
12
Interiors
14
chapter 4:
Mechanical Systems
18
BuildingMaterials
58
Standard Lumber
58
chapter 2:
Salvage Lumber
61
PlanningYour
Engineered Lumber
61
Renovation
21
Framing with Steel
64
Structural and Nonstructural Panels 65
A Home for the Long Run
21
Metal Connectors
68
Clarifying Your Goals
22
Bolts
73
Documenting What’s There
24
Adhesives, Caulks, and Sealants
75
Getting Help with Your Renovation
27
Developing a Renovation Plan,
and Getting It Drawn
29
chapter 5:
Making the Most of Your Renovation 33
Roofs
78
Creating Lasting Value: Three Case
Histories
34
Roof Safety and Equipment
78
Preparing to Install a New Roof
80
Roof Flashing
84
Asphalt Shingles
89
Wood Shingles
98
A Medley of Roofing Types
101
chapter 6:
chapter 8:
Doors,Windows,
StructuralCarpentry 182
andSkylights
104
183
Ordering Doors: An Overview
104
Framing Walls
183
Installing an Interior Door
107
Demolition
194
Installing an Exterior Door
112
Reinforcing and Repairing
Installing French Doors
119
the Structure
199
Installing Hardware
121
Stair Repairs
205
Weatherstripping Door Frames
124
Structural Remodeling
210
Keeping the Weather Away:
A Primer on Flashing
127
chapter 9:
Choosing Windows
130
Masonry
214
Refurbishing Old
Double-Hung Windows
144
Terms, Tools, and Tips
214
Installing a Skylight
147
Working with Brick
217
Chimneys
224
chapter 7:
Exteriors
154
chapter 10:
Foundations
Water-Resistive Barriers
156
andConcrete
232
Exterior Trim
158
Siding
164
An Overview
232
Fiber-Cement Siding
171
Jacking and Shoring
237
Stucco Repairs
173
Minor Repairs and Upgrades
243
Rain Gutters
178
Replacing a Shallow Foundation
246
Concrete Work
253
Damp Basement Solutions
256
chapter 11:
chapter 13:
ElectricalWiring
260
KitchensandBaths 357
Understanding Electricity
260
Kitchen Planning
357
Electricity in Your Home
262
Installing Cabinets
362
Planning an Electrical Remodel
268
A Personal Take on IKEA Cabinets 368