Learn How to Remove Common Surface Problems From Wood Furniture

Cleaning the finish on furniture can involve more than just wiping now and then with a damp cloth or furniture polish. Foreign matter can become stuck to the surface and require a more complex cleaning procedure. Here are several common examples and how to deal with each.

Stickers and Tape

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Many retail stores and moving companies put labeling stickers with prices and other information on furniture. If these stickers aren't removed within a few months they can become so stuck to the surface that you can't peel them off. Because the glues that are used on these stickers vary, it's not possible to identify one solvent that will dissolve every one. In many cases the solvent that works best, in fact, also dissolves the finish.

Usually, the safest way to remove these stickers is to soften the paper with water (as you do to remove paper labels from jars), then peel off the paper and either rub off the glue with your finger or soften it with a petroleum-distillate solvent and then rub it off.

Petroleum-distillate solvents include mineral spirits (paint thinner), which is the weakest, naphtha, xylene (xylol) and toluene (toluol), which is the strongest solvent. All are available at paint stores and home centers, as is turpentine, a pine-sap distillate, which has a solvent strength similar to naphtha.

None of these solvents causes damage to any finish except wax and water base unless they remain in contact for a considerable time. They all remove wax; and xylene and toluene will damage a water-based finish.

Masking and Scotch tape are more difficult to remove because you can't use water to separate the tape from the glue. You will have to work a solvent under the tape. Toluene and xylene are best (except on water-based finishes) because of their strength. Other solvents such as alcohol and lacquer thinner may damage the finish.

In extreme cases, you may have to scrape or abrade off the tape and then repair the damage to the finish. Sometimes there's a color difference in the wood or finish under the sticker or tape because this area was shielded from light.

Candle Wax

You can remove candle wax from a finish a little at a time by rubbing with a petroleum-distillate dampened cloth. But it is much faster to use ice to crystallize the wax and then pick it off the surface.

Hold an ice cube against the wax for five or 10 seconds to freeze it. Then pick the wax off the surface with your fingernail and remove any that remains with a petroleum-distillate solvent.

If you don't have any ice handy, you can cut or scrape off the majority of the wax with a chisel, knife or plastic credit card. Then remove the rest with a petroleum distillate.

Crayon Marks

Because crayons are wax, you should be able to remove crayon marks by wiping with any petroleum-distillate solvent, turpentine or even furniture polish. But if the finish is so thin that the crayon has gotten into the wood, you may have difficulty removing all the color. Try washing the surface several times with the petroleum distillate. It may help to scrub the affected area lightly with a toothbrush.

Paint Spatter

When you roll latex paint onto walls and ceilings, the roller throws off tiny droplets of paint that land on you and everything else in the room. If you don't cover your furniture well, you may find these droplets stuck to the finish.

For a few days you may be able to remove the droplets by rubbing with a cloth dampened with water, or soap and water. But once the droplets have hardened, you will need to rub them with a solvent.

The solvent to use is toluene or xylene, which is the active solvent in commercial products such as Goof Off and Oops!. Be very careful using one of these solvents on water-based finish or latex paint.

Unlike latex paint, oil paint cannot be removed easily from another paint or finish without also damaging it. Only a very strong solvent such as lacquer thinner or paint stripper will soften oil paint, and these solvents will dissolve or soften every other paint or finish on the piece, too. To remove oil paint with the least damage to the underlying paint or finish, you usually have to scrape or abrade the paint off the surface.

Felt-tip Pen Marks

The binder used in felt-tip pens and Magic Markers is similar to shellac in that it is usually soluble in alcohol, so the obvious cleaner is alcohol. Of course, you won't be able to avoid damaging a shellac surface, and you will need to be very careful on lacquer and water-based finish.

Mold and Mildew

Mold and mildew are bacteria that thrive in damp conditions common in cellars. It doesn't do much good to remove the mold or mildew from the surface if you don't kill the spores. To do this, mix equal parts of household bleach and water, and wipe the surface using a cotton cloth or sponge. The bleach won't damage any finish, but the water will if it gets under the finish and into the wood. So don't soak the cloth.

To aid in the cleaning you can add a pH-neutral soap such as dishwashing liquid. Then wipe the surface with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue that might be left from the bleach or soap. Carefully dry off the surface with a dry cloth. To keep the mold and mildew from returning, place the furniture in drier conditions.

Wrinkled Finishes

A dirty, wrinkled and often sticky finish on chair arms and backs, edges of tables, and around knobs and pulls is usually the result of the finish having been broken down by repeated contact with mild acids or alkalis. The most common culprit is acidic body oil or sweat from peoples' hands, arms and backs. Repeated washings with an alkali soap can also cause this problem.

You can try washing the finish with a mild soap such as dishwashing liquid. If this doesn't correct the problem, you can try rubbing with steel wool to abrade off the surface of the finish and expose good finish underneath. Usually the finish is destroyed all the way through, however, so it has to be removed and replaced to fix the problem.

The Ultimate Fix

With the possible exception of the wrinkled finish, all of these problems can be corrected by abrading -- in effect, rubbing out the finish, or at least a part of it. But this may cause sheen differences, so try the methods I suggest above first.

Learn How to Remove Common Surface Problems From Wood Furniture

http://popularwoodworking.com

http://popularwoodworking.com/techniques/

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Where To Find A Replacement Canopy For Your Gazebo

Owning a gazebo with canopy top is a great way to spend time
outdoors without battling the hot sun or rain. These gazebos
are easy to assemble, affordable, available in a wide range of
materials, colors, and styles, and a great addition to any
backyard. With a canopy gazebo, you can spend time relaxing in
the shade with some ice tea and a great book, kicking back with
friends on a starry night, or dining on grilled chicken and
hamburgers with the family.

Today, canopy gazebo designs have improved dramatically. What
you will now find are canopies made from new and improved
material that is fade resistant, mildew resistant, scratch
resistant, and heavier to hold up better overall. In fact, many
canopy gazeboes are so well made that the manufacturer will
offer a five-year warrant on the canopy portion. However,
sometimes things do happen so if you need to find a replacement
canopy for a gazebo, you are in luck.

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Rather than toss out a perfectly good gazebo, you can simply
find a replacement canopy for the gazebo. In fact, if you have
an older style gazebo, this would be an ideal time to update,
choosing a more contemporary style and material. This way, you
can continue enjoying your old frame but now with a beautiful
and fresh facelift. In most cases, a replacement canopy for a
gazebo is very affordable, which would of course depend largely
on the materials chosen and overall size needed.

We suggest when looking for a replacement canopy for a gazebo
that you go with fabric such as weather resistant nylon. Sturdy,
durable, and visually pleasing, this would make a great
impression. Although the replacement features of canopies vary
from one manufacturer to another, many feature special Velcro
straps so the canopy can be installed onto the existing gazebo
frame easily. In addition to single tiered canopy replacement,
you will also discover multi-tiered canopies, as well as various
colors and shapes.

To give you an idea of what you will find on the market, a
beautifully designed replacement canopy for your canopy, let us
say a standard 10x10-foot size and made from durable polyester
vinyl would cost just under 0. However, if you keep your
eyes open, chances are you can find a number of sales or
discounted prices. Included with this replacement canopy design
is a ventilated top construction, which is made to fit easily
over the gazebo frame.

Another recommendation we would make is to choose a replacement
canopy for your gazebo with reinforced corners. This way, you
know you have a tight, secure fit. Most important when choosing
a new canopy is paying attention to the size. Unfortunately,
differences in gazebo designs to include roof pitch, beam
lengths, and so on can make a huge difference in the way in
which a "universal" canopy fits. Therefore, you might consult
with your local gazebo or home improvement company to make sure
you get the right size for your particular gazebo.

Where To Find A Replacement Canopy For Your Gazebo

Dion Semeniuk has developed experience into transforming your backyard into your very own resort. To learn how the gazebo can achieve this, visit the Gazebo website.

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How To Install Furring Strips to Concrete Walls

If you are planning to finish a basement you will most likely need to install furring strips to the concrete walls so that the walls can be sheetrocked.

Attaching furring strips to concrete walls can be easily done using 2"x2"s or 2"x3" kiln dried wood studs, liquid nail glue, and some fluted concrete nails.

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Due to moisture in the basement, I prefer to use a 2"x4" pressure treated stud laid flat along the bottom of the wall. Lay the stud on its flat side up against the wall. The furring strips will sit on top of the pressure treated stud, such that there is effectively a moisture barrier between the basement floor and the kiln dried studs.

The kiln dried studs should be placed on 16 inch centers along the wall, again resting on the pressure treated 2"x4". The kiln dried studs should run the entire height of the concrete wall.

To secure the bottom plate and studs to the wall, I first run a bead of Liquid Nails (designed to adhere to concrete and wood), along the entire length of the bottom plate/stud. If you are using 2"x3"s for the furring strips, the glue should be applied to the wider side, such that when the stud is installed, you effectively have the flat side of the stud attached to the wall.

Start with the application of glue on the pressure treated bottom plate.

Next, using a drill and a masonry bit, drill pilot holes into the bottom plate. The holes should be placed every 16 inches along the length of the plate and should penetrate the concrete walls approximately 1.5". Then using 3" fluted nails and a 3-5 lb sledge hammer, pound the nails into the holes. Note: I prefer to drill and pound a nail, one hole at a time to eliminate alignment problems.

Once the bottom plate has been installed, repeat the process on the vertical kiln dried studs. Install one stud at a time, again on 16 inch centers. Make sure they stand straight and level.

To help hold the vertical stud in place while you are drilling holes and pounding in concrete nails, I like to toe nail the bottom of the stud into the bottom pressure treated plate first.

Once the glue has set up, the furring strips will be strongly fastened to the wall and ready for drywall.

Note, however, you may want to apply pink board insulation in between the studs to provide some level of insulation between the concrete walls and the finished sheetrocked wall. Simply cut the insulation to the proper width, apply some Liquid Nails to the back side of the insulation board, and then press the insulation in-between the studs.

How To Install Furring Strips to Concrete Walls

Over the past 20+ years Mark Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. For more home improvement information visit http://www.homeadditionplus.com and http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com

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Stud Spacing and Wall Framing

Remodeling and building homes over the years I have seen all sorts of stud spacing measurements in bearing and non-bearing walls.

How far should we space a framing stud in a bearing wall?

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Most plans will give you this information. If you have a structural shear wall the plans will tell you what size of lumber to use at the plywood breaks. The normal spacing on a bearing wall will be 16 inches on center unless otherwise noted on the building plans. This is the most common spacing for studs in a wall.

How far can we space framing studs in a nonbearing wall?

I have seen studs spaced as far as 24 inches on center in a nonbearing wall. Over the years looking at the building code books I have found this to be acceptable for most framing applications. Do not confuse a nonbearing walls with a structural shear walls because there is no weight sitting on the shear wall.

Interior structural shear walls will require 16 inch on center spacing or less depending on the structural engineer and your local building department.

What are the disadvantages of spacing the studs 24 inches on center?

Using half-inch drywall with 24 inch on center stud spacing can give the wall a week or spongy feel. I have been in houses that have 24 inch on center's stud spacing and can actually push the wall and see it move. Using 5/8 drywall will solve this problem in your walls.

What are the advantages of spacing the studs 24 inches on center?

The only advantage in spacing the studs farther apart is the fact you will be able to save a few dollars on the overall cost of building or remodeling your house. I personally do not recommend this process because the savings is miniscule compared to the overall cost of building the entire house.

If you look on a measuring tape between 19 and 20 inches you will usually find a little diamond. This little diamond is another measurement for laying out eight-foot walls or floors. So instead of using 16 inch on center layout you can use 19 1/4 for stud spacing. This will save you an additional stud in your wall or floor joist every 8 feet.

I have been writing more articles on home construction problems trying to help contractors and homeowners build safer stronger houses.

Stud Spacing and Wall Framing

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as

well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes in San Marcos Home Building

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General Contractor + Specialty Contractors Overhead & Profit Values in Replacement Cost Values

How Insurers & Adjusters Can Underpay Basic Construction Replacement Cost Values

Many contractors and consumers that are involved in establishing/estimating replacement costs for a catastrophe damaged home or business may run into a very unfair and irrational construction estimation methodology that some insurers try to force on naive or even educated insurance claimants.

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To understand how it works, look at the two estimation examples at the bottom of this article.

The first estimate is a common and historically basic "Cost Plus 10% Profit" type construction estimate.
The second is a insurer contrived synthetic construction estimate.

As you compare the two estimates, keep in mind that common sense dictates that from the roof to the foundation, each construction component's costs contain general contractor and specialty contractors business costs, which would include their own overhead and profit costs.

These are necessary and INHERENT construction replacement costs, (like materials and labor), insurers & insurance agents account for, yet insurance adjusters may try to avoid disclosing and paying to claimants, whether they use a contractor or not.

Does the Texas Department of Insurance Condemn or Condone -

- Insurers Unfair Claim Estimate-Payments to Home & Business Owners?

Question: What is one MAJOR claim underpayment scheme being forced on post-catastrophe home and business owners, (all across Texas), as this note is being written 7-1-2009...??

Hint: As mentioned, it has to do with common construction replacement costs that are paid for every month by unsuspecting consumers...as part of their home and/or business protection insurance payment.

Answer: Insurers are not openly and objectively returning general contractor (G.C.) overhead and profit (O&P) costs, or in other words, intrinsic "loss values".

Why should that be a concern to [Texas] citizens as consumers, and contractors?
(Special Note: Nationwide Insurance settled May-2009 for paying approximately 700,000 G.C. O&P underpaid claimants.)

Well, if a contractor charged you for 40 year shingles, and 30 pound felt, yet (since HE knows they look practically the same from the ground), used your inexperience in construction to intentionally install 30 year shingles and 15 pound felt, and the contractor alone knows they could (unfairly) pocket the extra money you had trusted them with), would you feel as if they had defrauded you?

The Texas Department of Insurance has easy to read information to help you make sure that, whether you use a [general] contractor or not, you are paid for your loss properly. The TDI does not want us to be intentionally or unintentionally defrauded. They do not want insurers to make "illegal windfall".

TDI Bulletins B0045-98 & B0068-08 makes it clear that insurers, adjusters and agents should not unfairly or intentionally deduct, or keep, money you are owed. TDI Bulletin B0045-98 states that replacement costs of your insured structure has a "prospective contractors' overhead and profit" built into it.

Bulletin B0068-08 confirms the fact.

Quote B0045-98: "There is NO SITUATION in which the deduction from replacement costs of... overhead and profit...will be the correct measure of the insured's loss".

--See below for a "correct measure" example of basic construction estimation math form--

From childhood, many have heard about the [primary/general] contractor "Builder Bob". Further common life experience shows that replacing structures reasonably and likely requires "prospective" general contractors fair and equitable replacement costs, using various specialty tradesmen.

In short -- General Contractor Costs + Roofing Contractor Costs = New Construction Roofing Costs, or conversely, The Insured Replacement Cost Value of Your Roof!

Yes, COMMON SENSE DICTATES; You have pre-paid for a prospective G.C. to contract with you to repair or replace your insurance protected roof, AND, every other part of your home or business along with it.

So if an insurance adjuster tries to cut out approximately 20-59% (or more) of common contractor market overhead cost, and profit cost, and sales tax cost, report that act to the Texas Department of Insurance, or your state's insurance department, so that they can help protect you from being treated unfairly, or financially defrauded.

http://www.tdi.state.tx.us TDI Fraud Unit - 1-512-463-6492 / 1-888-327-8818 FraudReport@tdi.state.tx.us

Contrived Excuses Insurers, Adjusters & Insurance Agents May Use To Underpay Your Insurance Claim

Many contractors, consumers, and adjusters are familiar with the following claims:

1. "We don't pay general contractor overhead & profit on roofing in [Texas]". (Unfair basic "fair market" construction estimation and loss value logic.)

2. "The damage is really not severe enough to require a general contractor". (Actually, in a fair market a G.C. determines what work they require, not an insurance company.)

3. "You really don't "need" a general contractor to repair or replace the roof...you can hire a roofing contractor directly". (People pay insurance premiums values for total general contractor involvement for the replacement of every construction component of their structure.

People do not pay premiums to problem solve as an educated and experienced general contractor would when repairs are needed for single trade damage work, like siding or roofing work.) They pre-pay for a trusted general contractor of their choice.

4. "More than 1-3 trades are needed before we "allow" general contractor prices".~ (Double-Speak logic that helps insurers keep general contractor O&P values woven into the 1-3 trades, or ANY trades work.)

5. "Roof Contractors "unit costs" include overhead and profit costs".# (Maybe so, maybe not, but by themselves they DO NOT contain general contractor O&P value).

6. If we (repaid) general contractor O&P costs on all claims, we would have to raise rates. (Why would rates have to be raised when G.C. O&P costs are already being charged to consumers?)

7. "If we paid general contractor and roofing contractor overhead and profit costs for roof losses, we would be improperly paying twice for overhead & profit costs". (Do the math below. This is simply, not true, and more double-speak).

Remember this basic fact - Most likely a general contractor built your home or business, and so their own business overhead costs and profit costs, along with the individual specialty trade contractors business overhead and profit costs, are woven into the roof and every other piece of the structure. Period.

Your insurance agent determined replacement costs accordingly. From the roof to the foundation, you have prepaid for a general contractor to fully replace your property, and/or partially replace it.

DO NOT BE MISLED! The insurer will NOT be improperly paying twice for overhead and profit, when they pay once properly for the general contractor + roofing contractor value of your roof, or other loss.

Fair & Unfair Construction Market Estimation Practices
(Imagine these are wind/hail/rain/fire/earthquake etc. damage replacement cost value (RCV) estimates.)

Basic Fair Market Contractor Example

6,800.00 - Remove and Replace Roof Shingles

850.00 - Remove and Replace Guttering
4,600.00 - Remove and Replace Siding

900.00 - Remove and Replace Windows
3,400.00 - Remove and Replace Sheetrock
5,800.00 - Remove and Replace Carpeting
22,350.00 - Sub-Total

2,350.00 - 10% Overhead
24,700.00 - Total (Cost)

2,470.00 - 10% Profit
,170.00 - Grand Total (Correct cost plus 10% profit math.)

A historically fair and reasonable ("Builder Bob") line itemed estimate that shows logical and elementary "Cost plus 10% Profit" mathematical form.

Basic Unfair Insurer/Adjuster Example

6,800.00 - Remove and Replace Roof Shingles

850.00 - Remove and Replace Guttering
4,600.00 - Remove and Replace Siding

900.00 - Remove and Replace Windows

3,400.00 - Remove and Replace Sheetrock

5,800.00 - Remove and Replace Carpeting
22,350.00 - Sub-Total

975.00 - 10% OH (G.C. Roof/Carpet O&P Costs Ignored)**
23,325.00 - Total (Underpaid)

975.00 - 10% Profit (Underpaid)
,300.00 - Grand Total (Underpaid ,870)

**G.C. 20% overhead and profit is unfairly missing towards the roof/carpet work ONLY, and G.C. O&P is improperly summed up as the same price each, thus the 10% profit math is obviously, yet deceptively, false.

~Allstate Ins. actually (misuses) the main contractor's O&P line for specialty trade contractors 29% OP. They pay a 49%+ factor for G.C./Specialty trade contractors combined O&P, but will also unfairly claim that losses need a certain damage level to warrant G.C. work.

#Roof Contractor "unit costs" do not contain G.C. O&P in estimating programs historical data.

So, in summary, understand that your or other insured structures did not "Poof" into place, and that a general contractor using specialty contractors are financially accounted for by insurance agents construction replacement cost values...values that general contractors costs helped determine nationwide!

From the roof to the foundation, help your insurance adjuster to estimate accordingly...or in other words, fairly and equitably.

General Contractor + Specialty Contractors Overhead & Profit Values in Replacement Cost Values

Roger Poe - General Contractor
18 Years Post-Catastrophe Work Experience
Visit Us At - http://www.CatContractor.org
---Contact Us At - catcontractor@gmail.org

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Carpet Removal - Four Simple Steps for Removing Your Old Carpet

Removing and disposing of old carpet may be part of the deal when
you purchase new carpet. But what if you plan to install a
different type of floor or you plan to install the new floor
yourself? How will you be able to remove that huge carpet by
yourself? How will you dispose of it? And, how will you prepare
your floor for a new floor.

There is no need to worry, just follow these four simple steps
and in no time you will have removed and disposed of your old
carpet and will be ready to move on to installing your new floor.

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Step #1 Cut the Carpet Into Manageable Strips

The carpet does not have to leave your house in one piece as it
came in. The simplest method to cut your carpet into strips is to
use a knife. Avoid scissors -- they require much more work on
your part.

Lift the carpet along an edge or doorway and using the knife,
begin cutting the carpet into two to three foot wide strips that
are about six to ten feet long. Roll each strip as you go and you
will find that each section can easily be deposited into a large
garage can , dumpster, or the back of a truck.

Continue cutting the carpet into strips and removing each section
until you have removed the entire carpet.

Step #2 Remove the Carpet Pad

Removing the carpet pad will be even easier than removing the
carpet. Simply cut the pad into strips as you did with the carpet
and remove.

Step #3 Remove Carpet Tack Strips

You will want to remove the tack strips as soon as possible as
they are very painful to step on. A hammer and a flat screwdriver
are all you will need to remove the carpet tack strips around the
edge of the room. Use the flat screwdriver to pry up the tack
strips. The prongs of the hammer also work well for this if you
have room between the wall and the tack strip. Once the wood tack
strips are removed, use the hammer to pull up any nails that held
the strips in place.

Step #4 Clean Up

Now that the main mess is gone, make sure all carpet glue and
pieces of carpet pad are removed. Using the flat screwdriver or a
spackle knife, scrape up the glue and other debris. Sweep the
floor. A shop vacuum works well for the final clean up.

Now your old carpet is gone, your room is clean, and your floor
is a blank canvas ready for you to create a brand new look.

Carpet Removal - Four Simple Steps for Removing Your Old Carpet

You can get more tips for making home improvements and learn more about how to choose carpet at our MakingHomeImprovements.com site.

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Prefabricated Home Packages

This is by no means an exhaustive list of what's available in the area of prefabricated homes and buildings. This article is to introduce you to the world prefab. If you're in the industry, you'll probably be cringing about now at the word "prefab". But, the word is one that has become synonymous with homes and buildings that have been partially or fully assembled in a factory setting.
I for one am excited to see the latest versions of modern prefabs emerging globally. They're well thought out, beautiful, and energy-efficient.

And to anyone who has any doubts about the quality of today's prefab homes, I'd ask, would you rather buy a house whose parts have all been crafted outdoors exposed to the elements -- by hand. Or, would you rather buy a house built in a factory setting to tight specs exceeding that of site-built homes. I say exceeding, because a normal site-built home doesn't have to endure the rigors of transportation.

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For your review, here are quick descriptions of 10 of the many categories of prefab homes available for exploring at http://PrefabExpo.com - in no particular order:

1. Manufactured

Single-family residential dwellings consisting of one, two or more sectional units and constructed to Federal HUD code. Zoning regulations and ordinances of the local Municipality or County might not permit use of mobile and manufactured homes in all areas of their jurisdiction.

2. Modular

Modular refers to a method of building a home, rather than a type of home. A modular home can be built in a factory from a stock modular home plan or from a customized plan, to the state, local or regional codes of where the home will be set up. Modular homes have not typically experienced the zoning restrictions and discriminative ordinances applicable to manufactured and mobile homes.

3. Panelized

Panelized homes are factory-built homes in which panels -- whole walls with windows, doors, wiring, and outside siding -- are transported to the site and assembled. Panels are made from insulating foam sandwiched between two layers of structural material. The panels are lightweight and might already be filled with insulation when they arrive on the site. The homes must meet the state or local building codes of where they are sited.

4. Steel-frame

Steel framing is an equivalent to conventional stick frame or post & beam home design where the structural lumber is replaced by steel studs and trusses or steel posts and beams. Light-Gauge Framing System features screw-together, galvanized stud-and-truss, grid-type construction system built on 4-foot center.Red-Iron Metal Post & Beam Systems features bolt-together, pre-engineered post-and-beam-type framing system that uses the red-iron steel "C" beams on 8-foot center. The prefabricated home built with this method can be single-story, two-story, and even tri-level home.
Unlike conventional wood framed home that requires interior walls to support the roof, the higher strength-to-weight ratio of steel house allows to span greater distances with less material and fewer supports. The result is higher floor layout and interior design flexibility.

Unlike wood, steel won't shrink, rot, warp, buckle, split, or be attacked by insects. This results in greater durability, lower long-term maintenance, higher energy efficiency and overall greater quality of this prefabricated home.

5. Precut

This category includes wood-framed factory-built houses or cabins where building materials are factory-cut to design specifications and transported to the site to be assembled. PrefabExpo.com presents prefab building kits designed as wood-framed (also known as balloon-frame, 2 x 4, 2 x 6 or stick-built construction) as well as prefabricated home kit / cabin kit using post-frame method. The homes or cabins must meet local or state building codes of the area where they will be sited.

6. Cedar

According to Katahdin Cedar Log Homes, cedar is aromatic to people, and problematic to insects: The heartwood of northern white cedar produces organic compounds called thujaplicins - which create that fresh, pleasant cedar aroma. But to insect pests, such as moths and termites, cedar just plain stinks. They'll avoid cedar homes and instead search out inviting, tasty pine structures.

Cedar home kits include everything you need to build the home, itself. That is to say, the walls, the floor, the ceiling, the windows and doors. But your foundation, plumbing and electrical system are not usually included in a kit.

7. Timberframe

Timber framing is a specific type of post and beam construction in which a frame is created from solid wood timbers that are then connected by any one of the following wooden joints: mortise and tenon, dovetails, or scarfs secured with hardwood pegs. The frame is covered with any one of a number of enclosure systems. Normally the timbers remain exposed to the interior of the building.

Timber frame structures exhibit a strength and aesthetic quality not found in conventionally framed houses. The timbers are pre-cut, shaped, and finished at the factory, then sent to the construction site, where they can be quickly assembled by a crew, routinely using cranes to lift the bents and beams into place. The use of quality wood, enhanced by joinery that compares with fine cabinet making, maximizes the strength of the timberframe structure. Joinery is the heart of the entire structure.

8. Log

Log homes provide their owners with a comforting and relaxing sense of informality and simplicity. The mass of logs produces heating and cooling benefits, and reduces noise transmission into and throughout the home. These are very attractive characteristics, but there are also challenges in construction and limitations in decorating. These aspects require special design considerations and have unusual maintenance requirements.
Basic Kits Are...

WALLS ONLY: The walls-only log home package includes all the logs for the outside walls, including fasteners. Roof beams and staircases may be added.

STRUCTURAL SHELL: Shell This package includes everything that's in the walls-only package, plus all components necessary to keep the weather out, such as exterior doors, windows, and the roofing system.

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE: Complete packages also includes interior components required to finish log homes. Such items include interior walls, stairs, closets, interior doors and trim.

9. Circular

The circle is the strongest geometrical shape we recognize, and this factor likely influenced builders of circular homes for thousands of years. Prefabricated circular buildings have been built as cabins, studios, homes, offices or community halls and convention centers.
Most of today's prefabricated circular homes and cabins offered across the country use conventional wood-frame or post & beam construction method. These homes and cabins are ideally suited to take the full advantage of locations offering exciting panoramic views, and to incorporate factor of the surroundings into the home design.

10. Dome

Geodesic Dome is using triangular networks forming hexagons and pentagons and creating a free-span, spacious environment of spherically shaped structure requiring no internal supports. This results in large flexibility for utilizing interior space to implement floor designs not limited by structural restrictions. Because of the structural strength of the shape, the domes have a far better record of withstanding tornados, hurricanes and earthquakes than cube-shaped structures of conventional homes.
Advantages...

MATERIAL COSTS: Geodesic domes provide the greatest amount of floor area with the least amount of surface area, reducing the quantity of needed building material by as much as 30-50%.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: As a result of the shape, the dome has approximately 30-50% less roof and wall area than cube-shaped home of equal floor space. This results in lesser area being exposed to the elements, resulting in reduction in heating and cooling costs of dome shaped structures. Also, the spherical shape of the dome facilitates natural air flow yielding more even temperatures maximizing overall interior temperature comfort.

Disadvantages...

As a result of complicated angles, the interior and exterior finishing of the dome (after speedy assembly of the prefabricated shell) is significantly more labor intensive than finishing the conventional house. Also, the finishing work requires highly skilled or specialized tradesmen which might not be available at every location. These factors might present welcoming challenge for skilled handyman - homebuilder, but would create substantial cost outlay if the hired labor is considered.

Prefabricated Home Packages

This piece was originally submitted by Diane Takahashi,who can be reached at prefabexpo@yahoo.com, or visited on the web. Diane is co-creator of http://PrefabExpo.com a subscription-based online database of prefabricated homes, cabins and buildings and their vendors.

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