Today’s Homeowner Radio Show | February 26, 2022

In this week’s radio show, we’re talking about concrete! Read on to learn how to resolve these common concrete conundrums.

Fill in holes in a concrete slab with a vinyl concrete patcher to keep moisture out. (Courtesy Courtney from Mississippi)

Filling Air Pockets Under a Concrete Slab

Courtney from Mississippi is building a pole barn house, and air pockets in the concrete slab have caused holes in the foundation. The holes leave the wood sheathing exposed on the exterior and she’s worried about moisture problems.

The best way to remedy this is to first caulk the inside of the holes. Then, on the outside use a vinyl concrete patcher. This makes smooth repairs on damaged concrete. 

Next, pull as much dirt back as you can away from the hole and apply the patcher. Use a trowel to pack it in. Once it’s firmly packed, smooth the patcher out and backfill the hole with dirt. 

For extra moisture control, seal the slab all around the perimeter of the home and make sure the grade of the dirt goes away from the house to keep water away from the house.

Skip to [26:05] for the full segment on the Today’s Homeowner Radio Show.

Sawing concrete creates clouds of dust, but there are less messy ways to get the job done.

Less Messy Way to Saw Concrete

Our friend Linda from the Today’s Homeowner TV Show episode “A New Aesthetic For an Outdoor Shed” called to ask about a less messy way to cut concrete. She had a plumbing failure in her home and now has to replace her hardwood flooring. Before doing so, she wants to install floor outlets on the concrete slab but is worried about the dusty mess that will create.

There is a way to minimize dust when sawing concrete, but you do need the right equipment. 

In order to get electrical wires to floor outlets, an electrician will first have to saw a notch about an inch wide and a couple of inches deep into the concrete. To keep the dust from spreading throughout the house, open windows and doors and have fans flowing while sawing. Keep a shop vac handy to vacuum up dust as you go.

You can also use a wet saw, which is a concrete saw that’s hooked up to a hose and the water captures the dust particles. It keeps the dust down and prevents it from getting all around the house. However, on the downside, it produces lots of muddy cement.

Hilti makes a dustless saw with a vacuum. Check to see if any rental company has these types of saws to use for your project. 

Skip to [52:37] for the full segment on the Today’s Homeowner Radio Show.

Before you build a shed, consider what material to use for the foundation.

Setting a Storage Shed: Concrete or Gravel?

Betty from Virginia is building an eight-by-eight-foot storage shed and wants to know if she should set the shed on a bed of gravel or a concrete slab. 

There’s no better way as long as it’s done correctly. If you’re going to put down a concrete slab, you can just build it off the concrete slab with traditional wood framing and not worry about putting down the four-by-fours.

Since this eight-by-eight-foot shed is relatively small, it will be a lot less expensive to put down landscaping fabric first, a bit of gravel, compact it well, then lay out some four-by-fours and build the frame off of that.

Joe Truini wrote a book all about building sheds. It provides all the expert advice you need to construct a shed from start to finish. You can buy “Building Sheds” now on Amazon.

Skip to [1:01:54] for the full segment on the Today’s Homeowner Radio Show.

Solving Tiny Home Condensation Issues

Tiny homes have exploded in popularity in the last decade. But as with traditional homes, they too have many of the same issues. (Photo courtesy of Ryan)

Ryan and his wife built a 200-square-foot tiny house on a trailer in 2018 in Portland, Ore., and lived in it for three years.

Ryan with his family in their tiny home. (Photo courtesy of Ryan)

The couple is now renting it out and it’s having condensation issues. Short of keeping a window open, they’re looking for a solution to decrease mold and condensation.

The first thing to do is put plastic sheeting under the trailer to keep away moisture from the ground. Also, make sure rainwater from the roof drains away from the home.

Also, use a dehumidifier to keep the humidity down. It should work well in such a small space. Purchase a digital hygrometer and keep the humidity below 50 percent.

Tiny homes typically have condensation problems because they’re so small and can trap moisture more easily. Make sure to have good ventilation.

Skip to [44:06] for the full segment on the Today’s Homeowner Radio Show.

Also on this episode:

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    2 COMMENTS

    1. My question is how to take care of hardwood floors that scratched

      • For minor scratches, you can use a wood stain pen or a walnut to camouflage the scratches. For badly scratched floors, sand them with fine-grit sandpaper in the direction of the grain and stain the area to match.

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