Flashing (the construction kind, not the illegal kind!)

We like to give generic advice whenever possible but I do have some flashing preferences. Do NOT use any flashing with vinyl in it. The high pH of wet mortar eats holes in vinyl. This eliminates any PVC flashing products from my recommended list. According to Architectural Graphics Standards, mortar is also corrosive to pure aluminum and pure zinc. Alloys with these materials do not seem to have trouble with corrosion. I recommend metal flashings only for the longest lasting buildings (like cathedrals and university buildings). Although the metal flashing is slightly more expensive than flexible flashings, the time required to cut it, fold it and weld it accounts for the real price jump between flexible flashings and metal ones. Flexible bitumen flashings are my personal favorite for Colorado’s climate. The material is cost effective, easy to
work with, long lasting and tolerant of the high pH of mortar. The tar coating will
even self-heal small holes and cracks once the sun comes out and heats the wall.
The manufacturers tell you to peel off the backing and install the flashing sticky-side down on a clean, dry substrate. You must also hold the flashing back 1/2” from the face of the wall so that the sun doesn’t melt the tar and have it drip down the face
of the building. If you want the flashing to continue to the face of the wall, you can either pair the bitumen flashing with a 1” wide galvanized metal drip edge or you can use Hyload flexible flashing, a bitumen-based flexible flashing system that comes with an integral drip edge. Go to their web site at www.hyloadflashing.com to see more.

Masons Build More Habitat

This week we begin work on the second Habitat for Humanity project here in Denver. The first, a tri-plex which was veneered by apprentices, is complete and will be presented to its new owners on May 21. This second project is a duplex and it will be veneered by masons. These Habitat projects really underscore how masonry reduces lifecycle and ownership costs, making it a very important material for inclusion in affordable housing projects as well as sustainable projects of all kinds.

We do Not condone the use of bricks in this Manner

From today's news in Colorado Springs:
"A woman abducted from a Target parking lot by a man who hit her head with a brick, bound her with tape and threw her in the back of her car used a cell phone to alert police."

This is not the appropriate use for a brick.

The New OSHA 10

The world of safety training has changed with the times. Gotta keep the training relevant.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOF2AKBV2vI

Protect Your Community

Some call it new urbanism. Some call it green building, and others call it just plain smart. However it's termed, communities throughout America (and Colorado) are enacting masonry ordinances to combat substandard construction and manage the quality of new development. Local governments favor masonry standards because they provide a tangible way to guarantee the durability, safety and curb appeal of new buildings in their communities. Masonry guidelines ensure that new homes and schools are built to last and to require little or no exterior maintenance. Masonry guidelines guarantee that apartments and town homes are built to resist fire, hail and wind. And last but not least, masonry requirements leave plenty of room for individual - expression and design choices.

Do I need weep holes or dampproofing for a retaining wall?

You probably need weep holes OR a foundation drain—not both. Weep holes are cheaper but they are also more visible.
If you choose to use weep holes, you need to know that these are not tiny little plastic tubes. They are surprisingly large chunks of PVC pipe—1.5” diameter, minimum. You need to install them at about 6’-0” on center. The tubes should extend about an inch beyond the face of the wall to keep water from drooling down the face of the wall. If you don’t like PVC pipe, you can install metal lamb’s tongue pieces at the face of the wall.
You will need drainage fabric installed on the back side of the weep tube to keep soil from clogging the tube.
You need to install a continuous line of gravel on the back side of the wall at the weep tube elevation. This line of pea gravel is usually about 6” wide and 12” to 18” high.

H2B Problems Spreading

This story from MetroNorth Newspapers takes a look at how Congress' failure to revive the H2B program has impacted many industries.

Fielding a workforce: As growing turns to harvest, labor needs crucial

By Sara Crocker Editor's Note: Today begins the first installment of a four-part series on immigration. While the series is centered on the impacts of illegal immigration in the Adams County region, it will also explore some immigration issues in general. The first part looks at labor, which will be followed by education, health and crime. April 29, 2008 18:10

Each month that goes by, employers at Northglenn-based D&E Steel Services have to turn away about four perspective employees. But D&E is not fully staffed. The applicants are skilled, President Steve Thoutt says. They are hard working, too. What these people can't provide, however, is the proper documentation to prove they are allowed to work in the states. "We're having a tough time finding more workers," said Thoutt, whose company specializes in design, supply, detailing and installation of steel. In January, D&E applied for 10 H-2B workers - a federal program which lets employers hire foreign workers temporarily - but was denied, Thoutt said. Dave Tollefson, president of Thornton-based landscaping company Urban Farmer, said he was approved for the 250 H-2B workers he applied for, though he didn't expect to get them all. Still, when the 66,000-person cap for the program was met, his workers were still in Mexico, he said, and that's where they'll have to stay. Tollefson was able to extend the visas of 100 H-2B workers here for the winter season. Still, he's short 190 people. "That means that we're scrambling right now," he said. It's a fear that most employers who rely on a large, labor-intensive workforce have echoed throughout the region. The problem, they say, is they try - and must prove to the government to use the H-2B program - to hire people living in the area first. Those people can be hard to find because of the kind of work and time commitment these jobs can have, employers said. "We are seasonal employers and the product that we grow requires much hand work and hand harvest," said Dave Petrocco Sr., president of David Petrocco Farms based in Brighton. The third-generation vegetable farmer said the June to September season has always made it hard to find workers. "Secondly, it's work that's out in the fields that requires early hours, late hours and holiday work and much of that is work with the hands," Petrocco said. "So the American workforce to fulfill those type of jobs seasonally is very limited."

You can read the whole story at www.metronorthnews.com