homes (and we've also built timberframe homes for the past 30 years). This home is a "hybrid", meaning one area is a log structure and the other area is a timberframe structure which have been "married" to create a unique home. We have plans available. To get started, visit my website and fill out the "Information Request" form at: www.hearthstonegeorgia.com to get started. (As noted in the post above) Mention "Kaiser" in the notes/comments so I'll know which home you are interested in when the e-mail gets transferred to my office. I just built a hybrid east of Grafton, WV last month........ it's a timberframe in the great room and conventional construction in the bedroom wing.

before the Olympics back in 1996, we took notice and completely updated our deck and porch attachment details. An open deck is a maintenance hog and the connection to the house suffers because of the water flowing (getting trapped) between the deck and the box sill of the home. For the past 16 years we have specified that any box sills where a deck or porch is connected to be (a) doubled, and (b) pressure-treated. Additionally, the deck must be attached with 1/2" galvanized lag bolts using a minimum of a 1-1/2" galvanized spacer between the box sill and deck framing box sill. The deck itself never touches the home (except at a railing). These lag bolts and spacers are attached in vertical pairs at 16" o.c. between the deck floor joists and each lag bolt has a galvanized washer to insure strength and avoid any countersinking. Deck floor joists are supported with galvanized joist hangers and special galvanized nails, they are never notched, supported by a ledger, and toe-nailed to the deck box sill Flashing stands slightly proud of the house siding to allow water to pass between the two box sills and fall directly to the ground. This also keeps the area between the sills from being clogged with the leaves, pollen, etc, that can stay wet for weeks, cause decay, and lead to structural failure.

trap. Based on experience, screwing the bottle into the bottom of the trap does 4 or 5 positive things. (1) to replace a bottle, you just unscrew it, cap it, and screw a new one in. That's 10 seconds, (2) with the neck up, the bees cannot fly back up into the trap and possibly escape, (3) with the neck up, bees cannot climb upside-down in that part of the bottle to get to the neck. It can be done the other way, but why do it the hard way when the easy way works so much better?

alkaline and has a much lower pH level than chlorine bleach, making oxygenated bleach better for cleaning wood than chlorine bleach. Oxalic acid is an acid, (and blonding agent) ......................... the exact opposite of an alkaline. You would use the oxalic acid to try to counteract the effects of bleach on wood and to brighten (blond) the wood. The acid will also remove colored streaks from metallic tannates and rust stains caused by nails and screws. Too much bleach (especially the chlorine type) changes the pH level of the wood and dulls it badly. The wood just looks brighter initially, compared to the dirty condition it was probably in that drove you to the mistake of using bleach. However, a high pH level leaves the surface very dull and completely destroys any chance that a stain can survive on that surface. Perma Chink's cleaner using an oxygenated bleach component is called Wood ReNew and their oxalic acid product is called Oxcon. They also sell the pH strips (we called them litmus paper in school) with a comparison chart to tell you what the pH is of the run-off as you are cleaning the wood so that you can get it within the correct range. I have no problems using an oil-based deck stain as long as it's not here in the South, the humidity here is best described as..................... dripping wet.

occasionally it might happen if we have a very warm winter and spring. Atlanta is over 1,000 feet elevation above sea level, this contributes to the cooler weather.

they are all petroleum based. I only use that kind of stuff as a release agent on concrete forms. The best deck maintenance material I've ever see or used is Lifeline Endure from the Perma Chink Company. It is a waterborne acrylic. Oil-based materials in the humidity over water will only supply a food source for mildew growth.

blocked. This may take 2 days inside the house if you have the A/C on. It will take 4 or 5 hours if you take the refrigerator ouside in the heat.