Topic 3 – Renovating Exterior Walls, Roof, Interior Finishes
Renovating Exterior Wall and Roof Finishes
Procedures to follow:
- The first thing to check before the finishes are installed is the substrate (support surface). Any damaged substrates must be repaired or replaced before new finishes are installed.
- Next, install any required flashings or barriers following NBC and local building codes.
- Install the new finish according to code and specs.
- Where new finishes meet the old, it is not always possible to join in the middle of a wall or roof without a visible transition. If so, a good practice is to remove the existing finish back to a point where the joining of new to old can be done less noticeably. This works well for walls at an intersection of two walls or for a roof, at a valley or ridge.
- If the wall or roof is large and the renovation is to a small portion, you may have to tie into the old material. Only the material affected by the renovation is removed and the old and new materials are integrated with no distinctive intersection line between them.
- If the colors of the new and old materials do not match, they may need to be stained or painted to provide a uniform look.
Renovating Interior Floor Finishes
There are different methods used for the installation of floor finishes, depending on
the product being used. Three common floor finishes are: tile, hardwood, and laminate.
Tile Floor
There are many types of tiles installed in a variety of methods. Some use a mortar
base to hold them in place, others use adhesive glue. For tile held with mortar, a chisel and hammer are used, starting at one side and chiseling underneath the tile making sure to remove all the old mortar. If removal of a large area is needed, larger mechanical tools like a mini jackhammer are available. For tiles with a glue type adhesive, a heat gun will help melt the glue enough to release the tile. A scraper can also be used to remove this tile.
When the renovated area has been cleaned of debris and the substrates have been repaired and levelled or a new substrate installed, the new tile can be installed. The new tile needs to be installed in the same manner as the old, to maintain consistency in the look of the floor when finished. The grout lines between tiles will need to be matched as well.
Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring can be installed two ways: first by nailing it into place and second to glue
into place. They are treated the same way when removing or filling a section. To remove
a board, first protect the surrounding floor from any damage. Then with a circular saw set to the proper depth, cut several passes down the length of the board. The board can then be removed carefully in smaller pieces without damaging the boards beside it. Remove any nails carefully to preserve the adjacent boards. Once the board is removed, the floor is cleaned of any remaining dust or debris.
Before any new pieces of flooring are installed, they need to be prepped to ma