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  • POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about troubleshooting problems with building interiors: cracks, damage, mold, odors, stains, smells, sounds, interior ceiling, wall, floor finishes, bulges, damage.

This page provides our index to articles giving details of how to inspect, troubleshoot, & repair problems involving building interiors such as floors, walls, ceilings, windows, doors, stairs and similar topics.

These building interior troubleshooting articles explain in step by step detail how to inspect, diagnose problems in, and repair all components of building interiors: interior ceilings, floors & floor coverings, walls, trim, doors, windows, interior lighting, interior stairs and railings, hazardous materials, smells, stains on indoor surfaces, mold in buildings, building safety, noise and sound control, odors, building insulation & ventilation, building leaks, water entry and moisture control.

Special types of building inspection are discussed including the inspection of mobile homes and Sears & Roebuck Kit Houses.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?

Building Interiors: Defect Recognition, Repair, Prevention for Building Interiors, Insulation & Ventilation

Buckled laminate flooring after floodingThese articles include discussion of visual clues of building condition that can be found indoors, such as evidence of a history of leaks, as well as evidence of hazardous materials and conditions such as the probable presence of animal allergens, asbestos, or mold.

We discuss how to identify and correct various building leaks, moisture, and venting problems such as ice dams, blocked attic ventilation, excessive indoor humidity, how to prevent indoor mold, and how to respond to building floods and similar emergencies. Stair and railing inspection and trip hazards are discussed.

Photo: a buckling wood floor, discussed at WOOD FLOOR DAMAGE REPAIR

This list of articles addresses building interior inspection and defects such as:

To find what you need quickly, if you don't want to scroll through this index you are welcome to use the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX to search InspectApedia for specific articles and information.

Frost on attic roof decking (C) Daniel Friedman

Photo above: condensation forming frost in an attic can lead to roof damage or mold contamination.

Plaster lath board © Daniel Friedman

Our photo shows perforated gypsum board panels that were used as plaster lath - a predecessor to modern drywall..

photo of pink fiberglass (Owens Corning) building insulation - at InspectApedia.com

Photo above: pink (Owens Corning) fiberglass insulation as batts added to an attic; The yellow batts at right in the photo are a different brand of fiberglass insulation.

Vertical black stripe stains on walls are most likely thermal tracking or ghosting (C) InspectApedia

Photo: severe thermal tracking stains on indoor walls.

 

...


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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2023-11-26 by Noreen - black core sheathing over bead board in 1922 Seasside OR farmhouse

blackboard sheathing over beadboard in Seaside, OR home (C) InspectApedia.com Noreen

We’re wondering what this material is that’s covering the walls in our newly bought 1922 farmhouse. It’s on almost all of the interior walls, it’s covering bead board and has vertical seams.

There’s no manufacturer markings on the back, concerned about it containing asbestos.

And here’s the back of the wall covering, the dark lines are from the bead board.

blackboard sheathing over beadboard in Seaside, OR home (C) InspectApedia.com Noreen

On 2023-11-26 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Noreen,

There were some blackboard and fiberboard medium density board products that had finished surfaces and were used on interior walls and sometimes ceilings. I'll look through our references to see if I can find a more exact match.

Can you tell us the city and country of location for this building?

And what is the thickness of the material?

Dan

On 2023-11-26 by Noreen

@InspectApedia Publisher,
The home is north of Seaside, Oregon, USA and the material is approximately 1/8-1/4”, I’ll attach a picture to show the thickness.

blackboard sheathing over beadboard in Seaside, OR home (C) InspectApedia.com Noreen

On 2023-11-26 by InspectApedia Publisher - blackboard sheathing

@Noreen:

Thank you for that added detail.

Seeing that there is a black fibrous core in some of the photos lead me to this remark:

Indeed that looks like a "blackboard" product used to form interior wall sheathing. That's a medium density fiberboard product. You'll want to read our article:

SHEATHING, FIBERBOARD ASBESTOS CONTENT

inspectapedia.com/structure/Fiberboard-Sheathing-Asbestos.php

where we include a section on BLACKBOARD ASBESTOS CONTENT

inspectapedia.com/structure/Fiberboard-Sheathing-Asbestos.php#Blackboard

In general when a board product looks like gray paper I don't think asbestos is so likely and most brown and black fiberboards were principally plant-based.

On 2022-09-17 by Sue5867 - how do I lay peel and stick vinyl flooring next to bathtub

I have properly installed and sealed wood underlayment over an old vinyl floor and am now ready to put down new peel and stick vinyl flooring. My question is about how to lay this down up against an existing bathtub.

Should I butt it up against the tub? I started thinking that maybe I should leave a gap, fill that with flexible caulking for vinyl, and then possibly install a vinyl trim piece to the tub for appearance value. Not sure which way to go with this so any advice would be appreciated.

On 2022-09-18 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - some thermal expansion and contraction with peel and stick vinyl floor

@Sue5867,

Smart question. There is some thermal expansion and contraction with peel and stick vinyl floor but not much.

We reviewed peel-and-stick vinyl floor tile installation instructions from several sources such as Lowes building supply - and that the directions have you simply cut the perimeter tiles to fit against the walls (or side of the tub) and then re-install any floor trim or quarter-round molding.

Certainly it's fine to lave 1/16" to 1/8" of clear space that will be covered by trim.

I prefer to then use a sealant (caulk) around the perimeter before putting back down the quarter-round floor-wall trim or vinyl trim.

Along the tub, if you prefer for aesthetic reasons, you can simply lay a bead of sealant (Silicone works well and is durable in that location provided the contact surfaces are nice and clean).

On 2021-12-09 by Laurent

I am curious about this discovery, under the hallway carpet of a 1920 house. It looks like an old linoleum (Congoleum maybe?) floor runner. I can't find the pattern in any catalog. I am wondering if anybody would be able to identify that flooring.

1920 home with Congoleum-like floral runner (C) InspectApedia.com Laurent

On 2021-12-09 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator

@Laurent,

You will find very similar patterns at

LINOLEUM & SHEET FLOORING https://inspectapedia.com/interiors/Linoleum_Flooring.php

On 2021-09-09 by John - tree damage to roof has me worried about fiberglass particles

I recently had a tree fall through attic and land on my floor of my house, it caused significant damage.

My concern is that when the tree fell, the weight and force caused a positive air pressure throughout my attic pushed fiberglass particles throughout my living area and as a result fiberglass particles settled into clothes, carpets, dressers and other horizontal surfaces and my family is breathing in these particles.

Is there a test to confirm fiberglass contamination in living area. I’m concerned for my families health. Thank you for your reply in advanced. John

On 2021-09-09 by inspectapedia.com.moderator

@John,

You can use the on-page search box to find our article series on FIBERGLASS HAZARDS where we include a discussion of some easy ways to test building dust and air for fiberglass.

Since you are going to find some fiberglass particles in any building, in the case that you described, I think that your energy would be better spent on wiping & HEPA vacuuming to clean the home.

On 2020-12-01 by Teresa

Is it acceptable to use 2x2 spaced 4" apart to close in a interior stairway that is open? They would be screwed into the ceiling at top and step risers on the bottom.

On 2020-12-04 - by (mod) -

Teresa

As long as your 2x2s are strong and not liable to breakage. For example, don't use ones that have a knot through the middle and you should be fine. After all, those are larger than many stair balusters in a conventional stair guard.

On 2018-10-30 by Kelly - does this mold warrant further remediation

Can you tell by picture if this mold is toxic or warrants further remediation by building owner? This is approximately three months after the air ducts were “cleaned” professionally with ozone chemicals.
IMA

On 2018-10-30 by (mod) - have an expert examine the building itself to find any problem mold reservoirs

Kelly:

If that's mold on an air supply register in your home, then I agree that it would be appropriate to have an expert examine not just the HVAC system but the building itself to find any problem mold reservoirs that need to be removed and, of course, their cause fixed.

Focusing on "toxic black mold" is a mistake: mold of any color can be allergenic, or pathogenic = associated with illness. There are just a few "cosmetic" harmless molds sometimes found on framing lumber - identified at this website by our article on HARMLESS COSMETIC MOLD - this isn't your case.

Further, just what's "harmful" depends not just on the mold genera and species but also on the health vulnerability of individuals.

Bottom line: find and remove the mold. Fix its cause.

On 2018-10-30 by Katie - is there hidden mold in my apartment walls

Hi, please help if you can. And thank you for this invaluable website. I’m concerned there is hidden mold in my apartment walls for the following reasons:

My question is, is all this crazy dust collecting around wall sockets, door frames and in cracks in the wall normal? It’s so dark and looks as if it’s growing out of he wall. Management had a company come and clean the entire air duct system but the vents are already so rusty and dirty. My health concerns have not stopped and I hope you can tell me from these photos whether I should insist my apartment management should do more to repair building or what. Also it should be noted I live in south Texas on the coast where it is very humid.

Again thank you.

IMAGE LOST by older version of Clark Van Oyen’s useful Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

On 2018-10-30 by (mod) - If you smell mold there is usually a mold reservoir somewhere to be found and fixed

Katie

If you smell mold there is usually a mold reservoir somewhere to be found and fixed; I would not expect a significant association between dust in the door latch striker plate mount and a mold contamination issue, though you're right there could be a rather subtle connection: if there are air currents bringing moisture from a wet area (such as a crawl area) into the building walls or ceilings that could be a problem.

You need an experienced on-site inspector (not someone who just stops by and does a "mold test") to tell you what evidence they find.

On 2017-10-09 by Shelley - gypsum board wall covering with a paper and fabric backing

I am trying to find out what material is used in my daughter's new house, The house was built in 1941. Some interior walls have a sheetrock type material with a blue star on it and says fire liner. It also states manufactured by United States Gypsum Company. It is covered with a cheesecloth type material and appears to be painted on top. Can anyone tell me what this material is made of? Thank you.

On 2017-10-10 by (mod)

Shelley

Most likely you are describing a gypsum board wall covering with a paper and fabric backing. In the 1940's gypsum board was often used as a backer on which an actual plaster finish was applied - as an alternative to wood or metal lath.

At ASBESTOS in DRYWALL we explain that some drywall products and joint compounds contain asbestos.

On 2017-05-26 by Westlake

The type wood used in the building of our home in late '50s or early '60s was said to be from another country and was becoming obsolete. All of our baseboards and trims were made with this type wood. Our builder has long since left this world and I can't find any of his workers. The wood was something taken from something like Niaguaragan wood....

it's a beautiful soft color but a sturdy wood. Unfortunately, one of the later owners stupidly painted all the woodwork in the house in pastel cheap paint. The newer owners would like to be able to bring the woodwork "up to snuff" shall we say? Please help me.

On 2017-05-26 by (mod) - how to restore unknown type of wood trim

Westlake

I appreciate the interesting question but I'm stumped by what you were told. Realizing that normal people don't necessarily choose the same terms that someone in construction would,

- I don't know how wood becomes "obsolete" - the way I use that word is to say that some device is no longer serviceable, like an obsolete electrical panel that might not protect from a fire. Wood is pretty passive, just sitting there looking good, or not-so-good.

- I also don't know a single accepted definition of "up to snuff" for wood trim in or on a building. Snuff is a bit in the mind, eye, or nose of the beholder. And her wallet or checkbook.

- Whatever the wood trim wood species was, it has all been painted. So your options include at least these

Ways to Improve Old, Damaged, Missing Wood Trim in an Older Home

1. leave it alone

2. paint it if it is chipped or not able to be cleaned or if you want a different color

3. add missing trim of the same or close-to-the same profile from existing trim stock that's readily available if some trim is badly damaged or missing completely - this is the least expensive approach - then paint it to match - this is what I do in a typical older home renovation job

4. hire a woodworker to duplicate the profile of old trim that is missing or incomplete or badly damaged by providing a trim sample - this is what I do in a historic home restoration but it's expensive to do otherwise.

5. Remove the existing trim, working carefully not to split or break it. Use a wood stripping method safely, according to directions, without poisoning yourselves with lead paint or toxic paint removers - I've done this on some older homes that had hickory or other lovely trim that was painted-over, often taking the trim outside the home, treating it in a site-built trough lined with plastic; in-place stripping is an approximation of this approach that will leave detailing and cleanup to restore old, beautiful wood trim. This is a big and expensive effort that is most-suited for use when there is a near-gut-renovation of an older home with valuable trimwork.

In this approach you'll need to buy a trim with similar looking grain and stain it to match if you face badly-damaged, missing, or incomplete trim that is to be stripped and restored.

Some of the techniques at WOOD FLOOR DAMAGE REPAIR may help you out.

Also see PAINT & STAIN GUIDE, INTERIOR - the page top photo is mahogany trim that we restored and matched.

Keep me posted and use the page top or bottom CONTACT link to send along photos for comment if you like.

Question: Does a Small Ceiling Leak Stain Mean I Have a Big Mold Problem? - Exploring Interior Leak Stains on Ceilings and Walls

Closet ceiling leak stain (C) D Friedman, L.D.

I am writing because I believe that I have a mold problem that has given (or contributed) to my needing sinus surgery for a fungal infection.

I live on the upper west side of NYC in a rent stabilized building that is mostly concrete and was built in the 60's I believe. I've had a leak in my closet on and off for about 5 years.

[Photo at left of a closet ceiling leak stain was not provided until later in this discussion - Ed.]

I live on the top floor. I believe the leak in the roof is fixed. However, I wouldn't let them scrap and patch my closet until I was sure that the leak was fixed. It's about a 12 inch by 12 inch area.

However in my panic, I did a really dumb thing. I used a diluted bleach and I cleaned and scraped the area.

I was going to let it dry and re-do the process, but in reading online, it was a bad move. Stupid actually. However, I used a respirator and goggles.

So my question is - Can I still send a mold test sample to your lab even though it has been bleached. I don't see any mold but while I was spraying, some brown watery stuff came out (might be because there is also brick I believe in the closet.)

I am hoping sending it to a lab would be easier and cheaper to do since I have to take two weeks unpaid off from work to have this surgery.

Thank you. I appreciate your time in reading this long email. - L.D.

Reply: How to Explore Small Leak Stains for Hidden Damage, Mold, and Repair Need

A competent onsite inspection by an expert usually finds additional clues that help accurately diagnose a problem. And often an expert look at a stain can quickly identify its probable cause and its significance.

(STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS)

That said, here are some things to consider:

Bleaching a leak-stained or mold-suspect wall: if you didn't get bleach in your eye, bleaching the stained drywall won't hurt anything, but it's not an effective remedy for mold on drywall or other soft walls.

MOLD CLEANUP with BLEACH discusses using bleach.

I'm not sure that sending in a bleached surface mold sample to a lab will produce a reliable result, especially if you cannot discuss the sample and case with the lab first. We have successfully processed samples of bleached mold on wall surfaces before.

But the appearance of bleached mold spores changes and can fool a hasty lab technician. For example, the characteristic dark black of Stachybotrys chartarum spores appeared pink in bleached samples we processed. As an interesting aside, in such samples, we also can often find viable spores that retain their original properties.

That's part of our reasoning that bleaching alone is an ineffective mold remedy for drywall.

The right repair is to remove moldy drywall, clean the cavity, find and fix the leak, then repair the drywall.

See ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD.

Do you need a mold expert to test or clean the mold? For a 12-inch moldy area on an interior ceiling or wall made of drywall, unless exploration leads to a larger area, honestly, testing and or hiring a mold company is usually inappropriate - as is any visible mold area under 30 sq.ft.. in total size.

See DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP

See MOLD / ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT, HIRE? for help in deciding when hiring an expert or using a lab is appropriate. There you'll read that where a mold-sensitive person or people with certain health worries are involved, extra care is needed.

That said, because you are mold-sensitive, here are some additional caveats: Even for a small mold cleanup, you may be better off having the cleaning performed by someone else, and certainly you'd want to take normal precautions: protective gear, washing up, don't put a moldy finger in your eye, clean up the dust and debris.

When to stop the small mold job cleanup: if, in the course of the small moldy area cleanup, it is discovered that there is or appears to be an area of moldy material larger than 30 sq.ft.., then the job should stop, be sealed off (use plastic and tape), and you should call a professional for advice and cleaning, as dust containment and similar measures may then be needed.

If you can send us photos of the leak area, I may be able to make further comment.

Small Leak Follow-Up: Guessing at the Extent of Hidden Damage

Closet ceiling leak stain (C) D Friedman, L.D. Thank you for your expedient response! Your website info was amazing. That is where I learned that bleach was useless. And I know the area is too small, to warrant someone coming to test. IB

I can get someone to DIY clean it up (thanks to your website) But since I tested positive for Aspergillus fumigatus mold spores, I don't want to have surgery for a fungal infection and then have to get it again and have the surgery.

Comments on Closet Ceiling Leak Stain Photos

With apologies that I must repeat our earlier warning that a competent onsite inspection by an expert usually finds additional clues that help accurately diagnose a problem, your photographs (above) of the leak-stained closet ceiling look as if there has been a leak of long standing duration, probably from plumbing or other drainage system above your unit.

The deterioration of the drywall (if that's what we're seeing) suggests that even though the visible area of the leak is quite small, less than 3 sq.ft., there is a good chance that water has passed over other areas of the ceiling and perhaps down one or more wall cavities on the interior or hidden side.

But we really cannot know the extent of moldy material nor hidden damage that might be present before this area is explored.

The drywall in the leak area needs to be removed and the cavity explored and cleaned, until there is a 24" margin of visibly clean materials on the cavity side.

If at any step in the procedure that exploration finds what appears to be a large area, work stops and a professional is brought in to inspect, make a preliminary cleanup plan, set up containment, perform the necessary demolition and cleaning, and then repair the surfaces.

Opening the ceiling for inspection may also make it easier to see the leak cause, the track of water from the leak point, (thus knowing what else was wet) and of course to determine the extent of visibly moldy or damaged material.

If the cost, for what should be a small handyman cleanup job, begins to mushroom to a very large expense, have a mold remediation plan drawn up by someone who has no conflict of interest - no financial connection to the cleaning company, and have that same person perform a clearance inspection and test before the wall surfaces are put back.

Also see MOLD CLEARANCE: FOLLOWUP STEPS

The expense of bringing in a mold test expert or mold remediation expert is, as I said before, not appropriate for small cleanup jobs and certainly not for jobs under 30 square feet of demolition and/or cleaning.

Watch out: don't replace the removed ceiling or other surface coverings before the leak cause is identified and repaired. And don't let some idiot make a huge dusty mess throughout your apartment - that can be risky for both your physical health and your financial health.

On 2012-06-18 by Anonymous - - fixing (or replacing) a leaky roof is top priority

We recently ripped out the carpet in our main floor livingroom and noticed that the closet has some leaking and mold in one corner of the floor walls which surround the chimney pipe runs through the house. We have a 2 storey split. Insurance was out and advised our shingles are gone due to hail damage from last year so unsure if its related. Any suggestions on how to proceed from here?

On 2012-06-18 1- by (mod)

Anon:

Fixing (or replacing) a leaky roof is top priority as otherwise any interior repairs or improvements made are at risk of being ruined by another leak.

For the leaking you found, follow the water, remove visibly moldy drywall until you have a 2-foot clear margin of visibly clean materials. Remove any insulation that was wet, clean the building cavity before replacing it.

Moldy wet carpeting is removed along with any padding.

On 2012-06-15 by steven henkemeyer - any moisture that condenses under the roof can be a real problem

I have a friend that her dad put a room in and it has a tin roof (like the roof in a outside patio) they put up 1x3s and then the ceiling panels in the witer the ceiling sweats and the panels fell down how would you put a ceiling in that spot that would not leak or sweat

On 2012-06-18- by (mod)

Steven, because metal has a perm rating of zero, any moisture that condenses under the roof (or leaks into it) can be a real problem - as your friend found out. Remember that although people refer to pipes or a metal roof "sweating" they are not really sweating - exuding internal water out through pores. Instead you're seeing condensation of interior moisture on the roof underside.

The solutions include

- find and fix the interior moisture source
- use a perfect vapor barrier on the warm side of the ceiling before putting up drywall
- be sure there are no leaky penetrations in the ceiling - most air and moisture leaks into a roof cavity occur at the ceiling penetrations.

On 2011-06-16 by michael

How can I Maintain and clean Floors

On 2011-06-16 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - proper advice for maintaining and cleaning floors

Hi Michael:

Proper advice for maintaining and cleaning floors depends on what flooring material you have. Also the type of traffic on the floor may make a difference in maintenance advice.

1. Keep the floors clean

Answering in general (since you haven't given information about the floor type, location, exposure to traffic, etc), the gentlest or least aggressive but regular cleaning method is a good place to start. Vacuuming or damp mopping works well on most hard surfaces to pick up grit and dirt that otherwise scours the floor surface as people walk on it.

Some of our cleaning company acquaintances like to use products like the Swiffer (TM) - a dry mopping system that uses a special treated cloth to pick up dust. The dust pickup of this product works well, but

Watch out: we've found that some hard surfaced wood floors were left so slippery that they formed a trip hazard.

2. Restore scarred or marred floors

If a floor surface is scratched but not deeply so, to restore the floor to good appearance you may need to combine a very thorough cleaning with use of a floor restorer product. Following washing (or damp mopping or hand-wiping if the floor surface is one that would be damaged by direct use of water) we use a special floor cleaner to remove any remaining residues of wax, oil, grease.

Following the floor cleaner we inspect the floor for scratches that cut through the surface color, filling those in with a stain, magic marker, paint, or an appropriate colorant depending on the floor material and color. After coloring in deep scratches, we apply a floor coating that "rejuvenates" the surface by adding a luster or shine to the floor. The final coating also provides a clear sealant that restores some durability to the surface.

Rejuvenate(R) is an example of a line of products for floor surface restoration and that are sold at building supply stores like Home Depot. If you want to be more specific I'll be glad to report to you in more detail.

3. Also see Wood Floor Damage listed in the ARTICLE INDEX under FLOOR TYPES & DEFECTS

...

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INTERIORS of BUILDINGS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

  • America's Favorite Homes, mail-order catalogues as a guide to popular early 20th-century houses, Robert Schweitzer, Michael W.R. Davis, 1990, Wayne State University Press ISBN 0814320066 (may be available from Wayne State University Press)
  • Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
  • Brick nogging used as soundproofing was mentioned in a now-no-longer-online article on Popular Forest Magazine poplarforest.org
  • Building Research Council, BRC, nee Small Homes Council, SHC, School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, brc.arch.uiuc.edu.

    "The Small Homes Council (our original name) was organized in 1944 during the war at the request of the President of the University of Illinois to consider the role of the university in meeting the demand for housing in the United States. Soldiers would be coming home after the war and would be needing good low-cost housing. ...  In 1993, the Council became part of the School of Architecture, and since then has been known as the School of Architecture-Building Research Council. ... The Council's researchers answered many critical questions that would affect the quality of the nation's housing stock.
    • How could homes be designed and built more efficiently?
    • What kinds of construction and production techniques worked well and which did not?
    • How did people use different kinds of spaces in their homes?
    • What roles did community planning, zoning, and interior design play in how neighborhoods worked
  • The Circular Staircase, Mary Roberts Rinehart
  • Construction Drawings and Details, Rosemary Kilmer
  • "An Example of Colonial Paneling", Norman Morrison Isham, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Vol. 6, No. 5 (May, 1911), pp. 112-116, available by JSTOR.
  • Falls and Related Injuries: Slips, Trips, Missteps, and Their Consequences, Lawyers & Judges Publishing, (June 2002), ISBN-10: 0913875430 ISBN-13: 978-0913875438
  • Gypsum Construction Guide, National Gypsum Corporation
  • Gypsum Construction Handbook [purchase at Amazon.com] H17, Technical Folder SA920 and PM2, PM3 and PM4, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin ST., PO Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124,
  • Insulation: Selecting Insulation for New Home Construction [copy on file as /interiors/New_Home_Insulation_DOE.pdf ] -
  • Insulation Types [copy on file as /interiors/Insulation_Types_DOE.pdf ] - , table of common building insulation properties from U.S. DOE.
  • Lath & Plaster Systems [copy on file as /interiors/LathPlaster_Nat_Gypsum.pdf ] - , 092300/NGC, National Gypsum Lath and Plaster Systems, National Gypsum Corporation, 800-628-4662 describing National Gypsum's Kal-Kore brand plaster base
  • Metal Lath Specifications, Specification for metal lath and accessories, Lath and Plaster [copy on file as/interiors/Amico_lath-inside.pdf ] - from Amico, a lath and plaster accessory producer.
  • The National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST (nee National Bureau of Standards NBS) is a US government agency - see www.nist.gov
  • "A Parametric Study of Wall Moisture Contents Using a Revised Variable Indoor Relative Humidity Version of the "Moist" Transient Heat and Moisture Transfer Model [copy on file as/interiors/MOIST_Model_NIST_b95074.pdf ] - ", George Tsongas, Doug Burch, Carolyn Roos, Malcom Cunningham; this paper describes software and the prediction of wall moisture contents. - PDF Document from NIS
  • Pergo AB, division of Perstorp AB, is a Swedish manufacturer or modern laminate flooring products. Information about the U.S. company can be found at http://www.pergo.com where we obtained historical data used in our discussion of the age of flooring materials in buildings.
  • Piquet Wall Construction: involving timber-framed wall construction with long top girts, diagonal timber bracing, and small diameter logs placed vertically along with concrete chinking to fill in the wall plane.
  • Plank House Construction: weblog from plankhouse.wordpress.com/2009/01/25/plank-house-construction/ and where plank houses were built by native Americans, see
    Large 1:6 Scale Plank House Construction / P8094228, Photographer: Mike Meuser
    06/12/2007 documented at yurokplankhouse.com where scale model Museum quality Yurok Plank Houses are being sold to raise money for the Blue Creek - Ah Pah Traditional Yurok Village project, Web: bluecreekahpah.org
  • PM 5, PLASTERING [PDF] Product & Systems Technology, US Gypsum, May 1998, web search 10.5.2010, original source: http://www.usg.com/rc/technical-articles/plaster/ plastering-technical-guide-veneer-plaster-joint-reinforcement-systems-en-PM5.pdf
    United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin ST., PO Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124,

    Paraphrasing from this document: USG uses the term shadowing in this document in describing the visual effect over gypsum board joints caused by the lower moisture absorption rate (take-up) and lower capacity than gypsum base face paper. Shadowing at joints occurs where veneer plaster is applied over tape joints, requiring a second coat to completely hide the tape, providing a visually uniform surface. USG Advises: "This [second] cover coat must be allowed to harden and dry before plaster application is started.
  • Plastering Skills, F. Van Den Branden, Thomas L. Hartsell, Amer Technical Pub (July 1, 1985), ISBN-10: 0826906575, ISBN-13: 978-0826906571 [purchase at Amazon.com]
  • Re-Bath, tub lining products is a bath tub relining manufacturer and distributor located in Tempe, Arizona - see rebath.com
  • Rubblestone Wall Filler: See this Lartigue House using exterior-exposed rubblestone filler between vertical timbers of a post and beam-framed Canadian building. Web: pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/activ/nuit-night
  • Slips, Trips, Missteps and Their Consequences, Gary M. Bakken, H. Harvey Cohen, Jon R. Abele, Alvin S. Hyde, Cindy A. LaRue, Lawyers and Judges Publishing; ISBN-10: 1933264012 ISBN-13: 978-1933264011
  • Slips, Trips, Missteps and Their Consequences, Second Edition, Gary M. Bakken, H. Harvey Cohen,A. S. Hyde, Jon R. Abele, ISBN-13: 978-1-933264-01-1 or ISBN 10: 1-933264-01-2, available from the publisher, Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company,Inc., www.lawyersandjudges.com sales@lawyersandjudges.com
  • Steps and Stairways, Cleo Baldon & Ib Melchior, Rizzoli, 1989.
  • The Staircase, Ann Rinaldi
  • The Staircase: History and Theories, John Templar, MIT Press 1995
  • Steps and Stairways, Cleo Baldon & Ib Melchior, Rizzoli, 1989.
  • "The Dimensions of Stairs", J. M. Fitch et al., Scientific American, October 1974
    • lding Standards, January-February 1991
  • WEATHER RESISTIVE BARRIERS [PDF] U.S. Department of Energy, ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers
  • What Style Is It?: A Guide to American Architecture, Rev., John C. Poppeliers, S. Allen Chambers, Wiley; Rev Sub edition (October 6, 2003), ISBN-10: 0471250368, ISBN-13: 978-0471250364
  • In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested

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