Jeff Wilson Everyday DIY Blog

Are you working with your builder to plan construction for a new home or remodel your existing home? Maybe you are just contemplating your next move. Chances are you have heard about PEX plumbing and have wondered if it's a suitable option for your residence as compared to the more traditional piping material, copper. Although PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) is a relatively newer piping material than copper or even chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), it has a successful history of use in residential applications. PEX has been used in Europe since the 1960s and has experienced significant growth in the United States since its introduction in the 1980s. In a highly regulated industry, PEX piping undergoes extensive testing and certification to meet strict performance requirements to ensure a quality material that provides healthy drinking water.

Builders looking for a sustainable, environmentally friendly product may want to consider Accoya^® wood, which matches or exceeds the durability and stability of the very best tropical hardwoods. Accoya, made from fast-growing softwoods, was introduced to the North American market in 2008. The process used to make Accoya is called acetylation, which has been studied for over 80 years. Accsys Technologies, the makers of Accoya wood, built its production facility in 2007.

The New Royal Playhouse (Det Nye Skuespilhus) sits on the Copenhagen harbor, a calm monument to culture and a nuanced design that reflects a respect for its place. The building, by Danish firm Lundgaard and Tranberg Arkitekter, is completely contemporary and yet seems as though it has always been there.

Finding a big hole in your drywall isn’t much fun, but fixing it isn’t a big problem. Whether you have a hole to fix or you are just prepping to paint, a few supplies and tools are all you need for the job. Join our host, Jeff Wilson, for a demonstration of how to repair a variety of different size holes and divots in drywall.

The term “underwater construction” or “commercial diving” covers a wide array of activities. At the core, underwater construction is simply industrial construction that happens to take place under water. Activities vary greatly but include bridge inspection, building repair, repair of wastewater treatment facilities, and equipment installation.

Looking at a photograph of the waterfall that provides a launching point for the Combs Point Residence he designed for a lakefront in New York, Peter Bohlin says, “There’s nowhere else quite like it in the world.”

Ask anyone who has ever fallen in love with a piece of land and they will say that it is, in fact, a place unlike any other in the world. And Bohlin, Principal in Charge at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, designs with that distinctiveness in mind. Bohlin says, “Our work is always noted for thinking and feeling how a place is. It is intellectual and well reasoned but also takes into account that we are emotional beings.“

Without a doubt, including sustainable values in corporate identity and branding can increase demand, but embracing and executing these values is a whole other game. We talked with Sara Rothholz Weiner of the Minneapolis architectural firm Cuningham Group, which is responsible for leading the design team for Nilan Johnson Lewis, P.A. This Minneapolis law firm sought to discover how sustainability practices can be implemented by professional office space in a way that is effective and entirely comprehensive. Weiner provided us with insight on how sustainable integrity can be both genuine and positively beautiful.

An Un-Welcome Addition to NYC's Skyline

The Empire State Building is an emblem for New York City and has dominated the Midtown Manhattan skyline for 80 years. Following 9/11, it reclaimed the status of the city's tallest building, but soon it may have some close competition. Developer Vornado Realty Trust is financing the construction of a $3 billion tower designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects that will rise 1,216'-0" (370.6 m) -- only 34'-0" (10.4 m) shorter than the Empire State Building. The new 15 Penn Plaza tower will be located only two blocks away, on the site of the historic Hotel Pennsylvania near Penn Station. While some citizens and officials believe that New York is a perpetually evolving city and should welcome new additions, others balk at the prospect of the bulky new tower.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) includes Levees on its 2009 Report Card for America's Infrastructure, giving them a D–. The category of "Levees" covers major flood control works. However, what about the water that causes the flooding that levees protect against? Throughout drainage basins comprising thousands of square miles, stormwater runoff makes its way downstream. Obviously some systems convey that stormwater and even control it. ASCE says nothing about these storm sewer systems, but they form a vital part of America's infrastructure.

Repositioning and Replacing a Wax Ring

If you have noticed water damage near the base of your toilet, chances are your toilet’s wax ring has failed. Although toilet leaks have several common causes, only a bad wax ring will require the removal and resetting of the toilet. When this problem occurs you could call a plumber or you could arm yourself with a little know-how and fix the leaking toilet yourself. To complete the job you will need towels, a flathead screwdriver, a crescent wrench, gloves, a putty knife, and a hacksaw.

Your eyes sweep across the panorama. Rolling hills are bursting with colorful wildflowers of vivid orange, yellow, and purple. A Bay Checkerspot butterfly dances by in the flickering light reflected by what looks like a pond but is in fact a skylight of Renzo Piano’s California Academy of Sciences building. Piano worked with Academy scientists and a team of California professionals, including Stantec Architecture from San Francisco, to revitalize the California Academy of Sciences building, located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.