Here's one:
DORM INSULATION WALL
By Wilton Strickland
In 1978, while I was Director of Engineering at Sondrestrom, Air Base,
Greenland, one of my projects was to build a 2 x 4 stud wall, insulate it
with R-15 fiberglass insulation and install and finish sheetrock or drywall
on it immediately inside the outer walls of every room in one of our large
dormitory-like barracks which had been built in 1958 of pre-cast concrete
panels. The outer walls of concrete were very cold and energy inefficient,
especially during the arctic winters.
One day in early summer, the superintendent of the Danish contractor crew on
this project came to my office and told me that the first room was finished
and ready for my inspection; all the rest of the rooms would be done like
this first one after my approval.
In the room, I found that the crew had used no joint tape and no joint
compound at all, but had used only common MASKING tape on all the joints and
nails! I asked the superintendent what had happened to the boxes of joint
tape rolls and buckets of joint compound that I had seen earlier stacked
with the sheetrock in the supply warehouse. He and the workmen appeared to
not understand what I was talking about. I explained to them that the
proper way to finish sheetrock/drywall is to put a bed of joint compound, a
putty-like or plaster-like material (but not as hard as plaster) on/in the
cracks and joints, apply a layer of the paper tape (this was before the
advent of fiberglass mesh tape, of course); apply another layer of the
compound, etc., until the tape is thoroughly embedded and the compound on
the joint is even with the main surface and smooth with its edges
"feathered" to nothing. I also explained to them that the nail heads
should be driven slightly below the sheetrock surface, then apply joint
compound to the depressions until the area is even with the overall surface
and also smooth. They told me that they had never seen sheetrock
installed - that they only knew about plaster. I explained that applying
the joint compound is very much like but simpler and quicker than
plastering. A couple of the workmen and the superintendent went with me to
the supply warehouse and retrieved several buckets of joint compound, rolls
of the paper tape and several taping tools (putty/joint compound knives).
While we were at the warehouse, other workmen were removing all of the
masking tape - not an easy job, because they had painted the wall.
Back at the job site with the joint compound, paper tape, metal corner beads
and tools, I demonstrated applying joint compound to the nail heads (after a
workman drove them in a little more) and joints. I had done it in a house I
had built, rooms I had finished, repairs I had made, etc., so I was
comfortable with it. I told the guys, "Lose your inhibitions, feel free
with it, don't be stingy with the joint compound, use enough to smooth it
out over the area needing it, and don't try to keep it in a little,
restricted space - spread it out and "feather" the edges. Don't be afraid
of it - you can't mess it up." 'Also showed them how to lay a layer of
joint compound in a joint and come back over it with the paper tape and
another layer of joint compound. 'Told them, "Try to smooth it out in 2 or
3 swipes as you go, try to get it as smooth as you can, but it doesn't have
to be perfect on the first application. Just try not to leave big clumps
and ridges. The smoother you make it on first application, though, means
less work on subsequent application(s), of course. Do all of the joints and
nail heads today and come back tomorrow and do another application. After 2
or 3 applications, it should be smooth enough to paint; goal is to leave the
surface and edges smooth enough without any sanding, but, if you have to do
some sanding before painting, that's OK - it can be done easily enough -
just gets sort of dusty." They were very quick learners; I was lucky that
they were all very conversant in English, and by that time, I could speak a
little Danish. As I helped them with the sheetrock finishing process, they
enjoyed helping me with my Danish speaking, most of which I have already
forgotten in 35 years of not needing it. We got along very well, and I was
able to leave it with them after an hour or so of demonstrations and
one-on-one instructions.
We also worked out details for treatment around the windows, application of
metal corner beads, etc. 'Went back to check on them the next morning, and
found that they had done a beautiful job on the first room; 2 men were in
there doing some touch-up/refining, second layer, etc. I gave them a couple
of additional pointers and went to the next 2 or 3 rooms, where the men were
making excellent progress. I told all of the men how well they were doing
and wondered if they might like to come to the States and help me build
houses. We all had a good laugh, but they were, indeed, doing an excellent
job.
We finished the project in a timely manner with no additional problems. I
checked with the rooms' occupants during the following winter and found them
very well-satisfied with the improvement in comfort level near the outer
walls. I don't know if any of the several identical and/or similar
buildings on base ever had this improvement. The entire base was returned
to the Greenlanders/Danes in 1992 and is now know as Kangerlusuaq. (Google
Sondrestrom or Kangerlusuaq, Greenland; some photos of the two-story
concrete, dormitory-type buildings are shown on some of the sites.)
Wilton
----- Original Message -----
From: "WILTON" <wilt...@nc.rr.com>
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 5:26 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Book, WAS: BLIZZARD!!!! AHHH!!
Lemme see if I can find one that may be somewhat appropriate.
Anybody working on any sheetrock/drywall finishing projects?
'Even have one (not quite ready) on working through project to rebuild 10
LARGE White/Westinghouse Diesel engines in base power plant - no tech
data - just the hassle of parts, tools, etc., availability and acquisition
plus keeping American and Danish master mechanics' egos soothed in a
remote area such as Greenland - probably just child's play for Dan P. and
Jim C. ;<)
Wilton
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fmiser" <fmi...@gmail.com>
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 1:36 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Book, WAS: BLIZZARD!!!! AHHH!!
WILTON wrote:
No book of this stuff, yet; 'just keep thinking of
more stuff to write.
Keep it coming! I'm trying to keep up compiling it. *grin*
-- Philip
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_______________________________________
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To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
_______________________________________
http://www.okiebenz.com
For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
