Concrete Fastening

Fully Automatic

Fully automatic gas nailers for concrete are the fastest ways to fasten to concrete. Fully automatic tools are available from Hilti, Powers and Ramset. These tools were originally designed for fastening drywall track to concrete, hence the names "Trakfast" and "Trak It" but they have evolved into useful tools for many different trades How are these nail guns different from standard powder actuated tools for fastening to concrete and what can they be used for?

Basic Principles of Gas Tools

Gas tools are basically an internal combustion engine with a cylinder, piston, spark plug, fuel source and an ignition source. Both Ramset and Powers utilize a battery while Hilti's tools function without one. As you depress the tool against the work surface, a measure of fuel is injected into the cylinder and as you pull the trigger, a spark ignites the fuel, driving the piston and in turn the fastener.

Most of the tools have a magazine holding 40 pins allowing you to fasten almost as fast as you can pull the trigger. Some tools such as the Ramset T3 SS are single shot tools that are used with a variety of single pins and assemblies such as EMT straps and ceiling clips .

Uses For Gas Tools

As mentioned earlier, drywall track is the most common use for these tools. Consider the other uses for these tools. For waterproofing membrane on to foundations. For electrical work, fastening EMT straps, ceiling clips and hangers. With the variety of pins now available, general contractors can shoot on furring strips, Powers now has the C-4 tool that will shoot down a 2 x 4, Ramset has a pin that will shoot plywood down to heavy studs. Stucco and lathing contractors can use the tool to install metal lathe by using a metal disc that mounts to the probe on the tool.

Distinct Advantages

Beyond the speed of these tools, you will find some definite advantages over powder tools for fastening to concrete. Unlike powder tools, these tools require no certification. Make no mistake, you can still put a pin through your hand, but no operators card is required. You can't overdrive these tools, they have an internal bumper to prevent it. You don't have to select different power levels like the powder tools. For the most part, they are trouble free. In theory you can put through 20,000 pins without service. This amount drops with hard applications, such as outdoor use of from lack of regular use.

Finally......

Due to their cost, these tools might not be for everyone, but I have always felt that any tool that will save you money is a free tool after a job or two, and who doesn't like free tools?

Find out more about gas tools at http://www.protoolguide.com/automatic_gas_tools.html including where to buy and tool specific information. You can purchase Ramset tools and supplies at http://constructionfastening.com/ramsettrakfasttf1100.html including fuel cells and batteries.

A Common Kind Of Wall Coating

Wainscoting -

For over hundred years wainscoting has been a famous type of wall coating. Basically, in your house on the lower half of the drywalls this wainscoting or paneling is used. Wainscoting can be made of heavy fabric, marble, wood, ceramic tile or the newer materials such as plastic or the wood combinations. Even today, wood is the most famous of these. In groove boards, the tongue is the most famous among the wood constructions but in terms of serving this purpose any kind of decorative panel or even in some cases the old doors can also do.

Wainscots are the extension of the baseboard at its lowest level, which runs through the length of the room and you can get wainscoting at any height. Many of the baseboards can run up to the wall height of eight inches. Normally along with a decorative upper edge they are one board. The rooms that require something more although the home builders think that it is easier and better to complete the top along with a different piece that is where the wainscoting comes in action. The houses that are built before eighteen forty this style was seen there commonly.

Although it has been seen normally that wainscoting in its traditional form is slightly on the higher side. Generally it goes in height anywhere from 48 to 54 inches. It is used for protection as well as for decoration purposes. In the mid-nineteenth century the taller style of wainscoting started its popularity.

Even the higher levels of wainscots are there. In the nineteen hundreds these started to appear as fashion in the dining rooms. As high as sixty inches to seventy inches they can run. Cloth at the time for these was the most famous building material. Normally, it was a heavy linen material, grass cloth, or burlap and many of them are in rich colors as well.

Future for the wainscoting looks still good as the history of the wainscot has some of the interesting points. People love using reasonably priced wainscot. For only one hundred and fifty dollars a full room of superior wood wainscot can be supplied. People also love the look of the drywall and wainscoting Recently many costly houses utilize it in the original construction as it offers elegance. People identify along with it as one of the older building material as so many houses have wainscoting. Thus it can give a rich historical look to a newly constructed house. It has also been seen that people love the wainscoting's durability. Normally it cleans up along with a damp cloth and within few minutes it can look good just like the day of installation. It can also protect the walls from having damp in your older homes.

In the famous spotlight wainscoting had spent more than one hundred years and it seems that in the next hundred years also its fame will be continued.

The writer Leroy Calstard is really passionate about subjects related to taping techniques. You can find his work on drywall and taping techniques at http://www.insidewoodworking.com