Bob meets with Joe Adams and Ralph McGrath, in the media room of the Elm Court Cottage in the Berkshires. They are installing a sound attenuation, grid-ceiling system from Owens Corning�s QuietZone Acoustyle Wood Coffered Ceiling collection. A standard T-bar steel framing system used commonly in drop ceilings is used as the substructure for the engineered panels. The panels anchor to the grid and using carbonized steel expansion clips. The solid and perforated wood panels allow the sound to be absorbed through the ceiling and into the black acoustic board adhered to the ceiling above the suspended ceiling. QuietZone systems control sound waves in four ways: they absorb, block, break and isolate. By managing the energy of the sound wave, Owens Corning redefines ambient noise. The panels can be ordered in natural materials like Walnut or other fine woods.

The type and shape of the roof on your home can help determine how well it will perform during a severe windstorm. A hipped roof is one that slopes upward from all sides of the building. Because of its aerodynamic properties and construction techniques, most hipped roofs will perform better in windstorms than the second roof type: a gabled roof. A gabled roof has two slopes that come together to form a ridge or a peak at the top, each end looks like the letter A. Homes with gabled roofs are more likely to suffer greater damage, such as collapse of the end wall from high winds because they are often not braced properly during construction. If your home is built with a gabled end wall, use one of the following construction techniques. Continuous wall construction or Balloon framing. Use full-height studs, concrete or solid masonry walls from the floor below all the way up to the roof. Balloon-framed gable end walls perform better in windstorms because they do not have the hinge that usually exists where the triangular part of the gable sits on top of the wall below. Platform framing. Brace the intersection of the gable and the end wall. This intersection is a particularly weak point and those that are not properly braced can collapse, causing major damage to the roof, allowing wind and wind driven rain into the home. In homes with attics, an attic floor or ceiling diaphragm with the proper bracing techniques can be used to provide the lateral support of the gable end wall if the end wall is framed full height. Install bracing along the top and the bottom of the gable end. In addition, connect the gable end to the top of the end wall using metal hurricane connectors. In homes with high cathedral-like ceilings, where there is no ceiling to brace the gabled end, will have to be balloon framed or will require a special design by a registered or licensed engineer.

House four of the Elmwood project. Replacing ceiling with a metal ceiling and Medallion cabinets install.

Bob meets with Meredith Schelp from Mitsubishi Electric HVAC to learn about the City-Multi HVAC system that will heat and cool the Manhattan Brownstone floor-through apartment. This system allows for simultaneous heating and cooling of separate zones throughout the apartment, so that a busy kitchen can be cooled while a quiet den or bedroom receives heat. The system uses outdoor and indoor units with variable drives to accommodate delivery demands. There will be three units installed in the apartment, each above the ceiling in vestibules where the ceilings can be dropped to hide them. Joseph Yannaco of Polar Mechanical Corporation explains that the interior units control the temperature and delivery of the conditioned air. The thermostatic controls run on sensors, so there's no need to keep the panels mounted visibly on interior walls. Ducts carry the heated or cooled air throughout the apartment.

Enhance the beauty of your home while increasing its value by replacing those dated fixtures with stylish new designer lighting. Lighting is a cost effective way to change the overall look and feel of both your indoor and outdoor living space. From Chandeliers to Ceiling Fans, Pendants to Sconces,

…You can also revel in the details of registers, mailboxes, coat hooks, switch plates, and more. Unlike other sites which are…
…switch plate and receptacle covers, registers and vents, coat and robe hooks, soap dishes, bathroom shelves, shower caddies…

…traditional three-coat plaster job was used in…
…where the original ceiling cornice was uncovered…
…punched open for ceiling supports, patching…
…with wire mesh and plaster before a skim coat was applied to the entire ceiling. The crew crafted…

…coats of plaster. A skim-coat of plaster can be applied to regular drywall…
…also possible to colorize the plaster coat itself, either by adding a high…
…treatment, and a second (if needed) plaster coat is applied over the first after…

…or the newly painted ceiling will degrade as well…
…area with a 5-inch plaster knife. When the spackle…
…surface. Apply a second coat and repeat, if necessary…
…spackle with a 5-inch plaster knife. Step 5: Prime…
… Step 6: Paint the ceiling edges. Use a high…