Video of energy efficient home in Wyoming.

Tom explains how to build metal handrail for a handicap ramp.

Tom welds steel posts and beams for a tornado room for a new construction home.

A few tips from Tom on using the TTI Screedright Pro concrete screed.

Most auto body shops have small covered anchor pots with a removable chain feature installed into the floor. It is easy to incorporate anchor pots into a concrete floor while constructing a new shop. Tom included several anchor pots into the new addition of his machine and welding shop.

The Millers continue to plug away at building a new energy efficient home themselves…

An easy and attractive way to attach metal stair rail to a concrete or stone wall.

When traveling in the northern New Mexico area, one stop along the way that you won’t want to miss is the Visitors Center for Earthship homes. These structures are very interesting.
Earthships are buildings that are designed to be built with recycled materials. These structures take green living to it’s extreme. Each structure is basically old tires packed with earth and stacked on top of one another to form walls.

These series of articles will include pictures and email from Chip and Peg. They are embarking on building a new home for their family in northern Wyoming. They will do much of the work themselves with an eye on incorporating sustainable construction. They are building a home, shop and green house.

Tom received this letter from Daron and MaryAnn of Idaho. Sound familiar to anyone? Tom, Daron and I have a new segment for “Tips by Tom”. We found water in our basement a few days ago. We found out it was coming in around were the sewer line exits the house. Luckily there is a [...]

Brother-in-law, Dave, was in town over the weekend and filmed Tom welding up a few metal posts for Summit Structures out of Laramie WY. Summit will use these posts to help support structural beams for a house they are building. The metal posts are designed to rest on the top of a concrete footer. The bottom plate fastens [...]

This video shows how Tom built his dream shop/house.  The shell of the building was ordered through Fast Trac Buildings, Inc. in Colorado.  Much of the interior of the shop and home was purchased as was needed through local building supply houses and stores like Builders Square, Lowes, and Home Depot. The two and a [...]

Tom had the chance to stop and visit with Steve Yuhl of Triton Marine Construction out of Aiea Hawaii on a recent trip to Oahu. Steve and his company, Triton Marine Construction, have modified the TTI Screedright Pro to help them repair bridge decks on interstates. When concrete breaks out of the decks on interstates [...]

A great new website to check out for all you decorative concrete guru’s is www.concreteideas.com The creators of the site have found a way to cut through the clutter… so to speak. High speed internet concrete fans are treated to a smooth rotation of project photo’s right off the get go. The home page is [...]

  The advent of concrete trucks has revolutionized the use of concrete.  Concrete is an old building material used since ancient times. 

Tom and crew pour a slab of concrete for his new building addition using the TTI Screedright Pro.  The TTI Screedright Pro utilizes a wooden 2X4 as a screed bar.  A wooden 2X4 allows for better screeding with no expensive screed bars to purchase.  A wooden board can be cut to any length for a [...]

  A plate compactor compacts sub base for concrete and gets your ground to grade.  Tom added granite fines to the existing base for a level surface prior to pouring his concrete floor.  Leveling your floor surface allows for a more accurate estimate when purchasing concrete.  After grading the sub base, it helps to water [...]

    Water is important to concrete.  This article will explain why it is necessary to spray down your concrete after it has been laid. Concrete hardens through the hydration process.  It takes a lot longer than one thinks for concrete to full harden and dry.  A chemical reaction is at the root of a [...]

    Tony from Midwest Recreational Clearinghouse in Minnesota emailed these photos of a truss screed he acquired.   Tony runs the website crankyape.com that specializes in auctioning off repossessed items.  He knew they were some sort of concrete screed, but was unsure as to how it worked. This truss screed unit is obviously in used [...]

  It’s easy to mix your own concrete when you have a small job to pour.  You will need to have a small concrete mixer.  I you don’t own one, check your local small equipment rental outlet.