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Thread: House construction question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Pekin, IL
    Posts
    37

    House construction question

    Hi All.

    I am TRYING to install new base trim and crown molding in our house. We have taken on a major remodel on this house, and now I am running into more problems. At one time one whole floor was gutted, all wall coverings removed, and all flooring removed back to original sub-floor. At this time we had the original boiler removed along with all of the base board radiators. So the living room, dining room and KITCHEN are stripped clean!

    The house is an all brick home, and a tri-level. It was built in 1950, give or take a year. I believe that the house was built out of block, and then bricked on the exterior. It has never had any type of trim, or wood work installed. All of the window and door openings are all plastered with a rolled edge. Seemed odd at the time of purchase, but thought maybe the guy that built it did not like staining trim work???

    Now for the dilemma, I think the drywall was glued? to the block walls. Is this possible? And how in the world do I nail the trim to the walls? I just attempted to install the base board, and to shoot a 2" finish nail in to hold it. But the nail only went into the wall about 1/2" and stopped, jamming the gun.

    Anyone have any solutions for me? Is this a common construction of older brick homes?

    Thanks!

    Jim

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    The Kudzu Patch
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    770
    Construction adhesive?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Pekin, IL
    Posts
    37
    The base I am installing is the 5 1/2" tall, painted trim. Do you think that will hold it up in high traffic areas without any problems?

    Jim

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    Jim.........I just finished installing a new MR scanner in a new wing of a local hospital. I watched a guy install all of the molding using construction adhesive. Good luck!
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Pekin, IL
    Posts
    37
    OK, I am going to have to glue his stuff up. What kind of construction adhesive do I use?

    Jim

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Ks. City, Ks.
    Posts
    113
    Jim, I'd agree with the rest of them, glue it up. The "Loctite" brand adhesive which seems to get a lot of TV advertising has worked for us as advertised. Great stuff. We've had exterior trim glued directly to brick (we just had to try it) been there since last fall and it's still there and still solid. I'm convinced.
    Feel the wind and set yourself a bolder course

  7. #7
    PL Premium made by Bulldog? It holds anything but you will never be able to remove the trim afterwards. I think that after doing a test piece you may [but probably not] find that some areas need constant pressure applied. You could use tape or hot glue [just dabs to make the connection with the adhesive doing the bonding work.] Good luck Peter

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Harrisburg, NC
    Posts
    2,255
    Use the PL construction adhesive and spring sticks to apply pressure until set. If the room is too wide set the spring sticks against a large object.

    Richard

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Near saw dust
    Posts
    980
    I would be suprised if your house had drywall glued to the block because this wouldn't leave any room for insulation. You would know if your house was built this way because it would be an icebox in those Il winters. Maybe you have plaster on wire lath with new drywall over it? That would explain the nail stopping. Why dont you cut a hole below the top of the base (5" tall if base board is 5 1/2" tall) and see what's there. I bet there is an air space between the finished wall and the brick or block exterior.

    When I install crown moldings I make a triangular ripping of 2x material (sized so it leaves about 1/8" gap between the block and the back of the molding) and nail or screw it into the corner where the walls meet the ceilings with constuction adhesive (PL 400 is fine but PL premium is bombproof) and then install the crown with air driven nails and trim head screws. The base could be held with tapcon screws or masonry nails shot from a .22 cal. nail gun. I wouldn't try to install with glue only-it would take forever and you would go nuts trying to close every little gap without any way to really hold things in place.

  10. #10
    Jim,

    I know that this is rarely the case, but if money is no object, there is a new type of glue gun from 3m called the EZ Pur system. It uses standard caulking tube sized hot melt polyurethane at $20 per tube. It can be used sparingly and one tube can go a long way. The gun plugs into 120v and a compressor and is trigger activated.

    Seems like your application would be perfect for this system. There are various tack times - 5, 15, 30, 60 seconds. I've been able to use the EZ Pur on cabinet installations where a quick solution was neccessary along with no nail holes.

    The standard construction adhesive will work fine for straight walls, but if you have a lot of waviness and whoop de doos, then maybe something like this would be helpfull. The gun costs around $350 - yeah it's pricey, but maybe cheaper than a finish nailer that will shoot into plaster or brick. Good luck!

  11. #11

    pl premium really does work

    I used to use pl premium to glue back splash in kitchens. Laminate over particle board. Installed with the spring boards left over night. Jim

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Ewa Beach, Hawaii
    Posts
    76
    Liquid Nails is unreal stuff. Make sure you want it there before you put it there because it's going to stay there. They make Liquid Nails to hold up entire walls. Strong stuff it is. It comes in tube like chalking and you can use either a chalking gun or the smaller tube come squeezable. The chalking gun size is probably the way you want to go. Doesn't get any easier than that.

  13. #13
    How deep are your window, door casing?
    That would give you a clue to if theres cement block there.
    Usually there's 1x1.5 strips nailed, glued on the blocks behind the drywall.
    How many times did you try nailing it? Maybe you just hit a nail, drywall screw?


  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Pekin, IL
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    37
    Quote Originally Posted by Ben Grunow
    I would be suprised if your house had drywall glued to the block because this wouldn't leave any room for insulation. You would know if your house was built this way because it would be an icebox in those Il winters. Maybe you have plaster on wire lath with new drywall over it?
    I was surprised also! But I did cut a square out, and it is 3/8" drywall, and about the same thickness of plaster attached to a cinder block. I went out and bought the PL. I am going to install it tomarrow(Wed.).

    Thanks for the reply!

    Jim

  15. #15
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    Jan 2006
    Location
    Pekin, IL
    Posts
    37
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Clardy
    How deep are your window, door casing?
    That would give you a clue to if theres cement block there.
    Usually there's 1x1.5 strips nailed, glued on the blocks behind the drywall.
    How many times did you try nailing it? Maybe you just hit a nail, drywall screw?
    I thought I might of been a good shot, and hit a couple drywall screws or nails, but trying 6 different places???

    The best measurement I could get was 8 3/4" wide. Maybe a tad wider. I do not think they used any 1x strips here.

    Jim

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