If you can roll the doors at all, pull it out to beyond the halfway point of the doorway. Then check for obstructions such as plaster that has fallen off the back of the walls and perhaps loose electrical wires. You will need a flashlight and vacuum cleaner.

Next look for points of contact at the top of the jamb. Multiple layers of paint and door warpage may cause contact. A little paste wax applied to the jamb will alleviate the friction.

The rollers under the door are called sheaves and are still manufactured today. (Hettich makes them) If you have a broken axle you will need to replace it. Removal of the pocket door is as easy as lifting it up 1/2" and tilting it out. Good to have a second person.

Posted by: southslope at September 26, 2007 11:13 AM in response to Fixing pocket doors

Best?

Probably genuine Honduras Mahogany because it is very stable, very resistant to decay and has a decent hardness. Most mahoganies sold today are not genuine Honduras mahogany as "genuine" is very expensive. Spanish cedar looks like mahogany and resists decay and is very stable, however it is soft. Most common of mahoganies are Santos, Philippino, and African. Stay away from species that are prone to fungus or decay when exposed to the elements, such as poplar.

White oak is very hard and looks very different than mahogany but is very durable and water resistant, however is harder to stain.

Eastern white pine is very soft and very stable.

I suppose it depends on use and method of construction. A solid soft wood will work well on a single family dwelling and a hard wood staved core would be the best choice for a multi-family residence.

Posted by: southslope at October 2, 2007 10:49 PM in response to Entry Door

Many original doors have a 7/8" tongue for the glass with a 3/4" glass stop nailed to it which holds the glass against the exterior molding of the door. If this is the case with your door- you can modify the glass stop and install an insulated glass unit. Insulated glass units can be made as thin as 1/2". However, as the space between the two pieces of glass increases the unit becomes more efficient. All glass should be installed with a generous bead of clear silicone and it shouldn't be loose.

Insulated glass reduces the conductive heat loss in an entry door, but more heat loss occurs due to convection. Check around the door such as the casings for airflow. Air enters into the house through any opening in the enframement and then through any gap in the casings. Low expansion foam will stop this type of heat loss.

Posted by: southslope at October 16, 2007 11:28 AM in response to Insulating weatherproofing brownstone doors

Most species of wood will expand and contract at a rate of (plus or minus) two to one at a tangential to radial length(soft woods more than hard woods). When the wood is heated the moisture content of that wood changes. What this translates to is that a 4" strip of quarter sawn white oak will grow .022" with a 15% change in humidity while a flat sawn piece of the exact same wood will grow .043". This may not seem like much but on a 12' wide room this expansion is enough to make the flat sawn floor buckle. Engineered flooring is man-made material like MDF and is very stable. But any species of wood can be quarter sawn and usually looks better that way.

Here is a wood movement calculator if you care to compare different species of wood:

http://justwoodworking.com/software/wood_move.php

Posted by: southslope at October 18, 2007 12:10 AM in response to radient (sp?) heat

Laminated or "safety" glass consists of two pieces of 1/8" glass laminated to a clear sheet of plastic, just like a cars windshield. You can not tell the difference between regular plate glass and laminated glass until you break it (save for the marking on the corner of the sheet of glass).

If you plan on replacing the existing glass (1/8") in a double hung window you will need to adjust the sash weights to compensate for the extra weight of the glass.

Posted by: southslope at October 30, 2007 10:49 AM in response to Laminate Security Windows?

Try Eli at Sign Select (246.1144).His shop is located b/t 2nd and 3rd on 9th Street. He can paint gold leaf but it more practical for you to have the letters cut on gold foil with a black vinyl outline. You can adhere them to the glass easily- I do it all the time.

Posted by: southslope at November 1, 2007 5:25 PM in response to house numbers

If you are just replacing the door it is advisable to get the landmarks permit- it won't cost you anything now, perhaps an hour of your time to snap a few photos and fill out a simple form. However, if you incur a violation on your building- you will have to correct it before DOB will issue you a permit for work, which you may need down the road.

Landmarks tells you six weeks but it depends which day you submit paperwork. I have had it go through in less than two.

Posted by: southslope at November 2, 2007 10:09 AM in response to Do I really need a permit for a new door?

Most Home Depot stores and Lowes sell Baldwin brass kick plates. Brass is easy to cut as it is non-ferrous.

Posted by: southslope at November 30, 2007 11:32 AM in response to brass kick plates?

Another vote here for oil on woodwork. Fine Paints of Europe, who makes great oil paints, is now producing an water born oil paint called ECO. It has the same VOC content as latex paints.

Painting is all about prep-work and sanding between coats. The best paint in the world won't remedy poor application.

BTW- solvent waste should be consolidated into a solid with sawdust, cement, ect.

Posted by: southslope at March 21, 2008 11:05 AM in response to Anyone still use oil-based paint?

Old oil paints were glossy due to their high heavy metal (lead) content. Almost all paints begin as a high gloss. Silica is added to reduce the sheen, which softens the finish. High gloss is a superior finish, the sheen will die down over the first several weeks or can be dulled with "0000" steel wool. Most paint and varnish makers recommend applying the high gloss first followed by a lower sheen for the maximum durability.

10:12- By mixing your solvent waste with old plaster, Portland cement, or grout you are converting it to a solid so they don't find their way in to the water.

Posted by: southslope at March 21, 2008 3:32 PM in response to Anyone still use oil-based paint?

my living room has these walls and until i read this post i had given up hope of ever hanging anything heavier than a light frame. hand me a coat hanger... i'm gonna go find my stud!
and johnife is right, the studfinders are useless. thanks for the tip!

Posted by: dlabrook at May 5, 2008 8:52 PM in response to Damn these plaster and lath walls!

Isn't this what picture moulding is for? Aren't you supposed to hang things down on wire from hooks into those?

Posted by: guest at May 5, 2008 11:10 PM in response to Damn these plaster and lath walls!

I've found that for moderately heavy objects, a screw that goes through the plaster into the wood lath is pretty strong--of course you might drill into a space between lath, so a second hole might be needed.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at May 6, 2008 8:38 AM in response to Damn these plaster and lath walls!

Johnife -
looking to hang mainly shelves (the kind with concealed brackets) so finding a stud would definately be best. You are right abour the plaster - I feel like some of crumbles off if you look at it too hard.
Thanks for the great advice!

Posted by: spaderdam at May 6, 2008 8:46 AM in response to Damn these plaster and lath walls!

Alexej (pronounced Aleg-zay) Siren is really wonderful, good guy, and a great craftsman. Pretty new to the area, but not to the trade. Just finished custom closets for me. here's his email...

alexejsiren@comcast.net

p.s.
I'm not a guest to forum, I just cant find my password!

Posted by: guest at May 6, 2008 10:43 AM in response to Cabinet maker reccomendation?

I see this guy working all the time in his space on Atlantic Ave. between Hoyt and Smith. He has some pics up of his work in his window. I think he's quite good.

Salvatore Abbate
Lorenzo Woodworks
337 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718.596.7351

Posted by: guest at May 6, 2008 3:26 PM in response to Cabinet maker reccomendation?

I've recommended him before, but Markus Bartenschlager is great. He designed a beautiful media center for me and my fiance. His email is mbartenschlager@hotmail.com, phone 917-620-7944. He's based in Brooklyn.

Posted by: guest at May 6, 2008 11:33 PM in response to Cabinet maker reccomendation?

Try Aiden Kelly of Emerald Furniture (they may have just changed company name) 43 Hall St, Brooklyn - (718) 237-1619

Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 5:51 AM in response to Cabinet maker reccomendation?

Try Joe Camilleri of Karamel Cabinetry. He is located in Greenpoint. He is making a bamboo bathroom vanity for us and so far he has been great to work with; but no finished product yet. karamelcabinetry.com

Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 11:29 PM in response to Cabinet maker reccomendation?

I used Artistic Wood Crafts for bathroom cabinetry and am very pleased. I have now contracted with them for kitchen cabinetry and renovation. They are in brooklyn navy yard -- call Omar at 646-541-3409. Very honest guys...

Posted by: AnnieJ at May 10, 2008 5:11 PM in response to Cabinet maker reccomendation?