TIPS FOR BUILDING IN DIFFICULT WEATHER
Building outside means interacting with weather and the seasons. In Muskoka, the summer building season is quite short so even the best planned projects tend to have to contend with wet and cold weather during construction. Where we are, winter’s arrival has been vicious. We have received an uncanny amount of snow that has made the final steps of closing in the building extra tricky. We thought now might be a good time to share some of our tips for building in difficult weather.
01. Prepare For It.
When you see large format tarps on sale, get some. When you’re done using them, shake them out, dry them if you can and fold them up for use later. We have accumulated a nice assortment of sizes for small, medium, large projects. Woven poly covers that are put over lumber at the lumber yard are excellent for keeping wood dry because they are breathable. Ask the folks at your lumber yard if you can take a few when you are picking up your wood so that you can keep things dry when you get them to the work site.
Invest in good rain and winter workwear. The weather is a lot less devastating if you can stay dry and warm. A quality rain coat is a must and it can be used all year round with the right base layers. Dave has been living in these boots, these bib snow pants, and a raincoat for the past several weeks. Paired with wool or fleece base layers and a lightweight down jacket this is a rain or snow outfit that will make life so much easier.
Pick up some good quality lighting for longer days when the sun sets early. Choose some portable lighting options that are compatible with the battery platform you are using for your cordless tools. Nothing beats a plug-in stand light for serious work but cordless options are spectacular for hard to reach places and for jobs where you are moving around. A headlamp is an awesome way to add cost effective lighting to any job. We use this lantern, this headlight and this stand light.
02. Know The Limits of Your Materials.
Modern building assemblies rely on tapes, adhesive membranes and sealants that are difficult or impossible to apply in cold or wet weather. Paint, concrete, parging, and some sealants are intolerant to freezing temperatures during curing; these need to be protected or installed before cold weather sets in.
Take time to read technical data sheets for the materials that you are using to identify environmental limitations so that you can plan to install sensitive materials at the right time.
Sometimes pushing to get critical materials installed before bad weather is the only way to ensure quality installations. Have enough material on hand to finish the job if you get a perfect weather window.
03. Watch the Weather, Plan for the Worst.
Weather forecasting services are good but far from perfect. Using a radar weather tracker is a great way to make better decisions about the day ahead. Be ready for the worst case scenario and don’t overextend yourself in case of an unexpected change in the weather.
Keep a reserve of tasks that are not weather dependent like workshop organization, sub-framing or blocking, demolition, pulling nails or completing joist hanger installations, tool servicing, or going to the lumber yard. Maintaining productivity through bad weather helps to offset the upset these days can cause.
04. Take Care of Your Equipment.
Wet weather is tough on tools but the work has to go on and this often means using tools in rain and snow. Clean grit and dirt as often as possible and let them dry out before using them again. Charging and storing batteries in a warm environment ensures that they will be ready to use when you need them.
Thanks for reading!
We hope these insights come in handy if ever you find yourself working in less than optimal weather conditions.