Okay, here we are at the ProTradeCraft Live Construction Training Zone. We will demonstrate seven construction training topics this year for both exterior envelope and interior kitchen and bath staples..
Seal a shower wall with Styrofoam and GreatStuff
The set is about 40 feet wide. We’re going to kick things off with Dupont’s family of building envelope products, illustrating how to air-seal a wall before the shower is installed. So, we're going to stick blocks of styrofoam in each stud cavity and squirt GreatStuff around the perimeters because that is one of the skills challenge events.
Install Exterior Continuous Insulation
After that, we’ll move to the outside of the house and install continuous exterior insulation, which is now allowed in all climate zones and required in some. First, we’ll move these walls out of the way because they are on casters. Styrofoam goes up, and we flash the door opening and seal the door bucks to the styrofoam. Finally, we will install some Drainvent, a rainscreen mesh.
Unveiling a new Pella window that is light years easier to install—really
Now we can wheel those other walls back out here. We are going to spin them around and have an installation race between someone using the old style of Pella Window and someone using the new style of Pella Window. Installing a new Pella window is one of the skills challenges.
Install a five-piece shower unit with nothing but a screw gun
When that race is over, we’ll trudge back to the beginning place and install a shower unit from Sterling. And pay attention because installing one of the unit parts is — you guessed it— part of the skills challenge.
Solid surface countertop you can work with carpentry tools
As long as we are in the bathroom, we will install a vanity and Thinscape countertop, demonstrating standard carpentry tools being used to cut, shape, and sand the material. We will also cut a few mystery holes in the wall, which will be part of the jobsite skills challenge later; we’re going to chuck hammers at the holes to see if the Thinscape will break.
Bend critical roof and wall flashing details on a Tapco brake
Back at the other end, we’re going to get that roof/wall area ready for siding and roofing with some critical roof and wall flashing profiles and installation details. We’ll bend and install Drip edge flashing, rake flashing, kickout flashing, and head flashing for the top of the roof. Aron will bend another kickout flashing because it is a skills challenge event—and because it is a simple thing that makes a big difference.
LONG lasting composite siding makes a resilient wall
And after all that work to make the walls resilient, now we get to cover them with Everlast Advanced Composite Siding by Chelsea Building Products, two types at least. We can demonstrate how easy it is to cut; we can show the transition pieces for corners and transitions. If there is time, we can trim out one of the Pella windows, which is also a skills challenge event.
And after all this is installed correctly, we will get ready for the skills challenge.
