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If digging a trench is in your future, figuring out the amount of fill you'll need is the easy part. Once you've finished the excavation, grab a good tape measure, pencil and paper, and a calculator and dust off your basic arithmetic skills to easily calculate the amount of fill for your trench.
Read MoreA correctly sized opening for a stairwell allows sufficient width for a person to walk up and down, and enough headroom to avert the sickening "thwack" that occurs when a person's head makes unexpected contact with the ceiling.
Read MoreA gable is the part of the side wall of a building above a line between the eaves. It can be looked upon as the part of the wall that seals the end of the roof structure. When a gable consists of a sloping roof rather than a flat one, the gable forms a triangle. A gable end is the gable and the wall beneath it.
Read MoreWhen a ceiling slopes, the floor may do so, too, so the ceiling and floor remain parallel to each other. Measuring the difference in ceiling height above the floor is not, therefore, a reliable way to determine the ceiling slope.
Read MoreCalculating the floor area of a building or room is a prerequisite for many home improvement and building jobs.
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Cement or concrete blocks are available in several sizes and many shapes, and have a wide range of physical properties. They may be hollow or solid, made from lightweight cement or be formed from very dense aggregate.
Read MorePercentage is one of several ways to describe a change in height, along with angle and the ratio of height change to distance. Two key measurements determine the pitch of a concrete surface: the surface length and the change in height over the length.
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The outside of a pipe is always larger than the inside. The difference between the inside diameter, or ID, and the outside diameter, or OD, is caused by the thickness of the walls.
Read MoreCalculating the surface area of rectangular and circular pools is straightforward and uses math we can all remember. Kidney-shaped, or reniform, pools, on the other hand, combine the curves of a circular pool with the elongated shape of a rectangular pool.
Read MoreFrench drains are a low-technology solution to divert excess water away from a building and allow it to soak into the ground. They typically consist of a trench up to 2 feet in width and depth, with a perforated pipe surrounded by gravel or small stones.
Read MoreCreating a patio or hard parking area is a popular way to extend your living space and add value to your property. Pavers, whether stone or concrete, must be supported by solid foundations, the final layer of which is paving sand.
Read MoreElectrically powered well pumps may be submersible or positioned clear of the water. Whatever the type of pump, it does the same thing, which is lifting water from the well to ground level. To do this work, the pump converts electricity into mechanical action, and the harder the job, the more electricity it uses.
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