Well folks, it’s been awhile since I have felt whole enough to pen anything meaningful for these pages. The economic issues surrounding the collapse of the construction industry that is such a big part of my life and yours made anything that I may have had to say seem meaningless. After much soul searching and a little prodding from John Wyatt, I have decided to end my self-imposed exile from these pages. 

The preceding is the beginning of a song performed by Styx that was a hit in the ’80s. It describes the trials and tribulations that many people faced during that time by misusing a certain illegal white substance.

As some of you know, I grew up in a little town in northwestern Nebraska. Chadron was your stereotypical Andy-of-Mayberry town with only one stoplight and still only has one to this day. Frankly, it was a great place for a kid to grow up.

Over the past three decades I have met all sorts of Drywall Dogs.

On Sept. 17, JLG introduced new features for its ES electric scissor lifts, E18 vertical lifts and E18 stock picker, including standard AC drive motors, lithium-ion battery options and a range-extending genset charging option.

Diversified Fall Protection has appointed Gabe Galvan as EBM design director. Galvan will play a key role in leveraging the company’s newly acquired California Scaffold Inspection and Testing license. This license permits DFP to offer inspection, testing and design services related to exterior building maintenance and other equipment within California.

The National Center for Construction Education and Research has been recognized as a DEWALT Grow the Trades Grant recipient for its efforts to provide career and technical education programs and industry-recognized credentials to students through the High School Builder Program.

MARSHALLTOWN held a ground-breaking ceremony on Oct. 23 at its new distribution center site in Kansas City, Kansas. The state-of-the-art facility will be a key hub in the company’s nationwide logistics network, with operations scheduled to begin in the fall of 2025.

How to decrease taxes and increase savings to grow and protect the value of your business.

Are you paid $200 an hour … or $25 an hour?

The entire process of exit planning can be bogged down with the technical jargon of accounting, law, tax codes, estate planning, insurance and financial planning.

The Rainscreen Association in North America announced that Laverne Dalgleish, COO of RAiNA and executive director of the ABAA, will be presenting on water-resistive barriers, the last line of defense, at the RAiNA Conference in Chicago on Nov. 7.

The Rainscreen Association in North America announced the launch of the RAiNA Awards, an annual program celebrating outstanding achievements in rainscreen design, innovation and construction. The awards aim to recognize projects that exemplify the highest standards of excellence, technical performance, sustainability and aesthetic design in rainscreen systems across North America.

There's value in using specialized gypsum panels for a home. But the benefits don’t stop there.

After a year at the Gypsum Association, Technical Services Specialist Greg Woolley is more than ready to answer your questions related to gypsum panel products.

I want to first thank all the great guests we have had on Walls & Ceilings’ videos with our Publisher Jill Bloom. 

Passive fire protection is an essential aspect of gypsum construction. Gypsum firewalls of various types (shaft walls, simple partitions, etc.) prevent fire from spreading without relying on mechanical means of control, such as sprinkling.

Every three years, in alignment with the building code cycle, the Gypsum Association issues new editions of the Association’s three code-referenced publications: GA-600 Fire Resistance and Sound Control Design Manual, GA-216 Application and Finishing of Gypsum Panel Products, and GA-253 Application of Gypsum Sheathing.

Throughout my first year on the job at GA, I realized the importance of industry standards as a mean of ensuring people receive quality solutions as well as quality products.

Modular building concepts—also known as off-site construction—have been utilized for decades. However, the use of pre-fabrication and modular building techniques is increasingly common now. 

What impact does insulation have on acoustic performance of a wall assembly?

I often see gypsum board installed using a combination of nails and screws, and I’ve always assumed this practice is acceptable. However, one of my superiors recently questioned the practice. Is combining nails and screws acceptable?

What is the difference between fire resistance ratings and flame-spread ratings? Can they be used interchangeably?

Glass mat gypsum sheathing is common for commercial uses but rarer in residential construction

This summer, I am undertaking a total bathroom remodel. I’m planning to tile the walls around the vanity and toilet, as well as those surrounding the shower. Mold has been a persistent problem in this room.

The Texas Lathing & Plastering Contractors Association’s Annual Convention and Trade Show will be held on June 11-13. Its 72nd Annual Convention will be at the Hotel Galvez in Galveston, Texas.

Cement production and processes emit over 5 percent of all carbon dioxide emitted by human activity. Reducing that environmental impact is a high priority among cement producers. Cement producers are now publishing their Environmental, Social and Governance credentials concerning energy use in their operations, greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.

Registration is open for the fourth 24 Hours of Concrete Knowledge, a free, virtual conference organized by the American Concrete Institute that will begin at 2 p.m. EDT on July 9.

The American Concrete Institute is excited to host the ACI Concrete Convention on Nov. 3-6 in Philadelphia. Known as the world’s gathering place for advancing concrete, the convention will take place at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.

O’Shaughnessy Ventures LLC, a family office that invests in ambitious seed and pre-seed startups, announced Feb. 2 that it has invested in Furno Materials Inc.

How to make your plaster have a shiny look.

A new tool that leverages the capabilities of NAIMA’s 3E Plus pipe insulation thickness calculator for commercial and industrial facilities is now available. Within just a few minutes, the 3E Estimator can give users a ballpark estimate of the energy and emissions savings from adding insulation to the piping in an industrial facility.

Barricade Building Products announced that its products will now be available at all Building Products Inc. locations throughout the Midwest. The expansion allows customers in the region to easily access Barricade’s comprehensive range of high-quality building materials, ensuring their projects are safeguarded from the ground up.

Imagine training employees with a virtual reality, audio-visual headset that puts them on the job, inside a realistic house, with saws buzzing, hammers tapping and birds chirping. That is the concept behind an industry-leading virtual reality training program sponsored by Owens Corning.

Barricade Building Products announced its partnership with BIMsmith, which will enable architects, engineers and designers to access Barricade’s extensive product information and seamlessly integrate it into their projects.

I’ve been using natural cements and natural hydraulic limes in the traditional plastering craft for many years. However, I never had the opportunity to visit a quarry where the unique limestones used to produce them are mined.

The Wall You Install Will Need To Be Able To Stand Up To Various Climate Challenges, So How Do You Choose Materials That Guarantee High Performance?

Chaney Enterprises, a ready-mix concrete, aggregates, custom blends, and related construction supplies provider, announced its customer, Eastern Bay Management Corporation completed the first multi-story, multi-use commercial insulated concrete form (ICF) building on the Eastern Shore in Maryland.

Summer is a great time for construction work, but a brutal time for construction workers. Excessive heat and sun exposure pose significant dangers, such as sunburn, dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Every year, construction workers become ill on the job and some even lose their lives due to heat exposure.

One of the most prominent offsite construction award programs, the Building Excellence Awards showcase the projects that best demonstrate the design flexibility, long-lasting energy performance and resiliency of SIPs.

The Structural Insulated Panel Association announced the winners of its annual Building Excellence Awards, an off-site construction awards program that recognizes outstanding residential and commercial projects.

A K-12 school in rural Alaska, a zero-energy-ready timber-frame home, low-income housing with a high-performance shell...the winners of this year’s Building Excellence Awards are a strong testament to the benefits of SIP construction.

For the past few years here at Walls & Ceilings magazine, we’ve been considering the fundamentals of traditional plasters.

Loading docks generally aren’t known for their stylishness, but a new such structure at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is breaking with that tradition. The addition of glass curtainwall and a protective overhang clad in copper-toned metal tiles create a real visual pop in the middle of the airport’s runway area.

Construction official says “desperate” proposal won’t address root causes of higher fuel prices but will blow a huge hole in the federal highway trust fund and undermine efforts to fix infrastructure.

CertainTeed, a leading North American manufacturer of building materials, today announced the launch of Terminus Transitions and Terminus Glazing Channels as new product extensions to the company’s Terminus Perimeter Trim line. The Terminus Perimeter Trim line is a premier suspension system accessory that allows for easy installation of suspended ceilings with exposed edges, including clouds, peninsulas and islands.

During a time where there is a need for affordable housing, Westlake Royal Building Products, one of North America’s largest manufacturers and distributors of exterior and interior building products, celebrated its 300th home built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity - MidOhio, an organization that aims to build homes, empower families and develop communities. On Thursday, Sept. 15, the keys to a three-bedroom, two-bath single family home were turned over to a partner family in Columbus. For this home, Westlake Royal donated 20 squares of siding, including Exterior Portfolio Vinyl Siding and Portsmouth Shake & Shingles Siding, as well as Royal Shutters, Mounts and Vents accessories - marking its 300th siding donation to Habitat MidOhio over the last 20 years.

Westlake Royal Building Products announced that it has acquired Palight Trimboard from its long-standing partner Palram Americas. Through the acquisition of Palight Trimboard product lines, Westlake Royal will expand its portfolio of brands offered under Westlake Royal Trim & Mouldings Solutions, which provides the finishing touch for the interior and exterior of a home.

Westlake Royal Building Products announced three partnerships that will distribute Versetta Stone (Lumbermen’s Inc., Mid-Am Building Supply and Wausau Supply Company). These partnerships will expand the Versetta Stone footprint in the Midwest as well as the East Coast.

One product that can help save time and money and reduce waste