For an exterior stair, is galvanizing worth the expense, or is paint sufficient?

Submitted by Ron in Philadelphia.

Rust is always a problem for an exterior stair in northern climates, and paint only protects the outside surface temporarily. Most stairs are constructed with steel pipe, which tends to rust from the inside out. Hot-dip galvanizing after fabrication puts a layer of zinc on both the interior and exterior surface to maximize corrosion resistance. A second-best effort is to use a zinc-rich primer.

Should we include the number of pages in each section in the table of contents for a spec?

In our opinion, no. The table of contents only needs to show the section number and name, and not the number of pages. Each spec section is numbered individually, and typically ends with 'End of Section.' Many specifications from consultants arrive just prior to printing, and adding the number of pages in each section is very cumbersome. In a recent survey of specs at a plan room, less than 5 percent of the specs had tables of contents with page numbers for each individual specification section.

Where should I look on the Internet for green info?

Submitted by RJ in Chicago.

Try these great sites: * US Green Building Council www.usgbc.org * Environmental Building News www.buildinggreen.com * Whole Building Design Guide www.wbdg.org * ARCAT Green www.arcat.com * Building Detailing www.pacerepresentatives.com * Building Science www.buildingscience.com * Air Barrier Association www.airbarrier.org * CSI GreenFormat www.greenformat.com

As a product manufacturer, what do specifiers really want from our guide specs?

Submitted by KN in Los Angeles.

Here are twelve quick tips for manufacturers providing guide specs:

1. Design firms and specifiers prefer specs in CSI format and in Microsoft Word.
2. Having to register on your website before downloading a spec will lose you projects.
3. Your spec needs to include what you really make, with editing by deletion.
4. Include specifiers notes in the spec to make it easier for the specifier to get it right.
5. Get the marketing language out of the body of the spec. That's for the website.
6. If your product line is vast, your spec should include what you want to sell most.
7. It doesn't matter whether your spec is in 5-digit or 6-digit format.
8. Teaching your sales reps to edit your spec for a project helps designers enormously.
9. Skip the "or equal" language in your guide spec; sole source is a terrific advantage.
10. If you don't have a spec, the specifier will use your competitor's spec.
11. If you mention LEED, remember products contribute to points, not earn them.
12. Review your existing guide specs every six months; they’ll get better each time.