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Featured Articles

With its uncanny knack for backstopping out-of-control vehicles, the historic New Boston Store has provided repair work for generations of local carpenters. Its located at a sharp bend in the road, tight against a bridge.

Roadside Attraction

This historic Massachusetts store is a magnet for out-of-control vehicles

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Dressing Up A Garage Door

Wooden “skins” add a classy touch to an insulated steel overhead door

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Upgrading the WRB With a Drainage Mat

Installing one of these membranes can help prevent rot behind stone and masonry veneers

 
 
 

Browse Exterior Subtopics

Decks & Porches

Fences & Retaining Walls

  • Long-Span PVC Deck Rail

    The Azek Rail spans a full 10 feet between posts

     
  • Three Ways to Vent a Soffit

    Cor-A-Vent corrugated polypropylene vents offer a low-profile soffit alternative to metal strip vents and perforated fiber-cement panels

     
  • Mounting an Ornamental Iron Railing

    Q: The low-slope roof on the addition I'm building has an ornamental iron railing at the edge. Since the roof won't be used as a deck, it's just there for appearance.

     

Paints & Finishes

  • Small EIFS Repairs

    A stucco contractor explains how to patch minor nicks and abrasions in EIFS while matching the original finish

     
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    Door Saver

    Cetol Door & Window Finish works better than polyurethanes and varnishes, says the maker

     
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    Premium Paint

    Sherwin-Williams' Emerald Acrylic Latex comes in interior and exterior versions

     
 

Exterior

  • "Weeding Out the Weak": Blizzard Poses Risk of Roof Collapses

    Whether roofs fail depends on specifics of the weather — as well as on the special vulnerabilities of particular buildings.

     
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    Flex Paint Kit

    Two handy painting tools now come in one package

     
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    Deck Mounting a Photovoltaic System (Subscriber content)

    With the right design, installation is straightforward and payback time is shorter than ever

     
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    Roofers face a flood of new state laws

    New legislation to curb "storm chasers" could make life more difficult for legitimate roofing contractors

     
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    Roof-Friendly Solar

    Certainteedís polycrystalline Apollo Solar Roofing is lighter than many similar products, the company says

     
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    No-Rot Ledger

    The Deck Ledger system consists of extruded aluminum ledger boards and joist hangers

     
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    Easy Post Wrap

    Preassembled KleerWrap can be put in place by a single worker

     
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    Wind-Resistant Doors

    GlassCraft's Impact Fiberglass Entry Doors are approved for use in high-wind zones of Florida and Texas

     
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    Adjustable Column

    The Lally Lock is a three-part height-adjustable Lally column

     
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    Framing Decks With Steel Joists

    A New Jersey deck builder describes the advantages of steel framing

     
  • Whatever Happened to 30# Felt?

    Asphalt-impregnated felt — aka tar paper — enjoyed a 100-year run as the preeminent roofing and siding underlayment.

     
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    Super Stirrer

    The StirWhip's "fingers" are both flexible and strong

     
  • Small EIFS Repairs

    A stucco contractor explains how to patch minor nicks and abrasions in EIFS while matching the original finish

     
  • Cleaning Old Beams

    Soda-blasting worked where oxalic acid, walnut shells, and soap and water failed

     
  • Roof Truss Repair

    Field repairs should always be designed by an engineer

     
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    Tough Mesh

    SlimGuard Gutter Guard installs inside the gutter without caulk or screws

     
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    Binding Primer

    Peel Stop Paint Primer is three times thicker than standard primers, says the maker

     
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    Smoke Blocker

    Touch n Seal says FireStop Gun Foam is approved as a through-penetration firestop sealant

     
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    Faux Shakes

    Bellaforte polymer roofing shakes can be installed to look like rough-hewn wood shakes

     
  • Double Duty

    Premium Plus Zero VOC Interior Paint combines the primer and finish coat in one product