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Framing

  • Faster Through-Bolt

    If you're still using a socket wrench to fasten posts or beams, you might want to check out the ThruLok Screw Bolt Fastening System.

     
  • Permanent Wood Foundations

    Pressure-treated wood foundations (also known as permanent wood foundations, or PWFs) have been around at least since the 1940s, and my own experience with them dates back 20 years or so.

     
  • Building Safer Decks

    Decks have seen little attention from building codes over the years, despite the fact that they often bear the weight of parties and public gatherings.

     
  • Reusing Barnboard

    Q: I was wondering what should be done to old reclaimed barnwood before it can be used inside a home. I plan on using it for wainscot in a basement remodel; should it be treated to kill any bugs or mold?

     
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    Dealing With Creaky Subflooring

    Q: I was asked to look at a job where the homeowners have issues with loud, creaking floors.

     
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    Insulating With Exterior Spray Foam (Subscriber content)

    Closed-cell foam acts as air-sealing, insulation, and secondary drainage plane in this unique home.

     
  • Synthetic Decking As Quality Advances Preference Becomes a Matter of Appearance

     
  • Insulated Framing Materials Block Thermal Bridging

    Weyerhaeuser has introduced a line of framing material designed to reduce thermal bridging.

     
  • Prefab Arches

    Want to avoid the hassle of fabricating curved framing on site? Consider sending the plans to Custom-Arch and letting someone else do the work.

     
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    Staining Steel Garage Doors to Look Like Wood

    As the owners of a San Clemente, Calif., specialty painting company called Rags 2 Rich's, husband-and-wife team Rich Howe and Cindy Miller do a wide range of faux-finish work, including convincing renderings of masonry, plaster, and marble.

     
  • Adjustable Level

    The Plumb Perfect Level features end gauges that can be dialed in or out to compensate for imperfect framing (or to establish a slope).

     
  • Framing an Elliptical Staircase

    Use a trammel to scribe a perfect pattern.

     
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    Tool Test: Framing Nailers

    Look for a gun that toenails well and can consistently set fasteners in dense material.

     
  • Restoring an Old Porch

    Solid piers, strengthened framing, and durable finish materials promise a long life for this rejuvenated beauty.

     
  • Siding With Cedar Shingles

    Install a tight weather barrier, choose top-quality shingles, and use smart production techniques.

     
  • Tiling Over Plywood Subfloors

    For crack-free floors, limit joist deflection and install two layers of 3/4-inch plywood and a thinset membrane.

     
  • Rescuing a Spreading Roof

    A horizontal beam and steel tie rods resist rafter thrust with little disruption to the rest of the structure.

     
  • Weathertight Windows

    How a wet-climate builder details the layers to keep out the rain.

     
  • Quick Porch Enclosure

    Over 20 years ago, on a vinyl siding job, I screened in a deck that had a shed roof.

     
  • Town Lattice Truss Bridge For A Bride

    Builder Ted Kellogg convinced his bride-to-be that a brand-new covered bridge over the rocky stream behind his farmhouse would make a perfect spot for their summer nuptials.