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Walls

  • Drywall Control Joint

    Is there such a thing as a control joint for drywall?

     
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    Two New Finishing Solutions: Trim-Tex Offers New Corner Bead and Caulk Channel Tear Away

    These drywall finishing accessories promise smooth finishes and crisp transitions.

     
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    Lodge Look: Ozark Natural Paneling

    Nevermind the old plasticky paneling of decades past. Ozark Natural Paneling adds warmth with natural solid wood boards.

     
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    A New Interior for an Antique House (Subscriber content)

    Addressing structural issues first made the interior finish work easier.

     
  • Q&A: Is It Safe to Retrofit Exterior Foam Insulation?

    Q: I built a lot of homes in upstate New York in the 1980s using 2x6 studs, fiberglass batts, and a poly vapor retarder for the shell. Given the rising cost of heating and cooling, the owners are asking about energy upgrades to their walls. I'd like to suggest adding 1 or 2 inches of rigid foam on...

     
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    JLC Extra Q&A: Tips for Snaking Wires

    Q. I have to rewire an old home that has well-maintained plaster walls throughout. I'd like to do this without gutting the interior. Any tips for wire-snaking?

     
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    Faster Wall Framing

    By breaking the work into simple tasks, three men get one job done as quickly as possible.

     
  • Q&A: Flash-and-Batt Insulation: Good Idea or Bad Practice

    Q: Is the flash-and-batt technique - where an inch or two of spray-foam insulation is applied to the interior side of roof or wall sheathing before fitting rafter and stud bays with fiberglass batts - a good way to insulate?

     
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    Plumbing and Straightening Walls (Subscriber content)

    This quick, accurate method prevents problems with the framing and finishes that follow.

     
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    Robust Walls

    Contributing R-3 to R-7.5 per inch, sheet foam is a handy way to boost a wall's total R-value without adding too much thickness. Rigid foam sheathing can also function well as a drainage plane to help keep wind-blown water out of walls, and it can act as both an air barrier and as a vapor barrier...