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Use this shop-fabricated approach to concrete countertops to improve quality and cut installation time from days to hours.
A heating contractor details how to upgrade from a typical bare-bones heating system to one that delivers comfort and customer satisfaction.
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Four case studies illustrate how different methods and materials can provide efficient solutions to framing a clear-span floor over a garage.
Get accurate results using shop-made and commercial jigs with these basic techniques.
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A construction superintendent explains how to avoid costly errors under slab foundations.
Two custom glazers explain the planning and workmanship that go into this job to ensure it’s trouble-free.
Low-slope roofs can be leak-prone, especially in snow country. A New York State remodeler explains how he installed a self-adhesive membrane to protect the living space under a nearly flat roof.
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We sent two JLC editors to the show to research what’s new in the world of tools and equipment. Here’s the report from Dave Crosby.
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The solid-surfacing industry is changing fast as more manufacturers enter the market. Here’s an update of new product choices, plus a review of tools designed specifically for solid-surface fabrication.
In a tight labor market, panelized construction offers high quality and speed with a small crew — even on large projects.
In this article, a veteran glass block contractor explains the details that make for an elegant and trouble-free installation.
Is white glue as strong as yellow glue? What’s the best glue to use when you can’t clamp the joint? We asked adhesives experts to answer these and many other questions, plus did a little testing of our own.
We sent the new reciprocating saws out into the field to see how they performed. Here’s how a group of veteran remodelers rated the saws for a variety of tasks.
Concrete expert Brent Anderson explains the code rules and structural issues surrounding foundation footings. Included are discussions of when and where to place rebar and what to do if a footing is poured slightly out of place.
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Q: The new water-based urethane finishes are easier to apply than the old solvent-based polyurethanes. But are they as durable?
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Q: A homeowner wants me to eliminate the moldy smell from a crawlspace. The crawlspace has a concrete floor, with fiberglass batt insulation between the floor joists. There are two louvered vents that are left open year-round. Would it help to insulate the walls with rigid foam and seal the vents...
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Q: I’m working on a project with a 2-inch thick colored concrete topping slab installed over a 5-inch thick structural slab on grade. There will be #15 felt installed between the two slabs, so they can move independently. I am considering using fibermesh to minimize cracks in the topping slab. If I...
Q: The pros and cons of water-based urethane finishes; fixing a moldy crawlspace; reinforcing and sealing a concrete topping slab; more
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Q: Are sound-control batts any different from regular fiberglass batts?
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Q: I have been asked to determine the cause of black shadow marks on a cathedral ceiling in a new home. The black marks correspond to the bottom sections of the rafters, near where the rafters meet the wall. The black shadows do not resemble stains from water leaks. There is a gas fireplace on one...
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Q: Should peel-and-stick eaves membrane be installed over or under the drip edge?
Q: While renovating a home in New Jersey, I found a fungus-like growth a few inches long growing between the tile floor and the base molding in the bathroom. The house is on a concrete slab. Is there anywhere I can have this growth tested to see if it is poria?
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Q: I am currently building a barn and am looking for some old-fashioned barn door hinges. Do you know any sources for wrought-iron strap hinges with character?
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Q: I have been called to inspect a shower with ceramic tile walls. The substrate is cementitious backerboard, and as far as I can tell, the tile was installed with thinset. There are hairline cracks running through the tiles on all three walls, both vertical and horizontal. There is a ceramic soap...
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Q: I have been called to solve an air-quality problem at a house with air-lock entries. The house has hydronic heat. The vestibules have no mechanical ventilation, and the air quality is poor. What type of ventilation do you suggest for these very small rooms?
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Q: In a house I am building, I need to provide adequate makeup air for a fireplace and a 600-cfm cooktop exhaust fan. How do I size a passive duct to introduce exterior makeup air into the house?
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Q: When I need a 6x6 deck post, I usually assemble a built-up column from three 2x6s. Is this kind of post equal in strength to a 6x6?
Q: If I am presented with a portion of a circle (an arc), how can I determine the size (diameter) of the circle that the arc is part of?
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Q: I have some 8x16-inch Douglas fir beams that have black stains from the steel saddles. How can I remove the stains? Can I use a solution of oxalic acid crystals?
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Q: What is the best exterior wood glue to use in below freezing temperatures?
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Q: What glues work best for repairing veneer over particleboard (for example, on a cabinet end panel)?
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Q: What glue works best to fasten wood trim to drywall in a house with steel studs, where the baseboards and casings need to be glued?
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Q: What’s the best wood glue for less than ideal joints requiring gap filling?
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Q: Is it possible for wood to be too wet for polyurethane glue?
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Q: What’s the best wood glue for end-grain applications — miter joints, for example?
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Q: For gluing joints in interior wood trim that will never get wet, is white carpenter’s glue as strong as yellow carpenter’s glue?
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Q: If a joint assembled with yellow carpenter’s glue freezes before it cures, will the joint lose its strength?
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Q: Are there any water-borne glues that are water-resistant?
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Q: For gluing exterior wood trim components that will be exposed to the weather, but not submerged under water, what’s best: resorcinol, epoxy, or a polyurethane glue?
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Q: What’s the difference between polyurethane construction adhesive and polyurethane caulk? In a pinch, can polyurethane caulk be used as an adhesive?
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Q: Some trim carpenters use a dab of hot-melt glue in the center of a joint bonded with yellow carpenter’s glue, so that the hot-melt glue holds the trim pieces together without clamping. Will such a joint be as strong as a clamped joint?
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Q: What is the best way to clean polyurethane adhesive from skin? How about from carpeting?
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Q: What glue works best with MDF?
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Q: Some builders use hot-melt glue for temporary jigs. Can hot-melt glue also be used for a permanent bond? What types of applications make sense for hot-melt glue?
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Q: What’s the best glue to use for a wood joint when it is impossible to clamp the joint?
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Q: Which construction adhesives are best for gluing plywood subfloors to joists under wet conditions?
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Q: After a wood joint glued with yellow carpenter’s glue has cured, is there any way to disassemble the joint?
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Q: Are there differences in performance between water-borne and solvent-borne construction adhesives?
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Q: Can silicone caulk be used as an exterior glue? How does it compare in strength to Titebond II or a polyurethane glue?
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Q: I’ve heard that an adhesive caulk does not bond as strongly as glue. Is an adhesive caulk like Phenoseal strong enough to attach a kitchen backsplash to drywall?
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Q: Are the terms "water-resistant" and "waterproof" based on any technical standards?
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Q: What is the best glue for fastening bathroom accessories to ceramic tile walls?
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Q: What glue works best for the lifting edges of a vinyl floor?
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Q: What type of glue is best for repairing laminate that is beginning to lift at the edge of a kitchen countertop?
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Q: What is the best exterior wood glue to use in below freezing temperatures?
-
Q: What glues work best for repairing veneer over particleboard (for example, on a cabinet end panel)?
-
Q: What glue works best to fasten wood trim to drywall in a house with steel studs, where the baseboards and casings need to be glued?
-
Q: What’s the best wood glue for less than ideal joints requiring gap filling?
-
Q: Is it possible for wood to be too wet for polyurethane glue?
-
Q: What’s the best wood glue for end-grain applications — miter joints, for example?
-
Q: For gluing joints in interior wood trim that will never get wet, is white carpenter’s glue as strong as yellow carpenter’s glue?
-
Q: If a joint assembled with yellow carpenter’s glue freezes before it cures, will the joint lose its strength?
-
Q: Are there any water-borne glues that are water-resistant?
-
Q: For gluing exterior wood trim components that will be exposed to the weather, but not submerged under water, what’s best: resorcinol, epoxy, or a polyurethane glue?
-
Q: What’s the difference between polyurethane construction adhesive and polyurethane caulk? In a pinch, can polyurethane caulk be used as an adhesive?
-
Q: Some trim carpenters use a dab of hot-melt glue in the center of a joint bonded with yellow carpenter’s glue, so that the hot-melt glue holds the trim pieces together without clamping. Will such a joint be as strong as a clamped joint?
-
Q: What is the best way to clean polyurethane adhesive from skin? How about from carpeting?
-
Q: What glue works best with MDF?
-
Q: Some builders use hot-melt glue for temporary jigs. Can hot-melt glue also be used for a permanent bond? What types of applications make sense for hot-melt glue?
-
Q: What’s the best glue to use for a wood joint when it is impossible to clamp the joint?
-
Q: Which construction adhesives are best for gluing plywood subfloors to joists under wet conditions?
-
Q: After a wood joint glued with yellow carpenter’s glue has cured, is there any way to disassemble the joint?
-
Q: Are there differences in performance between water-borne and solvent-borne construction adhesives?
-
Q: Can silicone caulk be used as an exterior glue? How does it compare in strength to Titebond II or a polyurethane glue?
-
Q: I’ve heard that an adhesive caulk does not bond as strongly as glue. Is an adhesive caulk like Phenoseal strong enough to attach a kitchen backsplash to drywall?
-
Q: Are the terms "water-resistant" and "waterproof" based on any technical standards?
-
Q: What is the best glue for fastening bathroom accessories to ceramic tile walls?
-
Q: What glue works best for the lifting edges of a vinyl floor?
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Q: What type of glue is best for repairing laminate that is beginning to lift at the edge of a kitchen countertop?