Nobody's perfect, but some builders are more imperfect than others. A veteran troubleshooter describes some memorable on-the-job mistakes.
Forming and pouring four 2,500-square-foot houses is all in a day's work for this tract builder.
Fiber-cement siding is no fun to cut and handle, but its price and durability make it a good deal for spec houses. An experienced installer tells you how to work with it efficiently.
A veteran carpenter tests and reviews the current crop of pro-grade recip saws.
With good technique and matching materials, repairs to a slate roof can be invisible and as durable as the original roof.
When it comes to giving vinyl an authentic period look, the right details make all the difference.
Steel won't rot or get eaten by termites, and every piece is perfectly straight. A contractor who switched from wood to light-gauge steel discusses the differences and similarities between the two.
A stiff, strong subfloor and an accurate layout add up to a top-quality tile floor. A veteran tilesetter explains his approach.
When a prefab fireplace wears out, the only solution is to remove it and install a new one. Here are some tips from a specialist.
An interior trim carpenter whose company specializes in servicing large national builders tells how to produce a high-quality interior finish quickly and efficiently.
Sealed, conditioned crawlspaces can reduce callbacks and increase occupant comfort, says this North Carolina contractor. Here's how to build them — and how to sell the idea to the building inspector.
Cordless impact drivers aren't as versatile as standard screw guns, but there's nothing like them for driving lags and other heavy fasteners. Our reviewer compares six models and reports his findings.
Besides providing a positive weather seal, sloped glazing needs to collect and channel condensed moisture to the outside. This flexible system of aluminum extrusions and rubber gaskets does just that.
There's more to wind- and earthquake-resistant framing than properly constructed shear walls. A veteran structural engineer describes the key connections that collect and control potentially catastrophic loads.
A New England builder tells how he takes advantage of shop-made trim and panelized walls to build authentic reproduction homes that can be shipped and erected anywhere.
Green may sound simple, but it can be surprisingly difficult to define. An expert in the field explains what green means, and why it matters.
Traditional three-coat, one-coat, or EIFS, stucco is only as reliable as the water-management details behind it. A second- generation stucco contractor identifies common problems and offers proven solutions.
These compact units provide the comfort and simplicity of baseboard radiators without gobbling up all the available wall space.
A carpenter turned salvage contractor tells how he turns a profit keeping used materials out of the landfill, and shares some methods for removing common salvage items without damage.
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Dazzle clients with your understanding of this year's crop of bigger, smarter, hotter, and cooler kitchen appliances.
Longer lasting than timber and more user friendly than stone, segmental block retaining walls combine good looks with great structural stability.
The owner of a remodeling business tells how the company institutes and manages benefits to attract and keep quality employees.
Forget the separate air barrier, and hold the vapor retarder: Sprayed-in-place polyurethane foam takes the place of both and offers increased structural stiffness as well as other benefits
Working safely may cost a few dollars in the short run, but the ultimate price of an on-the-job accident can be incalculable. Five construction veterans tell what went wrong for them, and why.
The newest 10-inch job-site table saws combine the rip capacity of contractor models with the portability of 81/4-inch machines. JLC compares seven models.
Problems with deck attachment are common and the issues complex. Three experts home in on the forces at work between the deck ledger and the band joist and offer connection details that will support anticipated loads.
A finish carpenter describes the pros and cons of four techniques for installing crown molding on a cathedral or vaulted ceiling.
Foam forms can save time and money while providing a superior finished product. The key, an ICF newcomer reports, is providing strong connections and plenty of bracing.
Streamlined ductwork, flexible vent placement, and efficient year-round performance make a strong case for high-velocity HVAC, says this veteran installer.
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Insurance costs have gone through the roof, and availability is declining. What's behind the crisis, and how can builders continue to thrive in spite of it?
This year's collection of new products can help you work smarter and better.
In the News
No copyright for building codes, refinance boom dwindling, baking houses, tornado lessons
Lumber prices double, Consumer Reports rates building materials, Canadian study finds window leaks, more
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Nail gun accidents, California picks NFPA code, Minnesota stucco warning, mega-home tally, Business Tune-Up
Fatal porch collapse highlights flimsy connections, self-draining housewrap, new wood preservatives raise corrosion questions
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Buffalo's flawed foundations, soggy building season, blast-resistant insulating windows, sealed crawlspaces, N.Y. scaffold law
Western water shortages, Weyerhaeuser antitrust suit, cold-weather concrete pours, scheduling part-time office help, California condo comeback, mor
Q. What's the right way to flash an exterior masonry chimney to the wall of the house?
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Q. I need to pour a thickened-edge slab foundation for a two-story garage apartment across a recently dug 2-foot-wide utility trench. The backfill over the trench has subsided, and I'm concerned that the foundation may sag and crack at that point. Can I add rebar to the slab to span this area, or...
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Q. One of the tile showrooms where my remodeling clients shop has tiles displayed in two sections, one for floors and one for walls. What's the difference between a floor tile and a wall tile? Is it possible to interchange the two?
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Q. I'd like to finish the above-grade portion of a poured-concrete foundation with a color coat of stucco. The broken-off snap-ties are visible and are slightly rusty. Do I need to treat these with anything before I apply the stucco to prevent a rust stai
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Q. Do the energy savings provided by instantaneous gas water heaters justify their higher cost?
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Q. I'm a remodeler and often work around existing wiring. What's the most practical and inexpensive tool for detecting live current in either romex or wire in a metal conduit? Can you detect current inside the conduit without opening the conduit?
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Q. It has become common practice in new construction around Nashville to vent bathroom fans into a nearby soffit. One problem is that the vent often gets covered with vinyl or metal soffit because the siding crew doesn't want to cut a hole in the finished
Q. I have a client who wants me to build a 30x40-foot unheated barn-garage with a slab floor. The area where the building will sit is very flat, with no lower terrain nearby, so it's not feasible to build a typical 4-foot stem wall with a daylight drain. Frost depth is 48 inches around here...
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Q. I am remodeling a 1920s house that has the original knob-and-tube wiring. I would like to blow cellulose into the stud cavities but am guessing that it's not safe to do that with the exposed wiring in the cavities. What does code say?
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Q. Why can't I use 7/16-inch OSB over 1-inch rough pine boards for carpet underlayment?
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Q. We're renovating a home with hardwood floors that are somewhat worn and lack luster but don't seem to need resanding. Is there a way to restore the finish without sanding?
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Q. I have a client who had a tile floor put down a few years ago. The tile installer told her the grout already had a sealer in it so no additional sealer was ever put on. Now the grout is stained, and she has been trying to clean it with bleach (the grout is white) but cannot stand the fumes. Is...
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Q. I recently requested a quote for 1x4 T&G fir for a covered porch. The lumber supplier added two new species, meranti and Brazilian redwood, to the quote list. How do those woods stack up against Douglas fir, which has been used traditionally for porch floors in my area? I plan to paint all sides...
Q. What's the right type of mesh to use in a mud-bed tile floor? Should I use a self-furring lath (like the type used in stucco work) so that it centers itself in the mud?
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Q. I'm looking at a project to convert a 1920s-era three-story industrial building into residential lofts. Much of the heavy timber interior frame has been exposed to a lot of weather because of roof deterioration during years when the building was not ma
Wiring raceway, remodeling shower valve cover, escape ladder, arch supports, sawhorse brackets, instant shelving
Decks & railings, insulation & air sealing, door hardware
Flexible moldings, fast-grab adhesive, dimmable CF; panel, flooring, and asphalt roofing products
Heat pumps, siding and accessories, lighting, interior millwork products, more
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Push-on wire nuts, invisible deck fasteners, good-looking gutters, caulks, sealants & adhesives, drywall products