Four technology trends that will change how you build and remodel.
By combining trusses with stick framing, the author was able to frame a new roof without damaging the finished rooms below.
Assessing the moisture content and surface condition of the slab was the critical first step.
Floated mortar walls provide a flat, plumb setting bed over irregular wall framing.
Truss-style construction simplified the framing of this serpentine roofline.
Prevent structural problems and failed inspections by avoiding these common installation errors.
Shims and adhesive lock the parts together into a squeak-free unit.
Adding rigid foam to the outside of the shell dramatically increases R-value while reducing thermal conduction.
For a long-lasting roof, stick with the best shingle grades and use a ventilating underlayment.
A Level 5 finish may prevent callbacks in areas of high visibility, but it's not always necessary.
Common in commercial framing, steel studs provide straight and sturdy fire-rated partitions.
Gaining an extra foot of headroom isn’t easy, but it can yield valuable living space.
These durable systems are much easier to install than site-built rails.
Build great-looking kitchens with these simple, efficient methods.
Universal access should begin at the front door.
Letting the water run through keeps this 200-year-old basement dry.
Careful diagnostic testing is the key to cost-effective energy upgrades.
Modifying the existing trusses from below saved the cost of rebuilding the roof.
Manufacturers have successfully tackled some of the issues plaguing this low-cost cladding.
Engineered for energy efficiency and leak-free performance, hinged patio doors are an elegant option in any climate.
This specialty trade can provide profits in slow times.
Your state may be the next to mandate these systems, so it’s a good idea to understand how they work .
A reinforced mortar-bed substrate is key to success.
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Q: We ordered preprimed HardiePlank lap siding to finish a project, but when it was delivered, we discovered that the backs were left unprimed. Normally, we back-prime wood clapboards, but I'm not sure this step is needed with fiber-cement siding, and the manufacturer's Web site is mute on the...
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Q: Can stainless steel tie wire be used with standard rebar?
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Q: We're building a four-season addition over an existing raised deck framed with PT lumber. Is it okay to install OSB subfloor sheathing directly over the wood decking, or should the decking be removed first?
Q: I can't find the blued ring-shank drywall nails I started hanging drywall with 30 years ago. All that seems to be available are cheap and flimsy drywall nails that bend too easily when I nail them in, rust as soon as I apply mud, and leave my hands covered with black ink. Why don't they make...
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Q: In my area, only black iron pipe is allowed for gas lines. Is there a problem with galvanized pipe?
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Q: To retrofit light fixtures for old plaster ceilings that will be covered with new drywall, I plan to screw 1/2-inch-deep metal pancake boxes into the lathe of the existing ceilings and hang the new drywall around the boxes. But my electrician wants to cut into the ceiling and install deeper...
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Q: Can moisture condense on the back of a prefinished hardwood floor above an uninsulated crawlspace and cause cupping? The flooring was installed over 15-pound asphalt felt and an OSB subfloor; poly covers the ground underneath the dry and ventilated crawlspace of the 2-year-old home.
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Q: Can the floor of an attached garage be at the same elevation as the floor of adjacent living space, or does there have to be a step down into the garage?
Q: The mahogany decking we installed on a house last year has developed some dark staining around the stainless steel nail heads (see photo). The staining is worse on the front porch, which is covered, and not nearly as bad on the back deck, which receives full sun. Whats causing it?
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Q: I've heard that polyurethane spray-foam insulation may contain penta-BDE, a chemical that is called a "toxic flame retardant" by the EPA and has been banned in some states. How much of a risk does this chemical cause for the installer and the homeowner, and are there alternatives?
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Q: Is it okay to use pneumatic nailers to install vinyl windows, or would that void the manufacturers warranty?
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Q. Does composite trim have to be prepped and primed like wood, or can it simply be painted? And what kind of paint should I use?
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Q. I'm rehabbing an old brick house in Charleston, W.V. I want to insulate the exterior walls, which are balloon-framed with 2x4s, unsheathed, and finished with brick. There's a 1- to 2-inch air space between the 11/2-story-high frame wall and the brick siding, and a weep system at the base of the...
SawStop has introduced a new 3-hp 230-volt Professional Cabinet Saw aimed at low-volume shops.
Carbide Wood Flooring Router Bit Sets let you mill tongue-and-groove flooring from solid or engineered wood.
The concept behind Kubinec Strapping Kits is simple: You wrap polyester straps around a load and tighten them with a ratcheting tensioner.
The HD 5687 — Skil's attempt to re-enter the pro sidewinder market — has some promising features and a great price.
Rather than using a ratchet to wrap a cable around a spindle, as conventional come-alongs do, the Tirfor Griphoist has a pair of jaws that pull the cable straight through the housing with a hand-over-hand motion.
Makita's new portable table saw (2705/2705X1) meets new UL specs requiring that no tools be needed to change the blade guard.
Trying to straighten and fasten bent deck boards is no fun, especially when you're working with hardwood decking.
The SpeedCope costs way less than the $2,000 coping machines you find in a production wood shop — but it does a better job than a $35 handheld plastic template that fits only one type of molding and angle.
Klein's Bent Nose Romex Cable Strippers have a 90-degree angled nose designed to get them into tight spots.
One challenge with armored cable is that it can be hard to cut the armor without nicking the wires inside, which is why cable manufacturers recommend using a rotary cutter designed specifically for this cable type.
Ever notice that a drywall guy stomping around on stilts looks a lot like Herman Munster?
Clamp meters let electricians measure current in a live wire without stripping the insulation or touching the conductor, but the calculator-like display can be hard to read in dark basements or outside in the sun.
The one bad thing about WD-40 is that when you lose that little red straw, you have no way of controlling the spray.
The typical flat utility bar has a 90-degree rocker head that curves in the opposite direction from the flat end — which restricts the bar's range of motion.
The new Football Pole Sander is a simple tool with some significant advantages.
Does the mere thought of your next stair job — all that tightening and loosening by hand of dozens of large clamps — have your carpal tunnel syndrome acting up?
Joining stair handrail sections requires painstaking fitting and fastening, but the EasAlign system by Crown Heritage can make the job easier.
M.Power's Flat Lying Trammel Heads have a pivoting point for fine adjustment and come with pencil and knife attachments.
Part of Bosch's new laser line, the GTL3 layout laser projects 90- and 45-degree lines on a floor or wall.
Laser distance meters allow one person to quickly measure a space with the push of a button, and they make area and volume calculations too.
Cutting tubing inside a wall or other tight spot usually requires a midget cutter and nimble fingers, but Ridgid's new 2-in-1 Close Quarters Autofeed tubing cutter takes the fingers out of the equation.
Increase your work area — and safety — in attics without floorboards by using The Ceiling Saver by Micjosco.
According to Hilti, the new PR26 self-leveling rotating laser level's green beam is easier to see than the standard red.
Setting up scaffolding on uneven ground can be nearly impossible, but ReechCraft's Bronco All-Terrain Scaffolding System is made for the challenge.
Tune in to your favorite music while tuning out harmful noise with the Peltor Digital Worktunes headphones.
Makita's new impact driver, the BTD144, has several useful features inspired by the company's extensive line of industrial drivers.
Thanks to its unique saucerlike shape, the 7-inch Contoured Masonry Blade by Arcus can cut arcs with a radius as small as 15 inches.
Protect your cell phone on the job site with a Defender Series case from OtterBox.
With the Crawler CR01 scaffold-moving device, you can turn almost any scaffold with casters into a motorized unit.
Cutting through porcelain can be a challenge, and sometimes it takes a special blade to do the work quickly and cleanly.