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Features

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    Building Truss Roofs The Safe Way

    Preassembling truss roof sections on the ground decreases risk and saves time. A veteran builder describes his step-by-step method.

     

  • A Simple Kitchen Bay Window

    A box-bay window placed at counter height makes it possible to run the countertop right into the bay and bring the outdoors in.

     

  • Prefinished Strip Flooring

    Recent advances in surface finishes, a wider selection of woods and colors, and improvements in the installed appearance make a strong case for factory-finished floors.

     
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    Radon Vent Retrofit

    A radon remediation contractor shows how to install vent pipes beneath a slab to carry radon harmlessly to the outdoors — all for a reasonable cost.

     

  • Staging High Work

    New scaffolding products and personal safety gear make it easier than ever to perform high work safely.

     

Letters

  • Letters

    Shoddy construction, vinyl trim detail, clad-window glass replacement, fuel cost comparisons, more

     

News

  • Notebook

    Stachybotrys mold, contractor licensing, radiant heat claims, Business Tune-Up, more

     

Q&A

  • Q&A: Restoring Solid Surfacing

    Q: What’s the best way to restore the shine on an older solid-surface sink that looks dull?

     
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    Q&A: Installing Wiring Between Ceiling Strapping

    Q: Here in New England, we usually attach 1x3 strapping to the ceiling joists before installing drywall. At most jobs, I see the electricians stapling the Romex cable to the bottom of the joists, parallel to the 1x3 strapping, so the wiring is about 1/2 i

     

  • Q&A: Is a Vapor Barrier Necessary?

    Q: Since we always carefully install housewrap on our buildings, paying attention to the details, is it necessary to install a poly vapor barrier under the drywall?

     

  • Q&A: Painting Aluminum Siding

    Q: Is it possible to paint aluminum siding?

     

  • Q&A: Building a Wine Room

    Q: Can you provide some advice on construction details for building a small wine storage room in a corner of a garage?

     

  • Q&A: ACQ-Treated Wood and Fastener Corrosion

    Q: Does ACQ-treated wood contribute to accelerated corrosion of galvanized fasteners?

     

  • Q&A: EPDM Over OSB

    Q: Does EPDM roofing always need to be installed over polyisocyanurate insulation, or can it be installed directly over OSB?

     

  • Q&A: Who’s Responsible for Hidden Conditions?

    Q: When we pulled off the siding and sheathing from the gable end of an existing house in preparation for an addition, we were surprised to find that the roof has a 4x12 structural ridge beam supporting common rafters. We had assumed that the roof was fra

     

  • Q&A: Copper Roofing Over SIPs

    Q: Can copper roofing be installed over SIP roof panels? I have heard that high temperatures under copper roofing might damage the SIPs.

     

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Products

  • Products

    Plastic trimboards, orbit sander, miter saw stand, thermostatic by-pass valve, universal socket, vinyl flooring, more

     

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