JLC Online

Faster, Smaller, and More Connected Than Ever

Four technology trends that will change how you build and remodel.
Raising the Pitch of an Existing Roof

By combining trusses with stick framing, the author was able to frame a new roof without damaging the finished rooms below.
Installing a Wood Parquet Floor

Assessing the moisture content and surface condition of the slab was the critical first step.
Mud-Bed Showers

Floated mortar walls provide a flat, plumb setting bed over irregular wall framing.
A Shop-Built Conical Roof

Truss-style construction simplified the framing of this serpentine roofline.

Letters

Remodeling opportunities abound; weatherization wages too low; in defense of vinyl siding; more

In the News

Who's liable for defective Chinese drywall?; top 10 OSHA violations for 2009; Texas requires water-saving toilets; more

Q&A: Back-Priming Fiber-Cement Siding

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...
Q&A: Stainless Steel and Rebar

Q: Can stainless steel tie wire be used with standard rebar?
Q&A: OSB Subfloor Over Decking?

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&A: Best Nails for Drywall

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...

Products

Snow-melting stair mats; modulating gas fireplace; efficient heat-pump water heater; permeable pavement; sump pump; more

Bosch SN350-20F Framing Nailer

When Bosch introduced its first line of pneumatic nailers last spring, it claimed that the tools were 20 percent smaller and 10 percent more powerful than the competition.
Stinger CH38A Cap Stapler

When Bosch introduced its first line of pneumatic nailers last spring, it claimed that the tools were 20 percent smaller and 10 percent more powerful than the competition.

Sawstop Prefossional Cabinet Saw

SawStop has introduced a new 3-hp 230-volt Professional Cabinet Saw aimed at low-volume shops.
Amana Tool Carbide Wood Flooring Router Bit Sets

Carbide Wood Flooring Router Bit Sets let you mill tongue-and-groove flooring from solid or engineered wood.
Kubinec Strapping Solutions EZ Kit Starter Set

The concept behind Kubinec Strapping Kits is simple: You wrap polyester straps around a load and tighten them with a ratcheting tensioner.
Skil HD 5687 Pro Sidewinder Saw

The HD 5687 — Skil's attempt to re-enter the pro sidewinder market — has some promising features and a great price.
Tractel North America Griphoist

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 USA UL-Compliant Table Saw

Makita's new portable table saw (2705/2705X1) meets new UL specs requiring that no tools be needed to change the blade guard.
Ipe Clip Fastener Co. Hardwood Wrench

Trying to straighten and fasten bent deck boards is no fun, especially when you're working with hardwood decking.
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware SpeedCope

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.