It’s inevitable: A concrete slab is going to crack. But how much it cracks, and where, depends on the amount of water in the mix, where you place control joints, and how you finish the slab. Here’s what you need to know for good results. Read more
A veteran estimator shares tricks and tips that ensure fast and accurate estimates, from foundation to finishes. Read more
A job foreman describes step-by-step how he and his crew laid out, framed, and finished two Victorian towers with conical roofs. Read more
Laying out forms on a steep site doesn’t have to be complicated. An experienced foundation contractor shows how he makes time on complex hillside forming jobs. Read more
From double-parking and wrestling materials into the service elevator to tying into electrical and mechanical systems that service a whole building, remodeling in high-rise apartment buildings gets complicated fast. Here’s how one New York City builder has survived the jungle. Read more
Hardboard makers face court action, Los Angeles mulls citywide seismic retrofit, a boring story Read more
Q&A: Truss Uplift Solutions
Q: What would cause the sole plate of a nonbearing partition wall to pull away from the subfloor? The wall is nailed into roof trusses where they cross it above. There is no sag in the floor system below. Read more
Q: I’m about to take on a wood-shingle roofing job on an unusual roof with a lot of sinuous curves. I’m planning on steaming and bending strapping to provide a nailing base for the shingles, then steaming and bending the shingles, too. But isn’t there an easier way? Read more
Improving a planbook Colonial Read more
Setting priorities Read more
Time is of the essence Read more
Attaching decks to the band joist Read more
Strap-on aquastat saves energy in hydronic systems Read more
Solving common design snafus Read more
Trimmable truss, expanding foam dispenser, affordable laser level, easy-clean paintbrush Read more
Door hanger’s workbench Read more