Common Sense Lead Safety
A remodeling contractor describes the practical measures he takes to keep workers and customers healthy, avoid legal costs, and create a clean, comfortable work site. Read more
Insulating with Spray Cellulose
An insulation contractor explains why he prefers damp-spray cellulose for wall applications and how he installs it. Read more
Laying a Stone Floor
A custom builder and remodeler describes how her crew cut and laid a sandstone floor. Read more
Cleaning Up After the Storm
In the aftermath of Hurricane Fran, this North Carolina builder gained experience in insurance work — and helped his community rebuild. Read more
JLC staff take a close look at ten windows from national manufacturers. Read more
Q&A: Finishing Basement Walls
Q: To finish an existing basement, I will be installing 2x4 walls around the perimeter. Should I install some type of waterproofing to the concrete walls? Can the 2x4 walls touch the concrete, or should I leave an air space? Read more
Q: Do the listed weight limits for ladders and scaffold planks include a safety factor? If so, how much weight can be added beyond the listed weight until failure occurs? Read more
Q: I will be installing a whirlpool tub for a customer who wants me to surround the tub with a horizontal shelf of natural wood. The customer has rejected my suggestion to install tile. Is there any species of wood that would hold up in this environment? Read more
Right Size for an Insulating Air Space?
After an air space gets to a certain size, it stops working as insulation and starts working as a convective loop. Read more
Q: What type of saw blade should I use to remove about an inch from a solid-surface countertop? Read more
Q: Q. I’m building a tight house with above-average attention to air sealing, and I plan to ventilate with a Panasonic exhaust fan running continuously. Will the cracks around windows and doors admit adequate makeup air, or do I need to provide wall vents Read more
Q: I am planning to install new lighting in a warehouse. Are there any advantages, either in installation costs or in operating costs, to installing 240-volt lighting fixtures instead of 120-volt? Read more
Q: A customer asked me how to compare the cost of different heating fuels (natural gas, propane, oil, and electricity). Can you provide a chart with this information? Read more
Q: To support a beam for a residential deck, does a Sonotube pier need any rebar? Read more
Q: Is a concrete sealer effective at protecting a garage floor from road salt damage? If so, what is the best product to use — a floor paint or a clear waterproofing sealer? Read more
Bending Metal Roofing to a Curve
It can often be done, but the radius of the curve on the roof and the profile of the metal roofing will affect the installation. Read more
Q: The municipal storm drainage system in our city shares pipes with the sewer system. During heavy rainstorms, water backs up from the municipal drain line into a customer’s basement floor drain. Is there any type of check valve that can be installed in Read more
Q: The owner of a house with existing exterior cement stucco is unhappy with the finish. How difficult is it to install a new coat of stucco over the existing stucco? Read more
Q: What is the best vinyl trim detail to use on the wide angles of bay windows? The house in question does not have enough room at the corners to use a vinyl outside corner piece, which would be too wide. Is it acceptable to use a piece of inside corner t Read more
Design options for the main entrance Read more
What your accountant is telling you Read more
Making sure you get paid for change orders Read more
Moving your office? Use technology to make the process smoother Read more
Gas-fired air conditioning Read more
Venting professional-style kitchen ranges Read more
Tools you want your employees to own Read more
Beware gas buildup in water heaters Read more