Creating a Curved Coffered Ceiling
In this JLC Classic, Gary Katz breaks down how he and his brother installed a coffered ceiling in a barrel vault. Read more
Dressing Up a Truss Roof
How stick-frame details can be used with roof trusses to build a home with multiple gables, deep eaves, and exposed rafter tails. Read more
Take these common-sense steps to help your business weather a slowdown. Read more
Working With Setting Compounds
These versatile joint compounds are ideal for small jobs, quick repairs, and tough field conditions. Read more
Building With Precast Concrete Panels
Produce industrial-strength energy-efficient homes with hollow-core planks and precast wall panels. Read more
In the News
Nail prices spike; remodeler and homeowner spar over found money; carbon monoxide kills worker; more Read more
Fixing a Leak in a Stucco Wall
Don't assume that it's the stucco itself that's leaking, and don't use elastomeric paint to solve the problem. Read more
Q. Are there any code-approved sheathing materials for a garage under a living space other than the typical 5/8-inch drywall? My clients complain that drywall doesn't hold up well in our environment, so I'm wondering if fire-retardant plywood would be a good substitute if the joints are properly prepared. Read more
On the Job: ICF Retaining Wall
ICF retaining wall; no-sweat plumbing; overhead lift trailer Read more
Legal
How to Reduce the Risk of Mold Claims
Mold has been around for millennia, but in recent years public concern about its presence in homes and buildings has metastasized into near hysteria. This has spawned a legal atmosphere in which it's relatively easy for unscrupulous owners to fabricate huge mold lawsuits against contractors. Read more
Kitchen sinks; bathtubs Read more
Toolbox
Fluke 566 Infrared Thermometer
If several thousand dollars for an IR camera isn't in this year's tool budget, consider an infrared thermometer like the Fluke 566. Read more
Toolbox
Bacharach Telescopic Mirror Set
For my money, small telescopic mirrors are among the most useful inspection tools out there. Read more
Toolbox
Flir Systems BCAM SD Infrared Camera
One of the most important diagnostic tools in the building-forensics toolbox is an infrared camera. Read more
Toolbox
Greenlee Fish Stix
Still using that curly steel fish tape? Try the sectional fiberglass rods now favored by electricians and telecom contractors. Read more
Like many tradespeople, I'd always lusted for a shiny new work truck with utility-bed locking boxes. Read more
Toolbox
Porter-Cable 371 Compact Belt Sander
There are few things more satisfying than scribing a piece of trim and having it fit perfectly on the first try. Porter-Cable's 371 belt sander should make such precision scribing a lot easier. Read more
Backfill
Where Have All the A-Frames Gone?
If human scale is as essential to good design as architects say it is, the classic 1960s A-frame got it just right. You can confirm this by putting a ladder against an interior gable-end wall and climbing until your head is nestled snugly in the peak, as if you were wearing the structure like a dunce cap. Where have all the A-frames gone? Read more
