Working With Helical Piers
Engineered steel piles are an affordable foundation option for small jobs and tricky sites Read more
Troubleshooting a Kitchen Remodel
Managing a complex kitchen installation calls for constant problem-solving...and a little luck. Read more
Keeping Water Out of Stucco Walls
Assume that 3-coat stucco leaks, and detail the building envelope with careful flashing and a double-layer water-resistive barrier Read more
Breaking Through the Language Barrier
Going back to school to learn Spanish can pay big dividends in the field Read more
Opening up this ranch's floor plan required removing the center bearing wall and installing a 30-foot ridge beam Read more
Installing Drywall Over Rigid Foam
If you install strapping first, Myron Ferguson recommends treating the rigid foam as the air barrier instead of the drywall. Read more
Either guardrails or safety harness systems can be used to proect workers from falls Read more
Predicting the Twist in PT Lumber
There's a way to determine which 4x4 or 6x6 PT post is going to twist and which one won't. Read more
On the Job
Crawlspace Caddy
A plastic mortar pan screwed to a piece of plywood fitted with wheels makes an effective crawlspace tool tote. Read more
On the Job
Stabilizing a Brick Exterior
Unstable brick is tied to the floor framing with standard hold downs, threaded rod, and compression plates Read more
Business
Getting Paid for Preconstruction Advice
Use a "professional services agreement" to get compensated for consulting time Read more
Products
Door Saver
Cetol Door & Window Finish works better than polyurethanes and varnishes, says the maker Read more
Space Saver
The SmartCab pull-out cabinet organizer fits 15-inch and 18-inch base cabinets located beneath a drawer Read more
Lightweight Semi-Slate Roofing
The slate you can't see from the ground has been replaced by a sheet of underlayment Read more
Lightning-Safe Gas Pipe
TracPipe CounterStrike tubing has a conductive jacket that is supposed to help prevent damage from lightning Read more
Double Duty
Miele's Speed Oven packs a microwave and a convection oven into one compact unit Read more
Premium Paint
Sherwin-Williams' Emerald Acrylic Latex comes in interior and exterior versions Read more
Metallic Tiles
Mixology resin tiles offer the look of cast metal without the weight, says the maker Read more
Products
Effective Exhaust
Zephyr says it has made its Milano Island range hood quieter and more efficient Read more
Products
Asphalt Shingles
StormMaster shingles are designed to look like wood shakes or slate Read more
Toolbox
Milwaukee M12 Band Saw
This subcompact model is cordless, portable, and small enough to be used with one hand Read more
Toolbox
FastCap Dust-Barrier Door
This door shuts with magnets instead of clips or a zipper Read more
Safer Drilling
Makita's Dustless Hammer Attachment fits the company's SDS-plus rotary hammers Read more
Cleanable Nut Driver
Removing metal shavings from a magnetized driver bit has never been so easy, says DeWalt Read more
Backfill
Building Cost-Effective Emergency Housing in Alaska
Innovative open-web trusses allow for easy assembly, high R-values, and minimal thermal bridging Read more
