March 2015 Table of Contents

Features
Everything You Need to Know About Paintbrushes Everything You Need to Know About Paintbrushes

Painting pro Scott Burt's tips for choosing, using, and cleaning this essential tool. Read more

Air-Sealing Techniques From a Passive House Pro Air-Sealing Techniques From a Passive House Pro

Even conventional homes can benefit from advanced air-sealing methods and materials, the cheapest way to reduce energy use in homes. Read more

Letters
Letters March 2015 Letters

Readers weigh in on how best to provide high-school graduates access to good-paying, higher-skilled jobs in the trades. Also, read about using Diamond Piers, and how retrofitting houses suits one remodeler's appreciation of history. Read more

Q & A
Deck Ledgers and Water Table Trim Q&A Deck Ledgers and Water Table Trim

Mike Guertin explains what the code requires when attaching a deck ledger to a house with a water table trim detail. Read more

How to Cut Metal Roofing Panels Q&A How to Cut Metal Roofing Panels

A saw with a metal blade is fast, but offset aviation snips might be a better choice when cutting corrugated metal roofing. Read more

On the Job
Fast, Accurate, and Attractive Piers On the Job Fast, Accurate, and Attractive Piers

Square wood forms knocked together from scrap lumber put piers in the right place and at the right height. Read more

Best-Practice Apron Flashing Exteriors Best-Practice Apron Flashing

How to install a more-effective and better-looking dormer or chimney apron flashing. Read more

Business
Business Two Critical Budget Mistakes

Stay out of trouble by approaching your budget like you would a job estimate. Read more

Energy
Moisture in Fat Walls Energy Moisture in Fat Walls

Researchers monitor temperature and moisture in a house for three winters to see whether 12 inches of dense-blown cellulose would work as well as the same thickness of medium-density open-cell spray foam. Read more

Products
Walker Zanger Sterling Row Tile Collection Products Walker Zanger Sterling Row Tile Collection

Accent spaces will get a touch of menswear design with this handsome collection. Read more

Lutron Caseta Dimmers and Smart Bridge Pro Products Lutron Caseta Dimmers and Smart Bridge Pro

Wireless dimmers are smartphone-controlled in this configuration from Lutron. Read more

Ergodyne Arsenal Topped Parts Pouch Products Ergodyne Arsenal Topped Parts Pouch

Clever flaps inside this pouch keep contents from falling out if the bag tips over. Read more

Quikrete Q-Max Pro Concrete Mix Products Quikrete Q-Max Pro Concrete Mix

Get one-hour working time and three-hour walk-on time with this versatile mix. Read more

Gerard Metal Roofing Systems Products Gerard Metal Roofing Systems

Get the benefits of metal roofing with the aesthetics of traditional materials. Read more

Viega Copper-to-PEX Transition Fittings Products Viega Copper-to-PEX Transition Fittings

Merge copper and PEX tubing systems with these smart fittings. Read more

Clopay Reserve Wood Collection Custom Series Products Clopay Reserve Wood Collection Custom Series

Create your own combination of wood, glass, metal, and creative design with this custom garage door program. Read more

ClipStone Mortarless Stone Veneer Products ClipStone Mortarless Stone Veneer

No masonry experience is necessary to install ClipStone, thanks to a built-in spacing system. Read more

Onset Data Loggers Track Building Data for Energy Auditing Onset Data Loggers Track Building Data for Energy Auditing

While Georgia college students use the devices to learn about building science, contractors can reap the benefits too Read more

Centipede Tool Sawhorses Have Legs Centipede Tool Sawhorses Have Legs

Easy setup and tear down, plus impressive capacity make these sawhorses useful on any jobsite Read more

MiTek Hanger Eliminates Joist Nailing MiTek Hanger Eliminates Joist Nailing

This new component lets framers safe steps without sacrificing safety or durability Read more

Portable SawStop Unit Brings Safety On-Site Portable SawStop Unit Brings Safety On-Site

High-tech safety goes where you go with this new saw model. Read more

Toolbox
Makita 18-Volt XT255M 18V LXT Drywall Install Kit Toolbox Makita 18-Volt XT255M 18V LXT Drywall Install Kit

If you're still plugged into the wall, you might be surprised by how much this cordless drywall router and screw gun improve your productivity. Read more

Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hackzall Recip Saw Toolbox Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hackzall Recip Saw

Even if you own a full-size recip, you'll frequently find yourself reaching for this lightweight, compact, and surprisingly powerful saw. Read more

Backfill
Spite Houses Backfill Spite Houses

Building codes and zoning have mostly eliminated the practice of retributive home building, though vindictive paint jobs are apparently still a thing. Read more

Other Articles
How a New Roof Led to a Family's Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Troubleshooting How a New Roof Led to a Family's Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Though at first the culprit appeared to be the furnace, it turned out that the roofers triggered the problem. Read more

Pre-Hanging Exterior Doors Pre-Hanging Exterior Doors

Bring it in house to make sure it’s done right the first time Read more

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