Tips & Techniques

Whenever I'm installing cleats for closet shelves, I cut down the amount of ladder time with the little trick illustrated here. First I draw a level line to mark the…

Learn how to install large tiles on your ceiling properly using expert bracing techniques.

Discover a hassle-free way to efficiently remove glued-down carpet using C-clamps.

My work as a carpenter who specializes in repairing and replacing exterior trim means that I spend a lot of time fussing with long workpieces that have to be planed…

I recently had to remove some old caulk from ceramic tile that would be in a prominent place over a new lavatory. I used a sharp chisel, but the tough…

A fully threaded 3/8-in. hanger bolt, a 4x4 post and a few pieces of 2x4 block can be combined to create a short-travel screw jack in just a couple of…

Try using an electric shaver to find studs in any wall. Simply buzz the shaver along the wall, and listen for a distinct change in tone. It never misses. Jeffrey…

When carpenters have to do the rare tape-and-mud job, it can seem that more mud ends up on jeans and floors than on walls and ceilings. Consequently, the mud pan…

In March, I did a full-house rewiring of a 1920s two-story house that has a flat roof and a 1-ft. crawlspace. Without an attic or viable crawlspace for running wires,…

After I spent a month on vacation, the calluses on my fingers were gone. On my first day back to work, I had to hang 24 sheets of drywall. I…