Tips & Techniques

Woodpeckers made some awful 1/2-in.-dia. holes in my red-cedar sidewall shingles. After replacing more shingles than I care to admit, I came up with an easy, effective solution. I simply…

Before I remove a mirror that has been glued to a wall, I cover it with carpet protector. This is an adhesive-backed clear plastic sheet. If the glass should fracture,…

Rare-earth magnets increase the holding power of a standard magnetic screw bit.

Learn how to create inexpensive Fein Multimaster replacement blades from affordable Japanese saws.

Not long ago, I accidentally hit several of my favorite tools with a quick blast from a can of spray paint, giving them a black-speckled look. The cap was anchored…

As a renovation contractor, I work mostly in old homes that require straightening (where possible). To find out how much a floor sagged from one corner to the other, I…

Because fiber cement is heavy and dense, it is difficult for one person to hold it to a line, match up to an end, and start the first fastener. My…

I use a time-saving tool to spread water-based finishes quickly over the hardwood floors that I install. It is simply a 3/4-in.-thick hardwood strip covered by a length of 1-in.-thick…

Like many other contractors, I love my 8-in. Makita tablesaw. I’ve had it for more than 20 years. But one aspect of this saw has always been frustrating to me:…

Production-minded installers using pneumatic tools aren’t always cautious about where they drive the nails or staples that fasten cedar shingles to a wall. I was asked to strip and reshingle…