What's the Difference?

We compare construction materials, products, and tools so you can make smart choices for your home-building and remodeling projects.

Tile Thinset Mortar Options
Check with the ANSI standards when choosing a tile adhesive.
Wood-Trim Alternatives
Understand the differences between fiber-cement, cellular PVC, and wood-composite trim.
What’s the Difference: Paintbrushes
Choose the right bristle shape, ferrule type, and handle style to match the demands of your paint job.
What’s the Difference: Torches
Discover the difference between propane vs. propylene gas torches for homebuilders, remodelers and plumbers
What’s the Difference: Nail Shanks
Choosing smooth, screw, or ring-shank nails depends on what you are building, and where.
What’s the Difference: Titanium Hammers vs. Steel Hammers
It turns out that the hype surrounding titanium has value.
What’s the Difference: Is PVA, polyurethane, or CA glue right for my project?
All 3 of these common types of adhesives have a place in home building, but each is better for specific uses.
What’s the Difference: Deck Stain
Most stains are engineered to color and protect wood in a single coat and are available in oil-based, water-based, and water-based epoxy-fortified mixtures.
What’s the Difference: Circular sawblades with different tooth counts
Choosing a blade with the correct number of teeth for a particular job ensures the best performance from a circular saw, a miter saw, or a tablesaw.
What’s the Difference: Trellis, Arbor, and Pergola
Although the terms often are used interchangeably, trellises, arbors, and pergolas are distinctly different structures.

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