Skills and Techniques - Page 489 of 643

To avoid unintentional patterns, randomize the offset distance between shingles in successive courses as much as possible.

The drawing shows the rig I use to keep shingle courses aligned when shingling a simple (no hips or valleys) roof. Instead of snapping chalklines, I scribe layout marks on…

A common blow-dryer (1875w), which costs about $20, can be a useful tool on winter job sites. I’m not talking about preventing bad-hair days, but providing an instant source of…

All you really need is a length of plastic tubing and a bucket of water

Practical details for framing, bracing and blocking, sheathing, insulation, vapor barriers, and more.

What they are, why you should care, and how to install them.

Stone and concrete walls built flat on the ground and craned into place are fast and maintenance-free, if unconventional.

Q: I read with interest the article Vinyl Siding Done Right. The thing that caught my eye was the use of felt paper. I didn’t think its use would be…

Backing ripped from 2x4s and a well-planned crown-molding installation scheme take a lot of the guesswork out of this challenging job.

Recently, I was asked to install a small crown-molding assembly consisting of standard 1-3/4-in. bed molding with 1/4-in. by 1-1/2-in. flat-lattice top and bottom. Normally, I would install these parts…