Skills and Techniques - Page 539 of 644

I've found that it's best to wait until stain-grade work has received its coat of stain and one coat of finish before filling the nail holes. If you fill the…

Parallel-chord floor trusses are more stable and span greater distances than stick framing, and speedier setup offsets their higher cost.

Q: My neighbors recently had their wood floors removed. Their flooring contractor cut the 30-year-old 1-in. thick select red oak into 3-ft. to 5-ft. lengths and ripped it out. I scavenged…

Once upon a time, when framing lumber was of uniform dimension, we used to snap our chalklines on the sides of beams to show where to preinstall the joist hangers.…

Glue, staples and a little engineering turn sheets of plywood into trusses and columns.

During the winter months, I usually renovate basements. When I'm drywalling and painting, I can't wash my tools and brushes with the garden hose because it's so cold outside. If…

With store-bought moldings and a router, you can give laminate counters the monolithic look of solid-surface material.

In Pennsylvania, we have to deal with some very muddy conditions in the springtime. The best way to cope with mud on a construction project is with straw. Spread it…

A clean edge without a master's hand.

Q: I need to install a grab bar in an existing one-piece fiberglass tub/shower. It seems that the wall of the shower alone is not strong enough to support a…