Construction, Remodeling, Pro Tool Reviews, Best Practices, How-To Tips, Tool Buying Guides, Home and Garden, and Solutions to Remodeling Problems Targeted to the Professional and Do-It- Yourselfer
Sealing Deck Boards Before installing wood decking like Ipe or Mahogany boards I always try to convince my customer to allow for the extra cost of back priming the deck boards to seal them from moisture. In most of these situations the deck boards are oiled or stained. In these cases I use a clear…
Common House Repairs Many of the common home repairs I come across are actually the easiest to repair yourself. The five most common household repairs are the following: 1. Sticking Doors: There are a number of causes for doors sticking, the most common is humidity. Depending on the time of year the door may work fine…
Start Your Project In The Least Conspicuous Spot As a new carpenter we often joked that it was nice to “learn as you earn” and “by the time we’re done with this we’ll be a pro – but probably won’t do this for another five years and have to start from scratch again. “When doing…
Photo: Concord Carpenter at Baltimore’s 2010 Remodeling show GreenFiber is a natural fiber cellulose insulation GreenFiber is a natural fiber cellulose insulation product that converts used paper materials that would otherwise be placed in a landfill into an environmentally-sustainable product that helps homeowners reduce their monthly heating and cooling costs. With eco-friendly living becoming a…
Electrical Tape and Receptacle When remodeling I often have to remove live outlets temporarily from the electrical boxes. Anytime this is done I always advocate using electrical tape to wrap electrical receptacles such as outlet or switch terminals. This prevents accidental contact with your hands or tools with the live wires or terminals causing an…
Replacing a Rotted Sill Nosing Often times the first part of a wood window to rot is the sill nosing. Luckily this nosing is a removable and replaceable part of the window. With many window manufacturers replacing a window sill is a viable option as opposed to replacing the window or to using a slew…
Photo: Courtesy of Petersen Aluminum. Sustainable Roofing Materials You know you need a new roof when you have a roof leak! Other times it’s not so straightforward. If you are in need of a new roof, usually the first thing that comes to mind are asphalt shingles. But while a metal roof may not be…
Convert Old Windows to Maintain Style, Save Money and Conserve Energy Older homes typically are in need of new windows, which can save significant amounts of energy. A home need not be that old to benefit from this upgrade. In just over the last decade, technology has made dramatic leaps. Homeowners, however, want to maintain…
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