Jobsite Know-How
Goodbye bull-and-jam demo. Magnets and drills are cleaner—and ultimately faster—than sledgehammers.
Trowel-on flashing is a good solution for fat-wall openings into which windows are partly or fully recessed
The trick is to drill a tiny exploratory hole with a locator bit made from a piece of piano wire
A tile setter shares a 40-year-old secret to tooling perfect joints every time
How to lay out, align, and connect the inner and outer walls of a superinsulated double-wall house
Unit pricing is an invaluable tool for fast, accurate estimating. But counting units is not the same as estimating. Make sure your estimator knows the difference.
A pre-construction smoke-test will produce air leaks you (and your clients) can see
The result is a clean cutout that will be easily concealed by a standard coverplate
The trick is to use narrow strips of membrane and a triangular stick
Tools and techniques for making perfect electrical box cutouts every time
Studies show that “bump nailers” cause twice as many serious injuries compared with sequential-trigger nail guns. Three carpenters (Shawn Mahler, Caleb Miller, and Nathan Roberts) described the injuries shown in these photos during video interviews available at the website for the Center for Construction Research and Training.
Three carpenters come clean about their injuries from using “bump nailers”—nail guns with contact triggers
Tips for making a perfect joint where wood meets brick or other irregular surfaces
Built-up deck beams create seams that collect water and inhibit drying. Using spacers between 2-bys creates an airspace that promotes drainage and speeds drying.
There’s more than one way to calculate quantities for curved slabs and tube forms. We review the standard math, add a shortcut, and throw in a cheat sheet for good measure.
Properly overlapping metal flashing, sealing tapes, and peel-and-stick membranes keeps wind-driven water from getting into the house
Adding plywood gussets to short lengths of I-joist makes for easy-to-install blocking in an engineered floor frame
A strip of plywood, some blocks, and a table saw will help you salvage crooked framing lumber by safely ripping a straight edge
Ten tips on how to layout and set tile in a running bond pattern on shower walls
A system of tracks holds large panels off the sheathing, creating a rainscreen while also providing flashing at joints and a finished edge treatment