Building Materials & Supplies

When I built my last house my sons were eight and ten respectively and just on the verge of teendom, I knew the combo of their loud music and my night shift schedule would make it hard on all...

Ceramic tiles are an attractive and durable tiling choice for any surface. The tiles come in a variety of sizes and colors and can last decades provided they're given adequate maintenance. Placing...

A spiral saw is a type of router which works by running a spinning bit sideways against whatever material you're cutting. The bit comes down through a flat base with a hole in the center that...

CertainTeed drywall is sometimes considered the perfect interior surfacing product for use on interior ceilings and walls. Once it has been installed, finished and primed, this type of wall...

A drop ceiling might be viewed, as a more complicated solution than drywall but in reality drop ceilings are not overly difficult to install. Drop ceilings can be decorative or completely...

A hole saw is a kind of bit that attaches to you power drill and cuts different size holes in any surface, including drywall. It looks like a cup with teeth around the rim with a regular drill bit...

With recent reports in the news from federal investigators about damaged dry wall from China containing higher levels of unhealthy chemicals and out-gassing than domestic dry wall, concerned...

Stone or clay-based tile has no "give'' to it, meaning it will break if it moves at all. That makes it important to have a solid, immobile underlayment. The only truly perfect tile floor...

Ceramic, porcelain, marble and every other kind of stone or clay-based "hard'' tile share two characteristics: they have absolutely no flexibility. They'll crack if uneven stress is applied to...

Whether your drywall has dents from children, furniture or renters, one thing is certain: Dents need to be fixed before they become cracks. Fixing drywall dents is straightforward and easy for...

Disappearing attic ladders are one of the most ingenious inventions of the building industry. They provide easy access to the attic yet disappear when they are not in use. For this do-it-yourself...

Drywall is a building material made from natural gypsum, sand, water and other minerals. It is widely used to construct buildings throughout the world and may be used in both homes and commercial...

When remodeling an older home with plaster walls, you can keep the budget down and retain a certain period charm by repairing the plaster rather than removing it all. Cracks and other damage to...

With so many brands of cordless screwguns on the market, more screws are being driven than ever before. What I have seen in the construction industry in the last 10 years scares me. Building Codes...

Fully insulating a wall is the single best thing you can do to improve your home's heating and cooling efficiency. It's very easy to do if the wall is open for new construction or remodeling....

Soundproofing can keep the noise out of your home, office, studio or other rooms where you need quiet. Constant noise can be harmful to your health and disturb your sleep, affect your hearing and...

Cutting Drywall is an important part of any drywall project. Getting a straight, clean cut is necessary if you do not want to waste your drywall. You need a good clean cut so that the pieces of...

The cost of constructing and operating a building continues to be a critical issue facing building owners and proponents of affordable housing. While costs can be reduced through obvious...

Hanging drywall on a ceiling by yourself isn't possible without the help of some kind of drywall ``lift'' to hold the weight of the drywall while you screw it in place. You can rent drywall lifts...

Drywall tools are used to properly install the material that forms walls in most homes and buildings. The essential tools help cut the materials, secure the drywall in place with nails or screws,...

For a DIY drywall project there are a few tools that you will need to buy. Though installation of drywall is not especially difficult, having the correct tools will make your work that much easier...

In this article, you will learn how to put up shelving and create additional storage in your laundry or utility room, without spending a lot of money.

A trowel looks like a little, short-handled shovel and has uses in many different professions. The professions that rely heavily on the use of trowels are actually referred to as "the trowel...

Finishing a basement is already an environmentally-friendly option for gaining living space in your home, because you don't have to build exterior walls and you can benefit from the natural...

Drywall mud is another term for joint compound. It is used to embed paper drywall tape over drywall joints. Subsequent coats then cover and hide those tapes. Before purchasing drywall mud, you...

Drywall clips are particularly beneficial at corners or along the ceiling. Rather than using the traditional three- or four-stud corner to support the drywall, a single or double-stud corner is...

Construction adhesive can be difficult to remove from drywall. The paper face of drywall is easy to damage. If it is roughened by the removal of the adhesive, you may need to repair the surface...

Although drywall installation is not difficult, careful attention must be paid to the installation of drywall screws. Improperly installed screws can cause "pops" on the surface of the wall or...

There are many types of drywall tools available, but most professionals rely on simple techniques that work with them all. Whichever tools you decide to use, make sure they are good quality. If...

Drywall screws are specially designed with wide, flat heads. These heads form a dimple in the surface of the drywall that is easily filled with joint compound but still provides enough strength to...

Fiberglass drywall tape is used for covering the joints between drywall panels. The major benefit of fiberglass drywall tape is how easy it is to install. Because it is self-adhesive, fiberglass...

Although professionals typically will use paper drywall tape to cover the joints between drywall panels, there are situations when mesh drywall tape is a good choice. The major benefit of mesh...

A Dremel can be used as a cutting tool to cut through materials such as screws, bolts, drywall, wood and ceramic. Find the appropriate cutting attachments to match the material with tips from a...

Rather than hauling leftover drywall from your building or remodeling project to the landfill, recycle them instead. You'll help save landfill space and reduce toxic gas emissions since the gypsum...

Drywall is a building material used all over the world to create the smooth walls we see in almost every home in the U.S. Drywall replaced the old-fashioned plaster for covering wood framed...

The average sheet of drywall is 4 feet by 8 feet and weighs between 75 and 100 pounds, depending on the type of material used. Typically it is made of gypsum, which is laminated between two sheets...

When the Chinese drywall problem was first discovered, experts thought that those affected only resided in Florida. However, this is not the case. Chinese drywall has now been found nationwide...

Anyone who remodels to the extent that they rebuild walls with Sheetrock knows the confusion when it comes to purchasing drywall tape. There is a huge selection of drywall tape, and it comes with...

Do-It-Yourself projects can be rewarding, challenging and money saving ventures. Read on to find out how to estimate your project costs before getting started.

Use drywall joint to connect drywall pieces together. There are different types of drywall joint tapes. The first type is the paper drywall joint tape, made mainly with paper, as its name...

It is very easy to cut dry wall. All you need is a T square and a utility knife.

Unless you plan to install a textured medium on the surface of your wall, you will likely apply paint or wallpaper. In either case, any bumps, uneven patches or dents in the drywall beneath will...

Smooth coat is actually a thinned version of joint compound, otherwise known as drywall "mud." It consists of a mixture of water, attapulgite, limestone, ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer and...

If you are planning to buy some tools or materials soon here are some tips to get a better deal. I worked at Home depot for a while in the contractor dept and learned a few things about good deals.

Before installing drywall, make sure the application area is clean and free of debris. This may require removing old drywall or other materials before installing the new. In overlay situations,...

Drywall is made out of a mineral called gypsum. Gypsum's scientific name is dihydrous calcium sulfate and its molecules are made up of two parts water and one part calcium sulfate. Because it...

Fiberglass is used for a variety of industrial purposes. Though this material is convenient and relatively easy to use, it can be dangerous to work with, so be sure to cover most of your skin when...

Drywall mud, or joint compound, is one of the most versatile products in the interior of a house. The different applications of this product are what lend to its versatility. Consumers use drywall...

There are many kinds of wiring you'll want to insert into your walls before putting up the drywall. Wire is relatively cheap in bulk, so shove as much of it as you can into the walls before you...

Here's how to cut Sheetrock for your next building project.