Carpentry

Band saws, upright power saws with a thin revolving blade, are convenient and versatile wood shop tools, although the table on a band saw is not as large as that of a table saw--use band saws to...

If you like woodworking projects, one of the tools you should consider adding to your tool collection is a biscuit jointer. Sometimes called a biscuit joiner or biscuit plate joiner, this device...

Fiberglass is a great material to use for a deck because it's noncorrosive and waterproof. Fiberglass will not rot like wood, and it's also much lighter than wood, which makes it easier to...

Ceiling bead board has been a common application among homeowners and contractors for the last half century. It can be installed with ease, and after it has been painted, stained or finished, it...

Extracting a frozen screw can feel like an intolerable hassle if not wholly impossible. Utilize these five tips to help you finally get that stubborn screw lose.

Polyester resin is a fiberglass resin that is used for a lot of general fiberglass jobs. Fiberglass will bond to many different surfaces including wood, Styrofoam and even metal. Many times...

Steps can be an intimidating project to tackle, but if you understand the basics anyone can build them. The "run" is the tread which you step on and the "riser" is the vertical face of the steps....

Prepping a wood floor before refinishing sounds like a complicated and tiresome venture. But measured against the high cost of a professional carpenter and the satisfaction of using basic...

Hanging pictures, shelves and decorations on the drywall can be tricky. You can't just tap a nail in and hang things from them. Drywall is soft and will give way under weight, which causes the...

Use finishing nails to fasten lumber in places where a visible nail head would detract from the finished job. Wood floors, cabinets, and trim around windows and doors are prime areas for the use...

A framing square will help keep everything straight on the ground level, while a plumb bob will help keep all vertical construction true and straight. If you are beginning to use a square or plumb...

Wood flooring borders create a beautiful contrast to the main area in the room by framing that particular area. You can use wood flooring as a border around carpet or tile, or you can use a...

Herb vaporizers release resins from leaves and buds by heating, rather than burning, the herb. Heating the resins turns them from a gummy substance to liquid vapor. Vaporizers eliminate inhalation...

Gel stain is an ideal stain to use if you need to stain a wood surface that's upright or if you need to stain on top of an existing stain. The gelatin texture of gel stain helps it adhere to the...

The hand-held power saw comes in two general designs: the worm drive saw and the sidewinder saw. As implied by the name, the sidewinder saw positions the drive motor on either side of the cutting...

While radial arm saws may have been a woodworking tool of the past, now replaced with various types of miter saws, they are still good saws for beginning woodworkers on a budget. Use caution when...

Logs have been a favored natural building material for centuries. Log homes are found all around the world, from small country cabins to majestic, palatial chalets. When properly constructed and...

Mastering the technique of wire soldering is a useful craft that can help you splice electronic wire, fuse jewelry metals, hang your favorite artwork with copper wire hangers or even create wire...

Most gaps in hardwood floors are caused by a lack of humidity. If the air inside the building is too dry, moisture in the wood is drawn out, causing the planks to shrink and gaps to form....

Closet doors in basements and attics often do not allow for standard doors. Usually, because of heat ducts or plumbing, the rough opening is too low and a custom door is required. Bifold doors can...

Invented in Europe in the 1980s, laminate flooring became popular in the United States in the mid 1990s. Laminate flooring is composed of wood fiber, cellulose and wood scraps fused together under...

When ordering a new exterior door, you must measure the jamb size. If the size is incorrect, the door may not fit into the opening or not open completely. It is important to purchase the right...

Insulating your shed floor will keep the floors warmer and reduce the wear and tear on the electrical equipment you keep in there. Items like lawn mowers and hedge trimmers can weather the...

Hardwood flooring adds natural beauty, warm and durability to a home. Traditionally, wood flooring was installed on sub-flooring. However, modern construction methods use a poured concrete slab...

When replacing a storm door, you must first measure the door to purchase a replacement. Standard doors measure from 30 inches to 36 inches wide by 80 inches to 81 inches tall. "Big box" hardware...

There are several different reasons why a stud in a finished wall needs to be located. Some wall hangings such as pictures and mirrors need to be screwed into a stud because of their weight....

One of the few drawbacks that come with the ability to read and write is that, sooner or later, you're going to need a place to do them. While reading can and should be done just about anywhere,...

The Brazilian cherry wood tree (Jabota) offers a beautiful, fine grained wood, with beautiful warm red tones that are a compliment to any home interior. Prized for its durability, stain resistance...

You can stop outdoor bamboo fencing from degrading due to weathering but it will take a little time. When installing bamboo fencing, it's important not to use bamboo poles for the fence posts....

Piano hinges, of all the hinge styles on the market, are the easiest to install because its an all in one hinge. There is no struggling to align two separate hinges with one another. Generally...

There comes a time in the life of all carpenters and homeowners when they will have to remove an old set nail. Removing nails can be a very easy task depending on the size and depth of the nail,...

In recent years, entry and exterior doors have been made of materials other than wood. Metal and fiberglass have become popular alternatives to more expensive wood doors. Wood is still the most...

Deep-cycle batteries are manufactured to be recharged again and again. A familiar automobile battery does not have this capability. Additionally, the lead-acid type is easier to obtain and safer...

Engineered hardwood flooring is commonly composed of multiple thin layers of wood, with the signature wood as a surface veneer. The surface veneer is available in literally hundreds of different...

Hickory is considered one of nature's finest woods, with a tensile strength that rivals steel. It is also one of the most beautiful and unusual woods. Woodworkers have long admired its striking...

Woodworking professionals, hobbyists and home-improvement teams using automatic nail hammers may choose between brad and finishing nail guns. People owning these two tools often employ them...

Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) is an exotic hardwood, imported from South America, that can be crafted into beautiful and durable flooring planks. Hand-scraped and planed with precision, the boards...

Worms in old lumber are actually the larva of wood-boring beetles. The old lumber provides a safe environment where the larva achieve adult beetle form. The adult beetles then burrow out of the...

Diamond sharpening stones and tools use diamond dust to sharpen steel, and they do so rapidly and effectively. Diamond systems can handle carbide steel, which is resistant to sharpening with...

New home projects and remodelling projects have many differences. Yet, there are a few elements that come into play for both. One such project is anchoring door sills. Whether your door will be...

A stick framing nailer is a pneumatic nailing gun which uses nails mounted or collated on a straight paper or plastic carrier. Unlike a "coil framing nailer," which uses nails that are collated on...

When referring to screws, 10-24 is one description of the type of screw you are dealing with. More formally, 10-24 tells us the size and also the pitch diameter of the screw. Taken together, these...

Learn how to go about finding a custom cabinet manufacturer.

If everything you touch seems to break, stop working, make funny noises, or start smoking – you may want a handyman to come check things out. At least for your own safety if nothing else! Many...

Increase your closet space and organize your world - one shelf at a time. Add a shelf to your clothes closet and it will increase your chances of at least having one space that is orderly. ...

Attics are a readily available source for storage in most homes. There is a lot of unused space in an attic that can be converted into extra space, and your attic is a great place for seasonal...

Wood screws and lag bolts are both threaded fasteners used in wood projects but the similarities between them are very few beyond that.

Screws that have been used to secure wood or metal that have been reused can get worn over time and end up stripped. A stripped screw is when the head no longer holds the screwdriver in place when...

Get tips on removing your old cabinets.