Building Designs

Wood materials used to build a deck sometimes become warped by the sun and rain. It is almost impossible to prevent the materials from warping because of the fickle nature of the wood--expanding...

If you have a disabled or frail relative, you may be thinking of installing a handicap ramp in your home. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides guidelines for handicap ramps as a...

Adding a storage-shed to your back yard or property can provide some much needed extra space. The slanted roof storage shed is an ideal and easy to build design for even beginning builders....

There are places that we may move into that are very small and don't have any cabinet space, or closets. There are ways to work around this. Shelving open air cabinets, are the way to go. You...

If you have ever been browsing at the local lumber yard (garden center) you know how expensive it is to build an arbor. I am going to show you how to do it for a fraction of the cost with a...

Who wouldn't want to have a more appealing yard? I know I did! I had a sloping back yard and wanted to make it more "kid friendly". I had the idea of building a retaining wall. As I...

Building a deck is a fun outdoor project but it can also be daunting. Setting the concrete footings, leveling the frame and correctly installing the decking can be difficult. If you have an itch...

A wheelchair ramp is a very practical addition to any deck, whether it is for someone with a handicap or not. Accidents, like falling down stairs, happen all of the time, so you can eliminate that...

Your fence may be intact, but the gate gets the most wear and often needs to be replaced before the rest of the fence. You might have to wait awhile to get on a carpenter's list---and the fee for...

Dig two holes near one end of the patio to install vertical roof support braces. Fill the holes with cement and insert the support boards (4x4 boards work best) into the holes until they are...

Barn double doors are a classic addition to any home or work barn. These double doors allow more access to your barn and give plenty of space to pull in large machines and animals. Double doors...

A storage barn is only as good as its doors. If you can't get anything through those doors, then it defeats the purpose of easy, on-site storage. When you are building a ramp to a storage barn,...

Batter boards are the starting block for your home or building so that all of your walls will be square. If your batter boards are not square or level, it will throw your whole foundation off. Use...

The stilt house is a traditional style of building that you'll see in countries like Indonesia and New Guinea where dry land is at a premium. The stilt house will stay dry no matter how damp the...