Carpentry

There's nothing like a good set of tools that are also organized to help simplify home repair jobs and emergencies. The tools described in this article are for general household needs. Its a good...

Because wooden chairs are commonly found in high-traffic areas, such as kitchens and dining rooms, they get a lot of use and take a lot of abuse. Even the toughest wooden chairs can become wobbly...

Teak oil is commonly used to finish outdoor furniture because it waterproofs it. It is also used on indoor furniture in high- humidity climates, to keep it from warping. It is durable and does its...

Pocket doors are many homeowners' favorite space-saving device, until it comes time to remove the pocket door hangers. What makes pocket doors so wonderful is that they literally disappear into a...

Leveling a door jamb is necessary for the door to function properly. An out-of-level door jamb forces a door to "stick" when closed, stops the door from closing all the way or latching, and can...

Depending on when your home or apartment was built, you may have wood trim along the sides of the walls. You also may choose not to paint the trim. If you are leaving the wood unpainted and bare,...

Some homeowners prefer the rustic look of nail heads protruding from interior wood trim. Others prefer a more finished appearance in wood trim. If you prefer a smooth finish in wood trim, you will...

Wood sheds have many uses. Because they are easy to build and provide ample storage space at a cheap price, they are popular around the world. If you are planning on building your own wood shed...

Garages always seem to collect all the extra stuff in the house. An empty corner can be the perfect place to build a set of shelves to help with organization. Use 1x2 boards as stringers to...

Wood glue can be the carpenter's best friend. When placed in the right joints it can hold a piece of furniture together for a century or more. On the face of a wooden cabinet, however, it bodes...

A cedar closet can add a wonderful scent to your clothes while providing a preservative effect that will keep away moths and bugs. The average do-it-yourself homeowner can install a cedar closet...

Door jambs occasionally suffer damage because of a mishap or break-in and can lend a shoddy appearance to your home if not repaired promptly. If you are handy with tools, you can replace this unit...

Estimating siding need not be an intimidating task. Contractors and estimators have followed the same tried-and-true methods for estimating siding for many years without fail. If you are planning...

French doors add style to a room and allow for ease of movement, especially when moving furniture or other large objects in and out. Like single doors, French doors are prone to sticking along the...

Staple guns, also referred to as pneumatic nailers, are handheld tools used to drive heavy metal staples into various types of materials, such as wood or masonry.

Deadbolt locks are one of the most secure locking systems available today. They are difficult to pick for entering a building illegally and nearly unbreakable. There are two basic types of...

You are ready to install new plush carpet in your basement. You have the carpet, padding, glue and all the other supplies you need for installation. You have one question---should you seal the...

Composite decking is made from vinyl or other man-made materials. It is designed to mimic the appearance of wood while providing a high level of durability and moisture resistance. This decking is...

Having the right tool for the job is important but it only serves you if you can find that tool. An excellent way to organize your garage is by using pegboard. Pegboard is relatively inexpensive...

If you want to partition the laundry area of your basement into its own room, basic walls made from 2-by-4 boards and wallboard can be built and affixed to the existing walls of your basement. New...

If you have ever been making something with wood but the nail went into the wrong place, or maybe the hammer hit the wood too hard and created a dent, it tends to ruin the look of your project....

Old bolts can occasionally be hard to remove. Rust can build up and cause them to be stuck within the holes. Even worse, the bolt head can break off and make the rest of the bolt nearly impossible...

A mantel is a striking addition to your living room and can help accentuate the fireplace as a centerpiece. With the correct tools and materials, a mantel can be easily hung onto a traditional...

Cleaning the vent on your dryer can improve the efficiency and heating level of the appliance as well as protect against the risk of fire. Clothing lint and debris from fabric softener sheets can...

Coping saws are a convenient tool to have when you need to cut curves in wood. Just like any other saw, the blade will have to be changed periodically to ensure that it is sharp enough to get a...

Planning on installing new baseboards yourself? Installing baseboards can be a fun project for any do-it-yourselfer. It's a relatively simple job that only requires basic carpentry skills. Here is...

International Auto Shipping service to transfer your car to another country may be worth the effort if you don't want to rent or buy a new car at your new residence. Of course, you could sell your...

Brad nails are small fasteners used in a wide range of woodworking projects. A nailer speeds the process of driving in nails immeasurably and makes it more accurate. Brad nailers are powered by...

The task of removing a wood floor ranges in difficulty depending on how the floor was attached, what kind of sub-floor there is, whether or not the boards were glued down and whether or not you...

The 16-gauge nail gun has not completely made the hand nail obsolete, but it has become the primary choice for contractors nailing casing, baseboard, crown, and other moldings. The benefits of...

Prior to the 1940s, lath and plaster was one of the most common methods for preparing interior walls for paint or wallpaper. The advent of drywall has caused other building materials to steadily...

The right blade for the right job--this is called working smarter, not harder. Choosing the proper table saw blade can save you aggravation and time in the long run, and should be your first step...

During remodeling it is often necessary to attach wood members to steel beams. The main purpose for attaching wood directly to steel is to secure walls and to build a framework for drywall, trim...

Concrete formwork is as important as the concrete itself; the formwork shapes the eventual finished product of the concrete. The average do-it-yourself homeowner can greatly improve their finished...

According to a Sept. 14, 2009, press release from the National Fire Protection Association, there were 403,000 residential property fires in 2008, one every 78 seconds, with a cost of $8.6...

One of the most popular counters for a bathroom vanity is the one piece counter and sink. They come in many different styles and colors and are very easy to install. Besides their beauty, what...

Pressure-treated lumber is impregnated with preservative that makes the wood last longer, particularly in areas where it is directly exposed to water. The preservative often contains arsenic...

Porches provide a warm and welcoming gateway into your home. But what to do when your porch says "Come in" and your worn steps are saying "Stay away"? Weather, age and traffic all play their part...

Wood siding has been used successfully for thousands of years. It has a solid, well-built appearance and provides good insulation. It can be painted or stained to provide positive curb appeal....

Dremel tools are extremely helpful for a variety of projects. They are also very versatile because you can change the Dremel tool bit very quickly depending on your need. Dremel makes 100's of...

Got a dull chisel? Chisels can become dull fast. Cutting wood using blunt force can wreak havoc on any blade. Keeping a sharp chisel is also important for safety reasons. I dull blade can be...

Need to cut a hinge mortise but don't have access to an electric router? Relax, people have been doing it with just a hammer and chisel for decades. A chisel can actually be less work than a...

Only knowledgeable craftspeople should cut metal with a bandsaw, an often-tricky task. Because you put yourself into more potential danger when cutting metal with a bandsaw than when cutting wood,...

Power drills have become an important part of the woodworking arsenal. They are incredibly versatile tools that have a myriad uses in almost all projects: whether you need holes drilled or screws...

Removing silicone caulking from wood surfaces can be a fussy job, especially when you are trying not to damage or scratch the wood or wood finish itself. It is usually not the best idea to scrape...

When replacing or repairing decking, stubborn screws are a common problem. Common Phillips head screws often strip as they are being installed. Don't worry, there are lots of options to remove...

Whether you are framing and installing an interior door in a newly-constructed space or are are trying to create a new doorway in your existing home with studs already placed in the wall, you'll...

Screws are superior to nails when used in decking. Over time, the expansion and contraction of wood loosens nails and leads to loose boards and warping. In the world of screws, the six-pointed...

Deck screws are used during deck construction. Using high-quality deck screws will alleviate several problems that may arise from using lower-quality screws, including cracks, splits, nail raising...

T-111 siding is a durable and heavy-duty siding that comes in 4-by-8-ft. sheets. It is almost always used on the exterior of a home or building, and must be painted after its installation. If you...