Carpentry Skills

Turn your patio or deck into a comfortable, protected outdoor room. This DIY-friendly design features exposed, natural wood beams and…

OSB and plywood can both be used for walls, floors and roofs, but there are some differences between them. Here’s a rundown of the…

Recurring cracks in a ceiling with full-span trusses may be caused by various types of moisture problems— sometimes in foundations, but…

High-strength structural screws are beginning to displace traditional lag screws as the fastener of choice for structural applications.…

New or replacement windows can be made completely watertight with just a little extra effort by properly installing the sill pan, house wrap and…

Transform your garage into a room by adding wiring, insulation and wall covering. A finished garage can become a workshop, mechanic's space,…

Learn how to fix common casement window problems. Free up a sticking window, replace a broken crank operator or sagging hinge, even replace an…

Create more storage space in your garage for tools, garden equipment, toys and everything else, even in the narrow alley between the wall and…

Adjusting a door that doesn't hang correctly is a frustrating experience, but there are a few tricks of the trade that can achieve miracles.…

Sliding patio doors get sticky and hard to open when the wheels go out of adjustment or the track gets too dirty. Here’s where to adjust them…

Replacing a door in an existing door frame is easier and much cheaper than pulling out the trim and frame and installing a prehung door, because…

Laminate flooring can be used for wet areas like bathroom floors, but only if it's AC3 rated, with sealed expansion gaps at walls and around…

Build your own birch plywood closet organizer for half the cost of buying one. Using this simple design you can build an organizer to fit any…

Flat screen TVs are too heavy and too expensive to take chances with. If you can't catch the stud when you're hanging the bracket, there's only…

Garage service doors and other fire-rated doors need self-closing hinges, but for a few dollars more you can upgrade to a hydraulic door closer…

Construct an eye-catching cedar deck surrounded by a veneered stone wall that provides both privacy and seating. The article includes full…

Elegant, traditional wainscoting looks like an intimidating project, but with this simple, easy-to-assemble design even a moderately skilled…

Ready to replace your drafty old windows with new energy-efficient units? We'll show you the two easiest ways to pull out old windows and put…

Want to add a new window or door to an exterior weight-bearing wall? We’ll explain how headers work and give you some tips on how to…

This article provides step-by-step instructions and pictures on how to make structural repairs by sistering floor joists alongside weak joists.…