(with Gene Wengert, The Wood Doctor.) Expected movement can be accurately predicted, which means avoiding potential problems down the road. In this article, we’ll explain the importance of understanding wood movement, how to use a moisture meter to measure the moisture content (MC) of trim, how to decide when a load of trim should be… Read the full article
After having worked exclusively on the restoration and repair of older wooden window sash for a number of years, I am pleased to see a resurgence of interest in window restoration, as well as discussion of the merits of original versus replacement windows.
There is a 99% chance that if you live in Los Angeles, your wood frame home survived the 1994 Northridge earthquake. It was a magnitude 6.7 event, caused $20 billion in damage, and seventy-two deaths. The damage to homes was primarily stucco cracks at door and window openings, and un-reinforced masonry chimney failures. There was… Read the full article
About twenty years ago, I got some rough cherry boards from Grandpa’s garage attic. He had cut down a cherry tree in his yard back in the 1930s, sawed it into boards, and put it up in the attic to dry. It sat in my barn for more than 10 years before I could figure… Read the full article
If your miters aren’t as tight as they used to be, here’s how to get your saw singing on pitch again! Every carpenter should know that when you buy a new chisel or hand plane it’s not razor sharp out of the box — you have to sharpen it before using it. Well, the same… Read the full article
Earthquake Defense mechanical connections require a lot of planning. With the 2007 CBC codes addressing Earthquake Defense more progressively, we’re feeling more like Carpenters of Steel than carpenters of wood! The amount of steel in new buildings in California for seismic structural engineering is changing the way carpenters frame. For production framing here in California,… Read the full article
Sometimes the fastest method is the oldest On most jobsites today, the sight of a hand tool brings stares, questions, and, more frequently than not, a shaking of heads that some poor fool couldn’t afford a tool with a cord or a lithium-ion battery attached to it. Yes, many times a battery-powered tool is exactly… Read the full article
Once you figure out the math, the rest is just glue and sawdust. “You want what?” You’re kidding!” That’s what I thought when some very good clients asked me to build a railing for a second floor deck above a living space. I hesitated — I normally do interior finish work, not decks. But when… Read the full article
Erica Fischer reports on construction challenges facing post-earthquake Haiti The earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12th was described as a “middle-class disaster.” I was not sure what that meant until I arrived in Port-au-Prince on March 20th and began doing building assessments with the ATC-20 guidelines. Those who could afford proper building materials, a… Read the full article
Start with the Finish and Work Back to the Rough A lot of carpenters scratch their heads every time they finish framing a porch and start on the stairs. There are so many ways to frame stairs on a porch that it’s hard to make a logical choice, let alone use the same technique twice…. Read the full article
Drive through a new subdivision today and you’re greeted by homes covered with large swathes of vinyl and plastic. Step onto a porch and meet more plastic—floors, railings, columns…the list goes on and on. In many homes, plastic has replaced wood and permeated almost every exterior building product. Not surprisingly, builders have become fluent at… Read the full article
Selling yourself: Like it or not, marketing matters. I started my Handyman business in Los Angeles, CA back in 1999 after leaving a 23-year sales career. I made a good living in sales, but it wasn’t satisfying. I’ve always been interested in fixing things, and even more interested in working with wood. Over the years,… Read the full article
A not-so-big carpenter gears up: Shopping for equipment to fit size small in an industry that caters to XXL. I’ve been a woman in the construction trades for over twenty years now. I’ve learned to frame, finish and fix along with the other guys. I can trade job-site humor with the best of them, and… Read the full article
A simple tool takes the guess work — and a lot of the brain work — out of making safe comfortable stairs. Every time I’m asked to bid or to build a set of stairs, I unroll the plans, look at the details, and shake my head. Architects rarely include and often they don’t even… Read the full article