When the old timers changed their homes from fireplace and stove heating, they used gravity hot air, steam, or hot water. Gravity hot air required large return air ducts in the floor, so they put a metal bottom on a joist space to create a duct. Code guys today would have a heart attack to see that done. These large returns needed a cover in the floor, and usually those covers were made out of wood. Read the full article…
Sharpening tools properly must be one of the hardest lessons to learn in carpentry. And yet the path to success is simple. Unless you’re a tool junkie, or my friend Gary Katz, it doesn’t require fancy or expensive equipment. Read the full article…
1. Does PVC trim require a primer?
A primer is only needed if you want the paint manufacturer’s warranty. Excellent adhesion can be achieved by properly cleaning the board before applying a topcoat of paint to PVC trim. (Refer to painting guidelines in the Versatex contractor handbook for more information on painting PVC trim.) Read the full article…
I’ve heard carpenters and trim installation contractors complain that PVC trim expands and contracts too much. My comment to them is: Yes, cellular PVC trim does move, but so do all other exterior building products, and many of them just as much as, if not more than, cellular PVC.
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A recent article in THISisCarpentry—“Craftsman Style Mantel and Bookcases,” by Brian Cinski Jr.—referenced the book “Building Fireplace Mantels,” by Mario Rodriguez. Brian used this book to replicate a stunning Charles Rennie Mackintosh mantel and bookcase. I was intrigued, and ordered a copy of the book. Inside, I found many great tips, as well as a plethora of techniques I had never imagined. One in particular amazed me: the “sliding dovetail cleat.” Read the full article…
I love to hear old-timers tell stories. At a JLC Live stair building seminar taught by Jed Dixon, I talked with Jed and Don Jackson (editor of JLC) about installing skirt boards and how I was taught to install the treads and risers first, and then scribe the skirts over the top of them. Read the full article…
I’ve repaired a lot of rotting trim in the past few years—mostly window sills, door framing trim, and garage door trim. I’ve used all of the commonly accepted practices—like cutting out and replacing the rotted piece and using structural repair epoxy—as well as not-so-accepted practices, like using Bondo. I’ve come to the conclusion that they all have their place in the hierarchy of repair options. Read the full article…
As a member of a trim crew, once the doors have been hung and the case and base is installed, I can’t wait to get to the fun and unusual jobs. Some of these are crown molding or built-ins, but, for me, the best is building Jacuzzi/garden tub surrounds. These surrounds come in all different sizes and shapes, but they all need some means of access to the pumps, motors, and valves hidden under the tub deck. Read the full article…
Have you ever wished you had a little desk inside your van, where you could write notes, or even comfortably type on your computer? Well, here’s a nifty solution for any van or truck with an extra cup holder. Read the full article…
There was a time—not too long ago, really—when carpenters approached problems differently than they do today, and the solutions they conceived were different, too. Some readers might suspect I’m talking about raked crown on an open pediment, but that’s a rare problem encountered in only a few homes. Read the full article…
How many times have you pushed a sheet of MDF or a wide board through your table saw and wondered if it was really tight against the rip fence? They often look tight, but if the light hits a board just right, there’s a slight shadow right between the board and the fence. Sometimes that shadow drives us nuts. Is the wood tight against the fence or is there a small gap? Read the full article…
I’ve been working with my dad for 15 years. In those years, I’ve learned almost everything I know from him. But lately I’ve been picking up some great techniques from the JLC Forums, and they’ve changed the way we work. Yes, they’ve even changed my Dad’s approach to a craft he’s been practicing for over thirty years.
On a recent job, we were asked to install all of the window stool at the same elevation throughout the home, and tie together the stool on adjacent windows. I’ve done this same work before many times, using wooden shims. But that technique has always been frustrating. Read the full article…
When the GC got to the jobsite on Monday morning, I could tell from the look on his face that something was wrong. After a quick glance at the materials in the back of his truck — two special order interior doors and some small moldings, I knew exactly what it was. The special order doors, like a lot of other special order items that are delivered near the end of the job, were the wrong ones. Read the full article…