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…
When I first started in the flooring business, I always wondered why no one made a specialty nailer for nailing through T&G flooring without affecting the finish on the face of the board. Enter the Duo-Fast FloorMaster 250BN. Read the full article…
In early 2008, an elderly woman drove her car through our back yard and took out a chain link gate. Her vehicle raced across the lawn, just missing a beautiful 30-year-old tangelo tree and a water fountain, eventually crashing into a fence where the corners of four properties met. Her insurance company paid us fairly to cover the total cost of damages, and so began my Great Gate Project. Read the full article…
Like a lot of guys I meet, I’ve spent years fighting to build cabinets and furniture, and mill custom moldings, in my garage shop—working around the 1951 Mack fire truck I restored, and the 1954 Harley I’m working on, and my newer bike—plus, I have to store all this crap for Gary and Mike’s Roadshows…well, you get the picture. I wanted a real shop, a place I could spread out and get some work done without having to move stuff every time I wanted to build something. Read the full article…
Two-centered and four-centered arches share something in common—a pointed peak. It’s not surprising that both are commonly found in Gothic and Gothic-inspired architecture. But a three-centered arch—sometimes called a ‘basket-handle arch’ or ‘Anse de panier’—closely resembles an ellipse, which puts it in a field of its own. Read the full article…
Most carpenters these days are very concerned about space. Whether we are trying to cram all of our tools into the back of a pickup, into a small garage/shop, or onto a cramped jobsite, most of us are all-too-aware that the old adage “bigger is better” is not always true. How many times have we been on a job only to wish we had brought that one tool that was left behind due to lack of space? Read the full article…
Today, ‘tangent handrail’ is certainly an obscure topic. Until recently, when I taught a seminar on the subject in Seattle, I didn’t think anyone would be interested. I was wrong. At that seminar, hosted by Keith Mathewson of Seattle Fine Woodworking, we had a full house of dedicated craftsmen who came together from all parts of the country for one reason only—to learn something new. Read the full article…
Many of you know John Ratzenberger from his role as Cliff Clavin on the popular sitcom “Cheers”. Cliff was a postal worker who spent his free time eating peanuts and drinking beer. John, on the other hand, is an accomplished actor who spends his free time advocating on behalf of education for the construction industry. Read the full article…
Sometimes it’s the little jobs that allow us to flex our ingenuity muscle more than the big jobs. Read the full article…
A few months ago, I wrote a short article about a recent job I was working, and the RRP (Renovating, Repairing, Painting) rule regarding the lack of standards for HEPA vacuums. This is a follow-up to that article. Read the full article…
Recently, a builder looking for help with a few projects referred a client to me. One of the projects was a mantel with cabinets on either side. They were unsure exactly what they wanted for the mantel, but the cabinet design would be similar to the kitchen cabinets they already had in their home. Read the full article…
There’s a new toggle clamp in town, and it’s a huge winner. I’ve been using De-Staco toggle clamps for years! And it’s been a real love/hate relationship. I’ve loved them for holding pieces securely in a jig or fixture when nothing else will work. But I’ve hated them because they’re so difficult to adjust. Read the full article…
Ultimate: Last in a train of progression or consequences; tended toward by all that precedes; arrived at, as the last result; final.
I have been designing and building homes for a while, and, somehow, I completed all of them without the aid of the Ultimate Work Bench (UWB), but I always knew there had to be a better way. Read the full article…
I spent many years framing custom homes with a big crew of expensive carpenters, and the pressures of keeping things moving and making payroll taught me to be efficient. Now, I’ve downsized, and my wife and I are enjoying framing houses with no outside help. Getting things done with just two of us working—and saving our aging backs—makes good use of the lessons I’ve learned about fast, efficient framing techniques. Read the full article…