Professional builders and DIY’ers alike can take advantage of the American Wood Council’s online (and free to use) Maximum Span Calculator for Wood Joists and Rafters. Use it to calculate the size and grade of joist needed for a given joist span, on-center spacing, live load and dead load. Select Dead Load choices of […]
Building Materials
Solve Tile Layout Problems – 10-Step Plan
(guest post by Steve Wilson) Out-of-square kitchen floors can challenge any tile installer who wants to do a good job. Fortunately, there are several ways to correct these problems. Most involve a little misdirection—make the floor look good where people see the most of it and forget about the areas where people rarely, if ever, […]
Shadoe Track Hidden Deck Fasteners (Video)
Let’s Get Creative with Solid Surface Materials
(guest post by SoilidSurface.com) Let’s start with some basics here; Corian® is a man-made, solid-surface material with a wide variety of uses, including countertops, sinks, modular walls, furniture, and lighting. It is strong, stain-resistant and easy to care for. Should any accidental damage occur, it does not need to be replaced or discarded but […]
5 Landscaping Ideas To Add Distinction To Your Home
(guest post by Abe Knepp) Whether you rent it or own it, your home is a place you should be proud of. That’s a lot easier when you know your place looks great from the street. If you’re in the mood to beef up your home’s curb appeal, here are five great ideas that can […]
7 Modern Kitchen Design Trends for 2016
(guest post courtesy SolidSurface.com) Wondering what the latest trends in kitchen design are? A few may surprise you! The modern kitchen is winning out over the traditional, yet practicality and function are still key elements of a winning design. Here’s a look at are how those elements are coming together with the top seven […]
Cedar Deck Comes Out on Top
(guest post courtesy Western Red cedar Lumber Association) How do you restore an ageing aggregate patio in desperate need of repair? Well, you have a few options. You could remove and replace the existing concrete – but this can be quite costly and let’s face it – it’s not the greenest choice when you consider […]
DIY Kitchen Cabinets: How to Build Corian® Kitchen Cabinets
(guest post from SolidSurface.com) Corian® solid surface is quickly becoming one of the hottest building materials among DIY’ers. This amazing product line is durable, dependable, beautiful, and highly versatile. It offers more possibilities than you may realize. A growing trend is to utilize the popular material to create DIY Corian® cabinets. This innovative concept is […]
DIY Landscape Edging
(guest post by Sure-Loc Edging) A home’s landscaping should have clean lawn lines with sharp borders and have well defined bed areas and walkways. Sure-loc edging adds crisp, clean lines that define the spaces and makes the difference between a good landscape and a great one. Sure-loc Edging Inc was founded in 1992 when the […]
How NOT to Unclog Your Downspouts
(guest post by Century Home Improvements) Top Five Ways NOT to Clean Your Downspouts Keeping up with your rain gutters is a must to home maintenance. They may be out of sight and out of mind for most homeowners, but neglecting them can lead to buildup of debris from local vegetation. You may not have […]