All How-To Topics
rwotzak
Web Producer
Contributions
Fine Homebuilding's Ever-Growing Collection of How-To Video Series
Online subscribers get exclusive access to videos covering many building and remodeling topics, including drywall, windows, siding, roofs, and more
How to Remove an Old Bathtub
Get that cast-iron tub out of your bathroom with nothing more than a reciprocating saw, a screwdriver, and a moving blanket
Ladder-Safety Jigsaw Puzzle
We heard that the latest Inspector game was a bit easy, so we changed it up a bit
How to Remove a Toilet
Plumber Mike Lombardi demonstrates how to make this dirty remodeling job a little easier
How To Build a Healthy House
The home in this video was built for a person with a severe chemical sensitivity, but the goal of building with healthier materials and details should be important to every homeowner
The next generation of Fine Homebuilding readers
Elijah is wondering, Elijah is wondering, "What IS the best substrate for a tub liner?"
Gardens are job sites too
Darla looks right at home in this beautiful Upstate New York garden
The Best Photos of Dads Working With Kids
Thank goodness we decided the winner of our Father’s Day photo contest would be chosen at random — it would have been impossible to choose a winner any other way...
Frame Decks Faster and Easier with ThruLOK Fasteners
There’s no hole to drill, PLUS all you need is one tool to install it. It’s a one handed process with 3 simple steps: drive the bolt most of the way in with your drill, put the nut on hand tight, and drive the bolt home.
Blueprint-Reading Basics: How to Navigate a Set of House Plans
Construction documents are usually more organized than they look. Learn some common symbols and drawing types that will help you find what you're looking for when you pick up a set of plans.
Shoring up a load-bearing wall
When I need to install a header for a new window or door in a bearing wall, I shore up the wall with a temporary row of angled 2x4s alongside the existing wall. As shown in the drawing, the temporary...
Rooftop dogs
Some dogs are braver than others. The short-eared pup wandered all over the roof inspecting his masters' work; the long-eared dog was content to watch from the window. Long Island, NY
You Could Save a Historic Prison
Don't let these beautiful stone, timber, and cast iron architectural details end up in a land fill.
Power Tool Drag Racing
Bored with your typical weekend DIY projects? Here's a better use for that belt sander!
Bobcat Ballet
Two daring excavator drivers find ingenious ways to get their machines from point A to point B
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New on Fine Homebuilding
Quilted Redwood Victorian Fireplace Mantle with Hidden TV
THSmith | May 21st, 2013
Slate Fireplace In The Style Of Rookwood Pottery
glassgirl6 | May 21st, 2013
Cherry Fireplace Surround and Overmantle
TheTimberTailor | May 21st, 2013
Recent comments
Re: combine power cords and dust pickup hoses on sanders. planers, saws etc.
It's the little extra details like these that make your day go sooooo much smoother. Nice tip!
posted: 9:27 am on January 30thRe: What's Better: Crawlspace or Slab-on-Grade?
You're probably right, cussnu2. I changed it to "toes".
posted: 1:59 pm on November 7thRe: Take your pick.
That's so much better than fetching the newspaper!
posted: 3:14 pm on June 5thRe: Protecting a SIPs Roof From Decay
Mica239,
posted: 4:05 pm on February 15thSorry about the confusion. I edited the link to go to the appropriate page.
Re: winder stairs
Nice job!
posted: 8:31 am on August 23rdIt's those unique projects that always made trim carpentry enjoyable for me. One of my favorites was deciding how to carve transitions where different baseboards met at a room transition.
Re: Bill Rose on crawlspaces: A bad idea, should be illegal
Folks, I appreciate your concerns, but there are a few facts to consider when you're talking about the pros and cons of crawlspaces:
posted: 12:45 pm on July 26th1. Sealed crawlspaces are different scenarios completely from the pier foundations often found in warm climates, so nobody is saying we should eliminate those.
2. Vented crawlspaces like the one in the above photo just don't work the way many people think they're supposed to. If you have a cool crawlspace and it's hot outside, the laws of thermodynamics (basically: hot always moves to cold, and wet always moves to dry) guarantee that the humid summer air will go into the vents and condense on all of the cooler surfaces, causing mold and rot. This also means that radon will often not go out through the vents, but rather up through the leaky floor of the house above. In places where it's cooler outside, you wouldn't want to vent either because you'd be throwing away heat that should be keeping your house warm.
3. People usually can't decide whether a crawlspace is inside or outside the conditioned space of the house. If you want to vent your crawlspace, you better air-seal the underside of your floor, and probably insulate it too. Otherwise those gasses and that mold you're trying to get out of the house will just leak up into the house. Alternatively, you can install a vapor barrier on the crawlspace floor and seal the space up tight.
There's more to it than this, but the ideas presented in the article above are based in real-world evidence documented by many builders in many places. I'll try to collect some actual examples if anyone is interested.
- Rob Wotzak, Fine Homebuilding Web Producer
Re: Make A Custom Hole Saw To Remove Stripped Screws
GreenHeartCo, I'm sorry if attributing our April Fools video tip to "April Uno" seemed in bad taste. We were merely using the name as a hint that it was an "April 1st" prank so that nobody would take it seriously and hurt themselves with their own dangerously-modified hammer. Fine Homebuilding's mission has always been to showcase the best work by the best builders and remodelers, regardless of whether they are women or men.
posted: 9:30 am on July 6thRe: TreeHouses from the 60's
Yes, Please! Tell us more.
posted: 8:48 am on July 1stRe: Raising money for the farm
Great job John! Not only is this a meaningful project on more than one level, you also got some great pics of the kids helping out. I especially like the photo of Josh cutting the mortise while standing on the beams.
posted: 2:40 pm on May 18thRe: Reader Poll: Do you still use a corded drill?
The last time I used a corded drill was when an auger bit got stuck in a beam I was mortising, spinning the drill out of my hands and yanking the cord right out of the back of the drill. (being a lefty, the darn trigger lock would always get pressed by accident).
posted: 10:16 am on March 29thIf I ever take on another timber-framing or large masonry project, I might rent a heavy duty corded drill, but my 18v NiCad cordless Ridgid has done fine for virtually every task over the 7 years that I've owned it.
Re: How NOT to Wire a Garage Door Opener
I had a similar situation in my house when I moved in. The previous owner powered a little workshop in his shed with some 12-gauge romex that he buried about 4 inches under the lawn! It's a good thing he never decided to plant any shrubs back there...One good scoop with a spade and ZAP!
posted: 12:46 pm on March 23rdThe guy ran the cable underground from the shed to the filter pump for the above-ground pool, then under the gravel around the pool, and then stapled it to several deck joists before he sent it into the basement to connect it to the BX cable feeding the basement lights.
He also thought vinyl siding made a good wire chase for feeding exterior electrical boxes.
Re: From Cardboard and Cutter to Click and Drag: Studio/Workshop Design in the Digital Age
Dreamcatcher,
posted: 9:32 am on December 8thMatt was just too fast for me! He published the article before I could upload the SketchUp model to the website. It's in there now. Have fun.
Re: Green Tax Credit Guide
Thanks for the feedback. I've updated the article to reflect the more recent additions to the available tax credits, and I've added a few links to other resources for energy-efficiency financial incentives.
posted: 4:49 pm on June 22nd