Straighten Studs
Use a small bar clamp to add leverage and straighten studs for easier trim installation.
When framing wood stud walls, trying to straighten a stud by hand while holding a framing nailer with the other is difficult and sometimes impossible. But with the added leverage of a small bar clamp, the twisted stud can be rotated and aligned easily with one hand while being nailed with the other. Taking the time to straighten studs like this makes drywall and trim easier to install and has them looking better in the end. Sure, there are dedicated stud-straightening tools, but space in the toolbox is at a premium, and it’s always nice when you can get double-duty out of one tool.
—Ron Wlock, North Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Edited and Illustrated by Charles Miller
Published in Fine Homebuilding #304