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Andy Engel

Senior editor Andy Engel is a former carpenter and builder, as well as the author of two Taunton Press books, For Pros By Pros: Building Stairs (2007) and Carpentry Complete (2012). A New Jersey native, he now lives in Roxbury, Conn., where he has served on several town boards. When he’s not busy with weekend projects, Andy often can be found pedaling his bike through the Litchfield Hills.

Cracked Foundation

June 15, 2018

Keep the soil next to the house dry; making sure your roof gutters make sure the soil against the foundation slopes away at a minimum pitch of 1 in 10; and bring in an engineer for structural questions.
Building Skills Video: Tips for Hand-Nailing

May 9, 2018

A carpenter shows tricks of the trade to keep hand-driven nails from bending and wood from splitting.
Hand-Nailing Tricks

May 9, 2018

Building Skills: Tips for better driving and for a finished look.
Wall-Framing Layout, Step by Step

February 27, 2018

Following a systematic sequence will ensure that your wall framing comes together without any mistakes.
Laying Out Stud Walls

February 27, 2018

Building Skills: From load path to jack studs, keep these four considerations in mind.
The Right Way to Join Plastic Pipe

January 11, 2018

Both PVC and ABS plastic pipe are so easy to work with that they're often slapped together without much thought. Are you sure you're joining them correctly?
Cutting and Joining Plastic Pipe

January 8, 2018

9 steps to install quiet, well-connected ABS and PVC piping.
Replacing an Asphalt Shingle

November 9, 2017

The job isn’t hard, but it’s not exactly straightforward, either.
Video: Replace an Asphalt Roof Shingle

November 9, 2017

Building Skills: It’s not hard, but there may be more nails than you expect.
Video How To: Fast and Accurate Hinge Mortises

October 3, 2017

Put away your chisels and screw together a jig from scrap wood to rout the cleanest mortises ever.