Construction Articles
How to Build a Deck, Day 2: Deck Posts, Support Beams, Joists
We’re following professional contractor Steve Wartman as he walks us through the process of building a deck. In the first installment of this series, we covered planning, digging, and pouring concrete footers, as well as securing the ledger board to the house. Today’s article covers setting two rows of posts, running support beams between the posts, and installing the joists. Step 3: Deck Posts Since we left off, the local building inspector came to the work site to inspect the footers. In this jurisdiction, this is the only...
How to Build a Deck, Day 1: Footers and Ledger Board
I’m really excited to launch into another Pro-Follow. There’s no better way to learn how to complete a home improvement project than seeing professional contractors in action. Stay current with all of our Pro-Follows by subscribing to our feed, liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter. As Fred mentioned yesterday, we were planning a different article about installing recessed lighting. However, after documenting the lighting job, we decided it wasn’t good enough to publish. Today we’re back with general...
How to Build a Shed (with a Record 100+ Pics, Vids, and Diagrams!)
As many of you know, we’re building a library of DIY and expert Project Guides that share step-by-step explanations for a wide range of home improvement projects. As part of building this library, I follow expert contractors to the job site, documenting their steps, tips, techniques, and tools. We’re striving to be the best on the web! If you like what you read, please subscribe to our feed and tell your friends about us! Most of last week, I followed expert general contractor and carpenter Steve Wartman and his crew as they...
Build a Shed, Day 4: Walls, Roof Lift, Soffits, Shingle & Doors
Hi everyone! We have a much-anticipated Pro Follow update on the new backyard shed today. But before I begin… I know a lot of you are new to OPC, so I wanted to bring you up to speed on this relatively new feature of our site. What’s a Pro Follow? We’re creating a library of DIY and Expert Project Guides that provide step-by-step explanations of how to tackle a wide range of challenging home improvement projects. One of my jobs at OPC is to follow contractors through the toughest jobs, sharing their tips, techniques,...
Build a Shed, Day 3: Hip Roof
If you’re just joining us, we’ve been following Steve Wartman and his crew as they build a backyard shed. To catch up, read through day 1 and day 2 where we describe how they built the shed foundation, laid the subfloor, and framed the walls. Hip Roofs Today’s article will focus on framing the roof, and if you remember, Steve’s crew is building a hip roof to match the existing home. Hip roofs are much more interesting than a typical gable roof, and they are also much more complicated. Here’s a quick video...
Four Workbench Projects Based (Mostly) on Your Feedback
December’s workbench construction project generated a good number of comments and questions from many of you. Based on the great ideas from the conversations on that article, we upgraded our existing bench and constructed two new benches for our workshop. We haven’t had a chance to address all your ideas yet (there were many good ones!), but rest assured we continue to make improvements. 1. Bench-Mounted Power Strip Icarus suggested adding a power strip to the benches for more convenient power access. This quick and simple...
How to Build a Concrete Patio with Bluestone Inlay (Complete Guide)
We’re really excited to share this step-by-step guide for building a concrete patio with a decorative bluestone border. We partnered with Joe Bianco, President of SDG Home Solutions, to document how a contractor and their crew would tackle this home improvement project. This article shares pictures and tips covering everything from demolition to the finishing touches. We hope it’s a great resource for you, especially if you’re considering a new concrete patio in the near future. Concrete Patio Remodel Here’s Joe...
Young and Invincible: We Put Liquid Nails to the Ultimate Test
If you’re like me and you like to work hard, you’re no stranger to aches and pains that leave you feeling like an old-timer. In fact, most people assume I’m older than I really am. (If you jump to the end of the post, I’ll share my real age.) Anyway, every now and then I’ll do something foolhardy that you’d expect from some kid who thinks he’s young and invincible (like eat a raw onion on a dare). I had one of those moments when I was asked to test “Liquid Nails Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive’s...
How to Level a Plywood or OSB Subfloor Using Asphalt Shingles & Construction Felt
This article is part of our series on How to Install Hardwood Floors. While preparing to lay 1100 square feet of hardwood flooring, we discovered significant variation in the OSB subfloor that will serve as the nailing surface for the hardwoods. This article provides detailed instructions for leveling a subfloor based on our project. Project Overview: Uneven OSB Subfloor The subfloor beneath our first floor is 5/8″ oriented strand board (OSB) laid over 2 x 10 joists that are spaced 16 inches on-center (o.c.). The joists run from...
Ansell Work Gloves Quick Review
While I’m reliving all my Tuscaloosa memories, I might as well share about some gloves that really came in handy. You might remember the Ansell Heavy Duty Impact gloves we had in the Rewards Center. Well Ansell was kind enough to throw in a pair of the Heavy Duty Leather gloves for us too.The first day in Tuscaloosa we were putting together framing members (like headers) for a house that had just been started. A big challenge to that was keeping everything organized with 40 volunteers running around trying to be helpful. We ended...
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I’m One Project Closer! {DIY Link-It-Up #4} 
How to Build a Deck, Day 2: Deck Posts, Support Beams, Joists More Changes Coming to OPC: Your Thoughts Welcome Reader Share: Gladiator 5-Drawer Tool Storage Repair & Review by William How to Build a Deck, Day 1: Footers and Ledger Board Free Copy of the 2011 National Electric Code (NFPA 70) Two Tools that Could “Put a Hurting” on Most Anything (and a Pro Follow Update) I’m One Project Closer! {DIY Link-It-Up #3} 5 Minutes or Less: No-Slip Socks How to Build a Shed (with a Record 100+ Pics, Vids, and Diagrams!)