Library builder

  this plan is on paper, you can start to figure out how to build the project and calculate what materials you will need. House plans are like road maps. If you want to drive from Oregon to New York, for example, you look at a map. You know you can’t visualize everything you will […]

Work is not complete when the house frame is standing or when all of the trim and siding are nailed in place. From sandpaper to tape, from adhesive to caulk, other important materials are available to help carpenters put the fin­ishing touches on our work. Sandpaper The simplest thing to do when buying sandpaper is […]

• Keep a first-aid kit on the job site at all times. • Keep the sun off your body. It may be okay to wear tank tops, shorts, and sandals to the beach, but these are not okay to wear on a construction site day in and day out. You won’t stay cooler by letting […]

Carriage bolt   m   Stove bolt   ішшшиишщшшш   ШШШк   m   Lag bolt   “-‘ч   Drywall screws love plywood—they zip through а 3/нп.-thick sheet in nothing flat—so they’re great for attaching sheathing or flooring. But drywall screws are somewhat brittle, so don’t use them in shear walls (which are built to […]

Carpenters don’t just use wood, nails, and screws for building. Many other types of metal hardware go into a house as well, and knowing what to use and when to use it can be baffling. Fortunately, most of the time we use only a few varieties on a regular basis. Here’s an overview of the […]

might see on a Victorian-style house. Because I want the trim to look good, I use hot-dipped galvanized, stainless — steel, or aluminum finish nails when installing exterior casing so that the nails won’t rust and stain the wood. Interior casing goes around interior doors and windows and hides the gap between the drywall and […]

• Take a course in basic first aid. • Watch out for your fellow worker. Be aware of who is nearby so you don’t hit someone with a piece of lumber or with your hammer. • Try to have a good, positive attitude. • Keep your work area clean. It’s easy to trip over scrap […]

When ordering lumber or making plans for anything built with wood, it’s important to remember that the lumber designation (2×4, 4×4, 1×8, etc.) is not the actual lumber size. For instance, a 2×4 is not really 2 in. by 4 in., and a 1×8 is not really 1 in. by 8 in. (this is called […]

There’s more to carpentry than the ability to drive a nail with a hammer. A big part of being a good carpenter is knowing not only the names of tools and how to use them but also the parts and materials that make up a house. Whether it’s a 6d finish nail or a frieze […]

Any carpenter who builds something that will be exposed to view probably has some type of portable sander. I own three: a belt sander, a pad sander (see the photo on p. 57), and a random — orbit sander. A belt sander is useful for heavy, rough jobs like sanding down a cutting board that […]