Archives: Home Improvement

Miter Joint Shrinkage Explanation

By Todd Fratzel on Finish Carpentry

Miter Joint Shrinkage – Why Miter Joints Open Up I’m sure everyone has seen a miter joint that has opened up similar to the one in this image. I’d like to explain why this type of miter joint shrinkage happens so that you can try to avoid this unsightly problem. To understand this problem you…

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How Thick Is Plywood?

By Todd Fratzel on Building Materials

Plywood Thickness Several readers have asked the question: How Thick is Plywood? I thought it would be useful to go over some of the different thickness plywood available on the market today. Plywood thicknesses vary drastically depending on the type of plywood and the use. Plywood can be divided into two different groups when it…

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How To Frame Window Openings

By Todd Fratzel on Framing

Framing Window Openings One of the most basic framing techniques involves framing window and door openings. Understanding the anatomy of a framed window opening will help you properly frame both window and door rough openings. The adjacent diagram shows a traditionally framed window opening from a recent project.  Each of the major components are labeled…

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Finding Good Deck Contractors

By Todd Fratzel on Decks & Porches

Deck Contractors I get tons of questions from readers and friends about how to select a good deck contractor. This is an interesting topic worth discussing so that you find a good deck contractor if you decide to hire someone to build yours. Decks are extremely popular today so it seems everyone that doesn’t have…

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Re-Roofing Over Architectural Shingles

By Todd Fratzel on Roofing

Can Architectural Shingles Be Installed over Architectural Shingles? Several readers have recently asked me if they can have architectural shingles installed over existing architectural shingles during a re-roofing project. With the growing number of architectural shingles being used today it’s no wonder the question keeps coming up. So in this article I’ll go over this…

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Cement Board – Alternative Siding and Trim

By Todd Fratzel on Siding & Trim

Cement Board Siding & Trim Cement Board siding and trim is becoming a real viable option for many home owners looking for an upgrade from vinyl siding while trying to avoid the maintenance issues of wood siding and trim. We’ve been installing James Hardie fiber cement siding for years now and it’s a great option…

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Rockwool Insulation

By Todd Fratzel on Insulation

Stone Wool Insulation Commonly Known as Rock Wool Quite a few readers have been asking questions about rock wool type insulation so I thought it was a topic worth discussing. If you’re not familiar with the term rock wool insulation, sometimes called mineral/stone wool insulation is fire resistant insulation product. In addition most stone wool…

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House Building Lot

By Todd Fratzel on Design

Selecting A House Building Lot Probably one of the most important things to consider when building a new home is selecting a house building lot. While the building lot may seem fairly straight forward the reality is a good lot selection can save you time, money and lots of headaches later on. The adjacent photo…

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