Archives: Structure

Today’s Green Construction Blog

By Todd Fratzel on Green Building

I’d like to announce a new blog that I’ve started, Today’s Green Construction. This green construction blog will focus on this exciting area of the construction industry. Almost every project we work on today has some component that’s considered green or sustainable design. There is no doubt that the green construction movement is quickly gaining…

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How To Install Pocket Doors

By Todd Fratzel on Doors

Installing Pocket Doors Installing a pocket door isn’t very complicated. Pocket doors offer a great design solution for tight spaces that don’t have sufficient room for the door to swing open. Pocket doors also free up wall space where a door might otherwise swing open. We see the use of pocket doors more and more…

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What Size is Your Carbon Footprint?

By Todd Fratzel on Green Building

Lately I’ve been talking about solar power, alternative energy and figuring out how on earth we’re going to get away from oil. I thought it would be fun to use one of the free carbon footprint calculators to see what our household carbon footprint is. Obviously these are very approximate measures but it’s an easy…

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Peel and Stick Crown Molding?

By Todd Fratzel on Finish Carpentry, Product Reviews

Self Stick Crown Molding Peel and stick crown molding? What will they come up with next? I’m having a hard time understanding how this product is a good thing. There are a couple of manufacturers out there making peel and stick crown molding. They sell it in short lengths and it comes ready to cut…

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Lubricating Wood Screws with Soap

By Todd Fratzel on Cabinetry, Finish Carpentry

Many of you probably already know about this DIY tip but it’s such a good one that it warrants repeating. If you’ve ever installed wood screws in any type of hardwood you know that it’s a tough task even when you pre-drill a pilot hole. One of the classic examples is installing wood screws in…

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Are Carbon Credits A Good Idea?

By Todd Fratzel on Green Building

The recent Green movement in this country has been nice to see. I think the skyrocketing fuel costs have finally struck a nerve with folks and we’re starting to evaluate the choices we make on a daily basis. One of the interesting topics that I’ve been reading about lately is the sale and exchange of…

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Applying Water Based Urethane To Hardwood

By Todd Fratzel on Finish Carpentry, Painting and Finishing

I learned something new today that and I thought it was worth sharing. Because of today’s strict new VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) laws most Urethanes are now water based. Most wood fillers however are still an oil based product. So you ask what’s the big deal? If you apply a water based urethane over an…

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Built-In Office Furniture Using Semi-Custom Cabinets

By Todd Fratzel on Design, Finish Carpentry

Built-In Office Furniture One of the most used “areas” of our new home is the built-in office space that we created in our breakfast nook. One of the really cool things you can do with semi-custom cabinets is put together built-in office furniture, entertainment systems, book cases or any other type of furniture assemblies. For…

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