For porches – think beaded ceiling material and crown – a miter saw is a must. I use a DeWalt DW718. DeWalt nailed this tool: Its power, accuracy, and multiple features combine to help deliver quality work quickly.
Related Posts
Mark shares his work glove criteria with Professional Deck Builder
I have specific criteria for work gloves. First, the gloves have to fit, meaning that when I’m wearing them, the answer to the following questions…
16 Apr 2013
Lightweight Hammer
If you’re old enough, you remember nailing off decks with fistfuls of hot-dipped-galvanized sixteens. Your bags were loaded with pounds of nails, and your hammer…
01 Oct 2011
The New Preservatives
Confused by the alphabet soup of wood-treatment chemicals flooding the industry? Read on. In 2004, after dominating the market for more than 70 years, wood…
30 Oct 2008
Safety Program
If you’re tempted to skip this article because you think safety is boring, consider that having a safety program might help you and your crew…
26 Feb 2011
MyFixitUpLife talk show: Decked out!
May 20: Decked out! Mark & Theresa are talking decks on this week’s show. They’ll be sharing what you need to know to make sure…
22 May 2010
Get rid of bushes & limbs while you build with a reciprocating saw
When I’m on a deck or porch site, the way I usually figure out that a scraggly bush needs to be limbed or removed isn’t…
09 Apr 2013
Mark shares his ‘Lightweight Hammer’ with Professional Deck Builder
If you’re old enough, you remember nailing off decks with fistfuls of hot-dipped-galvanized sixteens. Your bags were loaded with pounds of nails, and your hammer…
26 Mar 2013
Get Inspired: New Deck, New Door
For many homeowners, adding a deck can lead naturally to thinking about ways to connect the new outdoor living space with the inside of the…
20 Sep 2008
Manage Small Parts and Fasteners
It’s been said that the Romans were able to conquer the known world because they were organized. I don’t know if that’s true, but I…
28 Aug 2010
Designing a Pergola From the Ground Up
I’ve heard people call a pergola anything from an arbor, a colonnade, or a trellis to “one of those garden things.” But regardless of what…
14 Feb 2009
Under-Deck Drainage Systems
Building a deck creates two distinct spaces. Topside, gleaming deck boards and guardrails invite customers to enjoy the outdoors. But if a deck is far…
03 Nov 2008
Check Out Mark’s ‘Miter Saw Workstation’ Featured in Professional Deck Builder
Miter-saw set-ups can range from just a couple of sawhorses and a truck bed to something so nitpickingly complicated that I would break it in…
19 Mar 2013
Aggressive Reciprocating Saw Blade
When I’m on a deck or porch site, the way I usually figure out that a scraggly bush needs to be limbed or removed isn’t…
28 Nov 2011
81/4-Inch Saw Speeds Up Production
I learned deck building from a production deck builder. While he could build decks quickly, he could have been even faster if he’d used more…
25 Feb 2011
What You Need to Know: New Decking Preservatives
In 2004, after dominating the market for more than 70 years, wood treated with CCA (chromated copper arsenate) was withdrawn from residential use due to…
05 Oct 2008
