Advice for a Tile Backsplash

Glass block? I already know what you’re thinking. Glass block = cheesy, 1970s renovation disaster. When can I take a crow bar to it? (OK,…

In a previous contribution I wrote that with fewer clients, dollars and projects to go around, some contractors might benefit from expanding their company’s offerings,…

Turns out one of my favorite things to do with many of my drill bits is, interestingly, NOT to drill holes. Rather I have become…

The biggest challenge I have drilling holes–everywhere from deck building to residential remodeling–is keeping the bits sharp. Don’t ask me how, but I invariably hit…

I think plumbing, like real estate sales, is one of those businesses where 10% of the people do 90% of the work. And right now…

Smart Sense Here’s a tool whose time has come: Gardner Bender’s CircuitAlert. This series of tools, released a few years ago and recently upgraded, combines…

Steel toe boots are a go-to for lots of guys on the jobsite. They’re awesome for protecting feet and toes from all kind of hazards,…

November 14, 2006—There’s not much to say about a hammer tacker, except that when you find a good one, grab it. And make the other…

Here’s an upfit for a house that has everything: a custom library or loft ladder. That might put you in mind of a book shop…

Here’s an idea I could have used about a billion times — the Metwood Joist Reinforcers. These light gauge steel plates are simple, simply brilliant,…

Ripping off shingles is so-o-o-o-o not a refined task. But that doesn’t mean the standard tool I’ve used for tearing them off — basically a…

Boaters have long had an affinity for Phenoseal, a multi-purpose sealant, caulk and bonding agent. They use it everywhere. Need to repair a porthole? Hit…

Maybe it’s because one of the most formative periods of my home improvement life was building swim-floats and docks in Cape Cod’s salt water bays…

I love the Makita BL1830 impact driver. It’s the tool I reach for when I’m building a deck, hanging doors or driving screws for just…

Here’s a problem solver — and a nice detail to add to your next flooring project: flush mounted wood floor vents. You can match the…