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 by observation and planning. That’d be too smart. Only after it’s gouged my legs repeatedly, or I trip over the thing for the eighth time, do I get the idea and reach for a saw.
No matter how you slice it, installing effective, good-looking guardrails takes time. Cutting, plumbing, shimming, and fastening the numerous individual parts is not full-speed, turbo-charged…
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…
Three Fences Designing, detailing, and installing fences for looks, quality, and production speed Mark Clement If I said I didn’t like building fences, I’d be…
The first sub compact loader I ever used arrived by accident. I’d ordered a full-sized skid steer from the rental yard, but instead the delivery…
Today, of course, our hammers hang from our belts, and we drive most of our nails with pneumatic tools, so who cares if there is…
There’s a lot to consider when you set out to refurbish an old porch. They’re challenging, and not just because every porch is different.
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…
A toolbelt is a lot like a spouse: If you choose one in haste, odds are you’ll regret it. MyFixitUpLife Mark & Theresa created this…
TOOL KIT Light and Compact Framing Nailer By Mark Clement Stanley-Bostitch 800/556-6696 bostitch.com Street price: $250 As dependable as screws are for decking, about the…
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…
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…
The combination playground-memorial was designed by Theresa Coleman Clement as part of an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project in October 2011 that also included building…
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…
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…
For porches – think beaded ceiling material and crown – a miter saw is a must. I use a DeWalt DW718. DeWalt nailed this tool:…
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[…] Old House contributor Mark Clement shares a few tricks and tips on how to utilize the shoe of the saw to its utmost potential. The shoe is often adjustable, which allows greater access to different […]