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Found 444 results for the keyword ‘Techniques’

  • What is the rough framing dimension for a 30 inch door?

    32-1/2 inches.The rough framing should be 2-1/2 inches wider than the door itself. That leaves room for the 3/4 inch finish frame on each side of the door, and then 1/2 inch on each side for the shims between the finish frame and the rough frame.There are some tricks for building frames into new ...
  • Getting tight mitre joints in molding.

    When you are working on getting trim to fit tightly around a window, be sure to perfect the mitre corners first, and then cut the square length last. That way, if you have to adjust the mitre, you still have enough length to the wood to fit the other end.One way to assure a perfect fit is to rou...
  • Working with sheet metal.

    Need to work with sheet metal? Here are a few working tips.Sheet metal is best cut with sheet metal shears. You may not realise it but the handles of the shears are generally colour coded to help you grab the right ones. The problem is that as you cut the metal, the two pieces tend to get in t...
  • PolyStyl -- Thick, glueless, DIY vinyl floors.

    I went into a flooring store in Quebec recently to buy some vinyl flooring for my own home and stumbled across a display of patterns and colours that blew me away. Then I took a closer look and realized that this was like no vinyl flooring I had ever seen before. This stuff was quite thick and is...
  • Wallpaper working tips.

    Tracey Paul from Provincial Wallcoverings Ltd. in Toronto dropped into the studio to give both me and you some tips on getting wallpaper on the wall looking good and staying put.Most important according to Tracey is to have the wall smooth with no bumps or holes before you start.Read the instruct...
  • Set-up tips for your Radial Arm Saw.

    Although sliding mitre saws have largely replaced the Radial Arm Saw in many wood working shops, and few people ever even use the radial arm saw for precision work even if they have one, the Radial Arm Saw can do everything that a table saw can do, with even more precision.The primary advantage o...
  • Can I install hardwood floors on an OSB subfloor.

    Ricky from Brampton, Ontario asks: "Is it better to put a pre-finished hardwood floor on OSB or on plywood? My sub-floor is OSB and they say I would have to lay 1/8" plywood on top of it. Would nailing or stapling determine the type of sub-floor?"First of all Ricky, let's look at the photo abov...
  • The new Dual Bevel Mitre Saw

    Mitre Bevel saws are designed to make the compound mitre/bevel cuts necessary for crown molding. But they are really not simple to use. For details for the cuts and the angles see "Cutting crown moldings with a mitre saw".One of the complications in making the cuts is that the bevel on standard...
  • Tip -- Nailing straight is often not the best way to nail.

    How about some nailing tips.If you are putting several nails in the end of the board, do not line them up on the same grain line. The accumulative effect of forcing their way through the wood will certainly split the wood. Stagger them so that each is on a different grain line and you have less...
  • Doors that won't stay open.

    Dave in London, Ontario has a bathroom door that won't stay open. The frame is probably not vertical, or somebody hung the door non-vertical,  so you will have to play with the hinges to get gravity working on your side. Always tighten the hings screws as a first task -- maybe they are in the rig...