Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [carpentry]

345 questions
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6 answers

Why are carpenters' pencils flat?

My assumption is that it's so they don't roll away. But if a carpenter spends the majority of his/her day working on a flat surface, a regular pencil wouldn't seem to have the tendency to get away from them.
InbetweenWeekends
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How do you find helpers for larger DIY projects?

Question: In cases where you have the time and skills to do a project yourself, but physically cannot without a second skilled person to help, how do you go about finding and hiring someone that is willing to work with you? Example: I'm planning to…
Nick
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When installing hardwood floors, should I use rosin paper, roofing felt, or nothing underneath? Why?

I've installed hardwood floors, over top of OSB subfloor with a layer of roofing felt in between. I copied this from the hardwood floor contractor who did a kitchen in my home once. He'd been in business for 20 years so I trusted him. I think he…
Cheeso
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21
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6 answers

How can I fix this gap between bookcases I made?

I just built two bookcases to line the wall of a room in my house and apparently didn't build them square enough so, when I put them next to each other, I get this giant gap. (I think the one on the right is pretty square but the one on the left…
jevron1984
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Should I attach the fence post(s) where my fence meets my house? How do I do it?

I'm going to be building a 6 foot tall cedar privacy fence in the spring (with pressure-treated posts) and need to determine what to do with the two posts that meet the side of my house. In order to ensure that my 15 lb dog can't get through any…
Hop the Mad Alchemist
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How can I sharpen oscillating tool blades?

Is there any good method of sharpening these things?
Brock Neill
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9 answers

Basic power tool set for Home repair and simple projects

I have a feeling this has been asked before, but I didn't find it here. I've read a number of websites and there always seem to be a little fluff and maybe this favorite tool or that. I'm thinking about putting together some basic home repair…
Paul TIKI
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How can I bend plywood around a stair riser?

I've been researching for some time how to cover a curved stair riser that had been previously tiled. I wasn't pleased with the look of the tile, so I removed it and sanded back the mastic before veneering. However, the veneer was too thin and it…
CcS
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14
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8 answers

Gluing two halves of a door together

Needed a door that matches that the doors from 1940s in my house. So I bought a 30" door on Craigslist and cut it down to 23" by cutting out the middle of the door as you can see in the pictures. I'm faced with two decisions that I would like some…
Wynne
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Should I be disappointed about this quality of craftsmanship in new front door?

I recently had a new front door and doorframe constructed an installed in my Victorian terraced house. The old frame and door were ripped out, and a new frame and door installed. On inspection, I think that some of the work is well below standard,…
Rocketmagnet
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Tools/techniques to remove a long section from a wooden board

I am building interior wooden cills and from a 3m x 250mm board/plank (25mm thick) I need to remove a rectangular section about 50mm thick along most of its length, giving something like: I have a circular saw and jigsaw but no plunge saw or table…
Mr. Boy
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How can you repair split wood that cannot be moved?

My goal is to install a new set of blinds in an existing window. It looks like a former owner tried to do the same thing and split the wood on the side of the window casing. Unfortunately the location of the split is exactly where I need to screw…
Ben S
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Do I need this special strike plate on my laundry room to garage entry? It's creating problems with a new lock

Good day everyone. I recently replaced my existing keyed Schlage lock with a keypad security lock on the door from my mudroom to my garage. The door is metal and the frame/jamb has thick rubber/silicone weather stripping. The new lock has been in…
Todd
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How do I install a new, non load bearing wall in my basement?

I'm looking to finish my basement and simply want to wall off the concrete blocks that make up the wall. I want to insulate it as well so that it becomes a usable family room when I'm done. How do I go about installing a wall given wooden beams in…
JoshReedSchramm
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Dowel joints in plywood

I plan on replacing my kitchen cabinets later this summer. The old ones were home made by the previous owner and are oddly sized so I need to make my own out of plywood. Is it possible to put dowel joints in the edge of a piece of plywood, or will a…
Yitzchak
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