Be careful what you specify, not all treatments are the same Exterior wood trim adds natural dimension and architectural interest to any home. The good news: exterior treated trim product awareness by builders is raising the bar to force manufacturers to provide products that will last. But, with so many warranties and manufacturers’ claims to […]
Dress up your rafters with a decorative tail pattern By Matt Weber At the recent Remodeling Show/Deck Expo in Baltimore, Maryland, the EHT staff caught up with our friend Mark Clement, who was giving a demonstration on how to cut decorative rafter tails. With a limitless array of patterns, these stylistic enhancements to the ends of a beam or rafter […]
By Mark Clement Why do I love building wood decks so much? I think it’s because a well-crafted deck is more than a box and some boards on the back of a house. A lot more. Because I’m a contractor and a carpenter, I find that decks are part layout, part site work, and […]
Using natural materials and local resources can help you help the environment. By Charlie Jourdain Homeowners today pour a lot of energy and study into ways they can make their homes more environmentally friendly. Yet when it comes to maximizing the features that make the most of their environmental opportunities, many forget […]
By Rob Robillard A client recently asked if I would replace her badly worn-out roof deck. This wooden deck was built over her screen porch and on top of a flat roof. It’s not really flat: It’s pitched 1/4 inch per foot, but without a spirit level you can’t really tell. Years of neglect and lack of gutter coverage above […]
Synthetic building materials create a new porch ceiling with rustic woodgrain beams. Contractor Steve Roth wanted to give new life to an old porch, so he turned to innovative urethane products. To transform a decaying oriented strand board ceiling, Roth first added Fypon polyurethane board panels to cover the entire ceiling and then faux beams and straps to create a […]
By Brent Gwatney Few things in life beat having a cold one on your deck while chicken wings and pork chops sizzle on the barbecue and hickory smoke fills the air. What other part of the home invites relaxation or forget-about-work partying with friends like the deck? For many of us, the design and construction of […]
