Mike McClintock

Every part of a house wall is interconnected, braced and nailed to make a rigid structure, except for the windows and doors. They float in their solidly framed openings, held...

Roofs over entryways and porches need beefy supports at the corners like 4-by-4s or steel lally columns. Those structural members have the strength but often not the looks, and are...

Most driveways are made of asphalt, and — just like many highways — need periodic maintenance to fill cracks, patch potholes and eventually to reseal the surface. When you're the...

Most contractors order pre-hung doors on remodeling projects and new construction. They arrive hinged to the jamb with at least one cross brace to keep the unit square. But once...

Homeowners are always looking for that hassle-saving, no-maintenance material — like decking that never needs to be resealed, repaired or replaced. Dozens of synthetic (that's plastic) deck manufacturers seem to...

The carpentry rule of thumb is dig through surface rot until you hit solid material, and if you have to dig more than skin deep, replace the lumber. The advice...

Conventional air conditioning comes from central systems to the whole house or from portables in windows or walls to one room at a time. But there's another option, called ductless...

Home center execs call them profit centers — parts of the wide-ranging business that make the most money. One of the hottest, even in tough times, is installed sales. You...

Most yards can soak up a few days of rain without puddling. But eventually every yard runs out of storage capacity. Then groundwater follows the path of least resistance —...