How to Make a Header for a Floor Joist
The key floor framing members, called floor joists, for the typical wood-framed house attach to large beams called header joists, or band joists, placed around the perimeter of the structure. The size...
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How to Pipe Daylight Into a Room
Using the natural power of the sun to provide light for your home can save you money by reducing the amount of time that you need to use electrically powered lights. The amount of daylight provided by...
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How to Build Stairs for a Sunken Room
Sunken living rooms, family rooms and dens bring an interesting architectural feature to the design of a home. By adding an additional level to the floor you can separate a room from the rest of the...
View ArticleHow to Build a Mono-Slab Foundation
Mono slabs, foundations that result from one continuous pour of concrete, work well in warm climates. Colder regions often need deeper foundations, such as poured-concrete basement walls, that go well...
View ArticleHow to Remove Floor Joists When Adding Concrete
Concrete slab flooring offers advantages such stability and protection from moisture. When you add onto a room or a home with finished flooring on top of concrete, you will need to remove floor joists...
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How Do Cathedral Ceilings Affect Structure?
Cathedral ceilings generally are slanted ceilings that extend through more than one floor of a home. These ceilings usually follow the slope of a home’s roof. A cathedral ceiling’s impact on a roof’s...
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How to Change a Ceiling's Height
Some homeowners desire high ceilings, but sometimes it can feel like you may not have a choice if the deal on a home you want to purchase is too good to pass up. High ceilings can make a home less...
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How to Create a Shower Drain in a Concrete Slab
A homeowner wishing to install a shower or other fixture in a basement must plan for and place a drain with piping to connect it to an existing drain line. To install a shower drain in concrete,...
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How to Make a Firebox for a Maple Evaporator
The firebox is an essential part of the maple evaporating system. This area provides the heat needed to remove the water from the maple sap and begin the rendering process. Once you know the size of...
View ArticleHow to Replace Double Floor Joists
Double floor joists are installed in a mounting process known as "sistering" the joists. Through this method, you create additional support for that section of the floor above each joist. The process...
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How to Build Widened Stairs
Building a widened staircase can significantly spruce up your home's interior or exterior. Walking up and down narrow and steep staircases is a daunting and challenging task for many people, whereas a...
View ArticleHow to Lay Concrete Block in an Existing Wall
While a mortared concrete block wall is strong, natural forces and accidents can still damage them. This is especially true of retaining walls, which often have enormous pressures put on them from the...
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How to Lay Block Under Floor Joists
Laying block under floor joists can help strengthen your floor and prevent it from sagging. The easiest way to do this is during the initial construction phase of your home. If you're like many other...
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How to Build an Interior Basement Wood Staircase
The proper installation of basement stairs allows for safe entrance to the lower portion of a house. There are several options for adding stairs to a basement, including the use of pre-made metal...
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How to Build an ADA-Approved Home Wheelchair Ramp
When you need to add a wheelchair ramp to your home, using the guidelines established by the Americans with Disabilities Act helps take the guesswork out of the dimensions you need to use. The ADA...
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How to Build a Circular Sheetrock Wall & Attach It to the Ceiling
Nature rarely builds in squares, rectangles or other geometric angles. Rolling hills, circular trees and curving seashells exhibit the grace and beauty that come from nature's natural building design....
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How to Build Forms for Concrete Window Wells
Basement or other below-grade windows are often prized for the natural light they allow into an otherwise dark area, not to mention their potential use as an emergency exit. Window wells are typically...
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Concrete Block Foundation With a Crawl for a Home
A well-crafted concrete block foundation is critical to supporting a house structure. The block foundation helps ensure the house will not shift or sag over time, so it's important to follow all...
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How to Support a Weight Bearing Wall
A weight-bearing wall is a wall that carries a load and transfers that load to a point below the wall. The standard rule for supporting a weight-bearing wall is to position the wall in such a manner...
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How to Build an Extra Load Bearing Wall Truss
Building an extra load bearing wall truss requires some knowledge of the manner in which your current load bearing wall supports the weight of your home. Consulting a structural engineer can help you...
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