Buying plywood may seem pretty simple. You look at the size, check the thickness, and perhaps compare a few prices. But when plywood will be used for a roof or floor, there is another detail you need to check. It is the plywood span rating printed on the panel. At...
A washer may be one of the smallest pieces in a building project. It looks simple too. Just a flat metal ring. Still, that little piece can make a real difference when a bolt is tightened against wood. Knowing when to use washers with bolts can help protect the wood,...
Picking lumber can seem pretty simple at first. You find the size you need, check the price, and make sure the board does not have a giant crack running through it. But there is another thing worth looking at. The grain. Wood grain direction can tell you quite a bit...
The screw is lined up, then you begin driving it, and everything is fine for a few seconds. Then, a crack begins to run across the screw hole towards the other end of the panel. It can be frustrating, particularly in the case of a board that was made to the size...
A nail may look like a very simple piece of hardware. It is straight, small, and easy to overlook. Still, a nail can handle force in more than one direction, and that direction changes how the connection performs. One force tries to pull the nail straight out of the...
