Q: I took your advice and took the time to inspect my crawlspace. Besides finding loose insulation, I noticed two small boards in between each floor joist that are just hanging by a nail. The two ...

Q: I took your advice to inspect my crawl space. I noticed two small boards between each floor joist that are just hanging by a nail, crossed. Should I nail them? A: Not all floor joists require the X ...

Q–I want to install a ceiling fan in my kitchen in place of the ceiling light. The outlet box for this lighting fixture is simply nailed to the side of a joist, and I have been told that the mounting ...

In an old house with wooden floors, planks are bound to squeak sometimes. In newer buildings, joists, plywood and flooring should be strong enough, and connected securely enough, not to intrude. When ...

Q: I’m facing some building projects. One is a tall deck, another is framing a garden shed, and I need to help a friend with a room addition. I’m wondering about diagonal bracing. I don’t understand ...