Many years ago I wrote a blog post detailing one of the most common deck defects that I find: improper joist hanger nails. The issue detailed in that blog post was the use of 1-½" nails in places ...

One of my newsletter subscribers, Robert, does handyman work on the weekends for friends and other homeowners. Eleven years ago, he wanted to learn how to frame a large shed, including common roof ...

Chris Neurath sent this long note that is important enough to run in the Handyman's column: "You may have given bad advice that leads to safety issues when you said not to worry about deck joist ...

Q: I need joist hangers for my first floor joists in the basement. The joists in my house, built in 1850, are between 2 and 21/2 inches wide. The only joist hangers I’m seeing are built to accommodate ...

“Although Arthur noticed the joist hanger itself rusting, it is possible the nails are even worse but less obvious. Joist hangers require specific nails and for ACQ lumber they need to meet the ...