A Stronger Way to Butt-Join Rim Joists
Instead of butting rim joist boards end-to-end over a floor joist, run the first board past it, sister in a short block behind the joint, and nail both boards into it — way more holding power.
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Tips
Lift and Level Heavy Stone Slabs With a Hay Hook
A hay hook gives you a handle on a big stone slab, so you can lift an edge, prop it, and fix the base underneath — without ever putting fingers under the stone.
Hot-Glue Template Strips to Cut Flagstone Right the First Time
Fit cheap, rigid strips around the gap the stone has to fill, hot-glue them into one template, and carry it to the slab — the cut piece slides straight into place with no trial-and-error trimming.
Scribe Stone Slabs to Boulders With a Block of Wood
To fit a big hardscape slab against an irregular rock face, run a chunk of wood along the rock while it drags a marker across the slab — the scribed curve transfers the rock's exact profile, and a wet saw cuts to the line.
Nail Straight Rows on Plywood by Following Its Mill Lines
Sheathing-grade plywood carries faint parallel lines from the mill, spaced roughly every half inch. Set your first and last nail on the framing, pick the mill line that runs between them, and follow it — a straight fastener row with no chalk line.
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