Pricing Custom Cabinets and Trim Even within one local market, prices can be all over the map. Balancing careful itemized estimating against local market conditions can help you turn a decent profit. August 23, 2006
Working Safely with Ipe Dust and oils from Ipe wood are allergenic and toxic. You need serious personal protective gear if you work with Ipe. Here's more info. May 16, 2008
Moisture and Swelling Issues for a Porch Ceiling Moisture-related expansion could cause beadboard porch ceilings to buckle. Why, and what can be done about it? This long discussion delves deep into the mysteries of moisture. February 8, 2008
Circular Stairway-Side Children's Slide Conundrum This stair-builders' thread about how to fabricate a slide that wraps around the outside of a spiral staircase morphs into a more general expert discussion about spiral staircases and handrails, with lots of nice photos. November 2, 2010
Value added defined Many definitions and interpretations are offered up. July 29, 2003
Arched Crown Moulding You may never have to do it, but just in case you do, this thread with expert analysis, practical tips, and great pictures will help you wrap your head around the problem of fitting crown moulding to a barrel-vault wall-to-ceiling joint. November 2, 2010
Are Cabinet Makers Carpenters? Mulling over the dividing line between skilled tradesmen who all build things out of wood — but in different ways. July 20, 2011
CNC Versus Conventional Equipment for Entry Door Construction Woodworkers wax poetic as they discuss the practical considerations, the historical ramifications, and the spiritual significance of evolving technology in the field of door construction. January 23, 2014
Reinforcing Stair Stringers with Epoxy Here's a convoluted and somewhat contentious, but also informative, thread that is mostly about using fiberglass and epoxy to stiffen stair stringers. July 7, 2011
Fine Points of Architectural Door Construction Here is a thoroughly professional discussion of the pros and cons of "engineered" door construction, along with a conversation about springing or crowning doors for a snug closure. September 7, 2013
Is a Woodworking Sub Responsible for ADA Compliance? If you catch potential Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violations in a set of plans, advise the architect, and help out with corrected working drawings, are you now on the hook for some kind of liability? Here's a long and thoughtful discussion. March 12, 2009
Scribing Skirt Boards (Step By Step Photo Essay) Carl Hagstrom's detailed step-by-step photo essay (starring Carl's younger and better-looking stunt double) showing how to scribe a skirt board for a staircase stimulates a well-informed expert discussion of site and factory stair-building methods. February 15, 2015
Hinge Placement Rules and Traditions Here's a long and thorough look at the reasons for the traditional placement of hinges on architectural doors. April 22, 2014
Crowns on Band Wheels Why do crowns exist, and do they improve band tracking? January 29, 2004
Door and Window Building: CNC Versus Traditional Machinery Here's a thoughtful and sophisticated conversation about the proper place of CNC equipment and traditional shapers, mortisers, etc., in custom door and window production. October 3, 2011
Stupid Woodworker Tricks With a nod toward David Letterman, pros discuss their least-best moments. January 24, 2005
Moulder Purchasing Advice A woodworker going into the moulding business gets advice on moulder choices and related issues. December 26, 2007
Elliptical Moulding Jigs and Tricks Simple curves are hard: elliptical shapes require a high degree of skill and experience. Here's a long discussion with photos from some seasoned old hands. April 12, 2013
AWI certification Is membership or certfication with AWI worth your while?July 29, 2003
Interior Door Construction Questions Here's a long and detailed discussion of lumber choices and construction methods for thick custom interior doors. March 20, 2012
Stair Rail Bending Methods This discussion of bending wood and curved laminations benefits by the addition of some excellent old book recommendations. February 23, 2010
Shopping for Mortising Machinery Woodworkers discuss the practicality, cost, and operation of horizontal and vertical mortising equipment for door construction. June 2, 2009
Assembling Operable Louver Shutters Here's a detailed, expert thread, with pictures, explaining how to build shutters with louvers that operate. April 2, 2013
Troubleshooting Moulder Tear-Out Tweaks to the knives, the feed rate, the drive belt set-up, or the bed board may help eliminate moulder chatter and tear-out. August 29, 2005
Custom Architectural Woodwork on the CNC A request for ideas for making some custom quarter-round mouldings turns into an extended discussion of custom techniques and the value of hand labor versus computerized production. February 19, 2008
Window Part Terminology Woodworkers try to bring order to the vocabulary universe and define "muntin," "mullion," "bar," "rail," and related window and door terminology. March 26, 2010
Crafting Stair Tread Returns Here's a long thread loaded with good information about how to craft returns on the end of stair treads. August 12, 2014
Crack Prevention and Repair for a Large Wood Turning Here's a long, thoughtful technical discussion of humidity conditions, wood cracking, prevention, and fixes, focused around the case of a very large wood turning that has developed hairline cracks. January 20, 2011
Durable Wood for a Screen Door A craftsman's question about screen door materials kicks off a long discussion about the qualities of various wood species, old growth and second growth. October 4, 2005
Moulding prices Pricing product in a small, start-up moulding manufacturing operation. October 9, 2002
Fabricating Radius and Curved Mouldings Here's a detailed discussion comparing two approaches to creating curved and arched mouldings: the CNC route, or the dedicated moulder and shaper setup (which may involve templates). July 13, 2010
Labor and Cost for a Complex Wood Window The fine woodwork for a custom decorative window can be painstaking and slow. Here are some detailed thoughts on methods and the time involved (including an interesting description of doing the work with a CNC).June 12, 2013
Framing Lumber for Planting Boxes A discussion of treated wood, naturally rot-resistant lumber, outdoor exposures, and pests. April 14, 2010
Joining a Rail to a Newel Cap The joint where a handrail meets a profiled newel cap is a real head-scratcher. Here, experienced stair rail carpenters explain the fine points. August 12, 2007
Hammering and Rolling Large Saw Blades Saw blades can be pre-tensioned so that they take on a true, flat shape when spinning. The technique is an art that requires knowledge and experience. June 24, 2007
Crown Moulding Jigs and Techniques Another take on crown moulding, as pros and newbies compare jig systems with old-fashioned methods. November 19, 2008
Louvered Door Assembly Techniques Here's an extended discussion about systematizing and speeding up the fussy, complicated process of assembling big louvered doors. October 11, 2012
Custom Fabricating Louvered Shutters A long and chatty thread about whether, why, and how to build your own louvered wood exterior window shutters. April 24, 2006
Scroll Cutting Rafter Tails Cutting a scroll detail on the end of big, heavy rafters requires some tooling ingenuity. February 25, 2009
Door Construction and Wood Movement Experienced pros try to educate a newcomer about the power of wood movement and the necessity of allowing for it in constructing complicated assemblies such as architectural doors. May 12, 2013
Router Table Add-ons With a router lift, precision fence, and some customizing, a router table can "kinda-sorta" stand in as a poor man's shaper. November 26, 2006
Setting Commercial Doors Advice for experienced residential carpenters on working with steel door frames and hardware on commercial jobs. March 26, 2010
Outdoor Stair Glue-Ups with Tropical Woods Complex glued assemblies have trouble in outdoor exposures. This discussion takes a look at that, and at the difference in performance among various tropical hardwoods. January 14, 2013
Custom Handrailing for an Awkward Winder How do you make a good-looking and practical handrail for a stair winder that looks awkward and doesn't meet code? Here, top craftsmen take their best shot at solving the problem. February 15, 2015
Moulding Quality Issues A batch of mouldings with quality problems sets off a discussion of proper dimensions, back-relief, and surface smoothness for base, casing, and jamb stock. December 15, 2005
Mahogany Versus Sapele for an Outdoor Structure A long discussion about different flavors of Mahogany, their sources and qualities, and how they compare with Sapele for durability and quality. March 26, 2010
Custom On-Site Stair Fabrication Puzzle Woodwork installers consider a special case where a craftsman has to complete designer stairs on site, when the rough framing is already in place. August 11, 2009
Learning to Make Full Size Doors Some detailed information and some commentary about context, for a woodworker who wants to break into wood door construction. May 15, 2014
Climb cutting and why not Climb cutting on a shaper with feeder--safety and procedure issues. September 19, 2001
Designing a Raised-Panel Wall A design discussion of full-wall-height raised-panel wainscot delves into issues of ideal proportioning versus matching existing elements. March 20, 2007
Indoor Humidity and Wood Moisture Content A discussion with data, about typical indoor humidity levels and the corresponding effect on wood moisture content. October 13, 2010
Making Fluted Pilasters Detailed tips on efficient fluting, including images of a shop-made jig. October 5, 2004
Crown Transitions for Corner Cabinets Several ways to deal with a tricky crown molding detail at the top of corner cabinets flanked by manufactured upper cabs. October 25, 2006
Curved cabinet doors What's the most efficient way to build radius frame-and-panel doors in-house? May 15, 2002
Machining MDF Raised Panels Four out of four doctors agree: you can run MDF door panels in one pass on the shaper, if your cutters are sharp.January 2, 2014
Ways to Machine Radiused Casings Woodworkers discuss various methods of making curved mouldings, including CNC and moulder techniques as well as ways to join segments. December 2, 2006
Replacing Paneling in an Elevator Rules and standards related to elevators are so complicated and strict that the jobs tend to be quite expensive and difficult. March 4, 2007
Making Arched Window Casing Trim Steam bending is impractical — laminating small strips into an arch shape for moulding stock is the way to go. April 24, 2009
Artificially Aging and Weathering Wood Advice on creating erosion and graying on the surface of boards, without waiting a hundred years. This discussion touches on everything from cow manure to chemistry. February 15, 2009
Veneering MDO for Stair Treads A question about whether MDO could be stable if veneered on only one side, continues on into a deeper debate about the suitability of veneered material for stair treads. July 29, 2012
MDF as Interior Trim Does MDF make good trim, especially in a humid climate? Pros share their observations. December 20, 2005
Using Coping Jigs If you've got a lot of trim to run, coping jigs and accessories can save you some serious time. June 28, 2007
Ripping and Re-Gluing to Limit Cupping The Wood Doc weighs in on the old-timer technique of ripping and re-gluing boards in order to lessen moisture-related cupping. February 19, 2008
Outsourcing drawings Positive and negative experiences from those who have hired the job out. October 30, 2002
Accurate End Cuts for Entry Door Parts Advice on machinery and tooling to make highly accurate cross cuts on wide lumber for architectural door construction. April 17, 2013
Mitering Curved to Straight Mouldings When an arc joins a straight line, some thinking and fussing are required to get a close match. Here, finish pros discuss the fine points. August 24, 2005
Locust for Window Sashes? Locust is durable and rot-resistant, but it's not stable or easy to machine — so probably not the best choice for window parts. January 23, 2014
Wood Choice for Reproduction Windows Spanish Cedar, White Oak, and Cypress are options that come to mind for a durable exterior application. and January 23, 2014
Exterior Doors and Sun Exposure Another discussion about the beating doors can take from the sun, and how to protect against it. July 13, 2011
Radius Shoe Molding Determining radius of cabinets in order to match molding. July 20, 2004
AWI CAD Standard? If there isn't one already, why not? December 26, 2004
Historic Roller Track Door Hardware Here's some great architectural woodworking history: a look at old track-and-roller pocket door hardware with some original ads and patent documentation. November 14, 2014
Machining S-Curved Crown Moulding Woodworkers weigh in on a complex machining challenge: crown moulding with both an inside and an outside curve. September 5, 2006
Arched Door Casing Against a Curved Wall Pros discuss a complex trim problem: The intersecting circular arcs resolve to an ellipse, but that doesn't make it easy. October 4, 2005
Complicated Trim Scribing Problem When complicated pieces butt together, sometimes there is no alternative but tedious hand scribing and fitting. Best to avoid those situations by prior planning, if possible. October 12, 2007
Laminating Stile and Rail Stock for Doors Here's a long discussion on how to lay up stock for architectural door stiles and rails from multiple laminations of wood. February 10, 2009
Moulder Tearout Problems with Hickory Hickory is notoriously difficult to machine. Here's a discussion on how to deal with tearout while making hickory crown moulding. February 19, 2006
Machining Knotty Alder Rustic alder mouldings are in demand because of energetic marketing. But the material is extremely rough on knives, machines badly, and has a high waste factor. July 3, 2006
Repeatability at the Shaper Advice on ways to set up shapers to consistently produce mouldings that are identical to a previous run. June 16, 2010
Laying Out, Routing, or Templating an Ellipse Here are several approaches to cutting a large ellipse: elegant jigs, slick pencil layout tricks, and sources for paper or MDF templates. May 16, 2008
Contact Cement and Bubbles Under Veneer A report of veneer delaminating from architectural columns leads to a long string of cautions about using contact cement to apply veneer, along with advice about superior methods. March 4, 2007
Layout Software for Wainscoting There may not be a software application out there dedicated to wainscoting layout, but several cabinet design programs can readily accomplish it. November 8, 2008
Steambending How much time to allow based on thickness and proposed radius of wood. September 23, 2003
Window Hinge Mortising Retrofit Techniques Detailed advice for cutting new Soss hinge mortises on custom replacement windows to match already-mortised existing window jambs. June 3, 2007
Curved Stair Railings 101 A first-timer seeks advice from the old hands on fabricating and installing a curved banister. October 4, 2005
Troubleshooting Nicks in Moulder Knives Newly ground knives can be damaged right away by hard mineral deposits within some hardwoods. Here's advice on knife material choices that could help avoid the problem. June 11, 2010
Carriage Door Hinge Suggestions You get what you pay for when you need a heavy-duty hinge for an exterior barn door. October 26, 2013
Applied wainscot Creating fake raised panels for the lower portion of walls. April 3, 2002
Custom Software for Wood Man Doors A custom builder's looking for a versatile design and drafting package for original wood door designs. But is it worth it? September 1, 2010
Shoes Off in the House? Woodworkers discuss the practicality of working in socks, and the alternatives for protecting floors in high-end residential work. October 14, 2009
Labor Charge to Hang Doors Millwork installers discuss the steps, labor time and cost for installing interior pass-through doors. October 4, 2005
Eliminating springback problems Determining the radius to aim for when creating a curve with vac-laminated plywood. September 23, 2003
Learning Complex Handrail Concepts Here's a great conversation where an advanced woodworker sits down with a beginner to walk him through some complicated, old-school curved carpentry and joinery. October 3, 2011
Designing Large Built-Up Crown Molding Treatments Big trim build-ups at a high wall-ceiling joint call for large, well-defined profiles. Here's an example of the problem and some feedback from trimwork installers. May 21, 2007
Curved Staircase and Rail Discussion The Furniture-Making Forum takes on an architectural question: bending and laminating wood for curved stair projects. July 25, 2005
Climb Cutting on a Moulder Molding manufacturers discuss the potentially dangerous but sometimes necessary practice of climb cutting. January 22, 2006
Choices for Sanding Moulding Hand-sanding mouldings is tedious and time-consuming. Here's a set of suggestions for mechanizing the process. July 23, 2005
Chatter Marks in Production Moulding It's hopeless to think of sanding milling defects out of cheap moulding. The lucky thing is, most customers won't necessarily consider this visual characteristic to be a defect. December 9, 2010
Stair to Base Transition Example Follow a trim carpenter from idea to execution as he figures out a tricky baseboard trim transition at the bottom of a staircase. April 21, 2011
Re-Drying Kiln Dried Lumber An architectural woodwork mill gets advice on acclimating stock before machining it. December 9, 2010
Installing Flush-Mount Paneling Here's a great collection of methods for mounting veneered MDF panels flush against a wall. Advice on Z-clips, shimming, frames, and more. August 15, 2012
Wainscot with toe kick Notching and other ideas for integrating a toe kick with wainscot. January 3, 2003
Making Square and Octagonal Handrail Caps Is a CNC router or an old-school rotary lathe the best way to machine a profiled square cap for a newel post? February 27, 2015
Running Tight Radius Trim on a Moulder Short-radius curved mouldings are tricky to run on a moulder (a CNC or lathe works better). It can be done, though — here are photos and advice. May 17, 2011
Jigs for Elliptical Moulder Work Aftermarket jigs let you do complex curved work on the moulder, especially if given additional shop modifications. May 21, 2007
Allowing for Wood Expansion in Solid Board Paneling A woodworker puzzles over the measures needed to let V-groove wood board paneling expand and contract with seasonal moisture changes in a seaside home. January 2, 2012
Machining Dadoes into Door Jambs Ideas for high-volume production methods for cutting dadoes in door side jambs to receive the header jamb. April 30, 2006
Cutterhead Options for a Five-Head Moulder Shop owners who machine S4S mouldings discuss the relative merits of carbide versus high-speed steel knives, and 2-sided versus insert cutter heads. September 15, 2006
Avoiding Shaper Blow-Out Various suggestions for achieving clean, sharp profiles without tear-out and blow-out when running moulding on a shaper. July 28, 2007
Tallying Moldings Suppliers round off piece lengths in different ways. Are you getting the quantities you ordered? May 29, 2005
Reviving an Old Sharpening Stone Here's the story of an old, legacy grinding wheel and the difficulties a woodworker encountered while trying to make it work again. January 2, 2012
Shopping for a Profile Grinder Advice on getting into knife grinding, for mid-job touch-up sharpening or for needed custom profiles, without an excessive investment in time or money. April 21, 2011
Alternatives to Honduran Mahogany A discussion of the qualities of some of the woods used as substitutes for Mahogany, plus an attempt to clear up some of the confusion around the much-misused "Mahogany" label. February 5, 2007
Shaping with a Table Saw Lacking the machinery to run a large moulding, a woodworker spends a few hours using his table saw to cut the curve. May 28, 2010
Veener over Drywall Installers puzzle over how to veneer a gypsum-board wall. September 24, 2009
Improving Moulder Efficiency Two guys have their hands full trying to satisfy a busy shop's moulding needs. Here, they get some advice on how to streamline their operation. March 29, 2006
Comparing Oscillating Tools How do the original high-end oscillating cutter tools rate in comparison to the less expensive off brands? October 27, 2011
Can Large Solid-Wood Panels be Stable? A high-end customer asks for enormous solid wood glued-up panels. But is there any practical way to avoid major warping? November 28, 2011
Joinery Details for Wood Doors Crafting wood doors is an advanced capability that has to be learned from practice. But here are a few tips. June 15, 2014
More Fun with Stud Finders No stud finder works perfectly. In this thread, pros discuss stud finding methods high tech and low. September 4, 2005
Crown Moulding and Cathedral Ceilings The joint between horizontal to rake treatments when applying crown in a cathedral-ceilinged room involves some complex geometry, and usually creates awkward visuals. Here's more discussion on this pesky problem. April 6, 2007
Coping Baseboard Trim carpenters agree coped joints are best. Here's advice on doing them well. June 16, 2010
Exterior Curved Handrails Some general thoughts on materials and methods for constructing a custom curved handrail for a set of front entry steps on a historic home. February 1, 2015
Installing an Interlocking Door Threshold Using tail wags, ear movements, growls, and barks, an old dog describes in detail the installation process for a Pemko interlocking residential door threshold. October 19, 2014
Finger-Jointing Moulding Stock A discussion with pictures of using finger-jointing equipment to make long stock for running mouldings. November 19, 2008
Crown Moulding for Uneven Height Cabinets Alternating high and low upper cabinets create a puzzle when it's time to apply crown molding at the top. Here, installers share ideas and show finished examples. July 24, 2005
Exterior Priming and Back-Priming Woodworkers debate whether shellac should be used for exterior priming. Manufacturers don't recommend it, but anecdotal experience varies. June 17, 2012
Exterior Door Construction for Harsh Weather Conditions If you were building solid wood exterior doors for conditions in Bahrain, how would you go about it? Here's a discussion of the problems and possible solutions. December 27, 2008
Threaded-Rod Reinforcement for an Exterior Door Woodworkers kick around a complex technical topic: whether and how to use steel to reinforce a wood door. (Also in this thread, a discussion of a "Copernicus" design pattern.)July 11, 2013
Solid Wood Door Basics A few tips for a cabinetmaker considering whether to try building man doors. April 10, 2009
Using Bending Rail on a Spiral Staircase Advice on using the steel rail on a steel staircase as a form for clamping flexible rail strips for laminated glue-up. December 24, 2009
Entry-Level Tooling for Moulding Manufacture A finish carpenter and cabinetmaker/installer gets advice on the gear he needs to make his own mouldings (and stock for sale). February 15, 2015
Removing Studs Without Damaging Back-Side Drywall Here are tips for surgically removing a short section of wall stud from a bathroom wall to create space for installing a medicine cabinet, without damaging the artistically painted drywall in the adjoining room behind the wall. August 15, 2011
Clamping columns Methods of holding the angles together tightly, without using too many clamps. July 24, 2001
Terminating Crown Moulding at a Vent A high-wall air-conditioning register interrupts a run of crown molding. What are the installer's choices? Pros supply ideas. July 5, 2005
Reproducing a Period Door from a Photo Historical reviewers tend to care a lot about appearance of building details, but less about construction. Here, a woodworker gets a leg up on the research to recreate a passage door that can pass for period. April 22, 2014
Sliding Table Saw Tips Sliders are a little different for those used to working on a standard table saw. January 24, 2005
Radius Bead A craftsman asks for advice on cutting a bead profile into an arched bookcase front, and hears the details of several alternative methods. October 4, 2005
Test for Moisture when Installing Hardwood Flooring "Acclimating" flooring in the house before nailing down is not a sure-fire precaution. You should also provide a vapor barrier, and test the flooring, subflooring and slab for proper moisture content. December 26, 2006
Machining Curved Crown Moulding Pros describe how they manufacture small runs of crown moulding to curve around outside corners. November 8, 2008
Ripping a Glue Line on Site Have to glue boards edge to edge on the job site? Here are a couple of tips on preparing the edges for a satisfactory match.January 23, 2014
Ripping an Acute Angle For a tricky millwork installation, the woodworker needs to rip a 65-degree angle on a plywood edge. Colleagues offer solutions. November 10, 2006
Teak Door Core Material Well-informed opinions about whether to use engineered core, a solid Teak core with Teak veneer, or simple laminations of solid Teak when building a Teak door. February 1, 2011
Raised Panels — Rip and Re-Glue or Not? Is it worth ripping, flipping, and re-gluing boards for exterior door raised panels, if the rough stock is wide enough to make a full panel? Opinion and discussion. June 4, 2012
Making Custom Storm Doors Fit Lessons learned as a craftsman recovers from a dimensional mis-step on a custom wood storm door project. June 8, 2008
Wood Choice for Paint Grade Historic Millwork Woodworkers discuss the pros and cons of Spanish Cedar, Mahogany, Sapele, Black Locust, and recovered Heart Pine for a restoration and historic reproduction project. April 27, 2011
Working with Bendable Substrates Commercial architectural woodworkers discuss working with bendable substrates and plywood, including the issue of how to fill sections of the material to create a solid shape. August 15, 2012
Casing a Double-Curved Door Arch How do you make and install moldings for an arched doorway set into a curved wall? Very, very carefully. April 24, 2006
Is It Worth It to Buy a Moulder? A small shop owner gets advice on whether investing in a moulder would pencil out for his operation. October 28, 2014
Moulder Options for the Small Shop Pros discuss the cost-effectiveness and convenience of various moulders, singly or in combination. November 9, 2005
Fire Ratings for Historic Wood Doors Information on how to find code-compliant fire-rated doors, and what you need to be qualified to build them yourself. March 12, 2009
Exterior Door Construction Alternatives Craftsmen discuss various ways of building wood exterior doors, including a foam-core panel method with interior and exterior wood elements isolated from each other. June 29, 2008
Wood Movement Worries with Large Wainscot Panels Oversized floating panels are likely to grow and shrink too much to be practical. Here are some explanations, and advice on substitute materials. August 12, 2014
Fabricating a Curved Jamb Laminating, piecing together, or sawing out of large stock: there's more than one way to build an arched door jamb. April 18, 2015
Heavy Duty Hinge Selection A discussion of hinge choices for a large, flush-mounted mirrored door. February 13, 2013
Flush-Cutting Fiber-Cement Siding Installers look for an easy way to cut fiber-cement siding in place for a window flashing retrofit. October 27, 2009
Drilling Into Radiant Floor Heating Tubes Oops! A woodworker installing a door learns his lesson when he drills into a hydronic heating tube in the concrete slab floor. May 15, 2014
Variable Angle Chamfers in a Production Job Shaper? Router? Table saw? A woodworker wants to know the best equipment choice for machining large quantities of beveled flat stock at various angles with high accuracy and ease of adjustment. June 4, 2012
Home Theater Acoustic Panels You can make your own sound-absorbing acoustic panels, but the tricky part is proper acoustic design for the whole room, including sound reflectors as well as absorbers. February 6, 2007
Fabricating Solid Wood Panel Entry Doors Should the center panel be glued up, or built of tongue and groove pieces that allow movement? Pros share ideas and techniques. November 19, 2005
Job Site Toolbox Ideas Installers tell how they transport and organize their tools on the job. December 9, 2007
Storm Door over Wood Entry Door Will a glass storm door installed over a wood entry door increase the risk of damage from the sun? November 14, 2014
Oversize Wood Gate Structure Ideas for how to build an 8-foot-wide, 3-foot-high wooden gate so that it won't sag. March 5, 2008
Determining pricing Finding a balance between fair and greedy pricing. June 5, 2002
Crown Moulding on a Radius For crown to follow a curve is a tricky dimensional problem. Here, woodworkers discuss various approaches to creating a piece that will work. October 2, 2007
Cope-Cutting Jigs and Machines Carpenters swap experiences using various machines and tools to cut copes in a volume production situation. October 25, 2007
Stair Tread Returns Tips on applying returns to the end of stair treads. December 26, 2006
Live Edge Fireplace Mantel Advice Practical details for making a large-dimension rustic mantelpiece with a natural log edge. January 18, 2011
Trim Wraps for Old Beams Millwork installers discuss ways to trim out posts and beams. October 8, 2005
Crown Coping Tips Some advice on dealing with large, hard-to-cope crown moulding. January 26, 2008
Fabricating Large Wooden Columns Brainstorming session about how to make 9-foot-high non-loadbearing decorative columns. February 5, 2007
Construction of Exterior Doors Woodworkers discuss stave-core and ladder-core methods for building a veneered exterior door. June 24, 2007
Cheating Crown Moulding When a sagging ceiling threatens to squeeze your mouldings down too low, there are ways to tweak the "spring angle" to make everything fit kinda sorta just right. October 25, 2007
Steam Bending Leopardwood and Lacewood An informative thread on steam bending versus lamination of curved pieces, and on the different properties of Leopardwood and Lacewood. April 4, 2011
Is It Necessary to Sand Mouldings? Sanding equipment for your moulding operation shouldn't be needed if knives are sharp and well balanced and the machine is well set up. September 5, 2006
Steam Bending Alder Pondering whether to steam-bend alder for a curved shutter frame, a woodworker hears that other woods, or other methods, may meet his needs better. April 21, 2011
Making Templates from Existing Mouldings Moulding shop pros discuss how to scan and import profiles of existing mouldings in order to make exact drawings or manufacture new knives. November 10, 2006
Running Baseboard and Casing in One Pass Can you run baseboard moulding or casing on a four-head moulder, using the first knife to create the necessary back-relief? October 14, 2006
Mixed Wood Species in an Exterior Door A woodworker describes a failure in an exterior door built out of Walnut and Oak on two different faces. But was it the wood, or the construction method, that caused the problem? August 15, 2012
Marketing Historic Preservation Work Architectural woodwork pros discuss how a specialist in historic preservation and restoration can find and develop good job leads. September 8, 2007
A multi-faceted challenge An architectural woodworker gets ideas for making a too-wide handrail intersect gracefully with an octagon-shaped newel cap. December 17, 2003
Coping MDF Mouldings Tips on MDF joinery. Some people don't cope it, and some do. September 5, 2006
Crafting a Curved Range Hood Buying is easier than building if you want a curved range hood. But here are some tips on building it anyway.August 16, 2012
A Jig for Drawing or Cutting Ellipses This clever but simple jig can be used with a pencil to draw an ellipse, or with a router to cut one. April 18, 2006
A Wood Mantle for an Existing Stone Fireplace A discussion of design values and installation issues for a new wood mantle to be installed onto an existing cobblestone fireplace chimney. October 3, 2011
Fireplace Surrounds in Perspective General advice on building and/or installing fireplace surrounds for a first-timer. It's nice work if you can get it. February 18, 2007
Adhesive for Exterior Doors Dark-stained wood exterior doors can get very hot in service. Here, woodworkers discuss choices for glues that will perform under those tough conditions. September 6, 2007
MDF for Built-In Closet Shelving A discussion of MDF's structural suitability for closet shelves and upright shelf support frames. March 3, 2009
Machining Small Radius Molding The problem: holding a small, curved piece of brittle wood fixed while machining a small moulding profile into it. Here, pros offer various solutions. December 20, 2005
Milling Rosettes Information on rosette cutters, and other advice on techniques for machining rosettes. June 23, 2006
Is MDF Stable? Cabinetmakers and woodworkers report mixed results with medium density fiberboard in terms of movement in service. December 24, 2012
Flooring Joint Profiles Is it okay to saw strip flooring with a flat shoulder joint instead of a V groove? June 4, 2012
Moulder Motor Upgrade Options Advice on swapping up to a higher-horsepower motor, and other modifications to add muscle to your moulder. May 24, 2010
Replicating a Custom Moulding Profile For a matching finish job, a craftsman needs fifteen feet of a non-standard moulding. Pros suggest several methods, from ordering custom moulder knives to engaging in router-and-tablesaw sculpting. November 10, 2005
Eliminating Burn Marks when Routing Flutes Tips on router techniques to prevent burning at the end of flutes, and on tools and methods for removing burn marks when they do happen. December 28, 2005
Moisture Issues with a White Oak Lay-Up Woodworkers consider the potential problems with moisture movement of panels made with oak resawn to 1/8-inch thickness and laminated onto 1/2-inch solid oak cores. September 23, 2008
What the Heck is "Honduran Black Walnut"? Woodweb pros discuss the opportunities, risks, and unknowns inherent in buying lumber from foreign sources at arm's length. September 7, 2013
Rugged Wainscoting An installer gets advice on wainscot paneling for a high-traffic commercial space.
"Fire Rated" Door Mysteries Woodworkers discuss the issues around passage door fire ratings, and whether field modification of labeled doors is allowed. March 3, 2009
Replicating Historic Wood Window Sash Reproducing true double hung windows from an old house is tricky, but it's a worthwhile challenge for a devoted woodworker. Here are tips on the methods and the pitfalls. August 15, 2012
Trimming Plugs Cutting and sanding wood plugs can be tedious and laborious. Here, pros discuss efficient ways to make a clean job of it. September 3, 2005
Avoiding Tear-Out with Very Small Mouldings Thin stock chatters going through the moulder or shaper, which can cause major tear-out. Here's advice on ways to overcome the problem. March 4, 2009
Climb Cutting with a Moulder A shop owner considers the pros and cons of climb-cutting cedar and redwood on a moulder. May 28, 2006
Door Gap and Outdoor Humidity A woodworker gets expert advice on predicting the moisture-related dimensional changes in a wood door, for purposes of calibrating the door gap to allow for the movement. October 11, 2007
Arched Moulding Glue-Ups Advice on sawing thin strips and gluing them up for arched moulding blanks. July 22, 2013
Template Material for Router Work Pros suggest aluminum, MDF, phenolic board, or particleboard. Also here, a discussion of techniques for making templates and some tips about using them. November 22, 2005
Making Molds and Taking Impressions A discussion of materials used to make molds of existing mouldings in order to duplicate a unique original. December 26, 2006
Sanding with a Flap Wheel Head Jacob Malherbe of flap-wheels.com supplies a brief explanation of how flap-wheel sander heads work, with tips on getting the best from your machine. May 4, 2010
Trimming Defects in Moulding Stock manufacturers describe how they control quality in runs of moulding and how they keep track of productivity. April 15, 2013
Finishing Doors Finishers discuss ways to efficiently spray large quantities of interior doors. September 11, 2006
Mounting Architectural Panels Here's a detailed description of an accurate and reliable way to attach architectural panels to walls with no visible fasteners and very little possibility of installation error. November 14, 2011
CNC-Carved Trim Details Woodworkers discuss how to find or make detailed decorative carvings for pilaster capitals and other trim elements. June 15, 2009
Shaper Heads on CNC Machines A "shaper aggregate" offers a whole new way to do curved mouldings. Here's some introductory info on the technology. August 14, 2007
Fire-Rated Garage Door Issues Putting a pretty face on a fire-rated door is not as simple as it sounds. September 23, 2008
Commercial Countertop Shrinkage A very long laminate countertop in an industrial loft buildout experiences movement problems because of humidity changes. January 12, 2012
Flush-trimming a Hardwood Floor Pros weigh in on a remodeling problem: how to flush-cut around the perimeter of a hardwood floor (the baseboard can't come off). August 29, 2005
Truss Lifting and Crown Moulding Trim installers discuss the finish problems associated with seasonal truss movement — cracking at the corners where walls meet ceilings. June 4, 2009
Laying Up and Attaching Wood Wall Panels Woodworkers discuss how to fabricate and hang wall panels of grooved-out hardwood veneer on a plywood substrate. May 26, 2008
Cutting a Bead on a Curved Backband Moulding Tips on fine-tuning an elliptical shaper jig so that it will profile a bead correctly on the inside edge of a curved piece. June 24, 2007
Murphy Bed Hardware A few general observations on the challenge of assembling and installing a Murphy bed. August 22, 2007
Coping on a Shaper For large quantities of base shoe and cap, coping ends on a shaper could be worth the setup expense. Here's a discussion of the fine points. November 10, 2006
Mitering Radius Moulding to Straight Moulding Here's help visualizing and laying out the miter cuts where a curved piece of moulding meets a straight piece with the same profile. April 24, 2014
Fabricating Round Half-Columns Woodworkers describe ways to stave-build, lay up with veneer, or turn columns using solid wood. November 10, 2006
Casement Window Repair Problem Woodworkers discuss the difficulty of replacing or repairing damaged windows. February 6, 2007
Laser Measuring for Trim Are laser measuring devices accurate enough for trim work? Most installers say yes. November 19, 2006
Cabinet Installation and Trim Carpentry Installers discuss how trim carpenters and cabinet installers should work out the kinks where their workflows intersect. July 3, 2006
Curved Stairs Riser and Tread Dimensions Stair geometry is tricky even on a straight run. Here, woodworkers wrap their heads around a curved staircase layout question. December 7, 2007
Keeping Tally of Moulding Runs Moulding manufacturers discuss efficient systems to keep track of moulding production (including tracking defective and rejected pieces). September 3, 2005
Fireplace Trim Design Example Here's a problem and possible solution for trimming out around a fireplace flanked by built-in cabinets. December 7, 2008
Mortising for Monsters How would you make a 2-foot mortise in a giant stick of Ipe wood? We don't learn that here, but we do learn something about why Ipe is so tough on tools. July 3, 2008
Large Raised-Panel Assemblies Woodworkers discuss materials, joints and methods for constructing large cope-and-stick panel assemblies (not for doors). November 10, 2005
Yellow Cedar Characteristics Not a true Cedar, Yellow Cedar grows mainly on the northern Pacific coast of North America. Here is some info about its useful properties. April 2, 2013
Re-Facing a Stair Stringer A woodworker needs to apply a veneered face to an existing stair stringer. Here's the advice he receives on scribing and fitting. October 27, 2008
Stripping Old Windows How to get old paint off historic window sashes without damaging the wood. March 18, 2006
Woven Cherry Door Panels Thin slats woven together into a door panel is a cool idea, but kiln-dried wood is too brittle. Green wood may work. November 10, 2006
Cutting Metal Closet Rod Suggestions for saws, blades, and cutters for cutting metal closet rod material. October 27, 2011
Tooling for Cope-and-Stick Doors Pros describe machinery and cutterheads for coped mortise and tenon door part machining. August 23, 2005
Drilling Deep Holes in End Grain Advice on how to drill three-foot wiring chases into the ends of wooden deck posts, in the field. November 26, 2008
Sealing Door Bottoms Painters on site typically don't take care of door bottoms, so door makers recommend priming with shellac or epoxy. October 19, 2013
Tweaking the Feed Rollers on a Moulder Woodworkers suggest reasons wood might get stuck going through the moulder, and suggest ways to fix the problem. December 6, 2006
Curved Raised Panels Woodworkers discuss ways to fabricate curved raised panels for the interior of an archway, with photo examples. December 2, 2006
Cutting Long Through Mortises Advice on tools and techniques for mortise and tenon joinery for a historical shutter reproduction. June 22, 2010
Exterior MDF A closer look at exterior-grade MDF products. October 27, 2008
Chain Mortiser Versus Hollow Chisel Woodworkers discuss the evolution of power mortising machinery: chain mortisers, slot mortisers, and oscillating chisel mortisers. September 17, 2014
Centered Drilling in Pole End Grain Thoughts on how to drill centered, matching holes in the end of poles so the poles can be connected end to end. March 26, 2009
Machining Lock Miters on Large Pieces A millwork fabricator gets advice on how to cut lock-miter profiles into the long edge of very long and wide MDF panels. November 10, 2006
Window Sash Joinery Details Information on meeting rail and parting bead configurations for custom window sash. April 24, 2009
S4S Moulder: Is It Worth It? A shop owner is considering buying a 4-head moulder to dedicate to producing S4S stock. Opinions vary on the value of that investment — the difference may lie in the quantity he needs to produce. October 22, 2005
A Very Short Piece of Matching Moulding What are you going to do when some old door casing mouldings have been cut off just an inch short of the floor? Here are some great ideas for making the match. April 12, 2013
Troubleshooting Stain Wicking at End Grain Here's an interesting case example: a problem of stain wicking into end grain in a site-finished coffer ceiling trim job. April 18, 2010
Fastening Newel Posts to Floors Without tearing things apart, how do you attach a newel post to a floor framed with floor trusses and subflooring, with laminate flooring installed over that? July 3, 2006
Keeping Joints Tight with MDF Crown Moulding Gaps can appear at MDF moulding joints for various reasons. Here, installers give several suggestions for holding those joints tight. September 4, 2005
Leaving the Bark on Porch Posts There are several reasons why leaving the bark on an architectural feature is a bad idea, especially outdoors. September 25, 2014
Jobsite Tool Carts Installers share ideas for keeping tools and materials organized on site. March 18, 2006
Is Sweetgum Too Unstable for Flooring? Sweetgum is highly prone to movement. However, sawn thin enough and heavily nailed (and glued), it just might work as strip flooring. February 19, 2008
Sunlight and a Cherry Entry Door Cherry is a problematic wood for any exterior use, because it is known to first darken, then bleach, from exposure to sunlight. April 24, 2006
Screen Door Corner Joinery Advice on wood choice and joinery for a custom wood screen door replacement. August 15, 2011
Wood Floor Smoothness Changes Moisture-related movement can cause wood floors to move and become rough at the joints. February 23, 2010
Sanding Moulding Profiles Tips and tricks for sanding the profiles surface of trim moldings without overly softening the sharp edges. August 21, 2006
Splitting Moulding Profiles Technical advice on running two profiles on a single piece of stock, and splitting the pieces as they come off the machine. November 12, 2008
MDO as a Painted Floor Yes, you can make a "distressed" floor with medium density overlay (MDO) panels. June 11, 2014
Charging for Trim Work Pricing advice for a cabinetmaker looking into residential trim installation work. August 31, 2009
Mortising Large Timbers Ideas about tools and techniques to efficiently cut lots of big mortises in 5x5 posts. April 9, 2008
Distressing Box Beams Advice on making new sawn lumber beams look old, beat-up, and hand-hewn. November 8, 2008
Modifying Fire-Rated Doors Doors with official fire resistance ratings need to be manufactured by qualified companies, and modifying the doors voids the ratings. November 3, 2010
Magnetic Chalkboard Solutions Suggestions for providing a magnetic bulletin board that the customer can also write on with chalk. February 27, 2015
3d Cnc Programming 3D work on a CNC. August 26, 2004
Oddball Crown Moulding Miters Advice on joinery for spots where curved mouldings on an arch meet a horizontal return, and other odd intersections. December 6, 2008
Casting Fine Trim Profiles You can use Bondo, epoxy, or putty to cast a moulding profile you're trying to replicate. June 26, 2009
Fabricating and Installing Curved Baseboard Suggestions for this curved baseboard situation include using flexible stock, or clamping and laying up thin layers of MDF before profiling with a router. July 12, 2012
Elliptical Jamb Extensions Pros puzzle out how to make extension jambs for elliptical windows. January 9, 2008
Sharpening Vibrating-Head Saw Blades Did you know you can sharpen the blades for those vibrating-head detail-sander saws? You can also make your own replacement blades. December 6, 2006
Shoji Screen Ideas Basic tips for a first-timer on fabricating shoji screens. September 10, 2007
Focusing a Moulding Business Shop owners discuss whether custom small-volume runs or large stock moulding jobs are the preferred path to profitability. June 12, 2005
Glued-Up MDF on the Lathe A woodworker experiments with laying up MDF blanks and turning them on a lathe. He reports mixed results, but says the idea has potential. May 6, 2006
Routing Flutes on Large Cabinet Doors Advice on tool choice, measuring, marking, and jigs for cutting multiple flutes into a big door panel. January 18, 2007
Multi-Profile Knives and Heads Shop owner gets advice on finding appropriate cutter heads for a set of nice knives (manufacturer unknown). Included are some set-up tips. July 13, 2005
Fabricating Radius Jambs An architectural millwork pro outlines his process for making radius-curve door jambs. December 26, 2006
Do ANSI B11 Standards Apply to Woodworking Equipment? ANSI Standard B11 was created to apply to machine tools, not woodworking machinery. But an argument could be made for a broader application of the rules. October 26, 2011
Waste Allowance for Running Trim Suggestions for how to handle the "fudge factor" involved in estimating trim material quantities. August 13, 2007
Treated Cypress Options A discussion of surface coatings, preservative treatments, and natural decay resistance of Cypress used for outdoor shutters. July 12, 2008
Interior Barn-Style Doors Tips for building board-and-batten doors mounted on slider or roller tracks. April 6, 2011
Steam Bending Bloodwood Bloodwood is a tough wood to bend. Bent laminations might be a more practical method. January 20, 2011
Wainscot for Stairs and Landings A discussion of how to handle the tricky transitions brought on by stairway elevation changes. February 16, 2006
Routing Aluminum You can rout aluminum with the right bits if you're careful, but the wise course may be to bring this work to a specialty shop. December 28, 2014
Flooring Equipment Basic descriptions of moulders and end-matchers used to make wood flooring. November 11, 2008
Taking Millwork Impressions for Reproduction Woodworkers discuss non-destructive ways to take profiles of existing mouldings in order to make exact reproductions. December 27, 2008
Making a Standard Refrigerator Look Built In Wood-look panels applied to a standard refrigerator fall short of providing the appearance or useability of a true built-in model. January 1, 2012
Milling Your Own Flooring Sawmill operator asks about the wisdom of milling up some mesquite flooring, and gets opinions both ways — along with some practical tips. October 4, 2005
Optimal Size to Rough Cut for Flooring Start with a uniform finish thickness, then add allowances for planing, drying shrinkage, and cupping. October 26, 2011
Applying Divided Lights to Insulated Windows Some woodworkers have learned to piggyback original divided-light window glazing on the interior of modern insulated sash. June 17, 2012
Design Drafting for a Tudor Arch Looking like a flattened Gothic arch, a Tudor arch involves a complex interaction of four radius centers. Here's some help with designing one. October 11, 2007
Making Box Beams Look Hand-Hewed It's hard to duplicate the look of an authentic hand-hewn beam, but here are some suggestions. August 24, 2005
Feeder Wheel Hardness A shop owner asks about products to soften old power feed wheels. Instead, he gets advice about re-covering the wheels or switching to a replaceable tire system. October 13, 2005
Vacuum Bag Versus Clamp Jig for Curved Moldings For a small molding laid up from laminated plies, keep it simple: a curved jig and clamps works as well as vacuum baggin, or better. June 23, 2006
Calculating Springback Simple formula for determining amount of springback in bent solid wood. April 18, 2004
Working with Balau Wood A dense, durable tropical hardwood that is rough on blades, Balau is good for outdoor features such as decks. April 4, 2011
"Crosette Corner" Period Door Casing An example with some discussion of a wide-shoulder door casing from the Georgian period in American architecture. January 19, 2011
Milling Ipe with a Router Ipe wood is hard, stubborn and toxic. Wear a respirator and use carbide tooling. June 23, 2006
Fabricating Spiral Stair Handrails More good advice on one of the most challenging tasks in woodworking: making handrails for a spiral staircase. May 26, 2008
Custom Mouldings for Arched Window Tops Manufactured windows may not have regular, true, or consistent dimensions. The safest bet is to make a template from the actual window. October 13, 2005
Making a Fabric-Covered Tack Board Pros suggest backing materials, fabrics, and attachment methods for building a "tack-friendly" bulletin board. August 13, 2007
Alternatives to Ball Catches Ball catches don't work well when doors and jambs move from seasonal humidity changes. Here are some suggestions for other hardware. January 14, 2013
Machinery for Running Radius Mouldings Woodworkers discuss equipment choices for producing radius flat arch casings and curved crown mouldings. March 3, 2009
Rolling Jobsite Tool Carts Ideas for putting your tool chest on wheels to get in an out of install sites quickly. September 27, 2008
Using a Stair-Stringer Router Template Basic directions for using a manufactured router template to route out stringers for fully-housed stair treads. October 19, 2006
Equipment for Square Turnings Certain old-style lathes can some make square turned posts easily, but some complex designs (such as pictured here) are only achievable on a CNC. May 20, 2011
Tangent Handrail Class Tips from a class on tangent handrail fabrication, presented by expert Jim Baldwin. July 28, 2012
Shutter Louver End Detailing Plastic hardware for louver ends is the norm, but tenoning the ends is a classier way to go. July 12, 2008
A Lap Joint for Curved Members Ideas for tools and jigs to dado out for half-lap joinery where two curved pieces meet. December 7, 2007
Exterior Door Joinery Ideas for detailing the joints on frame-and-panel doors for weather resistance. June 8, 2008
Cupping Door Stile A moisture-related wood movement problem leads to a discussion of LVL versus solid wood core material for veneered exterior doors. August 6, 2008
An Antique Look for Nails Advice on creating a look of staining and age in antique nails in a custom mantelpiece. February 12, 2009
Long Angle Cutting on a Miter Saw A nice illustration in this thread shows how you can cut a 140-degree angle (for instance) on a chopsaw. June 17, 2010
MDF Crown in a High-Rise Steel stud walls and a cement ceiling add a few wrinkles to what would otherwise be a routine crown-molding install. June 23, 2006
Fuzz and Tearout with Soft Maple What's causing machining problems with soft maple? Could be the hook setting, the knife angle, or just too high a moisture content. July 13, 2005
Unit Pricing for Production Trim Carpentry Pros discuss the ballpark price of trimming production homes, and throw a tip or two for making time on the job. November 19, 2005
Sharpening Tongue-and-Groove Knife Sets If you choose the right knives to begin with, tongue-and-groove profile cutters can be sharpened repeatedly. March 5, 2008
Making Tapered Stopped Flutes Woodworkers explain how they prefer to machine tapered stopped flutes, and why. July 9, 2007
Open Stringer Stair Construction Construction suggestions for an architect-specified open-stringer stair with plywood stringers and walnut treads. October 19, 2013
Lining Up Stair Rail Dowel Joints Ideas for jigs to ensure accurate placement of dowels at a butt joint in a stair rail. December 7, 2007
Single-Blade Moulder Advice on running a moulder with just one knife, for the sake of economy on short custom runs. February 12, 2009
Making Odd-Angle Templates For out-of-whack shapes (like shelves for irregular closets), assembling templates with hot-melt glue does the trick. September 22, 2005
Antique Oak Wall Paneling Ideas for making large veneered panels with resawn reclaimed Oak. August 19, 2008
Attaching Hardwood Edges to Panels Here's a handy tip: use pocket holes and screws for edging panels with solid wood, and mate the pieces using tongue-and-groove joints. November 19, 2006
Making Base Moulding from Engineered Flooring Suggestions for fabricating baseboard moulding out of engineered flooring, even though the face and core are different materials. October 3, 2011
Stable Construction for a Slat Door For an unusual door design, woodworkers suggest methods that won't risk excessive movement of the pieces. August 5, 2006
Carving Machines Here's a quick introduction to some of the high-tech, high-volume carving and duplication machinery that is now available. September 20, 2008
Fastening Bamboo Plywood Panels When attaching architectural bamboo panels, splitting is a concern. Drilling, screwing and plugging is a practical solution. December 20, 2005
Mating Cove Moulding to Baseboard An installer gets advice on a tricky trim joint where vertical cove moulding meets the top of a baseboard. July 5, 2005
Crown Moulding Calculators Sources for charts and calculators that provide compound-cut angles for crown moulding installation. February 8, 2008
The Look of Hand-Hewn with Power Tools A curved power-planer or planer knife can approximate the look, but for the real thing you need the hand tool (an adze). December 15, 2005
Radius of an arc Formulas for determining the radius of an arc, or "eyebrow"
Wide Solid Wood Stair Treads Relief cuts on the underside of a wide stair tread can reduce the risk of cupping in service. April 4, 2011
Fastening Wainscoting Pre-assemble the frames, and team up mechanical fasteners with a good adhesive. May 6, 2006
Coping Small Crown into Larger Crown A quick description of the field technique for making two different moldings blend at the joint. November 22, 2005
Curved and Tapered Column Capitals Woodworkers discuss ways to fabricate a custom curved column capital detail. Suggestions include vacuum-bagged veneer and sawn wood options. October 16, 2013
Edge Treatment for Aromatic Cedar Plywood Considering the choices for cedar-closet shelf plywood that won't be finished: edgebanding, solid edging, or miterfolding. December 20, 2005
Door Rail Attachments and Wood Movement Advice on gluing large-dimension door rails so as to allow for expansion and contraction of the lumber. October 27, 2009
Is Bendable Plywood Durable Outdoors? Flexible plywood isn't marketed for outdoor use, but here's one anecdote of the material holding up in an exterior application. April 18, 2015
Crown Moulding Transitions When two slightly different crown-moulding profiles meet at an inside corner, there are several ways to handle the transition. November 11, 2005
Controlling Checking in a Walnut Mantel A carefully located plunge cut in the hidden side of a large sawn member may restrict checking to that location. April 18, 2010
Steam bending wood Information resources on how to steam bend wood. January 24, 2001
Octagon Columns Determining the width of staves. January 24, 2005
Low-Acid Wood Species? All wood and sawdust tends to be acidic, but some varieties are milder than others. August 1, 2011
Good Books about Historic Windows Trying to learn some architectural woodworking history about windows? Here's a short list of valuable reference books. April 21, 2011
Traditional Double-Hung Window Plans Here's a good source for drawings and instructions if you're looking to re-create a historic old double-hung window sash and frame (or just about any other old-time wood component). June 22, 2012
Detaching Elevator Panels Be careful if you take on a job that involves removing existing steel elevator panels. They may be screwed on from the back side. June 28, 2007
Lap Siding for a Flared Turret Those complex Victorian turret flares are usually shingled because siding them with boards is so hard. But here's a description of how to fit lap siding to a flared cone. March 4, 2007
Improving Rough Mill Yield at the Moulder Attention to the typical causes of material loss in the moulder can improve the moulding producer's bottom line. June 21, 2007
Quartering a Turned Column A trick for quartering a column after turning: Paper in the joint. March 26, 2010
Engineered Flooring over a Concrete Slab Laminated wood flooring products work well applied to a concrete slab, as long as the floor is acceptably flat and a proper vapor barrier is applied first. February 5, 2007
Yellow Pine for Mouldings Drying stability and machining problems make Yellow Pine unsuitable for fine woodwork. December 24, 2012
Cutting Crown Molding the Simple Way If you've never done it before, cutting crown molding is confusing — it's hard to visualize the angles. This Wood Magazine video walks you through the simple process of cutting crown standing up on the chopsaw. July 12, 2007
Epoxy Porch Post Repair Advice on suitable repair epoxies for a rotted exterior porch post. March 3, 2009
Sanding Carved Profiles A small sand-blaster can be used for smoothing intricate carved profiles. September 19, 2009
Wood Medallion Accuracy Tip Here's a slick trick for making all the angle cuts work out on a multi-piece medallion. November 28, 2006
Shutter Manufacturing Be a fly on the wall as a CNC router cuts out parts for louvered arched wood shutters. (Leave the sound turned off for this one.)July 12, 2007
Sources for Mold-Making Materials and Info Here's a list of vendors who supply materials you can use to create a mold of an existing moulding, in order to reproduce the piece using cast plaster. September 15, 2011
Left Versus Right Volutes The difference is based on standing at the bottom of the stairs and looking up. May 12, 2008
Drawing and Cutting Ellipses Drawing ellipses without strings or formulas, making a jig to cut an ellipse, and cutting an ellipse with a router and jig. January 28, 2007
Coping Crown Moulding Coping crown moulding, and recognizing un-copable crown moulding. January 28, 2007
Assembling and Gluing Staved Columns Here's a boatload of advice and ideas about how to put together and glue octagonal columns made with staves. October 23, 2007
Helical Handrail Math for Spiral Stairs Woodworkers puzzle over the twisted math involved in making a profiled handrail follow the curve of a spiral stair. January 26, 2008
Poplar for a Storm Door: Movement Issues An extended discussion of the behavior of Poplar in an exterior exposure. Science says Poplar is suitable for exterior woodwork, but experience may indicate the contrary. June 3, 2007
Preventing Cupping in a Wide Board Woodworkers discuss the "rip and flip" method, relief cuts, and similar methods of reducing wood movement. November 19, 2005
Building an Entry Door Here's a boatload of advice and commentary for a woodworker contemplating his first entry door. August 29, 2014
Building a Solid Oak Bar Top Woodworkers discuss the options for constructing an Oak bar top, including butcher block or strip flooring. January 25, 2013
Baseboard for Bullnose Wall Corners A soft-corner baseboard treatment is easy to want, not so easy to do. Here's a spirited discussion of the trim installer's options for this pesky detail. July 9, 2007
Basics of Saw Blade Selection An introduction to the important characteristics of various saw blade types. November 24, 2008
Helical Stair-Rail Science Pros puzzle through the complexities of following a spiral stairway's curve using round stair rail. March 5, 2008
Building Insulated-Core Carriage Doors Detailed instruction on how to construct a custom architectural wood door with an insulating foam core. April 4, 2011
Practical Lumber Tally Methods A moulding manufacturer needs advice on a method for tallying lumber that his people can conveniently implement. January 27, 2007
Bending Pressure-Treated Wood Detailed, authoritative information on the ins and outs of bending pressure-treated wood for curved outdoor decks or garden structures. May 23, 2007
Boring Machine Accuracy and Dowel Joinery A discussion on achieving a nice joint fit when using dowels along with cope-and-stick joinery for 1-3/4"-thick door construction. May 6, 2009
Best Joinery for Passageway Door Construction Cope-and-stick joinery is the classic "man door" method. But what's the strongest joint — dowel, mortise and tenon, or what? December 2, 2006
Baseboard-to-Stairs Trim Transition Here's a nice way to handle those trim transitions where baseboard moulding runs into the bottom of a staircase. October 25, 2006
Pantry Doors with Storage Cabinetmakers brainstorm kitchen storage ideas, and discuss how much shelf space a door can support. May 15, 2012
Hidden Room (Secret Door) Details Tips on hardware and other details for concealing a door by disguising it as a bookshelf, pool-cue rack, or the like. February 8, 2008
"Hinge-Fold" Door Details How to double up two doors in an entry so that one hinges off the other — like a bi-fold, but different. May 26, 2008
Profile Grinding Bent Wood The developer of an innovative method for extreme-bending hardwood explores options for profiling his bent pieces using abrasive wheels. March 12, 2014
Pulling Surface Joints Tight Links to gadgets that can make this sometmes-frustrating issue a breeze. February 8, 2005
Potential Pitfalls of Commercial Trim Jobs If you're new to commercial work, be careful. Payment schedules can slip, and you can get roped into extra work you hadn't counted on. July 27, 2008
Panels for Railroad Roundhouse Doors A discussion of technical assembly details for some huge architectural doors to be made of sawn wood. June 28, 2013
Picket Fence Lumber Selection A discussion comparing the pros and cons of treated wood, second growth Cedar, and other wood species for use in a fence. December 1, 2010
Beyond the Spiral: Serpentine Stair Example Here's a quick tour (concept to finished product) of an ambitious free-standing staircase project that includes opposite curves. January 12, 2012
Bowed, Round Top Double Hung Top Sash Arched top windows that will fit into a curved wall. How are you going to build that? Well ... here's a book recommendation and some general ideas. November 29, 2014
Bowing in a Panel Glue-Up Woodworkers consider why a one-inch thick shelf made up of a 3/4-inch wood layer glued to a 1/4-inch MDF layer came out of the vacuum bag bowed. October 13, 2012
Big Monitors for On-Screen Estimating A discussion of the hardware and software upgrades involved in switching to all-digital (paperless) estimating and takeoffs. April 27, 2011
Hanging Laminate Chair Rail Advice on ways to efficiently install chair rail in volume on commercial jobs, plus a side discussion about contracts and quality specifications. October 20, 2013
Pricing Crown Moulding Installs Estimating and pricing crown moulding work: by the foot, by the number of corners, by gut feeling? February 17, 2011
Board and Batten Wainscot "Board and batten" conjures up images of barn siding, but the term could also refer to a well-made and distinctive wainscot. Here's a well-informed conversation about wainscoting. January 2, 2012
Passage door construction Techniques and joinery used in the construction of passage doors. January 3, 2001
Pencil Preferences Craftsmen discuss the pencils they like and where they carry them. November 11, 2005
"Brushed and Burnt" Oak Flooring Thoughts on how to replicate a "brushed and burned" look on wide plank oak flooring, using a flame gun and a brushing power tool. July 27, 2008
Bending Large Pieces Experienced hands offer tips on bending a thick piece of cherry for a curved rail. June 12, 2005
Building Bee Hive Boxes Bee hives are mass-produced at prices the small craftsman can't easily compete with. July 12, 2012
Hinge Hardware for a Pivoting Round Window A discussion on finding replacement mounting hardware for a restored round window that has to pivot in at the top, out at the bottom. November 2, 2010
How to Draw an Oval Pros share methods for laying out elliptical shapes. May 4, 2005
Brush Backed Flap Sanding Wheels A simple question about where to buy a replacement sanding wheel prompts an information-filled thread about brush and flap sanding technology. August 29, 2014
Building Up New Stair Treads Woodworkers discuss techniques for applying new stair treads over the top of existing stairs. November 26, 2007
Profiling Door Trim for Accurate Installs Is it worth detailing pre-finished jamb and casing stock with routs to accept splines for registering the pieces during installation? June 12, 2013
Black Walnut for Windows A discussion considering whether Black Walnut is an appropriate wood for constructing custom reproduction window sash. April 4, 2011
Profile Knife Grinders for Replicating Mouldings A discussion of knife grinding equipment and techniques for a woodworker who wants to reproduce historic mouldings for custom work. January 28, 2013
Baseboard Transition at the Top of a Stair Wise advice from a pro helps a trim carpenter detail the juncture where hallway baseboard moulding turns and goes down a staircase. November 14, 2014
Bending MDF Woodworkers discuss steam, kerfing, strip laminating, and other methods for bending MDF mouldings and panels. July 30, 2009
Pricing Lineal Moulding Tips and advice on setting a per-foot price for custom moulding runs. July 23, 2007
Power Feed Roller Hardness Shop owners and experts discuss the ins and outs of maintaining, resurfacing, or replacing roller wheels for power feeders. October 1, 2005
Portable Bandsaw Pros discuss options for detail cuts on heavy timbers. May 4, 2005
Beadboard on Back Wall Between Cabinets Here are some tips on installing a wood beadboard backsplash when there's a scarcity of framing to nail to. December 27, 2007
Press-On Wall Panel Fasteners A woodwork installer needs zero-clearance fasteners for a tricky panel attachment problem. Suggestions include velcro, magnets, and inverted Z-clips. November 10, 2005
Hand Profiling a Helical Handrail Tips and tricks for putting a profile on a spiral-stair handrail using a hand-held router. March 24, 2008
Preventing Pine-Sap Buildup Pine sap is building up on the bed and rollers of his moulder, reports a shop owner who's milling up large batches of flooring from reclaimed pine. Others supply advice for cleanup and prevention. October 20, 2005
Bending Plastic Pipe Here's information on bending PVC or ABS pipe for use as a curved moulding form. Hot sand does the trick for softening these thermoplastic materials. July 3, 2006
Priming MDF Mouldings A solvent-borne primer may reduce MDF's surface fuzz after machining, but some sanding is almost always unavoidable. January 22, 2006
Building a Circular Window Jamb Constructing the circle from overlapping half-circle segments promotes stability and accuracy. December 24, 2012
Handling and Installing High-End Appliances What's the best way to get a heavy, expensive Sub-Zero or Wolf fridge or range off the truck and into the house? Short answer: pay somebody else to do it. January 23, 2014
Pulling Casing Tight to the Wall Stiff hardwood casing is hard to get tight. Here are a handful of tips and tricks. November 11, 2005
Butt Seaming Veneer Panels Advice on joining three 4x10 veneered wall panels together with a seamless and stable joint. January 12, 2012
Hanging Panels with Z Clips on a Crooked Wall Nice step-by-step game plan for hanging wall panels with Z clips onto a furred-out metal stud wall (some straightening required). January 2, 2012
Boring Long Holes in Doors Here's how a pro lines up a bore hole the whole length of a man-door's strike rail. January 18, 2007
Hanging on a Floating Shelf Here's a fun addition to the Knowledge Base collection on floating shelf attachment: a woodworker demonstrating how a small shelf will support his own weight. May 15, 2011
Hanging Ceiling Panels Quick, useful tip on hanging architectural panels on ceilings with a modified French cleat. April 5, 2011
Building Shutters out of Ash Brief advice on the characteristics of Ash wood when used to construct custom window shutters. August 15, 2012
"Pickwick" Beadboard Cutterhead Info How to find router or shaper knives to make the decorative "Pickwick" pattern on the tongue side of wood paneling. June 23, 2006
Panel Spacers for Passage Door Small spaceballs work for letting cabinet door panels move. But what do you use for thick raised panels in a 1-3/4" full size passage door? August 19, 2008
Are Small Moulders Practical for Small Runs? Here's an extensive and informative run on the hows and whys of buying and using a small moulder to make short runs of custom profiles. October 19, 2013
Home-built moulder Advice on the construction of a moulder, and encouragement to follow an easier path. November 18, 2002
Increasing production flow Presenting to a boss the numbers that prove production flow could be improved. (Business Forum) May 17, 2003
Taking Measurements on Site — Tape Measure or Laser Device? The new generation of laser measuring tools can improve accuracy and save time. Here, cabinetmakers describe why they made the switch and how they use the new tools. November 22, 2005
Acetylated Treated Lumber — What's Up with That? Here's an interesting discussion about the durability, fastener compatibility, and other properties of acetyl treated lumber, such as "Accoya," with some useful links to more. January 2, 2014
Safety and Burn-Free Flutes A long discussion about how to make flutes without burn marks at the end, and without injury. February 16, 2006
Optimal Joint Method for Making Curved Beams Woodworkers discuss the best way to fabricate a curved beam, and learn about an interesting historic example of curved laminated timber barn construction. October 19, 2013
Efficient Trim Installation Extensive advice on organizing and planning for efficient production on site when installing baseboard, crown moulding, and window and door casing. October 25, 2006
Fabricating Solid Wood Doors A discussion of the risks involved with solid wood door construction, and some detailed advice on "plank construction" methods. January 12, 2009
Building a Sapele Entry Door with Glass Panels Here's some good advice on door construction, with particular reference to a door built with Sapele and including horizontal glass panels. February 16, 2014
Tricked-Out Job Trailers An extended thread on how to customize your "shop on wheels" for convenience and efficiency. August 13, 2007
Price and Quality for Interior Doors Custom woodworkers have to charge for quality that typical mass-market interior doors can't match. October 17, 2011
Machining MDF with High Speed Steel Knives The adhesive in MDF is rough on tooling, but for short runs of custom MDF moulding it may be worth using HSS knives. June 26, 2009
Decorative Trim with Stucco Alternatives for wall detail trimwork on a stucco house, including coating options, wood choices, and plastic alternatives like cellular PVC. June 23, 2006
Dark Putty Ideas for blending a dark wood putty to match dark woods like cherry. July 3, 2006
Working with MDF Mouldings Tips on using MDF mouldings, with comments on coping, gluing, and fastening. April 8, 2008
Keeping Your Cell Phone Handy on Site Installers share ideas for keeping your cell phone handy on site, but safe from being dropped or lost. May 28, 2010
Instant Glue for Moulding Miters Details on ordering and using instant-set adhesive for moulding miters and other handy purposes. March 26, 2009
Milling Radius Crown Moulding Advice on how to run pieces of radius crown moulding using a tilting head shaper. January 22, 2006
Pricing Trim Installation GC's may ask for a square-foot price, but pricing by the piece or by the cut makes more sense. September 3, 2005
Fast Glue for Miter Joints New fast-setting adhesives are a great tool for trim carpentry, and these photos demonstrate how strong they are. May 20, 2006
De-Nailing Antique Pine Advice on finding and removing the nails from reclaimed lumber before milling into flooring. April 27, 2007
Drilling into Hard Concrete Tips for making drill bits last when drilling for fasteners in concrete. May 6, 2007
Accurate Cuts on Crown Molding Trim carpentry pros discuss saw stops, cutting methods, and measuring techniques for getting perfect miter cuts and joint bevels. March 18, 2006
Getting Into Flooring Production The owner of a rough lumber business has been getting a lot of requests for hardwood flooring. Here's a discussion of what equipment he would need to start producing it, and what markets he should cultivate in order to make money. November 13, 2005
Routing a Large Radius with a Low-Power Router Advice on how to sneak up on a radius corner rout using a great big bit in a smaller router. Tips on speed control, custom router plates, jigs, and roughing out the piece by hand. February 18, 2007
Crown Moulding Tips and Tricks Trim carpenters discuss jigs, chopsaws, stands, and techniques for cutting and installing crown moulding. April 20, 2007
Job-Site Miter Saw Stands Pros supply ideas with photos of versatile chopsaw stands for the job site. November 19, 2006
Safe Control of Small Miter-Saw Off-Cuts When you have to cut a tiny mitered return piece on the chop saw, bits tend to fly out at dangerous speed. Here, carpenters suggest a half-dozen solutions. August 6, 2008
Machinery for End-Matching Flooring Short of investing in a specialized end-matching machine, are there other ways to efficiently get quality results on more typical shop equipment? July 26, 2010
Driving Nails into Hard Timbers A woodworker who's repairing old barn timbers gets advice on choosing a heavy-duty pneumatic nailgun. February 16, 2014
Troubleshooting Curved Miter Cuts Big chopsaw cutting a little concave? Blade quality and technique might both play a role. August 8, 2008
Crown Molding Cutting Techniques Fine points of cutting crown molding on a sliding compound miter saw as compared to using a straight chopsaw. August 7, 2006
Flush-Trimming a Curved Corbel Following the curves on this piece is a challenge. Here, architectural trim pros discuss router and belt-sander techniques for working on curved edges. December 14, 2005
Trim Gun Compressor Choices A good small compressor can pack plenty of power for trim work, light framing, and cabinet installs. April 10, 2009
Scribe-Cutting a Ceiling Edge Here's a challenge: cut 1/4 inch off the edge of a ceiling panel that's mounted flush to the wall. The pros can think of several ways. December 14, 2005
Troubleshooting Miter Saw Inaccuracy When a sliding compound miter saw starts cutting miters a half a degree out of whack, a trim installer starts tearing his hair out. Here's some advice on what could be wrong with the tool. May 22, 2007
Saw Blades for Laminate Flooring Laminate flooring will eat up any saw blade. Most installers use cheap blades and expect to wear them out. August 13, 2007
Rebuilding Cordless-Tool Batteries The cells in a cordless tool battery pack can be replaced with aftermarket versions. But is it worth doing? May 22, 2007
Cutting Crown Moulding Laying down, or standing up? It all depends — but here are a couple of quick tips for success with the laying-down way. October 3, 2011
Pricing Trim Work Stay away from square foot pricing for finish carpentry. Here are details on how to price by the piece and the joint (and factor in aggravation). June 23, 2006
Stating Dimensions for Crown Moulding Crown molding sizes can be looked at two ways: The thickness and width of the board, or the vertical and horizontal distances it will span when installed. Depending on the situation, either could be important. December 2, 2006
Reproducing Historic Wood Columns Advice on adhesives, assembling and joining the staves, and woodturning methods for replicating historic old architectural columns. May 12, 2013
Distressing Wood Learning how to give new furniture that well-worn look. January 6, 2005
Materials Options for Exterior Gingerbread Trim Here's an extended discussion of various natural wood, synthetic, and composite materials and how they hold up in outdoor exposures. November 24, 2007
Searching for a sales rep Increasing sales by adding the right marketing professional to your team. September 20, 2003
Figuring Helical Trim Twist Here's a long and detailed thread with pictures and photos about a real head-scratcher of a problem: calculating, modeling, or mocking up and then fabricating a piece of molding that follows the underside of a helical staircase. January 20, 2011
Start-Up Manufacturing Millwork It's harder than a beginner might think to make money producing mouldings on a shoestring. Old hands discuss the hard truths in this thread. April 4, 2011
Solid Wood Entry Door Construction An extended technical discussion of proven methods for constructing large, heavy, durable custom doors using solid sawn lumber. January 18, 2007
Bending Stair Rail in Three Dimensions Experienced stair rail professionals weigh in on a deep and complex subject — multi-dimensional wood bending — in this long, detailed thread. February 25, 2009
Crown Moulding Corner Fastening Techniques Advice on using adhesive to fasten outside corner joints in large crown moulding, along with other practical tips for installing crown. October 12, 2007
Poplar in Exterior Conditions Although some people have noted 100-year-old poplar porch posts that are still sound, poplar generally seems to rot quickly in exterior use. November 10, 2005
Building Heavy Barn Doors Can you make those barn doors stable? Here's a discussion of how to anticipate and deal with the inevitable movement of wood components. March 18, 2006
Accurate Miters Tips on achieving good miter joints when working to fine tolerances. October 25, 2006
Entry Door Materials Pros discuss wood choice, finishing, and construction methods for a durable exterior door. October 4, 2005
Closet "Fit and Finish" What kind of precision is expected in closet shelving? Should shelves be scribed to fit? May 6, 2009
Curved Handrail Glue-Up Tips A discussion of glue selection for a bent railing lamination glue-up, and other advice on the work. December 14, 2009
Working with MDF Trim Thoughtful advice, handy tips, and whines about installing medium density fiberboard architectural trim material. May 6, 2007
Fastening Retrofit Stair Treads Installers discuss how to fasten replacement oak stair treads to an existing old stringer so as to minimize squeaking. September 5, 2006
Troubleshooting and Repair of Glue Failure in an Exterior Door A raised-panel Hickory exterior door behind a glass storm door is coming apart from the effects of solar heat and moisture condensation. What can be learned (or done) in this situation? June 3, 2007
Pin Nailers Versus 18-Gauge or 23-Gauge Nailers Installers discuss the relative usefulness of various fastener sizes and types for attaching prefinished crown moulding to cabinets. February 21, 2006
Entry Door Ideas for a Jacuzzi Building Thoughts on building a durable exterior door able to withstand the steamy environment of a room housing a hot tub. December 14, 2009
Securing Crown Moulding Installers discuss methods for attaching crown moulding to a substrate of steel studs and painted drywall. October 8, 2005
Is this "Fixed" Shelving? Does a peg-bracket shelf with screws added to secure it fit the definition of a "fixed" shelf? May 5, 2007
Routing Flutes Across a Board: CNC Versus Jig Rig This thread has some practical suggestions for routing flutes across the width of a board, and some good arguments for farming the job out to a shop with a CNC. August 5, 2010
Retrofitting Corbels to a Brick Chimney Woodwork installers contemplate how to attach new corbels and a mantel to an existing brick chimney, when the existing corbels are a little dubious. March 26, 2010
Veneer Over LVL for Door-Building Issues of moisture content, wood movement, and splitting when veneering over LVL for custom door construction. April 5, 2007
How to Deal with Stair-Tread Glue Joint Failure Shrinking Jatoba wood stair treads are failing at the glue line. Here's a discussion of the causes, with ideas for prevention or repair. December 6, 2007
Gluing on Fine Moldings Advice on adhesives and techniques for those time when nails are just too big for the job. May 20, 2006
Troubleshooting a Bowed Slab Door Cedar slats on one face, Oak slats on the other face, bowing about a quarter inch ... what went wrong? November 5, 2013
Stave Core Veneer Door Layup A discussion of vacuum-bag veneering and other construction tips for veneered stave-core doors. July 13, 2010
Glue Choices for Curved Railing Glue-Ups A discussion of suitable adhesives for curved stair railing laminations. Long open time and minimal spring-back are the issues. December 6, 2008
How to Make an Arched Casing Tips on laying up a segmented or laminated blank for routing into an arched casing. June 24, 2007
Repairing an Old Wood Door Tips on replacing the bottom portion of a Cypress exterior door, with structurally strong joinery and a passable visual blend. November 2, 2010
Glue Choice for Laminating Cedar Polyurethane adhesives are reported to work well for exterior laminated cedar glue-ups. March 4, 2006
Suitable Wood for Exterior Trimwork Woodworkers list their top choices for wood species (and composite or synthetic materials) for architectural exterior trim details. June 29, 2008
Raised-Panel Wainscoting for a Spiral Stairwell true frame-and-panel wainscoting with concave panels rising up a spiral staircase. Woodweb's top trimwork minds chime in on this one for a top-flight discussion of a very tricky topic. July 9, 2007
Installation Tips for Stair Treads, Risers, and Banisters A skilled, experienced finish, cabinet and furniture man is looking at his first-ever staircase — and it's already framed. His questions set off a long discussion on stair construction techniques. November 19, 2005
Correcting Stair Riser Height in Place An old stair stringer with incorrect riser dimensions needs fixing, on site. Here's a long discussion about how to do it. July 30, 2009
When to use waterbornes Applications where waterborne coatings will and won't work. May 22, 2002
Exterior Door Finish Finding a finish that will stand up to the elements over time. October 20, 2004
Facing a Flush-Panel Steel Garage Door A ton of advice on attaching paintable wood faces to an insulated steel garage door, including advice on fasteners, adhesive, and door track hardware. November 2, 2010
Holly and Teak for Boat Decking This thread answers the question of why Holly and Teak are paired in boat decking (below decks only), and continues with a folkloric and historic discussion of Teak for boatbuilding — including on nuclear submarines.October 19, 2013
Tapered Craftsman Porch Columns A long discussion of the materials and joinery needed to reproduce this traditional architectural element. February 5, 2007
Weather Detailing for Replacement Exterior Door Panels Exterior doors exposed to weather take a beating. Here's an interesting discussion of how to detail wood door panels in a replacement and repair situation. October 19, 2013
Gluing White Oak for Exterior Service This discussion supplies good insight into the various ways glued joints can fail, and the reasons. February 1, 2015
Attaching Plywood Panels to Drywall Fastening decorative plywood panels to existing drywall is tricky, but doable. In this thread, experienced hands explain several techniques. July 24, 2005
Cutting Giant-Size Crown Moulding Cutting really huge crown moulding — like 24 inches wide — poses a unique set of problems. Here are stories, examples, and suggestions. April 24, 2009
Troubleshooting a Mold Problem on Redwood Siding An unusual insulated wall assembly with redwood siding over asphalt paper and studs has a mold problem — but just between the studs. April 24, 2009
All-Purpose Router Table Tips on constructing a router table for shop and site duty. December 31, 2005
Interior and Exterior Wood Door Construction Specs Door makers discuss what is adequate thickness for large interior or exterior doors, and whether to laminate or use solid wood for stiles, rails, and panels. October 2, 2007
Gluing Painted Glass to Wood or MDF Woodworkers discuss colored coatings for glass, and adhesives that will reliably fasten the coated glass to a wood fiber substrate.July 12, 2012
Finishing an Exposed Exterior Door The harsh conditions of a south-facing exterior environment can trash any finish, and the door under it. But here's a closer look at the best bets. October 3, 2011
Adhering MDF to Drywall Mastic or polyurethane glue should work. Here are some installation tips. May 5, 2007
Gluing MDF Miter Joints MDF soaks up ordinary wood glues, compromising the bond. Here's advice on priming the joint before gluing, or using a specialized adhesive. February 25, 2009
Exterior Kitchens Tips on materials and methods for building outdoor kitchen cabinets. April 8, 2008
End-Grain Flooring Advice on installation methods for end-grain wood flooring. February 10, 2009
Veneering an Exterior Door Can you use veneer on a solid-core slab door that's exposed to the outdoors? October 19, 2013
Crown Moulding and Ceiling Movement Here are some tips on installing crown so that it will keep looking good despite seasonal moisture-related movement of the house structure. December 26, 2007
Wood Door Thickness and Quality To make 1-3/8" solid wood interior doors, you usually have to start with 8/4 stock. Here, experienced pros explain their door fabrication processes in detail. February 17, 2006
Sanding Problem with Hemisphere Mouldings A woodworker asks for advice about sanding a complex moulding that's coming off the CNC with a rough surface. But the answer turns out to lie with improving the CNC side of things. September 17, 2014
Closet Pole Heights Pros supply "standard" closet pole dimensions for when there's no stated customer preference. December 2, 2006
Finding Compound Angles for Crown Moulding This discussion of cutting crown molding includes a set of tables for determining angle and bevel cuts when cutting flat on the saw table. April 20, 2007
Bending Douglas Fir Dry After asking for advice, a woodworker successfully laminates a curved 5-inch by 7-inch beam on a tight radius by laying up and bending 3/4-inch-thick plies. October 17, 2012
Fireplace Mantel Clearances A discussion of national codes and local variations concerning the clearance from a fireplace opening to nearby combustible surfaces. January 12, 2009
Repairing Warped Interior Doors The fix for some closet doors that developed a bow along a long stile could include some innovative hardware — or not. March 22, 2013
Drilling Long Holes in MDF An MDF shelf made of two panels glued together poses a special edge-drilling challenge. October 2, 2007
Vertical-Board Solid Wood Door Techniques Top craftsmen chime in with a diverse set of ideas and illustrations for building solid wood doors with vertical boards, in ways that can withstand wood movement and look great. March 25, 2009
Floating Shelf Installation Methods Ideas and an example for successfully installing heavy "floating" shelves using rods driven into the wall studs. October 27, 2009
Hidden Bookcase Door Hardware What kind of hardware and construction will support a bookcase full of books as it swings like a door? October 2, 2006
Attaching Veneered Plywood to Steel Stud Walls Here are descriptions of several approaches for fastening large sheets of plywood paneling to a steel stud and drywall wall assembly. March 25, 2009
16'x12' Solid Wood Pocket Door This project was mostly a pipe dream — but the discussion produced some interesting thoughts and information about honeycomb-core veneered panels as a lightweight door or moveable wall solution. April 24, 2012
Oversized Pocket Door with Glass Panels A woodworker worries about weight concerns, hardware choices, and other practical issues with an 8' by 10' pocket door. June 22, 2010
Cantilevered Shelf Supports Practical idea for wall attachment and support for shelves that project straight out from the wall with no visible means of support. July 29, 2007
Cabinet Scribes Cabinet installers swap opinions on store-bought and field-rigged scribing devices. November 19, 2006
Custom Closet Basics Entry-level info on custom closets for a cabinetmaker who is unfamiliar with that kind of work. July 28, 2012
Hardware for Heavy Bifold Doors Advice on hinge and track choices for an extra-beefy bifold door, with discussion of a few fine points. February 27, 2013
Laying Up a Laminated Door Arch An extended discussion with pictures goes into depth about various ways to make a laminated wood arch for a doorway. September 5, 2006
How to Make an Elliptical Jamb Advice on various approaches to laying up and gluing an elliptical door jamb. December 9, 2013
Laminating Stock for Arched Casings Here's a wide-ranging discussion of gluing and clamping processes for laying up arched casings using multiple thin laminations. November 26, 2007
Laminating a Curved Exterior Beam Here's a detailed discussion of adhesive selection and clamping methods for a large, curved, laminated beam for an outdoor structure. March 12, 2014
Tile Setters vs. Trim carpenters On a woodworking site, it's not tough to guess the winner of this battle. But the war of words makes for good reading. February 25, 2005
Sawdust as fuel Building a sawdust-fired boiler to heat kiln and shop. November 18, 2002
Who Are You? Thumbnail Biographies of Forum Members Ever wonder who you're interacting with on WOODWEB? In this thread, forum posters give a brief history of their lives in the woodworking trade. June 16, 2014
Delamination of Bending Plywood Construction methods don't appear to be the problem in this example. More likely is a manufacturing quality issue. February 13, 2013
WOODPRO - Species Selection Made Easy A free complete working computer program (that can be downloaded at WOODWEB), allowing woodworkers to select the most suitable wood species for any particular application - 1997
Installing cabinets over tile Tying kicks to a tile floor, and the complications presented by floor-integrated radiant heating. February 19, 2002
Millwork Touch-up and Repair A visitor seeks advice on how to get training in the fine art of fixing faults. February 26, 2005
Joining cabinets - at a 45 degree angle Cabinetmakers offer illustrated tips on joining a line of cabinetry which incorporates a 45-degree-angled unit. April 3, 2002
Cyanoacrylate adhesive How does this glue work for gap filling? (From WOODWEB's Finishing Forum) March 23, 2003
Selling small quantity custom profiles Dealing with customers who don't comprehend the work and cost involved in the manufacture of custom knives. June 6, 2001
Tapered Stop Flutes The search for a simple, efficient method. December 26, 2004
Truing-up rough wood Planers will not remove the bow from rough stock; jointing is required before boards can be properly thicknessed. February 13, 2001
Double Doors, Flush Bolts, and Door Seals The quest for a double door bottom which incorporates a flush bolt and door seal that aren't visible when the door is closed. May 15, 2014
Attaching Jambs To Steel Columns Whether you pre-drill the steel or use heavy self-tapping screws, you'll want to drill and plug the wood for the sake of appearance. October 17, 2011
Quartersawn mahogany, or is it? An architectural woodworker seeks specifications and industry guidelines for what constitutes truly quartersawn mahogany. March 5, 2000.
ITEMIZER - From R & R Drummond, Inc. Use your computer to generate efficient layouts for cutting sheet material into desired sizes (a link to a demo download is provided)1998
Heavy-duty CNC router recommendations Suggestions choosing for a good-quality CNC router, offering adequate tech support and training. February 28, 2001
Why is Wood Flooring Kerfed on the Bottom Face? Speculation, theories, and facts about why wood flooring and some door jamb stock is usually milled with grooves in the underside or back side. October 13, 2008