A: Garages can be surprisingly vulnerable structures. The house gets all the attention, and the garage is where the builder cuts costs. Take fire-taping, for instance. This is the minimalist technique ...

Dear Pat: I am planning to convert my garage into abedroom with drywall. I have read many books about how to hangdrywall. What are the most common mistakes with installing drywallin a room? —- Nan D.

Fasten wood backing wherever drywall ends have no support within four inches. Note: Make sure to check corners and ceiling/wall joints. Measure from the end of the ceiling to the middle of a joist and ...

Q. My house was built in the 1970's. I'm trying to bring it up to code by installing ground fault circuit interrupters, etc. Can you give some advice on the requirements of a proper firewall and ...

Q. I have been told that the sagging drywall ceiling in my living room needs to be braced for at least a week before we can add new screws at the joists. Can you advise on the proper bracing ...

While there is no such thing as a perfect building material, drywall comes pretty close. For one thing, it's dirt cheap, costing about $7 for a 1/2-in.-thick 4 x 8 panel. It's also DIY friendly--about ...

A: Garages can be surprisingly vulnerable structures. The house gets all the attention, and the garage is where the builder cuts costs. Take fire-taping, for instance. This is the minimalist technique ...