Thomas Martinez

Almost all of these start with that little metal bracket. It’s too big, too small, the wrong finish, screwed on with wrong screws. Usually it … Read more

The problem arises when you’re standing in a hardware store staring at lumber: You have your tape measure and your deck plans, but reality doesn’t … Read more

When most people think of building a deck, they picture themselves stacking some wood and cinching down some screws. Half of it is aboveground; the … Read more

For most folks, “pouring concrete” is synonymous with “dumping gray slurry in a hole and waiting.” The truth is, the hidden steel within it, called … Read more

When a water main pressurizes, the water inside wants to escape. If it encounters a dead end, a tee, or a bend, that pressure become … Read more

When planning a round concrete slab, it sounds easy enough, until you have to think about geometry. After all, rounding off the corners of a … Read more

When digging a hole, if you ask most folks, they’ll tell you it’s about how hard you have to hit the dirt with shovel. But … Read more

You might notice something that causes panic: there is no way for the rebar cage to extend out to where the footings are on each … Read more

The frustration with cutting rebar on a windy jobsite has taught you one thing: Always plan the splices before you pick up the shears. Measure … Read more

Tape and stakes is how most folks begin to fence. Measure distance around. Figure out number of sections based off your spacing. Then, we goes … Read more

But you look at the tapered arbor and see it doesn’t quite bottom out. You tap it hard and turn the chuck and… well it’s … Read more

Plan your fence layout before purchasing your posts. That’s right, most of us buys our materials first and then figure it out! This results in … Read more

If you’ve ever attempted to lift anything into a pickup solo, you probably recall that memory. There’s a pile of 2-by-4s, so you figure: I … Read more

Or maybe you’re looking at a big space…a living area once divided by a wall…or a garage you’d like to open up. And when you … Read more