Construction and woodworking guides

Short, practical articles on building, renovation and woodworking. Each one answers a common question first, then explains the order of work and what to check.

Construction and renovation

Vapour barrier installation

Where the vapour barrier goes, how to lap, tape and seal it, and how to check the work before it is covered.

Timber frame wall build-up

Every layer of a timber frame wall from the interior board to the cladding, and why the order matters.

Renovation estimate

How a contractor’s renovation estimate is structured, a sample layout of line items and how to compare two estimates.

Where to start an apartment renovation

The first steps, the order of works and what to agree with the building before an apartment renovation.

Woodworking

The oak cantilever staircase in the evening, with the LED step lights on

Choosing solid wood stair treads

Species, glued panels, thickness, moisture, edges, grip and the finish of solid wood stair treads.

The dark-oak staircase seen from the bottom landing, with a frameless glass balustrade and the zigzag underside of the upper flight

Wooden treads on a metal frame

Frame types, the order of work, fixings, noise isolation and tolerances when solid wood treads sit on a steel frame.

Rings, slots and shapes engraved into a solid-wood panel on the CNC router bed

What CNC can make from solid wood and plywood

What a CNC router does well, how solid wood, plywood and MDF behave, and what to prepare before milling.

Close-up of a finished oak desk top edge with a black epoxy inlay, the wood grain clearly visible

Lacquer, oil or paint for wood

How lacquer, oil and paint compare on treads, worktops and panels, and how to prepare, cure and maintain each.