steveSBD
-
Before You Frame: Wall Lengths and Build Order
Build walls on the ground or standing up? How long should each wall be? Which wall goes first? The decisions that make…
-
Garage Foundation Types Compared: Slab, Stem Wall or Block?
The foundation is the most important — and often most expensive — part of a garage. Compare monolithic slabs, stem walls with…
-
Wall Framing Basics: Corners, Nails, Lumber & Stud Spacing
Before you frame, settle the corner detail, the nailing schedule, the lumber, the stud spacing and the nails. Here’s what my plans…
-
Wall Framing Terms Every Builder Should Know
Sill plates, top plates, studs, OSB and house wrap — what each part of a framed wall does, what to buy, and…
-
Pouring the Foundation and Setting Anchor Bolts
Pour day: planning anchor-bolt locations with a construction crayon, guiding concrete off a conveyor truck, setting J-bolts before the concrete stiffened, curing…
-
Choosing the Site: Setbacks, Drainage & Driveway Slope
Where you put the garage affects the permit, the foundation, the driveway and whether water ends up inside. Here’s how I chose…
-
Dry-Stacking the Foundation Walls
Setting the stem-wall block without mortar, working around vertical rebar, and the surprisingly helpful visit from the building inspector that changed my…
-
How Big Should Your Garage Be? Sizes, Layouts & Door Choices
One-car, two-car or three? Here are the common garage dimensions, how much room vehicles really need, and how door sizes and storage…
-
Setting the Footer Block and Rebar
Drilling 144 blocks for rebar, building drilling templates, overlapping 10-foot bars, and the end-of-row problem I didn’t see coming.
-
Laying Out a Square Footer: The Diagonal Trick
The footer is the most critical part of the foundation. Here’s how I test-fit block, calculated block counts for each leg, and…