Framing: Featured Article
Keep fire from gaining a foothold on your deck or inside your home's walls with these flame-resistant framing materials… more
Q: My son wants to install pull-down attic stairs in a hallway ceiling. The problem is that the ceiling joists run perpendicular to the hall, and we’ve been told this makes it impossible to install pull-down stairs. Is that true?
—Frank Kornick, Glenshaw, Pa.
Lay plywood so that its long dimension (the strongest) is perpendicular to joists, rafters, or studs. Stagger the joints, since overall strength suffers when four corners meet.
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