As a contractor, you likely keep an eye out or an ear open for any new tools or fasteners that can help you do your job quicker, saving you time and labor costs. And every once in a while you stumble upon something new and exciting being offered in the industry. Like most, you probably feel like you have seen it all. But there’s a relatively new fastener out there that’s making a splash and you might want to take a look. In fact, many are actually making the switch from wood to steel studs because they have found a great fastener making the change worthwhile.

Nothing signals spring like the sound of birds chirping, flowers blooming. If you're in a colder climate, watching the snow melt away to green grass can be as exciting as signing your first client. No matter where you live, we can all agree that once spring arrives and temperatures rise, sitting outside on the deck enjoying a cold drink with family is one pastime we never seem to get tired of.  No wonder then why this is the time of year when those potential customers start calling for deck quotes. And today’s customers are savvier than ever.

The use of stainless steel as a construction material has created dramatic changes across the skylines of many major cities around the world. It is not a new material by any means and has in fact been used in this industry since the 1920’s.

Stainless steel was particularly in vogue during the art deco period, the most famous example being the upper portion of the Chrysler Building in New York City. Some diners and fast-food restaurants used large ornamental panels and stainless fixtures and furniture. Because of the durability of the material, many of these buildings retain their original appearance today.

There are a large variety of fence types available based upon the purpose of the fence.  Whether you are looking for increased security, decoration, privacy, industrial or agriculture use, your choice of fencing material will vary from wire, wood, vinyl, aluminum or wrought iron. And while each type has its distinct advantages and disadvantages, and require different types of fencing tools and fasteners, many contractors today are called on to install the ever popular wooden picket decorative fence.

 

 

 

The cellar. The rumpus room. The rec room. The man cave. Storage.

A basement has been called many different names over the years, and is called upon to serve many different uses. For many home owners, the basement is the last room on their list to remodel, but it is the room where they spend the most time when they are home. It can quickly become their favorite room in the house if they give it the same attention to detail that people put into remodeling kitchens or bathrooms. It is up to the contractor to offer some inspiration to the homeowner to add detail and pizzazz, which will ultimately make the simple man cave transformation a money maker for the remodeler.

Fasteners literally hold the world together. With so many unique applications, the variety of construction fastener types is mind-boggling. The construction fastener required for whatever your current project is will depend on the materials you are using and the function they must perform. For example, you will need a different type of construction fastener to connect two pieces of wood vs. connecting wood to steel.

The fasteners also need to meet all shear values and tensile strength requirements of your project, and all government quality standards. Other considerations when selecting construction fasteners include environmental and aesthetic requirements, budgetary constraints and application methods.

Cheat Sheet – noun - Cheat sheets are so named because they may be used by students without the instructor's knowledge to cheat on a test. However, at higher levels of education where rote memorization is not as important as in basic education, students may be permitted to consult their own notes during the exam (which is not considered cheating). The act of preparing a so-called cheat sheet is also an educational exercise, thus students are sometimes only allowed to use cheat sheets they have written themselves. In such usage, a cheat sheet is a physical piece of paper, often filled with equations and/or facts in compressed writing. Modern students often print cheat sheets in extremely small font, fitting an entire page of notes in the palm of their hands during the exam. (reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheat_sheet).

The modern day contractor deals with a large variety of projects on a daily basis, offering services ranging from deck building to dock building, basement drywall to concrete retaining walls. And while basic building projects will benefit from advanced fastener types, large, heavy duty construction jobs require advanced heavy duty fasteners.

In his article on assembly time reduction, Mike Shipulski, a recognized leader in design engineering, calculates that " fasteners can consume 20-50% of assembly labor" time. Often overlooked or unassigned specifically to product cost as general overhead, the impact on the bottom line is palpable when you think about it in these cold hard numbers, which Shipulski likens to "death by a thousand cuts" to profitability.

With skilled labor hard to find just as the construction market's rebound seems to finally be sustainable, general contractors, framers, custom home builders and remodelers are scrambling to find ways to get more done with a limited workforce.

The market is responding, investing in research and development as the driving force to produce innovative fastener products that generate demand based upon the time and cost savings they deliver. The result is that contractors are increasingly realizing the vast improvement in profitability that can be attained by switching to new and innovative products - right down to the fasteners they are using.