As springtime rolls around, contractors everywhere swing into action as the demand for repairs, upgrades, and remodels rises. It’s a good time of year to do a lot of different types of jobs—and that includes home siding replacement.

We’ll explore why spring is a great time to replace siding, and we’re also going to look at the FASCO® (a BECK member) F44AC CN15W-PS65 nailer, which is a great tool that will help you repair and replace siding.

The construction industry hasn't always been good for the environment. In fact, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the buildings and construction sector accounted for 39% of energy and process-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2018. But in recent years, a great shift toward sustainable construction has taken place. Recognizing that buildings can no longer be a source of such harm, many businesses have sought out sustainable construction for their buildings, and many construction firms have turned their sights toward green construction techniques.

Using natural, renewable building materials is a part of this push. The LignoLoc® Wooden Nail System from BECK includes compressed beach wood nails. It's the perfect tool-and-nail system for contractors who are serious about using renewable resources in their construction projects. But there are many methods to creating a more sustainable building design. Here are some tips to consider.

Modular construction is a big buzzword within the industry right now—especially since housing prices are on the rise and buyers are exhausting every option in the search for a new home. People everywhere are wondering if modular construction might be the answer to rapidly build the homes needed to meet demand.

Modular may or may not be the answer, but one thing is certain: If you’re a builder, there are a lot of opportunities out there for you right now if you’re considering these builds. And that means you’re going to need tools like BECK’s F20A 92-32 Nailer to keep up. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of modular construction to see what solutions it may offer.

When it comes to framing a building efficiently, without losing quality, nothing beats a framing nailer. Power nailers are designed for quick production on larger projects. Let’s take a look at how to choose the right framing nailer for your job.

Construction sites are dangerous places. Approximately 20% of workplace fatalities were in the construction field in 2015, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 65% of these deaths resulted from what OSHA calls the Fatal Four: Falls (38.8%), Struck by Object (9.6%), Electrocutions (8.6%), and Caught-in/between (7.2%). While accidents happen, there are preventative measures that can be taken, especially when it comes to electrocution.

You rely on your tools. You show up every day ready to work, and your tools should be ready too. That doesn’t mean you need the highest priced tools - high price is not always synonymous with high quality in the construction industry. Sometimes the less bells and whistles the better. Your tools should be made to last, here are 7 reasons why you should invest in high quality construction tools:

1. Your tools are the lifeblood of your business. It’s simple. You need your tools to do your job. Without them, you’re out of a job.
2. Construction jobs are tough on your tools. Building is demanding work. Every day your tools need to stand up to repetitive, high-impact tasks. Structures need to be built soundly, which means your fasteners and materials need to be applied with force and direction.

Any job site is going to have a cluster of tools, mostly a mixture of electric and pneumatic depending on the contractor’s needs or inventory. As tools have progressed, the buying decisions have become more difficult. Especially when it comes to the question of - air powered or motor-driven?

There has been a long-running debate amongst contractors with regards to which fencing fasteners are best - screws or nails. Both most certainly have their merits…but they also have significant setbacks.

Screws are often selected because of their ability to better secure fencing to rails. High quality screws can have superior resistance to weathering. And while screws can be more safely removed from fencing materials like wood and vinyl than nails, they also can't fit into tight spaces, and are more expensive. As a result, contractors may be tempted to take shortcuts such as using fewer screws, resulting in lower structural integrity.

According to a study by the Freedonia Group, US demand for power and hand tools is forecasted to increase 2.9 percent annually through 2018 to $12.7 billion, with the professional market anticipated to remain dominant with faster forecasted growth vs. the consumer segment.  This makes the highly demanding commercial sector the driver behind the latest trends in pneumatic nail gun design and development.  

Internationally, China is one of the fastest growing markets in the world, with the market for pneumatic tools in particular anticipated to grow by 23.6% between 2012 -2016 according to a report available from Research and Markets, "Pneumatic and Sealing Products Market in China 2012-2016."