Mark Petersen

Jan 15, 2025 | finehomebuilding.com | Mark Petersen |Abby Cote

Most concrete pavers are either smooth or have a flagstone texture, but the new Papyrus pavers from Belgard offer something different. These pavers feature a distinctive texture that resembles dried clay more than stone. They convey a modern vibe, which is sort of odd given that the design was inspired by the plant-based paper used by the ancient Egyptians. Papyrus pavers are available in two colors, Sepia and Scandina Grey, and are manufactured in 3-in.

Jan 14, 2025 | finehomebuilding.com | Mark Petersen |Abby Cote

Pocket doors are a great way to free up both floor and wall space. One downside to pocket doors, though, has always been that the walls on either side of the door cavity are not sturdy enough to hang cabinets, shelves, or even towel racks. To remedy this situation, Johnson Hardware offers the 1515-PLY Pocket Door Frame Plywood Clips. The clips are an elegantly simple solution that allows you to reinforce the cavity walls with plywood. Here’s how they work: You simply cut 19/32-in.

Nov 13, 2024 | finehomebuilding.com | Mark Petersen |Abby Cote

I’m sure electricians know all about wire tracers, but I had no idea they existed until my drywallers buried a doorbell wire in a wall cavity. I actually had a walk-around video from before the drywall was hung, but I somehow missed that spot. I knew the rough location of the wire, but I was not looking forward to patching a hole if I guessed wrong. After a little research I discovered the Sperry Instruments Lan WireTracker Tone and Probe Wire Tracer at my local home center.

Nov 13, 2024 | finehomebuilding.com | Mark Petersen |Abby Cote

Like any speed square or rafter square, the Kapro speed square (447) will help determine degrees and create perfect 90° and 45° cutlines—but this tool differs in that it is specifically designed for the commercial and residential mason. One side of the square has commercial information that includes modular brick conversions to help determine sizing and layout for concrete masonry units (CMU), modular brick, and mortar.

Oct 15, 2024 | msn.com | Mark Petersen