Q.The carpenter that built my deck used joist hangers to hold up the joists along the house and at the end of the deck. Are these steel joist hangers approved, and will they stand the test of time?

Chris Neurath sent this long note that is important enough to run in the Handyman”s column: “You may have given bad advice to Arthur from your chat room that leads to safety issues when you said not ...

Q. Chris Neurath sent this long note that is important enough to run in the Handyman’s column: “You may have given bad advice that leads to safety issues when you said not to worry about deck joist ...

One of my newsletter subscribers, Robert, does handyman work on the weekends for friends and other homeowners. Eleven years ago, he wanted to learn how to frame a large shed, including common roof ...

Q. Tim, I’ve never worked with metal joist hangers. How long have joist hangers been around? When I hold one in my hand, I question whether it’s actually strong enough to support all the weight that ...

If your deck feels a little bouncy underfoot, it might not be the top boards at all — it could be the joists underneath that are starting to rot. I ran into that exact problem ...

Is a deck in your future? You might want to build one to create a delightful outdoor living space. But have you considered the safety risks? You may visit a friend’s home and step out onto their deck.

“Your suggestion to only worry if the deck starts shaking or sagging does not seem very safe. Catastrophic deck collapses have occurred, typically happening when there is a party with a lot of people ...