Take extra care when nailing your deck. Instead of driving the nails completely in with a hammer. Use a nail set to finish off the job and avoid damaging the wood. Also, use 16 penny common nails as spacers and pull the boards tight to correct any natural curve they might have.

Here are some basic things to remember when building your own deck. Attach the joist hangers 16 inches apart on center to the side rails. Assemble all floor joists and side rails before nailing. Then, nail all at once, using galvanizd nails. Overhang the first floor board by half an inch using galvanized finish nails. If you have an enclosed deck or a screened porch you can use tongue and groove flooring.

Here's how to install window casings. After the window stool and apron are in place, start with the top casing and nail with brads. Glue the joints of the side casings and tack nail the miters. Pipe clamp the molding to get a tight fit (on the joints). Finish nailing the casing with brads to the premarked reveal line. Then use finish nails to secure the casing to the studs.

Bob talks with Leslie Chapman-Henderson from the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) about the technologies involved in securing a roof. Chapman-Henderson explains the importance of keeping a roof secure in high-wind situations. Uplift force is explained as wind is that pulls on a roof, with a force that can tear the roof right off the home, causing catastrophic building failure. Keeping a roof secure involves affixing the roof decking, the plywood, so no new holes are created during a storm that would allow more wind to come in. FLASH standards specify plywood of a certain thickness, 5/8" minimum thickness with 6" inch nailing pattern, securely nailing into the trusses. Pneumatic nail guns, employed in a hurry to save costs, often miss the underlying truss. Simpson StrongTie straps are used to secure the truss to the structure. Tie-downs secure the roof vertically and horizontally. Bob and Chapman-Henderson review the Punta Gorda storm-ready project completed last season. The house in Punta Gorda was a monlithic concrete structure, poured in one solid pour with steel reinforcing bars embedded throughout. Steel fastenerstied directly to the exposed rebar to secure the roof. The roof decking and tie-down followed FLASH's Blueprint for Safety, just as the current roof does. Chapman-Henderson presents Bob with an award from the Governor's Hurricane Conference for his work to increase awareness of the need for storm-resistant homes. According to Chapman-Henderson reviews the governor's program that makes $250 million in Florida funds and $100 million from HUD to help people in Florida retrofit their homes to bring them up to code and make them storm resistant. The My Safe Florida Home is available to low- and modest-income residents. Eligible viewers are encouraged to call the 800 number or go to mysafefloridahome.com to begin the process.

When nailing subfloor plywood, snap chalk lines on the plywood to indicate the position of each joist. This gives a nailing target to ensure that nails hit the joists for good holding.

There are times when you have just one hand free to both hold the nail in place and hammer. One hand nailing is easier than it sounds. Simply wedge the nail between the hammer's claw with the point facing forward and the nail head resting…

It's always preferable to nail through the thinner piece into the thicker piece. Driving the nail at an angle may not be attractive, but will give you a stronger hold. Use a nail that is long enough to allow approximately two thirds of the nail to be driven into the thicker piece.

When building a deck, always nail a thinner member to a thicker member. Hot-dipped zinc-coated nails are a good choice. For more holding power, consider using either ring- or spiral-shanked nails, or go with deck screws. If using screws, it's best to pre-drill pilot holes.