A cordless drill driving a screw into a wooden stair tread to stop a squeak
A couple of screws into the framing quiets most squeaky stair treads.
Carpentry

DIY carpentry for every homeowner

Here's where the hammer earns its keep: squeaky floors and stairs, loose railings, trim and furniture. You don't need a workshop to get started. If you've been wanting to try woodworking, these small repairs are a good place to build your confidence.

  • 26 fixes
  • Step-by-step pictures
  • When to call a pro

Where to start: New to this? Start with how to use a hammer, then try reattaching loose baseboard. If you need to take trim off first, remove it without wrecking the wall. Noisy house? Quiet a squeaky floor or squeaky stairs, and make a loose stair railing solid again.

Claw hammer showing where to grip the handle, the swing arc from the elbow, and the claw for pulling nails
From the guide: How to use a hammer (without bending nails) →

Carpentry is where the hammer and nail jobs live: trim, stairs, drawers, cabinets and squeaky floors. Drywall is in Walls, and floor finishes are in Floors.

What are you dealing with?

Nails keep bendingBaseboard pulling awayStairs creakRailing wobblesNeed to remove baseboardChair wobblesDrawer bottom saggingNail won't come outNailing boards at an angleWooden drawer sticksCabinet door is crooked or saggingDrawer won't close all the wayDoor jamb is split or crackedCloset shelf is saggingWindow sill is soft or rottedTable wobblesCabinet knob keeps coming looseScrew head is strippedDoor trim pulling away from the wallGap in a trim corner
Carpentry

Cut a board square with a speed square

 Easy15–30 minutes per cut$10–20 for a speed square, plus the board
Carpentry

Replace a damaged section of baseboard

 Moderate1–2 hours, plus paint drying$15–40 for trim and supplies
Carpentry

Fix a loose stair baluster that rattles or spins

 Moderate30–60 min, plus glue cure time$5–25
Carpentry

Replace broken or bent drawer slides

 Moderate30–90 min per drawer$10–40 per pair
Carpentry

Fix a squeaky bed frame

 Easy20–60 min$0–20
Carpentry

Remove water rings from a wood table

 Easy15–60 min$0–20
Carpentry

How to use a hammer (without bending nails)

 Easy10 min to learn$15–30
Carpentry

Reattach loose baseboard trim

 Easy20–30 min$5–15
Carpentry

Fix squeaky stairs

 Moderate30–60 min$5–20
Carpentry

Tighten a loose stair railing

 Moderate30–90 min$5–30
Carpentry

Remove trim or baseboard without damaging the wall

 Easy15–30 min per wall$0–15
Carpentry

Fix a wobbly wooden chair

 Moderate1 hr + overnight$10–25
Carpentry

Repair a sagging drawer bottom

 Easy20–40 min$5–15
Carpentry

Pull a stubborn or headless nail

 Easy5–15 min$0–15
Carpentry

How to toenail a board

 Moderate15–30 min$0–10
Carpentry

Fix a sticking wooden drawer

 Easy20–45 min$0–10
Carpentry

Fix a crooked or sagging cabinet door

 Easy10–20 min$0–10
Carpentry

Drawer won't close all the way

 Easy15–60 min$0–40
Carpentry

Fix a split door jamb

 Moderate1–2 hours, plus glue drying$10–60
Carpentry

Fix a sagging closet shelf

 Easy30–60 min$10–40
Carpentry

Repair a rotted window sill

 Moderate2–4 hours over 2–3 days$30–80
Carpentry

Fix a wobbly table

 Easy20 min–2 hours$0–25
Carpentry

Fix a loose cabinet knob or handle

 Easy10–30 min$0–15
Carpentry

Remove a stripped screw

 Easy10–30 min$0–25
Carpentry

Fix loose door trim

 Easy20–45 min$5–20
Carpentry

Fix a gap in a trim corner

 Easy20–40 min$5–20

Common questions

What basic carpentry tools should a homeowner own?

A 16 oz claw hammer, a nail set, a tape measure, a pry bar, a drill with bits and wood glue cover almost every job here.

Why do stairs and floors squeak?

Wood shrinks and loosens over time, so boards rub against nails or each other. Pulling them tight with screws or filling gaps with glued shims stops the movement.

Looking for something else? Browse all fixes or see emergency steps.