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How-To

Featured

  • How to Install Exterior Window Trim

    In this episode of Shop Class, learn how to measure, cut, and build window casing made of cellular PVC, solid wood, poly-ash boards, or any common molding material. Plus, get tips for a clean and solid installation.

  • How to Install Built-up Crown Molding

    Use these time-tested design principles and basic carpentry techniques to create beautiful layered crown and cornice trim details that will dress up any room in your house.

  • How to Cut Extreme Angles on Your Miter Saw

    Make a simple jig from scrap wood to make safe easy cuts at angles greater than 45 degrees with your compound miter saw or chop saw.

  • How to Choose the Right Replacement Windows

    Learn what details and conditions to look for in an existing home to see if an insert replacement window makes more sense than removing and replacing the entire original window.

  • A New Old Way to Vent a Kitchen Island

    The combination waste and vent system is a simpler alternative to island fixture vents and air-admittance valves, and a recent code change may make it more popular.

Most Popular

  1. 1

    Cladding Details That Last

  2. 2

    Radiant Heating and Cooling

  3. 3

    Podcast 311: Fresh-Air Seeker, Grow-House Rehab, and Getting off Gas

  4. 4

    Podcast 313: Pony Studs, Cold Floors, and Hiding Foundation Insulation

  5. 5

    Interior Finishes for a Cabin in the Woods

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Recent How-To Stories

  • shingle holder

    Shingle Holder

    A ledger strip with a rabbet along one edge keeps sidewall shingles from falling before they're fastened.

  • Protecting Foundations From Frost

    Protecting Foundations From Frost

    Code-offered alternatives to digging below the frost line.

  • old hand saw

    Deck-Board Cleaner and Scrapers

    A cheap, used handsaw is an inexpensive tool for preparing a deck for stain.

  • Shim Storage

    Shim Storage

    A finish screw keeps shims in an organized, easily separated stack.

  • scribing

    Scribing Made Simple

    Use a washer and a pencil to scribe moldings quickly and easily without marring a finished surface.

Popular Topics

  • Cabinets and Built-ins
  • Electrical
  • Exterior Siding and Trimwork
  • Finish Carpentry
  • Floors and Coverings
  • Framing
  • Green Building
  • HVAC
  • Insulation and Weatherizing
  • Interior Wall Finish
  • Kitchens
  • Tilework
  • Plumbing
  • Painting and Finishing
  • Window and Door Installation
  • Water and Moisture Control
  • Business

Video

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  • flared cedar shingle siding detail

    How to Install Flared Sidewall Shingles

  • FHB Podcast 317

    Podcast 317: Natural Air Changes, Flashing Windows in Brick Walls, and Cleaning Construction Messes

  • FHB Podcast 316: Pro Talk With Dennis Bessette

    Podcast 316: PRO TALK With Dennis Bessette

  • FHB Podcast, Episode 315

    Podcast 315: Perfect Roofs, Heated Decks, and Multifamily High Performance

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  • door control

    Temporary Door Control

    Use this simple trick to hold doors closed during construction before installing locksets.

  • bathroom with curbless shower and freestanding tub

    Wet-Room Drainage

    When you combine a freestanding tub and a curbless shower, use these strategies to reduce the water load in vulnerable areas.

  • 3-prong 240V dryer plug

    Do Dryers Need Three- or Four-Pronged Cords?

    The electrical code offers two alternatives for wiring these receptacles—here's why.

  • two people in hazmat suits removing asbestos floor tiles

    Handling Asbestos Tile

    A homeowners wonders which is smarter: removing or encapsulating the vinyl-asbestos tiles on his basement floor.

  • EPS foam raft

    High-Performance Raft Slab

    This versatile frost-protected shallow foundation is adaptable for different wall systems and climates.

  • View All

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 297 - February/March 2021

    • Foundations for Success
    • Staircase Renovation
    • Ditch the Hose
  • Issue 296 - Dec 2020/Jan 2021

    • Insulating Glass Keeps Getting Better
    • Simple Way to Make Old Walls Straight and Plumb
    • Making Sense of Minisplits
  • Issue 295 - Kitchens & Baths

    • Condo Kitchen Reimagined
    • Row-House Remodel
    • Rise of the IAQ Monitor
  • Issue 294 - Oct/Nov 2020

    • Schoolhouse Reimagined
    • Tool Test: Folding Sawhorses
    • A Better Way to Build Tall Walls
  • Issue 293 - Aug/Sept 2020

    • A Practical Guide to Fall Protection
    • Installing Frameless Cabinets
    • Make Any Tablesaw Safer

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