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Issue 165

On the Cover

The New Forest of Man-Made Trim

Alternative trim may not be cost-effective when you buy it, but it becomes cost-effective after you've saved money on maintenance or replacement.

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Features

  • person working on circuit breaker
    Installing a Circuit Breaker in an Existing Panel

    When adding a new circuit or replacing a faulty breaker, here is what you need to know to work safely in the panel.

  • Your Next Random-Orbit Sander

    We smooth out the gritty chore of choosing this indispensable tool.

  • fit new door in old doorway
    A New Door Fits an Old Jamb

    Are your doors looking tired? Replace them quickly and easily with a technique that works every time.

  • From Dead-End Kitchen to Drop-Dead Gorgeous

    Removing a wall and adding an island improve traffic flow and storage space in a Craftsman-style kitchen.

  • Setting the Stage for Wall Framing
    Setting the Stage for Wall Framing

    Stack the deck to ensure efficiency by cutting and preassembling the parts you need.

  • raised-panel wainscot
    A Simple Approach to Raised-Panel Wainscot

    Stock molding and MDF panels transform a room with paneling.

Article

  • Footing and Foundation in One Pour
    Footing and Foundation in One Pour

    For small projects, you can save time and money if you form and pour all the concrete at once.

  • new lawn
    A New Lawn Completes Any Building Project

    Construction can be murder on a lot. A healthy lawn stabilizes the soil and looks like a million bucks.

  • Design a Home that Keeps You Cool, Naturally

    With passive cooling, the strategy is to let in the breeze, keep out the sun, and stay comfortable when things heat up outside.

  • Laying Out a Common Rafter

    Laying out hip, valley, and jack rafters takes experience and skill, but if you're building a simple gable or shed roof, common rafters are all you'll need.

  • Designing Built-in Cabinetry

    Designing built-in cabinetry: blend, break away, or mingle?

  • Handsome Transoms

    Learn how to make transom windows using only three router bits and a few basic carpentry tools.

Tools & Materials

  • Smart Vapor Retarder

    MemBrain vapor retarder protects against condensation in winter, but allows for drying in summer

Letters

  • Reader Feedback: Issue 165, August/September 2004

    Choosing the best tools Readers sometimes complain that our power-tool reviews never say which one is best. People assume we equivocate because we’re afraid of upsetting our advertisers, but having…

What is the Difference

  • What's the Difference: Cordless batteries

    If money isn't a factor for you, the choice between Ni-MH cells and Ni-Cd batteries is an easy one

Building Skills

  • Laying Out a Common Rafter

    For simple gable or shed roofs, you need to learn this basic building block of roof framing.

Great Moments

  • The Ugly

    Great moments in building history: When it comes to sledding, nothings beats the Ugly

Video

  • transom window
    Video Vault: Three Router Bits for a Perfect Transom

    A slot cutter, a rabbeting bit, and a roundover bit are all you need.

More? View Past Issues

Ask the Experts

  • Sizing a plumbing vent
  • A metal roof over old asphalt shingles?
  • Calculating a radius
  • Crawlspace insulation
  • Fixing an expanded isolation joint

Readers Tips

  • Putting a New Window in an Old Brownstone
  • Straightening boards on the tablesaw
  • Perfect Sanding-Disk Alignment
  • How to make a glove fit like a glove
  • Heavy-Duty Sawhorse Brackets
  • Get tight fits with fiberglass batts
  • Clean clothes for tilesetters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 318 - October 2023
    • Make Mudsills Square and Level
    • Turn Up the Heat With Induction Cooktops
    • The Fine Homebuilding Interview: Lloyd Alter
  • Issue 317 - Aug/Sept 2023
    • Finishing Drywall With Seamless Results
    • A Flat Roof in a Cold Climate
    • Compact Cordless Shop Vacs
  • Issue 316 - July 2023
    • Timber-Framed Solar Canopies
    • Build a Transom Above a Stock Door
    • Understanding Toilet Design and Efficiency
  • Issue 315 - June 2023
    • How to Craft a Copper Roof
    • 5 Lessons from Building in a Cold Climate
    • The Advantages of Cellular PVC Siding
  • Issue 314 - April/May 2023
    • 7 Options for Countertops
    • Tool Test: Wood-Boring Bits
    • Critical Details for Ductless Heat Pumps

Fine Homebuilding

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