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Issue 189

On the Cover

Signature Details for Kitchen Cabinets

Seven creative cabinetmakers show what a small shop can do that a cabinet factory can't.

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The Magazine

Keep Your Basement Dry With a Curtain Drain

If your house is under assault from groundwater, make perforated pipe your first line of defense.
6 Great Miter-Saw Stands

The best models help you to handle a multitude of carpentry tasks by setting up quickly, moving easily, and providing solid support.
Accent Lighting for Your Deck

Integrated with posts, railings, and stair risers, a new generation of exterior-light fixtures provides a wide range of deck-lighting options.
How to Trim a Basement Window

When walls are thick, you need wide extention jambs and a deep stool.
Personalizing an Everyday Ranch

Open up the space, add smart lighting and sharp design, then, watch a humdrum house become a real humdinger.
Save Time with Factory-Framed Floors

Crane-hoisted panels get a floor in fast, flat, and cut for ducts and utilities

Article

A Basement Bedroom Demands an Egress Window

Providing natural light, fresh air, and a code-compliant exit can be the most important aspect of any basement remodel.
Additions Need Not Apply

Before-and-after photos highlight an interior remodel that produced a one-of-a-kind ranch in California
Interview with a Cabinetmaker

Six skilled artisans talk about their craft
Less is More: An Interview with David Getts

The Seattle cabinetmaker and designer talks about his work
Never the Same Thing Twice: An Interview with Joel Wheeler

The New Mexico cabinetmaker and designer talks about his work
Keep it Simple: An Interview with Joe Lanza

A Massachusetts architect, builder and cabinetmaker talks about his work
A Handle on the Trade: An Interview with Rex Alexander

The Michigan cabinetmaker and designer talks about his work
Built to Outlast: An Interview with Jon Frost

The Minneapolis cabinetmaker and designer talks about his work
The Ecstasy of Possibility: An Interview with Louis Mackall

A Connecticut architect and woodworker talks about his work
More Miter-Saw Stands Reviewed

Comments on seven additional stands reviewed by our testers
The Best Way to Insulate a Rim Joist

Stop energy losses with a spray-foam kit.

Cross Section

Building science goes ballistic

Does a house of foam stand up to flying projectiles better than a house of wood? Yes, but not as well as a house of laminated glass, according to recent…
Call Before You Dig just got easier

Last year, 675,000 underground distribution lines were damaged, estimated the Common Ground Alliance (CGA), a consortium of utility companies. The culprits are mostly homeowners who failed to call a dig-safe…
10 technologies you can use right now

The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) announced their updated list of the 10 top technologies that are job-site tested and ready for implementation. PATH selects technologies based on their…
Oregon considers 'building envelope' certification for builders and subs

In response to a rash of construction litigation resulting from moisture leaks, Oregon’s legislature is considering competency training and certification for builders and subcontractors who work on any part of…

Tools & Materials

Slap-cap stapler

Stinger CH38 cap hammer
Temporary chalklines

Dust-off chalk
Belt sander built for scribing

Compact belt sander, model 371K
Do-it-all trowel

Magic trowel
An easier handrail connection

Zipbolt UT rail bolt

Letters

Reader Feedback: Issue 189, August/September 2007

More details, less white space I am one of those old crotchety guys who have every issue of Fine Homebuilding. I have seen lots of changes over the years—enjoyed some…

Finishing Touches

Porches with Personality

Whether your porch is for shelter, relaxation, or reflection, a world of design choices await you.

What is the Difference

What's the Difference: Disposable respirators

What do their ratings really mean?
What's the Difference: Connecting PVC pipe

Both PVC cleaner and PVC primer be used to create a strong joint, but one is required by code

Building Skills

Replacing a garbage disposal

Here's what to do when troubleshooting reveals a quick fix or repair is not an option

Master Carpenter

Making a French knot

Through the proper combination of butt and miter joints, a flooring specialist shows how he likes to raise the stakes in a new-floor installation

Drawing Board

Designing accessible entries

With the right guidelines, everyone can easily construct and benefit from an accessible entry to their homes

Video

Factory-Framed Floors

Go inside a floor-panel factory and outside at a job-site installation
Build a Cutting Gauge

Simple to make, you won't want to lay another wood floor without this handy gauge
Video Vault: Repair Garbage Disposals Safely

Learn how to clear a jammed garbage disposal and replace the unit properly.

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