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Issue 198

On the Cover

Member Only

Is Wood Heat the Answer?

By installing a modern wood-heat appliance, you can save money this winter and reduce your environmental impact.

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The Magazine

Router Tricks for Trim

Armed with two routers and three bits, an experienced carpenter shares five problem-solving tips for trim, cabinets, doors, and stairs.
Install Your Own Seamless Gutters

Looking to save money? Have custom lengths of aluminum gutters rolled out on site, and get out the ladders.
Stop Drafts With a Drop-Down Door Seal

This hidden mechanism retracts when the door is open and eliminates the need for a bulky threshold.
A Brick Rehab Meets LEED's Highest Standards

Solar panels aside, you can’t see the upgrades that make this downtown remodel so energy efficient.
Why Pay More for Paint?

Because the binders, pigments, and additives that make long-lasting, durable finishes don’t come cheap
Tool Test: Laser Measures

Handheld laser measuring tools are more affordable than ever, but are they accurate enough to replace a tape measure?

Article

Durable Deck Stairs

Ipé decking covers beefed-up stringers and a newel-post assembly that won’t rack.
Proper Paint Preparation

Click before you dip. For a quality paint job, the first thing you need to do is consult our collection of tips and advice from the pros.
Master Class Video Series: Running Baseboard

Learn the Ins and Outs of running baseboard in this video series.
Job-Site Router Techniques

Gary Striegler shares the skills—and the tools—that make better site-built cabinetry, casing, brackets, and flooring

Cross Section

Use of home-energy rating index grows

HERS Index allows more latitude for recognizing reductions in energy consumption
A new home in half the time

Study results: Structural insulated panels win out over conventional framing

Tools and Materials

The perfect circular saw?

Fuego 6 1⁄2-in. Compact Circular Saw
Solar panels disguised as skylights

Solar water-heating system
Spinning screed for concrete finishing

Spin screed

Letters

Reader Feedback: Issue 198, October/November 2008

A Not So Big anniversary It has been 10 years since The Taunton Press first published architect Sarah Susanka’s book The Not So Big House, the company’s best-selling book of…

Finishing Touches

Traditional Trim for Timeless Style

Few design details can match the impact of well-crafted casing, crown, or wainscot

What is the Difference

What's the Difference: Metal-twist drill bits

High-speed steel, black oxide, titanium, or cobalt

Building Skills

Cutting with a worm-drive saw

The secret to making accurate cuts while preventing kickback is letting the saw do half the work

Master Carpenter

Cutting and bending curved floor parts

Whether you achieve your curve with a saw or by lamination, a homemade template and jig ensure a tight fit

Great Moments

Bells are Ringing

Great moments in building history: The installation of a new wheel for a church's bell tower gets somewhat complicated
In plain sight

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of working with a team that built an award-winning private golf clubhouse and spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. A seasoned crew of old…

Drawing Board

Designing doors for large openings

Custom sliding, swinging, and overhead doors reinforce a house's architectural style and invite the outdoors in

Video

Handheld laser measuring tools

Laser measures do the math for you. Can your tape measure do that?
Using a Worm-Drive Saw

Know where to put your hands and use this heavy saw's weight to your advantage
Creating Curved Flooring

Use a jigsaw and a router to cut the shape and laminate the thinner strips for a decorative accent
There's a Better Way: Tool-Belt Pencil Sharpener

A tip for when the point is to have a sharp pencil on hand
There's a Better Way: Prompt Power-Cord Polarity

A simple square of tape saves time and aggravation
There's a Better Way: Working With Tough, Sticky Tape

A single-edge razor tucked into the roll keeps you from tearing your hair out
There's a Better Way: Stud Finder On a Chain

Locate studs easily with a simple magnet and chain device
Video Vault: Coping Inside Corners

Finish carpenter Tucker Windover demonstrates how to achieve a perfect inside corner when running baseboard.
Video Vault: Mitering Outside Baseboard Corners

Once you've coped the inside corner to make a perfect joint, it's time to fit, measure, and place the outside corner.
Video Vault: Locating Studs for Baseboard Installation

The trim won't hold up if there's nothing behind it. Tucker Windover shares his method for finding studs.
Video Vault: Preparing a Room for Baseboard

A pro explains how he ensures trim will run square to the floor with joints that are clean and tight before the work even begins

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Ask the Experts

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The path to a perfect finish

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