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Issue 200

On the Cover

Member Only

Every House Needs an Energy Audit

Inspecting a house for inefficiencies is the first step toward optimized comfort and minimized utility costs.

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The Magazine

Tool Test: 16-Ga. Finish Nailers

The right tool can improve the speed, accuracy, and quality of your trimwork.
Frame a Classic Shed Dormer

If you start with a full-scale layout on the subfloor and plan for the finished details, the framing is relatively painless.
Glass-Block Shower on a Curve

This shower-stall alternative lets in the light, offers privacy, and makes a small space feel roomy.
A Faster, Easier Approach to Custom Cabinets

Create desks, bookcases, pantries, and more with a slick hybrid design and problem-solving pocket-screw joinery.
Attic-Insulation Upgrade

Seal air leaks first, then add extra insulation for an energy-saving improvement with great bang for the buck.
An American Bungalow: Before and After

Transformed into a classic Craftsman home, this Sears kit house lives, looks, and performs better than ever.

Article

11 Wood-Flooring Problems and Their Solutions

For flawless wood floors, avoid these installation and finishing mistakes
Tubular Skylights Should Leak Only Sunlight

Mike Guertin demonstrates his step-by-step process for bringing the sun's rays into a dark hallway

Cross Section

Should you switch heating fuels?

BuildingGreen.com has an interactive online calculator to make comparing fuel costs simple
New code requirement for fire sprinklers

The International Code Council, the governing body responsible for the International Residential Code (IRC), recently approved a proposal to require fire sprinklers in all new one- and two-family homes and…
Five Things You Didn't Know About Paint

Stats on everything from paint sales and components to factories and labor costs

Tools & Materials

New 12-in. miter saw leads the field

12-in. sliding compound-miter saw (6955-20) by Milwaukee
Fireplace draft stopper

3-Ply poly Chimney Balloon keeps hot air where it should be
Alternative to anchor bolts

Titen HD screw anchor by Simpson Strong-Tie

Letters

Reader Feedback: Issue 200, Dec 2008/Jan 2009

Bad, not big, homes are the problem I love and applaud the concepts behind architect Sarah Susanka’s approach to home design: optimizing function, utility, cost, and energy consumption to fit…

Finishing Touches

Kindling Creativity

A fireplace not only adds warmth to any room, it also sets the tone

What is the Difference

What's the Difference: Safety glasses

Should you wear glass, plastic, or polycarbonate lenses?
What's the Difference: Trowels

Square-notch, U-notch, or V-notch?
What's the Difference: Paintable Caulk

Does price matter, or is a latex caulk by any other name still the same?

Building Skills

Wrapping cords and hoses

Learn how to avoid twists and kinks that can cause damage

Master Carpenter

Dress up cabinet face frames with a mitered integral bead

For consistent results, rotate the stock, not the saw, and cut opposing pieces at the same time

Great Moments

Trimming the Tree

When all else fails, an unlikely tool gets the job done

Drawing Board

Designing stairs for an addition

Start with a top-down approach, then choose a shape that lands in a good spot

Video

More? View Past Issues

Ask the Experts

Direct Water Into Gutters
Let inside drywall corners move

Readers Tips

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