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Issue 205

On the Cover

Buying or Renting Tile Saws

A veteran tile-setter explains how to choose the best saw for the job.

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Features

  • The Efficient Way to Trim Exterior Windows

    The key to durable trim and a safer and faster job is to assemble the trim first and install it later.

  • A Custom Finish for Affordable Doors

    Layers of dye and glaze add instant character to an inexpensive interior door.

  • The Bright Future of Lighting

    With stricter energy requirements and improved light technology, we all may be switching to CFLs and LEDs.

  • Upgrade Your Kitchen with a Pull-Out Trash Drawer

    Installed in an existing kitchen cabinet, this drawer is simple and sturdy, and it hides disposables only a slide away.

  • A Striking Hillside Home

    In New York state, a new house combines compound curves and energy-saving details.

  • Venting a Tricky Old Roof

    Retrofitting undershingle intake and ridge vents helped to cool and dry this 120-year-old attic.

Article

  • improve indoor air quality house
    16 Ways to Improve the Air You Breathe

    Discovering the causes of poor indoor-air quality is the first step in creating a healthful home.

  • Removing Interior Walls
    Removing Interior Walls

    A step-by-step guide for taking down walls without wrecking the house.

Tools & Materials

  • Two bits from Bosch

    A torture-test for Bosch's newly-introduced bits

  • Bandages for a day’s work

    Band-Aid Tough-Strips stand up to a full day of hands-on work

  • First-rate fiber-cement saw

    Ridgid's Fuego 5-in fiber-cement saw (R3400) features a unique dust-collection system

Letters

  • Reader Feedback: Issue 205, August/September 2009

    You oversimplified the discussion: How much insulation is “enough”? Your recent article “Spray Foam: What Do You Really Know” (FHB #204) touched on an important topic that seems to be…

What is the Difference

  • titanium vs steel hammer
    What's the Difference: Titanium Hammers vs. Steel Hammers

    It turns out that the hype surrounding titanium has value.

  • What's the Difference: Is PVA, polyurethane, or CA glue right for my project?

    All 3 of these common types of adhesives have a place in home building, but each is better for specific uses.

Building Skills

  • Soldering Copper Cap Flashing

    Learn how to shape and solder copper cap flashing, a window's first line of defense against water and the best way to prevent rot, insects, and mold.

Master Carpenter

  • Timber-Frame Joinery

    Learn a traditional timber-frame technique for cutting a double-bladed scarf joint.

Great Moments

  • This is only a test

    If you’ve been around a fast-paced, production-type job site, then you know that when you get a new crew member, he has to live up to certain expectations. You know—the…

Drawing Board

  • Garden Sheds With Style

    By paying attention to scale and siting thoughtfully, you can transform a storage shed into a garden shed

How it Works

  • Heat-Recovery Ventilator

    Heat-recovery ventilators can keep up to 80% of the energy in exhaust air inside a house, saving conditioned air and the money spent to heat or cool it.

Project Gallery

  • Highlights from our Project Gallery

    A prize-winning deck, art in the garden, a house with a waterwheel, and more. . .

Video

  • How to Solder Copper Cap Flashing

    Watch a pro shape and solder copper cap flashing, which is installed atop the head casing.

More? View Past Issues

Ask the Experts

  • Patching Holes in Siding
  • A new code requirement for decks

Readers Tips

  • An efficient way to paint doors
  • Kitchen base-cabinet floor fix
  • Fitting coped crown molding
  • Cutting Narrow Strips of Drywall
  • Beveled Caulk-Tip Tip

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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