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Issue 221

On the Cover

Spray Foam for the Rest of Us

When the insulating task is small, a do-it-yourself spray-foam kit may be your best option.

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Features

  • Finish Stairs With Finesse

    Carefully planned skirts and a couple of tricks make trimming stairs an easier job, no matter how bad the framing.

  • 2 Ideas for Custom Railings

    Site-built deck rails use unconventional materials to preserve the view.

  • A Crown-Mold Concrete Mantel

    A stock crown profile and quarter-round form the mold for an inexpensive and unique fireplace surround.

  • Creating a Curved Concrete Walkway

    Form, pour, and stamp a concrete sidewalk for an inviting path to any front door.

  • Torture Test: Sanding Disks

    Hook-and-loop sanding disks are disposable items, but we separate the performers from the throwaways.

  • Built for Foul Weather

    A new home on the Oregon coast blends reclaimed materials with durable details.

    Article

  • Tool Test: Top-Handle Jigsaws

    The best of these pro-level tools should be equally suited to heavy, aggressive cuts and delicate, detailed curves.

  • How it Works: Fiberglass-Batt Insulation

    While fiberglass batts continue to be a widely used form of insulation, they don't always perform to their rated R-value.

  • crash course in roof venting

    A Crash Course in Roof Venting

    Building scientist Joseph Lstiburek explains when to vent your roof, when not to, and how to execute each common roof-venting approach successfully.

    What is the Difference

  • What's the Difference: Concrete Hand Floats

    Wood, resin, aluminum, or magnesium?

    Building Skills

  • Broom-Finished Concrete Flat Work

    Concrete work -- especially outdoor projects such as sidewalks -- requires a series of finishing steps after the concrete is mixed and placed in the forms. First, the concrete is…

    Master Carpenter

  • Tips for a Coffered Ceiling

    As part of an extensive renovation project, veteran carpenters Don Carlson and Bill Broome installed a coffered ceiling in an enclosed sunporch. Their first challenge was dealing with the original…

    Drawing Board

  • Taking Oriels to a New Level

    Oriels, or bay windows that cantilever or hang from a wall, provide both outdoor and indoor benefits. Outdoors, they add character and flair to a home's exterior. Indoors, they provide…

    Energy Smart Details

  • Airtight Window Installations

    Installing a window is tricky. The first challenge is to do a good job with the flashing and water-management details. But once the window is fastened to the wall, you’re…

    Tailgate

  • Tailgate: Ben Cichowski, Video Host

    The host of WxTV is one member of a Montana team bringing weatherization and energy-efficiency lessons to your desktop.

More? View Past Issues

    Ask the Experts

  • Makeup air for venting appliances

  • What's the Difference Between Shakes and Shingles?

    Readers Tips

  • Simplified Measurements

  • Versatile, inexpensive concrete forms

  • Floorboard Glue Injection

  • Window-trim alignment block

  • Simplify ceiling-strapping installation

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 297 - February/March 2021

    • Foundations for Success
    • Staircase Renovation
    • Ditch the Hose
  • Issue 296 - Dec 2020/Jan 2021

    • Insulating Glass Keeps Getting Better
    • Simple Way to Make Old Walls Straight and Plumb
    • Making Sense of Minisplits
  • Issue 295 - Kitchens & Baths

    • Condo Kitchen Reimagined
    • Row-House Remodel
    • Rise of the IAQ Monitor
  • Issue 294 - Oct/Nov 2020

    • Schoolhouse Reimagined
    • Tool Test: Folding Sawhorses
    • A Better Way to Build Tall Walls
  • Issue 293 - Aug/Sept 2020

    • A Practical Guide to Fall Protection
    • Installing Frameless Cabinets
    • Make Any Tablesaw Safer

Fine Homebuilding

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