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Issue 224

On the Cover

Taking Wainscot Up Stairs

Learn how to use MDF panels and stock moldings to create this elegant trim detail on your staircase walls.

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Features

  • How it Works: Standby Generators

    Whether you’re trying to keep the water running during a power failure or the lights on and the air conditioner humming during a blackout, a standby generator can be an invaluable addition.

  • Flawless Drywall Finish

    A final skim coat of compound creates a surface as smooth as plaster but at a lower cost.

  • Standby for Power

    A generator can provide days of emergency power. Here's how to choose the right one.

  • Installing a New Window in an Old Opening

    A leak-free installation depends on compatible materials and multiple layers of defense.

  • Cap Fasteners
    It’s Time to Switch to Cap Fasteners

    Gone are the days of hammer tackers for installing housewrap and roof underlayment.

  • Incorporating Best Practices

    How the best builders adopt new materials and building techniques to boost quality and profits.

Article

  • Building Better Affordable Homes

    How to increase style and efficiency on a modest budget.

  • Stormproof Your Roof

    Self-adhering underlayment provides critical protection in vulnerable locations.

  • Shinto Shed

    The extreme simplicity of the ancient shinmei-zukuri style of Japanese architecture inspired Glenn Montgomery’s 9-ft. by 12-ft. shed.

What is the Difference

  • What's the Difference: Amp hours

    The rise in popularity of lithium-ion batteries in power tools over the past six years has brought consumers voltage options ranging from a compact 3.6v up to a muscle-packed 36v.…

  • Sanded vs. Unsanded Grout

    Which of these two common styles of grout you use on your tile job is typically based on the width of the joints between tiles.

  • How to Choose the Right Sandpaper

    Learn the pros and cons of the 3 common abrasive materials to pick the type of sandpaper that best matches your project.

Building Skills

  • Cutting into wood with Japanese pull saw
    How To Use a Japanese-Style Pull Saw

    Pull saws aren't everyday tools, but they can come in handy on occasion for cutting trim in place and for cutting small moldings.

Master Carpenter

  • Framing an Octagonal Turret Roof
    Framing an Octagonal Turret Roof

    This roof shape may look complicated, but it's basically the same process as framing a common 45-degree bay-window roof.

Drawing Board

  • examples of window styles
    Popular Period Windows Styles

    Architect Lynn Hopkins describes both the characteristic and uncharacteristic features of four common American house styles.

Energy Smart Details

  • An Unvented, Superinsulated Roof

    Rigid-foam insulation installed above the roof assembly can create an energy-smart roof.

Tailgate

  • Tailgate: Chuck Miller, Editor

    After 30 years at Fine Homebuilding, Chuck Miller calls it a day. Here’s our exit interview.

More? View Past Issues

Ask the Experts

  • Another Way to Build a Shear Wall
  • Should I Vent a Roof Insulated With Spray Foam?

Readers Tips

  • Shingle-Drying Rack
  • Tuck-Point Tip
  • Fishing Wire? There's an App for That!
  • Squaring Jig
  • Extend the Life of Your Deck Frame
  • One-Piece Corner Boards
  • Shoring Up Sawhorses

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • 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
  • Issue 313 - Feb/March 2023
    • Practical System for a Seismic Retrofit
    • Fine Homebuilding Issue #313 Online Highlights
    • Practical System for a Seismic Retrofit
  • Issue 312 - Dec 2022/Jan 2023
    • Tool Test: Cordless Tablesaws
    • Gray-Water System for a Sustainable Home
    • Insulate a Cape Roof to Avoid Ice Dams
  • Issue 311 - November 2022
    • 7 Steps to a Perfect Exterior Paint Job
    • Options for Smarter Home-Energy Tracking
    • The Fine Homebuilding Interview: James Metoyer

Fine Homebuilding

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