Issue 225

A Built-In Corner Seating Nook

Plywood boxes assemble into an elegant, comfortable kitchen bench with storage.

Restore a Wood Entry Door

Let the wood shine through with a marine-grade finish that's sure to last.
Torture Test: Spade Bits and Beyond

We take traditional spades and their modern competitors for a spin.
Tile Backerboard Options

Before you begin tiling, make sure that you've chosen the right substrate.
How it Works: Roof Trusses

The roofs on most new houses in the United States are built with trusses.
Linking Logs

After its dismantled logs were cataloged, stripped, and cleaned, Haresign decided they would be the focus of the design.
Tool Test: Sidewinder Circular Saws

The best saws combine speed, visibility, and a guard that opens in any cutting position.

Foam Shrinks, and Other Lessons

What we learned from updating a 16-year-old deep-energy retrofit.
Framing Tricky Truss Roofs

When building houses with trusses made for hips and valleys, careful planning and job-site organization are key to an efficient installation.
A Watershed Moment

The winner of the 2011 Solar Decathlon offers an educated glimpse at tomorrow's environmentally sensitive, energy-smart homes.

What's the Difference: Liquid solvents

Petroleum-based Go to the solvents section of a hardware store or home center to look for paint thinner, and you may be confused by the choices. Solvents that are great…

French Polish for a Showpiece Handrail

In this "Master Carpenter" column, architectural finisher and furniture restorer Peter Gedrys explains the process he used for applying a French polish to a set of mahogany handrails. He began…

Comfortable Dining Nooks

Once you settle on the location, focus on providing maximum comfort to the users

Air-Sealing a Basement

Although the attic floor is the most important place in a house to air-seal, it's also important to air-seal the basement. In this "Energy-Smart Details" column, senior editor Martin Holladay…