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Issue 254 – Oct/Nov 2015

On the Cover

Getting to Know the Beast in Your Basement

A forced-air heating system isn’t as scary as it seems.

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The Magazine

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Features

  • A Weatherproof Window Installation

    Layers of redundant flashing and sealant ensure that the most expensive part of your house is also the best protected.

  • Andy Engel installing a product
    Mineral Wool Makes a Comeback

    This natural spun-stone insulation is enjoying a resurgence in popularity—and for good reason.

  • WORKING ON AIR SEALING
    Air-Sealing 101

    Learn where to look for common air leaks and how to seal them up to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.

  • Trouble-Free Toilets

    The floor, flange, and sealant can mean the difference between success and failure.

  • All-Around Efficient

    Pairing a proven net-zero strategy with conscious material choices.

  • Tool Test: Track Saws

    These versatile tools make fast, precise cuts and weigh a lot less than your tablesaw.

Finishing Touches

  • Where Concrete is King

    In the summer of 2012, Andrey Rudenko began toying with the idea of creating a 3D printer capable of constructing homes. An experienced contractor with a background in engineering and…

What is the Difference

  • Hammer-Action Drills vs. Rotary Hammers: What is the Difference?
    Hammer-Action Drills vs. Rotary Hammers

    Choose the best tool for drilling holes in concrete.

  • What's the Difference: Phillips vs. Pozidriv Bits

    Despite their similar appearance, these two systems are not interchangeable

Building Skills

  • Installing a Big Beam

    Remodelers frequently have to replace a bearing wall with a large beam. The challenge is weight, but senior editor Andy Engel shows here how to install the beam one ply…

Drawing Board

  • A Narrow Closet
    Laundry Closet Design Ideas

    Designer Mike Maines details 3 types of well-designed laundry closets that make the most of a compact space.

Project Gallery

  • Mudroom's the Name, Organizing's the Aim

    We all have things that we drag in and out of our homes just about every day: coats, purses, mail, shoes, sports equipment, books, backpacks. Without a mudroom—that dedicated space…

Energy Smart Details

  • Lstiburek's double-stud wall
    Joe Lstiburek’s Ideal Double-Stud Wall

    This wall design ensures good performance and solves the problems of inside and outside moisture.

Tailgate

  • Tailgate: Katherine Boorman, Designer

    This operations director for the firm OneButton specializes in making technology an unobtrusive part of home design.

How it Works

  • Drain-Waste-Vent Systems

    Although hidden behind walls and in floors and ceilings, the pipes that make up a house’s drain-waste-vent system are the balance of the plumbing equation.

More? View Past Issues

Ask the Experts

  • Ceiling-fan height
  • Adding Walls on I-Joists
  • Raising Floors a Little Bit

Readers Tips

  • A Rolling Bandsaw Base
  • Flagpole Bracket Holds a Light
  • Keep the Bugs Out
  • Leveling Big Tiles: Tips and Tricks
  • Bungee-Cord Organization
  • Keep Your Paintbrush Wet
  • Big Sound from a Small Speaker
  • Trimming Door Jambs
  • Easy Baluster Replacement
  • Drying Racks for Finishing

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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