Issue 297 – Feb/Mar 2021
Features
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Staircase Renovation
Loose, tilted flights signal trouble underfoot, but even major problems can be fixed with screws, blocks and braces.
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Ditch the Hose
Battery-powered cordless framing nailers are almost good enough to replace pneumatics—for some, they already have.
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Successful Floors With Trusses
Quality at the plant is hit or miss, so a flat floor means tweaking trusses on the job.
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Sidewall Shingles With a Flare
A slight curve adds charm, and also a bit of complexity, to the process of siding with cedar shingles.
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The Fine Homebuilding Interview: Mike Litchfield
A founding editor of our magazine and a pioneering how-to journalist takes us back to where it all began.
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High-Performance Raft Slab
This versatile frost-protected shallow foundation is adaptable for different wall systems and climates.
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Celebrating 40 Years of Fine Homebuilding
FHB editorial director Brian Pontolilo introduces our 40th-anniversary issue of the magazine and reflects on how our industry and our magazine have changed and how they've stayed the same.
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The Slow Evolution of Paint
As manufacturers tinker with chemistry to improve durability, ease of application, and hide, the distinction between water- and oil-based paints is blurred—for the better.
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Readers' Letters: 9 Ways To Build Sawhorses
From simple, site-built work surfaces to carefully fabricated shop furniture, homemade sawhorses are popular with our audience of builders, remodelers, and homeowners.
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Fine Homebuilding Issue #297 Online Highlights
Here are the digital extras from Fine Homebuilding’s February/March 2021, Issue #297: On page 8 of issue #297, we featured a number of online extras and urged readers to check…
Article
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FHB's 40th Anniversary Tips Video Contest
Record yourself demonstrating a favorite tip from the Fine Homebuilding archive for a chance to win a cordless compact router kit.
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Timeless Tip: Tunneling Under Slabs
Use standard plumbing parts to quickly dig a narrow hole under a slab.
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Temporary Door Control
Use this simple trick to hold doors closed during construction before installing locksets.
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Scribing Made Simple
Use a washer and a pencil to scribe moldings quickly and easily without marring a finished surface.
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Shim Storage
A finish screw keeps shims in an organized, easily separated stack.
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Deck-Board Cleaner and Homemade Scrapers
A cheap, used handsaw can be repurposed twice with these smart tips.
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Shingle Holder
A ledger strip with a rabbet along one edge keeps sidewall shingles from falling before they're fastened.
Tips & Techniques
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Protecting Foundations from Frost
Code expert Glenn Mathewson describes code-accepted alternatives to digging below the frost line.
Know the Code
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Straight-Hole Jig
Ideal for cabinetwork, these drill guides have a V-groove that centers the guide on 90-degree corners and curved edges.
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Clever Dry Line
Lightweight, compact, and a cinch to position, this stringline may be an essential if precision is your goal.
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Tough, Basic Work Pants
These Dickies pants have a useful sacrificial double knee and no unecessary bells and whistles.
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Better Hammer Tacker
When that old slap stapler just isn't making the cut, this tacker is worth the additional cost in exchange for durability.
Tools & Gear
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Celebrating Efficient Post-and-Beam Construction
An old barn is transformed into a high-performance home that highlights the structure's original framing.
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High Design at Home in Nature
A net-zero home sited to connect to its rural setting earns LEED for Homes certification.
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Retrofit of a Timber-Frame Farmhouse
A design/build team performs a small miracle on a dilapidated 1850s home.
HOUSES by Design
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Old-World Craftsmanship
A custom New York mill and a German flooring company partners to offer sustainably harvested wood from Germany's Bavaria region, hand-finished using only ingredients found in nature.
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Longer-Lasting Wood Posts
These plastic resin sleeves encase a buried portion of a post or pole to protect the wood from decay.
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Phenomenal Fenestration
These steel-framed windows are corrosion resistent and support expansive panes of insulated glass.
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Luxurious Lime Paint
This line of mineral-based paint refracts light to create a luminous glow with a rich matte texture.
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Fast, Flexible Car Charger
With 9x faster speeds than its competitors, the ChargePoint Home Flex makes charging an electrical vehicle at home faster and more convenient.
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Peel-and-Stick Drainable Housewrap
Benjamin Obdyke’s self-adhered HydroGap SA is easy to apply solo and sits tight over every surface and around every corner.
Other
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Building a Knowledge of Building
Print and online publications, internet discussion boards, and an extensive network of tradespeople are all sources of tips, tricks, and techniques of the trade.
Building Matters
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Keep Craft Alive: Josh Salinger, Construction Business Owner
After scaling up and feeling disconnected from the process, a Portland, Oregon, builder refocuses his company with a commitment to building better homes and better relationships.
