Issue 297 – Feb/Mar 2021

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.

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.

From simple, site-built work surfaces to carefully fabricated shop furniture, homemade sawhorses are popular with our audience of builders, remodelers, and homeowners.

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…

Record yourself demonstrating a favorite tip from the Fine Homebuilding archive for a chance to win a cordless compact router kit.

Use standard plumbing parts to quickly dig a narrow hole under a slab.

Use this simple trick to hold doors closed during construction before installing locksets.

Use a washer and a pencil to scribe moldings quickly and easily without marring a finished surface.

A finish screw keeps shims in an organized, easily separated stack.

A cheap, used handsaw can be repurposed twice with these smart tips.

A ledger strip with a rabbet along one edge keeps sidewall shingles from falling before they're fastened.

Code expert Glenn Mathewson describes code-accepted alternatives to digging below the frost line.

Ideal for cabinetwork, these drill guides have a V-groove that centers the guide on 90-degree corners and curved edges.

Lightweight, compact, and a cinch to position, this stringline may be an essential if precision is your goal.

These Dickies pants have a useful sacrificial double knee and no unecessary bells and whistles.

When that old slap stapler just isn't making the cut, this tacker is worth the additional cost in exchange for durability.

An old barn is transformed into a high-performance home that highlights the structure's original framing.

A net-zero home sited to connect to its rural setting earns LEED for Homes certification.

A design/build team performs a small miracle on a dilapidated 1850s home.

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.

These plastic resin sleeves encase a buried portion of a post or pole to protect the wood from decay.

These sleek metal frames are corrosion resistant and support expansive panes of energy-efficient insulated glass.

This line of mineral-based paint refracts light to create a luminous glow with a rich matte texture.

With 9x faster speeds than its competitors, the ChargePoint Home Flex makes charging an electrical vehicle at home faster and more convenient.

Benjamin Obdyke’s self-adhered HydroGap SA is easy to apply solo and sits tight over every surface and around every corner.

Print and online publications, internet discussion boards, and an extensive network of tradespeople are all sources of tips, tricks, and techniques of the trade.

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.