Issue 284 – July 2019
Features
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The Ins and Outs of Exterior Doors
Get a crash course in choosing an entry door, from basic features to premium upgrades.
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Build A Fireplace, Brick by Brick
Use these tips to design and create a long-lasting, heat-throwing firebox based on the traditional Rumford fireplace.
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A No-Math Approach to Valley Plates
Whether you're tying in new gable dormers or adding a chimney cricket during roof framing, giving the valley jacks a place to land is an easy task with these step-by-step instructions.
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Building for Floods
A New Orleans prototype home may provide a path for builders looking to design and construct houses that can withstand rising sea levels and intense storms.
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Build an Antique-Style Post-and-Beam Shed with Modern Construction Details
Sturdy metal hardware takes the place of traditional, time-consuming timber-frame joinery in this contemporary take on the classic storage shed.
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House-Flipping How-Tos
If you know your market and you can stomach the risk, there's still money to be made buying and selling homes.
Article
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Fine Homebuilding Issue #284 Online Highlights
Find online articles and videos on exterior doors, fireplaces, and more.
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Video: Build a Fireplace, Brick by BrickWatch mason Mike Mehaffey construct a traditional-style fireplace that burns well and meets current building codes.
Tips & Techniques
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Big Drywall, Small Lifts
These simple site-built jigs make hanging 12-foot-long sheets of wallboard easy, even when working alone.
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How To Drill Large Round Holes in Tile
Get off to a good start when using a hole saw by using plumber's putty, a little water, and a glass-and-tile bit.
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Clamp Turnaround
Most woodworking bar clamps allow you to flip the ends to use the tool for spreading instead of clamping.
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Easy Vacuum Upgrade
A DIY skirt made of duct tape helps a vacuum get more suction when cleaning up dust during a remodeling project.
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Keep Your Hammer from Slipping Out of Sweaty Hands
An adhesive designed for repairing shoes also makes a great DIY handle grip.
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An Alternative Workbench Surface
Soft carpet scraps protect delicate projects from scratches.
Know the Code
Tools & Materials
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Sturdy, Common-Sense Hinge Templates
Templaco Tools templates are simple, durable, and affordable, and they come in sizes to fit nearly any door configuration.
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How Water Affects Buildings
In his book Water in Buildings: An Architect’s Guide to Moisture and Mold, research architect William B. Rose makes building science both understandable and interesting.
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Cut-Resistant Work Gloves
G-Tek polyurethane-coated knit gloves provide a good balance of comfort, cost, and, safety and are light enough to be useful for most construction projects.
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A Better Way to Grout
Barwalt Ultra Grouting System has several features not seen in many cheaper grouting kits that can make this dirty job a little easier and more comfortable.
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Trim-Saving Pry Bar
A wide, thin blade with an integral wedge makes the Zenith Industries Trim Puller an effective tool for carefully removing old molding.
HOUSES by Design
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The Ultimate Built-In
The heart of the expansive bookcase in this modern remodel of a 1960s home is an original exterior wall stripped down to the studs.
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Same Square Footage, but Bigger
When converting this house on Martha's Vineyard from a two-family to a single-family, LDa Architecture & Interiors reworked the floor plan to make the home feel more spacious.
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Whole-House Custom Cabinetry
Rift-sawn white oak paneling is the dominant material in this modern home built by a cabinetmaker.
Spec
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Outdoor Cooking For the Rustic Chef
The industrial-style Weltevree Outdooroven XL combines a barbecue, smoker, and oven all into one beautifully simple package.
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Modular Modern Faucet Handles
The Watermark Designs Elements plumbing-fixture collection features sleek, cylindrical knobs available in multiple polished-stone, metal, and wood-grain finishes.
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Tyvek Drainable Membrane
DuPont's Tyvek DrainVent Rainscreen provides a drainage plane and air gap behind siding when applied over a well-detailed water-resistive barrier.
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Nearly Invisible Floor Finish
Bona Traffic Naturale is an easy-to-apply, fast-drying alternative to polyurethane that gives the look of unfinished wood.
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Double-Sided Air-Barrier Tape
Siga Twinet double-sided mounting tape is a popular, though costly, alternative to stapling an air barrier to the inside of roof and wall framing.
Building Matters
As-Built
Keep Craft Alive
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