Carpentry

Selected from among the best of Fine Homebuilding Magazine, here are some amazing carpentry stories. Some rough carpentry techniques are replicated in the book Framing Floors Walls and Ceilings, but others represent techniques you may have never seen before – like aligning eaves on irregularly pitched roofs, straightening framed walls, and framing a roof valley. You’ll find practical techniques on how to install vinyl siding, horizontal wood siding, and wood clapboards.

Then you plunge into the rules of finish carpentry – how to make a raised-panel wainscoting, the secrets of installing crown molding around a cathedral ceiling – all fully illustrated. You’ll also learn techniques for building an expensive-looking ornate fireplace mantel from plywood and oak. Then the book delves into the basics of carpentry – installing doors and windows. You’ll learn techniques for installing new windows in old walls, new doors in old jambs, as well as techniques for installing French, bi-fold, pre-hung and sliding doors. You’ll find out about cutting basic stairs, installing disappearing attic stairs, installing handrails, and how to build squeak-free stairs. Next, you’ll see how to build attractive cabinets and built-ins that bring beauty and practicality to any home. You’ll discover how to construct a built-in hutch, design and build a custom entertainment center, a bookshelf that fits the customer’s needs and the available space, install kitchen cabinets as a one-man crew, build simple on-site cabinets, and how to enhance any room with a storage window seat.

Every project is carefully illustrated with large clear diagrams and full-color photos so you can see every detail and how it goes together.