Issue 188
Features
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A Simple Approach to a Paneled Passageway
Starting with a prehung door, you can create an elegant vestibule by adding frame-and-panel jamb extensions.
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SIPs: Are They Right for Your Next Project?
Structural insulated panels make stronger homes that go up faster and reduce energy bills dramatically.
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Better Undersink Plumbing
Throw away the traditional P-trap to minimize leaks and maximize storage space under a kitchen sink.
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Framing a Strong Garage-Door Opening
Site-built shear walls help a building with large openings to stand up to high winds.
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A New Kitchen and a Better Backyard
Relocating a detached garage adds privacy to the backyard and makes room for a bigger kitchen.
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Low-Risk Reroof
Roofing contractor Stephen Hazlett shares his reliable methods for protecting a house and managing job-site workflow to execute a high-quality roof replacement job.
Article
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How to Build Dry-Laid Stone StepsSkip the mortar and use packed stone dust for a rustic walkway that will last a lifetime.
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Tool-Triggered Shop VacsA crew of carpenters reviews five machines that make cleanup easier by capturing dust before it hits the floor.
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How Giant Clamshells FormThis massive entryway above a Rhode Island beach was inspired by nature, but built by hand
Cross Section
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Recycling roofs into roads
1 When you strip an asphalt roof, what do you do with the old shingles? If you’re like most builders, you haul them to the dump. Around 11 million tons…
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Web sites we like
Want to buy green power? If you’re interested in global cooling (yes, cooling), a great place to start is your electricity provider. To find out if your state is one…
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Energy Star clears the air
An Energy Star-rated home now can be upgraded to include indoor-air-quality specifications. Released as a pilot program last year in Denver, EPA’s Indoor Air Package is currently in its expansion…
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It's not easy being green
Interest in green building has fostered intensive research and plenty of controversy about the sustainability of various building materials. Polyvinylchloride, or PVC, is a case in point. Used to make…
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Rot-resistant wood update
More choices for durable decks In FHB #186, contributing editor Scott Gibson reported on new preservative treatments for rot-resistant lumber. Before the ink had a chance to dry, three wood-treatment…
Tools & Materials
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New sawblade is thicker and sharper than the competition
Premier Fusion 10-in tablesaw blade
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Stage right: T-braces are a portable alternative
T-Brace
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Copper/aluminum flashing
Soliel Stepflashing
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Replacement wrench for an angle grinder
Adjustable pin wrench
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Quick-change hole-saw kit
Power change bimetal hole-saw kit
Letters
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It's a little better than plumb
Editor Kevin Ireton introduces his new blog, titled Better than Plumb
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Reader Feedback: Issue 188, June/July 2007
Sneakers on the job In your note about safety, which runs in every issue (p. 16), you talk about promoting safe work habits through your articles. Yet on the front…
Finishing Touches
What is the Difference
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Structural Composite LumberIf this product is environmentally friendly and stronger than sawn lumber, what's not to like?
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What's the Difference: Shop-vacuum cartridge filters
It may be obvious that the filter is crucial. But based on your work, what type do you need?
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Epoxy vs. Cement GroutLearn how to choose between stronger and more expensive epoxy and traditional, easy-to-apply cement-based grout.
Building Skills
Master Carpenter
Great Moments
Drawing Board
Video
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Replacing a Circular-Saw Switch and CordA tool pro demonstrates a common circular saw repair
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Circular-Saw Tune-Up
Extend the life of your circular saw with simple cleaning and maintenance
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Video Vault: Immersed in SIPsA tour of an SIP manufacturing facility reveals that efficiency begins on the factory floor
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From Roof to RoadFollow shingles' journey from a roof through an asphalt-recycling facility
Ask the Experts
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PEX and pesticides: bad mix?
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Should I Upgrade Ungrounded Wiring? -
Foam sheathing: inside or out?
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Repairing tile membrane
