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Issue 252 – June/July 2015

On the Cover

A Homeowner’s Guide to Deck Permits

A building inspector explains the bureaucracy that gets you from plans to permits.

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The Magazine

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Features

  • Simple Shade Structure Tames the Sun

    Create a handsome pergola with rough-sawn cedar and readily available hardware.

  • Vanity build
    Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity

    This traditional, Shaker-inspired bathroom vanity is easily achieved with straightforward building materials and common power tools.

  • Built on the Past, Designed for the Future

    A new home embraces zero-energy living while respecting its historic neighbors.

  • Don’t Be Afraid to Spray

    The basic setup, operation, and maintenance of this versatile, labor-saving tool is a lot easier than you think.

  • Are Drainable Housewraps Enough?

    They’re a good start, but keeping your house dry and free of rot may require more than just drainage.

  • Four Steps to Flash a Dormer

    This leak-free approach begins with an impenetrable corner detail.

Finishing Touches

  • New-Life Gazebo

    When carpenter Matt Parker was asked how he came up with the design for this six-sided, red-cedar gazebo, he replied, “I was at a point in my life when the…

What is the Difference

  • Wrecking Bar
    What's the Difference: Demolition Tools

    Pry bars and nail pullers

Building Skills

  • splicing a wire
    How to Splice Wires

    A step-by-step lesson on joining wires together in an electrical box.

Drawing Board

  • Outdoor Grilling Stations

    Outdoor spaces such as decks and patios are much more attractive gathering places when they include a grilling area.

How it Works

  • How it Works: Ground-Source Heat Pumps

    In heating mode, the pump uses the ground as a heat source; in cooling mode, it uses the ground as a heat sink.

Project Gallery

  • Project Gallery: Kitchen-Island Adventures

    See these three unique kitchen islands

Energy Smart Details

  • crawlspace diagram
    Creating a Sealed Crawlspace

    Properly designed unvented crawlspaces have a number of advantages compared to vented crawlspaces.

Tailgate

  • Steve Thomas: Navigator

    The former This Old House host now helps guide people through the world of renovation and home building as a partner with Habitat for Humanity.

Slide_show

  • How to Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
    How to Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity

    Step-by-step instructions on building an attractive bathroom vanity

  • Small-Bathroom Ideas

    Maximize the small footprint of your bathroom with our best small-bathroom ideas. This slide show is full of inspirational photos to help your small bath realize its fullest potential.

More? View Past Issues

Ask the Experts

  • Running pipes through joists
  • Draining a basement clothes washer
  • When is an 18v battery a 20v battery?
  • Insulating a Wall in an Old House

Readers Tips

  • A Deck with Skirtboards
  • Fine-Tuned Scissor Lift
  • Protect Your Outside Air Conditioner
  • Water for Cutting Stone
  • Problem-Free Diagonal-Tile Spacing
  • Free Paint—Color TBD
  • Fixing Splinters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers

Fine Home Building

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