February/March 2006

Articles		Page
THE MAGAZINE YOU BUILT by Scott Gibson After 25 years, the country's best builders still are sharing what they know in Fine Homebuilding's pages		56
A NEW HEADER FOR AN OLD WALL by Roger Ross Forget the jacks and temporary framing; install the two-piece header one half at a time		62
MAKING SENSE OF HOUSEWRAPS by Fernando Pagés Ruiz These plastic-based barriers help to keep wind and water at bay, but only if you choose the right product and install it correctly		66
6 RULES FOR FAST AND FOOLPROOF CABINETMAKING by Sven Hanson A smart design, a few jigs, and some tactical advice will maximize output and minimize mistakes		72
25 YEARS OF MILESTONES by Matthew Teague From OSB and cordless drills to The Home Depot and HGTV, here's a look at how the past quarter-century has shaped the home-building industry		78
DRESS UP A BLOCK WALL WITH A ROCK WALL by Cody Macfie Rather than hiding a poured-concrete or block foundation with landscape plantings, show it off with stone veneer		86
TEST YOUR BUILDING-CODE IQ by Paul Fisette Vague language allows flexibility for inspectors, but it can be confusing to the rest of us. How do you score?<		91
ONE CARPENTER'S LIFE by Larry Haun Still driving nails at 75, a veteran framer recalls the postwar housing boom of the 1950s and how it changed the way we build		96
ZERO ENERGY, INFINITE APPEAL by Nathan Good Winner of a national green-building award, this low-maintenance house should produce as much energy as it uses		102
RETROFITTING A CEILING FAN by Clifford A. Popejoy With common-sense wiring and the right hardware, you can replace an existing light fixture with a breeze in almost any room in the house		108
THE FUTURE OF HOME BUILDING by Roger Yepsen In 25 years, a new house won't look like a spaceship, but appearances can be deceiving		112
Departments		Page
CONTRIBUTORS		6
LETTERS		8
CROSS SECTION Are big boxes better for builders?		20
TIPS & TECHNIQUES Patching a wood floor, Router-made moldings		32
TOOLS & MATERIALS Newly designed pole sander, Tape measure that lies flat		42
BREAKTIME		50
FINISHING TOUCHES Work from our perspective		118
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Safer ungrounded circuits, How to nail clapboard siding		126
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? Sharpening stones, Paint strippers		136
BUILDING SKILLS Making raised-panel doors on a tablesaw		146
DRAWING BOARD Dress up a factory-built fireplace		154
MASTER CARPENTER Making glass-paneled cabinet doors		162
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS		172
GREAT MOMENTS Freudian Slip		174

The Magazine You Built, A New Header for an Old Wall, Making Sense of Housewraps, 6 Rules for Fast and Foolproof Cabinetmaking, 25 Years of Milestones, Dress Up a Block Wall with a Rock Wall, Test Your Building-Code IQ, One Carpenter's Life