June/ July 1997

Articles		Page
SURVEY OF CORDLESS SAWS by Ken Textor Although they won't replace corded saws, they've come a long way in size, power and versatility		50
INSTALLING BIFOLD DOORS by Jim Britton Preassembling jambs and casings makes for a faster, more accurate job		56
WHY EXTERIOR FINISHES FAIL by Sam Williams, Mark Knaebe and William Feist Government scientists explain why paint cracks, blisters and peels on your house, and how to prevent it		61
INEXPENSIVE DETAILS TRANSFORM A TIRED HOME by John Yonushewski Creative use of vinyl siding and wood trim makes a bright, attractive home without breaking the bank		66
BUILDING A HILLSIDE FOUNDATION by Ralph Hyver A family of do-it-yourselfers builds a complex pier-and-grade-beam foundation that took 12 tons of reinforcement and 315 yd. of concrete		70
THE HARDEST-WORKING ROOM IN THE HOUSE by Sloane M. Chambers In her own kitchen, a designer orders chaos by keeping the palette simple		76
NAILING BASICS by Larry Haun Despite the nail gun, you sometimes have to hit the nail on the head		80
A NEW JERSEY TEAHOUSE by Kevin Wilkes A traditional Japanese design finds an unlikely but fitting home on a lake in South Jersey		86
FRAMING CURVED STAIRS ON SITE by Scott Paschal A stud wall, not a laminated stringer, shapes these stairs		90
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A DIFFICULT BUILDING SITE by Joseph W. Greene A compound house is joined by a bridge that threads between old fir trees		94
CHOOSING DUCTWORK by John O'Connell and Bruce Harley The kind of ducts you use and the number and types of turns they make dramatically affect HVAC-system performance		98
OFF THE GRID IN TUCSON by Gale Prososki-Marsland With the Arizona sun, this house makes all the electricity a family can use, but water is a different story		102
Departments		Page
LETTERS Rumford-style fireplace, Backyard play set, Plumbing odors, Ice dams		6
Q & A Stiffening a floor, Keeping shop noise in the basement		20
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES Save our steel stakes, I-joist sawhorse, Pulling rusty nails		30
CROSS SECTION Solar shingles, Used building materials, Architectural pasta		38
FINISHING TOUCHES Venus and Neptune share the loo		108
TOOLS AND MATERIALS Safe ladder jacks, Disposable-blade block planes, Digital takeoff tool		116
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE Door hinges, Solder, Stud finders		134
REVIEWS Measure twice, Cut Once, The rammed Earth House		146
GREAT MOMENTS Salad days		158

Survey of Cordless Saws, Installing Bifold Doors, Why Exterior Finishes Fail, Inexpensive Details Transform a Tired Home, Building a Hillside Foundation, The Hardest-Working Room in the House, Nailing Basics, A New Jersey Teahouse, Framing Curved Stairs on Site, Taking Advantage of a Difficult Building Site, Choosing Ductwork, Off the Grid in Tucson