Fine Seismic Retrofits •

October/November 1985 No. 29 $3.75

o This ad is printed on coated gloss book stock, an exceptionally smooth paper. But as smooth and refined as this paper truly is, it can never compete with the ultra-smooth finish of a new door from Simpson's private collection. Simpson's private collection of doors. Eight in all. Impeccably styled and remarkably constructed, no other doors are like them. Simpson

For a full color brochure write Ed Young, Simpson Door Company, 900 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98164. All leaded and beveled glasswork M·A·S·T· E·R·M·A·R· KTM is insulated and protected between two sheets of glass. HANDCRAFTED DOORS FOR AMERICA'S FINE HOMES © 1985 Simpson Door Company Cover: Jersey Devils earth-sheltered Hill House called for a lot of concrete and custom formwork to create curved walls and openings for round windows. At left, carpenter Donna Walter completes the assembly of a wall form. For the story, see pp. 28-33.

___ Fine HomebuildOctober/November 1985 No. 29 l!!K

Editor John Lively Letters on the New American Home, hanging doors, controlling radiant slabs 4 Art Director Deborah Fillion A Carpenter Bees, Molds and Mildew,Wi de-Board Flooring Associate Editor 10 Tim Snyder Q & Western Editor Charles Miller Tips and Techniques Wall Jacks, Laminate Spacer,Outboard-Roller Stand 16 Assistant Editor Mark Feirer Finishing Touches Gable Ends Copy/Production Editor 78 Ruth Dobsevage Assistant Art Director Elizabeth Eaton Reports Compound-Miter , Timber Framer's Guild, Freon-Charged DHW System 86 Editorial Secretary Lynn Meffert Reviews Books on Gilded-Age architecture, sunspaces, English cottages Consulting Ed itors 90 Tom Law, Bob Syvanen Contributing Editor Alasdair G. B. Wallace Information Resources Small Homes Council-Building Research Council 92 Calendar The TauntonPres s: Paul Roman, publisher; Janice A. Ro­ 93 man, associate publisher; John Kelsey, senior editor; Tom Luxeder, business manager; Carol Marotti, personnel man­ Great Moments Confessions of a Scrounger 98 ager; Lois Beck, office-services coordinator; Pauline Fazio, ex­ ecutive secretary; Mary Ann Colbert, secretary; Susan McCann, receptionist; Robert Lovejoy, maintenance. Accounting: Irene Arfaras, manager; Mary Ames, Catherine Sullivan, Elaine Ya­ min. Art: Roger Barnes, design director; Paola Lazzaro, staff Jersey Devil's Hill House by Steve Badanes 28 artist. Book s: Leslie Carola, publisher; Heather Brine lam­ How a design-build team buried a house on a California hilltop bert, associate art director; Scott Landis, Christine Timmons, associate editors; Nancy Stabile, copy/production editor. Ful­ ftllment: Carole E. Ando, subscription manager; Terry Thom­ Seismic Retrofits by David Benaroya Helfant as, assistant manager; Gloria Carson, Dorothy Dreher, Donna 34 Anchor bolts and shear walls beef up older homes in earthquake-prone areas Leavitt, Peggy LeBlanc, Denise Pascal, Heather Riccardi, Pa­ tricia Rice, Nancy Schoch; Ben Warner, mail-services clerk. Robert Bruschi, distribution supervisor; David Blasko, Mary The Carpenter's Toolbox by Tom Law Ann Castagliola, Linnea Ingram, Aaron Nathenson, Marchelle 39 Sperling. Man ufacturIng: Kathleen Davis, director; Gary A close look at some old and new designs Mancini, manager, production services; David DeFeo, coor­ dinator; Barbara Bahr, Deborah Cooper, Dinah George, Mary Ann Snieckus, production assistants; Claudia Blake Apple­ Deck Design by Scott Grove 42 gate, system operator. Mark etIng: Dale Brown, director; A guide to the basics of deck construction Rosemarie Dowd, trade sales coordinator; Laura Lesando, ex­ ecutive secretary. PromotI on : Jon Miller, manager; Molly Turmelle, assistant manager; Anne Feinstein, assistant art di­ The American Porch by Davida Rochlin rector. Video: Rick Mastelli, producer/director; Don Goff, Jr., 47 production assistant. A look at porches, and a glossary of types from past to present AdvertIsing andSales: James P. Chiavelli and Richard Mulli­ gan, national accounts managers; Vivian E. Dorman, associate Drainage Systems by George Skaates 51 sales representative; Carole Weckesser, senior sales coordin­ On sizing, laying out and choosing the right fittings for a residential waste system ator; Jo Voigt, sales coordinator; Claudia Inness, circulation assistant. Tel. (203) 426-8171. Common Pipe Fittings Fine Homebuilding (ISSN 0273-1398) is published bimonthly, 55 February, April, June, August, October and December, by The Taunton Press, Inc., Newtown, CT Telephone 06470. (203) Craftsman Remodel by Peter Malakoff 426-8171. Second-class postage is paid at Newtown, CT and 56 at additional mailing offices. Copyright 1985 by The Taunton A Greene and Greene inspired living room and bedroom Press, Inc. No reproduction without permission of The Taun­ ton Press, Inc. Fine Homebuilding'" is a registered trademark of The Taunton Press, Inc. SubscriptIon rates:United States Greek Revival Townhouse by Peter Strasser, Vincent Lepre and Jim Boorstein 62 and possessions, S18 for one year, S34 for two years; other Ostrich feathers, dutchmen and careful planning revitalize a historic residence countT�es, $21 for one year, S40 for two years (in U.S. dollars, please). Single copy, S3.75. Single copies outside U.S. and possessions, $4.25. Send to Subscription Dept., The Taunton Energy Detailing by Daniel Hill Press, Inc., PO Box 355, Newtown, CT 06470. Address all cor­ 68 respondence to the appropriate department (Subscription, Reliable strategies for insulation and vapor barriers in new construction Editorial or Advertising), The Taunton Press, 63 South Main St., PO Box 355, Newtown, CT 06470. U.S. newsstand distri­ bution by Eastern News Distributors, Inc., 1130 Cleveland A Tidewater House by Tim Snyder 73 Rd., Sdndusky, Ohio 44870. First-time builders take on a beautiful and challenging site on the Georgia coast

Postmaster: Send address changes to Fine Homebuilding, The Taunton Press, 63 S. Main St., PO Box 355, Newtown, CT 06470 LETTERS

Stalking the typical home buyer by an almost spiritual reverence for the land On drying Douglas timbers Re "The New American Home" (FHB #28): Is and the innumerable opportunities it offered. Although I agree with Tedd Benson (FHB #28, it possible that you could send some of the This exhibition led me to conclude that the p. 10) that free-of-heart timber is ideal, I think "typical" inhabitants profiled in this article to American spirit up until 1910 was characterized his advice on drying timber may the state of Oregon so that some of the by an optimistic anticipation of the future. cause more problems than it will solve. At contractors who are trying to stay alive building As time passed, however, and one world war Pacific Post and Beam, we use Douglas fir $60,000 homes for a market that can afford was followed by another, with the Great extensively, and find it to be a stable $35,000 homes can see just what is typical? Depression in between, the American spirit with little checking. We prefer timber from Failing that, maybe you could provide turned to the past for its inspiration. The ·future winter-cut logs that are left on the ground one information on how to locate this typical family. no longer seemed inevitably better and more year to season. In the wet Northwest climate, I was unable to do so in 14 years as a custom prosperous than the present. we have not found any checking in these logs. builder, finally giving up on the idea of ever I think we still are entrenched in an era of They have 25% to 30% moisture content but are being able to build for people who really looking back, particularly in design. I think that much lighter than green timber. I find no appreciated what went into their home. any new home design, if it is to be successful reason to suspect that a log would check worse -John Koster, McMinnville, Ore. to the masses, must include some connection than a timber in the same environment. to the past. And this connection to the past, I If, however, timbers are milled green and Dream house or nightmare? believe, must relate to the land or nature which allowed to dry, they will twist and be difficult, if I am not an architect or builder. I am a mother once so strongly inspired our ancestors. The not impossible, to use. Once timber is milled, who enjoys your magazine. One look at the use of natural wood trim, doors, floors, etc., we use it, dry or green, before it can move. We New American Home, however, gave me a provide a tangible connection to the forests don't use any timber that's been milled more nightmare. The person who devised this home that once epitomized the bounties of America. than three months prior to use. for commuting parents with school-age Worden's design is thoughtful and -TerryTu rney, Pacific Post & Beam, children either does not have any children of comfortable, but with the use of more natural Sandpoint, Idaho his own or has never cleaned a house this size wood, I think he would be closer to an before. For example, the children's bedrooms "American" home .... Controlling the radiant slab lead to their private yard. Did you ever hear of -Taylor Baxter, Baltimore, Md. I thoroughly enjoyed Michael Luttrell's article kids wiping their feet voluntarily before coming on radiant-floor heating (FHB #27 ), which in? And what about the miles of hallways, Door-hanging tips covered in a much more in-depth fashion than abundance of corners, and windows needing a I liked Tom Law's article on door hanging my own article the bones of a radiant-floor ladder to clean? If a child is sick in the night, I (FHB #26). Here are a couple of things I've installation. There is one thing, though, suppose Mom or Dad will hear his or her call? picked up along the way. First, check the that I felt uncomfortable about, and that is This house may be lovely to look at, but next opening for alignment with a straightedge laid what was said, and left unsaid, about total time maybe NAHB can find a woman architect across the opening. If it is out, you may have to system control. Luttrell's designs call for a who has children of her own to design an fudge the jamb just a fraction. By screwing the boiler or a pump to be either on or off, what attractive home that works. jamb to the rough opening I find it easier to we call "all-or-nothing regulation." There is -Debra Hurd, Syracuse, N. Y. adjust the margins. Last, I put my doorstops on nothing astonishing about this in itself, as every after installing the lockset; I simply close the heating system installed in North America these Architect Jon Wo rden replies: One of the door and nail on the stops. There is a tendency last 50 years (with the usual number of notable hazards of designing an exhibition house is that to nail the stop on too tight on the lock side, exceptions) has relied on this principle. it will be misconstrued as a universal home. so I shim between the door and the stop as I'm Europeans, on the other hand, have used Houses, like the people who inhabit them, are nailing with two thicknesses of cardboard from progressive proportional regulation, manually at individuals. Each has its own personality and a matchbook. The door will shut with a nice first, but more recently adapting high over time reflects that of its occupants. A little cadunk, with very little play in the lock. technology to automate and perfect this couple with older children may value the -Ian Ruitenberg, Halifax, Nova Scotia function. The principle of prog-prop regulation privacy of a secluded master bedroom and a is derived from the fact that any heating system private suite for the kids. To those with younger More on compressing fiberglassbatts is first sized to meet a building's heating load children (like my wife and me), it is less In rebuttal to Tom Menzel's statement that on the coldest anticipated part of the season desirable. A family in hot, humid Houston may "limited compression will actually increase the (ASHRAE 99% winter dry-bulb temperature for want to deal with the inconvenience of washing thermal efficiency of the average fiberglass any given locality). But most heating systems high windows in exchange for high-level cross batt" (FHB #28, p. 6), I am sending you a chart perform for only about 10 days at the ASHRAE ventilation. To your family in Syracuse this may (below) from a bulletin published by Owens­ design conditions, i.e., at full blast. The rest of make no sense, since you would have to heat Corning Fiberglas that contradicts his assertion. the time, we have two choices. We can change those volumes in the winter. -RoM Watts, Pittsburgh, Pa. the temperature going into the heat-distribution The New American Home was not intended to work for everyone. It was an exploration of a Changes in R-values caused by compressing batt insulation collection of ideas about houses in general, but Different types of wall constructions decrease the size of the cavity into which various Owens-Corning it is still a specific solution for a specific site insulation products must fit . The effect of this compression on the Insulation is to decrease the R-values as indicated below R-values 10 or above are rounded to the nearest whole number; R-values below 10 are and program. Besides, it is a new house. Like a rounded to the nearest tenth. new pair of shoes it looks good on the shelf, Nominal Actual" Insulation R-values but it won't be truly comfortable until it starts depth of wall when insulated to reflect the tastes of its owners. sizes (in.) cavity (in.) in a confined wall cavity 2x12 11Y4 37 Wood is good 2x10 9% 32 30 Jon Worden's article brought a few thoughts to 2x8 7Y4 27 26 mind that I'd like to share. First, what is 2x6 5Y2 21 20 18 "American?" The art exhibition A New World: 2x4 4 15 14 American Masterpieces of 1760 to 2x4 3Y2 14 13 13 1910, which traveled internationally in 1984, 2x3 2'12 9.8 8.8 presented an interesting overview of this 2x2 1 Y2 6.3 6.0 5.7 country's art, which in turn reflected the spirit 2x 1 1 Y2 3.2 3.0 of Americans for 150 years. In short, this body R-values R-38 R-30 R-22 R-19 R-13 R-11 R-8 R-5 R-3 of art almost invariably presented a refreshing Standard thicknesses (in.) 12 9Yz 6"1. 6'1. 3% 3% 2Yz 1% "I. sense of optimism for the future, accompanied " Minimum dressed thickness for dry lumber per U.S. Oept. of Commerce Publication PS 20-70.

4 Fine Homebuilding BUILD A BAR USING OUR BAR COMPONENTS

'Wa�'1linz

1065 K St. Arcata CA 95521 (707) 826·1729

• • 3: WE'VE MOVED NEW ADDRESS NEW"'tJ Zw ::I: • BOSCH/PHILIPPS FALL TOOL SALE o ORBITAL ACTION VS JIG 71f4" . #1651 Z en TOP HANDLE, #1581VS • • Powerful13 amp m en 4 • motor • position orbit W • Full·drop foot plate 500·3100 S.P.M. gives operator the CC same 'ieel" at all e • g ::e :�le iin:5ut'ated �"'" m e • OSHA Supplied with: <: oCt combination m steel blade. 3: blade wrench B'I,", w 1652 3: LIST $169.00 0 z• BARREL GRIP. < #1582VS m You deserve LIST $209.00 C We 3/8" CORDLESS . • our Royal treatment > #1920VSRK • • • Captive temple! Z From the beginning, fire has been at the center of every family o Raised index pointer Reversing • m � large sub-base circle-the center of warmth and happiness. � S Itch for • :E W 1/4" • screwdnving • Collet ::e w Variable. Two wrenches Now, Royal Heir recaptures the romance and beauty of fire in an ii1!. . • 2'speed attractive, highly efficient wood burning stove. > Delivers l> 0'300/0·650 C UJ • RPM Royal Heir's tested and approved catalytic technology delivers fifty Recharges1 In C percent more heat. The automatic thermostat allows a constant, 3: LI ST $159.00 • justUL hour JJ • listed, even burn; a full day of pleasing warmth is yours, all on one wood complies to m OSHA en load. Fans quietly circulate the heat into your home. An easy-care w • finish, self-cleaning glass door, and freedom from air pollution wor­ Supplied with' • • SPECIAL en Z Battery charger, 13141 H . P • ries will increase your enjoyment. replaceable battery, #1604 LIST $199.00 it 511000 O reWdr verb Royal Heir, a superior wood stove in the Blaze King tradition of J:� ______& S_ C _ _ _ _ i _ _ _ � ______Z Q. ALL ITEMS P.P.O. m quality. You owe it to yourself. PHILIPPS BROS. SUPPLY, INC. � :> � aitd � ::e Royal Heir, Dept. FH, 3301 E. Isaacs, & ", 3� SUfp/iM "'tJ Walla Walla, WA 99362.509/529-9820. Z[U • • • ::I: SS3HOOV M3N 03J\01l\l 3J\,3M 3N 0

October/November 1985 5 LETTERS

system consistently to correspond with real heating system differs from other systems due system. Why? It's a well-sited, well-insulated needs dictated by actual weather conditions, to the thermal inertia of the concrete. This home, and they just haven't felt the need. (prog-prop solution), or we can turn the switch thermal inertia allows us to use a common Bells, whistles and modern electronics are on and off, off and on, all year long .. water heater, the same one used for hot water, important, but are not always needed. And they -Dennis Adelman, Durango, Colo. to heat the house as well. Once the mass is add substantially to the cost of the systems, are warm, the heating system can shut down for not easily serviced by others, and may not Michael Luttrell replies: Adelman's P. A. R. several hours before a drop in temperature appreciably improve performance or efficiency. (Progressive Anticipatory Regulation), or what would be noticed. Further, the comfort band engineers call "variable ratio reset controls" for mean radiant temperature (MRD is wider Protecting foam board from lire are impressive devices. They can vary the boiler than for convective air temperature. This In "Movable Insulation for Skylights" temperature, the pump speed, the supply/return "thermal flywheel" provides much of the effect (FHB #28), the author recommends covering water-mix ratio, and the scheduling to reset the of the elaborate electronic controls.... foam-board insulation panels with Masonite. controls proportionate to, and even in For a drafty, poorly insulated, low-mass, Although local codes may vary, all major codes anticipation of, the need for interior heat. These house with inefficient delivery and high fuel require that foam board be covered with Y2-in. controls are designed to stabilize interior costs in a severe winter climate, a variable gypboard or equivalent. Besides being a fire temperature, maximize energy efficiency and reset control (or progressive antici patory hazard, foam boards emit lethal gases when increase equipment longevity. regulation) makes a lot of sense. But for a exposed to fire. Although the code regulations Like nearly everyone else, we had always modern, well-insulated, tight, efficient house pertain particularly to wall installations, an heard about high first costs, high operating with thermal mass, high mean radiant improper application involving a substantial expenses, and difficulty of service and repair of temperature, and low fuel costs, such a control portion of the wall or ceiling area is certainly radiant heating systems. We have tried to is simply not necessary. contrary to the spirit if not the letter of the minimize all three. The touchstone of our One of the many virtues of hydronic systems codes. In spite of the effectiveness of this design emphasis has been affordable, efficient, is the availability of 24-volt control valves and design, people should be aware of the hazards reliable, flexible and easily serviced systems. relays that allow the easy integration or future of large quantities of foam not adequately We have eliminated many components addition of electronic controls. We have used a protected from fire. previously considered essential, such as number of setback thermostats and equipped -Joseph T Ponessa, Specialist, Housing elaborate electronic controls, and even the systems so that the owner can turn the heat on and Energy Cooperative Extension boiler. We've tried to use off-the-shelf parts that or off from any touch-tone phone in the Service, New Brunswick, N. J. can be serviced by any knowledgeable world ....We even wired a house to collect contractor, without any specialized training outside weather conditions, to anticipate the Erratum or instrumentation. change in weather and adjust the heating The photo credit for Larry Medinger's article, We have to ask whether complicated system accordingly. After four years in the "Movable Insulation for Skylights" (FHB #28) controls are really needed. A radiant-floor house, the owners have never even used the should read Jonathan Landes.

Hard Working Fireplaces TESS Fireplaces work. The modular systems are designed to provide heat. TESS engineering has solved the "Pretty but Inefficient" fireplace dilemna. Only a TESS Fireplace can offer you: • 40% efficiency with long-term heat storage • Refractory concrete masonry components designed to simplify construction • Acceptance of any solid masonry veneer • Clean burning The new TESS 36 offers a unique capability for masonry fireplaces: • Rumford-styled firebox for maximum efficiency • Solid masonry components for fast low-cost installations • 100% refractory concrete-masonry for durability and safety

... returning the open hearth to its traditional place with warmth, cheer, and a full sense of progress.

TESS 36

Thermal Energy Storage Systems, Inc. TESSBox M, Mine Rd., Kenvil, N.]. 07847 (201) 584-5314

6 Fine Homebuilding You canb� ach �r61ade thanDML ... and thatSjust whatyoull get

Cost counts when you buy . Plastics. And soft blades -and DML is the last metals. Blades of heat-treated to deny that fact. A sharp tool steel. Dressed to indus­ buyer always looks for the best trial standards, tipped with pre­ For more information or the dis­ saw for his money. But wait mium carbide, diamond honed, tributor nearest you, write a moment before you plunk preCision balanced and ten­ DML, Inc., 1350 S. 15th Street, down your dollar. Realistically, sioned. Over 250 in all. In a Louisville, KY 40210 do you know your seller and whole slew of sizes and con­ his wares? Are his prices figurations, to fit your portable FW always the best? Is he always and stationary equipment. NAME promoting some sort of dis­ Industrial quality saw blades, count? Don't you wonder ... matched to your exact cutting why? needs. COMPANY NAME

DML, also, runs the occasional In sum, DML believes in giving ADDRESS promotion. But we feel we you the right saw blade for should give you more than your work. And for a fair price. just dollar inducements. And You see, we're a bit suspicious CITY STATE ZIP we do. of a saw that's always marked down by its manufacturer. DML offers you a saw for your Maybe you should be, too. every application: crosscut­ ting; ripping; trimming; general purpose sawing; combination CuttingDML everything but corners cutting. For your work in wood. A SUBSIDIARV OF YA VERMONT AMERICAN CORPORAnON SomeTurnei torches are destined for greatness. But most of them just work for a living. To be honest, the torches we And when you finally do run unstoppable. Even up against the make for professionals and do-it­ out of gas,just pick up another one toughest home repair jobs. yourselfers aren't nearly as stun­ of our disposable fuel cylinders. All of which makes deciding ning as some others we've made. A few twists of the wrist to attach to buy a .Turner Torch .easy. � But, oh, how they work. the precision-machined burner tip, Which one to buy IS the £�.� Just wait until you get your and you're loaded up and ready to burning question. "19B5Tt-eCoooo

Th e editors invite questions on all aspects of ready inside, so before plugging the hole, kill how to prevent it, write for "Technical Notes 7," building, renovation and restoration. We also the bees by running a stiff wire all the way to the available for 75¢ from the BIA (Suite 300, 11490 publish reader comment on the answers. Send end of each tunnel. Commerce Park Dr., Reston, Va. 22091). questions and comments to Q&A,Fine Home­ Several chemicals can be used, but regula­ building, Box 355, Newtown, Co nn. 06470. tions differ in each state, so it's good to check In my area, most supply houses seem to with your County Extension Agent for up-to-date carry only foil-backed fiberglass insula­ I ani having a problem with carpenter information. In Wisconsin sprays or dusts of car­ tion. Should I use a polyethylene vapor bees. For years they have been boring baryl (Sevin), propoxur (Baygon) and Resmeth­ barrier over the foil? The home I'll be in­ into the fascia on the eaves of the house. rin can be used. Place the treatment inside the sulating is a summer vacation cabin that I They bore in on the edge of the lxl0 cy­ nest and on the wood surface around the en­ don't heat in the winter. press. To remedy things, I drill out the trance (take precautions to avoid being stung). -John Hoard, Kalamazoo, Mich. hole with a 3/g-in. bit and fill it with a dow­ Wait 12 to 24 hours before plugging the hole to Pennsylvania energy specialist Dan Desmond el. But the bees return, and now their be sure all bees are affected. Spraying without replies: I think using a poly moisture barrier over horizontal tunnels are breaking through sealing the entrance is a temporary measure and foil-faced insulation is unnecessary if you install the surface of the fascia. may have to be repeated yearly. the insulation with a tight friction fit, and if Someone mentioned that replacing the There,used to be insecticides that could kill you've been careful in stapling the tabs over the fascia with redwood might stop the prob­ insects for two to three years if added to studs. In older homes, however, the stud spac­ lem, but that's too costly. Are there addi­ or stains, but these products are no longer sold. ing may be irregular, and you may have to staple tives to stains that stop bees? I've heard The new insecticides have too short a residual the tabs to the inside faces of the studs. This of some additives that kill insects but I'm life for effective long-term control. situation could require another vapor barrier. not sure they kill bees. Any suggestions? In the case of your cabin, I would use a very -L. Poindexter, Hilton Head Island, S. C. I live in an orange-brick, one-room school­ light moisture barrier such as kraft backing on Phil Pellitteri, a specialist in entomo logy at the house built in 1889. About seven years your insulation, or none at all since the possibil­ Un iversity of Wisconsin Extension program at ago, the previous owner had the brick ity of moisture damage is greatly reduced by Madison, rep lies: There are at least twelve spe­ sandblasted, grouted and sealed. How do two things. The first is the fact that you won't be cies of carpenter bees in the United States, but I know when the brick needs to be re­ in the cabin generating mo isture (showers, by far the most common is Xylocopa virginica sealed? If it is something I can do myself, cooking, respiration) during the winter. Second, virginica, which ranges from Maine to Florida tell me all about it. because you aren't heating, the dew-point tem­ and westward to Nebraska and Texas. Adult car­ -Roger Lake, Lafayette, Ind. perature differential required to induce vapor penter bees are % in. to 1 in. long, and they Gerald Carrier, an intern architect at the Brick diffusion is very low. Still, you will get some in­ look much like bumblebees. Institute of America in Reston, Va ., rep lies: The terior condensation in the fall and spring. For The adults hibernate in abandoned nest tun­ first question you have to ask yourself is: "Does this reason, I wouldn't concentrate on getting nels, and in areas that have low winter tempera­ the wall really have to be sealed?" Contrary to the shell too tight, and I would use galvanized tures they may be killed off. If they survive (they what many people think, brick walls, when built nails and rustproof hardware throughout. often don't here in Wisconsin), they emerge in correctly, do not require any type of sealant, the spring to mate and begin nest construction. and in some cases, the application of a sealant We have been using northern white Fertilized females often clean out and reuse may cause accelerated deterioration of the brick. for timber frames, and some of the fin­ an old nest without further burrowing, or may If moisture isn't coming through the wall, then ished timbers grow a blue mold. Once bore an entire new gallery into various wooden there's no real need to apply a sealant. started, it spreads to ad joining timbers. structures. Carpenter bees prefer Tests at the National Bureau of Standards We sand and oil the wood with Watco. such as redwood, cypress, cedar and pine for have shown that colorless waterproofers are in­ What is the best way to prevent this nesting sites. are used by the bees effective on badly leaking walls. Where leakage bluing? Is there a fungicide that could be only if the wood has been softened by exposure is through fine cracks, some color less water­ added safely to the finish? For timbers al­ or decay. The entrance/exit hole is round, and proofers are effective for only about two years. ready infected, what is an effective treat­ Y:! in. in diameter. Once inside the wood, the Under normal exposure, it is virtually impos­ ment? -Philip Payson, Freeport, Maine female turns and burrows with the wood grain sible for significant amounts of water to pass di­ William Fe ist, Project Leader of the Wo od Sur­ to a depth of 4 in. to 8 in. She then goes out and rectly through the bricks themselves. If moisture face Chemistry and Property En hancement de­ collects pollen, and mixes this with regurgitated passes through a brick wall, it inevitably does so partment at the Fo rest Products Laboratory in nectar to make "bee bread." After placing this between cracks. Check for these cracks, or bond Madison, Wis ., rep lies: The blue mold on your bread at the bottom of the tunnel, she lays one breaks. In some cases, especially after sand­ northern white pine could be ordinary mildew, egg and seals the gallery with a disc of chewed blasting, there may even be pits in the brick and which is a common cause of wood discolor­ wood pulp. This procedure is repeated until a mortar. Most sealants won't bridge these gaps. ation. The most common species of fungi are linear series of six cells is made. Eggs hatch in a Before you apply any sealant to a wall, con­ black to blue. They grow mostly in warm, humid few days, the larvae feed on the pollen mass, sider other ways to reduce moisture penetration climates, but are also found in northern states. grow, pupate and emerge as new adults within that are less likely to deteriorate the wall. If the Mildew can be removed by using liquid 35 to 70 days. For most of the United States mortar joints have softened, disintegrated or household bleach. The chemical in household there is only one generation per year, but in very cracked open, tuck-pointing is usually neces­ bleach (sodium hypochlorite) will kill the mil­ warm southern states two or more generations sary. Cut away defective mortar to a depth of at dew but will not prevent its re-occurrence. Such can take place in one year. least 1 Y:! times the joint thickness and then re­ mildewcides are often present in water-repellent Damage to structures is usually slight and place it with mortar (one part Type 1 portland preservatives. Some new materials with manu­ amounts to cosmetic defacement. It takes sever­ cement, two parts Type S hydrated lime, and facturer's claims of low toxicity will contain one al years of neglect for serious structural failure eight to nine parts washed building sand and or more of the following chemicals: 3-iodo-2- to occur. Unfinished wood and weathered wood potable water). Point all joints in the affected propynyl butyl carbamate; copper-8-quinolino­ -shingles, eaves, window and door sills, fences areas, since it is usually impossible to determine late; 2-(thiocyanomethylthio) benzothiazole, plus and porch ceilings-are the preferred areas of which joints are defective by visual inspection. methylene-bis thiocyanate. attack. Damage can also be caused by wood­ In some cases, if the cracks in the mortar are The culprit could also be blue stain, which is peckers that feed on the larvae. small, it's possible that a grout coating could caused by fungi that commonly infect sapwood. If you don't want to use chemicals, you can seal the joints. Brush the grout vigorously into Blue stain does not weaken wood structurally, remove the infested wood and replace it with the moistened joints with a stiff fiber brush, but the conditions that favor its development are pressure-treated wood. Maintaining a good coat making sure that the whole joint is covered. Use also ideal for wood decay and paint failure. of paint on all exposed wood will help. Plugging a template to keep the bricks clean while apply­ While wood may contain blue stain, there newly excavated nests with dowels will discour­ ing the grout if you want a neat appearance. may be no detrimental effect so long as the age further activity but will not kill the bees al- For information on moisture penetration and moisture content is kept below 20%. Wood in

10 Fine Homebuilding Easy to build solar Iftoulike post & beam house tobulldth packages. For our portfolio send $3 to: IRicanshow howtoma Solar Northern, _.a_, Box 64, Dept. F building Mansfield, Pa. Learn professional 16933 contracting techniques at home in your spare time 717-549-6232 with NRI's new Building Construction Course. Within the next 10 years, this country will need 18 million new homes ... and the contractors to build them. Right now, there's heavy demand for remodeling and scale-model renovation experts. And NRI can construction to building actual get you ready... teach you every­ framing sections. Lessons and proj- thing you need to know, get you ects are coordinated with a con­ ready for management and super­ temporary energy-efficient home visory jobs, even your own business. POSTSOLAR & BEAM, NORTHERNINC. designed especially for NRI. You Portfolio 01 Post & Beam Learn to Read Plans, keep these plans to build your own House Packages Estimate Costs home or select from more than 50 We start you right at the begin­ low-cost optional plans. ning, with key lessons on site selec­ Includes Regional Seminar tion and planning. Then, you learn As an exclusive service, grad­ to layout a home, read blueprints, uates may participate in optional and estimate costs accurately.Work­ owner/builder seminar. You'll get l1ldividually -Desig1led ing with a complete set of plans expert advice on local building Masterfully -Crafted for an NRI energy-efficient home, codes and conditions, meet you get experience in every stage builders, learn more about energy of construction. efficiency, receive tips on financing. Learn Professional Secrets There'll be demonstrations, insider You're trained to work with all info on remodeling, hands-on the trades. You learn the basics of programs to take part in. , masonry work, electricity, Send for Free plumbing and heating, and more. Full-Color Catalog And because you know what it takes Get all the facts on this big new to do the job, you know what to look opportunity. Send the coupon for for when supervising and inspecting. your free copy of NRI's Building Training Built Around Construction Catalog. Now is the Energy-Efficient Home time to build a future for yourself! You learn better because NRI If coupon has been removed, write training is practical training. You to NRI Schools, 3939 Wisconsin Ave­ get over 100 action projects from nue, Washington, D.C. 20016. - ---- ; ------r �- - lI'l' Please check one tree catalog only..., I I SCHOOLS o Building Construction I IIIMcGraw-HiliRICon tinuing o Air Conditioning, I EducationCen ter .j 'j Refrigeration, Heating and I 3939 Wisconsin Avenue t-yOn�iii Solar Technology Courses I Washington, DC 20016 I • • o Small Engine Repair Course I I WE'LL GIVE YOU TOMORROW. o Appliance Servicing Course o Locksmithing Course I I Name (Please print) Age o Automotive Mechanics Course I For more information a copy of o Telephone Servicing Course our brochure, pleast call or write. I I Address o Industrial Electronics PIEDMONT HOME PHODUC1'S, INC. I o TV/AudioNideo Servicing, 111 Communications, Electronics, I EaSl Church 51. Microcomputers, Electronic Orange, VA. 22960 I City/State/Zip Design Technology, I OUHide VA. 1-800-622-3399 Electronics Courses VA. Res. 703-672-3888 Accredited by the National Home Study Council 1333-\05 ------October/November 1985 11 Q &A properly designed and well-maintained houses it was turned vertically the water drained imme­ usually has a moisture content of 8% to 13%. diately. A similar product, Baseclad (Fiberglas However, if the wood is exposed to heavy mois­ Canada Inc., 3080 Yonge St., Toronto, Ont. M4N ture, the blue-stain fungi will develop. 3N I), has been used as foundation insulation in To prevent blue stain from discoloring wood, Canada in recent years (it's not available in the follow good construction and finishing prac­ U. S.), and field experience there indicates that tices. Keep the wood dry by providing adequate it keeps basements dry, insulates them, and it is roof overhangs and by properly maintaining the never wetted more deeply than l4 in. when in shingles, gutters and downspouts. Window and contact with soil. door casings should slope out from the house to drain water away rapidly. Untreated wood should I will be installing 600 sq. ft.of native be treated with a water-repellent preservative, burl planking soon which I've had then with a non-porous mildew-resistant primer air-drying for over two years. It is quar­ and finally with at least one top coat also con­ tersawn in random widths from 6 in. to taining a mildewcide. Ordinary household bleach 12 in. I will thickness- the boards to may sometimes remove blue-stain discoloration, % in., and lay them butt-joined. My sub­ but it is not a permanent cure. Be sure to use floor is %-in. T &G , glued and fresh bleach, since its effectiveness can diminish nailed to floor trusses 191/4 in. o. c. with age. The moisture problem must be cor­ My problem is how to fasten the planks. rected if a permanent cure is expected. I don't want to screw and plug the floor­ Though blue stain itself is benign, the "blue ing because I'm afraid the plugs will de­ mold" on your pine could also indicate rot or tract from the planks. I'm leery of using decay. The most effective way to control decay glue if any of my air-dried boards crack is to keep water out and the wood dry. If this is or warp badly, and require removal and impossible, the wood exposed above ground replacement. This leaves me with face­ must be treated regularly with a fungicide. Wood nailing and the question of what kind of in contact with the ground must be pressure nail to use. Am I proceeding correctly, or treated with preservatives. A water repellent with should I tongue-and- the boards? the fungicide would also be beneficial. -Ron W. Smyth, Good Thunder, Minn. -floor specialist Don Bollinger re­ I'm building a passive-solar home using plies: I advise strongly against the use of such surface-bonded concrete block, which will wide boards. Planking wider than 6 in. to 8 in. be set into a hillside. What inexpensive (especially if it is only % in. thick) is extremely waterproofing system will be compatible difficult to control even after careful drying and with the surface bonding and also with sealing. I would recommend cutting wider planks the extruded-polystyrene insulation? down to pleasing "random" combinations such -Don Lauer, Woodbridge, Va. as 3 in., 5 in. and 7 in. or 4 in., 6 in. and 8 in. Paul Hanke, author of "Surface-Bonded Block" If you don't tongue-and-groove your boards (FHB #12, pp. 34-3 7), replies: I would consider and blind-nail them, you'll need either to screw using either Volclay panels (American Colloid and plug, face-nail or glue them down. If you do Co., 5100 Suffield Court, Skokie, Ill. 60077), not end-match, I recommend keeping all butt which is a bentonite material, or a narrow-width joints on the joist layout so that you can nail or rubberized sheet material laid in mastic such as screw into them. I also fear your subflooring is a Bituthene CW. R. Grace, 62 Whittemore Ave., ·bit too light for the span across your joists. The Cambridge, Mass. 02140) or Vaporseal (Noble bare minimum I recommend for wide planking Co., 614 Monroe St., Grand Haven, Mich. is �-in. plywood with tongue-and-groove edges 49417). I recommend narrow rolls (3 ft. wide or over joists set 16 in. o. c. less) for do-it-yourself application, since they Nail selection is more a matter of personal are relatively easy to handle. The panels or choice; however, I do recommend some addi­ sheet material should be applied according to tional holding strength such as that provided by the manufacturer's instructions and details. ring-shank or galvanized or cut-shank or even If you plan to contract the job, the choice of twist-shank flooring nails if you decide not to rubberized sheet material is wider, including roll use screws. Modern cut nails manufactured spe­ manufacturers such as Carlisle Tire & Rubber cifically for use in power nailers have very nar­ (Box 99, Carlisle, Pa. 17013), Noble Co., and row rectangular heads and do not show them­ Gates Engineering (100 South West St., Wil­ selves readily when set, filled and finished over. mington, Del. 19801). Before choosing any of If you are a real perfectionist and have lots of the above products, you should read Under­ time, you may want to consider hiding your face ground Wa terproofing by Brent Anderson ($9.50 nailing by lifting a narrow strip of wood using an from WEBCO Publishers, 110 S. Greeley, Still­ in-cannel carving gouge, driving the nail under water, Minn. 55082), which is the best general this raised piece and then gluing and sanding reference on the subject. the raised chip back in place. Finally, a very interesting product that you Although quartered oak will not move as much might use is not a waterproofing material at all, as typical flatsawn or plainsawn oak, you can but a form of insulation. Owens-Corning (Fiber­ still expect to get a lot of lateral movement glass Tower, Toledo, Ohio 43659) is now mar­ across your floor during the course of the year. keting Warm-N-Dri, a rigid fiberglass insulation The wider the planking, the less space you have board with oriented strands that allows water to for absorbing this between planks. You might drain rapidly downward when installed vertical­ also watch for loose or nearly loose pieces of ly. I recently saw a demonstration where a total­ butterflies or tiger rays detaching themselves ly saturated piece of this stuff was removed from from the surrounding grain. These rays are par­ a bucket of water and held horizontally. Not a ticularly praised in quartered oak but can be­ drop of the water dripped out. However, when come a wood-flooring finisher's nightmare.

12 Fine Homebuilding Look to silent, pollution-free solar electricity for any or all of your electrical power.

Whatever your power needs, an economic solar electric system can meet them­ today and for many years to come. And @ an ARCO Solar ele'ctric @U ® system can easily grow with your Listed . L power requirements. Even if the sun doesn't shine everyday-a properly designed system can see you through.

Whether you need power for an entire home, a water pumping system, for RV or trailer appliances or just to run a green­ house fan-ARCO Solar, Inc. (Subsidiary of Atlantic Richfield Company) has a full line of quality solar electric power modules to meet your needs. (Federal and state tax credits may apply: consult your tax advisor.) <> A reverence fo r traditional designsand materials. AReoElectricity fromSolar Sunli® ght An appreciation fo r today's styk of living. Write today, an ARCO Solar Distributor will Beautifully combined in fkxibk post & beam homes. call and provide you with full information. ARCO Solar, Inc. Dept: FHB Our colorful 50 pageDesign Partfolio will introduce you to the qUlllity, energy P.O. Box 9601, Mission Hills, CA 91346 effi and ease of creating your newhmne through The Tim g Concept. ciency berpe NAME: ______Please mail$10 to the nearest office , or telephone for VISA® orMasterCard ™ orders. ______ADDRESS: Dealer ______CITV : ______IJ::::� TIM STATE: ___ ZIP: Dept. FBD, Box 8988 Dept. FBD, Box 1500B Dept.ERPE FBD, BoxG 1007 PHONE: Ft. Collins, CO 80525 Claremont, NH 03743 Elkin, NC 28621 1D1984, T·Peg. Inc. (303)221-3355 (603) 542-7762 (919) 366-2501 APPLICATION: o Home/Cabin o Other (Specify) ______

October/November 1985 13 If a prepaid price for an identil:al product in our ad is lower, we match the price and give you a gift certif· TRENwith anyD-LI order:NES BEATS ANY AD THIS I New! Freud Tool Sets icate worth $5.00 when purchasing from our catalog. year (3 -4 Issues)catalog subscrlptlon4 -1 Pc. Sets 19. few restrictions apply. -Subscription to Trends 6 Pc. Chisel Sets 31 . Item must appear -Membership In TLC with special offers 10 Pc. Chisel Sets 52. -For special prices ask for code FHON5 8 Pc. Lathe Set 53. in our ad. 59 5 Free Minimum Order $15.00 We honor a sp 6 Pc. Carving ll Freud ecials 12 Pc. Set Carving Set 111.5 MAKITA TOOLS � Case! Frel"ght prepal"d I"n all U.S.A. on or- 1100 33/4" Planer Kit $163.95 RYOBI TOOLS 95 BLACK AND DECKER 1805B 6 1/8" Planer Kit 264.95 B7075 3X21 Be lt Sander $115. INDUSTRIAL TOOLS wlcs 93.95 16495 derote sUnde ofr $35.00$35.00 add $2.50 or per more. order. Extra charge to AI. 1900BW 3 1/4" Planer B7200A 4X24 Belt Sander . 1165 N : 1475.00 machines. Typographical er. 2030N 12 1/2" Plnr/Jntr BD1 020R 3/8" Cordless Screw 3/8" Angle Drill $119.50 as ka and Hawaii on stationary . error is correct on 2040 15 5/8" Planer 1185.00 driver 94 95 1179 3/8" Var. Sp. Drill 74.95 " rors are rare but do occur. Any subject to i 2400BW 10" 1180 3/8" VSR Holgun E3800A Drywall Screwdriver 78 95 " 10 5.00 by Trend - Lines. This ad expires November 30, 1985. Watch VSR Scrudrill· 119 .50 for our next ad. wlbld 248.95 JSE -60 Electronic 12295 1575 3/8" 2401BW 10" Miter Saw wlblade - 0U 3051 71/4" Wormdriver L 12 3 5/8" Planer 88 95 FREE CATALOG WITH ORDER OR BY WRITING TO w/electric brake 21 5.00 L 1323A 1/4" Planer 13 995 Saw 148.95 2708 218.95 199.95 POST OFFICE BOX. LS-35 Finishing Sander 59'95 3091 10 " Miter Saw 3601B Router 118.95 5 " L-580 61/8" Planer 249'95 3103 2 sp Cut Sawkit 1 0 9 9 " 3608BK Router wlcs 84 95 ' SPECIAL SALE TO READERS OF THIS AD. You Must Men. . R-150 1 HP Plunge Router 85.95 3105 Var Sp. Cut Sawkit 1 1 9 9 5 . 3612BR 3 HP Router 176.95 3107 Var Sp. Orbital Cut 129:25 tion This Ad When rdenng. 0 R-330 2 HP Router 3265 137.95 3700B Laminate Trimmer 82.95 R-5 00 3 HP Plunge Router 159.95 Laminate Trimmer 145.65 800 -343 -3248 US 4200N 43/8" Circula r Saw 9 2 9 5 3310 1 112 �P Router 1 4 5 00 S500A 3x5 1/2 Finishing 800 _ 322 _ 6100 4300DW Cordless Jig awS . Sander 124 40.5.095 3370-1 1 4 aner 0 3 / pl 1 2 9'.9 5 Mass 4301BV Vr Sp. Orbital Jig - TR-30 Laminate Trimmer 99.95 401 0 Palm Sander 44.95 " 61 7 - 884 -8882 Non r er 0 dell Saw 126.95 a s TS-251UB 10" Miter Saw wi 4247 4 1/2" Disc Sanderl 5007NB 8 1/4" Circular Saw 97.95 Freud LU85Ml0 Blade 229.95 Grinder 69.95 " _ 5008NB 8 1/4" Circular Saw 108.95 UKEE TOOLS 6750 MILWA • Heat Gun 69.75 TREND LINES, INC. 5012B 12" Chain Saw 119.95 3/8" VSR Drill $ 93.95 $5.00 Mail In Reb ate 0228 -1 . 375E Beacham St. 5081DW 3 / Drill 113.95 .. $ 0.00 Mail In Rebate � �2���' �� ���:§� 0234-1 1/2" VSR . 1 P.O. Box 5201NA 10 r S 6447E VISA ' . . 0375-1 3/8" Rev. Angle Drill 117.95 Chelsea, M A .. 5402A 16" Circular Saw 314.50 " VSR D Handle 144.95 1107-1 1/2 02 150 6000R Uni-Drill 104.95 5660 1 1/2 HP Router 184.50 HITACHI TOOLS Or Personal Check 6010DL Cordless Drill wlcharger 5680 2 HP Router 219.7 5 B600-A 14 1/2" Band Saw $1445.00 Z 1 ••• 1 99 95 light & case . 5935 4"x24" Sander 214.90 CJ65VA Electronic Jigsaw 149.95 Open Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., 9 - Sat. 6010DWK Cordless Drill wlcharger 60 14 1/2 Sheet Sander 124.95 CR10V Reciprocating Saw 118.50 5 & case 88.95 6255 Vr. Sp. Jigsaw 139.95 C6DA 6 1/4" Circular Saw 128.75 6010SDW 3/8" Rev. Cordless 6287 H.D. Jigsaw 224.50 C7SA 7 1/2" Circular Saw 68.95 Drill 44.95 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE 6305 6 1/4" Cordless Saw 134.95 Cl0FA 10" Miter Saw wi 2-Sp 108.95 Examine anr Item In rour home or shop. If It's 6012HDW Cord. Drill Kit 6367 7 1/4" Circ. Saw 129.95 ext. 268.75 6510LVR 3/8" Drill-Rev. 68.95 6507 Sawzall wlcase 139.95 Cl0FB 10" Miter Saw 194.50 not what rou expected, return In original 6710DW Cord. Screwdriver 109.50 6539- 1 Cordless Screwdrfver 61.95 C12Y 12" Table Saw 1245.00 It condition for a full refund. 6800DBV Drywall Screwdriver 88.95 654 3-1 1 /4" Screwdriver 155.50 Dl0VC 3/8" Rev. Drill . 55.00 9030 1 1/8"x21" Belt 6749-1 Magnum Screwdriver 139.95 DRC-1O Cordless screwdriver 89.95 Sander 12 8.95 6750-1 H.D. Drywall Screw Fl000A PlanerlJointer 12 75.00 POWER DRIVE 9035 Finishing Sander 47.95 driver 99.95 F20A 3 1/4" Planer 97.95 9035N Dual Action Sndr 59.95 67 53- 1 Drywall Screwdriver 83.95 P50 6 5/8" Planer 299.95 WIFOUR BITS 9035DW Cordless Sander 99.95 (ROCKWELL) DELTA PlOOF 12" Planer 965.00 on 9045B Finishing Sander 99.95 SB-ll0 4x24 Belt Sander $19.95 TV POWER TOOLS 9045N Dustless Sander 107.95 wldust bag 17 8.75 11-072 32" Radial Drill $399. 95 A 1/2 Sheet Sander With Anr 9207SPB 7" Sander Polisher 139.95 SO-110 119.95 FREE! 22-651 13" Planer 1294.50 9401 4"x24" Belt Sander 162.95 SB-75 3x21 Belt Sander- Order For $50.00 or 28-243 14" Band Saw 535.00 � 9501BKT 4" Sander Grinder 3/4 HP 674 95 ' Belt Sander2 Sp wldust bag 128.75 More! -v Kit 79.95 28-283 SB8T 3x24 . 9900B 3"x21 " Belt Sander 12 2.95 31 -730C Belt and DISC 2 Sp-wdust bag 165.00 Sander 1350.00 9924DB 3"x24" Belt Sander 130.75 . 88.95 33 -150 Sawbuck wi carbide b lade T 1TR HP-6 Plunge Laminate Router 12 Trimmer6.95 B04510 Finishing Sander 46.95 R-8 B04530 6" Round Finish 529.00 TR-12 3 HP Plunge Router 167.50 WOOD DOWEL, BUTTON AND Sander 48.95 33-990 10" Radial Arm W6V Screwdriver 99.95 Saw 474.50 _ T DA3000 3/8" Angle Drill 10 4.75 SUNGOLD X WEIGH PLUG KIT. Six bins filled with 34-010S Miter Saw DA3000DW Cordless Angle Drill 99.75 SANDING BELTS Sold in packs 600 3/8" and 1/2" dowels, plugs 219.95 DA3000R 3/8 VSRAngie Drill 103.95 wlcarbide blade of 10 only Outlasts regular belts 2 and buttons plus a free dowel 34-410 10" Contractors DK100l Drill (6010D), Charger to 1 center set. Vacuum Cleaner 124.50 Saw 799.95 & DWKIT $19.95 DP3720 3/8" Reversible Drill 59.95 34 -71 0 10" Super Saw 449.95 Size Grit 10 Belts 50 Belts DP4700 Drill Reversible 94.95 37 -220C 6" 12 50.00 3" x21" 120 100 $.98 ea $.84ea GV5000 Disc Sander 56 95 37-255 6" Jointer 495.00 80 1.00 ea .86 ea . s m t �'f'- ."",;;"",�.,_,� . HP1030 Hammer Drill 109.95 37 -315C 8" Long- Bed . > single Sp. 97.50 1550.00 . ,,- ",,<,#,",:,,:""'-"-f<' Jig Saw nic Scroll ; JG1600 40-601 �6¥� ig Of�� 1� � �� §� �� Six � ��:�� 40 1.10 ea .96 ea SQ. RECESS SCREW KIT. JR3000V Recipro Saw 124.95 f �. . 3"x24"120 10 0 1.20 ea .93 ea bin unit with 600 #8 woodscrews JV2000 Orbtl Var. Jig Saw 104.50 Saw 948.50 80 1.22 ea .97 ea 1" 3", LS1400 14" Miter Saw 397.50 43-122 494.50 Asso rtment 01 from to plus screwdriver 60 1.26 ea 1.12 ea PONY FIXTURES 46 -140 II" Lathe 425.00 10 $13 95 and power drill bit. Each Pkg 6 All Prices Include Genuine Delta Motors SCDKS $19.95 No. 50 3/4" e,a FREUD SAW BLADES 10"=5 /8" �� Ul �� U� �� 1.306 .55 4"x24"120 100 1.68 ea 1.46 ea No. 52 1/2" Pipe Clamp 605 5.60 ea IBore Carbide Tipped 12"=1" Bore. 1.73 ea 1.51 ea No. 1215 (W EB) 15" 6.80 6.35 ea ' Size Teeth Use Price Assortmentof 80 No. 60 1.78 ea 1. 64 ea No. 7456 Clamp Pads 2.95 2.50 ea 0 l 10 $18.95 LD72Ml0 10" 4 Genera 534.50 50 1.85 ea 1. 70 ea JORGENSEN BAR CLAMPS 60 Cut-off 38 00 LU73Ml0 10" . 40 1.89 ea 1.76 ea (Heavy Duty) BLADE Each � LU73M12 12" 72 Cut-off 76.90 PORTER CABLE No. 7224 24" Ea. LU78Ml0 10" 80 Plastic iT30 15.70 83.50 100 7/8 HP Router $87.45 SHARPENER No. 7230 30" 18.10 16.45 Ea. LU82Ml0 10" 60 Cut-off 44 .95 167 ' 85.95 No. 7236 36" 18.70 16.95 Ea. LU82M12 12" 72 Cut-off 85.95 309 Laminate Trimmer 79.95 $119.95 No. 7248 48" 20.75 18.70 Ea. LU8 4Mll 10" 50 Comb. 38.50 314 41/2" T rim Saw 114.95 No. 7260 60" 22.65 20.55 Ea. LU85Ml0 10" 80 Cut-Off 63 50 . 330 Palm Finish Sander 55.50 Blade Holder No. 7272 72" 24.55 22.25 Ea. LM72M l0 10" 24 Ripping 36 95 337 3x21 Belt Sander JORGENSEN CLAMPS $29.95 (Med DS306 6" 9475 wlbag 114.90 Duty) DS308 8" Dado 107.70 360 3x24 Belt Sander RYOBI 10" MITER No. 3712 12" 5.90 5.35 Ea. SUN GOLD SANDING SHEETS wlbag 178.95 SAW WIFREE FREUD No. 3724 24" 7.30 6.60 Ea. 9X ll Aluminum Oxide C Weight 362 4x24 Belt Sander No. 3730 30" 8.20 7.40 Ea. Grit LU85M 10N CUT ­ Pk of 10 0 wlbag 178.95 No. 3736 36" 8.85 7.95 Ea. 120, 100 15ll, \ 505 Finishing Sander 103.95 OFF BLADE! Includes JORGENSEN HAND SCREWS 80 eY� 6 yOU 23.70 518 3 HP Electronic vise assembly, extensions No. 3/0 3" $8.45 7.60 Ea. 60 a\e \\ fyeU 28.90 Router 324.80 No. 0 4 1/2" 9.90 8.90 Ea. 50 '"A 0" 5 32.05 and dust bag. "\5 690 1 1/2 HP Router 128.95 No. 1 6" 11.30 10.15 Ea. 40 b\ 38.30 $229.95 No. 2 81/2" 13.45 12 .15 Ea. 9x1 1 Non - Loading Silicon 695 1 1/2 HP Routerl ppd . aper Shaper 189.95 SEN BAR CLAMPS blde 696 e ���:�� � A WEIGHT Pack 'o f 10 0 ���!��� h �{ FREUD 71/4" 104.95 No. 4512 12" Open 17 .45 15.70 Ea. 360, 320, 280, 240, 80, 400, 22O,T 3151 7 1/4" Circ. Saw 103.95 BLADE SET. pc. set No. 4524 24" Open 20.85 18.85 Ea. 150, 120 $19.60 3 7548 Orb. Jig Saw 133.95 with teflon coating. 12 tooth No. 4530 30" Open 21 .90 19.65 Ea. No. 4536 36" Open 22.90 20.60 Ea. 7648 Orb Jig Saw 133.95 rip, 24 tooth general pur· JORGENSEN & PONY CLAMPS Watco Danish 011 9627 2 Sp Tiger Saw Kit 119.95 pose, 40 tooth fine cutting. No. 3325 3 Way Edging 5.75 5.10 Ea Natural, Medium, Dark, black TITEBOND $59.95 No. 1623 3" Hold Down 7.50 6.30 Ea or Colors ppd $5.75 at. $12.95 Gal No. 3202HT 2" Spring 2.15 1.90 Ea $5.70 at $17.65 Gal

14 Fine Homebuilding The Rl26 Structural RoofSyst em. One-step TUPS ™ is the faster, more economicaIway to build. A composite stress-skin sandwich panel which is a combination of structural440 Homasote boards and a core of rigid polyiso­ cyanurate fo am. TUPSTM 4' x 12' panels cover 48 fe et and span 72" o.c. providing ceiling, insulation and nailbase ...all in Onc·step!

For details, call(609) 883-3300 or write: /' Energy-saving building materials since1909. P.O. Box 7240homasote ,-"ompan, WestTrenton, NJ 08628-()240

� I National Construction Estimator "PracticalPaint "ContractHow-Toor's Manual" Construc0 tion Information·---� o Current building costs in doll ars and cents for residential, commercial and in· Explains how to set up and run your own paint contrac· dustrial construction. Prices for every commonly used building material, and the ting business. Shows the best ways of handling volume proper labor cost associated with installation of the material. Everything figiJred work, getting top production from your crews, and the out to give you the "in place" cost in seconds. Many time·saving rules of thumb, most value from your advertising dollars. Details how to waste and coverage factors and estimating tables are included. 480 pages, 8';'x estimate all prep and painting (including man hour figures 11, $16.00. Revised annually. for estimating residential, commer cial, and industrial jobs). Suggests pricing strategies when bidding custom residential, tract, and apartment painting. Includes Rough Carpentry sample estimating forms and checklists so your o All rough carpentry is covered in detail: sills, girders, columns, joists, estimates cover all costs on every job. 224 pages, 8';'x sheathing, ceiling, roof and wall framing, roof trusses, dormers, bay windows, 11, $1 9.25 furring and grounds, stairs and insulation. Many of the 24 chapters explain practical code·approved methods for saving lumber and time without sacrific· ing quality. 288 pages, 8';' x 11, $14.50 o Roof Framing Shows how to cut and frame any common type of roof: o Stair Builders Handbook gable, hip, Dutch, Tudor, gambrel, shed or gazebo · in· If you know the floor to floor rise, this handbook will give you everything else: the cluding irreg ular roofs that can stump even experienced number and dimension of treads and risers, the total run, the correct wel l hole roof cutters. Explains how to use a simple pocket opening, the angle of incline, the quantity of materials and settings for your fram· calculator to figure any common, hip, valley, or jack rafter ing square for over 3,500 code approved rise and run combinations-several for in seconds. Describes how to plan even a complicated every 1/8 in ch interval from a 3 foot to a 12 foot floor to floor rise. 416 pages, 8';'x roof to eliminate problems during construction. Anyone 5';', $1 2.75 who knows the methods described in this practical manual should have no trouble making a good living as a master roof cutter. An invaluable reference for every Mail this ad to: Charge Card carpenter and roof framer. 480 pages, 5';' x 8V" $19.50 Craftsman Book Company 4C' Phone Orders P. O. Box 6500 Call (6 19)438-7828 Carlsbad, CA 92008 Estimating Home Building Costs o Please send me the books checked for 10 day free examination. At the end of that time will pay in full plus postage (6% tax in Cali!.) or return the books oEsti mate every phase of res idential construction from I & postpaid and owe nothing. site costs to the profit margin you should include in your o Enclosed is my full payment or Visa/Mastercard Number. Please rush me the bid. Shows how to keep track of manhours and make ac· books without charging for postage. curate labor cost estimates for footings, foundations, framing and sheathing finishes, electrical, plumbing and o Visa 0 Master Card more. Explains the work being estimated and provides Name (Please print ctearly) sample cost estimate worksheets with complete instruc· Exp. date ______tions for each job phase. 320 pages, 5V, x 8V" $14.00

October/November 1985 15 TIPS & TECHNIQUES

Tip s and Te chniques is a fo rum fo r readers to of some high-priced goo. Left-over tubes might exchange the methods, tools and jigs they 've just as well be tossed into the trash on the spot devised. We 'll pay fo r any we publish. Send de­ because the material in the tip becomes hard tails and sketches to Tips, Fine Homebuilding, and unusable, rendering the rest of the contents Box 355, Newtown, Conn. 06470. inaccessible. A versatile and effective cap would solve the problem-and I had some in my tool box all along. WithWall three jacks or four of the site-built wall jacks The solution is wire nuts. I use vinyl-coated shown in the below, a two-man crew red ones, which are normally used on 12 -ga. can lift 30-ft. to 40-ft. long stud walls. Each jack wire, to cap my unspent tubes. I've found them effective for up to six months, and they can be constantly reused and easily replaced. -Joe Shepherd, Milwaukie, Ore.

2 ft. lx6 2x4 jack Stain removal I Unfinished wood often gets stained from rusting Siding f nails, cement splotches or water leaks. Perhaps 2 ft. Stud wall you've noticed this kind of staining around the corners of skylight wells that are lined with wood. If you need to remove such stains, try a rail. I ran each piece of siding over my table saw solution of oxalic acid and water. Mix 1;.1 lb. of to cut a I-in. deep kerf in each edge. Once I had 2 f . Toenail jack t oxalic-acid crystals with I gal. of warm water and a board in place, I inserted a full-length spline I, and wall / to subfloor. stir until dissolved. Paint the solution onto the into the kerf, as shown above. The neighboring -t stained areas and let it stand for 15 minutes. board accepts the protruding spline, and so ' V Rinse the work with cold water, and repeat if forth. I kept the nails away from the splines, and is made of a 2x4 about 7 ft. long, with three necessary. Oxalic acid is sold at chemical-supply left a little play between adjacent boards to al­ nailed-on scabs, 2 ft. apart. The scabs form outlets, and it is poisonous. Be sure to wear rub­ low for expansion of the wood. ledges to support the wall as it is lifted. ber gloves and eye protection when you use it. -Jonathan Davies, Queensland, Australia With the stud wall lying flat on the subfloor -Ernie Ale, Santa Ana Heights, Calif. and toenailed to it, toenail each jack to the floor so that its base is tight to the wall's top plate. NallbagI save half-gallon liners milk cartons, cut them in half, Now begin at one end of the wall and lift it to RatherLlmeless than scatter lines handfuls of lime to mark out and use them for nail containers. Their 4-in. by the first notch. Move back and forth along the excavations, I use flour. It's cheaper than lime, 4-in. size fits nicely into the large bag on my nail wall, lifting one notch at each station until less toxic and very available. I put the flour in a pouch. When I'm done with one kind of nail, I you've reached the third level. From there it's an coffee can that has a grid of nail holes punched remove the carton from the pouch and return it easy push to get the wall upright. to its storage cabinet. This practice keeps the -Ed Wilson, Seattle, Wash. number of miscellaneous nails in my pouch from getting out of hand. 2x2 handle -Sam Francis, Bozeman, Mont. LaminateOn a recent spacer kitchen remodel I found myself ready to attach the plastic laminate to the coun­ tertop with contact cement, but I didn't have my Coffee Outboard-rollerOne of the most awkward stand operations to perform usual stack of spacers that I use to separate the can in my tiny one-man cabinet shop is crosscutting counter and the laminate during alignment. In a full sheet of plywood. The outboard roller need of a handy alternative, I turned to a thin stand shown in the drawing below has made this task a lot easier for me. The roller stand is Rim of can essentially a sawhorse with a row of garage­ is inserted into saw kerf and door rollers mounted 3 in. on center across the secured with screws. Nail holes length of the crossbar. I made my stand out of 2x4 stock, screwed and glued together for rigid­ in the bottom. To make the can easy to control, ity and braced at the top with plywood gussets. I insert the top rim of the can into a kerf cut in a With one of these stands beside my table saw, I 4-ft. to 5-ft. 2x2 handle. Screws secure the can Lammate Cord is removed. to the handle. is placed beginning at To use the tool, I let it hang loosely in one atop cord center loop hand with the can about 6 in. from the ground. I run the handle along my dry lines, tapping it with a block or hammer to sift a line on the ground worthy of a football field. -Eric Carter, Green Va lley Lake, Calif. extension cord in my kit. I found that by looping SplinedI recently builtsiding a new workshop and I sheathed the cord across the counter, as shown, I could it with I x6 boa rds joined with galvanized position the laminate, then remove the cord splines. I like this method because it gets the starting with the loop nearest the center of the most out of the width of a board, and the counter. -Hayes Ruther ford, Co olin, Idaho splines can often be scrounged for next to noth­ ing. I used 2-in. wide galvanized steel that is commonly used here in Australia for strapping ThereCaulk are cap a lot of new caulks and adhesives together large shipments of bulky goods. Thin available in tubes these days. I've found uses for strips of nylon or plastic could also be used. can push a sheet of plywood through a cut with many of them, but I rarely finish a tube on one My wall framing consists of 4x4s on 8-ft. cen­ little resistance. job. In fact, many tasks need only a little squirt ters, with plates at top and bottom and a mid- -Lewis A. Locke, Ell enburg, Wash.

16 Fine Homebuilding Porter-Cable Corporation · PO. Box 2468 · Jackson, TN 38301

October/November 1985 17 C ;:-;-;-:;;;--FINE"� HOMEBUILDING ...... '".." .".. . '. -; ..i ".,,�

Illll

,11101,

Fine HOlllebuilding Back Issue Sale Cheaper by the half- dozen through Decelnber 31, 1985. Final Notice: There are 23 back issues of Fine Homebuilding still available, each one filled with a wealth of ideas and in­ formation you're not likely to find anywhere else. But there's only a few months left for you to take advantage of our spe­ cial sale-any six back issues of Fine Homebuilding for just $1 3.98. That's less than you'd normally pay for four. So use the accompanying order form or call toll-free, 1- 800-243-7252, and use your credit card. But don't delay. After December 31, 1985, prices will return to normal.

1 February/�arch '81 ating Costs, Open-Plan Saltbox, Distributing Sun, Mortising Butt Hinges, Installing Fixed Greek Revival Restoration, Staircase Rcnova· Grccnhouse Heat, Modular Homc. Glass Windows, Elcctrical Outlet Boxes, Mod­ tion, Solo Timber· Raising, Elements of De· ern t-lississippi Housc, Solar-Powered Cabin, signing, On·Site Shop, Site· Built Solar Collec· 5 October/November '81 Green-Wood Woes, The Scribed Ellipse, Side­ tors, Paint Stripping, Venting the Plumbing Moving a House, Solar Site Evaluation, Curvi­ wall Shingling. System, and Casting Materials, Peak· linear Sash, Bow-Cot and thc Honeymoon ing Over a Flat Roof. Cottage, Re storing Brownstone Facades, 9 June/July '82 Wood Foundations, Contemporary Adobe Kitchen Cabinets, Octagon I-louse, Counter 2 April/�ay '81 Home, Truss-Framc Construction, Under­ Intelligence, Restoring a Grand Victorian A Studio Addition, Restoring a Porch, May· standing Building Regulations. Porch, Flashin g, Toenailing, Laying Brick , - beck's Wallen II HOll<� House on a Arches, Superinsulated House, Outside Cir­ Limited B Round·Log 6 December '81/January '82 cular Stairway, Unifying Site and Structure, _ Classical Porch Addition, Ti01her-Framing a Constructi . OL D OU1' ._al Service, Adding a Second Story. S � Stone-Ender. 19th-Century Waterprol �"I w-Sheltered Houses, Trn"" ' 1 Maine Country House, Kitchen Planning. Framing, 1 e, House of August/September '82 D Ou__ ' 10 Steel and S OL ,'aUlt Protection, Roof Framing, Alden Dow's Studio and Resi­ 3 June/July '81 Home Ac( _00 lor the Handicapped, Keeping dence, Acrylic Glazing, Mill, Tim­ Passive-Solar Thermosiphon, Formal Entry, Termites Out. bers and Templates, Soldering Copper Pipe, Landscaping for Energy Eff iciency, Frank Renovating a Carriage Barn, Making an Insu­ Lloyd Wright'S Jacobs II House, Form-Based 7 February/�arch '82 lated Door, Underground Cistern, Cutting and Stone Masonry, Carpentry with a Ci rcular Building a Curved Wall, Expanding a Kitchen, Raising a Hi p and Gable Roof. Saw, The Septic Tank Revealed, Rumfordiz­ Sizing Roughsawn Joists and Beams, Batten ing a Fireplace, Hybrid Trombe Walls, Florida Doors, Earth Shelter on Cape Cod, Working 11 October/November '82 Cracker House, Rebuilding a Modern House. with Green Wo od, Buying Green Lumber, Tax Installing a Factory-Built Skylight, Site Lay­ Shelters, Getting a Building Permit, A Russian out, Rammed Earth. ,],1- . ' 'ecture of Ar­ 4 August/September �'81 Fireplace, Attic Venting, Silo House, thur Bro--- r Valley En- A Grade-Beam Foundlltin- ilding a Fire­ 1 OU1' Thin-Mass trance, A O l--'D .. j, Damaged L' er Framing, House, Ba s __, I1lgh-Country Studio and 1 8 April/�ay '82 R.M. Schir. OU ' ,e, Capping Hung Walls, RaiSing Heavy Timber, Hanging Residence, Double-Envelope Addition, Site­ SOL_."D a Foundati allIlg a Chimney, Estim- an Exterior Door, Drywall, Three Sides to the Built Skylights. 12 December '82/ January '83 Panels, A Glossary of Stair Terms, Above the 23 October/November '84 , Restoring Fountainhead, Flood, Random-Fitted Panels. O'Neil Ford's Boveda House, Framing Ham­ Surface-Bonded Blocl!, Refining Your Designs, mers, Leaded Glass, The Double Envelope, Rock-Bottom Remodel, Transforming an Iowa 18 December '83/January '84 Information Sources for Builders, Shingle Farmhouse, Curved Doors, Roof Shingling, Making Window Sash, Insulating and Parging Thatch, Custom Wo od Flooring, Drywall Fin­ Renovator's Tool Kit, Shingle Solar, House­ Foundations, Octagonal Spiral Stairs, John ishing, Building an Arched Dormer. boat, The Deck Upstairs. Lautner's Mauer House, Curbless Skylights, Teton Remodel, House of Stone and Clay, 24 December '84/ January '85 13 February/March '83 Pattern Shingling, Sharpening and The James House, Site-Sharpening Saw Blades, The Wo rm-Drive Saw, Metal Roofing, Concrete, The Fairbanks House, Facing a Plane Irons, The Stonemasons of Pueblo Boni­ Shed-Dormer Addition, Etched Glass, Enclos­ Block Wall With Stone, Opening Up an Attic, to, Rubble-Trench Foundations. ing the Timber Frame, In the Japanese Tradi­ Hardwood Flooring, Ferr o-Cement, Appala­ tion, The Balloon-Truss System, Straw-Bale chian Axman's Art, Greenhouse Shutters, 19 February/March '84 Studio, Raised Octagon. Small House in Virginia, Bathroom Built-Ins. Richard Neutra's All- Plywood House, Replac­ ing an Oak Sill, Japanese-Style Bath I-louse, 25 February/March '85 Power Miter Saws, Casing a Window, Garage 14 April/May'83 The Nicolai Fechin House, Tiling a Mortar­ Lloyd Wright's Sowden Hou se, Victorian Ad­ Remodel, Designing for a Temperate Climate, Bed Counter, Roll-Top House, Building with dition, Curved-Truss House, Gaslight, Brick Raised-Panel Wainscot, Floor Framing, Wo rk­ Stress-Skin, A Dutchman's Bath, Framing a Floor, Treehouse, Portable Power Planes, Log­ ing with Kalwall Tubes, The Vapor Barrier, Conical Roof, Updating an Old-Fashioned Cabin Legacy, Log-Building to Last, Design­ Superinsulating the Non-Box_ Ranch, Shingle Sleuthing, Plumb Bobs, String ing a Functional Kitchen, Floor Sanding. and Chalkboxes, Concrete-Plank Roof, Re­ 20 April/May '84 building a Federal-Period . 15 June/July '83 Roofing with Slate, Retrofit Superinsulation, Pole House in the Treetops, Pressure-Treated Converting a Store and Stable, Ticksticking, 26 April/May '85 Concrete Spiral Staircase, Building a Fire­ Poles, Cottage SunSP3('p f" ce Construc­ Hanging Interior Doors, Installing a Lockset, l place, Period Moldin gs, Arched A-Frame, tion, Tro\"� - lrd the Right Rehabilitating a Duplex, Kitchen Conversion, T Handsaws, Frank Lloyd Wright Comes to the Light, Bt D OU lation, Nail A Personal Library, New Balus trade, New OL_, u� �Ict, Briarcombe_ Guns, The S [luilder, Veneer Pias­ Stairway, Chinking Log Walls, The Zome­ ter, Smokehouse, Small-Scale Hydro-Power, house, Stepped Foundations, Home Heating Storage Stair. 21 June/July '84 with a Heat Pump, Maine Stonework, A Com­ Wharton Esherick's House and Studio, Attic pact Passive-Solar House_ 16 August/September '83 Remodel, Power-Actuated Tools, Job-Sit e Building a Helical Stair, Foundations on Hill­ Shack, The Fireplace Chimney, Ridge-Vent 27 June/July '85 side Sites, Pier and Grade-Beam Foundation, Options, Architectural Stained Glass, A Little Charles Warren Callister's Onslow-Ford Timber-Frame Layo ut, Decorative Ironwork, Housc with a Big View, Climate and Energy­ House, The Art and Science of Estimating, Reciprocating Saws, Underground Retreat, Efficient Design , A Stone Cookstove and Routers, Dummy Rafter Tails, Corian Kitchen Dry-Stack Block, Paul Schweikher: Architect, Heater, Framing Layout, Calculating Solar Countertops, New Life for a Tract House, De­ Stripping Trim, Sculpted Stairway_ Contribution, Rustic Shelter. signing for Remodels, The Outdoor Finish, Warm Floors, A Country House and Studio_ 17 October/November '83 22 August/September '84 Laying a Tile Floor, Building Louvered Shut­ Stud-Wall Framing, Lustron, Rescuing an Old ters, �Iaking Counterbalanced Shutters, Ce­ Adobe, Installing a Sheet-Vinyl Floor, Making 28 August/September '85 ramic Tiles, Wrought Iron, Remodel Plumb­ a Structural Model, Greene and Greene Re­ A New American Home, Moving into the At­ ing, Designing and Building Stairs, Resurrect­ vival, About the Business of Building, A Re­ tic, Roof Framing ReVisited, Movable Insula­ ing the Bolton House, Southwest Sunspace, modeled Bath, Radiant-Floor Heating, tion for Skylights, A Revamped Victorian, A Wrought-Iron Joinery, Thermoforming Acrylic Thatching, Resilient Flooring_ Carved Timber Frame, Sidewall Shingling. WE MAKE HOUSE CALLS. Marc Stretch· our New England salesman. He's no stranger to Post and Beam construction. Yo u can count on his years of experience. The best stress kin panels and best service make Winter the best choice. Call us and see for yourself.

Dept.FHB, 8 Main St., West Groton, MA 01472 617-448·3077 Advanced design Roto Roof Windows give you more light for your money -and energy efficiency AEG POWER TOOLS -HEAVY DUTY POWER TOOLS for CONTRACTORS ...IN DUSTRY ... & ..THE WORLD that exceeds triple glazing! . LIST SALE Cordless Screwdriver -190 rpm ...... $ 98 $ 52 Cordless Drill/Driver - 2 speed ...... 139 79 More light for your money is no idle Cordless Electronic DrilllDriver - 2 speed .. 159 95 claim. The secret is in Roto's world- C/less Caulking Gun -30 tubes per charge. . 179 107 famous slim profile design, where al- 0 f[y 0·2000 Screwgun - 5 amp -heavy duty . . 125 75 Slim profile LWJgives you 0·4000 Screwgun - 5 amp -heavy duty ... 125 75 most of the overall roof window 80% 90% up to more light 3/8" Variable Speed Drill, rev. 3.8 amp ..., .. 86 52 dimension is glass. than competitive models. 3/8" 125 75 Variable Speed Drill, rev. 5 amp...... In addition, our new high technology Comfort "E" glass SBE·401RL 3/8" Hammer Drill, varlsp. reverse ...... 88 53 screens out 63% of harmful fabric-fading ultra violet rays, SBE·l0RL 3/8" Hammer Drill, varlsp. w/rev hvy·duty ... 145 87 lets in more of the sun's warming rays for greater passive SB2E·13RL 1/2" Hammer Drill, 2·sp. rev. hvy·duty ...... 169 101 150 90 solar gain, and exceeds the energy efficiency of triple Te 25E Tech Driver variable speed 5 amp ...... / . Circular Saw ' 4" 12 amp. hvy·duty ...... 157 94 glazing! 7 Orbital Sander 20,000 O.P.M. 1/3 sheet . . . .. 75 49 Designed and engineered in West Germany, where they Orbital Sander 25,000 O.P.M. 1/2 sheet ..... 156 89 have been the hallmark of excellence for 50 years, Orbital Sander 25,000 O.P.M. 1/2 sheet w/bag .. 189 119 Roto Roof Windows open out of the room and out of the 3" x 21 " varlspeed Belt Sander w/bag ...... 199 119 way, offering the best protection from rain and snow­ Jig Saw · Orbital varlspeed hvy·duty 4.6 amp 214 128 Reciprocating Orbital Saw, 10 amp 2/sp w/case 229 137 without screen removal. Every(Fastest AEG cutting Power.. mostTool powerfulPasses More saw onThan the 200 market) Quality 4 models are available in 8 popular sizes, with a full range Control Checks Before It Earns The AEG Nameplate! of options and accessories. Send for our 8-page color brochure. You'll be glad you did.

Let in more light with ROTO ResROTOearch FRANK Park, ofP.O. America, Box 599, In c. �• • Ch ester, CT 06412 (203) 526-4996 20 Fine Homebuilding �'t\��� �� ��� �\\ �\)��\\\� --- TOOLS BLADES, AND BITS At Jackson Saw & Knife Not Only Do We Sharpen Blades, We Sharpened Our Pencils To Give You The Best Possible Prices On Power Tools, Blades. Bits, And Accessories. Listed Below Are Just A Few Examples.

28-243 14" Bandsaw &499.00&&CEL TA

PORTER+[ABLE31 5-1 120.00

or- 6531 2 Speed Sawsa1 l115.00 The INCA BOSCH

Many ideas for jigs, including Dovetails, Finger Joints, Pattern Work and many more are shown in over 300 illustra­ tions. For your Table Saw, Bandsaw, Jointer, Planer & Shapero TRIPLE CHIP GRIND CARBIDE BLADE 10" x 5 /8 x 60 Tooth List 77.15 Only 49.95 FLUSH TRIM ROOTER BIT FTB-8-8-2, 112 Dia, 2" cutlength, 112" shank 41fs" • •••••••••••••Drawer Doveta ils Cut on Table Saw Copying Curves Using.•••••••••••••• Bandsaw over all Special ad price 25.20. Return In 30 days for refund It not satisfied We sharpen Carbide Blades and Router bits Send me the INCA Machinery Handbook at $9.95 each. Custom made band saw blades to length. ( ) Check Enclosed ( ) Charge to my: VISA, MIC, Amex Card #: Expires: ___ _ Signature: Name: ______Address: ______City: ______State: ___ Zip: ___

Sales & Service (716) 546-7485 Send to: The Garrett Wade Co., Inc., Dept. 516 State St., Rochester, NY 161 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10 013 517 14608 Offer Expires 12/1/85

October/November 1985 21 1';..,•···•··•··········· ··· .....•••••• ······ g.:.:.:• • :.:.:.:.• :.:.:.:.:.:.: .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: •••••••• FELDE R.:.: :.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.. ·:.:.:.::.:..:. :.:. .:.:.:.:.: .:.:.:..:.:.:.:.:.::.:.:.:.:.:. 1• .:.:.�• .• ... .• .:.:.:.:.:. . .:.:.. . ..:.. ..:. . :.. ..:.:.:. . •.:.:.. • •.:.:• • . ______1!8�:.:.:.: •.•.••.•...... :..:...... ••.•� •.�•.�•.�•.�•.:� _ WoAMI, Ltodword. is pleased kinto anngounce Sys an expandedtems : : .: : : woodworkerFELDER program and professi to the U.onalS., of cabiferingnet makthe serer anious eveneasies greatert to use select woodworkingion of the machiworld'ners finy.est , • • 16" jointer/surfacer • 16" planer/thicknesser 12" table saw • heavy-duty shaper • heav y-duty mortiser • heavy-duty sliding table • tilting arbor saw & shaper now available • jOinter/planer or saw/shaper available separately, starting at $3500 Over 25,000 machines are already in use in Europe. Write for your free brochure today! AMI, Ltd. P.O. Box 312, Dept. 48 Advanc� MachlMty Imporu New Castle, Delaware 19720 � 302·322·2226

AMI, Ltd. is your source for HEGNER Scroll Saws, Lat hes and Duplicators; FELDER Woodworking Systems; FLOTT Jointer/Planers and Table Saws; and LACHAPPELLE Workbenches. Now-a safe, approved method of CHIMNEY RELINING Now you can completely restore your chimney at a fraction of the cost of reo building. The PermaFlutm System seals, strengthens and insulates your cracked or crooked chimney. Improves performance with Former any fuel. Home· deflated owner and contrac· and tor inquiries invited. removed PERMAFLlJtm after mix P.O. Box 4035 hardens Manchester, NH 03108 (603) 668-5195 fe,�MtdS� AA1(wm� pfU'� , Send in coupon for Free Coloror(800) call Cata tolllog fr ee p ...... 343...... 3432 .. • Please send me your free color catalog. • • �n · • • Street __ • • City State Zip • !�9a#t ,=•...... 4� WATf� ST., {itiUt6WORCESTER,...1'U MASS.Olb04 ".... -I =

22 Fine Homebuilding <1Iarlislr 3RestoraRoute 123,tio Stoddard,n N.]Cu H. 03464m ber (,0\.·146·3937

WIDE PINE BOARDS (12" to 22" WIDE, I Flooring & Poneling I SHIP-LAPPED BOARDS 11 0" to 12" WIDE )

• • "!. �

Michael J. Crosbie / $19.95 soft cover Now at your bookstore or send check or money order to Gibbs M. Smith, Inc., P.O. Box 667, Department G8. Layton, Utah 84041. Please add $1.50 for postage and handling. WRITE FOR OUR FREE CATALOG OR CALL TOLL FREE: 800-421-87 14 Use Master Card or VISA A Peregrine Smith Book (!p)

October/November 1985 23

We lcome to the of Aero star. �e

Ford announces a new mini-van with the lowest air drag and the highest city gas mileage ratings* in its class!

Once again, Ford moves Easy to get into, ahead in van design. Introduc­ to handle, to drive. ing Aerostar-a new concept in Aerostar makes everything business efficiency. you do easy to do. Doors are Most aerodynamic van. high; wide, easy to open. The step to the driver's seat is low, Aerostar's advantages start but you sit with a command­ with its sleek, wind-splitting tall ing view of the road ahead. design. Low drag coefficient of Steering, manual or power, is .37 makes it the most aero­ quick rack-and-pinion. dynamic van in America. And Garage it anywhere. the resulting good looks are good for any business. The maneuverable Aerostar parks with minimum space High-MPG Fo ur or and effort. It's sized to go in husky V-6 power. any standard garage or For maximum mileage, through the car wash. choose Aerostar's advanced space to put the load in, too. Aerostar can be equipped to Built Ford tough. Four with multiport electronic Cargo area behind the seats is tow 5,000 lbs. That's 2Yz times Ford took the time to make fuel injection. Its 26 EPA esti­ over 7 ft. long at floor level and more than front-drive vans!t Aerostar right the fIrst time. mated city MPG is the best more than 4 ft. high. Whether you're towing or Built to pass the same dura­ ever recorded in the class. Flat, low-lift floor. hauling, load weight is on the bility tests as big Econoline For extra power and The rear liftgate swings up out rear driving wheels where it vans, it's already had over a response, choose the optional of the way, so you can step needs to be for traction and million miles of accelerated 2.8L V-6. The V-6 is bigger and right up to the level cargo floor control. testing. Now it's ready for you. stronger. But like the Four, it's for easy loading. Ground-to­ Lifetime a modern computer-controlled floor lift is 25.8 in. Service Guarantee. engine. 'lbws 2Yt tons. Participating Ford Dealers 2,OOO-lb. payload** Here's another measure of stand behind their work, in The truck-tough Aerostar this Ford's capability . Because writing, with a free Lifetime can shoulder a full ton of of its high strength, rear-wheel 45.1" Service Guarantee for as long payload. There's plenty of drive and optional V-6 power, I as you own your Ford car or light truck. Ask to see this How the Mini-vans Compare guarantee when you visit your FORD DODGE participating Ford Dealer. AEROSTAR MINI RAM 25.8:' Buckle up­ ��� together we can save lives. Low Air Drag (Cd) .37 .42 �t r-----50.6"------oi 'Based on a comparison of EPA city Standard 4-Cyl. Engine 2.3L 2.2L Longest wheelbase MPG estimates with standard 5-speed shortest outside length. transmission for '86 Ford Aerostar Electronic Fuel Injection YES NO Aerostar's ll9-in. wheelbase and '85 competitive models. (Aerostar EPA Est. Hwy: 29 MPG.) V-6 Engine Option YES NO is the longest of any mini-van . for a smooth Maximum Payload 2000 Ibs.** 2000 1bs. ride. But it's the Maximum Tow ingt 5000 1bs. 2000 1bs. shortest van overall and very tt Maximum Cargo Vo lume Cu. Ft. 140.3 133.0 maneuverable. Long Wheelbase 119 in. 112 in. Thrning diameter is Short Tu rning Diameter 37.5 ft. 41 .0 ft. 3Yzft. smaller "2,000 lb. payload option. tReduced by passenger and cargo wt. in towing vehicle. than the Dodge "Based on SAE Standard V-16 Mini Ram van.

October/November 1985 25 fOR CERTAIN fOR CONVENIENCE TOP BRANDS PERfORMANCE MAIL ORDER AND LOW PRICES MITER SAW SPECIAL

MAKITA 6012HDW

is Makita's best cordless MAKITA 5007NB drill. 2 speed, reversible, 7 1/4" rugged 13 amp. circular saw with clutch. Comes with case, carbide blade ...... $99.00 charger and battery ...... $109.00

B04510 4" finishing sander $ 47 4301 BV orbital jig saw $129 DP3720 3/8" var/rev. drill $ 49 5007NB 71/4" circular saw $99 1100 31/4" planer kit $169 5201 NA 10 1/4" circular saw $219 1900BW 3 1/4" planer kit $ 98 6000R 3/8" clutch-drill $106 1805 6 1/8" planer kit $279 2401BW 6000lR low speed uni-drill $119 2401 BW 10" miter saw 6010DWK 3/8" cordless drill 89 $189 MAKITA 2401 BW - $ This popular saw is now at our lowest price 2708 81/4" table saw $250 6510lVR 3/8" low speed drill $ 69 ever! Equipped with an electric brake, saw blade, and powerful 12 3612BR New plunge router $189 9900B 3 x 21 belt sander $126 amp. (41 00 rpm) motor, it cuts 2 7/8" x 4 3/4" (3112" 45°). Other GUIDES for 3612BR $ 20 @ 9924DB 3 x 24 belt sander $133 features include a rugged cast iron base and shaft lock for easy blade 3601B 1/2" router $129 9401 4 x 24 belt sander $172 change. 3608BK 1/4" router $ 86 . . ... lSl400 14" miter saw $419 3700B 1/4" trimmer $ 85 Optional dust bag ...... $7.50 DP4700 1/2" var/rev. drill $99 CALL TOLL FREE THE138A E. LOUDON XYLOPH AVENUE IL• LEXINGTON,E'S CO KENTUCKYMPANY 40505 1-80IN0-354- KENTUCKY CALL9083 on$35 orders of PRICES INCl.TO THE CONTINUDEENTAL SHIPPING U.S. otherwise$1.95 ple�se or more add shlppmg (606) 254-9823

A professional saw fence system priced for the home shop. The home shop T-Square™ saw fence system from Biesemeyer gives fast, safe, accurate cuts just like the professional sys­ tem, but at a fraction of the price. Get the same easy front-lock lever, our famous hairline pointer and guide rail scale that eliminate hand measur­ ing, and a choice of cutting capacities from 28;' 40;' and 52" to the right of the blade. With prices starting as low as $199, you can't afford not to have state­ of-the-art technology in your shop. For information or the dealer near­ est you, write Biesemeyer Manufactur­ ing, 216 S. Alma School Road, Suite 3, Mesa, Arizona 85202. Or call toll-free 800/782-183l.

�1The T-Square"1���m���� sawfence company

26 Fine Homebuilding Timber Frame Homes S-Ccuu:C", C�ea In Stock- forTO Immed.-ASS ShippingEMBLE- or Pick-up.KITS $425 F.O.B. Broomall, PA ONLY for 3'6" diam. C�J'er �nUrn5 (hts. 8' 11)2"to 8' 91)2") Comparable savings on diams. from 4' to 7'. Kits available to fit any floor-to-floor hts.

Now! Showroom & Warehouse IIIII!�"'� locations in: ��+-tll Pomona, CA (714) 598-5766 Sarasota, FL (813) 923-1 479 Houston, TX (713) 789-0648 • Authentic Wooden Joinery throughout. Chicago, IL Handcrafted in Oak (312) 952-9010 • Super-Insulated"S tress Skin Panel" Closure © The Iron Shop 1977. '82 • Complete Custom Design Service People who've looked everywhere tell us there • Standard Plans -Traditional and isn't another spirol sta ir around that touches Contemporary our combination of price and qual ity of mate­ • "Closed Shell" Packages rials and workmanship. We believe it! • Owner-Builder Services: Workshops, CAll OR WRITE FOR FREE BROCHURE, s, Tools ------Book ,,To : The Iron Shop, Dept. FHB 1 05Box 128. 400 Reed o • I l Timber Frame Building Materials: Oak Broomall. Pa. 19008 Our Tel: (215) 544-;-7100� I I Timber, rough or planed, StressSkin Cnm1iJru rfftmdliEli I Name I Panels, WinClows and Doors tll/'eC�, JIIItIi oniir. I I I Street I 3he Wa.5n£ngton C:!J!per'Wo rfS" I City __ --I I Stole Zip I IMBER FRAMING. IN . Soutli Street L __�� ����������������_� P.O. BOX 26 BLISSFIELD, MI49228 'Wa.5fiinuton,Co nrurtkut 06T9J PHONE (H 7) 486-4)66 203-66N521 qr468-763'(

NOW TRACY KIDDER TAKES YOU INTO THE HEART OF A NEW HOUSE.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning, architect as he designs his best-selling author of The first commission; we feel the Soul of a New Machine frustrations, the fatigue, the breaks entirely new ground immense on-the-job satisfac­ in this extraordinary book. tions of the carpenters who Tracy Kidder watched the feel as possessive about the enactment of an American house as the owners-and dream-the building of a whose business rides on new home-recording every completing the project on emotion, every detail that budget. We witness their per­ went into it from the often sonality clashes, and we conflicting perspectives of rejoice in their united those who were directly achievement-and we won­ involved. From gleam-in-the­ der how anyone ever sur­ eye to moving-in day, we vives the experience. share the pride and appre­ This is a book about much hension of the ambitious more than building a house: owners who have many it is about craftsmanship and hopes and a lot of money class relations, about social invested in the outcome; we history and private history. enter the thoughts-profes­ and-most important­ sional and personal-of the about- love and work. -'�"!*. �__ ..,,� __,_..i-. � . """"� Houghton Mifflin Company 2 Park·Street, Boston)�assach�setts 02108 ©HoughtorrMIff lin Company 1985

October/November 1985 27 Fine Homebuildi�_____ ..:,-----:--� �,",+ October/November 1985 No. 29

Jersey Devil's Hill House How a design-build team buried a house on a California hilltop

by Steve Badanes

y first view of the Hill House property rented living and studio space, and began to de­ cept suggested a direct-gain approach. Solar wasM in the fall of 1976 when I met my clients, sign the house. I returned to the site many times heat coming through the south-facing window George and Adele Norton, for an on-site picnic and became convinced that an earth-sheltered wall is stored in the quarry-tiled concrete-slab lunch. We were there to discuss the possibility scheme, one that would defer to the magnifi­ floor and is released at night (bottom drawing, of our firm, Jersey Devil, designing and building cent landscape, would be most appropriate. I facing page). The elevation change across the their new home. The Nortons had seen the wanted to avoid the standard "caveman" solu­ site allowed a 12-in. thick reinforced-concrete Football House, a small addition we had just tion, and instead find a sculptural form that Trombe wall to be built 60% below floor level. completed in the redwoods near San Francisco, would have a subtle but positive presence on Shown in section in the drawing on p. 30, it re­ and they were impressed with its craftsmanship the hilltop, with outdoor spaces protected from lies primarily on natural convection for heating and with our design/build method of operation. the wind. This arrangement would allow for a and cooling. Double-glazed Kalwall FRP (fiber­ Our crew usually lives on the site during con­ garden of native plants, as well as provide a reinforced plastic) panels in front of the black­ struction, so we're able to adapt the design peaceful location for the hot tub. painted Trombe wall trap a 3Yz-in. air space be­ throughout the entire building process to what­ The house would be cut into the crest of the tween glazing and wa ll. Cool air from the house ever exigencies arise. And we're able to avoid hill to present a low profile to Pacific storms, enters the air space by dropping through the the kind of locked-in mindset that governs most creating a "south bowl" which would deflect vents at floor level. The air is heated by the projects, once they're committed to paper. the blustery winds over the building yet still let Trombe wall or by direct gain and rises in the air It was a clear day, and when I arrived at the the sunlight in. A curved plan (drawing, facing space, pulling more cool air into the convective end of the steep, winding farm road to the ridge­ page) would take advantage of the panoramic loop. Once warmed, the air re-enters the house top site, I was overwhelmed by the panoramic view, and streamline for the wind. By following through sliding redwood vents in the window view. Ten miles to the southwest and 2,300 feet the contours of the ridge, the house would wrap seat. For cooling, the window-seat vents are below is the Pacific Ocean, and to the north lies around a protected circular sunken courtyard on closed, and outside sliding windows are opened the whole of San Francisco Bay. A closer in­ the leeward (north) side. The use of earth to vent the air space and draw cool breezes in spection revealed that the tall grass of the pre­ berms, a sod roof, and fieldstone veneer and re­ through the building. vious winter had been nearly flattened by the taining walls would literally merge the house As a defense against the sudden temperature storm winds off the Pacific that regularly buffet with its awesome site. In addition to satisfying changes of the site, we used thermal-mass con­ the Northern California coast. The only trees on the planning board, this strategy would reduce struction wherever we could (reinforced con­ this rolling terrain are sparse, twisted live , heating and cooling loads and provide wind, fire crete walls and floor, stucco and stone parti­ their gnarled limbs spread close to the ground and earthquake resistance. tions). The larger the mass of a structure, the as though hugging the hilltops for protection. I surveyed the site, built a cardboard contour slower its response to exterior temperature fluc­ As we ate, we talked of an informal passive­ model, made the necessary "cut and fill," in­ tuations. With enough external insulation, a solar house that could make the most of the site, serted a mass model of the house, and then cov­ massive earth-embedded house can maintain a and yet somehow be protected from its extreme ered the whole business with modeling clay. I stable interior temperature over a period of weather. Because the site is located in what's took the model down to George's office, and his weeks, despite extreme fluctuations in the out­ known as a "Scenic Corridor," its development first question was "Where's the house?" After I door temperatures. was subject to review by the local planning explained the scheme, he agreed that it was ex­ commission. Their policy read, "Quietness, re­ actly the statement he wanted to make. While Digging in-Construction began in the sum­ pose and unobtrusiveness are the design goals. completing the permit , I hired Glenn mer of 1977, and I moved on the site into a 20-ft. . Structures should be designed as an inte­ Nelson, a civil engineer, to help with the struc­ by 10-ft. rented office trailer. I was joined at this gral part of the site and should be complemen­ tural design, and also began to work out the de­ point by Jim Adamson, one of the Je rsey Devil tary to or blend with the natural terrain rather tails of the solar-heating system. partners, who has an uncanny ability to plug than detracting from it." into a project at any point, enhance it by refin­ We agreed to go ahead with the project, as­ A passive-solar solution-Working out a re­ ing the design, working out the hard parts and suming that we could get electrical service at a sponsive design for the site's microclimate was initiating new elements and changes. The cohe­ reasonable cost and that we could find water on a thorny problem. Coastal storms and dense fog sively detailed, handcrafted nature of the house the site. With the aid of a hydrologist, water was bring about wildly unpredictable weather and owes much to his insightful involvement. located on a hilltop 75 ft. above the house site rapid temperature swings. Some heating is re­ We started site work by contracting local ex­ in the southwest corner of the 50-acre property. quired all year round. But in the summer and cavator Jim Dempsey, who turned out to be a Electricity was eventually supplied in coopera­ fall, long periods of hot windless weather, with valuable resource for ideas as well as a good tion with neighbors on two contiguous 50-acre days in excess of 1 OO°F., alternate with cold fog­ excavator. His prim ary job was to reshape the parcels. Unfortunately, we spent the first year of gy spells. You could be working in shorts and a hilltop in preparation for the concrete work. The construction coaxing electrical power out of a T-shirt and several hours later be shivering in a hill was mostly hard shale, and digging pro· temperamental, second-hand Winco generator. down vest and wool hat. gressed at a slow pace, as Dempsey used a While these details were being firmed up, I The view windows of the original design con· small front-end loader with ripper s to break

28 Fine Homebuilding Drawings: Christoper Clapp Feet

o 6 12 Concrete retaining wall

\\

I \I Garage I \I II

Dining

/ Bedroom

Plan of house and site The plan of this house was designed to allow for solar gain on the south, and to follow the natural contour of the hilltop. Bermed on the north and east, the house and courtyard are afforded some protection from storms that blast the northern California coast.

4-in. drain tile with gravel surround and screened drops

Detail of roof on north side

No insulation board in oVerhan

g? Parapet made from 2x4 'l'e -in. stucco over frame and V2-in. plywood expanded metal lath Cutaway of house

Sod roof

Lenticular truss

Observation deck

Planter made from precast manhole section and veneered with stone Section of south wall and roof 4 in. of topsoil through the shale. As part of his daily routine he Four-ply hot-mopped roof membrane 4 in. of base rock would eat lunch with us, study the model a bit, talk about the progress of his work and then re­ 2-in. rigid foam board turn to his cutting and shaping. The original site plan called for bermed retaining walls that we had originally intended to build out of rein­ forced concrete with stone veneer. However, there was an ample supply of enormous Iichen­ encrusted boulders on the site, and Dempsey suggested that we use them to build the retain­ ing wall instead. Working with Adamson and us­ ing a cable sling on the bucket of his machine, he was able to lay up these behemoths as easily as a stonemason lays up small rocks (top photo, He(jw()od facing facing page). This experience illustrates one of the major advantages of the design/build approach. Living 2-ft. insulated plywood box beam on the site and being exposed to the wisdom faced with T&G redwood both sides and skill of a man like Dempsey, we were able to improve the design by entertaining his point Lenticular truss (Trus Joist TJL) Redwood framing member of view and following his advice. This rarely 3fe-in. plywood sheathing happens if the design is developed entirely on a Exterior Kalwall glazing over 2x6 T&G pine decking with redwood battens drawing board and then totally specified and Curved Kalwall glazing bid before ground is ever broken. In our way of working, the architect/builder becomes part of Site-milled redwood plate the drama that unfolds as a building grows and comes alive. The three-dimensional reality pro­ vides inspiration and solutions to problems that Glazed curtain wall Redwood 2x4 dadoed into 4x4 post are elusive on a sheet of paper. FeetW1") Concrete formwork-With the site graded o 2 and the retaining walls in place, we were ready to begin building the formwork for the 175 On hot days, air from Tr ombe wall is exhausted outside. On cold days, warm air yards of concrete required for the footings, rises through sliding ven t in window seat. walls and slab. Since most of our previous work had been with simple footings and piers, we had Redwood window seat little experience in concrete forming and pour­ on 2x4 frame Sliding vent ing. Undaunted, and armed with the Co nstruc­ tion Manual fo r Co ncrete and Formwork ($8 Pressure-treated sill anchor-bolted to Trombe wall from Craftsman Book Co., P.O. Box 6500, Carls­ bad, Calif. 92008) and the Burke Co. concrete­ �--Plastic light diffuser forming supply catalog (2655 Campus Drive, San Mateo, Calif. 94403), we leapt eagerly into Custom-built anodized this technology. We were lucky enough to find a aluminum slider Concrete Trombe/bearing wall part-time crew of three to help out at this point. They were local artists-Jody Proctor, Doug Hall and Donna Walter. Aluminum drip edge Building concrete forms involves thinking in terms of negative spaces. First you have to con­ ceive the final form, the positive shape, and � from there you have to find a way to construct a void to contain the plastic concrete until it cures. The key is to design the formwork so that 2x4 framing it can be easily assembled and disassembled Site-built, double-glazed when the concrete has cured. This can become . Kalwall panel quite complex, particularly when building curved walls with projecting circular openings, (middle photo, facing page). Redwood batten Because the house is only a few miles from the San Andr eas fault, Nelson's structural calcu­ lations required over 15 tons of reinforcing Trombe-wall vent steel. We cut the rebar with a huge bolt cuUer (a torch would have been much easier on the back muscles), bent it to shape in the pipe rack on my jeep, and tied it with bag ties and ratchet winders, which make anyone an instant expert. Curved walls were formed with liz-in.pl ywood (lis-in. Masonite for the tighter radii of the win­ dows), and a snap-bracket single-waler sy stem ' by Burke. The one-piece bracket transfers the concrete-form pressure loads from the plywood and 2x4 vertical studs to the form ties. We rented the hardware and bought the architectural grade (cone-type) snap ties. Once the forms were stripped, we filled the form holes with glued-in concrete SnaPlugs. Pouring the concrete was simplified by rent­ ing a grout pump, which can handle a six-sack pea-gravel mix to yield 3,000-psi concrete. If you have ever wheeled a wheelbarrow of wet concrete over a last-minute rig of planks, you can appreciate the advantages of pumping con­ crete. We vibrated all the wet concrete as it was poured to eliminate voids and air pockets. Vi­ brating can put enormous pressure on the forms. Although we had some minor form breakouts, which were repaired on the spot, we lost forms Earth-berm retaining walls, originally designed to be made of concrete, were instead made from only once, and then to fierce winter winds. massive boulders_ This change came after a suggestion from the job's excavator, who felt that The walls were poured in early winter, the building the wall with boulders would be a quicker, less expensive and more dramatic way to get the desired result. Here he maneuvers a large rock into place. year the drought broke in the Bay Area, and it rained nearly day and night for six weeks straight. Although at times we felt like packing up, going to Mexico and picking up again in the spring, we worked in rubber suits, bracing forms into the muddy hilltop, gambling that they would hold against the wind long enough for us to get them filled with concrete. Our determination paid off. When the storms finally let up, we had all the concrete poured, including an 18-ft. span arch for the garage, the curved north wall, the Trombe wall, and some exposed board work improvised on site, like the headboard in the master bedroom (photo bot­ tom left, p. 33), which was cast into the con­ crete and included recessed lighting in precast culverts. All concrete walls are exposed on the interior. On the exterior, they are separated from the stone veneer by a 2-in. layer of rigid insulation and connected to it by Burke's dove­ tail anchor-slot system, which uses ties that ex­ tend through the insulation and lock into metal dovetail slots cast into the concrete 2 ft. o. c.

Framing-The rough carpentry on this job went was something that the team had to learn about on the job. The considerably faster than the concrete work. The Complicated concrete forming forms for the round kitchen windows (above) had to be built in several phases, a progression that weather was better, and this phase of construc­ can be seen looking from left to right. First the outer circle is made, and then it's lined with rebar tion had always been our strong suit. The plan and wire mesh to reinforce the circular lip of concrete that abuts the exterior stonework. Finally, of the house called for a lot of curved sills and the inner circle is secured and bolstered with 2x4 battens to keep the concrete in. plates, but the curves were gentle enough so Lenticular trusses (below) radiate from the north wall, where they're placed 1 ft. o. c., to the that we were able to cut most of these framing south wall, where they're placed 2 ft. o. c. The trusses sit atop a 2-ft. deep plywood box beam that's members quickly with skillsaws. supported by 4x4s 4 ft. o. c. Below the level of the window bays can be seen the framingthat will Curved pressure-treated 2x sills support 4x4 support the Kalwall glazing for the Trombe wall. The Sonotube column and four-part corbel in the redwood posts 4 ft. o. c. These support a curved foreground will support an observation deck and ramp, as shown at the bottom of p. 29. 2-ft. deep plywood box beam, which in turn car­ ries the roof trusses on the south wall (drawing, facing page). The posts are braced by a secon­ dary frame that extends up from the double plate atop the Trombe-wall framing. This curtain wall extended the glazing out beyond the struc­ tural members and made room for window seats and the warm-air vents from the Trombe wall. The exposed framing for the wall is red­ wood, and is secured at the top by horizontal 2x4s that fit into dadoes in the 4x4s. The lenticular roof trusses are Trus Joist TJLs (Trus Joist Co., P.O. Box 60, Boise, Idaho 83707), a catalog item sized to support the load of the sod roof over its 24-ft. span. The trusses are 14 in. deep at the bearing points and bow outward to a depth of 32 in. at the center of the

Construction photos: Steve Badanes tains a drain that connects to the house's perim­ eter drainage system. The snout breaks the circular geometry of the courtyard and shelters the front door. We had a general idea of how we wanted it to look, but how we were going to build it was an on-site mystery. We began by cantilevering 2x4s from the roof structure and had . them projecting out in the air toward the center of the courtyard. They were flexing up and down in the wind when the client stopped by for a visit. He scratched his head and asked, "What are you guys doing?" We were embarrassed as if we had been caught, but he came back a few days later and was satisfied with the final reso lution. We ordered the 2-ft. high manhole section and had +- it winched off the delivery truck exactly in the A two-ply roof deck was required to get the needed rigidity and shear strength on a compound­ center of the courtyard. We attached short curved surface that also serves as a finished ceiling. A base of 2x6 T &G pine decking nailed direct­ lengths of 2x4 to it with expanding concrete an­ ly to the top chord of the trusses forms the finish ceiling in the kitchen/living/dining area. To add chors and bent the free-floating 2x4s down to stiffness, a layer of 'lis-in.plywood was nailed down over the 2x pine decking. Stone veneer was laid connect them, stressing them into a shallow up next to a layer of 2-in. foil-face rigid insulation board. The masonry is connected to the concrete with ties that lock into dovetail slots cast into the wall. structural arch. The roof deck was extended down the arch, and the 2x4 parapet walls con­ tinued down the snout and around the circular planter. The underside was stuccoed, continuing the forms and materials of the soffit, and the ex­ terior was sided in T&G redwood.

Interior walls-The curved form of the 2,450- sq. ft. house is continued inside within the basic J-shaped plan. As all interior walls are nonbear­ ing, we were free to build them in whatever shape seemed best to suit their place and pur­ pose. Some are straight, some bowed; others are warped or undulating. They are wood frame with cement plaster over expanded metal lath. This system makes it easy to construct com­ pound curves, and it has the added benefit of boosting the thermal mass of the walls. Two of the interior walls are veneered in stone-the one that separates the living room from the study and master bedroom suite and the one be­ tween the garage and the family room. All the interior walls stop a foot below the bottom chord of the trusses, emphasizing the The snout brings the sod roof gently into the courtyard and protects the main entry. The snout is fact that the partitions are non-structural. This al­ attached at its lower end to a precast, stone-veneered concrete manhole section, which serves as a lows an uninterrupted view across the ceiling giant flowerpot. The door to the right gives access to the master-bedroom suite, which means that surface, which changes from cement plaster over the shower is just a few steps away from the hot tub. the children's wing, to exposed trusses over the open-plan living/dining and kitchen areas, to span. They are spaced 2 ft. o. c. on the straight mopped waterproofing membrane. On top of laminated fir lx2s over the master-bedroom area. section. For the curved part of the house, they that we spread on 2 in. of fine gravel for drain­ Plexiglas glazing between the wall and ceiling are spaced 1 ft. o. c. at the courtyard wall, with age. Next came a 4-in. thick base layer of rock, stops noise transmission, and a non-fixed, slot­ its 24-ft. radius, and 2 ft. o. c. at the outer wall and finally we spread on 4 in. of topsoil seeded type glazing detail allows for seasonal deflec­ (bottom photo, previous page). with winter rye. There are drain tiles at footing tions in the roof structure. level and at the parapet roof edge, as shown in Roof construction-We sheathed the trusses the drawing on p. 30. In the berm areas, gravel Handcrafted detailing-With the clear-span with 2x6 T&G decking, using a finish grade of backfill up to grade surrounds the building, sep­ building envelope enclosed, we had a tangible pine over the public spaces where the structure arating it from the fractured rock and clay soil. notion of the actual volume we were working is exposed, and recycled form boards over the Native plants, grasses and wildflowers grow in with. At this point we were free to let the interi­ bedroom areas where ceilings would be attached the 8-in. earth cover on the roof and in the or spaces evolve, and to be shaped by the work to the bottom chords of the trusses. As we were landscaped courtyard. of visiting artists and craftspeople. Cabinetmaker unable to stagger joints of the 2x6 decking in The sod roof dips down into the middle of Tom Keller built the oak kitchen with its curved the compound-curved section of the roof, we the courtyard, looking a little like a snout or the doors, drawers, and steam-bent laminated ma­ sheathed over the entire deck with :jig-in. ply­ nose guard on an ancient Macedonian war hel­ ple and oak countertop. Architect Curtis wood to stiffen the roof and increase its shear met (photo above). This projection helps drain Schreier built the compound-curved interior strength (photo top). the roof, and it funnels rainwater into a huge doors, which bow to incorporate storage in their After the two-layer decking was nailed down, "flowerpot," which is actually a 6-ft. dia. precast cross section and feature handmade hardware we sandwiched 2 in. of rigid-foam insulation be­ manhole, veneered in fieldstone and planted (bottom photo, facing page). tween the plywood sheathing and a four-ply hot- with honeysuckle and a small live oak. It con- Jim Adamson built most of the light fixtures,

32 Fine Homebuilding The public area of the house, which contains the kitchen, living room and dining area, separates the master-bedroom suite fromthe children's bedrooms and garage beyond. In this part of the using unconventional materials such as flower­ house the trusses are exposed, and the 2x6 T&G roof decking forms the finish ceiling. The non­ pots, duct fittings, goose-neck material, exposed bearing, freestanding character of the interior walls is accentuated by the gap between the bottoms of the trusses and the tops of the walls. These gaps are filled with clear acrylic panels. The curved conduit, and back-lit Nerf balls in the bed's kitchen countertop is made from a series of steam-bent laminations and works well with the curved headboard in the master bedroom (photo right). plastered walls of the children's area on the east side of the house. Doug and Jeff Hurr and Allison Cromwell came from North Carolina to do the bulk of the stonework, along with Ron Emerson. Ron Day and Tom Sargent built the oak platform bed in the master bedroom and the vanity with its curved folding doors. Monte Edelstein built the redwood exterior doors. When the central idea of the building is strong and the structural system clear, visiting artists and on-site improvi­ sations can enhance the final product rather than creating disharmony. The house has aged well, and a mature crop of grass and wildflowers caps the rooftop while native plants flourish in the courtyard. The curved window wall with its hard glass, con­ crete, and Kalwall facade faces the rolling ter­ rain to the ocean and stands in marked contrast to the softer, more natural forms and materials on the north side, which overlooks the heavily populated Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. The passive-solar heating system at fir st seemed oversized. But there has been little or no overheating, possibly due to the insulation levels (low by today's standards) and the huge The cast-In-place concrete headboard in­ thermal mass of the structure. Active circular corporates three porthole openings. From the DHW solar collectors originally integrated into outer two sprout goose-neck reading lamps. the north berm have been replaced with a more The insides of the holes are softened and col­ efficient array, which now also handles the hot ored by lighting that's recessed behind large Nerf balls. The bed was custom-built for this tub. But it is overscaled and too rectilinear for specific spot and fits neatly into its cast niche. the architecture. Perhaps new technology and The finish ceiling is made from Ix2 utility­ another solution can remedy this problem at a grade strapping. later date. D Craftsmanly details show the advantages that can be gained when the designers of a Steve Badanes is a partner in Jersey Devil, a house build it as well, and work alongside peripatetic group of architects, artists, ­ craftspeople invited on site to do specific jobs people and inventors, whose buildings have and add special touches. A visiting architect been chronicled in the recently released Jersey made the compound-curvature doors for the house. The one shown at right has a book· by Michael Crosbie Devil Design/Build Book 1. matched veneer skin that's glued to a (Peregrine Smith Books, Box 667, 1877 E. Gen­ curved inner framework. He also fashioned the tile St., Layton, Utah 84041). wooden roller latch and handle.

October/November 1985 33 Seismic Retrofits Anchor bolts and shear walls are the way to beef up older homes in earthquake-prone areas

by David Benar oya Helfant

eiSmOlOgists and geologists tell us that parts earthquake, and what can be done to prevent solid, steel-reinforced concrete foundations ofS the West Coast and the rest of the United those failures. that, except for needed foundation bolts, are States mainland are on two different, shifting Whenever we do an earthquake inspection, perfectly adequate to their tasks. Fortunately, tectonic plates. Geologically speaking, the com­ we spend some time with our clients describing there are bolts that can be added to the founda­ munities on the western plate are seceding from the basic components of a building, and how tion with the building in place, and we spend the rest of the Union at a rate of approximately they are affected by an earthquake. Houses con­ much of our time doing just that. 2 in. per year. It doesn't take an earthquake to sist of four kinds of structural elements: horizon­ Retrofit anchor bolts go by various names and see the results of this movement. Even in quiet tal members, such as joists, which support and are made by several companies. They are called times, you can see the effects on the land in this transfer the weight of the building and its cpn­ anchor bolts, expansion bolts or drop-in bolts. area. It cracks and subsides, slides and creeps, tents to the walls; vertical members, such as Some available brands include Quik Bolt (Hilti occasionally winding up on the neighbor's side walls and columns, which transfer the weight Co., PO Box 470400, Tulsa, Okla. 74147), the of the property line. downward; the foundation, which supports the Redhead (Phillips Drill Co., P.O. Box 364, Michi­ During a sizable earthquake, such as the 6.7 weight of the house and transfers it to the gan City, Ind. 46360), the Stud (Rawlplug Inc., shock that hit Coalinga, Calif., in 1983, things ground; and all points of connection between 200 Petersville Rd., New Rochelle, N. Y. 10802) happen in a hurry-especially to older homes. the wood members, between wood and con­ and the Para-bolt (Molly Div., Emhart Corp., 504 Foundations fail; gas lines break, causing fires; crete, and between concrete and concrete. Mt. Laurel Ave., Temple, Pa. 19560). The bolts framing connections prove inadequate; and un­ It's these points of connection that require come with a zinc chromate finish to protect reinforced masonry crumbles. special attention in earthquake country. We be­ them from corrosion, or in stainless steel for an­ 1 work for a company in the San Francisco gin fixIng most older homes at the foundation, choring in areas that are constantly wet. Bay Area that specializes in upgrading older by connecting the mudsill to the concrete foot­ The key design feature of the anchor bolt is homes to meet current standards of structural ings with anchor bolts. the metal collar near the tip of its conical end integrity. We work closely with soils engineers, (top drawing, facing page). Once the bolt has structural engineers and civil �ngineers to devel­ Anchor bolts- Until 1940, most California been driven home, three turns on the nut with a op strategies for reinforcing complicated struc­ building codes did not require foundation an­ crescent wrench will lift the cone end ju st tures. We also do work on simpler buildings, chor bolts. Consequently, a lack of anchor bolts enough so that it engages the collar and begins which can be strengthened following some ba­ is one of the most common deficiencies in older to expand it. This enlarges the diameter of the sic guidelines. This article talks about those homes. But many of these homes are built on bottom of the bolt's shank by about Yfl in. Once guidelines, and the tools and materials that we expanded, it will take several tons of withdrawal use to reinforce older wood-frame houses. Buildings that have unreinforced masonry col­ pressure on that bolt to get it out. When the col­ Most of the houses that we upgrade are built umns are especially prone to damage in an lective withdrawal resistance of a given number upon short stud walls, called cripple walls, earthquake (photo top). This fine old Califor­ of bolts exceeds the weight of the house multi­ which in turn bear on concrete foundations. In nia bungalow had a vast porch along its front plied by an engineered safety factor, the mudsill that was supported by stone pillars until the will stay connected to the foundation even un­ my 10 years of experience in this business, I Coalinga quake of 1983 brought it to its knees. have seen enough old buildings to draw some The wood-frame structure behind the porch der the most extreme geologic upheaval. conclusions about what makes them fail in an flexed enough to make it through the jolt. We generally use three sizes of anchor bolts

34 Fine Homebuilding in our work. For small buildings (600 sq. ft. or less), we use \I2-in. bolts, 7 in. long. Larger one­ Drop-in story buildings and two-story structures get %-in. anchor bolt bolts, 8\12 in. long. We hold three-story buildings down with o/.!-in. bolts, lOin. long.

Foundation candidates-Some foundations ...... " cannot be bolted. Brick foundations, which suf­ f <1 fer the greatest damage during earthquakes, do li not take anchor bolts very well. The bricks usu­ <1' ally crack from the drilling and pounding that ., occurs during installation, and the mortar A doesn't have enough adhesion to keep the bricks together during a severe earthquake. Crumbly and porous concrete cannot hold an anchor bolt because it offers little resistance to the flared end of the bolt. During an earthquake, a bolt in crumbly concrete will be pulled out of '" its hole and right through the mudsill. We drill a Collar few test holes in suspect concrete and set some (). anchor bolts, then tighten their nuts to see if Homes can be secured to their they grab. If the bolts keep right on climbing out foundations with drop-in anchor bolts. their holes, you can bet you've got poor-quality Once a hole has been drilled through the concrete on your hands. You can usually pick at mudsill and into the concrete (p hoto right), a bolt is inserted. As its nut is tightened, this stuff with a screwdriver and it will fall apart. the collar expands to anchor the bolt. In these cases, we recommend either complete or partial foundation replacement.

Bolting schedule-Full-length drop-in anchor bolts follow the same schedule as those for a normal, J-bolted foundation. We place them 4 ft. o. c., and within 12 in. of the end of any mudsill. Any single stretch of mudsill gets at least two bolts, and we place them within 6 in. of any butt joints in the sill. Because of the vagaries of this kind of work, we always end up putting in more than one bolt every 4 ft. An average-size house usually requires between 30 to 50 bolts, with costs per bolt ranging from about $2.50 for a \I2-in. by 7-in. bolt up to about $5.00 for a o/.!-in. by IO-in. bolt.

Tools and installation procedure-Power and light are the first priorities on a bolting job. This work relies heavily on electric power, so we have on hand plenty of grounded I2-ga. ex­ Cripple stud tension cords with thick rubber sheathing. We use at least two droplights with Tuff-skin bulbs for illumination. Tuff-skin bulbs hold up better to the knocks and drops of the work process. A rotary hammer (photo above right) is essen­ tial for drilling holes in concrete. We've used many brands, and our favorites are Hilti's T.E. models 52 and 72. They are light and powerful, Center hales for anchor bolts in and have a nicely designed swivel handle with a space between joists, 4 ft. o. c. locking mechanism to hold it in place anywhere in a 3600 circle. The holes for expansion anchor bolts should be drilled the same diameter as the bolt, so we a standard electric drill. Then we would use the fairly precise depths, so we set the depth carry a set of masonry bits that grow by lis-in. rotary hammer to finish the job in the concrete. on the hammer to the depth required by the increments from !4 in. on up to o/.!in. These are But we've decided that this is a waste of time. bolt. If the hammer doesn't have a depth stop, the most common anchor diameters. We're not drilling holes for dowel plugs here, we wrap a piece of tape on the bit to show how Our standard job equipment also includes and not surprisingly, a rotary hammer has no deep the hole is. several plastic tubes that are about 3 ft. long. problem gnawing through wood. So now we use Once the hole is bored to its finished depth, We use them to blow concrete dust out of the the rotary hammer to bore into both materials. we blow out the dust with tubing and pound the freshly drilled holes. We use a tube that is lis in. Bolts are best installed in a bay between joists bolt home with a I8 -in. long, 3-lb. or 4-lb. sledge­ smaller than the hole, which makes it easier to (drawing, above). This allows enough room to hammer. A sledge is necessary because you insert and allows room for the dust to escape. hold the rotary hammer so that the bit is as per­ don't have much room to swing a hammer under We used to begin setting a bolt by drilling a pendicular as possible to the sill. The holes for these conditions. Also, larger bolts require a lot hole in the mudsill with a spade bit mounted in expanding anchor bolts have to be drilled to more mass in the pounding hammer to drive

Drawings: Christopher Clapp October/November 1985 35 them home, and a wimpy little hammer just concrete. If you're persistent and lucky, you'll into a predrilled hole that inadvertently got par­ won't get the job done. get it out. If not, kiss it goodbye. At $30 to $50 tially backfilled with concrete dust when you If you do this work, sooner or later you'll on up for each bit, you'd better hope you're pulled out the drill bit. No matter how hard you need a good pair of 10-in. or longer vise grips. lucky and this doesn't happen too often. pound the bolt, it will not be driven to its proper You'll need them because the rotary-hammer bit Occasionally the drill bit will bind when installation depth. And when you're lying on will occasionally bind during drilling. This hap­ you're drilling a foundation at the 3-in. to 4-in. your side, and dust is everywhere in the dark pens when the bit gets caught on some steel or level. When this happens several times in differ­ and dank space that is typically 30 in. high at aggregate in the concrete, or because you ent spots, chances are good that you're hitting a most, the last thing you want to do is to create drilled too deep and the thicker shank at the top piece of rebar placed within 4 in. of the surface additional, unplanned and unbillable work for of the bit gets wedged in the hole. A rotary ham­ of the foundation. In this case, you'll have to use yourself. A fast and easy way to avoid this is to mer in only one direction, so there is no shorter bolts spaced closer together. Cut the carry a depth gauge and check the hole depth way to back a bit out of the hole. Once you're spacing down to 32 in. o. c. just before setting the bolt in it. If it's too shal­ stuck in high-psi concrete your only recourse is Once you've drilled all your holes and you've low, redrill it, clean out the dust and remeasure. to release the bit from the machine and back it blown them out, it's a good idea to make sure To set the bolt, first put the washer and the out with the vise grips. As a last resort you can the holes are deep enough for the bolt to be nut on the bolt, then start it in its hole and drive drill another hole along side the stuck bit and pounded down all the way. There is nothing it home. After it's set, all that should be exposed attempt to free it by breaking up the adjacent more frustrating than pounding an anchor bolt is the washer flush on the sill, the nut and about half the threads.

Sometimes it's impossible to get at the top of the mudsill to drill vertical holes for anchor bolts. In such cases, metal plates, lag-bolted to the sill and anchor-bolted to the concrete foundation, can be Horizontal drilling-The standard method in used to tie the slII and the foundation together. retrofit anchor bolting is to drill vertically into the foundation. But sometimes this is impossible. Many older buildings are built so close to the ground that there is not enough height to oper­ ate the drill vertically. A worker needs at least 24-in. clearance for vertical drilling. In crawl spaces with less than this, we attach the mudsill to the foundation with metal plates installed along the side of the sill and the foundation (photo left). This allows us to drill horizontally. We install our bolts through predrilled holes in the Ys-in. thick plate steel-Yz-in. lag bolts into the sill, and Yz-in. anchor bolts into the side of the stem wall. The lag bolts are half aslong as the width of the sill, and the anchor bolts half as long as the thickness of the stemwall. We make sure the anchor bolts are at least 5 in. from the top of the stemwall. If the sill is inset on the sur­ face of the foundation, we block behind the steel plate and use longer lag bolts.

Shear walls-Some earthquakes do their dam­ age by shaking a building for a prolonged peri­ od. This movement can weaken a structure's frame, and eventually pull it apart if it isn't prop­ erly braced. Other earthquakes wreak havoc when the ground heaves upward suddenly. This action can lift an entire building off its mudsill. Shear walls help a building resist both types of ground movement. Simply stated, a shear wall is a stiffening panel, rigid membrane or brace de­ signed to prevent a structure from racking under a load. Shear-walling is a logical second proce­ dure in seismic reinforcing, and in some cases, the shear wall is the major connection between the mudsill and the rest of the framing. A struc­ ture's mudsill may be bolted right up to code, but if the framing isn't tied to the sill, the anchor bolts are useless (photo facing page). One-by-six sheathing under exterior siding is the weakest form of cripple-wall bracing. Let-in diagonal Ix6 braces that tie mudsill, studs and plates together are stronger. A plywood shear wall that connects mudsill, cripple studs, and plates is the strongest. We use Y2 -in. CDX ply­ wood for shear walls on nearly all of our jobs, except for large and unusually heavy buildings, where we use %-in. CDX. On existing buildings, we retrofit the shear walls on the cripple studs from the inside. This saves the expense of tearing out the existing ex­ Shear-wall Installation terior siding. In determining the shear-wall Plywood shear panels provide racking resistance and counteract la teral forces .• needs, we check the direction of the floor joists and roof rafters. If both of the framing elements run in the same direction, then the two bearing walls on which they rest are carrying and trans­ ferring the major portion of the structural. load. In this case, more shear-walling should be in­ .. stalled under these walls. A standard rule of thumb for determining the amount of shear­ walling is to install it 4 ft. in each horizontal di­ 10d nails, 4 in. o.c . rection at each corner in one-story houses of • into all framin members 1,000 sq. ft. or less, 8 ft. in each direction in . . . : . �� two-story houses, and on all cripple stud walls in the substructural areas of three-story homes. If we are at all in doubt about what shear brac­ Top-of-plate to ing we need, we consult a structural engineer. Vent holes bottom-of-mudsill • .� measurement Shear-wall installation-We start by measur­ %-in. plywood shear wall ing from the base of the mudsill to the top of the plate (drawing, top right), and deciding what length is appropriate. We cut the plywood with e a worm-drive panel saw. We then hold it in �Chalklines. place, scribe hash marks noting the positions of the plate, studs, any diagonal bracing, and the ) sill. We then remove the plywood and snap . \ ." chalklines to indicate all the existing framing. Before installing the plywood, it's a good idea to paint the mudsill with an anti-termite and dry rot chemical. We typically use Cuperlignum or Cop­ per Green for this; both are readily available. After we've snapped our lines, we put the Section of reinforced cripple wall sheet back in place and tack one corner with lad common nails. Then we nail the plywood along all the chalklines with a nail gun loaded with lad galvanized common nails. Starting at the upper left and working our way to the right Simpson L-90 sheathing side, we nail the plywood at 4 in. o. c. to every secures subfloor 1 x6 to blocking. covered with framing member it touches. While this may shingles (typical) seem like overkill, the more nails you install the stronger the bracing becomes. Given the mini­ mal extra time and expense, the greater st,rength Joist that is produced seems well worth it. By nailing ) from one side to the other we are able to re­ move any of the warp in the plywood, resulting in a tight, firmly secured shear wall. You know it's been installed properly if, after you've fin­ We -in. plywood ished, you can slap it between the studs and blocking ties the joists produce a resonating drumlike sound. Once securely to the kneewall. Blocking is you've got it tight as a drum, go back with a toenailed to joists with good electric drill and drill a row of Y:!-in. dia. four nails per side and vent holes within 5 in. of the top plate and the nailed to the plate with 16d nails, 3 in. o. c. mudsill, approximately 16 in. o. c.-between all framing members. If any moisture builds up be­ hind the plywood, air circulating through the Yz -in. plywood vent holes will allow it to dissipate. shear wall For houses built on slabs or those built with­ out sufficient crawl space for retrofitting the Drop-in anchor bolt shear wall, it may be necessary to strip the exte­ rior siding away from the walls and install the plywood from the outside. After the stud walls have been shear-walled, it's a good idea to inspect the first-floor framing diaphragm. Good floor diaphragms have block­ The house at right sat atop cripple studs that ing between the joists at all plates, and then ev­ were toenailed to an anchor-bolted mudsill. ery 8 ft. to 10 ft. If the joist span is 10 ft. or less, Unfortunately, the exterior sheathing was the then at least one line of blocking at midspan will only connection between the sill and the house, and the Coalinga quake sent the build­ do. If the joists lack sufficient blocking, they are ing about a foot north. The drawing above subject to tipping movement and could collapse shows how blocking and angle ties can remedy during a serious earthquake. Check the sub floor- this weakness.

October/November 1985 37 ing. Most older homes have lx material nailed Metal connectors-Anchor bolts and plywood framing, which cuts down on the likelihood of a to the joists either perpendicular or diagonal to shear walls are the standbys of our reinforcing gas-line break at the water heater during an the direction of the floor joists. Note also how strategy, but many other pieces of construction earthquake. Much of the destruction caused by the joists are connected to the plate. Remember hardware can come in handy when it's time to earthquakes is from natural-gas fires, so it's very that the floor connection to the plate is vital. If it upgrade an old building. The drawing below important to anchor gas appliances that are like­ is weak, it may separate from the cripple- stud shows some of the metal connectors that we ly to fall over in a major quake. We also encour­ construction during heavy seismic activity and use regularly in our work. age our customers to install automatic gas shut­ could slide off that substructural base. We use hurricane ties to reinforce the con­ off valves. A good reinforcing procedure is to add block­ nection between the rafters and the plates on ing to the floor joists if they are insufficiently which they rest. These metal connectors are Safety under the house-Running a power­ blocked. At the cripple walls, run the blocking bent so that two perpendicular framing mem­ ful rotary hammer while wedged between floor down over the shear wall at least 4 in. At these bers can be joined using the fasteners' shear joists and the ground makes for deafening noise overlaps nail through the blocking into the ply­ strength, rather than their withdrawal capabili­ and very sore elbows and knees. The risk of in­ wood and the plate (bottom drawing, previous ties. Hurricane ties are also useful for anchoring jury is relatively great, and protective equipment page). In addition to toenailing the sides of the floor joists to their plates when the original fast­ is essential. blocking to the joists, we install Simpson L-90 eners aren't substantial enough. Concrete dust is bad for the lungs, so wear ties at 4-ft. intervals where the blocking hits the On homes with center girders, we use a lot of the best dust mask you can find. It should fit bottom of the subfloor. These angle ties are T-straps and L-straps to stiffen these potentially tightly over the nose and cheeks and around the about 8 in. long, and have holes for five screws wobbly junctions. mouth. We usually wear pads and elbow on each flange. We use #10 Phillips-head wood Hold-downs can be used along with a drop-in pads over a long-sleeve shirt. Good ear protec­ screws to connect the ties to the block and to anchor bolt to secure a post or stud to a footing. tors are vital-without them your hearing will be the subfloor. Once this is accomplished, the A pair of hold-downs linked with a threaded damaged if you do this kind of work on a daily first-floor diaphragm is more securely attached steel rod can be used to create a tension tie basis. Safety goggles are a must to protect the to the reinforced and bolted substructure. This from one floor to another. eyes from flying chips of concrete and wood. As is particularly important at the building's cor­ Although we don't use it for structural pur­ an added precaution, we always keep a well­ ners, and along the pl ate and cripple walls poses, another metal connector that we com­ stocked first-aid kit on every job near the en­ where joists bear. A lot of weight comes togeth­ monly use is plumber's tape. We make straps trance to the crawl space. er and is transferred in these areas. out of it to secure water heaters to the adjacent Trials and tribulations-Retrofit bolting and most of the reinforcing work involving substruc­ tural carpentry takes place in dark, dusty and Metal connectors suffocatingly small crawl spaces. Quite often the work is done in crouching or reclining positions, or on your knees. Often the installer must lie on his side or stomach while doing the work, which is noisy, involves powerful, heavy, hand-held equipment (two hands), and is physically de­ manding and exhausting. It is not work for the weak, the meek or the claustrophobic. It's actu­ ally a lot more like coal mining than carpentry work. And that's no joke. Reinforcing work is rarely seen by the client or by anyone else. Once in a blue moon an owner will crawl along with you for a tour of the completed work. Inevitably, the client marvels at the accomplishment and looks at you in amazement, wondering if you-'re superhuman, Hurricane\ tie neurotic or just plain crazy for doing this kind of work. Sometimes, I wonder myself. Nonetheless, there is a significant measure of satisfaction from knowing that in areas hit by earthquakes, seismic connections often mean the difference between ruin and relatively minor losses. Research and experience have shown that these retrofits can result in far greater safety for those who live in these homes. II 0 Second-floor II joist David Benaroya Helfant, Ph .D., is mana ging of­ II ficer of Bay Area Stru ctural, Inc., general engi­ --- neering and general building contractors in I I Threaded rod II Berkeley, Calif Fo r more on this subject, see II Peace of Mind in Earthquake Country by Peter Ya nev (Chronicle Books, 1 Hallidie Plaza, Suite 806, San Francisco, Calif 94102), Earthquake Hazards and Wood Frame Houses (Center fo r Environmental Design Research, Wu rs ter Hall, Un iversity of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, Calif 94720) and Earthquake Resistant Design by D. 1. Dowrick, (John Wiley and Sons In c., 1 Wiley Drive, Somerset, N. 1. 08873).

38 Fine Homebuilding ver the years I've seen plenty of tool­ edge tools like chisels and planes shouldn't be narrow and 2 ft. to 3 ft. long, the open shoulder boxes.O Most of them are variations on several allowed to knock around in the box. Levels, toolbox has a closet-pole handle that extends basic designs that have stood the test of time. saws and files need similar protection. the full length of the box. The ends of the box Now and again [ build a new toolbox, either to Tools should be readily seen, easily acces­ are higher than the sides to keep the handle up replace one that's worn out or because [ think sible when they're needed and conspicuously out of the way so that tools can be picked up I've got a better design. absent when you're packing up at the end of the and replaced quickly. These boxes are meant to Before looking at particular toolbox designs, day. And last, a good toolbox makes a good im­ be moved around a lot, so they've got to be rug­ it's important to acknowledge some general de­ pression. If you're on a job with new clients or gedly built and symmetrically proportioned in sign guidelines. The most important requirement among unfamiliar carpenters, your toolbox is a case you need to put the thing on your shoulder of a good toolbox is capacity. It's got to be able resume of sorts. Sure, you can carry your tools and climb a ladder. Handsaws, pencils, ham­ to hold all, or at least most, of the tools for a in a 5-gal. joint-compound bucket, but chances mers, a prybar, a level, try and framing squares, specialized or general job. [t has to be spacious are your clients or your fellow carpenters will a few chisels, a chalkline and a tape measure or and durable without being so unwieldy that you spend a lot of time looking over your shoulder. folding rule are some of the tools the average can't move it comfortably from place to place. shoulder box is meant to hold. A toolbox doesn't merely store tools; it protects The open shoulder box-With today's wide­ To keep tools from banging into each other, them when they're not in use. This means that spread use of portable power tools, the framing most carpenters build a few compartments into carpenter might get by without an open shoul­ these boxes. Kerfs for handsaw blades can be Consulting Editor To m Law is currently build­ der box. [n the old days, though, these simple cut into one end of the box and the saw handles ing a house in Schuylkill Haven, Pa. toolboxes were standard equipment. Typically can protrude outside the box, or you can simply

October/November 1985 39 make the box long enough to accommodate the full length of the saw. In the better shoulder boxes that I've seen, there is a long compart­ ment for saws on one side. And there are sever­ al lower compartments and one or more small, shallow boxes that rest inside the box on top of the lower partitions (photo top left).

Tool cases-The utility of the open shoulder box is compromised by the fact that it offers very little protection from the weather or from , dirt and other construction debris. Tool cases do. At just about any hardware store or building-materials supplier, you can buy met­ al tool cases in a variety of sizes. I don't really consider these as carpentry items, though. Most of them are poorly made, and their metal com­ partments can't be modified easily to fit the tools you want to carry. Wood is a far better material for a carpenter's toolbox. Wooden tool cases have been made in a number of sizes. The simple ones are about the same size as a shoulder box, but have a hinged top with a handle on it. Handsaws are usually kept in the top. The base is divided into several compartments, and there's usually a shallow lift­ out box as well. To enclose the framing square, you need a box the size of a suitcase. Small cases are usual­ Long and narrow, the open shoulder box has traditionally been the workhorse toolbox of the fram­ ly designed so that the short blade of the square ing carpenter_ Elaborate versions, like the one shown above, are divided into compartments to protrudes through a slot in the top of the case. keep edge tools or delicate tools like handsaws and levels separate fromthe jumble of tools below. Portable and rugged, this type of toolbox has two main disadvantages: It offers no protection from sawdust or bad weather, and tools often have to be hunted for_ The APA case-Trade-offs between weight and capacity have always caused problems in toolbox design. In 1960, the National Associ­ ation of Home Builders conducted a time-and­ motion study of carpenters at work. It was dis­ covered that carpenters sometimes spent more time looking for a tool than they did using it. Soon after this fact came to light, the Douglas Fir Plywood Association-now the American Plywood Association-designed a tool cabinet that, when open, resembled a displa y case of common hand tools (photo bottom left). The APA tool case actually came in two ver­ sions: one that opened as two compartments and one that opened as three. Of course, it was J made mostly of plywood. The most impressive thing about these cases was the way that every tool was secured. Chisels were held in brackets or webbing adjusted to individual blade widths; saws were secured with their blades in slots and their handles latched; screwdrivers and pliers were held by brackets or broom clips. With this type of setup, it's virtually impossible to put a tool back in the wrong place. It's also easy to spot a missing tool. Unfortunately, the APA no longer sells plans for either of these toolboxes. What the APA case demonstrates is the con­ cept of custom-building the toolbox around the tools it's supposed to hold. This isn't a new idea, and in fact many versions of the APA's toolbox design were developed by the Stanley Tool Cor­ poration during the early part of this century. For years, Stanley published a nifty catalog of tool cabinets and cases. Each one contained an The cabinet-type toolbox shown above was developed in the 1960s by the Douglas Fir Plywood array of hand tools that were clamped or Association. Its display-case design makes tools easy to findand also makes it obvious what tools are missing at the end of the day. Webbing, metal hooks or brackets and simple wood latches are latched in place. Yes, the tools came with the used to secure different tools. Two disadvantages with this type of toolbox are its tendency to blow box, and at prices that would make a modern over easily and its lack of storage for small items. Photo courtesy American Plywood Association. carpenter cry.

40 Fine Homebuilding The author's toolbox, shown open and closed at right and above, combines display-case design for large tools with drawer space for smaller items. The top section swings open on a piano hinge, revealing saws, squares, hammers and planes. The legs of the framing square slide be­ hind the small platform above the drawers. In a good toolbox, the storage space is tailored to the tools. Remaining photos: Top, chisels occu­ py their own drawer and fitinto individual slots to protect honed edges. Center, carrying slots for the level, and sliding T- are made from solid wood glued to the back of the box. Bottom, the hacksaw, , and saw are secured in slots cut in a piece of Y2-in. plywood. The two outer slots are for full-size handsaws.

My design-A few years ago I made a cabinet­ them, so the box is bottom heavy, as it should style toolbox similar to the APA toolbox. It was be for stability. slightly larger and heavier, so I mounted it on caster wheels. I could roll it around the work­ Toolbox construction-Plywood is the best space, and it was nice to be able to see my tools material to use for the body of the case and for out in front of me. The trouble with this and oth­ drawer sides and bottoms. I built a fancy version er cabinet-type boxes is that they blow over of my latest toolbox design using solid easily in a wind, or are just as easily knocked and sassafras boards that came from trees on over accidentally. My cabinet's numerous top­ my property. Rather than rabbeted joints and plings finally did it in. Rather than glue it togeth­ flat sides, this one has dovetails and raised pan­ er once more, I disassembled it and used the els. It's more beautiful to look at than my ply­ wood and the wheels for other things. wood version, but it's also a lot heavier and-I In my next toolbox I tried to combine the suspect-less durable. best features of the cabinet toolbox with the Half-inch birch-faced plywood is what I used best features of the case-type toolbox. This hy­ for the toolbox shown here. I constructed the brid, shown in'the photos on this page, seems to top part of the case-down to the tray above work best for me. Its overall dimensions are as the drawers-as a whole and then ripped out follows: 16 in. high; 8 in. wide, 30 in. long. Its the hinged section on my table saw. I had to top half hinges up, revealing an upper section finish this cutout using a handsaw where the reserved for saws-two full-size handsaws, a circular-saw blade wouldn't reach. backsaw, a hacksaw, a keyh ole saw and a cop­ I used a piano hinge to make the top open. ing saw. The back of the case revealed by the It's easy to mount and distributes the weight in fold-up top is used to hold the level, try square, the hinged portion evenly. The handles, corner sliding T-bevel and framing square. The framing shields and drawer pulls are either thin-gauge square slips behind the small platform above the brass or brass-plated steel. drawers, where I keep a smooth plane, a block The fixtures in the upper part of the box that plane, a tape measure, a Yankee screwdriver hold the larger tools were made from pine and a couple of hammers. scraps and simply glued in place (photo middle The four shallow drawers in the bottom part right). I cut the handsaw slots in the hinged por­ of this toolbox are important features. One tion (photo bottom right) on my table saw. The holds nothing else but my set of chisels (photo only latch inside the box is the one that holds right, third from bottom). Notches cut into the hacksaw handle. wood spacer strips hold each sharpened edge Drawer fronts shouldn't be made of plywood away from its neighbors. because they'll get dinged up too easily. I used The other three drawers hold a variety of maple for my drawer fronts, but almost any small items: nail sets, a full drill-bit index, cop­ hardwood will do. Each front is dadoed to re­ ing and hacksaw blades, pliers, snips, pencils, a ceive its sides and grooved to accept the bot­ utility knife, a , an adjustable wrench tom panel of !;.l-in. plywood. I left my plywood and several files. What's in the drawers weighs box unfinished, but for extra protection you can quite a bit more than the tools stored above apply a couple of coats of polyurethane. 0 Deck Design A guide to the basics of deck construction

by Scott Grove

properly built deck should last a lifetime. signing a deck. For instance, a landing in front figures reflect our company's wage scale, con­ ABut for this to be possible, you must constantly of a door needs plenty of room to allow the struction speed and craftsmanship, and if a deck think about nature's elements as you design and door to open with at least one person on the design is particularly unusual we'll adjust the fig­ build it. If you don't, trapped moisture can pro­ landing. A low walkway that may be just fine ures upward. For those who work alone or with mote bacterial degrade that will slowly eat your without a railing in the summer can be most minimal help, the following materials-only esti­ deck away. dangerous in the winter, when snow conceals mate, based on prices for # I pressure-treated its edges. Define these edges and all corners, us­ lumber in New York State, will help determine Planning the deck-A deck is an intermediate ing posts, trees, bushes, rocks or any other visu­ approximate costs: $3.00 per sq. ft. for the de'ck­ space between the controlled environment of a al device on or off the deck that will help make ing lumber, $4.50 per sq. ft. for stairs, $2.25 per house and the raw elements outdoors. Since a the feature more obvious. lin. ft. for railings, and $8.25 per lin. ft. for deck can expand the living area of the house Designing a deck can seem complex if you've benches. The type of construction you use, and and serve as an entry, it's important to consider never built one before, so beginners should the level of detail you include, will have a signifi­ traffic patterns in your planning. Avoid paths make a detailed drawing of the entire layout, cant effect on the expense of your deck. that cross through activity areas, and arrange for board by board. Once the design is on paper, them to be as direct as possible. A path improp­ it's fairly easy to compile a list of materials. Plan­ Choosing lumber-Water is the worst enemy erly located can isolate small areas and render ning the layout and orientation of a deck is at of woodwork, and this fact should be foremost them nearly useless. least as important as building it. in your mind as you select lumber for your deck. A deck can accentuate the good features of Remember that water does the most damage an area and minimize the bad ones. It can con­ Estimating costs-We've been building decks when it rests undisturbed on or in the wood, es­ ceal a fuel tank or snuggle around a tree. Decks in New York State for seven years, and we use pecially in places that are slow to dry out. Warp­ are great for hiding ugly foundations, service the following figures for rough estimates of the ing is the number-one problem with decks, and meters or old concrete patios. Let ·these existing materials and labor needed to build a deck: $8 water contributes to the problem. Checks chan­ elements influence your deck design and they'll per sq. ft. for decking (including the framing and nel water inside a board to accelerate the decay make your job easier. The space under a deck footings), $7 per sq. ft. for stairs, $10 per lin. ft. process, and so when we're building a deck we can be used to store firewood, too. for simple railings, $15 per lin. ft. for bevel-cut routinely cut back boards with serious end Safety is an important consideration when de- railings and $20 per lin. ft. for benches. These checks. We allow for these cuts when we design a deck by making sure that our plans call for material about 6 in. shorter than standard lum­ Decks ease the transition between the house and the landscape, and also serve as an entry. Decks should be functional, durable, well proportioned and attractive. Properly designed so they won't ber lengths. trap water, they will withstand the destructive forces of the weather. The amount of moisture within new lumber determines how much it will shrink. In wood that's continually exposed. to the weather, shrinkage can be considerable. Try to buy kiln­ dried lumber, even if this means purchasing from a supplier other than the one you usually use. If dry wood is not available, or if its added cost is not in your budget, at least make sure that the moisture content is consistent through­ out your selection. You may not be able to pre­ vent shrinkage, but if you plan for it ahead of time the deck will look better because the gaps between the boards will look uniform. Different­ size gaps will make the work look sloppy. The grade and species of lumber you select will directly affect the longevity of your deck. In parts of the West, decks are frequently built from cedar or redwood. These species are read­ ily available and quite resistant to decay. But in the eastern part of the country, pressure-treated lumber is used most often because it withstands our harsh climate, and is generally more avail­ able and less expensive than cedar or redwood. There are two grades of pressure-treated lum­ ber suitable for decks. We strongly recommend using # I yellow pine, particularly for the rail-

42 Fine Homebuilding ings, benches and decking. The quality of # 1 stakes and some basic geometry (see FHB #11, smooth, and the bottom of the hole should be pressure-treated lumber is fairly consistent, and pp. 25-28). This method works well on decks slightly larger than the top to distribute loads the material is easier to work than #2 grade. The with simple rectilinear forms, but complex forms well. If there are any ledges or if the hole nar­ #2 grade has a greater number of open knots, are considerably trickier to deal with. When we rows at the bottom, the freeze/thaw cycle will and these weaken the boards and encourage are faced with the task of building elaborate lift or tip the pier as much as 12 in. over time. water to accumulate. Large knots that span forms, we've found a way to locate piers that Make sure that the floor of the hole is undis­ more than half the width of a board are very works quite well, and that allows for design turbed earth, because a layer of soft earth here dangerous in either grade, since the pressure of flexibility as the project progresses. will allow the pier to sink. a footstep or rough handling during construc­ Rather than spend a lot of time and effort to We usually pour concrete directly into the tion will sometimes snap the board in half. One locate all the piers at once, we use a locate­ hole, using the sides of the hole to form the problem with pressure-treated lumber is war­ build-locate process. The idea is to define the pier. You can also use Sonotubes to line the page. It can twist severely, cup and bow if not limits of the deck, locate and then pour perim­ hole. These cardboard tubes, av ailable in var­ handled correctly. Keep it covered and out of eter piers. Once this is done we can frame the ious diameters from masonry-supply stores, are the sun until you use it. perimeter of the deck, bracing it in place. After especially handy if you want the concrete to ex­ Pressure-treated lumber often has a greenish that, we locate the rest of the piers. tend above grade to form a pier. If you suspend color, due to the chemicals it's impregnated The easiest piers to locate are the ones that the tube 6 in. above the bottom of the hole with (usually chromated copper arsenate). This must be placed at a particular point. If you when you pour, the concrete will ooze out the tint will weather away into a pleasing light grey know, for example, that you want the edge of bottom to widen the base of the pier and in­ in about two years, though the treatment chemi­ the deck to change direction about 10 ft. from crease its bearing ability. Piers should include cals still protect the wood. Some people want the house and 14 ft. from the oak tree, dig and #4 reinforcing bar if they extend more than 6 in. more color to their deck, however, so we rec­ pour a pier there. The process is empirical: you above grade. ommend a semi-transparent stain (see FHB #27, build what you know in order to answer ques­ A good concrete mix for piers is 1:2:3, which pp. 54-55). If you wait a year or so before the tions about what you don't know. means one part portland cement, two parts sand, first application of stain, the wood will have a After the concrete has partially cured in about and three parts gravel (%-in. or I-in. gravel will chance to dry out a bit and will accept a fuller 24 hours (it will take ne arly a month to gain be fine). An alternative to mixing your own con­ coating. We prefer stain to paint because paint most of its strength), we begin framing. This crete is to purchase ready-mix, which is a pre­ traps moisture and requires more maintenance. method may seem somewhat backward, but we proportioned cement, gravel and sand mixture When you order the lumber for a deck, in­ often find it much easier and more accurate in that usually comes in gO-lb. bags. The portland clude about 10 % more than you think you'll the long run to dig some piers to support interi­ cement will sometimes settle to the bottom of need. This will prevent time-consuming trips to or spans after the perimeter is established. ready-mix bags, so its a good idea to dry-mix the lumberyard if your estimate was slightly off, You will need a long-handled shovel, a dig­ the contents of each bag before adding water. A and allow you to cull out badly warped boards ging bar and a post-hole digger to dig the holes wheelbarrow is great for mixing concrete in, but with too many knots. for piers. There are two kinds of manually oper­ be sure to wash it out afterwards, along with When the lumber is delivered, remember that ated post-hole diggers, and you may end up us­ your mixing tools. moist lawns and delivery trucks are a bad com­ ing both of them on your deck project. A post­ bination. There are better ways to find out hole auger looks and works somewhat like a Finding level-Building a deck can be an ex­ where the septic-system drainfield is than to giant corkscrew; as you turn it into the earth it ercise in elementary civil engineering, and many have a truck crush the drain tiles. And since the pulls dirt from the hole. An auger works particu­ beginners are frustrated by having to find the chemicals in pressure-treated lumber can kill larly well in hard ground, but is easily stymied proper relationship between posts and boards grass, make sure you relocate lumber piles after by rocks. A clamshell post-hole digger looks like that aren't connected. You can't always use a three days to a different location on the lawn. two long-handled spades hinged together at the carpenter's level to do this-how would you ferrule, with the blades opposing each other. check two posts, 15 ft. apart, to see if they are at Nails-We use only galvanized nails on deck The work goes quickly in soft ground, but more the same height? We often use a 2-ft. level on a projects, 10d for the decking and 16 d for fram­ slowly in packed or clay soils. The clamshell is long, straight board to check for level, but other ing. Two types of galvanized nails are available. less likely to stall when you hit rocks, since it tools can be used as well. Electro-plated nails _ have a smooth finish and can reach into a hole to remove them, but large A string level is a small spirit level that hooks " take less effort to pound in, but hot-dipped rocks can cause problems. onto a length of layout twine. When the twine is nails, with their rough surface, grip much better If you have a lot of holes to dig, you can rent pulled taut, a rough estimate of level can be de­ and are also more rust-resistant. To save time in a gasoline-powered hole digger. This is basically termined by raising or lowering one end of the laying down decking, we use a pneumatic nailer a power auger, and we prefer the one-person twine and watching the bubble in the level. and resin-coated galvanized nails. The resin model with a torque bar because it won't take An optical pocket level is something of a coating heats up when the nail penetrates the you for a ride when it hits a rock. cross between a telescope and a transit. Look­ wood, and then hardens like glue for a firm grip. A long digging bar comes in handy for loos­ ing through it, you align a small leveling bubble If you have problems with lumber splitting as ening dirt and breaking rocks that can't easily with cross hairs to determine an approximately you nail into it, use your hammer to blunt the be removed from the hole in one piece. It also level visual line. end of your nails. This way they will puncture helps loosen tightly packed soil. This solid, A water level is an inexpensive and very accu­ the wood instead of piercing and splitting it. heavy, steel persuader is pointed on one end, rate homemade device used to check the rela­ and can also be used to pry out rocks. tive heights of widely separated items. It's made Piers-Like the foundation of a house, the foun­ Rocks are the main problem in digging foot­ from clear plastic tubing filled with water (a few dation of a deck must transfer loads from the ings around here, but roots can also be a nui­ drops of food coloring will make the water easi­ structure to the ground. But unlike the founda­ sance since decks are frequently near large er to see). Because of atmospheric pressure, the tions of most houses, deck foundations are not trees. Use an old handsaw or sharp ax to cut the water level at one end of the tubing always continuous. To support the deck, a system of roots cleanly, but don't seal the cut ends. A matches the water level at the opposite end, no concrete piers is used. The piers extend from botanist once told me that a root or branch will matter how many twists and turns the tubing grade level to below the frost line-32 in. to heal itself, and that tar and other sealants inter­ takes. It's particularly useful over long distances, 48 in. in our climate. A pier that does not go fere with this process. as when you want to compare the heights of below the frost line will eventually heave and The shape of the holes you dig is nearly as ledger and posts. push the deck out of level. important as their depth. They should generally A transit is a precision instrument used by sur­ The standard method of determining where be round, and about 8 in. to 12 in. in diameter. veyors, and this is what we use to determine lev­ the piers will go requires string, a collection of The sides of the hole should be reasonably el, plumb and the relative heights of widely dis-

October/November 1985 43 tant objects with a high degree of accuracy. The Joists-Joists are the uppermost structural ele­ to a level chalkline. This compensates for slight transit is fairly expensive, but if you do a lot of ment supporting the decking. They are generally variations in joist width. decks, the money is well spent. 2x lumber, and should be reasonably straight. A cleat can also be used to support the ends When laying joists into place, make sure that of the joists. You still need to toenail the joists, The ledger-The ledger is a length of 2x lum­ any crown in the board is facing up; in time, but splitting is reduced because the nails can be ber that is attached directly to the house, allow­ gravity and the weight of the decking will a smaller size since they do not carry the weight ing a portion of the deck to "borrow" the foun­ straighten the joists. of the deck. If you use this technique, the ledger dation of the house for support. It's usually the There are at least two good techniques for at­ should be one dimension wider than the joists. first framing member to be installed and should taching joists to the ledger, and at least one that For example, use a 2x8 ledger with 2x6 joists. be selected from the straightest stock available, should not be used. One reason many decks de­ This will allow room for a 2x2 cleat to be at­ since it serves as a reference point for mw;:h of cay at this location is that the joists are toe nailed tached to the ledger. Run a of silicone the work to follow. When you install the ledger, into the ledger; nails split the ends of the joists, caulk along the cleat/ledger seam to keep the don't rely on siding or the foundation to be lev­ allowing water to collect exactly where it water out. el, because often they're not. shouldn't. Joist hangers minimize splitting at the The top of the ledger supports the decking, joist end, and will prevent water from getting Decking-If the decking surface is not applied and if you think of it as a rim joist, you'll get the trapped in this crucial joint. We first nail the properly, it will be the first thing to deteriorate, idea. If the ledger has to be attached to the hangers to the joists, and then fit the assembly causing a chain reaction of decay throughout house foundation in order for the final deck ele­ vation to be where you want it, you'll have to fasten it with lag bolts and lead expansion Anatomy of a deck shields or some other masonry-anchor system. Masonry nails won't work very well, particularly in poured foundations that have had many years to cure. When using a standard masonry bit in Siding an electric drill to bore holes for the expansion shields in a concrete foundation, use a star drill Felt to break apart any pieces of aggregate you can't drill through. We've found that a roto-hammer speeds this job considerably. Sometimes the plans will call for the ledger to be fastened above the house foundation, and in this case, 4-in. by %-in. galvanized lag bolts spaced about 24 in. apart and fastened to studs or a rim joist will usually do the job. Slide flash­ ing under the existing siding and over the led­ ger, if possible, to keep water from seeping be­ hind it. If the ledger is going to be mounted to some sort of concrete patio or walkway, use shims to hold the board away from the concrete to allow the water to pass freely by. Allow at least 1 in. between door sills and the 2x cleat decking surface to prevent any water from run­ ning back off the deck into the house. If you Flash include a step, use the same step rise used else­ or caulk here. where on the deck for the sake of consistency. Masonry anchor Posts-Posts transfer the loads from the deck structure to the piers. One end of each post is Built-up 2x attached to a beam or a joist, and the other end Alternatepost detail beam with rests on the pier. We usually don't anchor posts A 6x6 post is notched to spacer blocks support doubled 2x joists or to the piers, since the weight of the deck is a built-up beam. The tongue enough to keep them in position. Though many and the shoulders of the post 4x4 post people embed posts in concrete, we feel this should be beveled to shed water. technique can create serious problems if water collects between the post and the concrete. Posts are usually 4x4s, 4x6s or 6x6s. A 6x6 post is generally more than needed for bearing pur­ poses, but it enables us to notch beams or joists into it for added strength.

Beams-Beams are an intermediate structural member, used to support joists. They can be sol­ id lumber, usually 4x6 or 4x8, or they can be V2-in. spacer built up out of 2x lumber. When you're fabricat­ block is angled ing built-up beams, a common mistake is to nail to shed wa ter. ___ .. the individual 2x material face to face, which al­ Corner post """f":1' lows water to get trapped between these boards. Instead, you should sandwich blocks of Y2-in. Mitered comer Nail through joists into post. pressure-treated wood between the boards to Post can be extended to create a void for water to run through. provide railing support.

44 Fine Homebuilding Drawing: Frances Ashforth the rest of the structure. Neuer butt the ends of two decking members together and nail into a single joist. This is one of the major causes of decking failure (top photo, next page). The rea­ son is that water collects in the seam between the butting boards and enters their end grain. And when two boards butt over a single joist, the problem is intensified. With only % in. for each deck board to be nailed into, the nails must be placed very close to the end of the board, encouraging splitting. We get around these problems by doubling up strategic joists, using a block of wood between them to create a 1 Y2-in. space. The end of each deck board canti­ levers over this space so water can't collect. This also allows the boards to be nailed farther from their ends, which minimizes splitting. If Bench supports built from 2x8s can be trimmed to a width of about 3Y2 in. where they form the backrest. The supports should be securely nailed or bolted to the decks supporting structure.

Decking Use 2x4s. 2x6s. or alternate each. Laying boards at an angle increases the Anchor joists with metal Use 16d nails for structural . rigidity of the deck. Line up the joints. ties. or toenail. nailing and 10d for and place them over the gap in doubled decking and toenailing. jois ts. To eliminate water collection on top. leave a 'AJ-in to !;4-in gap between boards. Nail twice at each joist with 70d galvanized casing nails. Miter corners. Round over top edges with router. Inside corners require sanding.

(­ I Before installing decking. spread gravel underneath deck I, �, to aid water drainage and I II,' I reduce weeds. Bury a � I, pressure-treated board " i J Footing with >-...f,, '-_ . to contain the gravel. #4 rebar Stairs1ri ngers Use at least three for every stair run. and nail into joists when possible. Cover all seams with flashing. Risers and outside stringers can be mitered for a cleaner look. The vertical face of the center stringer must be cut back 11& in. to accommodate the mitered riser. The premature failure of decking is often you must nail closer than 2 in. to the end of a safe, and build our railings as strong as possible. caused by nailing too close to the end of the board, predrilling the nail holes can also help to To do this, we solidly attach the posts or balus­ board. This encourages splitting, and allows reduce splitting. ters to the deck joists. These structural supports water to accumulate around the board ends. For the decking surface, we like to use 2x6s should be located no more than 48 in. apart, or sometimes 5/4 by 6s if the quality is good. and the railing should be about 34 in. above the You can also use 2x4s, but you'll have a lot decking surface. Be sure that the edges of the more nailing to do. If you have the choice, nail railing are well sanded, especially in places that the decking cup-side down to prevent any water will get a lot of use, like stair railings. from pooling on the individual boards. Consider the spacing between your railing We like to space the decking boards about uprights as part of the project's visual design. yg in. apart (the thickness of a 10d nail). The Close spacing visually encloses the space, and boards will shrink, depending on their moisture also prevents small children from falling through. content, and we have seen this space expand up Railings with fewer uprights will visually expand to y.; in. If there are a lot of deciduous trees with the space and be less inhibiting to your view. small leaves close to the deck, you might want a One type of railing we use combines a bevel­ wider spacing to allow the leaves to fall through. cut 2x6 and a matching 2x4 into an "L" shape. When you're installing the decking, some boards We position the 2x6 horizontally, and our clients will most likely be crooked. With a flat bar and enjoy the strong visual effect this creates. The some lever action, one person can easily straight­ 2x6 acts as a cap for the railing uprights, shield­ en out each board while nailing. ing their end grain from the elements. Although tricky, this technique allows for some very inter­ Stairways-Stairways can be dangerous areas, esting joinery at all corners. To clean up the mi­ and require special attention. Codes usually call tered edge, we round it over with a router or for at least one railing at the side of the stairs if belt sander. A simpler railing is shown in the they include more than two risers. Wide stair­ drawing, previous page. ways have a spacious and inviting appearance, so we like to build them at least 4 ft. wide, Seating-Built-in seating is a great way to fin­ enough for two people to pass comfortably. ish the deck. As with railings, there are many Inconsistency in the height of a step or length ways to build it, and no one way is correct. of a tread is dangerous and awkward. We have You can build seating either with or without a found that a shorter rise and longer tread is easi­ backrest, and the choice will often depend on er to walk up, safer and very elegant. A rise of whether or not an unobstructed view is impor­ about 7 in. seems to be make a comfortable tant. If comfort is more important, you'll want to step, and allows us to use an untrimmed 2x6 for build at least some of the seats with a backrest. the risers. Sometimes we miter the riser boards The top of the backrest should be between 30 in. into the outside stringers. We're not fond of ex­ and 34 in. from the deck, which can be de­ posed stringers. We use a pair of 2x6s for the signed nicely to tie in with the railing. tread; these make a run of a bit more than 12 in. A backless bench can function as a physical with a trim board. barrier for a deck edge without acting as a visual We use three stringers for deck stairs, even if barrier as well. We have also used a low, wide the stairway is only 30 in. wide. We have seen railing as a mini-bench, which also makes a too many stairways warp and fall apart with only good place to display potted plants. And some­ two stringers. Using three-stringer construction times we'll use a built-in planter to serve as a isn't too difficult and doesn't cost much more. visual barrier. In fact, the trickiest part of building one is cut­ Benches can be difficult to build, since they ting each stringer to identical shape and lining not only have to be strong, but comfortable too. them all up in the same plane on the rise and With backless benches, we have used 4x4s or run. You can buy framing clips (called stair­ 2x6s as supports. For a bench with a backrest, gauge buttons) to keep your framing square in we use a 2x8 as the · seat support, and rip it the right position while you lay out each string­ down to a 2x4 for the backrest support (photo er, but this doesn't always get you past Murphy's previous page). A 150 backward lean seems to law. Our trick is to lay out one stringer only and be comfortable. We then run our mitered railing clamp it to another length of stringer stock. across the top at 32 in. The cross supports for When you cut the first one, the sawblade scores the seat are 2x6s cut into long, wide triangles. the second one, saving you one layo ut. Repeat For the seat, we use three 2x6s with a 2x4 band. the process with additional stringers. This will This will give the seat a total width of 18 in. The duplicate all the stringers and save layout time. standard seat height that we use is 17 in. In cal­ culating seating height, don't forget to account Railings-Railings are important to the safety for any cushions that you might use. Save your and appearance of decks. As a design element, best boards for construction of the seating, be­ they can be the highlight and outline of your cause this part of the deck will be well used and project. Railings are one of the places where a very visible. Cutting the decking to length after nailing it in designer's creativity can be expressed, and place ensures a clean, uniform edge and saves time otherwise spent cutting boards one by there is no one way to build them. But there are A final note-Use these tips in combination one. Run the boards long and snap a chalkline some general rules to follow. with your local codes. With a little creativity and to mark the cutting path, or use a straightedge The most important characteristic of a good your basic construction knowledge, the deck to guide the shoe of the saw. A built-up beam railing is strength. You can be sure that people you build should last a long time. and a mitered joist corner can be seen in this D photo. Wherever joists along the perimeter of will lean against the railing, and often they will the deck meet, a mitered connection protects sit on it, too. A strong railing is particularly im­ Scott Grove is a partner in Effective Design, a end grain from direct exposure to the weather. portant on elevated decks. We like to play it desigrVbuild company in Rochester, N. Y.

46 Fine Homebuilding Photos: Scott Grove The American Porch A look at porches, and a glossary of types from past to present

by Davida Rochlin

en I was a child my family would take by singing cowboy Hoot Gibson, sported a where one could sip iced tea with a neighbor, Wyearly vacations to the border town of Nogales, wealth of porch space. The veranda, side porch, share a summer supper or sneak away to read a Ariz., to visit my grandmother. She lived in a sunroom and sleeping porch were all viewed as book. The informal atmosphere encour aged brick house that sat on top of a hill. There were hideaways in a household that rocked with con­ conversations and the easy relationships that no other houses in sight for at least 20 miles. stant noise and activity. were such a part of family life. The Arizona-Mexico crossing station was a vague The porches were just there, sociable and In America, the front porch has played a sig­ outline in the distance. open-unassigned parts of the house that be­ nificant social and cultural role. In its most fun­ Her home had a screened porch, L-shaped in longed to everyone and no one. They were damental role, it served as shelter from the ele­ plan, that bent around the southeast corner. shady transitions between indoors and outdoors ments. But from this the porch evolved into an During the hot desert summers, it was the porch outdoor living room, an adjunct that offered the that provided protection from the afternoon personal security of the home with all of nature's Victorian extravagance. Designers and thunderstorms, and refuge at night from the builders of Victorian homes had more fun with cooling advantages. sweltering heat. Being a large group of grand­ porches than anybody before or since. The children, sisters, brothers and cousins, we were time was right, since materials and tools were Porches from the past-The word porch regularly shuttled off to the porch to play, still available to do intricate work, and the homes' comes from the Greek portico, a roof with clas­ inhabitants were still interested in spending sic columns. It is now defined as a covered en­ within adult earshot, but out of the way. time between the sidewalk and the house, en­ I was raised in Southern California, and our gaging the members of the neighborhood. This trance to a building. As settlers came to the two-story 1920s bungalow, formerly occupied house is in Cape May, N. J. United States, they brought building styles from

October/November 1985 47 The evolution of the porch in America The porch is a buUding form that has Living porch: an outdoor living room. Gazebo-pergola:a freestanding structure worked its way backwards into our buUding Double deck: a two-story porch. usually designed for a garden. vocabulary, from the mighty to the more Gallery: a covered porch open at one side. humble and accessible. It began in classical Tw o-story gallery: a two-story porch open at Special-aBe porches Greece as a portico-a row of columns one side. Back porch: implied use is for service supporting a roof adjacent to a temple or Open porch: a small entrance porch. facilities. The back porch has been used for other public building. In time, the word Arbor porch: a trellis with planted vine. washing up, morning shaves, and a place to carne to mean any quasi indoor/outdoor Arbor veranda: a trellis with planted vines prepare meals_ space that was sheltered by a roof, but encircling the entire house. Side porch: popularized by 1850s pattern without walls. Today's distant kinfolk of the Screened porch: an indoor-outdoor room books as an adjunct to other porches. portico include solar greenhouses, trellises that is screened to protect against mosquitos Sun room: acts as a greenhouse or place to and the ubiquitous barbecue deck. The and other insects. keep plants. drawing below shows the plans of the most Piazza: of Italian descent. A porch often Breakfast nook: usually adjacent to the common porch styles. associated with the Victorian era. kitchen. A morning room; eastern exposure is suggested. Front porches Appendages Sleeping porch: descendant of the loggia. Portico: a roof with classic columns. Deck: an outdoor platform, usually without a Usually on the second floor in the back of the Stoop: of Dutch descent, a covered porch roof. The modern alternative to the porch. house. Two or three sides of the sleeping with seats at each side of the house door. Balcony: an economical, contemporary room are open air. Vestibule: of English descent, a small version of the porch. Commonly used in Roof deck: an outdoor living space on the entrance hall or room either to a building or apartment complexes to give dwellers an roof of a house or apartment. A convenient to a room within a building. outdoor living space. place to sunbathe. Veranda: the place of soclability. Differs Pa vilion: a partially enclosed platform, Kitchen porch: a utility area adjacent to the from the porch or gallery in that the depth of usually with a roof. kitchen. Used as a storage place for mops, the veranda floor is wider than that of a Terrace: similar to a patio, a place of brooms etc. porch. It extends the length of two sides of privacy connected to the outdoors. Awning: a cloth shade used as protection the house or encircles the entire building. from the rain or sun. Colossal portico: a colonnade rising the full Detached semi-structures Dog trot: indigenous to the United States, a height of the building. Colonnade: a series of columns set at hallway or central porch that runs from one Colossal portico with insert balcony: a regular intervals. side of the house to the other. colonnade rising the full height of the Trellis: a structure of wooden or metal strips Loggia: a roofed, open gallery. building with a balcony over the entry. on which vines are trained. -D. R.

.------,.------.

e ____ _ .!_ ____ .. I IL ______->I Portico Stoop Vestibule Veranda Colonnade Dog trot �Loggia

Colossal p ortico Portico Colossal portico I With Insert balcony Living porch Double deck Gallery Two-story ga llery �------�------�----+------�_+------��----+_------. �--�------�--�--�������4 � i u : .�-. �... ; I .��::---.::r.:---:::�-:1:::_-�:::: - Ld tj tj ____4rJ pen porch______rbo r po ch______rbo__r ver a nda__ �ck p orch Side p o ch__ __S c reene d porc h______P a a O�����_� A_�� ��_r � I A-�� __ _ __ . _�.______�_ _r ______�___ _l _z_z ______� � +I � U� +- +- r- �

______Sun oo ro nt p orch iv ng or__ c h r eakf a st no o __k __ __lee ing orc Roof deck Kitc en orch =_=-__r.::..::. �m.:.... ----- F--- �- ---- _--- -=-L��l "'--'p,-=- _ _-...-e.B=-.::. .::..,-.::. .:.. ,-- .:..:. �S p p h h p f-- � + r +-

I f I ,f �-----�-- - - -j

Deck Balcony TrelliS Pavilion Terrace

48 Fine Homebuilding Drawing: Davida Rochlin their homelands. Melting-pot antecedents of the explained in these books included the open porch include the Dutch stoop, English vesti­ porch, a trellis-topped entrythat acted as a par­ bule, Roman colonnade, Greek loggia, and Indi­ tial shelter, an arbor veranda and a trellis cov­ an veranda. Today, there are over 30 readily ered with grapevines that wrapped around the recognizable offshoots of the original form (see entire house. For inside the house, the pattern the facing page). books suggested a sunroom, a glassed-in garden The dog-trot is one of the few indigenous room, a breakfast nook or a porch adjacent to porches in the United States. Named after the the kitchen (often facing east for morning sun), dog that trotted back and forth, .it was a and the back porch, used exclusively to hang breezeway that separated two portions of the laundry or dry a mop. house. People left the doors open on either side The 19th century saw the flowering of Victori­ of the dog-trot house to promote ventilation. an extravagance as Queen Anne, Eastlake and Summer breezes made the dog-trot the coolest ltalianate styles bloomed. Porches became part of the house, and it became the principal crowded with rocking chairs, wicker settees, area for cooking, child care and homework. hammocks and gliders. People began to pay Dog-trot porches were first seen in log-cabin more attention to architectural detailing, and the structures in the Appalachian mountain regions. use of latticework, bric-a-brac and railing on ve­ This simple breezeway has been integrated by randas became widespread (photo p. 47). This contemporary architects into modern residential resulted· in contrasts of solid and void, light and design (see FHB #28, pp. 73-77). Many homes dark, open and closed. retain the concept of the dog-trot breezeway, where the dog-trot marks the entry leading to a Porches at the turn of the century-First courtyard patio. appearing in California in the early 1900s, the In the South, the porch first served as protec­ bungalow-style house was popularized in the tion from the warm weather. But eventually, southern porches evolved into settings for family life that integrated indoor and outdoor spaces Two Southern porches. A combination ve­ into stylish new structures. The largest, the co­ randa with colossal portico, top right, encircles this house in Georgia. An insert balcony above lossal portico, is a porch that runs the full height the front door provides another place to sit and length of the house. The colossal portico on outdoors, and emphasizes the placement of the the front of George Washington's Mount Vernon entryway. In the late 19th century, cast-iron exemplifies this style, which was influenced by components became available to builders, and the 16th-century Italian architect, Andrea Palla­ lacy railings and balustrades became a South­ ern signature. Some multi-storied apartments dio. Others expanded on the idea by adding a include a balcony as a place to get out of the second-story balcony, creating the colossal por­ sun and enjoy the evening breezes, such as the tico with insert balcony (photo top right). Sec­ building at right, in New Orleans, La. ond-story insert and balcony porches were used Inside and out. A porch is a transition be­ to define entryways. tween the street and the house. Inside the The gallery, a porch around all four sides of a home, tables and chairs occupy formal posi­ house, was used extensively in New Orleans to tions, and the temperature can be controlled. screen out the oppressive sunshine. The house On the porch, things are more flexible. Rocking and its gallery were placed atop a raised base­ chairs and gliders are the typical furnishings, and the temperature is subject to the breeze off ment for protection from flooding. The two­ the lawn. The porch below is in Oak Park, Ill. story porch with Greek columns became the hallmark of antebellum plantation houses. Larg­ er plantation houses had two-story porches across the front and rear facades. Unlike the front porch, the back porch did not extend the full width of the house, and it was flanked by side rooms. The back porch was used as a ser­ vice and storage area, while the grand front porch was used as a place to greet guests or sit before mealtime. Often, two-story galleries en­ circled the entire house. In Charleston, S. C., such houses were built with narrow ends facing the street. The south and west sides opened onto gardens. The galleries with garden views provided shade during the summer and allowed southern light to enter during the winter. In the latter half of the 19th centur y, orna­ mental cast-iron railings became available. Be­ cause these railings were mass produced, ready to assemble and inexpensive, balconies and porches in coastal southern cities like Savannah and New Orleans began to assume the ornate, lacy quality that has long since been associated with the deep South (photo middle right). In the same period, architectural pattern books encouraged Americans living in the countryside to build porches onto their homes. Porch types

Top photo: Georgia Bureau of Tourism; Other photos: Davida Rochlin October/November 1985 49 pattern books of the time. It was the last type of vernacular housing to feature a full front porch. Bungalow porches (photo top left) were usually topped with a gable roof that was supported by brick or fieldstone columns. These generous front porches provided a link between the com­ munity and the house. Along with the new century came an empha­ sis on health, fresh air and the vigorous life. To provide the fresh air, many a bungalow included a sleeping porch placed at the back of the house for quiet and privacy. This amenity reached its zenith in the Greene brothers' Gam­ ble house, in Pasadena, Calif. (middle photo, far left). The Gamble house sleeping porches were placed on the second floor, where their occu­ pants enjoyed the serene vistas of the nearby San Gabriel mountains.

The decline of the porch-In the mid-20th century, porch life went into decline. Auto­ mobile pollution and noise made facing the street unpleasant, and television replaced porch sitting as the dominant form of passive enter­ tainment. By the 1960s, air conditioning made it unnecessary to cool off outdoors. With more and more distractions competing for attention, city dwellers began to value their privacy, and the focus of the suburban house shifted to the backyard, with its pool and patio. Modern houses have porch-like appendages that are reminiscent of the porches of the past. Probably the most common one is the deck, fol­ lowed by terraces and balconies (middle photo, near left). Some passive-solar homes have a glassed-in greenhouse designed to catch the sun, which also provides a space to grow flow­ ers and vegetables all year long. On a smaller scale, many front porches have now become glassed-in sunrooms to take advantage of the additional square footage. These forms are still Twentieth-century porches. The last housing type to be built on a mass scale that included a linked to nature, but the community tie is lost. front porch was the bungalow, top. The porches usually ran the length of the house. Rustic materi­ als were often used, such as these river-rock columns. Bungalows often had sleeping porches on New signs of porch life-Although it may be the second floor, facing the backyard. The sleeping porch on the Greene brothers' Gamble house, down, the American porch is not out. In fact, it's above left, represents the pinnacle of the style. showing signs of making a comeback. Through­ Porches in decline. With the coming of the car, porches began to disappear, re-emerging as back­ out the United States, housing developments are yard decks and upstairs balconies. This balcony in Santa Monica, Calif., above right, has done both. beginning to tout the front porch as a selling point. In Valencia, Calif., one developer is in­ Revival. Once again the porch is making its presence felt in American residential design. This house by San Francisco architect William Turnbull is encircled by a gallery that shelters the home cluding a veranda as a major design feature of from the summer sun. A trellised roof covers a courtyard in the center of the house. his houses. The development offers a limited backyard and reorients outdoor activity to the front porch. At Seaside, Fla., an 80-acre planned community of individual homes features screened front porches. Contemporary custom designs are once again showcasing the porch. San Francisco architect William Turnbull frequently integrates one or more porches into his homes. One such resi­ dence is in Modesto, Calif. (photo bottom left). The weather in Modesto is hot, and this house is encircled by a covered porch that acts to cool the home. The center of the house is an open courtyard, festooned with elaborate trellises that turn it into an interior gazebo, reminding us that the style and grace of another time can still be appreciated today. 0

Davida Rochlin, Al A, is an architect and porch lover living in Los Angeles. C Top photos: Davida Rochlin; Bottom photo: Rob Super Drainage Systems On sizing, laying out and choosing the right fittings for a residential waste system

by George Skaates

residential drainage system is analogous toA a watersh ed. Each fixture in the house, whether it's a lavatory, . laundry sink or shower, is like a small creek that drains into a larger stream. These larger tributaries eventually merge with the building's drain, which conveys the household waste to the site's septic system or to the city sewer lines. This article is about the procedures I use to size and lay out a residential drainage system. In the San Francisco Bay Area, where I do most of Shower \ my work, plumbers and inspectors follow the trap � � �M ain vent guidelines set forth in the 19 82 edition of the Branch Uniform Plumbing Code ($28.95 from the Inter­ vent � national Association of Plumbing and Mechani­ Lavatory trap cal Officials, 5032 Alhambra Ave, Los Angeles, Branch � Calif. 90032). This code is widely respected line � � Closet flange within the plumbing industry, and the principles and definitions it lists are reflected in this article. Branc -...". Laundry� h vent Drainage-system components-Any discus­ y trap sion of a drainage system has to start with a few Cleanout ---- definitions so we all know what we're talking ---Stack about. Let's begin just outside the building's Lavatory trap /'" foundation, at the building sewer (drawing, /'f Kitchen­ Cleanout Waste i e right). The building sewer is a horizontal drain p p Sink trap line that connects the building drain (photo Closet flange right) with the sewage-disposal system-usually I ( Soil i e p p Waste line a public sewer line or a private septic tank. The Building drain code book defines horizontal as a piece of pipe ---"," that makes an angle of not more than 45° with the horizon. The building drain extends 2 ft. outside the building's foundation. It is the lowest drainpipe .;:--Building sewer

in the building, and it receives the discharge A residential waste system from all the soil pipes and waste pipes within The typical residential drainage system is a the structure. A waste pipe carries wastes that network of pipes that convey waterborne household wastes from fixtures such as sinks and are free of fecal matter, while a soil pipe carries toilets to the building drain and out to the building the discharge from toilets and urinals. A soil sewer. Each fixture is connected to a vent pipe, pipe may also carry waste from other fixtures. which equalizes the pressure in a drain line as water passes through it. In the drawings, vent A branch line is any drainpipe other than a pipes are blue; waste and soil lines are brown. stack feeding into the building drain-a stack is a primary vertical drain line. Vertical means that the pipe makes an angle less than 45° with the vertical, but a vertical pipe is usually as plumb as possible. An off set stack has to be bent to get around some obstacle. If you can bend it at 45° Right, a 4-in. building drain dives under a pe­ or less, the unit sizing is not affected. rimeter foundation on its way to link up with the building sewer. Just before the line de­ Every fixture in a building has a trap. The trap scends into the earth, a 4-in. soil pipe rises is the U-shaped pipe that separates the fixture above floor level, where it will be capped with drain from the trap arm. The trap is always filled a closet flange once the subfloor is in place. with water, which keeps sewer gases from in- Just in front of the soil pipe, a 2-in. vent rises and then angles toward the wall that will even­ tually enclose it. At the bottom of the photo, a Plumbing contractor George Skaates lives in 1 Y2-in. lavatory waste line is joined to the build­ Alameda, Calif. ing drain by a combination tee and Y fitting.

Drawings: Gary Williamson Isometric drawing of fixture cluster An isometric drawing is the 2-in. vent VTR plumber's shorthand method of to roof 1 V2 900 ell noting fixture and pipe layout. The 2 in. arrows denote the direction of flow, vent be it waterborne wastes or vent air. A dimension next to each line 1 V2 in. calls out the line 's diameter. 1 V2 -in . Each fixture is noted with a name, and branch vent it gets a U-shaped line next to it 1 V2 in. to show it needs a trap.

Lavatory 2 in. 1 V2 -in. co cleanout Shower VTR= vent through roof sanitary tee Tra • =fitting p = �= fixture unit rating

Toilet

@ CD 2xl V2 sanitary 3 in. 3 in. " tee 3 in.

Shower

Typical bathroom plan ..--- A typical bathroom has a toilet, a lavatory Lavatory and a tub or shower. Its plumbing layout 0 may look something like this. A 3-in. L-- drain carries wastes from all three fixtures. At the end of its run there is a cleanout to allow servicing the line in the event of a blockage. i\Oil"O[ Typical bathroom To sewer plumbing system

vading the house. The trap arm extends from of water running through it when the system is blueprint take this into account? Then I find out the trap to the vent, and its maximum length is in use. Cast iron, on the other hand, da,mpens what kind of toilet is to be installed, and I check dependent upon its diameter. the sound of running water. It is quite durable, the manufacturer's specs to find out where the A main vent (sometimes called a stack vent, and less sensitive to temperature changes. I pre­ center of the outlet is, This determines the or a vent stack) is the principal arter y of the fer to use 3-in. no-hub cast-iron . drain lines in placement of the closet flange. Typically, the venting system, Its purpose is to provide an air conjunction with I Y:!-in. and 2-in. copper branch centerline of a closet flange will be positioned supply to all parts of the drainage system. With­ drains and vents. The copper pipes are soldered 12 in. from the rough wall-IIY:! in. from the out an air supply, waste water traveling to the together, while the no-hub cast-iron pipes are finished wall. building sewer could create a suction strong joined by stainless-steel bands over neoprene A lavatorydrain line is typically 19 in. to 21 in. enough to pull the water out of the traps, A gaskets. But this sort of system costs my custom­ above the floor, while a kitchen-sink drain is main vent extends upward through the building, ers about 30% more than a plastic one. Most of usually 16 in. above the floor. This di fference eventually terminating above the roof. A house my clients specify ABS to keep costs down, accounts for the depth of a garbage disposal. A will occasionally have several main vents, but Regardless of what material I'm using, I need bathtub drain is centered on the axis of the it's best to avoid penetrating the roof more often a wide variety of fittings to join pipes and to tub-usually 15 in. from the side wall. The place­ than necessary. Consequently, many fixtures are make the changes of direction required in any ment of a washing-machine trap is between 6 in. connected to main vents by branch vents. More plumbing system. No matter what the material, and 18 in. above the floor-the stand pipe brings on vents later in the article. the shapes, functions and names of the fittings it up to the level of the machine's drain hose. remain the same (see p. 55). I also study the framing plans and consider Pipes and fittings-Thecommon materials the parts of the building that will affect the for drainage systems are ABS plastic, PVC plas­ Layout preparation-Though most regions shape of the plumbing system. These are fea­ tic, copper and cast iron. Pipes that are suitable voluntarily follow one of the model codes, each tures such as windows, headers, medicine cabi­ for drains and vents are stamped with the letters town and county can institute additional code nets, offset walls and joists that want to run in DWV, which stands for drain, waste and vent. requirements. Before I begin a new job, I check contrary directions, All these factors affect the Typical pipe diameters for residential applica­ with the district's chief plumbing inspector to design of the system, and it's best to start think­ tions are I Y:! in., 2 in., 3 in. and 4 in. Larger find out what materials are approved for use in ing about them early on. I want the drains to run pipes are available, but are used primarily in the area, and what code book is enforced. parallel to the joists wherever possible, and I commercial buildings. Once I know what to expect from the build­ need to know where the obstacles are so I can ABS systems are less expensive to buy and ing department, I visit the site to study any irreg­ calculate the number of fittings that it will take less trouble to work with than copper or cast ularities that may occur in the system, I locate to route the pipes around them. iron. ABS is easily cut and assembled, and its the sewer hookup, and I check with the client to light weight enables one person to handle long find out about any special fixtures that are to be The isometric drawing-This layout drawing sections of pipe. But there are some disadvan­ included in the job. If a set of the building plans is an isometric schematic of all the drains, vents tages to it. ABS expands and contracts a lot with is available, I check them to make sure that the and plumbing fixtures in a building. The plumb­ changes in temperature, and it has to be sup­ placement of the fixtures complies with code ing for a small, one-story house can be shown ported with twice as many hanger s as cast iron clearances. For instance, a toilet has to be cen­ on one drawing. But if the house is large or to keep it from bending. It gives off poisonous tered in a space at least 30 in. wide, with 30 in. complex, I make detail drawings of fixture clus­ gases in a fire, and readily transmits the sound in front of the bowl. Does the location on the ters, noting the drain connections with a heavy

52 Fine Homebuilding dot. The middle drawing on the facing page of its vent. Then I mark the unit rating for each unit number on the chart, it tells me what diam­ shows a typical isometric of a fixture cluster. fixture alongside its pipe diameter, as shown in eter building drain and sewer that the house will I! there is an upstairs bathroom, I try to line the isometric drawing on the facing page. require. A 3-in. horizontal line can handle up to the stack up so that it will fall in the same bay as To find the number of units assigned to each 35 units of flow, so it's usually plenty for a small the toilet drain. I! it doesn 't line up, I'll have to fixture, turn to the section in your code book on house. On the other hand, if you're planning a cut some large holes somewhere in order to in­ sizing drain lines (table 4-1). Notice that each big house with many bathrooms, a big kitchen, stall the drain line. fixture has a unit rating. These units represent laundry and a spa, you'll need a 4-in. building I begin my drawing at the approximate loca­ the fixture's discharge in gallons per minute. drain. It can accommodate a whopping 216 units tion of the sewer tie-in-about 2 ft. from the ex­ One unit equals 0 to 7Yz gallons, two units equal on a horizontal run. terior of the house. As I work my way into the 8 to 15 gallons and so forth. Each fixture has a While I'm sizing the building drain, I decide house I make a heavy dot at the intersections of discharge rate based on this. For example, a on how big my main vents have to be. Even the drain and vent lines to represent the fittings kitchen sink has a unit rati�g of two units, a toi­ though the vents to individual fixtures are either that I'll need, and I also mark arrows on the let is assigned four units and a lavatory is rated I Yz in. or 2 in. in diameter, the stacks to which drains to show which way the waste goes, "CO" at one unit. they connect must be at least equal in cross sec­ wherever a cleanout goes, and the note "VTR" After I have completed the sizing for the bath­ tion to the cross section of the building drain. to indicate where a vent goes through the roof. room, I ma.ke a note next to the branch line on For example, a 3-in. building drain would re­ Although the isometric appears simple, it con­ the drawing that lists the total unit demand at quire a minimum of two 2-in. vents and one tains a lot of information. An expanded version that point. This tells me about how much more I Yz-in. vent through the roof. of the same layout would look like the right­ can be added to the drain line before its dimen­ There are many ways to build a plumbing sys­ hand drawing on the facing page. sion needs to be incr eased. Table 4-3 in the tem that will work, but usually there is one way I don't make my isometric drawings to scale. code book lists maximum allowable units for that will be easier than others. The alter natives Instead, I use the plan and section drawings of any diameter pipe. For instance, a 2-in. pipe can you must weigh depend on types of construction, the building to take off the lengths of my plumb­ handle up to eight units of flow if it's installed fixtures, proximity to vent stacks, crawl-space ing runs and rises from floor to floor. I add these horizontally-sixteen units if it's vertical. clearances, and clearances between floors. up and tack on 20% to get my pipe totals. Now I go on to the fixtures that are the next farthest from the sewer hookup, and I repeat the Toilet layout-With a large crawl space and Sizing the drain and vent lines-Each same sequence, noting the diameter of each line plenty of fall in your drainage system, a typical plumbing fixture requires a minimum-diameter and the unit load for each fixture. I continue this toilet layout might look like the drawing below drain. These dimensions are listed as "minimum process until the entire plumbing system is de­ left. The two key fittings here are a combo and a trap and trap-arm sizes" in table 4-1 in the code signed. My finished drawing includes all clean­ 3x2 low heel inlet. The combo is turned on its book. For example, a toilet drain should be at outs, changes of direction, vents, the unit total back, and the tee goes on top with the 2-in. out­ least 3 in. in diameter, while showers should for each branch line, the diameters of the lines let pointed vertically. The other fitting is a 4x3 have a 2-in. trap arm and a 2-in. waste line. Lav­ and a dot for every fitting that it will take to closet ell. The 4-in. outlet goes through the floor atories, on the other hand, have a I Yz-in.trap make the necessary directional changes. and connects to the closet flange. arm and a I Yz-in. waste line. A toilet vent is 2 in., Once I know the number of fixtures and their I! the clearance is minimal-between floors is and vents to all other fixtures are I Yz in. for a assigned units, I make a list of them and add a good example-the toilet layout might look typical house. them up to get the total number of units for all like the drawing below right. In this diagram, the When I size the layout, I like to start at the the fixtures in the building. Now I turn to the 3x2 sanitary tee is turned so that the vent outlet end of the system-usually the bathroom far­ table on drainage systems in the code book is directed at an angle. This satisfies a code re­ thest from the sewer hookup. I write a number (table 4-3), and I look for the section on pipe quirement that says that vents off a horizontal next to the fixture's drain representing the pipe's sizes. The table lists units on one scale, and pipe drain line must be directed at an angle that falls diameter, and another one noting the diameter diameters on the other scale. Once I locate my between 45° and 90°. The vent continues on

Crawl-space installation Minimal-clearance toilet installation Wh en there is plentv of room for the When space is tight, such as between floors, a pipes, such as in a crawl space or toile t drain mav look like this. Here a vent takes off basement, plumbing lavout fo r a toilet from a sanitarv tee fi tting, turnedat least 45 ° often takes this configuration. Toilet from the honzontal. This keeps the depth of the wastes pass through three fi ttings on entire installation to a minimum. the wav to the soil line. 2-in.

Isometric version

4x3 closet ell

3x2 low heel inlet 2-ln. 90° vent ell

Isometric version

soil line

combo 3x2 sanitary tee

October/November 1985 53 dot. The middle drawing on the facing page of its vent. Then I mark the unit rating for each unit number on the chart, it tells me what diam­ shows a typical isometric of a fixture cluster. fixture alongside its pipe diameter, as shown in eter building drain and sewer that the house will I! there is an upstairs bathroom, I try to line the isometric drawing on the facing page. require. A 3-in. horizontal line can handle up to the stack up so that it will fall in the same bay as To find the number of units assigned to each 35 units of flow, so it's usually plenty for a small the toilet drain. I! it doesn 't line up, I'll have to fixture, turn to the section in your code book on house. On the other hand, if you're planning a cut some large holes somewhere in order to in­ sizing drain lines (table 4-1). Notice that each big house with many bathrooms, a big kitchen, stall the drain line. fixture has a unit rating. These units represent laundry and a spa, you'll need a 4-in. building I begin my drawing at the approximate loca­ the fixture's discharge in gallons per minute. drain. It can accommodate a whopping 216 units tion of the sewer tie-in-about 2 ft. from the ex­ One unit equals 0 to 7Yz gallons, two units equal on a horizontal run. terior of the house. As I work my way into the 8 to 15 gallons and so forth. Each fixture has a While I'm sizing the building drain, I decide house I make a heavy dot at the intersections of discharge rate based on this. For example, a on how big my main vents have to be. Even the drain and vent lines to represent the fittings kitchen sink has a unit rati�g of two units, a toi­ though the vents to individual fixtures are either that I'll need, and I also mark arrows on the let is assigned four units and a lavatory is rated I Yz in. or 2 in. in diameter, the stacks to which drains to show which way the waste goes, "CO" at one unit. they connect must be at least equal in cross sec­ wherever a cleanout goes, and the note "VTR" After I have completed the sizing for the bath­ tion to the cross section of the building drain. to indicate where a vent goes through the roof. room, I ma.ke a note next to the branch line on For example, a 3-in. building drain would re­ Although the isometric appears simple, it con­ the drawing that lists the total unit demand at quire a minimum of two 2-in. vents and one tains a lot of information. An expanded version that point. This tells me about how much more I Yz-in. vent through the roof. of the same layout would look like the right­ can be added to the drain line before its dimen­ There are many ways to build a plumbing sys­ hand drawing on the facing page. sion needs to be incr eased. Table 4-3 in the tem that will work, but usually there is one way I don't make my isometric drawings to scale. code book lists maximum allowable units for that will be easier than others. The alter natives Instead, I use the plan and section drawings of any diameter pipe. For instance, a 2-in. pipe can you must weigh depend on types of construction, the building to take off the lengths of my plumb­ handle up to eight units of flow if it's installed fixtures, proximity to vent stacks, crawl-space ing runs and rises from floor to floor. I add these horizontally-sixteen units if it's vertical. clearances, and clearances between floors. up and tack on 20% to get my pipe totals. Now I go on to the fixtures that are the next farthest from the sewer hookup, and I repeat the Toilet layout-With a large crawl space and Sizing the drain and vent lines-Each same sequence, noting the diameter of each line plenty of fall in your drainage system, a typical plumbing fixture requires a minimum-diameter and the unit load for each fixture. I continue this toilet layout might look like the drawing below drain. These dimensions are listed as "minimum process until the entire plumbing system is de­ left. The two key fittings here are a combo and a trap and trap-arm sizes" in table 4-1 in the code signed. My finished drawing includes all clean­ 3x2 low heel inlet. The combo is turned on its book. For example, a toilet drain should be at outs, changes of direction, vents, the unit total back, and the tee goes on top with the 2-in. out­ least 3 in. in diameter, while showers should for each branch line, the diameters of the lines let pointed vertically. The other fitting is a 4x3 have a 2-in. trap arm and a 2-in. waste line. Lav­ and a dot for every fitting that it will take to closet ell. The 4-in. outlet goes through the floor atories, on the other hand, have a I Yz-in.trap make the necessary directional changes. and connects to the closet flange. arm and a I Yz-in. waste line. A toilet vent is 2 in., Once I know the number of fixtures and their I! the clearance is minimal-between floors is and vents to all other fixtures are I Yz in. for a assigned units, I make a list of them and add a good example-the toilet layout might look typical house. them up to get the total number of units for all like the drawing below right. In this diagram, the When I size the layout, I like to start at the the fixtures in the building. Now I turn to the 3x2 sanitary tee is turned so that the vent outlet end of the system-usually the bathroom far­ table on drainage systems in the code book is directed at an angle. This satisfies a code re­ thest from the sewer hookup. I write a number (table 4-3), and I look for the section on pipe quirement that says that vents off a horizontal next to the fixture's drain representing the pipe's sizes. The table lists units on one scale, and pipe drain line must be directed at an angle that falls diameter, and another one noting the diameter diameters on the other scale. Once I locate my between 45° and 90°. The vent continues on

Crawl-space installation Minimal-clearance toilet installation Wh en there is plentv of room for the When space is tight, such as between floors, a pipes, such as in a crawl space or toile t drain mav look like this. Here a vent takes off basement, plumbing lavout fo r a toilet from a sanitarv tee fi tting, turnedat least 45 ° often takes this configuration. Toilet from the honzontal. This keeps the depth of the wastes pass through three fi ttings on entire installation to a minimum. the wav to the soil line. 2-in.

Isometric version

4x3 closet ell

3x2 low heel inlet 2-ln. 90° vent ell

Isometric version

soil line

combo 3x2 sanitary tee

October/November 1985 53 Common pipe fittings Even though materials differ, the outlet fitting, such as a tee, Y and names and functions of the combo, the side-outlet diameter is various pipe fittings used to join the last number listed. For sections of drainpipe remain the example, a tee with a 3-in. run same. The fittings in this list are and a 1 Y2-in. side outlet is called the ones I use most often to a 3xl Y2 tee. If it's a reducing tee, Elbows assemble a residential drainage three numbers describe the fitting 221,1· ell: Also known as a 1,11 6 system. There are many more, but and the side outlet is still listed bend, this ell is the standard they are slight variations on the last, such as a 3x2xl Y2 tee. fitting used to make slight basic ones listed here. Most fittings have a socket at changes in direction in soil, vent Fittings are identified by each outlet that accepts a piece of or waste lines. numbers that designate the the nominal pipe. Fittings 221,1° street ell: Same as the diameter of their outlets in designed for c1eanout plugs have standard ell, but the street ell has inches, and an abbreviation of a threaded female outlet. a male and female end, which their shape. The size of the Adaptors can be either male or allows it to make a directional largest outlet is listed first. For fe male, and nipples have change in a bit less space than instance, a reducing elbow with a threaded male ends. Street fittings the standard ell. 3-in. outlet and a 2-in. outlet is have an outlet that's the same OD 45· ell: Also known as the Yo called a 3x2 ell. For a three- as the nominal pipe size. bend, the 45° ell is used to change directions in DWV lines. It also has a street version. 90· ell: This ell is used primarily to change directions in vent lines. It may also be used to connect a horizontal drain line kI a stack, but not a stack or a horizontal line to another horizontal line. 90· long turn ell: Used for changes in direction from vertical to horizontal, or horizontal to horizontal in soil and waste lines. 90· vent ell: For directional , changes in vent lines only. Tees 90' closet ell: This fitting is used Vent tee: A tee fitting used strictly waste stacks, and to connect to connect a 4-in. closet flange to for joining sections of vent pipe. It branch lines to waste stacks. a 3-in. soil line. lacks the sweep of a sanitary tee, They can be used in venting, and 90' ell with low heel inlet: A 90° ell and shouldn't be used for waste in horizontal to vertical handy fittingfor changing directions in a soil line where a With low or soil lines. drain applications. heel inlet Sanitary tee: Unlike the vent tee, Double tee: If you have two vent outlet is needed. the sanitary tee has a sweep built lavatories with the same flood rim into the intersecting line. This on opposite sides of the same sweep has to be installed so the wall, you may connect them to curve follows the direction taken the same stack and vent with this by the waste. These fittings are fitting. The vent stack continues used to connect trap arms to upward from the top outlet.

Trap adaptors Coaplings The trap adaptor is the transition Coupling: A link between sections fitting that connects the trap arm of waste, soil and vent lines. to the drain. There are two kinds: Repair coupling: Same as the One is an adaptor that inserts regular coupling, but it lacks the into the side opening in a interior stop flanges, allowing it sanitary tee (left). The other fits to slide onto a section of pipe over a pipe (center). Both have a while another pipe segment is slip-joint nut with a plastic brought alongside. Then the washer that seals the trap arm repair coupling is slid back to (right). This links the fixtureand encompass the ends of both pipes. the plumbing system. Trap These are good for connecting Ys Combination tee and Y adaptors are also used to connect pipes in tight spots. These fittings are used to join Known as combos, this fitting is a tub waste and overflow line to a lines at a 45° angle, or to make a most often used for a 90° change p-trap. 45° change in direction while in direction in the waste or soil providing a c1eanout outlet at the lines where a c1eanout is needed. same time. The codebook requires It can be used in vertical or this fitting for horizontal changes horizontal applications. of direction. In a stud wall they can be difficult to use if a lot of angled holes have to be drilled in the framing to accommodate the angled line. P-trap The p-trap is the fitting that contains the water seal that keeps Cleanoats the sewer gases in the sewer. These are watertight fittingswith Closet flange Toilets have built-in traps, but Bashings removable plugs. They consist of This is the transition coupling every other fixture requires some For joining pipes a threaded adaptor that inserts between a toilet and its soil line. kind of p-trap. They are installed of different into a fitting or over a pipe. The The circular flange is screwed to below the fixture drain. diameters. adaptor accepts a threaded plug. the bathroom subfloor. -G. S.

October/November 1985 55 Living-room design. Wood was carefully se­ lected for figureand color. In the living-room, darker wood flanking the entry accentuates the swan-neck joints of the casing and contrasts with the horizontal trim (detail photos, far right and facing page). Inherent characteristics of the wood often suggested the designs, as in the trim leading up to the skylight (above). This trim balances the arched doorway, not cen· tered on the wall, and helps to reduce the ef­ fect of a sharply pitched ceiling. All edges were rounded over with a router. Doors to the living room hang from concealed tracks mounted on the hallway side of the opening. Door handles (right) are carved . Above the mantel, four bookmatched panels of padauk form a backdrop for a 14th·century Tibetan sculpture. The panels, planed to Y4-in. thickness, were laminated to a liz-in. Baltic birch plywood sub­ strate for stability.

56 Fine Homebuilding Craftsman Remodel A Greene and Greene inspired living room and bedroom

by Peter Malakoff

e Rosestone remodel was a project with a didn't have to wait long for a reply. Rosestone �modest beginning. Doug and Beth Rosestone phoned from Hawaii, asking us to start immedi- originally asked me to make a built-in stereo ately on the living room, and to develop a de- cabinet, and we arranged a meeting to discuss sign for the bedroom in the same style. the design. After a short tour of the house, we sat in the living room where the proposed cabi­ Making an on-site shop- In a project where net would go. 20-ft. boards and multiple operations are As I looked around, I began to realize that the common, a spacious on-site shop is essential. So room wasn't really suited to showcase the cabi­ the first thing that we did was to convert the net the clients had in mind. The greatest offend­ Rosestone garage into a temporary workshop. er was the fireplace, which dominated the room This gave us room to install several power with a synthetic lava-rock facade. The room was tools-a jointer, a , a table saw, a typically large, contemporary living area in Ca­ a bandsaw, a radial-arm saw and a drill press, lifornia's diluted "Spanish" style. Dark-stained, which doubled occasionally as a lathe. One of rough 4x 1 0 fir beams ran from ridge to eave the hardest working and most used tools of the supporting a fir 1x6 T&G ceiling. project was a Hitachi B600A bandsaw. We also After some hesitation, I voiced my opinion built wood-storage racks, two workbenches and about the room's unfortunate design. This was an outfeed extension table for the table saw. the beginning of a remodeling project that even­ Still, with up to ten carpenters at work and sev­ tually transformed the Rosestones' entire house. eral activities in progress at one time, there were The living room and bedroom alone took seven days that the garage shop seemed small. months to complete. Building the archways-The arch that forms Designing the living room-After our first the entry into the living room was to be some­ meeting, Doug Rosestone asked to see a draw­ thing special, with swan-neck joints on the side ing for remodeling the living room. We agreed casings. The side jambs and head jamb are one on three design goals: to create an arched entry continuous lamination (photos facing page). I to the living room, to remove the lava-rock ve­ saw the arch as a sign of our craftsmanship, as it neer from the fireplace area, and to fashion a would frame the view of the work that was tak­ display for a 14th-century Tibetan tantric sculp­ ing place in the living room. Cabinetmaker Mark ture. To help us visualize these changes, we Berry and I had both done bent laminations be­ chose Eli Sutton as designer. fore, but we'd never tackled' a project of this Some of the ideas and motifs we used came size. Though we installed several arches in the from Randell Makinson's Greene & Greene: Ar­ house, the first one proved to be the teacher. chitecture as Fine Art (Peregrine Smith, Box The arch for the jambs was made of padauk, 667, 1877 E. Gentile St., Layton, Utah 8404 1). purchased in standard 4/4, 6/4 and 8/4 stock We turned also to examples of Sukiya (tea­ and resawn to a rough' thickness of :V16 in. After house) architecture for inspiration. Both styles every pass through the bandsaw, the stock was are marked by elegant simplicity, a respectful at­ run through a thickness planer to smooth the tention to detail and an appreciation for archi­ sawn surface. This yielded a true face and elimi­ tecture's ability to enhance the quality of life. nated irregularities that would compound theITt' Sutton and I started roughing out our ideas on selves as successive cuts were made. A second paper. We sketched things out in a rush of cre­ pass through the planer brought the resawn ativity, and completed the basic design in a mat­ boards to their final lis-in. thickness. ter of minutes. The sketch we drew in that one Because pad auk is an oily wood, we had to session became, with surprisingly few alter­ clean the mating surfaces with acetone to en­ ations, the finished design for the room. sure proper adhesion. The marine-grade plastic­ It is extremely difficult to bid large-scale proj­ resin glue we used has a long working time and ects when they involve a lot of custom work, so makes a strong bond. The laminae (plies) were we proposed to work on a time-and-materials 6 in. wide and 15 ft. long, and since the arch basis. Since the Rosestones had by then left on opening was approximately 18 ft. around, we al­ vacation, we mailed them elevation drawings of ternated 15-ft. and 3-ft. lengths from side to side the project, along with photocopied illustrations on adjacent plies. For the last ply-the visible, from the Greene and Greene book, to give them inside surface of the arch-we used a single a feel for what we had in mind. Fortunately, we 18-ft. long piece. Though at first it had seemed

Photos: Fritz Hoddick October/November 1985 57 for its color, figure and texture. For example, there's a piece of trim near the skylights that takes a sharp turn. We found a board with a rare right-angle bend in the grain to use there. The trim over the mantel has an attractive elliptical figure to the grain. Since I didn't have unlimited funds for the project, the cost of wood always concerned me. The project required many pieces that were 15 ft. to 20 ft. long and lO in. to 14 in. wide, and I was always looking for ways to maximize quality and minimize the cost. In searching for ebony, which we used for some of the trim and detailing, I found that it was best to buy whole logs from Jordan International (1303 Elmer St ., Belmont, Calif. 94002) and mill the lumber to our own A number of doorways in the house received laminated arches for jambs, which were built on site. specifications. In spite of a 60% waste factor by Waxed paper kept the padauk laminations from sticking to the forms. Clamping began at the apex weight, we were able to get better-quality lum­ of the form, and proceeded gradually down both sides. ber at a lower cost than if we had purchased already dimensioned boards. logical to build the laminated arches in place, ing out. Their garage had become a workshop. When we chose wood there was a strong using the wall framing as our pattern, we found Dust from drywall and wood covered the living temptation to think, "So what? How much dif­ the technique troublesome, and soon concluded quarters, and most of the electrical outlets and ference can it make?" But now that all those la­ that it would be better to prefabricate them. fixtures were disconnected. boriously selected boards are together in one On subsequent arches we built a form of o/4-in. It took the Rosestones some time to compre­ composition, they have a synergistic effect-the plywood and 2x4s to the exact specifications of hend what was taking place. Soon however, sum is more than the simple aggregate of indi­ the opening, as shown in the photo above. Be­ they began to ask questions, make suggestions vidual elements. cause of the time involved in spreading the glue and even compliment the crew. At this stage, and clamping up, five layers were the most we the creative conversation between the crafts­ Working with illusions-The living room's could glue up at once. Additionally, the stress of men, designer and clients truly began to work existing 4x 10 fir beams posed a problem. Their bending more than five layers over the frame for the project. rough texture, sharp edges and dark brown stain was too much for our clamps to overcome. clashed with the mood we were creating. On When the tenth ply was done, we removed the Selecting wood by color and grain-One the other hand, the exposed beams fit the living arch from the form and cleaned up its edges part of the project I thorQughly enjoyed was se­ room's new style. The existing beams simply with a power planer. It took us about five days lecting the . We found that mahogany had to be upgraded. We did this by casing them to build the frame, laminate a typical arch, in­ was best for the Rosestone remodel. It came in in mahogany on three sides to give the illusion stall and finish it. long, wide boards and was easy to work. I spent of solid mahogany beams. The U-shaped casings hours sorting through piles of Honduras mahog­ were prefabricated in the shop like all the other Work in progress-When the Rosestones re­ any at a local yard I use frequently. The selec­ trim elements. Because they had to fit perfectly turned from their vacation, their home was in tion process wasn't always clear cut, and my against the walls, we cut the ends with a ryoba the "partial" stage-partially demolished, par­ recommendations weren't necessarily consid­ saw (a Japanese double-edged handsaw with tially completed and partially livab le. In the liv­ ered final by the other craftsmen. We often ar­ ripping teeth on one edge and crosscutting ing room it was difficult to distinguish between gued the merits of one piece over another. teeth on the other edge). what we were building and what we were tear- Each board in the living room was selected The steep pitch of the ceiling in the living

A new bedroom ceiling. The new ceiling was constructed with interlocking joinery (above), with a minimum of mechanical fasteners and glue. The gable-end screens were made from interlocking fir lattice, shaped on a router table to resemble bamboo, and tied with alter­ nating red and black threads (facing page).

The aluminum mullions of the bedroom sky­ light were sheathed in wood, left, to match the interior trim. The shoji panels for the new ceil­ ing were installed from above by loading them through the skylight opening.

Shoji operating system Pulleys anchored to roof

Pulleys anchored to wall

Irimoya ridge beam __� ,..

Fritz Hoddick, Eli Sutton and I worked together to design the pulley-and-winch system that operates the shoji panels. We Wood found that it took about 40 lb. of force to raise frame the panels. This was too much for a comfortable pull, so Hoddick suggested the addition of counterweights. Sutton's suggestion of a differential winch completed the system. This Is a reduction winch with Plan double drums that makes work easier. Two identical differential-winch units were built-one for each shoji panel. Each one has a large drum of 3-in. dia. and a small drum of I-in. dla. Hoddick turned the drums of the winches on a drill press, using a few special tools and some ingenuity. A screwdriver was reground and pressed into service as a cutting tool, and a fixture was built to support the outboard end of the drums as they were being turned. Hoddick used a Dremel power carving tool to scribe a ridged surface Into the face of the large drums (photo right). This gave them enough bite to keep the line from slipping. The Each differential winch is composed of double lines are held snugly to the small drums drums (photo above). Control ropes are wound because of the continuous pressure applied by once around the large drums in a continuous loop, Control ropes counterweights, and because the line is actuator Imes are wound three times around the (continuous loop wrapped three times around the winch small drums (drawmg, right). of \/s -In. dla "1 Dacron yacht braid) (drawing, right). We used Honduras mahogany scraps for the large winch drums, but the small drums mounted into a frame, and the whole unit was needed a harder wood because of the greater screwed into the wall above the soffit. I stress placed on them. We chose padauk For the control ropes we used Ys-in. dia. U U EI"",oo because of its density and stability. All of the Dacron yacht braid, and had a professional drums were finished with clear Watco yacht-rigging shop splice them into 011. Small ball bearings were fitted into all the continuous lengths for each winch unit. Other winch drums, and we used Y.-In. rod for the lines controlling the panels were made of �ndal �nches axles. The differential winches were then '/' 6-in. dia. Dacron yacht braid. -Po M.

60 Fine Homebuilding Drawings: Victor Lazzaro room was something that we wanted to mini­ weight of the ceiling and roof, but it doesn't. lop of light in the segmented bays of the soffit mize. The accent trim and soft edges of the ma­ The load is actually carried by a ledger screwed (photo below). It is as if the room were candle­ hogany beam casings helped to do this, as did into the wall studs. lit, and the mood changes dramatically. Stereo the skylight and shoji screens. The living-room speakers are mounted out of sight in the soffit. skylights were made simply by inserting a l4 -in. Building the bedroom-The new ceiling was Without any elaborate planning, it happened Plexiglas panel under the shingling, and caulk­ made entirely in our shop after a day spent tak­ that the room has excellent acoustics. ing around the outside edges (photo p. 58, bot­ ing and double-checking all the measurements tom left). This solution proved to be simple, in the bedroom. The most critical part of the Pulleys and rope-The greatest mechanical economical and effective. The shoji soften natu­ project was keeping the angle of the A-fr ame challenge of the project was designing a system ral light as it enter s the room and blunt the perfectly aligned with the pitch of the roof. to open and close the shoji panels to reveal the sharp peak of the ceiling. Between the skylight Once constructed, we dismantled the ceiling skylight. This task fell to Fritz Hoddick, who was and the shoji are concealed lights for illuminat­ and reconstructed it in the bedroom. This was looking for a job as a computer programmer ing the room at night. relatively easy since the structure depended al­ when we hired him on as a temporary carpen­ most entirely on interlocking joinery for its ter. His technical background proved invaluable The fireplace, mantel and hearth-After the strength, not on glue or hardware. in working out and constructing the system of artifical lava stone was stripped away from the Bird's mouths on the rafters rest on ledgers ropes, pulleys and counterweights for the mov­ fireplace, the work of creating a focal point for lag-bolted to each of the walls (detail photo, able shoji panels (see the facing page). the room began in earnest. Rosestone had asked p. 58). The ceiling panels are l4-in. drywall iami­ us to create a place for a work of 14th-century nated to I-in. Styrofoam insulation. They simply Baseboard and door-The baseboard and Tibetan sculpture. I was aware of the signifi­ drop into the ceiling grid, with the pre-textured door trim in the bedroom have an integrated de­ cance of the piece and wanted to find the right and painted surface of the drywall facing down. sign. Two exposed Y:!-in. grooves cut into the symbolic setting for it. While searching for wood A double-insulated glass skylight floods the room baseboard run the perimeter of the room and I came across a stunning piece of padauk. Its with light. Its three aluminum mullions were continue into the door trim to tie all the trim fiery grain pattern immediately suggested a de­ covered with wood because we didn't want any work together. To construct the door we built a sign. I could see that by bookmatching the board metal showing. framework of kiln-dried fir, and then laminated we could create a dramatic backd·rop for the Near the ridge of the roof, we installed a heat­ l4-in. thick fir planks horizontally onto that base. statue (top photo, p. 56). exhaust vent, which was made from a single Each of the planks is slightly different in width, In bookmatching, it often happens that the piece of kiln-dried fir. To build it, we cut kerfs in which gives the door a subtle individuality. pieces lose their precise symmetry because the one direction with a radial-arm saw, then cut We are very pleased with the way this project contiguous layers of grain become further re­ evenly spaced dadoes on the other side. The in­ turned out and with our collective experience moved from each other through resawing and tersection of these two cuts created rectangular on this job, which formed the basis of a fruitful sanding. In this case, the imperfections led to openings in the wood. Finally, using a small Jap­ association. But the Rosestone remodel is not another unifying element for the design of the anese roundover plane, we eased the longitudi­ quite finished yet. That stereo cabinet has yet to project. A flaw appeared in a conspicuous spot nal edges of the gridwork. An exhaust fan in the be built. 0 at the top of the two center panels. To mask this roof draws hot air from the ceiling. imperfection we decided to inlay an ebony circle There are 28 15-watt bulbs mounted in the sof­ Peter Malakoff, formerly a principal in Hoddick over the joint in the panel. The resulting patch fit around the room in a parallel circuit. When Berry& Malakoff, is now an independent wood­ appears directly over the sculpture and accentu­ the dimmer is turned up, each bulb casts a scal- worker in San Rafael, Ca lif ates the drama of its setting.

A change of plans in the bedroom-The bedroom originally had a flat 8-ft. ceiling, and our first design called for tearing it out. A new ceiling incorporating delicate shoji would filter light into the room from new skylights above. After eight days of work, we had torn out the old ceiling and almost completed the new one. But Rosestone decided that he wanted more than just a diffused lighting effect from the shoji panels; he wanted to see the starscape at night. He was adamant on the point, so we began to design a movable shoji panel. Everyone was enthusiastic about movable shoji, but the mechanical details gave us prob­ lems, and solving them was going to cost a lot of money. Even so, Rosestone insisted on seeing a new design and an estimate of the cost. He liked it, and we had to tear out the partially completed ceiling and start over from scratch. Sutton's design created a false ceiling similar in shape to an irimoya, which is a Japanese roof like a gable roof. When the shoji panels are opened, they slide down into pockets between the false ceiling and the roof (photo p. 59). The soffit around the room appears to carry the

Twenty-eight IS-watt bulbs are concealed in the soffit and controlled by a single dimmer switch. The effects are particularly dramatic when the shoji panels are closed.

Restoring a Greek Revival To wnhouse Ostrich feathers, dutchmen and careful planning revitalize a historic residence

by Peter Strasser, Vincent Lepre and Jim Boorstein

ny restoration project begins as something in at this stage, but the rarity and pristine quality Aof a guessing game. Hidden surprises lurk be- of the architectural detail won us over. hind visible surfaces and play havoc with any of At some point during the 1920s or 1930s, the our calculations. We've found, however, as part- interior of the home was altered to create a sep- ners in Traditional Line Ltd., that careful plan- arate apartment on each level, and the large ning well in advance of the job reduces the dan- rooms were partitioned to include bathrooms ger of underbidding or overworking the project. and kitchens. Ignoring the beauty of classic ar- We take particular care in documenting the his- chitectural detail and proportion, various occu- tory of the house, and in making sure that all the pants built around and over the original features. people involved, from owner to subcontractors, Structurally, however, little damage had been know what's expected of them. done, and surprisingly few ornaments had actu­ ally been removed. Greek Revival-The New York City row house Before we arrived on the job, the second­ in which we restored the second-floor interior floor woodwork had been chemically stripped was built in 1837. A good example of Greek Re­ of paint in a most abusive way. The pocket vival architecture, its interior served as the mod­ doors had been nailed shut with 16d commons, el for the Greek Revival Room at the Metropoli­ and the door track was beyond repair. The origi­ tan Museum of Art in New York City. During the nal pine floorboards, 6 in. to 8 in. wide and I in. first half of the 19 th cen tury, the Greek Revival thick, were covered with T&G oak strip flooring. style was popular with Americans, in part be­ The only encouraging sights in the rooms were cause of its democratic connotations, making it large plaster medallions, perfectly restored, in a particularly appropriate successor to the Fed­ the center of each ceiling, and the restored pIas­ eral style inherited from the British. ter ceiling cornices. The most prominent author of architecture and construction books during this era was Ash­ Documenting existing conditions-There er Benjamin of Northfield, Mass. He wrote at are many degrees to which an interior can be least six builder's guides, which were used three bays wide. Its floor plan is quite simple. At restored. And there are many questions that throughout the U. S. Minard Lafever of Brook­ the first level (parlor) and second level, the two have to be answered from the outset. Should a lyn, N. Y., was also a major influence during this main rooms are separated by a pair of large slid­ paint analysis be done? Should' authentic period period. His Modern Builders Guide of 1833 and ing pocket doors. glass be found for missing sash? What should Th e Beauties of Modern Architecture (1835) in­ A typical Greek Revival house often varies in happen to heating and air-conditioning units, fluenced the facades and interior architecture of degree of ornamentation from floor to floor, and electrical outlets? Where will the phones be New York City. When we began to document with the most elaborate ornamentation reserved located and what should be done with the the history of this house, we found its style of for the parlor level. In this house, the parlor lev­ wires? Will the mechanical systems be allowed architectural ornamentation to be taken directly el features a columnar screen, complete with to intrude into the interior spaces? from the works of Lafever. composite capital and base, at each side of the We were lucky to be able to do whatever was Built originally as a single-family dwelling, the pocket doors (top photo, p. 67). Originally, we necessary to achieve a restored interior; money house (photo this page) is five stories high and suspect, these columns were fluted wood, but and time were both generously supplied. How­ they were replaced to reflect a more "contem­ ever, even the minimal demands imposed by porary" styling sometime in the late 18 00s. On our client proved confining at times, and we The Interior of the New York City townhouse In the second floor, however, there are pilasters in were forced to compromise on certain issues. the photo above right was restored by the au­ thors. Throughout the pro ject, the original the same positions (middle photo, p. 67). Simi­ For example, we had hoped to keep the existing Greek Revival ornamentation was painstaking­ larly, other architectural features, such as base­ cast-iron radiators, but agreed to replace them ly repaired using various wood-patching and boards and cornices, are reduced in grandeur at with fan-forced convectors after consulting with plaster-casting techniques. But restoration succeeding floors. the owner and the heating contractor. These work often turns up surprises. For example, a 1920s bathroom at the rear of the building (fac­ units are usually concealed within kitchen or Ing page) was originally the servants' stair­ Condition of the interior-When we first vis­ bathroom cabinets, but we built a housing for well. A false floor had been Installed above the ited the building, the basement and parlor floors each one to blend with the surrounding archi­ original floor to accommodate the plumbing had been substantially completed by another tectural style. (the closet flange indicates the floor level). The contractor. Since there had been problems with As the project developed, it was perhaps in­ transom and sidelites were covered with ply­ wood on the hall side of the wall and with lath this work, the owner wanted us to restore the evitable that it would assume a life of its own. and plaster on the inside. remaining floors. We were a bit reluctant to step Though advance planning is crucial, we have

October/November 1985 63 The chimney breast on each floor had to be dis­ mantled to install new flue tile, a time-consum­ ing and difficult task (left). The job was compli­ cated by the fact that several flues were routed through each chimney. Electrical service was allowed to remain in the restoration, so the apartment could meet modern standards of oc­ cupancy. Specially cast covers (above) allowed electrical outlets to be flush with wall surfaces, reducing their visual intrusion.

however, and we made many trips into the room, we began to suspect that things were not as they seemed. A large window, otherwise iden­ tical to others on the second floor, extended all the way to the floor, and the molding details at the sill seemed skimpy compared with windows elsewhere. This was curious, but it wasn't until we began to remove the octagonal tile flooring from the room that we discovered its original purpose. As we continued our demolition, we soon found another floor, an original one, several feet below. The false floor had been installed in the 1920s, judging from old newspapers stuffed into framing cavities, and was obviously meant to conceal the plumbing for a new bathroom. As we excavated further we realized that the "false" doorway on the other side of an adjoin­ found that no amount of preparation and cau­ than we think we'll need. Only then do we find ing wall had originally led into this area, and tion can cover all of the possible circumstances we have enough. had been covered over on one side when the in a large-scale restoration. Documentation is likely to require some new bathroom was built. Since there is another We've also found that the documentation of a amount of research in order to achieve a com­ false doorway in the same building-which we building in its current condition, before we do plete record of the space to be restored. Dam­ knew was original-we had assumed the sec­ any work on it, is a critical step in preparing for aged or obliterated elements can be identified ond "false" doorway was also intended for aes­ a restoration job. A careful and orderly inven­ with surprising accuracy using investigative tech­ thetic purposes only. Assumptions in restoration tory serves as much more than a historical rec­ niques reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes. We can work can be misleading. ord. We use it as a project-management tool, sometimes look at such things as nails, for ex­ first to define separate areas of the project and ample, to give us clues to how and when the Working with subcontractors-Dealing with then to divide them into manageable portions. structure was built. Whether a nail is hand­ subcontractors can be one of the most frustrat­ The documentation also provides us with a rec­ wrought or machine-cut indicates a particular ing parts of a restoration project. When a histor­ ord from which to reconstruct dismantled or era of construction, and may suggest construc: ic building is involved, the selection and supervi­ , damaged architectural elements. tion techniques common to that era. sion of subcontractors are crucial in maintaining This sort of documentation works best when Our discovery of a false floor illustrates an­ the quality of the restoration. Only by working it takes several forms, each supporting the oth­ other bit of detective work, though in this case alongside the other craftspeople were we able ers. Written descriptions, with critical dimen­ we didn't set out to be sleuths. During the job to maintain a high standard of work on this proj­ sions noted, work together with photos and we had stored many of our tools at the rear of ect. And in future jobs, before hiring unfamiliar drawings. The basic strategy we use to docu­ the building, in what we took to be a service subcontractors, we 'll visit some of their past ment a project is to gather more information bathroom (photo p. 62). As the job progressed, work and inspect it carefully.

64 Fine Homebuilding Installing the HVAC system-The installa­ one of the truest beauties of age. We sometimes tion of air-c onditioning ductwork is the work leave these blemishes, repairing only those that that can most damage a restora tion. We dis­ seem offensive. When we do make repairs, how­ cussed this job in detail with the air-conditioning ever, the woodwork must be stripped of the lay- subcontractor to be sure he understood what . ers of finish that obscure its true condition. I! we techniques should be avoided. The central air­ aren't doing the stripping ourselves, we try to conditioning unit was placed on the roof, and supervise it closely. we located the copper tubing inside old and un­ There are many ways to repair gouges, dents, used ductwork. The air handler was placed in a cracks and other damage, but we've found that closet, and we installed as little ductwork as some techniques work better than others. One possible for it. We could not avoid cutting tem­ technique we use frequently is to let in an inlay porary holes in the walls to reach ductwork, but of solid wood to replace the damaged wood. when an opening was in a sensitive area, we cut The inlay is called a dutchman (photo right), it ourselves in order to keep damage to a mini­ and in this project we put in many of them. mum. In one place we were forced to locate a The strategy in installing a dutchman is to grille through original plasterwork. To minimize keep it small, removing as little original wood as this intrusion, the face of the grille was built to possible. It should be slightly larger than the conform to the contours of the plaster molding damaged area, and thicker than the spot is deep; and painted to match the room. this allows for clamping and paring down to the finished surface. We always make the dutchman Rebuilding chimneys-All chim neys were VB in. thicker than the recess it's let into. re-lined with terra-cotta flue pipe from basement I! the repaired woodwork is to be stained, to roof, which involved drastic surgery. Subcon­ cutting and fitting a dutchman is exacting busi­ tractors had to dismantle the chimney breast­ ness. It should match the original wood in spe­ the part of the chimney projecting from the flue cies, color and figure as closely as possible, and into the room-on each floor, replace the flue the fit should be precise. Whenever possible, we pipe, rebrick the chimney breast, replaster the make a dutchman from a scrap piece of original wall and ·repaint. In most cases, the fireboxes woodwork, something with the same age char­ were reconstructed as well. Various amounts of acteristics as the woodwork to be repaired. If restoration were required for each hearth, fire­ the wood is to be painted, as it was in this proj­ place and mantel (photo facing page, left). ect, matching the grain is not so impor tant, but the wood species should certainly be the same. Electrical and plumbing changes-Electri­ We habitually cut dutchmen to a diamond cal outlets were cut into the baseboards of the shape, but this isn't necessary. The important Inlaid patches (dutchmen) and wood putty were used to repair the damaged woodwork. house sometime in the 1930s, but the idea of thing is to angle any cross-grain cuts. This en­ holes through the woodwork didn'.t appeal to sures that the end-grain glue joint will have us. By removing the baseboards from the walls, maximum holding power, and it also helps to is in a molding or other profiled element, the we were able to repair them by covering the disguise the repair. technique is the same except that you'll need to outlet cavities with dutchmen (a description of spend more time removing excess material. We these follows) and run new wiring behind them Fitting a dutchman-Here's how to make a often use molding planes for this job. Any gaps without additional damage to the wall. We had a dutchman repair. Once the dutchman has been or fastener holes can be filled with Elmer's Pro­ foundry cast special aluminum outlet casings so cut, hold it against the damaged area to make fessional Carpenter's Wood Filler, which we find that we could install the new outlets with their sure it covers it completely. With your other works and holds well. faces flush with the plaster walls. The result, hand, use a sharp knife to scribe the outline of When using a dutchman to repair a damaged once painted to match the walls, has a very the dutchman on the original woodwork. Before edge or outside corner of any woodwork, it is clean look and does not distract from the clas­ moving the inlay, use a pencil to register its ori­ good practice whenever possible to place the sic lines of the rooms (photo facing page, right). entation, so you can return it to this position dutchman in such a way that" it "locks" itself Telephones were not specified in the plans, when you glue it in, and not backwards or into the wood. In other words, its shortest side but were added toward the end of the job. We upside-down. Set the dutchman aside and use should be on the outside edge of the element surface-mounted the wires discreetly. The build­ the knife t6 deepen the scribe marks. To remove being restored, while the long side of the patch ing had an intercom system linked to the front damaged wood we've found that a router and a should secure it into the good wood, much the door, and this was another modern convenience \4-in. straight bit, set to the depth of the dam­ way a dovetail works. that had to stay intact. For its speakers and mi­ age, works quite well. I! the damage is deep, crophones, we fabricated brass grilles to incor­ rout it out in passes VB in. deep. Remove the Ostrich·feather patches-Another type of porate a motif we found on other architectural wood to within YI6 in. of the scribed line, and repair we use quite frequently is called an os­ elements in the house. Thermostats in each room use a sharp chisel to excise the rest. trich fe ather. This is a long, tapered sliver of were left virtually untouched, except for being The inlay should fit snugly. To fasten it, coat wood cut from the same species as the wood to painted to match the walls. the excavated area with yellow glue and set the be repaired, used to fill a crack or check. The Adding a bathroom to a room with no prior dry inlay into place. Clamp it if possible. Some­ ostrich feather is usually glued only on one plumbing can be difficult. On this project, pipe times, however, the repair will be to a section of edge, lightly tapped into the crack and left to chases couldn't be put in party walls because woodwork that just cannot be easily clamped. dry. Once the glue has set, the protruding waste the work would damage adjoining houses. We When this occurs, we fasten the dutchman with can be removed with a paring chisel. could usually route plumbing through joist cav­ brads or finish nails, leaving their heads slightly ities, but this wasn't always possible, and in one above the surface of the work to allow for re­ Casting plaster replacements-Some of the instance we had to surface mount a pipe to a moval.later. To avoid splitting the dutchman, we ornaments on the house could not be repaired wall and box it in. pre-drill holes for the brads. with dutchmen or feathers, and for these we When the glue has thoroughly dried, pare the sometimes cast partial replacements in plaster, Dutchmen-The woodwork in an old house is dutchman down to the surrou nding surface. I! as shown in the photos on the next page. For a historical register of sorts. It records a story in necessary, block-sand the edges to feather them more on casting plaster, see FHB #1, pp. 36-39. its accumulation of dents and gouges, and this is into surrounding material. When the dutchman The process of casting new ornaments is fairly

October/November 1985 65 straightforward, and it's easier if you have at least one complete ornament to use as a master. The complete ornament must be stripped of whatever paint still clings to it in order to ensure that the mold will pick up every nuance of the original. We've found that methylene chloride base semi-paste paint removers (we used a lo­ cally available brand) work quickly and easily. The stripped detail should then be brushed with a mold-release agent, and we've found that Vas­ eline, shellac or tincture of green soap works well for this purpose. The soap is available from hospital-supply stores. The molding material we used on this job is a two-part cold-pour synthetic-rubber compound from Sculpture Associates (40 E. 19th St., New York, N. Y. 10 003). Mix the catalyst and resin into a light slurry the consistency of cream, and brush this dilute mixture into the ornament to pick up the fine details. Wait about an hour and brush on at least one full-strength layer of com­ pound, about 1 in. thick. Additional layers will give the mold more rigidity if you need it. Let the whole thing cure for several hours and then gently peel it off. When you're sure that the mold perfectly reflects the ornament, brush it with a release agent before casting. For casting, we use Hydrocal (available at art­ supply stores or from Sculpture Associates). It's an extra-strength plaster that cures in one to two hours. If the mold is particularly deep or com­ plex, we'll sometimes pour two layers of Hydro­ cal, adding string, wire or burlap reinforcement between the layers. When the plaster has cured, gently peel the mold away from the ornament, and repair any bubble defects that might have developed. The finished product can be at­ tached to woodwork with white glue, or to pIas­ ter with a slurry of plaster. On vertical surfaces, hold the ornament in place with a handful of push pins until the adhesive dries.

Glues for restorat ion-There are two schools of thought concerning the type of glue most appropriate for use on historic restora­ tions. Some craftsmen think that glue used on any restoration should be removable. The rea­ soning for this is that future restorers may devel­ op improved techniques, and may want to up� grade "inferior" work. By using hide glue in our projects now, future restorers will be able to undo our work with relative ease. Other craftsmen are more concerned with present-day realities, and prefer yellow glue or

Restoring details. Several ornaments on the stair stringers were either missing or substan­ tially damaged (top). Recreating them Involved several steps. A complete ornament was chem­ Ically stripped of all paint and served as the master. It was then coated with a mold-release material and brushed with a dilute mixture of rubber molding compound to reach the fine de­ tails. After the first layer of molding material set, addltonal layers of material were built up to give the mold strength (middle). A casting was then made using high-strength plaster, and after curing, It was attached to the stair and painted (bottom). In cases where portions of the original detail remained, they were left In place and the new plaster casting was used only to fillIn missing portions.

Photos this page: James Boorstein The floor plans on each story are identical, but ornamentation differs. Parlors are typically the most ornate rooms in Greek Revival homes. The one in this house has non-structural col­ umns beneath a full cornice (top). On the sec­ ond floor, the columns become non-structural pilasters (middle). Where a plumbing chase had to be added alongside a chimney, orna­ mentation was discontinued to keep it from looking too busy (bottom). other permanent glues. Their reaso ning is that these modern glues dry faster, reducing clamp­ ing time and allowing more work to be done in a shorter period of time. We have tried both methods for years, and are convinced that any future restorer of archi­ tectural woodwork would simply rout or chisel out any disturbing repairs. This would be more expedient and less disruptive to the adjoining areas than using water-soaked pads to soften any hide glue that holds repairs in place. We do, however, use hide glue when we feel that the situation calls for it, particularly in the restora­ tion of furniture.

Restoring sash-Another ongoing debate among restoration professionals centers on this question: When is it appropriate to reproduce architectural features instead of restoring them? The question comes up at some point in just about every restoration project, and this job was no exception. As we worked on the house, we realized that the damaged second-story window sash at the front of the house were from a later period than the other sash. The molding be­ tween the panes was bulky and bold, quite un­ like the delicate molding elsewhere in the build­ ing. We could have restored these misfits, for they did belong to the house and have a history of their own. But we felt the history of the house would best be served by maintaining the original design of the sash. We decided, therefore, to re­ place the offending woodwork with new sash in the original design and construction. Some of the original sash sagged toward the middle of the window, and we decided to repair these rather than replace them. To strengthen the joints we inserted two lis-in. dowels at each muntin intersection. Because the entire building had sagged over the years, no part of the structure was even close to being square. Restoring the structure to its original condition was n�t our objective, so we made the sash slightly larger than the origi­ nals and trimmed them to fit the out-of-square jambs. Sugar pine had been used for the original sash, so we used it for the reproductions as well. Many of the original glass panes were dam­ aged and had to be replaced. The new glass weighs significantly less than the old, however, and disrupted the balance of the windows. After fitting each window to a particular opening, we weighed it and adjusted the sash weights ac­ cordingly. To add weight we cast lead "dough­ nuts" and attached them to existing weights. The windows now respond to a light touch, as they probably did 148 years ago. 0

Th e authors are partners in Traditional Line Ltd., a New York City res toration company. 2x6 or 2xB wall overhangs foundation edge to Siding Siding align flush with slab insulation. Sheathing Sheathing � f V

%-in. insulationfoil-faced board -JI=���j Caulk durable poly moisture barner to wall vapor barrier. Reinforced concrete slab with Min. 2-in. extruded polystyrene 2x6 pr essure-treated sill plate anchor-bolted to it foam insulation

Concrete slab reinforced with welded w ire mesh t:. ... •... , . �:. -----L , ----- II"·' ------I.I 'i ...... cun __ 1 " " i 1: . II\ ' I 'm�[ijml . ,4..: . I �11�lIDl c�)

, ..

• Minimum 2-in. .4 Independent footing and stem wall

26-ga. galvanized weathe. rskin Fig. 1: Monolithic slab insulation Fig. 2: Separate slab and footing Perimeter insulation can be positioned inside the Footings are constructed first, then rigid insulation concrete forms before the pour and should align is installed inside the fo oting and covered with a flush with the outside edge of the sill plate. mOisture barner before the fo oting is poured.

Energy Detailing Reliable strategies for insulation and vapor barriers in new construction

by Daniel Hill

ver the last 15 years, architects have had oped ourselves or taken from the Oregon De­ Foundations and floors-Most builders in our theO opportunity to try out many different details partment of Energy's Home Demonstration Pro­ area who use slab-on-grade construction prefer aimed at saving energy. In the early stages, the gram. In our relatively temperate climate (the monolithic slabs, with the footing and slab poured search for energy·efficient details led to as many median temperature is about 45°F), the design all at once. Monolithic slabs are easy to insulate blunders as it did successes. Vapor barriers goal for new houses is a 50% reduction in ener­ because we're usually concerned only with heat were wrongly located, tight construction was gy use over houses built with conventional 2x4 loss through the edge of the foundation. Heat coupled with poor ventilation, and designs that wall construction. Using our portfolio of details, will also conduct down into the ground, but the looked very good on paper turned out to be job· we can guarantee the home owner energy sav­ weight of the concrete can crush insulation in­ site nightmares. ings of 35% to 65%. stalled beneath it. For this reason we usually Today, feedback from builders, home owners The drawings show some of the details we omit underslab insulation and just use a durable and different research efforts has culled out use in the houses we design. These details can moisture barrier such asTu-Tuf (Sto-Cote Prod­ most of the bad designs. The energy-efficient be divided into four categories: foundations and ucts Inc., Drawer 310, Richmond, Ill. 60071). construction details that we use at Arbor South floors, walls, ceilings and roof, and vapor bar­ As shown in figure I, at the slab edge we use Architecture are ones that we have either devel- riers and indoor-air quality. at least 2 in. of rigid insulation, usually polyiso-

68 Fine Homebuilding Foil-faced insulation board is nailed to wall at Seal all joints between Exterior sheathing board corners only. Half-inch drvwall is screwed boards with tape. / through insulation board into studs.

3/4-ln. foil-faced insulation board R-19 unfaced batt insulation y

Vapor barrier

' ' .. . ..".. . :...... " � Use foil tape at corners and at ..: all other insulation-board joints .

Foil-faced Insulation board ,":

V2 in. drywall kl=-.,'. f· .. t..· 1 %-in. by 1 V2-in. : V-groove cut into stud ends for wiring '.'

Foundation or lower-floor vapor barrier v Plan view

Fig. 3: 2x6 wall construction The inside foil face on the insulation board acts as Fig. 4: The California comer the vapor barner, eliminating the need for a Stud configuration at the corner reduces heat loss polyethylene sheet barrier. V-s haped wiring by maximizing insulation space. It also creates channels can be gang-cut In a stacked row of interior-corner nailing surfaces for drywall and studs before wall assembly. insulation board

cyan urate foam. This yields an R-value of about forced with 10-ga. 6x6 welded wire mesh to ventilation is important. Most building codes re­ 16. This insulation can be placed inside the prevent major cracking. quire some degree of ventilation, but allowing forms before the pour so that when the forms The two most common ways to frame a floor frigid winter air to circulate beneath your living are stripped the insulation is already in place. are with joists or with a post-and-beam system. space isn't always beneficial. If you're building We like to protect the foundation insulation with The simplest way to achieve a higher R-value un­ in climates that have hot summers and cold win­ a 26-ga. galvanized weatherskin that's installed der the floor is to increase the depth of the ters, we recommend that insulating plugs be in­ after the wall is framed up. Available in 30-in. beams or joists, which allows more insulation to stalled in the ventilation holes during winter wide rolls, the galvanized sheet is simply nailed be placed between them. We prefer to specify months to keep pipes from freezing and to re­ to the bottom plate of the wall. Sheathing and/or 4xl0 beams or 2xl0 joists. The 10 -in. nominal duce heat loss through the floor. In our area, siding covers the top edge of the weatherskin. depth allows us to use a standard R-30 unfaced some vent manufacturers supply insulating plugs Walls built with 2x6 or 2x8 studs can be canti­ fiberglass batt between the floor framing mem­ with their vents. If this isn't the case, plugs can levered out beyond the foundation so that the bers. One important advantage that joisted floors be made by cutting any type of rigid-foam insu­ outside face of the framed wall is flush with the have over post-and-beam floors is that joists lation to a size that fits snugly in the vent open­ outside face of the foundation insulation. When usually rest on the mudsill, which allows you to ing. Once the weather starts to get warmer, it's the sheathing and siding are nailed up, they will insulate under the exterior walls. important to remove this temporary insulation form a protective finished edge that protrudes There are several ways to hold this floor insu­ so that the crawl space can breathe and dry out. slightly beyond the insulated foundation. lation in place. Chicken wire can be stapled to When the slab and footing are two separate the bottom edges of the beams or joists, or you Walls-There are two different wall systems components, the insulation affects only the slab can attach string or lath strips on I-ft. centers at we like to use. The first is a 2x6 stud wall with (figure 2). Since there's no bearing problem right angles to beams or joists. o/.!-in. thick, R-6 Thermax (Celotex Corp., P.O. with the slab, we can insulate underneath it as The vapor barrier is the tough part with floors Box 22602, Tampa, Fla. 33622) fastened to the well as around it. Here we recommend a mini­ built over a crawl space. It needs to go on top of 24-in. o. c. studs just beneath the interior dry­ mum I-in. thick Dow "blueboard," a rigid ex­ the beams or joists and under' the decking. At wall (figure 3). The 5Yz-in. thick stud cavity is truded polystyrene foam. The underslab insula­ the exterior edges of the floor, we wrap the poly insulated with R-19 unfaced fiberglass batts. tion should be set on a well-compacted base of up over the decking and under the bottom plate The 2x6 wall is simple to frame and insulate. pea gravel or sand. Then it's covered with a of the exterior stud wall, with enough left over The first thing the builder does is to cut a moisture barrier that is wrapped up against the to caulk to the wall vapor barrier. We use clear, V-notch in the bottom of the studs to accommo­ inside edge of the wall and later caulked to the 6-mil poly for floor vapor barriers because black date the electrical wiring, which is installed after wall vapor barrier. Whene ver there's insulation poly blocks your view of the floor framing. the wall is up but before it's insulated. The easi­ under the slab, the slab itself needs to be rein- In certain parts of the country, crawl-space est way to cut the V -notch is to stack the studs

October/November 1985 69 Drawings: Vince Babak R-38 fiberglass ceiling insulation blown in between and over joists

Friction-fit insulation baffles between rafters

2-in. ventilation space

Rafter

Fig_ Ceiling insulation The doable 2x4 walL Identical 2x4 walls with studs 16 In. on center are 5: Baffles installed between rafters prevent high separated by Yz-In. thick rigid insulation and Insulated with R-22 fiber­ levels of ceiling Insulation from restricting the glass batts. Top, strips of rigid Insulation are nailed to the Inner edge of upward movement of air from soffit vents. one wall before the second wall is framed up on top of It. The 7Yz-In. width of the wall, above, fits 2x8 top and bottom plates exactly.

together with their ends flush and make two 45° break of Y:!-in. thick insulation board. Like the baffles are slanted parallel with the roof and fric­ passes with a skillsaw. 2x6 wall, this double wall should be built flat tion fit to allow about 2 in. of ventilation space. The Thermax is installed against the wall's in­ and then tilted up into position. After the first This gives fresh air entering at the soffit an ade­ side face by nailing. each insulation board at its 2x4 wall is nailed together, I Y:!-in. wide strips of quate passageway above the insylation, where it corners only. (Drywall screws will be shot Y:!-in. thick insulation board are either stapled or replaces stale, hot or moisture-laden attic air through the gypsum board that's installed later nailed to the exposed edges of the studs. Then a that's exhausted through upper roof vents. to anchor the Thermax to the studs.) With a second layer of studs is placed atop the first and We always recommend that access to the at­ low-Perm foil face on both sides, the joints be­ nailed to the plates prior to tilt-up (photos tic be through a gable end outside the house. tween Thermax boards can simply be taped to above). The finished wall is 7Y:! in. thick and will Pull-down attic stairs are a significant and poten­ create the vapor barrier on this wall. We use hold R-22 fiberglass batts. tially hazardous breach in the ceiling vapor bar­ either foil tape supplied by the manufacturer or When building the double wall you have to rier. [f attic access must be from inside, the best duct tape. Gypsum board is then screwed to the leave about % in. of open space between studs thing to do is to use a foam-rubber gasket studs. We use 2l4-in. drywall screws to ensure at the base of the wall to run electrical wiring. around the access hole and insulate the panel good attachment to the wood. The wall should have a vapor barrier of clear by gluing two or three layers of rigid insulation At exterior corners in the 2x6 wall, we like to plastic stapled against its inside face' with to its attic side. use the California corner (figure 4, previous enough overlap at top and bottom to caulk page), a three-stud lay-up that allows the insula­ against floor and ceiling vapor barriers. Vapor barriers-When the vapor barrier is in­ tion to overlap, and also creates a solid nailing stalled, there are several critical areas: corners, surface inside the wall for the drywall and the Ceiling insulation-We try to maximize insu­ wall/floor/ceiling connections, cantilevers, parti­ vapor barrier. Drywall clips should also be used lation in the attic, but this can be difficult when tions, electrical or plumbing penetrations and on this corner. conventional framing methods are used. Special window or door openings. Where the exterior For door and window headers, we usually nail superinsulation-type roof trusses are available in wall meets the second floor, the vapor barrier together a pair of 2x8s, with 2Y:!-in. semi-rigid our area, but they're quite a bit more expensive has to extend through the joist space, wrap foam insulation (rated at about R-II) sand­ than conventional trusses or dimension-lumber around the sub floor and be caulked to the sec­ wiched between them as a thermal break. roof framing. What we do most often is to blow ond-floor vapor barrier. This between-floor con­ The second wall system that we've used with about 12 in. to 14 in. of insulation (R-38 to nection can be done by wrapping the first-floor good results is a double 2x4 stud wall with 2x8 R-40) between and over the ceiling joists in the poly around the rim joist or by friction-fitting plates. Steve Goewey, a local contractor, helped attic. To prevent this insulation from isolating foil-faced foam boards between joists and using us in developing this design. [n this system, the soffit vents, we install rigid-foam baffles be­ poly connector strips (figure 6). It's important to identical 2x4 walls are separated by a thermal tween rafters just above the eave (figure 5). The insulate behind the rim joist to prevent heat loss

70 Fine Homebuilding Photos: 0 Arbor South Architecture Extenor sheathing � %-in. Thermax TIT====::�� Caulk connector strip to wall vapor barrier here.

Caulk t-floor vapor barrier Second-floor Poly connector strip caulked to foil fa ce on insert. exterior wall to first-floor and second-floor � vapor barriers

Caulk poly vapor barrier connecting striP I to foam insert and wrap it under sub floor. Second floor i / >

Joists Rim JOist

- .,.--- , >< Foil-faced foam-insulation Insert fo il- faced insulation board inserts between joists � between second-f loor joists and seal >< in place with acoustic sealant or tape. -=-� First-floor _---.:::,.1 exterior wall >-=:::::::-=:::: --==--= First floor

Fig. 6: Vapor-barrier connection between floors Fig. 7: Cantilever detail To keep the vapor barrier continuous in multi-story Floor overhangs require a poly connector strip houses, poly connector strips are used be tween that's caulked to the upper-wall vapor barrier and floors. Insulating the rim joist helps to reduce heat to fo il- faced fo am inserts that are sealed in place loss between floors. between can tilevered joists

Extenor wall

Poly connector strip ��-)

Ceiling joist 2x6 backer board

Partition wall

Caulk here � ---�-' >< '�:, �1>< . ,� Poly connector stnp Double ' // '\Caulk here Butt end stud of wall partition into 2x6. top plate �.

Wrap vapor barrier Strip around end stud and caulk it to exterior-wall vapor barrier.

Partition wall ------� Fig. 8: Partition wall and exterior-wall juncture Keep the ceiling vapor barrier continuous by sandwiching a poly connector strip between the double top plate. Caulk connector strip to ceiling vapor barrier. Where a partition wall meets an V exterior wall, wrap a poly connector strip around Elevation the firs t stud and caulk it to the wall vapor barrier. Plan view Apply caulk around blocked-off section and where wiring penetrates poly

\ \ \ View from outside

Cut, fold and seal corner patch over wall vapor barner.

Install insulation beneath poly

�FOld tEev, Fig. 9: Sealing around outlet boxes Block off stud space around outlet box and seal with poly Keep poly slack so that outlet box can Fig. 10 : Sealing around windows and doors be Installed without tearing poly Once outlet box Make X slit in vapor barner at opening, wrap IS installed and wired, caulk wall vapor barrier to to wards outside of wall and seal against extenor boxed areas. sheathing. Install poly patches at corner.

in this area. The foam boards between joi sts ure 9). Only the wire coming through this sec­ and the vapor barrier should run up to the edges should be taped to the lower-wall vapor barrier tion of poly will need to be caulked. The vapor of the chimney. and connected to the upper-wall vapor barrier barrier for the rest of the wall is then installed Exterior windows and doors are handled easi­ with a caulked poly strip. and sealed to the poly in the blocked-off areas. ly by running the poly over the entir e opening Cantilevers are handled by taping or caulking Ceiling electrical boxes are detailed the same and then cutting an X across it and folding the the lower-floor vapor barrier to Thermax inserts way as wall outlet boxes. poly flaps toward the outside of the wall. They that are taped in place between the overhanging Another method of sealing around outlet should be caulked and stapled to the sheathing. joists. To keep the barrier continuous, another boxes involves the use of insulating foams that Cut and install small poly patches at the corners sheet of poly needs to extend from the top edge are sold in aerosol cans. Using a plywood tem­ to cover the rough opening areas left bare by of the Thermax inserts under the second-floor plate to keep the foam in the stud space, �pray the flaps, as shown in figure 10. deck and bottom wall plate to the wall vapor the insulation all around the outlet box, creating barrier (figure 7, previous page). a bulkhead of low-Perm rigid insulation to which Air quality-The energy-efficient houses we Partition walls that join exterior walls are con­ the poly vapor barrier can easily be caulked. To aim to design might be described as tight, but structed from 2x4 studs and butt into a single keep the foam from adhering to the template, not too tight. At between 0.4 and 0.5 air vertical 2x6, as shown in figure 8, previous page. cover the plywood with waxed paper. changes per hour, we've found that indoor air A poly strip is sandwiched between the end stud Plumbing penetrations in ceilings or exterior quality can be maintained without the aid of an of the partition wall and the 2x6 so that it can walls are also handled using the spray-on foam. air-to-air heat exchanger. Tighter than this, and be caulked to the exterior wall vapor barrier. The spray technique can be a little more difficult the potential for indoor air pollution increases to The simplest way to detail the vapor barrier at since the pipe won't usually be against a stud. It a great degree, according to the most recent the ceiling where interior walls meet it is to in­ takes practice. studies. Indoor air quality also depends on the sert a continuous strip of poly between the two Detailing the chimney or flue is tricky. If the size and habits of the family living in the house, top plates of the interior wall, leaving enough on plans call for a metal flue, make sure that the and on the types of building materials and fur­ the sides so that the ceiling vapor barrier can be one you use is UL listed and has a metal firestop nishings inside it. Air-to-air heat exchangers caulked or taped to it. collar designed specifically for it. The vapor bar­ have become the accepted way of managing the Switch boxes have always been hard to seal rier should be caulked to the outside edge of air in a tight house, but they need to be correct­ against vapor penetration. One approach is to this collar, while the gap between the inside ly sized, carefully installed and monitored for block off the stud space around the outlet box edge of the collar and the flue should be sealed proper operation. 0 and then caulk and staple a small piece of poly with fire-resistant stove cement. Any airspaces around this opening with enough slack to ac­ between masonry chimneys and the surround­ Daniel Hill is a senior designer for Arbor South commodate the full depth of the outlet box (fig- ing framing should be stuffed with insulation, Architecture in Eugene, Ore.

72 Fine Homebuilding A Tidewater House First-time builders take on a beautiful and challenging site on the Georgia coast

by Tim Snyder

arlY in 1983, Jeannine and Rundle Cook set tabby walls (tabby is a common coastal con­ major · concern as the Cooks began to design outE from New York on a trip down the East crete made largely with shells that are crushed their house. Their plan from the outset had been Coast. Traveling in a motor home, they were and roasted to form a lime binder ) attested to to bring the building close to the water so that looking for a nice place to build a second home. this earlier use, and flanking these were oyster the easterly view across the marsh would be un­ The site they had in mind had to be close to a mounds made by early Indian inhabitants. Most obstructed. But the excavation necessary for a lake or ocean, affordable, and rich in natural of the Cooks' 210 ft. of shore fron tage was a conventional foundation or slab would have al­ beauty. No time limit was put on the search, and veritable mine of shell fragments. A deepwater tered the shorefront substantially. It would also the Cooks were prepared to travel a long time channel is located just offshore. It leads through have put the house within easy reach of flood before settling on a spot. By mid-March, howev­ a tidal marsh to the Intracoastal Waterway, tides. Building on pilings was the answer, but er, they'd discovered the place where they which is protected from the open ocean by a the Cooks couldn't find a builder who had expe­ wanted to build. In fact, the lot was within a chain of barrier islands. Only sparsely populated rience with this kind of work. In fact, as new­ stone's throw of where they had parked their by shrimpers and seasonal visitors, the area is an comers to a fairly rural area, they had difficulty motor home the night before. ideal habitat for all kinds of wildlife, including in finding any full-time contractors. Most car­ otter, mink, osprey, heron, and even an occa­ pentry work in these parts is done by out-of­ High tides and coastal gales-Located on sional alligator. work shrimpers. the Georgia coast not far from the Intracoastal This idyllic setting didn't come without a The Cooks had little choice but to act as their Waterway, the Cooks' property had once been price. Despite assurances from local residents, own general contractors. Though they had nev­ the site of an oyster-can ning plant. Some low the site's susceptibility to heavy weather was a er built a house before, the retired engineer and his artist wife decided to combine their skills CCA (chromated copper arsenate) preservative Zinc-Clad 5, a specialized corrosion-resistant and hope for the best. With their motor home was also maximized to 2l1z lb. per cu. ft. Pilings product for metal. parked at the site, they could take the time to that are less uniform and less saturated with pre­ When the heating and air-conditioning ducts proceed carefully through each stage of the servative are often used to construct docks and had been installed under the floor and the floor construction process. marinas, but the Cooks wanted to err on the had been insulated with 6-in. fibergla ss batts, side of strength and longevity. the bottoms of the joists were sheathed so that A new design-The search for general infor­ The pilings were driven with a drop hammer. high winds under the house wouldn't damage mation on coastal construction practices was This is a 5,000-lb. steel weight that rides a pair insulation or ductwork. difficult. To find out more about local tide and of tracks in a steel cage that also encloses the weather conditions and their effects on the site, top of the piling. The cage is held in position by An oak frame-Rather than frame their house the Cooks contacted Kirti Joshi, of the Army the boom of a crane, whose operator raises the with dimensioned lumber, the Cooks wanted an Corps of Engineers. They also located a govern­ weight to maximum height and then releases the exposed framework of oak posts and beams. ment publication, Design and Co nstruction brake on the cable drum. This sends the ham­ While living in New York, they had visited some Manual fo r Residential Buildings in Coastal mer downward to deliver a smashing blow to post-and-beam houses designed by architect High Hazard Areas (available from the National the piling. The top of the piling is protected by a and author Alex Wade. Most of these houses Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal steel cap that contains several layers of plywood had been enclosed with stress-skin panels-in­ Rd., Springfield, Va. 22161; order #PB82 125592, to cushion the blow. It takes a series of these sulating sheets of foam with sheathing bonded $20.50), which proved to be very helpful. Guide­ leviathan blows to sink a pile (left photo, facing to one side and drywall bonded to the other lines set by the Federal Emergency Management page). Despite the prodigious force of the drop (see FHB #24, pp. 55-59). This is the system that Agency recommend that houses be built at least hammer, penetration sometimes slowed to as the Cooks chose for their house. They found a 14 ft. above mean sea level. Though the Cooks little as liz in. per blow. When the driving force timber framer in upstate New York, Robert Da­ found it hard to believe that a 14-ft. tidal surge slowed to a near stop and the top of the piling kin, who agreed to cut the frame for their house could reach them across miles of salt marsh and began to split, the crew moved on to the next in his shop and erect it in Georgia. The stress­ barrier islands, they thought it best to comply piling. After two days, all 24 of the pilings that skin panels were supplied by Foam Laminates of with these standards. would support the house had been driven to Vermont (Box 102, Hinesburg, Vt. 05461). The Cooks wanted a modern design, but they depths ranging from 15 ft. to 22 ft. Raising and enclosing the frame (photos next didn't want their house to intrude unne cessarily The crew used a transit to establish a level page) took longer than planned. Concern about on the wealth of natural features that the site of­ cut-off line on all the pilings and then trimmed the extra strength required of an oak frame in an fered. Inside the house, there had to be space off the tops with . The offcuts were so exposed coastal location led the Cooks to build for a master bedroom and bathroom, a guest heavy that they had to be lifted free with the in some additional bracing after Dakin's frame bedroom with its own bath, a studi% ffice and crane. Chainsaws were then used to cut two was up. A parallel-chord truss was added to an open-plan kitchen and dining area. Ample parallel sides on the top of each post so that a each of the long walls of the belvedere on the window space was important for views and ven­ pair of pressure-treated 2x 12s could be through­ advice of Hunter Saussey, a Savannah engineer. tilation. Even though the Cooks planned to in­ bolted. The 2x 12s straddle the posts, forming a All interior partition walls were made into shear stall central air conditioning, they wanted a de­ system of girders that run perpendicular to the walls by sheathing their 2x4 frames on both sign that would promote natural ventilation and shore and support 2x8 floor joists on 12-in. cen­ sides with liz-in. plywood. These walls were be energy efficient at all times of the year. ters (photo facing page, top right). spiked to the adjacent oak framing members, The favored style started out as a simple op­ Anchoring the first-floor framing system to the and the plywood was later covered with a finish posed shed with one ridge lower than the other pilings was a critical step. The front deck that wall of gypboard. to make space for a south-facing clerestory of faces the water is about 14 ft. above the ground. Unfortunately for the Cooks, oak timber operable windows. For the sake of ventilation As you move away from the shore, the upward frames and stress-skin panels were exotic fare to and view, however, a belvedere would be far slope of the site gradually decreases the dis­ the local carpenters they had called on to com­ better than a clerestory. With its own roof raised tance between the ground and the first-floor plete the shell of the building. No one had any above the rest of the house, the belvedere framing to about 3 ft. at the back of the house. idea how to install the panels. Finally, they con­ would provide window space on several sides This natural slope has a venturi effect on wind tacted Jeff Seeley, a builder who had worked on (see FHB #3, pp. 56-59, and FHB #8, pp. 63-67). that blows in off the sea. Entering the broad end Dakin's crew, and had him come down to su­ The Cooks decided that adding this touch of of this under-house funnel, gale-force winds pervise stress-skin panel installation. southern vernacular to a modern design would would exert powerful pressure as the passage­ Roughsawn cypress was nailed up as board­ enhance it both aesthetically and functionally way narrows toward the back of the house. on-board siding. Because the wood was green, (elevation drawings, below). To counteract this under-house uplift, Simp­ the Cooks tailored their nailing pattern to allow son hurricane ties (Simpson Strong Tie Co., Inc., each board to move independently. First, 7-in. Pile driving-The Cooks hired a construction 1450 Doolittle Drive, Box 1568, San Leandro, wide boards were nailed directly to the company to put in the foundation of pressure­ Calif. 94577) were nailed along all the girders, sheathed outside face of the stress-skin panels, treated wood pilings. They used 35-ft. long, tying every other floor joist to the sub frame of with about 2 in. of space between boards. Then class B pilings with a limited taper (minimum the house (photo facing page, bottom right). 4-in. wide boards were nailed over this space, 14-in. dia. at the base, and no less than 12-in. Once all of this hardware was installed, the with nails extending through the void rather dia. 3 ft. from the top). Pressure treatment with Cooks set to painting it with Sherwin Williams than through the first layer of boards. Because

East elevation North elevation A piling fo undation. At left, a crane holds the metal cage that keeps the piling plumb while it is driven down by a 5,OOO-lb. weight. The pilings were driven to a depth of 15 ft. to 22 ft. The next step, top, was to cut off the tops of the pilings along a level line and notch them to hold 2x 12 girders. Because the house is exposed to coastal gales, it had to be firmly anchored to its foundation. Above, girders are through-bolted into pilings using large square washers, and 2x8 floor joists are secured above the girders with toenails and hurricane clips. To forestall rust, metal parts will be liberally coated with the zinc-rich paint that has already been brushed on the hardware in the foreground.

West elevation South elevation Because the stress-skin panels weren't manu­ factured with internal electrical raceways, wir­ ing had to be done with surface-mount fixtures. Raising the frame. Mortises in the first-floor deck hold tenons cut on the bottom ends of oak posts. Above, a custom-made baseboard is routed to At top, major posts, beams and rafters are in place, and temporary diagonal braces provide racking house plastic-sheathed cable and cut to fit resistance until the stress-skin panels are nailed up. Above left, the main and belvedere roofs were around outlet boxes. Because the foam cores of installed as soon as possible to get the frame under cover. Above right, foam-core stress-skin panels the panels can't hold nails, baseboards had to sheathed with drywall and waferboard are spiked to the outside of the frame. be attached with contact cement. of corrosive conditions and high·wind potential, the nearest lumberyard 30 miles away, any items built in beneath the drywall interior face of the hot·dipped, galvanized ring·shank nails were that were damaged, incorrect or forgotten ex­ panel. When the panels were installed, some used for the siding. acted a cruel penalty in terms of time and aggra­ wiring space was left between panels at corners The Cooks used heavyweight Timberline fi­ vation. In their remote location, the Cooks dis­ and along the rakes. But this didn't solve the berglass shingles (GAF Corp., 1361 Alps Rd., covered that in many cases, the best strategy problem of wiring along panel walls. Switches Wayne, N. J. 07470) on the roof. As an extra was to deal directly with manufacturers or na­ and wiring chases were located in interior stud­ precaution against wind loss, each course of tional distributors and not through local lumber­ framed walls wherever possible. The outlet boxes shingles was cemented (as well as nailed) to the yards or building-supply outlets. against exterior walls were housed in custom­ one below it with asphalt adhesive. Wiring the exterior walls of the house was es­ made fir baseboards that were routed to cover pecially difficult because of the stress-skin pan­ wiring runs (photo above right). These base­ Finish work- Windows, doors, electrical fix­ els. Unlike the panels that Foam Laminates of boards had to be fastened to the drywall with tures and building supplies in general were diffi­ Vermont now makes (see FHB #25, p. 46), the contact adhesive or molly bolts because the cult to get hold of as finish work began. With ones the Cooks used had no electrical chases foam cores of the stress-skin panels wouldn't

76 Fine Homebuilding Construction photos: Albert Rundle Cook The studio and officewill be located on the second floor of the house, beneath the belvedere. A bank of awning windows in the belvedere helps promote natural ventilation. Beyond the railing, the oak-framed roof slopes down over a combination living and dining room. hold nails. Fortunately by this time the Cooks would have given the Cooks an economical tap feel confident that post-and-beam construction had found a couple of carpenters who were into local labor and materials. But these options with stress-skin enclosure can work well in a able to handle this finicky finish work. would have meant destroying several live oaks, warm, coastal climate. So far, the foam cores of altering the site and losing the view and ventila­ the stress-skin panels have been very effective as Reflections-In many ways the Cooks went tion that the piling foundation affords. insulation. Comfortable temperatures are easy to into their building project with the deck stacked Even during the final stages of construction, maintain inside the house in any weather. On against them. As novice contractors, they took the house continued to instruct its owners. The cool nights, the Cooks can fire up a woodstove on a project that was fairly sophisticated. A linseed oil and turpentine mixture used to seal in the living room or rely on a water-source heat more conservative approach would have been the oak frame refused to dry out because of the pump for warmth. The heat pump has a revers­ to set the house back from the water on higher high humidity. On some timbers, mildew even ing valve so that it can be used for summer air ground, eliminating the need for pilings. And the began to take hold in the tacky finish, so the oak conditioning. On most days, however, the belve­ use of conventional stud-frame construction in­ will eventually have to be sanded clean. dere does an excellent job of exhausting warm stead of stress-skin panels and oak timbers Now that most of the work is done, the Cooks air and promoting ventilation. 0

October/November 1985 77 FINISHING TOUCHES

Gable Ends Finishing To uches fe atures weI/-designed details, both traditional and contemporary, and we pay fo r items that are published. Readers are invited to send color slides and a short description of noteworthy projects to Finishing To uches, Fine Homebuilding, Box 355, Newtown, Co nn. 06470.

Above and left: Newport, R. I.

Above center and right: Sunbursts atop a double-wall superinsulated house designed and built by Charles Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, Mass. Bogie in Brookfield, Conn. FINISHING TOUCHES

Albany, Calif. Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, Mass.

Two 19th-century mining-camp Newport, R. I. structures in Telluride, Colo.

Star·window gable, Duchess County, N. Y. A 5m�11 Tidewoler .s�ll Box House "SAIL. T .§!-IA IK..I[.�" MomBld'g 26''''200eep;Fuli Cellar. r Il!FI��� v2:�jC;�ft�K.(L'� �he �l. e. Bed Q.rn.WithFire- I And B""t h

a 1brning into better INTRODUCING craftsman becan as simple asturning the TOOLS OF THE our new BOTH Art'on em't.sInclud ed pages of Catalog. g HOMEBUILDING TRADE Our new 244 page catalog is filled not PLANS $18gs Friday, December 6, 1985 -2pm -9pm just with pictures of great hand and power Saturday, December 7, 1985 -10am -6pm An Office/Garage Of Eorl;j tools, but carefully written specs, detailed American J-IeritEige Sunday, December 8. 1985 -10am -5pm illustrations and recommendations from "!-IOMIE OFTICIE" A OAKLAND CONVENTION CENTER craftsmen who've spent much of their lives f� B �p, T25�����Tol� Second W� Floor Stairs OAKLAND, CALI FORNIA making, using and testing tools. Office Space, Studio, Yo u'll know what they lookand fe el like, \;Jo rkAreo.,�Lc. and you'll know how they fit your needs. Skylights In geor Roof FEATURING To Upper And Lower We believe you're not the average A Tremendous Assortment of Quality Floors craftsman. So why should we MACHINERY -PO WER TOOLS give you an average catalog? HAND TOOLS -EXOTIC WOODS ' SUPPLIES 4 Depths1,2. .3,01"Al$ide: lO:Z.1:4� Z2.�8:&Spoce3 24 3 Door� Morees. shopAlSide.Elc. Cor Garrett Wade Co., Dept 266 iE TO AID YOU IN YOUR 161 Ave. of Americas, N.Y,N. Y 10013 2. � CONSTRUCTIONS & RENOVATIONS Please send me your page catalog of wood working ����sk�i��i�V���;����· 244 Complete Construction 4 De pths ADMISSION $5/$1 OFF WITH THIS AD tools, machinery and accessories. Enclosed$3.00 . Deloils ForThe And 40ptionol ______Arro.ngementsFront FREE SEMINARS WITH ADMISSION AddressiName' ______PLANS S12� FOR MORE INFORMATION: ______Woodworking Association of North America Ciry' ELI TOWNSEND & SON, INC. Srare'______Zip ,______P.O. BOX 351-F P.O. Box 706, Plymouth, NH 03264 (603)536-3876 CLINTON, CT 06413

80 FIne Homebuilding 11�[ea A Winning Combination • INCA Model 550 Jointer/Planer • Compound miter One motor, one cutterhead, two machines in one • 1\4 hp compact unit: a thickness planer and jointer. Rotating table, 5 \411width of cut • 2-year warranty

List 278?O {RElGHT P,<\l D

SALE Our Model 550 features Two Power Feed Speeds; Cast Construction - our tables have �123Q6 50% more structural ribing than others which copy our design. And as part of the Complete NA:T'L W�TIS FLA WATIS INCA Line, this machine is covered by our Five 8()()"'814-8160 800-342.2641 Year Limited Warranty. . See your Local INCA Dealer. For his name and c- _, -_ .. ·· 0 •• ::••••••••• : .:_ .. : _:_: . a FREE Brochure, write: Injecta Machinery Corp. 5 ··.T. .. .TO..: ...... N....M-: A.<.. CID: NER.. .. Y & :.. SU. " " LYPP. . 101 BM ...... O. BQx 2Q4Q SFij- .Ta .ll. ahassee... .!. FL3231(i Dept. 519, 10 Van Dam Street, 10013. ¢Q mm'l.f�....i�.. !. ��,. 'J;'. . - . . . ,. .. . s e r. NY, NY . J;bw¢stprices;lnywhe.re! Yi§a.,/Ua t rCa d 11�[!l&'51 Years of Quality Woodworking Machinery

TM ULTRAFENCE .Ij7:Z41.4i with FLiPSTOp TM Now you can own the most advanced SAWHELPER'M miter fence system we've ever built. ULTRAFENCElM is a revolutionar y double tape fence made of heavy tempered SYSTEM 2 aluminum. It's companion, FLiPSTOpTM is our new precision lever action fence gage featuring a fluorescent hairline pointer, dust free operation, and a retractable stop bar. It's constructed of 3/1 6 inch steel for years of trouble free use. FLIPSTOPTM is guided by the upper fixed tape, the lower tape is adjustable and allows you to make direct measurements without the stop. For production work, use multiple FL IPSTOPSTM. SAWHELPERTM ULTRAFENCETM System 2 and 3 include adjustable legs and our award winning self-adjusting coupler mechanism. Both can be used for portable or stationary use, and set up anywhere in sixty seconds. System 2 features short legs for bench top use, and System 3 features full height telescoping legs (up to 42 °) and an optional folding stand. SAWHELPERTM ULTRAF ENCETM will fit any power miter box. Awllll WIoIIot MONEY BACK GUARANTEE -Order one today! PatentedSII! --A-.111111 c....., NOTE: lintof AntPIICI TIIII Miter fence lengths are calculated from the saw blade to the end of the fence. Each fence section 1.84 ....Sblw1111 tn ... comes with all necessary hardware and one stick on tape. The lower tape groove uses a 3/4 inch tape refill, ...... �I use one from your shop. or order a 10 foot refill from us for $5.95 ea. FLiPSTOPTM PRECISION FENCE GAGE, Model FSU ...... SAWHELPERTM FOLDING MITER BOX STAND, ...... $49.95 Model MS ...... $69.95 Order FLIPSTOPTM Fence Gage and Miter Box Stands Above.

SYSTEM 2 ULTRAFENCETM SYSTEM 3 ULTRAFENCETM MODEL MODEL U5P 1·5 Fool Fence ...... $ 65.95 U5 1·5 Foot Fenel...... $ 89.95 U55P 2·5 Fool Fences...... $125.95 U55 2·5 Foel Fences...... $1 75.95 U85P 1·5 " 1-8 Fool Fence...... $1 35.95 U85 1-5 " 1·8 fill Fence...... $185.95 OTHER FENCE LENGTHS AVAILABLE

ORDERING INFORMATlON SAWHELPERTM ULTRAFENCETMAND FlJ'STopTMARE AVAILBLE AT FINE TOOL STORES OR BY MAIL FROM: AMERICAN DESIGN AND ENGINEERINGINC. 648 Turin Ave./Sa. SI. Paul, MN 55075iPh1n1 612-455-4243 Call days, evenings. weekends. Most orders shipped in 24 hours by UPS -Freight prepaid to your door. Pay by check,COO. Master ChargelVlSA. Orders should arrivt within 5 days 48 States. Minnesota and Wisconsin residents add SalesT ax_ - 854·A

October/November 1985 81 RYOBI TOOLS L t SUPER CORDLESS SPECIA LS i.- Sale FORSTNER BITS (ARCO) ' Who Has The Saws That Cut S500A 3x5'hFinish Sander . 70 41 West Germany from BLACK & DECKER It Across The Board? Siz SU6200 Finishing Sand. '12 Sheet 142 88 Model e List Sale DRILL KITS BLACK & DECKER 01 course I II 87075 3x21" dustless Belt Sand. 179 116 2121 ...... 1/4 6.40 4.00 3/8" revl hi speed Model WORM DRIVE SAWS Uot SIlo 87100 3x24" dustless Belt Sand. 208 140 2122 ...... _3 /8 ... 7.00 4.50 3/8" High Torque ... 3050 6'12' 12 amp -4600 rpm . 247 169 3051 7 13 amp - 4300 rpm . 232 149 87200A 4x24" dustless Belt Sand. 269 165 2123 ...... 1/2 . 7.80 5.00 Reversible Hammer 'I.' 3052 8'1<" 13 amp -4300 rpm . 247 169 0100VR 3/8"VSR O-t200 rpmdrill . 91 49 2124 ...... 5/8 . 10.35 6.50 3/8 revlhi torque screwdriver 179 SUPER SAWCATS W640 7'1,,' 13 amp circular saw 158 99 2125 ...... 3/4 . 10.95 7.00 Revl clutch Scrudrlll 179 3047-09 7'1<' w/brake -12.5 amp 226 149 W740 8V .. '13ampcircular saw 171 109 2126 ...... 7/8 . 11.40 7.25 3048-09 8'1." wlbrake -13 amp .. 240 155 JS60 Jig Saw-Single Speed 172 99 2127 ...1 .. 12.25 7.75 BUILDERS SAW CAT JSE60 Jig Saw-electronicvlspeed 198 123 2128 ...... 1-1/8 12.75 8.00 3030 7'1.' 13 amp -5800 rpm . 155 100 R150 1 H.P. Plunge Router 138 86 2129 . . .1-1/4 ... 13.85 8.75 154 109 3035 8'1.' 13 amp -5800 rpm . 175 125 2 R330 H.P. Router ...... 220 138 2130 .....1-3/8 16.45 10.50 3034 7'1." 13 amp -5800 rpm . 162 115 R500 3 H.P. Router ...... 265 163 2131 ...... 1-1/ 2 ... 18.15 11.00 49 3033 6'1,' 13 amp -5800 rpm. 162 115 E3800 Drywall screwdriver 0-4000 126 79 2132 ...... 1-5/8 ...... 21.25 14.50 JIG SAWS L120U 35/8" Planer 142 89 2133 .. . ..1-3/4 23.95 16.50 3157-10 varlsp orb action dlhdle 174 115 801020R 3/8" 2-spd Cordless Drill 2134 ...... 1-7/8 . 25.50 17.50 3153-10 varlspeed 4_5A 0-3100 158 105 w/fTee hoIoter,X1rIspocioI buy 148 95 2135 ...2 .... 26.25 18.25 3159-10 21sp orb action barrel grip 178 120 TS251U 10" ...... 300 169 2136 ...... 2-1/8 30.50 20.50 CUT SAW KITS SG1150C 4'12"H.D . Mini-Grinder 99 59 3103 2 sp 6 amp-2400 strokes 163 100 Pieces 3105 VISp 6 amp-23OOstrokes 170110 YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE ! 16 (one of every size of above) ListPrice 254.80 * SALE PRICE 150.00 3107 VlSp orb 6A0-2 300strokes 183 119 All Above RYOBI TOOL Prices • 4 Pieces (112 . 5/8 3/4 . ''') 4300 Drill Bit Sharpener .... 299 205 Take Additional 10% OFF Sale Prices 1321 '12'drill 450 rpm 6 amp 175 115 ListPrice 38.95 SALE PRICE 25.00 * 4010 Palm Sander ...... 80 48 MILWAUKEE TOOLS ListSale MAKITA TOOLS List Sale 4015 V, Sheet Finish Sander 160 105 0224-1 3/8 drill 4.5A magnum 159 109 804510 Sander . 79 43 DRYWALL GUNS 0-4000 0234-1 112 drill 4.5A magnum 159 115 99008 3"x 21" belt sander . 198 119 v.s.r. rpm v.S.r. 0-4000 m 0244·1 1/2 dri11 4.5A magnum 159 115 99248 3"x 24" belt sander . 204 135 from PORTER·CABLE 0222·1 3/8 drill 3.3A 0-100 rpm . 146 99 '992408 3"x 24" blsand. wlbag 214 130 #800 Cordless 2 sp Hammer Drill from 0228-1 3/8 drill 3.3A 0-1 000rpm 129 95 9035 ,(, sheet finisH sander 79 48 Lilt 195 ... SALE 135 95018 4" Grinder Kit . . .. 119 55 0375-1 3/8 close quarter drill 90458 '12sheel finish sander 156 90 #126 Porta-Plane 7 amp 2-13116" cut 6012HOW Cordless Drill 3.5 amp . 175 118 -NEW - 9045N '12 "w/bag 170 105 Lilt 254 ... SALE 165 wlBattery & Case. 178 98 0210·1 3/8 cordless drill 4200N 4-3/8 circ. saw 7.5 amp 152 95 #653 Versa-Plane 10 amp 3" Cut 5007N8 7'1." Circ. Saw . .. 158 94 -NEW -2 speed . 154 114 5008N8 8'1. circ. saw 13 amp 178 105 List 399 ... SALE 270 • 6539-1 cordless screwdriver #346-1 6V," Circular Saw Brand New PORTER CABLE - NEW -190 RPM . 84 64 5201NA 10'1. circ_ saw 12 amp 348 215 Lilt 155 ... SALE 105 9629 Electronic Var. Speed dri11 4.5A D-Hdle 43008V vlsp jig saw 3.5 amp . 192 120 NEW!! Model - 1007-1 'I, " . 199 145 Recipro Saw Kit wlsteel case - 8 amp '12" drill4.5A 43018V ortJ vlsp jig saw 3.5 amp 208 125 SUPER SPECIALS! 1107-1 D-Hdle . 204 145 X· TRA SPECIALS Us. Price t99.00* SALE PRICE 121.95 3300-1 magnum angle drive kit 249 170 24018W 10" mitr e saw. . 319 185 from rt MAKITA TOOLS List 3102-1 Plmbrs rt angle drill kit . 263 180 24008W 10" milre saw (for vice) 359 249 Sale PORTER·CABLE UII S* 1676-1 HD Hole Hawg wlcse 2 sp 333 235 JR3000WL 2 sp recip saw w/cse 168 120 MAKITA 60100L CIIess Drill wlflashllght_ 314 4 'I, " Trim Saw 4.5 amp . 180 112 charger & case . . 162 90 5395 3/8 sgle sp hammer drill kt 203 150 JR3000V vs recip saw w/case . 178 120 #9820-2 587 7'1<'circ_ saw 14 .5 amp 199 130 0P3720 318 drill Rev_ 0-1800rpm . 47 5397 3/8 var sp hammer drill kit 208 155 60100WK 3/8cordless drill w/case 152 89 Blade Sharpner 88 315-1 7'1<'circ. saw 13 amp .. 166 104 6510LVR 3/8 drill Rev. 0-1050rpm . 114 67 5371-1 HD mag. hammer drill W' 287 207 50810W 3-3/8 cordless saw kit 165 109 368-1 8'1<' circ. saw 13 amp .. 176 119 List 235 __.... SALE 160 60138R 112" Drill Rev. 6 amp .. 174 100 5373 HD mag. ham. drill 3/8" 240 . 175 19008W 3 'I. " planer w/case 154 92 9548 HD vis bayonet saw wlcase 255 179 #60020WK 3/8" 2 sp 16" Circular Saw-12 amp 315 6507 TSC Sawzall wlcase . 193 125 ll00HO 3 'I,,' planer w/case 278 165 5402A 468 H D sis bayonet saw 3 amp 255 169 Cordless Drill Kit 2414 14" Cut Off Saw-13 amp 169 648 6511 2 speed Sawzall wlcase 181 123 36088K 'II hp router wlcase . 132 85 � 9627 2 sp. tiger saw kit 8 amp . 183 118 List 154 ...... SALE 3612BR 3 HP Plunge Router . .. 175 6226 port band saw 2 sp wlcase 382 280 36018 1-3/8 hp router . . 198 115 94 286 505 H.D. 'I, sheet finish/sander 165 103 4x24 belt Sander wlbag 279 160 6234 TSC band saw port wlcase 382 280 37008 'I, hp trimmer #90350W Cordless 9401 330 spd bloc sander 'I. shootsz 87 54 28 000 rpm. . 124 82 7" 6365 7'1." circ. saw 13 amp . 159 109 , Finishing Sander PORTER·CABLE List 304 Professional disc sander 160 105 804530 6" Round Sander . 84 55 Sale 305 Professional polisher 160 105 6405 8V"'circ. saw I3amp .. 179 127 List 128 . . ...SALE 79 630 1 HP Router _ . . 135 95 7" 67100W Cordless Screwdriver . 155 105 7511 3/8"xtra hvyvis drill 5.2 amp 154 100 6460 10'1. " " 15 amp wlcase 349 245 691 1 V, HP Router Dlhandle 210 145 50128 12" Chain Saw . 169 116 #JVI600 v/sp. Jig Saw 7554 xtra heavy drill 8 amp 205 135 6377 7'1. HD worm saw 13 amp 235 155 696 H_D. Shaper Table...... 150 105 1(," OA3000 3/8" angle drill 158 105 List 145 ...... SALE 89 309 3.8 amp laminate trimmer 120 80 6378 8'1. HD worm saw 13 amp 249 165 695 H.D. 1 V, hp RouterlShaper 278 190 OP4700 '12 vlsp wlrev " 4.8 amp 154 92 310 3.8 amp laminate trimmer 180 130 6165 12" Chop Saw 15 amp #JV2000 Jig Saw 514 2'1, HP Router 12 ·amp ___ 435 315 HP1030W 3/8 v.s.r_ hammer drill 4200 R.P_M. 267 189 Orb. varlspeed 312 offset base laminate trim. 195 135 wlcase . 145 98 399 Drywall Cut-Out Unit . . .. 10070 6170 14" Chop Saw 15 amp 319 tilt base laminate trimmer 205 140 List 165 .....SALE 100 736 VIS peed 3600 R.P.M. 289 209 6300LRV,' angle drill w/rev . 229 152 Speed/ronic Band Saw . . 330 167 block plane 2.5 amp .... 129 86 6255 vlsp Jig Saw 3.8 amp 199 140 841988-2WV,' 2 sp. hammer #50058A 5'1, Circ/Saw ...... 450 7564 X.H.D. Drill 8 amp ___ . 145 9652 Versa-Plane Kit ...... 419 285 238 150 'I, " 6245 sgle sp Jig Saw 3.8 amp 175 125 drill wlcase . Saw, 8A w/elec brake 205 9118 Porta Plane Kit .._ ..... 289 195 79 53 6012 'I, sheet HD Orb. sander . 159 110 GV5000 Disc Sander List 154 ...... SALE 98 BOSCH TOOLS Lilt Sale 97650v," dual range varlspeed 6014 'I, sheet HD Orb. sander. 169 115 DRYWALL SHOOTERS 1581VS Top Handle Jig Saw . 225 126 hammerldrill kit wlcase 201III 5935 4" by 24" belt sander BOSCH 1582VS Barrel Grip Jig Saw . 126 118 518 _ 3 hp speedtronic 5 spd wlbag 10 amp 319 215 680008 2500 rpm 3.5 amp . 123 79 microprocessor prodlrouter SUPER SPECIALS! 1604 1 'II H_P. Router. 199 110 5660 1 'I, HP router 10 amp . 256 175 08V 0-2500 rpm 3_5 amp 133 89 10-13-16-19-22,000 rpm .. 475 320 68OO 1942 Heat Gun 650' -900' 99 65 2 HP router 12 amp . 314 220 680108 4000 rpm 3.5 amp . 123 79 #1650 6 W' ClrclSaw 520 NEW 3 hp production router 435 275 5680 1272 3x24" Belt Sander .. 259 159 8950 Wet/Dry 8 gal vac 6 amp 145 110 6801D8V 0-4000 rpm 3.5 . . 133 89 #1651 7'1." ClrclSaw 100 7/8 H.P. router . . . . . 134 87 12720 3x24"Belt Sanderw.tJag 274 169 2030n 12" planer/jointer ...1980 1350 #1652 8 '1<" CirclSaw 690 1'12 H.P. router 189 128 BENCH GRINDERS 1273 4x24" Belt Sander .. 274 169 2040 15-5/8" planer ...... 1780 1195 Take Your Choice 536 1 'I, H_P_ s matic router 210 12730 4x24"belt sander 179 peed 295 4901 'I. HP 2.6 amp 24# . 159 110 Any One Saw ... 289 537 11 (,H.P_ D-Hdle router .. 310 218 NEW MAKITA 4921 'I, HP 4 amp 26# . 179 130 from $93.00 mix ... mltch ORYWALL SHOOTERS 9207SPC T' Electronic SandlPolish209 ..• Lilt Sale 4891 'I, HP4amp41#. 279 195 any TWOSaws Box 231 149 7544 5.2 amp -2500 r.p.m. 154 100 5041 'II HP 8.2 amp 58# . 379 270 OK100l drill (6010D)charger/vac 178 $89.00Each 7545 5.2 amp -0-2500 r.p.m. 154 100 6010S0W 3/8 cordless drill, rev. * NEW LOW PRICES * 7546 5.2 amp -4000 r.p_m_ 149 100 DRYWALL SHOOTERS 82 _. OA3lmllW 3/8 angle drill, cordless PONY CLAMP FIXTURES 6753·1 3.5 amp 0-4000 rpm 115 79 700 7.2 Lots AEG Power Tools volt ...... 172 Model 12 6747-1 4.5 amp 2500 rpm 144 100 UII WI 01 for >;." Black Pipel113 7_40 60.00 ROTARY HAMMERS List 6750-1 4.5 0-4000 129 90 � Sale � �OELTA for V, ' Black 1.31 1.10 17.50 PHE 16RL 3_8 amp 5/8" capacity MILWAUKEE Super Sp ci l List Sale in concrete ...... 269 175 e a s 34-621 9" contr. saw w/o motor 500 395 JORGENSEN HAND SCREWS PH 210 5.2 amp-3/4" capacity Model 6507 Trigger Speed Control Sawzall 34-410 10" contr. saw w/o motor 871 650 IIax in concrete ...._ .... 398 260 wlcase & blades ....List 193. 125. * Sale 34-710_ 10" motorized saw 579 450 L...... low OponCop. Uot SIlo01. PHE 20 Same as above - 15-091 15" floor model Dlpress 467 375 4" 2" 11.5. 725 :11.15 except varlsp 0-750 . . 418 270 Go Cordless with MILWAUKEE PHO 26 6.3 amp-I" capacity 15-090 15" bench model " 467 375 5" 2'12'12.46 1.10 4175 _ . _ 6 in concrete ...... 495 #6305 - 'I,,'Cordless Circular Saw 37-207 Saw/Jointer Combination 1018 810 6" 3" t3.36UG 45.15 320 12 volt -1 Hour Charge PH 38 7.5 amp-1 W' capacity 37-609 6" Motoriz ed Jointer 413 335 7" 3 'I,' t4.351.15 48.35 _ ...... _. in concrete 549 355 Cuts (80) 2x4's (Pine) t5J7 1.15 53.75 37-290 4" _ Joiner w/o motor 275 8" 4'12' All above complete with cases 195_00 SALE PRICE 135.00 346 Us. Price * 22-651 RC-33 -13" Planer 1943 1450 10" 6" tl.25 11.35 1125 V' Check our low prices 12" 8 v, " 2U4 t15ll n.15 FREUD SAW BLADES 43-122 Wood Shaper wlstand on Percussion Carbide SDS Bits and 1 H P Motor 669 14" 10" 21.51 11.75 11.35 Univ. Bore -Professional Series 46-140 11" lathe, gap bed model 16" 12" 34.56 23.75 t2l25 * STICK CORNER * CARBIDE TIPPED SAWBLADES w/stand w/o motor 407 TlTEBOND Wood Glue �om No. D lion Diom.Tooth Uot SIlo 52-493 1 hp motor for #34-621 170 JORGENSEN BAR CLAMPS -=rip 0 :$5.25 GIll : $11.95 5 Go1 Poi :$48.95 PS203 Gen'1 . 714" 24 27.24 17.50 1/4" • 314" .. 62-042 1'12 hp motor for #34-410 230 STYLE -2,." � ,..., 37 ELMERS Professional Wood Glue PSJ03fino culling 714"40 32.97 20.50 62-144 'I, hp motor for #37-290136 .low _ Uot Loll SIlo 01I 0 : $4.10 GoIs: $10.95 5 GoI Poi : $44.95 5/8" Bore -Industrial Grade 62-142 ,(, hp motor for I.ongth .. 6" . 7.. CARBIDE TIPPED SAWBLADES #28-243 and #46-140 121 137111 ____. 5.50 21.70 BOSTIK Electric Glue Guns '3712 12" __. 1.73 5.15 32.13 110m No_ Dlam_Tooth Uot SIlo #203 Standard ... .. 11.95 8.95 o...:ription SKIL TOOLS List '3711 18" . 1.14 U5 37.53 LU72M010 Gen'I Pwp. 10" 40 68.58 35 #206 Sold Slate . . ... 15.95 11.95 551 5'12"Circ. Saw 6.5A 99 '3724 24" __ . 10.54 7.35:II .• LU81M010 Gen'I ""'. 10" 40 69.30 36 #208 Solid State H.D ..... 22.50 16.95 77 7'1.' Worm Saw 240 ,mo 30" ...._. lUI 1.25 44.56 #212 2" Long -60 Sticks 5.99 4.25 LU73M010 Cut-Off 10" 60 79.65 39 ..__ .. 367 6 V,' Worm Saw 239 '3731 36" #219 4" Long -30 Sticks 5_99 4.25 LU82M010 Cut-Off 10" 60 86.40 45 825 8 'I. " Worm Saw 270 45 - • 5" 1 LU84M010 Combinolion 10" 40 70.99 36 STYLE � 511r' 3/1" buying from Seven Corners Hdw. 807 7'1<" Skilsaw 13A-Super . 153 . 22.48 t5.15 6" _ •. 15 •.• LU84MOll Combinolion 10" 5074.51 40 Is a good Rule to follow 808 8'1,,' Skilsaw 13A-Super . 172 8" _ 23.04 lUG •. 10 0" LU85M010 Cut-Off 1 60 llD.l11 s.r 62 2016-02 3/8" Cordless Drill 12" . _ . 23.. tUG14.50 STANLEY List LM72M010 10" 24 64.85 37 Model Sale Ripping complete WICharger 18" . . 25.11 11.15 102.36 33-116 PL-316 *" x 16' Rule .. 15.95 7.50 OS 306 6" Dodo . . 139.00 95 Case & 2 batteries 24" . . . 21.11 ZO.IIi 113.15 33-320 PL -320 *" x 20' Rule . . 16.95 7.95 OS 308 8" Dodo ... 170.00 107 4.2 310410" Band saw amp vs . 30" . . 21.01 21.. I1UG 33-425 PL-425 I" x 25' Rule .. 18.95 8.95 TR 100 3 _"Dado... . 399.IIJ 255 31028'1. Table saw 36" . 21_54 22.15 t23.• 33-430 PL 430 I" x 30' Rule .. 20.95 9.95

82 Fine Homebuilding A Fin e Woonewdwor way toking learn Ho woodworkingme Videota pes

Each of these videotapes offers you a rare chance to learn woodworking directly from an experienced craftsman-in your own home, at your own pace.

Wood Finishing with Frank Klausz Klausz shares his 20 years of finishing experience, carefully demonstrating how to stain, oil, , lacquer and your work, and how to refinish older pieces. Approximately 110 minutes, $59.95 postpaid.

Radial-Arm-Saw Joinery with Curtis Erpelding The craftsman who's brought fine joinery to the radial-arm saw demonstrates the jigs and techniques he uses to make impeccable joints time after time. Approximately 110 minutes, $59.95 postpaid.

Dovetail a Drawer with Frank Klausz Cabinetmaker Frank Klausz demonstrates and explains each step in making a clean, easy· to-use drawer, from cutting the stock to gluing-up and fitting. Approximately 60 minutes, $49.95 postpaid.

Carve a Ball-and-Claw Foot with Phil Lowe A specialist in period woodworking, Phil Lowe shows you how to design and make that hallmark of 18 th-century furniture, the cabriole leg with a ball-and-claw foot. Approximately 115 minutes, $59.95 postpaid.

Bowl Turningwith Del Stubbs Here's a chance to learn bowl turning from one of the leading wood turners in the country. Stubbs demonstrates and explains all about the basic equipment, tools and techniques you need to turn a chunk of wood into a handsome bowl. Approximately 120 minutes, $59.95 postpaid.

New Mat It's Like to Build a Ho use by Bob Sy-vanen By the time you finish building your own house, you've usually learned what you needed to know at the start. It's a frustrating and expensive way to get an education. Which is why carpenter Bob Syvanen's new book is so useful. Instead of a dry, step-by-step course in home building, Syvanen takes readers along with him as he designs and builds a handsome, solar-heated, Cape Cod style house. He offers insights into his own methods of work, recording both the highs and lows of the project, and shares a wealth of practical tips and techniques you can use in your own work. So/teover, 112 pages, $7.95 postpaid.

Book Ta ge Fri d TeNewaches Furni tliremaking In this eagerly awaitedJ: conclusion to his series, Frid shows you how to use the techniques in his two earlier books to make fine furniture of his own design. He offers photos, instructions and complete working drawings for 18 individual pieces, including eight different tables, his well-known , his distinctive three-legged stool and more. All the designs reflect Frid's Scandinavian heritage and his belief that design should follow function. Hardcover, 240 pages, $18.95 postpaid. Special 3-book-set price: $4 4.95 postpaid (a savings 0/ almost $12). Fin e Homebuilding Con struction Techniques There's no better way to learn home building than to watch skilled craftsmen at work. That's why we filled our book on home-building techniques with 55 articles by practicing builders. Selected from Fine Homebuilding magazine's first 15 issues, these articles show you how experienced architects, masons, carpenters, and other tradesmen do their best work-whether it's framing a roof, installing skylights, putting down a brick floor, or hanging drywall. Yo u learn how to use a nail gun, work with veneer plaster, make an insulated door, build a block foundation, and much more. And you learn all this with the help of color photos and technical drawings that take you in close to see just what's goin g on. Hardco'Ver, 240 pages, 124.95 postpaid.

Nine yearsFin ofe Fine Woodwordworkingking by on sub ...ject

Whether you're setting up your firstWoo shop or making period furniture, there's nothing like having expert information to help you expand your skills and improve your work. Our new Fine %odworking on... series takes the best articles from Fine %odworking magazine's first nine years and orga nizes them into information-packed volumes on joinery, furnituremaking, shop design, equipment, tools, tips and more. Each book offers JS or more carefully illustrated articles written by some .of the most talented woodworkers of the past decade.

Fine Wo odworking on Joinery Learn to make and use basic frame joints: the , dovetail and other decorative variations. There's also useful information about glues for wood. 128 pages.

Fine Woodworking on Boxes, Carcases, and Drawers How to design and construct fine storage furniture, using solid wood, plywood or particleboard. You learn how to choose, make and use every kind of carcase jOint, using both hand and machine methods. 112 pages.

Fine Woodworking on The Small Wo rkshop Looking for some new ideas on shop setup? He re are plans for workbenches, , clamps and tool cabinets; also floor layouts and tips on controlling dust and keeping your shop safe. 96 pages.

Fine Wo odworking on Proven Shop Tips This book is a special collection of jigs, fixtures, work-savers and expert techniques from Fine Wo odworking's Methods of Work column that can make your life in the shop a whole lot easier. 128 pages.

Fine Wo odworking on Bending Wo od There are three ways to bend wood: steam·bending, green-wood bending and laminate bending. Discover the methods involved in each and acquire the skills you need for successful bending in your own projects. 128 pages.

Fine Wo odworking on Planes and Chisels Planes and chisels are among the most important tools in your shop. Find out how expert craftsmen choose, sharpen and use these basic edge tools, how to maintain your own tools, and how to make wooden·bodied planes. 96 pages.

Fine Wo odworking on Woodworking Machines Which machines do you really need? Ho w can you get the most out of a router? What's the right way to adjust a jointer or thickness planer? How about those Japanese resaws? Expert craftsmen tell you what you need to know. 112 pages.

Fine Woodworking on Making Period Furniture Here are plans for favorite 18th-century pieces, speCialized reproduction techniques, and practical design ideas that will help you capture the flavor of the era. 128 pages.

All books are sojtco'Ver, 16.95 each, postpaid. Charter ThSubscriptionsreads Magaz makeine a nice gift

The first issue of Threads is here, just in time for holiday gift giving. Threads is written for everyone who enjoys workin g with fibers and fabrics. It's filled with practical tips and techniques you can apply directly to your own work, plus a wealth of exciting ideas and information that will help you think, and see, in new ways. Sewing, weaving and knitting are at the heart of each issue, but you'll also learn about other ways people have found to make beautiful things out of thread and cloth. There are articles on embroidery, needlepoint, quilting, basketry and rugmaking, as well as a series on such traditional crafts as lacemaking, felting, beading and spinning. And every issue is filled with striking full­ color photographs and detailed illustrations that will let you get in close so you can see exactly what the author is talking about. Bimonthly, 9" x 12," $16/y ear ($19 outside the US.)

New Fine Fin e Woodworking Te chniques 7 \'brkjng TECHNIQUES1 This newest addition to our popular Tech niques series contains over 80 articles from the 1983 Skil1t..,'rlo....J",,�s. '''�,.j'''I<'<:h"'<.\ISSU<."S pn.,..,<"IS No_3/< It,'oC1o.. ,hn>u).:h ... '''..,� 4�rn .m craftsmen, these articles offer a wealth of information on everything from and block ,lfiHf,I,f'-/u'tJrJ-ingma,lo:aLlfl<.' planes to cabriole legs and pencil-post beds. Hardcover, 240 pages, $14_95 postpaid (through February 1, 1986, only). Save $3 on each volume you order: Te chniques books are usually $17.95, but between now and February 1, 1986, you can order any volume in the series for just $14.95 each, postpaid. With the holidays fast approaching, now's a great time to take advantage of our sale.

New Wo od with Richard Raffan Thrning by Richard Raffan Richard Raffan has written a complete course in , with techniques and projects for both beginners and more experienced craftsmen. A skilled profeSSional, Raffan begins with the basics­ setting up your shop, selecting and modifying a lathe, chOOSing and sharpening your cutting tools, preparing stock and more: He then uses a series of carefully selected exercises to teach you different ways to angle a tool to get the cut and surface you want. Raffan also offers a number of projects to help you develop your skills, and a 16-page gallery of his own work in full color for inspiration. So/tcover, 176 pages, $1 7.95 postpaid.

How to Carve Wo od by Richard Biltz Got a craving for carving� Richard Blitz will help you satisfy it. Using step-by-step instructions, skill­ building exercises and over 200 detailed photos and drawings, Biitz teaches you six distinct methods of carving: , , , wildlife carving, lettering and architectural carving. Yo u'll learn about selecting tools and keeping them sharp, chOOSing the right kind of wood, and setting up an efficient work area. Blitz also provides you with scaled patterns for a marvelous range of carvings-some 37 different projects in all. So/tcover, 224 pages, $13.95 postpaid. REPORTS

Compound-Miter Saw crown molding has a ceiling flat Black & Decker's new 8\<1-in. that is 52° from the back and a compound-miter saw (model wall flat that is 38° from the back. 9425) is a good example of the A label on the back of the saw "do more with less" concept that's gives the proper angles to miter beginning to catch on among this profile with the stock set flat power-tool manufacturers. Like on the cutting table. Delta's Sawbuck (see FHB #12, The rubber feet on the base are pp. 14-16), the compound-miter great for the workbench, but for saw is light, portable and versatile. setup on the job I mounted the Unlike the conventional electric base on two 4-in. by 14-in. pieces chopsaw that it most resembles, of o/.i-in. thick plywood. Nailing the 9425 can cut compound miters down the plywood effectively ( in two planes). anchors the saw, and creates a I probably would have had a saw-platform height of 2\<1 in. This power miter saw a lot sooner if allows me to set up outboard this model had been available supports by tacking a o/.i-in. scrap when I started to work as a onto a 1 Y2-in. thick scrap. carpenter. The cost and the noise One of the saw's best features is of conventional chopsaws kept me its blade guard. I usually remove pushing my backsaw for a long the blade guard on a power miter time. Black & Decker's saw weighs saw or radial-arm saw, and when I just 18 lb., about the same as my first saw the 9425's guard I Milwaukee sidewinder. And though thought it would be another it lists for $180, I bought mine for obstruction. Not so. The guard is quite a bit less, about one-half to Black & Decker's new model 9425 compound-miter saw has a blade guard like the one on a circular saw, but one-third the price of a standard that retracts automatically as the saw Is lowered into the work. it opens up automatically as the power miter saw. saw is brought down to make the Made in West Germany by Black'& Decker, tool. The 9425 will cut through 5\<1-in. stock cut. You unlock the guard with a convenient the 9425 has an 8-amp, double-insulated motor when set at a right angle, and through 3o/.i-in. thumb button, and the more you lower the that delivers 1 \

A New Guild housewrights and learn about the state of the Brungraber subjected a standard set of joints to for Timber Framers , so there was lots of excitement in the air. different degrees of shear, compression and The first meeting of the Timber Framers' Guild With much territory to cover, the organizing tension. His finding s should contribute to a of North America took place at Hancock committee wisely decided to jump into deep better understanding of how timber frames Shaker Village, in western Massachusetts, over water with the first seminar: framing systems. perform structurally. The highlight of the the weekend of June 14, 1985. It was a New England framers Steve Chappell, Ed Levin conference was the Saturday night slide show. momentous occasion, and one that had been and Jack Sobon described the different joinery Every framer who attended got to stand up and heartily awaited by the relatively small group of details included in various framing systems. say a few words about one or two projects as builders who call themselves timber framers. Levin conducted an interesting history lesson, his or her slides were projected on the screen. Quite a few houses incorporate large, using slides and diagrams to show how framers It was a humbling, enlightening and inspiring exposed posts and beams, but this doesn't have handled the troublesome area near the evening that seemed to capture the spirit of make them true timber-frame structures. The top of the post. This is where joinery for rafter, what a guild should be. For more information question of what constitutes a timber frame has bent girt, connecting girt and wind bracing about the Guild and its activities, write the been difficult to resolve, even among timber meet. The problem is to achieve solid mortise­ Timber Framers' Guild of North America, RR 1, framers. Another important issue has to do with and-tenon joinery without removing too much Box 207, Alstead, N. H. 03{)02. -Tim Snyder the development of stress-skin panel enclosures wood from the post. Both past and present for timber frames. Clad with drywall on one designs were examined in detail. Freon-Charged side and exterior sheathing on the other side, Tools, timber framing as a business, stress­ DHW System these foam-core panels have made timber­ skin panels, safety and-finally-the aims of During the 1970s, Du Pont investigated frame construction more economical, more the Guild were also discussed. The conference refrigerant-charged domestic hot-water (DHW) energy efficient and more popular than ever could easily have gone on a week, so Rower systems and came up with a custom-made before. Given this combination of controversy was hard-pressed to keep to the schedule. prototype that worked well. Like heat pumps and new technology, it was high time for Fortunately, there were well-spaced breaks for for whole-house heating (see FHB #26, pp. 66- a get-together. food, drink and above all, talk. 68), Du Pont's Freon-charged DHW system is a Conference moderator Ken Rower Ben Brungraber's interesting and often proven way to achieve significant long-term welcomed over 195 builders to the old Shaker humorous presentation summarized his Ph.D. savings on the cost of domestic hot water. barn that had been packed with chairs for the thesis on the strength of mortise-and-tenon When RHEEM (Rheem Manufacturing Co., occasion. People had traveled from as far as joints in timber-frame structures. Using metered Water Heater Div., 5780 Peachtree Dunwoody Florida, Oregon and Canada to meet other hydraulic equipment that he developed himself, Rd. N.E., Suite 400, Atlanta, Ga. 30342)

86 Fine Homebuilding Photo: Kamal Suddarth Solid Nut Continuous Screw Vise No. Jaw Size Jaw Opening 7CDT 4" x 7" 9" 10CDT 4" x 10" 12" Rapid Acting Continuous Screw 7RDT 4" x 7" 9" 28 Ibs 142 92 10RDT 4" xl0" 12" 34 Ibs 165 107 i 2120 4 pc. II, %,11 ...... 27.00 1601 1 hp Router . 2119 CoIrjJIeteSet (%, to 1 ...... 75.00 WOODCRAFT VISE Router .. (l18li jaws) 1604 1'/. hp AI Bits Sold Separat Set(II %) 6CM2 3" x 6" 10 Ibs 39 28 1920VSRK Cordless Drill ...... ely 7" 50" Rip Fence ...... 299.00 i.... 1921VSRK Cordless Screwdriver . Biesemeyar (cost jaws) 1272 3 x 24 Belt Sander .... Dowt/� Model1000 ...... 24.95 6CDM2 3" x 6" 7" 10 Ibs 54 35 12720 3 x 24 Belt Sdr. w!Bag Model2000 ...... 34.95 "WIDE-SIDE" VISE 1273 4 x 24 Belt Sander ... 12730 4 x 24 Belt Sdr. w!Bag R 8f r V-7RDT 4" x 7" 9" 30 Ibs 151 98 T4004 7 pc. Brad Point Set . �pc.�8f ;: �. . �� ...... 219.95 SERIES PROFESSIONAL HEAVY-DUTY BENCH VISES SENeo Top of the line in case iron vises. Stronger than even heavier vises of Nailers & Staplers FREUD equivalent jaw• size and materials. • K Stapler Narrow Crown Features include: Heavy duty channelbeam; CIlId forged steel CIlnstruction Cast iron body engineered and• Senclamp For Miter JOints tested for extrastrength · Replaceable hardened tool-steel jaw faces · 180" swivel base with pos�ive lock LS Pin Nailer ...... • • • SN 11I 110 0 Finish Nailer .... 8ui� in p�e jaws Polishedanvil with reinforced hom Zint;Jlated screwhandles and lock nut Cold ';'00 � SFN II B 2'11" Finish Nailer �OM_;__ � ..

6010SDW '10 48.00 6012HDW '10 99.00 6010DL '10 92.00 DA3000DW '10 99.95 DA3000R '10RA II . . . . . 104.00 5081DW 4" Cordless Saw . 104.00 ��� �:�:�� ������ . . . 4301BV� Jigsaw ...... 129 �:��.00 ��WiI���ii ��""I 1 iII"� 4200N 4'1. Circular Saw . 93.00 i I . 19DOBW Planer . 94.00 Turning . Set. 1100 Planer.... 164.00 Carving Set ... DP3720 'I. VSR Drill .... . 49.00 pc Carving Set . 95018 Kit4" Sander IGrinder 59.00 rvers . 5510LVR 'I. HD VSR Drill 59.00 3608BK Router Kit . 89.00 FREUD 2708 8" Table Saw . 219.00 Hand Planes 5402A 16" Beam Saw. , 349.00 9030 I" Belt Sander ...... 129.00 99008 3 x 21 Belt Sdr. wlBag 123.00 99248 3 x 24 Belt Sander ..... 134.00 Find out why fine homebuilders 99240B 3x 24 Belt Sdr w/Bag. 139.00 9820-2 Wet Hille Sharpooer. . 159.95 E���"-7�:'-:-�:'--;-';-";;'��c.='-t used more than 75,000 feet of 2414 14" Cutoff Saw 179.00 SureSeal in the last six months. We thought it was because it solves problems and looks great, but we quickly found out that wasn't the only reason. � SureSeal really met a need, with its concealed bolt detail . e t sander. • (see drawing at right), and a choice of bronze or white finish; �'I,).�;Sheet � Sander 'I. hp Router . not to mention its ability to handle % or I"glass or Exolite (fM) :�: 'I. C'less Driver Drill 'r, . 1 hp Router . and its ease of installation. 6'1,' C'less Circ. Saw 3 hp Router .. 'I," Ma Drill But what was the real reason fine homebuilders like you are g Planer Kit ...... W ' VSR Drill Offset Laminate Trimmer . using SureSeal like there's no tomorrow? Perimeter Extrusion Hole Hog . 3 x 21 Belt Sander . 'I," RA Drill ..... 3 x 24 Belt Sdr. w/Bag Because it builds a better structure. 4'I, x 24 Belt Sander 3 x 24 Belt Sander . . Now your client can have the beauty of wood inside, where Sheet Sander 4 x 24 Belt Sdr. wlBag 7'I( Circular Saw. 4 x 24 Belt Sander ...... your skills can really show, and have the low maintenance, 0-4000 Drywall Gun 4 x 24 Worm Drive Belt Sdr . To handle trouble-free performance of a metal glazing system, all at a �_- I. cost that will make your bid more competitive. I For the complete details, application guidelines, samples of the extrusions and prices, order today, postage paid, our: w/case ...... Laminate Trimmer .... Kit Intermediate Extrusion 3 h� Plunge Router Kit . New SureSeal Sample for only $7.95. 10' Miter Saw Kit . . . VISA and M/C phone orders accepted. IS" Miter Saw Kit ...... 3 x 21 Belt Sander w IBag � 4'I," x 24 Belt Sander w IBag VSR Dril1 Dept.Brother FH 10 )301 Cerrillos Sun Road 'r," VSR Drill ...... 87501 0-4000 Drywall Screwgun Santa Fe. N.M. VS Orbital Recipro Saw . 505/982-5806 Bandsaw .

& through ...... 249.50 01 258·24 24" Dovetail Jig. 'h blind & through 323.50 WE HAVE 100s OF LINES-1000's OF ITEMS-IN STOCK"-ALL ORDERS SHIPPED WITHIN 24 HOURS­ CHECK. MONEY ORDER. VISA MASTERCARD

October/November 1985 87 REPORTS

Components and controls local company, donated cellulose for us to Remodeling Pioneers Solar Works 4xl0 collector blow into the stud cavity where we ran the When 1 took shop class in school, we turned R-7 74 refrigerant circulates through vapor and return lines from attic to basement. ash blanks into baseball bats and .built 7/s-in. dia collector and heat exchanger The choice of a pump to return the Freon to shoeshine boxes, coffee tables and side tables. tubing to preheat water. the collector is crucial. I went first class with The idea of building a house never entered our the Micropump 200-655 (Micropump, Box minds, nor, 1 would guess, the minds of our Pressure-relief -Freon 400 I, Concord, Calif. 94524), the same model instructors. But that limited approach to hands­ valve used in the Du Pont prototype. Pumping liquid on education has changed for the better. Here Water Freon is tricky, and positive displacement in northern Vermont, not only are high-school pumps are mandatory. Solar Research (Box students building houses from the footings up, 869, Brighton, Mich. 48116) and Sundial use but at Bellows Free Academy in St. Albans, Procon (9 10 Ridgely Rd., Murfreesboro, Tenn. they are rehabilitating an old house as well. 37130) vane pumps with their refrigerant­ Steve Wunsch, the building-trades instructor charged DHW systems. But the running bearing at the Academy, claims that his students are water goes seals worry me. The objective is to put together pioneers. The son of a New York carpenter, to existing 100-gal. tank a system that will last 20 years without Wunsch told me that he had fought his father's hot-water with external maintenance, like a refrigerator. The traditionalist approach for years, only to realize heater. heat exchanger Micropump 200 is a hermetically sealed gear recently that new doesn't necessarily mean pump magnetically driven by an exterior motor. better and that there's a lot more to 3!a-in. dia. These hi-tech devices are used in such esoteric construction than just driving 16d sinkers into tubing applications as circulating coolants within space new material. Wunsch has brought his suits. They are not cheap at $175, but what broadened perspective to bear on his classes, price peace of mind? and a unique learning experience for future The installation went smoothly. The vapor carpenters is the result. and return lines are Ys -in., !Va-in., %-in. and \

88 Fine Homebuilding REPORTS BUILD YOUR OWN ... New Feet-Inch Calculator Saves Tim.eand Money they drew the blueprints, fitting in the closets, on Building Projects. Simple math problems are not all that simple when designing space for a washer/dryer off the SUNROOM you're dealing with feet-inch dimensions on building kitchen and enlarging the bath. They put both projects. Most of the time you've got to convert the upstairs baths against an adjoining double­ dimensions to their decimal equivalents (tenths or hun­ dredthsl ... then perform the math operations (add, studded wall, which would be insulated for subtract, mult iply, dividel ... and finally, convert the soundproofing. Woodwork and doors were whole thing back to feet and inches. refinished at the school with turpentine and Besides the obvious time involved, there are just too denatured alcohol. This blend, worked into and many chances for errors. And mistakes on building projects can cost you money - lots of it at todays over the old paint with steel wool, refinished with SEAl:SAFE100N building costs' the surfaces, eliminating the need to strip But now there's a quick and simple solution to your them completely. glazing system building problems -the JOBBER II Feet-Inch calculator. You see, the JOBBER II actually lets you add, subtract, The seniors do most of the work at the Design and build your own sunrooms, skylights, and other glazing projects with the Seal-Safe glazing sys­ multiply and divide directly in feet and inches. So it's an house. Wunsch assigns two of them to each 100 tem. Display your custom woodworking interiors, and ideal tool for . • Dimension Checks • Estimating • Linear, room, and they proceed from demolition to finish the exterior with our low maintenance, trouble­ • finish work. The seniors don't do the plumbing free system. Seal-Safe 100features, Area and Volume Problems Spacing• for Studs, Joists, Windows and Doors Masonry or the wiring, except for receptacle and switch • simple economic installation • • Stair Planning Material Take-Oils hookups. They do build all the cabinets, lower • aluminum extrusions with EPDM gaskets .. you name it. the ceilings, insulate, install drywall, and Plus, the JOBBER II also features built-in angle solu­ • choice of bronze, white or mill finish replace the trim. Wunsch's philosophy is to let tions (Rise, Run, and Slopel so you can also solve these problems right in feet and inches . them go out on a limb and make a few • concealed fasteners • Common Rafters and Roof Framing mistakes. After all, this is school. And because • used with 5/8" or 1" insulated glass, or • Hips and Valleys • Slope Grades there are no labor costs, the students can make Exolite� • Squaring-Up Foundations • Trusses ... just about any angle work you can think of. We designed this system based on our years of expe­ mistakes and correct their errors, a freedom . Also, you can convert from feet-inches to decimal feet rience building custom skylights and sunrooms. We have not found on professional job sites. or metric -or back again (to the nearest 1/16thl -with now put our knowledge in a detailed Design Guide. It is Each day about 15 students work in the the touch of a single button. And in the decimal mode, available along with samples and prices for $6.95. duplex. It's a different, youthful atmosphere. the JOBBER works as a regular math calculator complete with two memories, trig functions, Pi, square root and Write for additional information, or send$6.95 today for Saws whir, drills whine, sneakers scuff up and X-squared, and reciprocals. down the treads. There is a lot of joking our Design Guide and sampleVISA kit AND MASTERCARD ACCEPTED Designed specifically for builders, it features quick around. To a stranger, it's kind of like phys. ed. entry through its patented 0- 15 keyboard and a %" LCD readout -50% larger than on regular calculators -for with hammers. outdoor use. Still, the JOBBER measures just 314 x 511 x The students themselves seem proud of what . %", so it fits easily in your shirtpocket they're doing. As Dusty Pari dee said, "We Pine Island, NYN 10969�� ERGY INC It comes complete with two 1.5V replaceable batteries ���o�, D�p (avg. life, 1,000 hoursl, instructor manual, handy carrying learned a lot more here than we did on the �W 914��258 4022 case and full 6-month warranty. new Cape outside of town." Gesturing at the Priced at just $74.95, the JOBBER II should easily pay drywall he and his partner, Shawn Underwood, for itself many times over in reduced material and labor had yet to tape, Paridee said, "Pretty decent­ costs -probably on your first job' You can order by mail direct from Calculated Industries (see coupon below!, or the way they put on horsehair plaster." That call Toll-Free 24 hrs., 7 days a week at 1-800-854-8075 plaster had been demolished by the twosome, (in California, 1-800-231-05461. and hauled away before they insulated. Another student, Tim Marchat, wasn't as impressed with remodeling. Echoing an oft repeated criticism carpenters voice when dealing with older buildings, Marchat said, "Nothing's square." Consequently, he claimed, 'this work was harder than new construction. Wunsch believes that learning about the differences between old and new construction ' is important. Recognizing the quality of the old is something he emphasizes. He had the students compare the 85-year old front door JOBBER II Feet-Inch Calculator with the new unit they were installing in the 24 rear, for instance, noting how much better the Call Toll Free, Hrs. Everyday joinery and wood quality were in the old days. In 1-800-854-8075 Rehabilitation should teach you how to Calif.: Or call: evaluate your options, Wun� �h claims. Should For 4' diam. (hts. 8' to 8' 8W'l Comparable savings 1-800-231-0546 (714) 921-1800 on 5' diam. and other floor-to-floor heights. that trim be stripped, matched or covered? Can these floors be sanded, or should they be Our Oak Spiral Stair Kit is superbly Only covered with underlayment and carpet? "You crafted from choice, selected oak just show kids one way to do things and they'll and ingeniously designed for easy $74.95 do-it-yourself assembly. And best of think that's the way." Ideally, of course, he all, irs priced well below any compar­ would like to alternate a new house with a able sta ir on the market! remodel so students can work on new and old. CALL OR WRITE FOR FREE COLOR BROCHURE: Wunsch estimates the asking price for the The Iron Shop (21.• 5)544-7100 finished duplex will be in the low $50s. "We'r e Dept OF105, P.O. Box 12B. 400 Reed Rd Broomall, PA 19 008 not in this business to make money," he insists, We accept MasterCard. Visa and AMEX. Name ______"but the school doesn't want to lose money Other Showroom & WarehouseLocotions in: Pomona, CA Sarasota, FL Street Address ______either." As for competing with local City/State/Zip______contractors, Wunsch says tradespeople have (714) 598-5766 (813) 923-1479 as Houston, TX Chicago, IL o Checkmcludinx enclosed 696 tax for if in entire Colif. amount of order­ given the program strong support. And as far (713) 789-0648 (312) 952-9010 o VISA 0 Am Exp 0 M/C -Exp. Date ______placement is concerned, 60% to 70% of the Academy's graduates find jobs in related fields. Wunsch expects this to continue, given the restoration boom in the area. -Joe Sherman

October/November 1985 89 REVIEWS

American Country Houses of the Gilded such oddities as Greek across an construction nuts-and-bolts to keep both camps Age by Arnold Lewis, Dover Publications, 31 upper porch, combined with corkscrew pickets happy. I've designed and built greenhouses, E. Second St., Mineola, N. Y. 11501, 1982. on the railings, porch roofs that swell and and have been living with one in my own house $7.95, paperback; 100 pp. bulge over entry areas and key windows, and for four years, so I particularly appreciated The phrase "Gilded Age" calls up images of stuccoed gables embedded with multi-colored Shapiro's balanced approach. Everything from ostentatious architectural displays by people stones. All this is combined with four different foundations to glazing is covered, including a with much money and little taste. American shingle patterns. good discussion of ventilation, and the photos Co untry Houses of the Gilded Age, a This is all very entertaining, but potentially and scale drawings of construction detailing photographic collection of American homes chaotic and capricious were it not for several are excellent. Shapiro covers the whole range from the late 1880s, does include some unifying devices. For the most part these were of greenhouse construction systems, from low­ examples in that style. But it also includes rustic structures incorporating materials and budget polyethylene-glazed systems to costly other, more tasteful homes from this period of textures that blended with the environment. designs using double-glazed glass. Chapters great architectural exuberence and creativity. The colors were soft greens and greys, mingled cover the costs and benefits of greenhouses; More than 60 of the 93 houses and 4 country with the natural tones of weathered wood. site planning; the integration of designs for clubs documented in the book fall into a But the major unifier of these facades is the horticulture, energy efficiency and solar stylistic mode now called Shingle Victorian. shingle skin that envelopes all the surfaces and heating; and my fav orite, construction detailing. The book reproduces some of the most ties the disparate elements together. No corner Greenhouse construction presents the builder remarkable, eccentric and ultimately beautiful boards were used; when shingles met at with problems not encountered in standard examples of this genre. corners they were blended and woven. Even building construction, so it's nice to see a book The book is a revised reprint of one written the roofs were done in the same manner, with that thoroughly discusses these problems from in 1886 by art critic George Sheldon. At the continuous junctions at hips and ridges. a construction viewpoint. Greenhouses are .also time of the original publication, most of the All of these qualities are visible because of faced with special aging and maintenance houses were only two or three years old. Large the excellent photographic reproductions. problems, and the bpok includes many tips on photographs and a small floor plan were Lewis lets these images carry the major building for durability. Shapiro has worked with provided for each house, and Sheldon wrote message. His commentaries focus on the National Center for Appropriate two or three pages of descriptive and often background material: a few words about the Technology (P.O. Box 3838, Butte, Mont. tedious commentary for each. 'For this Dover owners, some biographical information about 59702), and knows what he's talking about. republication, Sheldon's writing has been the architects, and information about what the Throughout the book, the author stresses two replaced by a brisk and informative house cost to build, along with some of points that I wish more people would consider. commentary by Arnold Lewis, an art professor Sheldon's more incisive observations. He First, detailed planning is essential, whatever at the College of Wooster in Ohio. His touches on how these wealthy suburban the construction system happens to be. Since observations and a small plan occupy about communities lived and functioned, combining it's cheaper to make mistakes on paper, careful half the page for each house. The remaining rustic activities with elegant affectations. planning can save a considerable amount of space is allocated to the large and remarkably But wealth and power do not grant money over the course of the project. Second, high-quality original photographs. immortality to the owner or his house. In his the existing house should be tight and well Most of the houses are, by today's standards, commentaries Lewis gives the current insulated before a solar-greenhouse addition is huge and enormously complicated. Many were condition of each house-if it is still standing. even considered. Shapiro's motto seems to be constructed of stone, though the majority were Unfortunately the majority have been lost. Only "Insulation first, solar heat second." Such wooden structures set in rural locations. No 38 of the structures remain, and several of mundane materials as weatherstripping and exact sizes are given, but they appear to range those have been so altered over the years that insulation should be installed in the house in size from 4,000 sq. ft. to 15,000 sq. ft. Such they are ne arly unrecognizable. before greenhouse construction is begun. After extravagance seems almost grotesque, but Architects, builders, designers and anyone all, it doesn't make much sense to spend Lewis reminds us that things were different interested in imaginative design and Victorian money on a solar greenhouse when the heat then: "At that time men of means ...could form making will derive much pleasure and gained will just go out the cracks around doors purchase vast and unsullied parcels of ground inspiration from this book. and windows. and erect private wooden castles the size of -Larry Robidoux The book has a good appendix that lists small hotels without justifying the efficiency of manufacturers and suppliers of greenhouse the space or the frequency of use." The Homeowner 's Complete Handbook products, kits and plans for greenhouses, and These houses had many common elements. for Add-On Solar Greenhouses & sun-path charts for latitudes 28°N to 56°N. They were all intensely sculptural designs, with Sunspaces by Andrew M. Shapiro. Rodale -Stan Griskivich many disparate geometric elements. The wall Press, 33 E. Minor St., Emmaus, Pa. 18049, surfaces were animated and eclectic. From any 1985. $19.95 hardcover, $13.95 paperback; English Cottages by Tony Evans and Candida vantage point a house may have four or five 355 pp. Lycett Green. Penguin Books, 40 W. 23rd St., different window patterns; elliptical, round, The differences between sunspaces and solar New Yo rk, N. Y. 10010; 1984. $12.95, horizontal, vertical, windows in series, and greenhouses are often confused, so some paperback; 160 pp. windows in isolation. Octagonal bays and definitions are in order. A solar greenhouse is a If this book hasn't found you yet, 1 bet it will polygonal towers are sometimes combined in multi-purpose structure that provides living soon. I first saw it at the home of a friend, a the same facade. The roofs are even more space, heat for the house and space to grow professional landscape painter and part-time striking. Multiple roof pitches and staggered plants in. A sunspace is less ambitious, and builder of small homes, and it was easy to see eave lines are combined with dormers of every attempts only to afford cheery, sunlit living why he found it exciting. English Cottages is a conceivable shape, virtually half of them space that doesn't need much supplemental color photo album of picturesque cottages, set curved. Roofs undulate and swell. Towers bulge heat. Neither structure should be confused with in the kind of landscape you'd expect a painter in the center and taper. It would be fascinating the traditional greenhouse, which is intended to love. to study the framing that supports these roller­ solely to provide an optimum environment for A cottage may be a "small and humble coaster forms. plant growth. In this book, Shapiro does an dwelling," but those featured in this book are Many of the houses that appear simple and excellent job of explaining how to balance the by no means plain. You'll find an intense undecorated reveal themselves upon closer sometimes competing areas of horticulture, variety of styles and a wonderful selection of examination to be intensely detailed. In the energy conservation, solar heating and the colors and textures. The brief introductory text Hemenway residence by William Emerson, one need for additional living space. Even better, he offers insight into construction materials, and finally notices the eccentric webbed railing shows how the balancing act can be built. the caption accompanying each photo adds a made from chains that mimics the pattern of The book could also have been titled "The few bits of lively historical background. It's not the stone walls. "Sunset Hall" by Lamb and Homeowner's and Builder's Handbook . a builder's book, but a dreamer's book. Rich, while appearing fairly simple, contains since it has enough design talk and -Mark Feirer

90 Fine Homebuilding INDEX TO ADVERTISERS CLASSIFIED

Abatron, Inc. 95 Hardwood Lumber Store 97 Roto Frank 20 $3.25 Abundant Energy 89 Homasote Co. Mitch Rowland 96 The CLASSIFIED rate is per word, minimum ad IS IS words. Payment must accompany order. Send to Fine Addkison 94 Homestead Design 94 Royal Heir 5 Homebuilding, Advertising Dept. , Box Newtown, CT American Design Houghton Mifflin 27 Seven Corners 20, 82, 87 355, & Deadline for the Decemb er/January issue is Sep­ Engineering 81 Hurd Millwork 12 Simpson Door 2 06470. tember 25. AMI Ltd. 22 Injecta Machinery Co. 81 Solar Northern II Arco Solar 3 Iron Shop 27, 89 South Coast Shingle 1 95 Western RED CEDAR sidings and panelings. High qual­ Arctic Glass 97 Jackson Saw & Knife 21 Southern Illinois Univ. Press 23 ity, reasonably priced. Also clear fir and knotty pine. Artistry in Wood 96 Jones Industries 93 Sperber Tool Works 94 Send $1 for information to Bear Creek Lumber, Route I, Atlantic Boatworks 97 Kaatskill Post & Beam 95 Stanley 99 Box 240, Winthrop, A 98862. (509) 996-2775. Bear Creek Lumber 95 Kenco Safety Products 95 Steptoe Wife 94 Y:' & WIDE PINE FLOORING AND PANELING; approximately Berkeley Bar Bender 96 Kirby Millworks 97 Paula Stone 96 20 in. wide. Carlisle Restoration Lumber. Call (603) 446- Biesemeyer 26 Lindal Cedar Homes 96 Taunton Pressl8, 18A-D, 19, 82A- 3937. Brandino's Brass 96 Maine Cedar Log Homes 95 0, 83, 84, 85 Bratton Machinery 81 McRose Leathers 97 Thermal Energy 6 WOODWORKERS catalog. Send $1. Get $2 discount cer­ Brother Sun 87 Mountain Lumber 96 Timbercraft Homes 94 tificate. 2,000 specialty products. Hardwoods, veneer, B.T.S. Enterprises 94 New England Builders 91 Timberframe Construction 95 tools, hardware. Plans. Constantine, 2046A Eastchester Builders Booksource 94 NRI Schools II Timberhouse Post & Beam 96 Rd., Bronx, NY 10461. Calculated Industries 89 Oakville Millworks 13 Timberpeg 13 CUSTOM MAILBOXES. Attractive designs. Solid cedar Capitol Carbide 95, 97 Ober Publishing 95 Timeless Products 96 and heavy-gauge steel. Write for brochure. Mailbox Carlisle Restoration Lumber 23 Occidental Leather 17 Toolhauz 94 Crafters, Box 135-F, Miamiville, OH 45147. Classified 91 Pacific Post Beam 97 Eli Townsend Son 80 & & CANADIAN CUSTOM TIMBER FRAMES and handcrafted Clay Suppliers 95 Pagoda Timberframes 96 Tremont Nail 94 log homes. A. Rico Timber Structures, Box 71, Minden, Concept Builders Supply 96 Peregrine Smith 23 Trend-Lines 14, 80 Ontario, KOM 2KO. (705) 286-3791. Connecticut Cupola 97 Permanu 22 Ventarama 23 CooperTools 8, 9 Philipps Bros. Supply 5 Victorian Warehouse 96 FOR SALE-Profitable manufacturing plant/architec­ Craftsman Book IS Piedmont Home Products II Wallace & Hinz 5 tural woodworking/proprietary lines. Worldwide distri­ Delta 21 Porta-Tools 97 Washington Copper Works 27 bution. 43 patents. State-of-the-art equipment. Owner Dimension Hardwood 94 Porter-Cable 17 Creek 97 retiring. Call Paul Ramsower, Roger Cox & Assoc., Albu­ querque. (505) 842-6400. DML 7 Princeton Plans 94 Winter Panel 20 Dupli-Carver 96 Pro Tools 87 Wood-Mizer 97 77 SUPER PLANS. Barns, all sizes, types. Workshops, ga­ Elegant Entries 22 Quality Woods 94 Woodcraft 94 rages. Catalog $4 (refundable). Ashlandbarns, 990FH Elk Roofing 95 R.S. Wood 94 Woodmaster Power Tools 95 Butlercreek, Ashland, OR 97520. Foley-Belsaw 91 Rack Mfg. Co. 93 Woodworking World 80 Dismantling RAILROAD BRIDGES, BUILDINGS. First­ Forno Products 97 RdF Construction 96 Xylophile's 26 growth Douglas fir timbers, treated/untreated. Call Max Ford Aerostar 24, 25 Reggio Register 97 Yestermorrow 22 Tauberr (218) 727-3442. Robert Foulkes 95 Rejuvenation 95 York Spiral Stair 91 OAK JOINED TIMBER FRAMES custom cut for homes, Garrett Wade 21, 80 Riverbend 27 Zac Products 95, 96 shops, churches, bridges, towers. Old barn and mill Hammerworks 97 frames. Structural consulting and repair. Roy Tiede, Box 255, Danville, OH 43014. (614) 599-7959.

PlanPowerer Molder T, ,00 LS Saw "Contractors 3 Feed in (and even novice � builders) in the I Northeast should be reading New England Builder on a monthly basis." -Fine Homebuilding #20

Now you can use shop to turn rough lumber into moldings, trim, flooring, furniture -All popular patterns. RIP-PLANE-MOLD ... sepa­ rately or all at once with a single motor. low Cost ... vou can own this power tool for only $50 down. 30-Day FREE Trial! EXC���r?GF��CTS For Full Descriptive NO OBLIGATION-NO SAlfSMAN WILL CALL information write: B UILDE R York Spiral Stair RUSH COUPON :gm·-B�������G Dept. F KANSAS CITY, MO. . 64111 No. Vassalboro, ME 04962 TODAY! � (207) 872-5558 r-----�- --Rlley-Belsaw------Co. -, $42-3 years· $30-2 years· $16-1 year I � 90713 Field Bldg. I I Ui1iill!JJKansas City, Mo. 64111 • MasterCardlVisa orders call roll FREE: I �MPleasek1IT� send me complete facts about • I 0 YES PLANER-MOLDER-SAW and . 1.. 800-345 .. 8112 details about 30-day trial offer. I • PA residents call 1-800-662-2444 I Name I or send check or money order to: I I NEB-PO Box 278F-Montpelier-VT05602 I Address I I City I I I I State Zip • �.------�

October/November 1985 91 INFORMATION RESOURCES

Small Homes Council-Building House Construction" is a quick introduction to extremely strong unit. When this framing Research Council this structural system. Although it was system was subjected to full-scale tests, its University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign published in 1972, the bibliogr aphy lists strength exceeded the capacity of the test One East St. Mary's Road, Dept. A organizations that are still among the best facility's machinery. Champaign, Ill. 61820 technical resources available. "King-Post Nail-Glued Roof Trusses Using 2x4 Members" includes cutting lists for all the The SHC-BRC is a non-profit, self-supporting Research Reports-There are 19 plywood gussets and lumber, gives brief span organization that conducts research on publications in this series, ranging in length tables for three different roof slopes, and residential building construction and design. from 12 pp. to 98 pp., and many are based on specifies the glue type. It shows how to mix This research is sponsored by governmental laboratory tests of full-size building components and apply the glue, and even includes photos agencies, trade associations and individual and materials. But you'll have to keep an eye of what the joint squeeze-out should look like. companies. Much of the Council's work has on the copyright dates. Most of the reports are Anyone with basic carpentry skills should be been devoted to identifying ways of simplifying over 10 years old, and one dates to 19 48. This able to build these trusses with confidence. basic construction techniques, and to adapting doesn't mean that the information is worthless, techniques used by large builders to the needs but you'll need to interpret it in the light of Special Publications-Basic Co nstruction of small builders. This has led it into research current construction practice and technology. and Materials Takeoff ($ 12 plus shipping) by on various types of trusses and other structural Of the newer reports, "Ceiling-Floor Partition Rudard A. Jones was an invaluable help during systems. Another major area of study has been Separation Studies" (1982) is worth a look. It my first years as a general building contractor. the efficient use of interior space, and special reports on five projects designed to identify the It's one of the most useful estimating attention has been given to kitchen design. causes of CFPS, the tendency of joints to crack publications I've seen, and is now in its fifth The Council operates an informal "housing where an interior partition meets the bottom edition. Its 238 pp. contain formulas and rules­ advisory service." Staff members won't review chord of a roof truss. Field reports indicate that of-thumb for estimating materials, along with or draw plans for you, but they will attempt to this occurs most often in houses with large useful drawings of construction details. The answer questions relating to planning and amounts of attic insulation. Results of the check-list format follows logical construction construction. Check the publications first, studies point to truss-lumber shrinkage as the sequences, and the whole thing is bound so however, because the answers are often there. probable culprit, with improper truss installation that it will open flat on your desk. Using the There is a discount for quantity orders of SHC­ as another factor. You'll find a few interesting book, you can develop a nearly complete list of BRC publications, and these can be imprinted suggestions for improved construction materials for a new house from footings to roof, with your own company's address and re­ techniques in the report. siding to ceramic tile. It will help on distributed to your clients. remodeling projects, too. Here is what's available: Miscellaneous Publications-" Kitchen The book is divided into two sections: Planning Principles, Equipment, Appliances" is concrete and masonry construction, and light Circular Series-The 41 publications in the a I04-pp. manual with a bias toward wood-frame construction (millwork is covered Circular Series are available individually, or by prefabricated cabinets, though much of the briefly at the end of the book). I've found them subscription under the title "Council Notes." 23 pp. on planning standards will also be of pretty thorough, though it's likely that your Typically they run 8 pp. to 12 pp. (8Yz in. by II use to anyone considering custom . work might contain materials or techniques that in.) and include line drawings and basic The manual offers a rather cookbookish aren't listed in the book, particularly if they information on planning, energy efficiency or approach to designing kitchens. Builders will tend toward the unusual. The line drawings are construction. I've found them most useful as find 16 pp. of tips on how to work with clients generally acceptable, though you'll find a few quick overviews of particular subjects. who are considering kitchen remodels. that are murky, with obscure details. "Bathroom Planning Standards" has Amateurs can just follow the recipes to design The section on footings is typical of the. drawings of fixture clearances, a discussion of a kitchen using standard cabinet units. Both can book's approach. In a half-page, it describes planning considerations (like keeping pipes out rate their designs using the scoring system at the basic characteristics of footings and how of exterior walls and including anti-scald the back of the manual. they are formed, followed by several isometric devices on the faucets) and 3Yzpp. of one­ drawings of footing types, a table listing typical point perspective drawings of various bathroom Instruction Sheets-This series provides code-required thicknesses (and common plans. You'll have to look elsewhere for detailed information in plan form about various practice), a table showing cubic yards per information on barrier-free bathrooms, however. structural components-roof trusses, roof lineal foot of various-size footings, and space to "Replacement Windows" is the newest in framing, headers and wall panels. Fifteen of figure the actual quantity of material you need the series, and offers a brief look at the choices twenty-three sheets in the series remain (including waste allowances). Information on for upgrading windows for energy efficiency. available. They're a bit dated (copyright dates steel reinforcing follows the section. "Noise Control" offers 8 pp. of material on range from 1959 to 19 68), but some have been Current House Construction Practices is an noise pollution and how to minimize its effects. revised, and all are still useful. The ones I've 88-pp. selection of articles by Council staff that This isn't state-of-the-art stuff, but should help seen are single 22x34 sheets, usually printed on makes a good introduction to home building. It you to get your bearings on the subject. one side only. Typically they include a few isn't nearly as detailed as the materials-takeoff Included are planning tips (like having the concise paragraphs about how the particular book, but it covers the same range. Chapters narrow side of your house face the street), component was designed and tested, with the are followed by suggestions for further reading drawings of construction details and good rest of the sheet devoted to dimensioned so you can get more detail if you want it. If definitions of the terms "decibel" and "STC" drawings, diagrams, cutting lists and other you've never built before, this book is a good (sound transmission class). useful information. An understanding of place to start your reading. standard construction practice is helpful in Other resources available from the Council Technical Notes-The 16 Technical Notes reading these sheets since they don't say what include slide sets CHow to build an energy­ deal more' with construction than with planning, advantages each component has over other conserving house" and others) and a new and they are generally longer than the circulars. related systems. series of circulars on house restoration that "Speaking of Windows" is one I particularly "Roof Frames for 7/4 House Designs" is looks quite promising; the first one details enjoyed reading. It begins with a brief look at interesting if you're looking for framing ideas. It various ways of repairing plaster. the history of glass production, from neolithic details a rigid-frame system for the upper level -Mark Fe irer times to the modern era of reflective and of 7/4 houses (1 % stories), and is conceptually insulated glass, and ends with a 22-pp. glossary similar to the truss-frame system developed by SHC-BRC hours: 8 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to of window terminology that includes plenty of the U. S. Forest Products Laboratory. The S p.m. (Central Standard) . Phone (2 17) drawings. In between you'll find four full-page system is built of standard 2x material, and 333- 1801. Publication list: free, 8 pp., 98 cutaway drawings of the basic window types. uses nail-glued plywood gussets to tie wall entries. Publication price range: SOt to $80 "Applications of Treated Poles and Posts for fJ..aming and rafters together into a rigid and (s lide set); most under $2.

92 Fine Homebuilding CALENDAR

Calendar lists events of interest to builders, re nova­ Massachusetts Stonemasonry ·workshop-Oct. 14 to Nov. 1, Pen­ tors and designers. Deadline fo r the Dec. 1 985/Jan. Exhibit-historic wallpapers in New England, to Oct. land. Contact Verne Stanford, Penland Craft School, 1986 issue is Oct. I; for the Fe b./March issue, Dec. I. 13, Museum of Our National Heritage, Lexington. Penland, N. C. 28765; (704) 765-2359.

Alabama Energy-Efficient Lighting-intensive seminar, Nov. Timber-framing workshop-Oct. 20-26, Greens­ Solar conference-Oct. 11-13, Gulf Shores. Contact 7, Waltham. Contact Larry Sherwood, New England boro. Riverbend Timber Framing, Inc., Box 26, Bliss­ John Lortie, Alabama Solar Energy Association, 1509 Solar Energy Association, Box 54 1, Brattleboro, Vt. field, Mich. 49228; (5 17) 486-4566. Government St., Mobile, Ala. 36604; (205) 342-5868. 05301; (802) 254-2386. Pennsylvania California Heating Today's Buildings-conference and trade Exhibit-sculpture/architecture of Siah Armajani, Woodworking, home-building show-Oct. 4-6, show, Nov. 16-17, Hyannis. Contact Quality Building Oct. II to Dec. I, Institute of Contemporary Art, Wal­ Santa Clara Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Rd., San Jose. Con­ Council, NESEA, Box 54 1, Brattleboro, Vt. 0530 1; nut St. at 34th, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. tact Patricia Dillon, 1516 S. Pontius Ave., Los Angeles, (802) 254-2386. Calif. 90025; (2 13) 477-852 1. Texas Build Bostonf85-trade show, Nov. 25-26, Marriot Computer shows for contractors, designers­ Construction West '85-exh ibit, Oct. 29-3 1, Oak­ Copley Place, Boston. Contact Paula DiFoggio, Prac­ Oct. 15-18, Albert Thomas Convention Center, Hous­ land Convention Center. Contact Sheridan Asso ciates, tice Management Associates, LTD, 126 Harvard St., ton. Contact CMC '85 and A/E Systems-Fall, Box Suite 82, Showplace Design Center, 2 Henry Adams Brookline, Mass. 02 146; (6 17) 73 1-1913. 11318, Newington, Conn. 06111; (203) 666-6097. St., San Francisco, Calif. 9410 3; (4 15) 864-3936. Small-Business Forum-Dec. 5, Sturbridge. Con­ Ceramic-tile exposition-Oct. 30 to Nov. 2, Loews Connecticut tact Larry Sherwood, NESEA, Box 54 1, Brattleboro, Anatole Hotel and Dallas Market Center, Dallas. Con· Building Better Foundations-intensive seminar, Vt. 0530 1; (802) 254-2386. tact Paula Cross, Gaskins Creative Communication, Oct. 24, Cromwell. Contact Larry Sherwood, New Eng­ Inc., 805 East Broadway, Suite A, Glendale, Calif. land Solar Energy Association, Box 541, Brattleboro, New Hampshire 91205; (213 ) 245-4847. Vt. 05301; (802) 254-2386. Air and Moisture Control in Tight Buildings­ intensive seminar, Oct. 3, Manchester. Contact Larry Wa shington Vintage-home restoration-workshop, Nov. 16 -17. Sherwood, NESEA, Box 54 1, Brattleboro, Vt. 0530 1; Conference-moisture problems in residential con· Brookfield Craft Center, Box 122, Brookfield, Conn. (802) 254-2386. struction, Oct. 17-18, Seattle. Contact Chuck Eberdt, 06804; (203) 775-4526. Washington Energy Extension Service, Seattle Univer· Ne w Jersey sity, Seattle, Wash. 98 122; (206) 626·6225. Fl orida Victorian restoration workshop-Oct. 14-18, Workshops-solar heating for pools and spas, Oct. 9- Cape May. Contact Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts, Japanese house-joinery workshop-Oct. 20, 10; solar inspection, Oct. 29; photovoltaics, Nov. 6-9; Box 164, Cape May, N. 1. 08204; (609) 884-5405. Seattle. Contact Charlie Mastro, 4268 10th Ave. South, solar design and installation, Nov. 19-22; low-energy Seattle, Wash. 98 108; (206) 767·9185. building design in warm, humid climates, Dec. 3-5. New Mexico Contact Ken Sheinkopf, Florida Solar Energy Center, Southwest Solarfest-seminars, exhibits, tours on TravelinR programs 300 State Road 401, Cape Canaveral, Fla. 32920; (305) renewable energy and energy conservation, Oct. 12, Advanced remodeling seminars-Oct. 7-8, Balti­ 783-0300. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces. Contact more; Oct. 17-18, Dallas; Oct. 21-22, Cleveland; Oct. New Mexico Solar Energy Institute, Box 3S0L, Las 28·29, Boston. Contact Home·Tech Publications, 5161 Conference-thermal performance of exterior enve­ Cruces, N. Mex. 88003; (505) 646-265 1. River Rd., Bethesda, Md. 20816; (800) 638-8292. lopes of buildings, Dec. 2-5, Clearwater Beach. Con­ tact Patricia Prue, Building Thermal Envelope Coordi­ New Yo rk Canada nating Council (BTECC), 1015 15th St. N.w., Washing­ Chicago and New York: Architectural Interac­ Log-building courses-notches of all kinds, Oct. 7· ton, D. C. 20005; (202) 347-5710. tion-exhibit of drawings, photos, prints and models, 18; design and engineering, Oct. 20-25; timbered roof to Oct. 26. New York Historical Society, 170 Central systems, Oct. 27 to Nov. 8. B. Allan Mackie School of Louisiana Park West, New York City. , Box 1238, Prince George, B. C. V2L Seminars-computer-aided design, manufacturing 4V3; (604) 562·8630. and engineering, Oct. 2-3, New Orleans. Contact Kate Workshops-hand tools, Oct. 5-6 and Nov. 9-10; Allen, Metropolitan College, University of New Or­ making shoji screens, Oct. 19-20 and Nov. 23-24. Con­ Overseas leans, New Orleans, La. 70148; (504) 2861-7110. tact Bonnie Robiczek, The Lutherie, 2449 W. Sauger­ SaudiBuild '85-construction show, Oct. 20·24, Ri· ties Rd., Saugerties, N. Y. 12477; (914 ) 246-5207. yadh Exhibition Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Contact Maine Peter Rosenvinge, Overseas Exhibition Services, Ltd., Design and building classes-Oct. 7-25, Nov. 4- 15. North Carolina II Manchester Square, London W1M 5AB, U.K; (0 1) Shelter Institute, 38 Center St., Bath Maine 04530; Solar '85-Raleigh Civic Center Complex, Oct. 15-20. 486·1951. (207) 442-7938. Includes national passive-solar conference, Oct. 17-19; daylighting applications, Oct. 15-17; solar energy and Interbuild-international construction exhibition, Timber-framing course-Oct. 28 to Nov. 1. Cor­ utilities, Oct. 15-16; women in solar energy, Oct. 19-20; Nov. 24·30, National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, nerstones, 54 Cumberland St., Brunswick, Maine building with the sun, Oct. 19-20. Contact Solar '85, England. Contact British Inf ormation Services, 845 04011; (207) 729-670 I. Box 1043 1, Raleigh, N. C. 27605; (919) 832-760 1. Third Ave., New York, N. Y. 10 022; (212 ) 752·8400.

Slipcases for your back issues •POW' fVMITERPortable SawMATE Stand • Fits all power hand miter saws Bound in dark blue and embossed in gold, each • Holds material at working height • Heavy duty steel construction case holds at least 6 issues of Fine Homebuilding • Extendable, adju stable outriggers (a year's worth), and costs $6.95 ($20 for 3, $36 • Ideal for trim, • molding or fra ming ONL Y Easy set up Easy fo lding • . for 6). Outside the U.S., add $2.50 each (U.S. • Easy carrymg/storage $149 50 currency please). • Folded up size only 28"x38"x 10" • Top size 16" x 24" • Height of stand 33" Send your order and payment to Outrigger length (not extended) 30" • (extended 61 ") Jesse Jones Industries, • Shipping weight only 44 Ibs. RMC RACK MFG. CO. Dept. FHB, P.O. Box 5120, • Intermediate wood support/end stop 404 SW 1 20th Outrigger leg with every stand Seattle. WA 98146(206)243-4831 Philadelphia, P A 19141. • (not shown in picture) Dealers mqumes welcome AllSend Shipping Money prepaid order/check in lower 48 states.or call.

October/November 1985 93 BUILDER'S MART

TEAK BALDWIN 5/16" 12"x 12" Lexington Design PARQUET FREE mortise lock handleset EXOTIC, ELEGANT, DURABLE Tool PER SQ. FT. with knob and oval plate $1.95 1,000 SQ. FT. Catalog trim inside -polished brass U.S.A. PER SQ. FT. $1 90.00 prepaid in $2.25 500·1000 SQ. FT. , Quality Miss. residents add tax. 6% F.O.B. N.J. Products For Visa & Mastercard accepted We also import the finest quality T&G Haddon Hall Pattern T&G Woodworkers Call toll-free 800-821-2750 & plank. st rip, plus teak lumber and ply· (prefinished wax & sealer) wood. Free brochure. Send today for your FREE copy of our new In Miss. c all 800-321-8 107 colorful catalog. It's fully illustrated with Ask for John or Jay QUALITY WOODS LTD. the finest quality tools, supplies, books, P.O. BOX 205 components, hardware, and much more. LAKEH IAWATHA, NJ 07034 Satisfaction Guaranteed. (201) 927·0742 ask for Bob Write today for your FREE catalog. W(lI)OCRAFT SUPPLY CORP. • Dept. FBI05 \ 41 Atlantic Av enue, Box 4000 126 E. Amite St. . PO Box 102. COUNTRY LIVING HOUSE"' 0·· Woburn, Massachusetts 01888 Jackson, MS 39205 COLLECTIONS

SMALL BARN To olhauz • New designs for barns, workshops, garages, and practi. r���:. �ATIONTM cal, engergy-saving, smallrm�!aP country LANS homes. 2 • Traditional designs feature low cost modular construc­ .1!:cw:,: ,%,, " , tions for easy expansion. 2 AEG • Send $3 for new 40 page deeign catalog. SANDER438 � HAMMER /'HOMESTEAD DESIGN BOX430PoI.ANGLEY.WA98260 1 ENTIRE 300 HOUSE COLLECTION $25.00 S79.99 DRILL S129.99 V Henry Taylor CONCISE Portfolios 1- $7.50 each SOCKET CHISELS NOBEX 202 SEXTRA69. BLADES99 COMPACT Send choice(s) with check or money order to: Y2 "-$19 1112"-$28 . �- -4..::---4 24. 1B. 12TPI 314"-$19 2"-$29 > PRINCETON PLANSPR ESSo - $7.45 COMPLETE Box 622 1 "-$24 � ---t OVER 10 0 PAGES OF CHARTS AND .I1�'-�Jmf'l, POINT REFERENCE DATA FROM Princeton, New Jersey 08540 NO SHIPPING CHARGES MC· VISA • COD VISA Mastercard FOUNDATIONS TO FINISH 609-924-9655 50 Brook Rd., Needham, MA 02194 SEND $8.95 TO: R.S. WOOD STAR ROUTE 81 BOX 430 LIBERTY, ME 04949 TIMBER FRAMING Old Wo rld crafts­ manship & modern THE Timbercraft energy technology Free Brochure Homes Design Portfolio $5 • HARDWOOD . 8.1.HOLS. DER 85 Martin Road. PortTo wnsend, WA 98368 .206-385-3051 DIMENSION 1--3" to 8"--1 I-- 8" to 17"--1 HOLOS• WHILE YOU WORK Doors. Windows tf9'1%t{FM Gen. Materials � • Custom Manufactutets of Fancy Adjustable $29.95 pair ppd Flooting and Paneling Calif. add 6 1/ 2% t ax White oak, white pine, cherry. ash, butternut, red oak, maple Charge it! Reasonably pticed and shipped anywhete :!l 0� !:8 113 Canal St., Shelton, CT 06484 203-735-3343 rC') :I: ...,til t"lZ c: 0!: P.O. Box 3988 Torrance, CA 90510 (213) 855-1010 0 '" "l :I:C') Z ..;c: Z � ..j '" f;l � til� t"l:I: C:I: :I: > � ." 0 C:I: TNtDftRC lffl' CftST IROn !; PORTABLE • Old·FashIoned Cut Nalls. The Tremont Nail Co. makes Intricate Victorian design �RftLSTftIRCftSf• �ST[DTOf 20 varieties of cut nails using the old patterns, including Modular comPonents in a rose·head, oval bung, and wrought·head. Sample kit con· 5·ft. diameter • taining one of each of the patterns, a history of nails in Rugged cast-iron 20 construction America, and a price list is $3.75 ppd. Tremont Nail Co., • Available wi th brass or Dept. FH· I 05 St., Box 1 I I, Wareham, M ass. 0257 I. steel handrail

Send $2.00 for complete renovation cataJogue: � LTO buA bookstoreilders for thebo Fineok Homebuilder.source 8iSIEPTOE 'NTIQ

94 Fine Homebuilding BUILDER'S MART --- HITACHI �FINE ENGLISH CIR9 (� �� � Log SUPP�IERS 3/8" � :i le YEARSBomes EXPERIENCE 102 N. WINDOMERE OTC-10 ) IS8 I CHIMNEY POTS DALLAS, TX 75208 Cordless Super Drill CAJAWGUE $200 • Removable, GO-Minute Rechargeable Battery Vacation retreats to year round homes - custom designing SyUem complete pac 1uu!e RIB to R26 in walls -zero maintenance. • Compact and lightweight for Ea$y Handling White Cedar. Thousands- sold. Find out more today. I • Automatic Cut-off. 1 Hour Charger Stanrt.fd Equipment: 1 BllttefY Pftck lModel: B·2) 1980579Z), 1 Chl'lf9"f IMotiel: BC-2), 1 Chuck Key (980057), 1 Drill Chuck 19502551. 1 Phillips Bit 1955654'-

Call for further Information on tools. catalogs. prices. parts. accessories and/or service. CAPITOL CARIIOE CO. 1000University Avenue $7Ppd2.. in 00ConI. USA St. PaUl. MN 55104 Free folder or for brochure '5 1-800-328-8 t 52 MAINE CEDAR WG HOMES, Dept. FB I.1sa& l14iJsterCiJl"(j 1-6t2-644-9622 So. Windham, ME 04082 1-800-341-0405 (503)CATALOGUE 249-0774 $3 T saUD BRASS AFFORDABL£ TheTHE original ageeDOOR DOOR SHO SHOpP'· as featured M in WOOD MAGAZINE (MAY/JUNE 85) is complete with style & rail, slot & panel raising bits for the 1/4" chuck router. Bits are carbide tipped BB. & & 901·C NORTH SKIDMORE PORTLAND, OREGON 97217 Now turn low cost rough lumber into will make 3/4"-2-1/4" thick raised panel doors, valuable finished stock for grand­ ppd. father clocks, furniture, house-trim, $89.50 picture frames ..sell to others. Molds all popular patterns & custom TO ORDER IN NY 212- designs. Planes and joints without change-over. Quickly converts to CALL 800- 947-4496. power-feed drum sander' Comes 441-0101 complete ...ready to use. 3D-DAY FREE TRIAl! Easy terms. Phone Toll Free 1-800-824-7888 Ope •. r -wtiOii2908 Oak, maSter Kansas ltiOiS,- City, oep i."l'EMO 641089 -- . : Name ______: _ FANCY BUTT SHINGLES I Address I 533 West 34 5t. ______NYC, NY. 10001 Seven patterns offering a variety of shapes that reach back lAC PRODUCTS INC. to the 19th century. Koppers treated available. Can be L��� �� J shipped nationwide. Brochures and information mailed WESTERN RED CEDAR upon request. Introducing Siding, Decking and the new Paneling. Clear or Knotty lIlJOlllllUU standard of Products Avai lable. DIAGONAL OIAMOND ROUND HEXAGONAL AGONAL SQUARE FISH-SCALE excellence Also Clear Fir and Knotty in the art and Pine. Excellent SOUTH. COAST SHINOC GLE CO. 2220 E. South St • Long Beach. CA 90805 (213) 634-71 00 .. science of Quality and Prices. T roofing. For info send $1 .00 to: New Construction or Re-Roofing Prestique Plus is thicker than any other BEAR CREEK fiberglass laminated shingle for deep. three­ LUMBER dimensional beauty. Plus U .L. Class "An rating for fire resistance TEL: (509) 996·2870 Rt. 1, Box 240 and wind resistance . or (509) 996·2775 Winthrop, WA 98862 Plus Exclusive 30 Plus 10 Year Limited War ranty. • Construction books for professionals Plus Much. much more! Write for a free brochure. and do-it-yourselfers. Elk Corporation • Hundreds of titles selected from 6750 Hillcrest Plaza Dr. An unprecedented advance m wood many publishers. Suite 218, Dept. 07 Re • repair, the Wood Restoration. System, Dallas, TX 75230 store even • Every book is sold with a 30 day withUquidWood andWoodEpox,can thiS rotted• , regenerate rotted, damaged, even satisfaction guarantee!! mlss ood crumbling mg w . Available in kit fOnTI.Can • NEW 40 PAGE CATALOG AVAILABLE. • be used for Virtually any application. Send $2 to cover shipping & handling to: ...... I " wood Send for free 4-page brochure. ABATRON.INC. CATALOG DEPT. FH 1 0 141 Center Dr.. Dept RiB OBER PUBLISHING, 951 4-9 Reseda Blvd, #47B 6 Gilberts, IL60136 Northridge, CA 91324 312426-2200 • Designed for Craftsmen • One size fits all • Goggle-like fit • All side protection �I/� • Ratchet hinge ensures fit• Exceeds Z87.1 and .. "'71'''' • Exceptional Style CSA standards PASSIVE SOLAR POST & BEAM HOMES m� Money back guaranteed. • Made in USA Individually cut, white oak frames MASONRY TIMBER PASSIVE Will work with owner/builder •HEATERS • •FRAMES � SOLAR �:c;:ut:on�/��:::- MasterCard, Visa. $9.95 Delivered Finnish Contra flow . • • Oak and pine frames. • N�lio�al aw�rd • �• 8091. wmnmg deslgn • efficient . Sills• . Shouldered joints . KENCO Robert Foulkes No creosote . Innovative design . • ... • Energy efficient • P.o. BOX 385. 78 GLASCO TURNPIKE Enameled cast iron . Frames . Completed Buildings . • 2215 Pioneer Rd. construction WOODSTOCK. NV 12498 St. Joseph, M I In N.V.S. 914-679-5246 Out ofstate 1-800-341-4103 (616) 983-3283 49085 TIMB• 1200 NORTHER MAINFRAME . ANN ARBOR CONST . MI • 48104 RUCTION• 313 • 994-5509 • Write us for a free Head to Toe Safety Catalog

October/November 1985 95 BUILDER'S MART

ROWLAND • CONTRACTING • 48 hours per load 120,000 BTU per hour • Cooking and hot water CUSTOM TIMBER Money grows • Separate fireplace t Ten form variations FRAMING Onon the cedar treestr ofees. Lindal Cedar Designed by Registered Homes and Justus Log Homes. The world's Heating Eng. and Architect most popular custom cedar homes. And right now we're looking for a good dealer in 5TIMELESS Main St., Roxbury, PRODUCTS CT. 06783 INC. L-_"':"'::'c.J HOMES'ADDITIONS'BARNS many areas. CUSTOM DESIGN SERVICE Call us collect at (206) 725-0900. (No franchise fee.) Because money grows in cedar. MITCH ROWLAND 1'0BOX 71 MIDDLEVILLE, NJ 07855 A ...... IIIIDES 201 · 635 ·2845 P. IIO. Box 24426.Justus Seattle. loglbres WA 98124

CUSTOM • CABINET DOORS Lighting by • Fine quality joinery Complete selection of kiln-dried Appalachian HAMMERWORKS • and imported hard woods • Post Lante • Designs to fit all decors • Wall Lanterns • Product comes finely-sanded, ready for finish • Chandeliersrns • Fully-guaranteed • Sconces • Buy factory-direct and save! • Produced on the latest state-of-the-art machinery Handmade Colonial Rcpnxluctionsin Standard doors start at ea. + frieght Copper • Brass • Iron • Tin 24" $19.00 Custom Blacksmithing & LiKhling ? BRASS HARDWARE ? Call or write for additional information. �\, 1720 Baldwin Street 75-B Webster Street Residential Hardware Specialist Rockledge. F L Worchester, 01603 computerized -Take offs ISfR.IV 32955 (617) 755·3434MA j)1RTIN'I1.t't"000 (305)tst.1975 6324460 Send(20% us your - Pla40%ns Offor Sch List)edules The ultimate In Brass Hardware. Bath Accessories. and Gift Items -Brass Beds Residential and Commercial PRECISION RE-BAR Cabinet Hardware Zac'sPA carbideNEL tipped RAISERTM PANEL RAISER'M bits • Baldwin Hardware • Broadway Faucets • BENDER come in 3 styles, aGEE, COVE, & PRO­ A Timesaver to the Large or Small Jobber • 5chlage Locks • + shipping & handling VINCIAL. All 1/2" shank bits are 3-112" $39.95 $5 Many Other Lines anywhere U.S.A. Calif. residents add tax in diam. w/BB & give a full 1-112" 61/,% raised panel, $99.50 ppd. All 1/4" shank BRANDINO'SLoehmanns BRASS Village CO. bits are 2" in 101- diam. & give a 1" Birmingham, Alabama 35244 or larger raised 205-988-3918 -591-6030 panel cut, $65 ppd. To order CALL [35 yrs. experIenCe) 800-441-0101 SollC18rass Outfitters for the South's Finest Homes in NY call ::::: :: :: : 212-947- Dealer Inquiries Invited 4496. f.:: . '/., 'vtC::"'t· ·onan···:···· ·�·:-'U)are4�·····�·Jou�e···:·"�: .:. .. 1215 Shattuck Ave lAC :: . . ! . " , �[egQnt !!tem�• for �our �ome :!: Berkeley, CA 94709 PRODUCTS INC. u Gazebos Beveled Glass Doors .: . . (415) 525-5966 .:. . B ·, II El egant Ceilings . Bath Fix tures · cl more .: - ; 533 WEST 34 ST. � y As seen on pg. of April May . . 64 / '85 FHB. NYC, NY 10001 : Send • 52.00 for 24 page catalog to: .:. •·i . 190 Grace St. Auburn, CA 95603• (916) 823-0374 •·!: •• : •• : .• :•• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : •• : �:. PAULA STONE A MUST FOR THE WORMDRIVE SAW rIl Ciiil SAW ONTO RAFl'ERS, JOISTS ... Ceramic Tile Works •• • �'Early American, Southwest, Depression-Era� Styles SAWKLIP · • Saves Time . Saves Hassle .Standard or Thermal Mass Thickness • Saves Saws . Saves Money Send for brochure. • .• $1.00 Rugged.All Steel Const Insulated 449 E. 2nd St. Salida, Co_81201 • Simply Replaces Top Handle Specify B & 0 or Skil Wormdrive • Sond 519.95 Postpaid CONCEPT BUILDERS SUPPLY • P.O. Box 456, Wauna, WA 98395 TIMBERHOUSE • LTD HandcraftedPOST Timber & Frame BEAM Homes N.W. Distributor Chase Thermo Panels 1000 Uf1IOI1 Su'le 207. SEATTLE, WA 98101 • (206) 625-0577 696 LITTLE SLEEPING CHILD ROAD HAMILTON, MONTANA 59840 TIMBERFRAMES (406) 363-3608 ===-==-===------

96 Fine Homebuilding BUILDER'S MART

Cupolas & Weathe�vanes Architecturally Designed TIMBERWRIGHTS • Building TraditionalTimber Post& Beam Functional -ventitating • �. Structures of PennsylvaniaRed Oak Using Aesthetic line proportion SOLID & OAK1'"'' Exterior Doors:DOOR 13 deSigns WithS ,,, " Quality Morti8eTenon & Joinery_ • Sectional pending size ....�IIif 9'..if!!; thick raised panels. Including matching slde+ • lites French doors are true divided lite Molded fiberglass roof - HouseFram es Cut lD Your Design and willa " temp glass. other styles are available verdigris green Specifications ·open for glass" 1'%" Interior Doors: 16 • 8' deSigns With 1 v." thick raised panels, In­ Sizes up to 42" square & cluding matching Molds high overall Model OpenFor Inspection By Appointment • Door Construction: Solid red oak stile/rail Custom work -larger cupolas -steeples frames. "floating" solid oak raised panels 3 • Send$2_00 for informational brochure way clamping pressure (dUring assembly) en­ Clear select pine or redwood sures entremely tight JOints All doors are Cupola scale drawing provided. Freight "ATL.&NTZC BQA.'I'WOJ\IUI,I.TD. hand sanded, "ready for stain" 2 year limit­ allowance or company delivery. Installation service. ed warranty against warpage. JOint separa­ Dept. F, LaIrd Road·Atl antlc, Pa. 161 11'814/382-8844 tion. or splitting panels Connecticut Cupola Other Products: Stock and custom oak & Weathervane mOUldings. All types of prehanging; Includ­ Ing exterior w/compresslon weatherstrip, bl­ P.O. Box 204, Niantic, CT 06357 fold. bypass and standard Interior doors Also available: Rosette corner blocks. bali-bearing (203) 739-6360 hinges In three finishes Sample kits are avail­ able for your Inspection Presented with Pride -Confidence -Integrity Some of the best prices on industrial power tools anywhere come from a place For more information: Free brochure In­ cludes product styles and speCificatIOns. con­ you've probably never heard of before. tractor price list Prepaid shipping on orders over $3.500.00. Write Kirby M l wor s PO r li ork cal . l -3g67 ° ��80���4� s�i�7 Willow Creek Tool Sales (303)563-9436 In ��� state�1 80 0 40: 0 M S T 1lAND1 -I'OAM" Willow Creek, Montana 59760 - SEALANT 1.0 406-285-3734 • Mt. 800-592-8500 One Component Cal/, Write or Visit _ ..It'l/ be wonh your while! POLYURETHANE MC/VISA PROMPT SERVICE The Precision Trimmer Fasl and FOAM MILWAUKEE · PORTER-CABLE · BOS CH · B&D . HTC . MAKITA · DELTA For All Wood Accurate HITACHI · FREUD · DML • GENERAL . JORGENSEN · & MOREl 10 LB. Moldings $229, P"t I . 1 DI" III�II ... Cyll.dlr..

TOTALLY INSULATED GLASS PORTABLE Highest Quality, Lowest Prices Porta­ Frees Both Hands Tempered 10 yr_ warr anty -Catalog $2.00 • • - TrThe New imme precision molding tri mmer for: Stops Air Leaks A-5 lor 1-inch Arctic Glass Inc . Contractors, Carpenters, Cabinet Makers, • thickness Ideal for Bonding Picture Framers and Hobbie sts. The Porta­ • Route l-F Spring Valley, WI 54767 • Trimmer Flame Retarded per UL Yields over 5 cu.ft. Trims, Bevel s, Miters, , (715) 639-3762 Undercuts, Squares and Rounds. Fo,mo.-d.t./I,,,,II.o«./I, FOMO PRODUCTS, INC . Porla-Tools, Inc. -Phone (919) 762-6334 (21 6) 666-0021 . P .O. Box 4261 Akron OH 44321 Box 1257, Wilmington, N.C. 28402 • . ·PACIFIC·POST.&.BEAM. P_O. - HandcraftedCustom or Timber Standard Frames Designs SERVING THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST Send $2.00 for Brochure Solid Brass �r IFIC & Cast Iron LUMBER (208) 263-1838 DeR· p�g' l·o­ �� P.O. Box 1502FH • Sandpoint. Idaho 83864 .M Summer Special 1 FBTR Red Oak S2S .75 BD. FT. U.S.A. made 1'/18 $1 RegiREGGIOsters Wormy Available S4S REGISTERSTM combine max­ imum heating No Order Too Small i with the "Appalachian Hardwoods & Woodworking Supplies In The 80's.· I� Et(·»)I® line i brass and We ship in the Continental U.S.A. iron registers grilles is shown in our detailed color I: catalog. available for $1 .00. Power �i���;���iiiThe;8iiF Reggio(�: Register: Co., Hardwood Lumber Store Dept. 1 05X. Box 511 306 Trigg St. Abingdon VA. 242 10 Ayer, MA 01432 (617) 772-3493 (703) 628-2934 Miter

to catalogs. prices, parts, accessories and/or se rv ' ce \� � �Iw'i· nlo£tio�on o�- $1 63 O O CAPITOL CARIIDE CO. �� . 1000 U ivers ty Avenue Paul MN 55104 Heart Pine Flooring Ppd in Cont. USA 1-800-328-8. 152 1-612-644-9622 • n i Re-milled Longleaf Heart Pine timbers, You can pay more,St. but you can't reclaimed from Colonial structures_ buy better • Specializing in tongue & groove Heart Pine flooring, paneling, doors, mouldings, trim, beams, and custom Junior Tool Belt'· BUILD cabinetry. SOMETHING SPECIAL • Call or write fo r our free color brochure Help a child feel special. Introduce a youngster to the fun of simple car­ and price list. pentry. JuniorTool Belts'· are the real thing, sturdy. all leather. hand crafted. adjustable. will last through years of use. The Junior Tool Belt includes 2 leather pouches (tool bag. nail bag w/hammer loop) for $19.95 ppd. or gift packaged. w/simple plans $22.50. and MasterCard accepted. MOUNTAIN LUMBER VISA Name Route 2, Box 43- 1, Dept. McRose Leathers � I I F 2190 Mattison Ln Address Santa Cruz. Co 95062 . Ruckersville, Virginia 22968 / (804) 985-3646 .�-::t,.'/< Z (408) 462-4316 �.""". I _ __ t _ I �t� _ ..! �� !.. �

October/November1985 97 GREAT MOMENTS IN BUILDING HISTORY

Confessions of a Scrounger was there. My sons and I picked up one load this behemoth. We got on the Long Island Back in 1973, my wife suggested it might be a rather quickly and headed home to Oceanside Expressway and stayed in the slow lane and good idea to replace our open porch with an with our treasure. We unloaded, returned and prayed our hearts out. Every time we hit a dip enclosed den. My sons and I began talking loaded up again. Soon gravity, weak flesh and in the road, the front wheels would leave the about it and kicked around many ideas, finally waning enthusiasm began to take their toll, and road, and Warren would scream, "Make sure settling on a nautical concept. We decided we the truck filled up much more slowly. My sons the wheels are straight when we land!" would try to approximate a captain's cabin on a began exploring and I began hearing, "Hey, After a few anxiety attacks, much screaming sailing vessel, but with some of our own Dad, look at this switch machine! It doesn't and cursing at the horn honkers and some innovations thrown in. We wanted a 25-ft. look that heavy-we can skid-pole it into the laughing at our insanity for attempting the ceiling for large Christmas trees, a sleeping loft, truck." Being a junkman is in the genes. We drive, we arrived in Oceanside. Next we a spiral staircase, handblown glass windows, were like three drunks on a spree. confronted the problem of unloading. and a two-ton fish tank for small sharks and At about the seventh load, a watchman Since Warren was the trucking expert, I other exotics. There was to be a 24-ft. map of showed up and asked us who gave us decided to delegate this part of the operation the world showing the route of the China Tea permission to take the wood. I told him, "Tony to him. Warren, however, was an executive, Clippers and a number of other "salty" touches. said it was okay." When he asked me who not a driver. He explained that he was going to It would be an Errol Flynn fantasy come true. Tony was, I gave him a $20 bill. He waved back quickly into the driveway, hit the brakes, Often when I decide to undertake a project, gratefully as we left with our last load. and let inertia take care of unloading the opportunities seem to present themselves. One A week later, I saw in the Sunday Times that beams. Warren backed to the apron, Friday afternoon while driving across the a contractor in Flushing was going out of accelerated sharply and stood the truck at George Washington Bridge, I happened to business and some construction lumber was about a 45° angle with the front end about notice what appeared to be piles of planks going to be auctioned. On my way to work I 20 ft. above the rear, which was touching the along the East River, with bulldozers moving stopped at the auction and looked at the driveway. A crowd of children began to crowd through and around the material. Being an beams. It looked like more than I needed, but I around, and the squeals of delight would adventuresome sort, I decided to take a closer thought the surplus could easily be disposed of. explode each time we did another "wheelie." look. I wove my way down through the side I bid $80, and the beams were mine. The only They had never seen a large truck doing streets and came to the old New York Central thing left to do was get them home. wheelies before, and neither had Warren or I. freight yards. My friend Warren was in the trucking Later we found out that you need rollers What a gold mine! There were piles of used business, so I decided to call him for advice. I under the load. Wet sawdust and other debris 3x l0, 3x I2 and 4xI4 planks, as well as told him that I had a load of 8x8 long-leaf under the beams were no substitute. turnstiles, railroad ties, right-of-way signs, steel yellow pine beams that ranged in length from We were rapidly running out of ideas and rails and I-beams. I'm really a junkman at heart, 14 ft. to 24 ft. He suggested that I rent an open still trying to avoid the obvious and felt like Balboa gazing at the Pacific truck and hire a couple of gorillas to off-load. solution-unloading by hand. But we finally Ocean. What I had stumbled across was the He also volunteered to help and lend moral gave in, and dragged, rolled and slid the 40 or remains of the Third Avenue EI, which was support. We rented a 16-footer, the largest so beams into the driveway. As the pile began being disassembled by the City at the New York truck the rental shop had available. Since many to build, it leaned against the hedge alongside Central yards. of the beams were 24-footers, the load would the driveway. The hedge grew at about an 85° That night at dinner I told my sons we were be "slightly" unbalanced. Fortunately, a forklift angle for the next few years. going to rent a truck and do some grunt work at the job site made quick work of loading the The den ultimately did get finished, except up near the East River. beams. Warren and I tied down the load with for the two-ton fish tank, which my wife felt Next morning we grabbed a couple of pinch assorted wires and straps. was better left to Disney World. The den bars and some heavy gloves, rented a 16-ft. As we pulled out of the yard, the truck turned out well, and we spent many happy truck and headed for the Bronx. The piles seemed to be riding a little light in the front. hours in it. But collecting the raw materials for of lumber were about 15 ft. high and Needless to say, I was a bit it was the real adventure. they ran for blocks and nervous handling -R. F. Eicher, Brooklyn, N. Y. blocks. Since it was a Saturday, the bulldozers We buy readers ' accounts of their building were not operating, and experiences. Send your story to none of the work force � Great Moments, Fine Homebuilding, Box 355, Newtown, Conn. 06470. T E there's one sure way to spot the master carpenter or bu i Id i � of the Professional, the 25-foot Stanley POWER LOCK0Tap e you see the Badge of the Professiona I, you're sure to see other to 'W,','-lVlw•• • levels, squares, hammers, saws, planes, and chisels. It makes 11',"""""'"del iver quality that won't quit. That's why you'll see Stanley to job for two or more generations. qts for yourself. The next time you see someone whose work you res look for the UQUlt(.Cof the Professiona I. It's a good ru Ie to follow.

� POWEJI BJ.OCK· 33-PL4/;�5 I Victorian Model Homes Jim Marcus, of DoUnas, C alif., le arne d wood­ carving in Japan and has been making min­ iature Victorian houses for 13 years. Marcus chooses a house in San Francisco and then recreates it from photos, using hardwoods of appropriate hues to dupUcate the colors. He sometimes uses brown velvet instead of shingles for the roof, and interior walls are often lined with fabric. -Simon Wa tts