From Library Journal
For over 100 years, the majority of North American homes have been built using wooden framing. This technique is strong, conserves materials, and allows great design flexibility. Framing Basics (part of Sterling's excellent "Basics" series, which covers numerous tools and woodworking techniques) offers a helpful introduction to framing for do-it-yourselfers. Readers for whom this book is intended aren't going to build an entire house; they are homeowners who want to move, remove, or install a wall or create built-in storage. Peters covers tool-use, materials, methods of work, and demolition in easily understood text supplemented with numerous color photographs. Thallon, a professor of architecture, takes frame construction to the next level, showing how to build a house's entire shell from the foundation to the roof. He believes that when properly constructed, a wood-framed house should be able to last for 200 years or more. This title's intended audience is professional builders and designers; a great deal of reader knowledge is assumed by the author. Broad sections include foundations, floors, walls, roofs, and stairs. The text is brief and to the point, with a huge number of excellent illustrations providing the details. Libraries that own the original edition (1991) of this title should consider this revisionDit covers recent developments such as new sheathing methods, wood I-joists, and vinyl windows. A comprehensive glossary and list of resources round out this title. Structural insulated panels (SIPs) consist of slabs of foam insulation sandwiched between oriented strand board or plywood. They represent one of the newest technologies and may render wood-framing methods obsolete. Morley, a builder who specializes in SIPs construction, gives a compelling argument for this new systemDit's structurally superior, better insulated, faster to erect, and more environmentally friendly than traditional methods. The use of SIPs requires many specialized tools and techniques, all of which are covered in detail. A large resource list provides the names of architects, builders, and companies that deal with this system. Framing Basics is well written and is geared toward the beginner; with other titles in Sterling's "Basics" series, it deserves a place in most public library collections. Both Thallon's and Morley's works are excellent but are geared toward a specialized audience; public libraries with comprehensive collections and academic library architecture collections should consider them.DJonathan Hershey, Akron-Summit Cty. P.L. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
Have some home improvement notches under your belt--but not feeling quite ready to tackle a major job? You can step up to the big projects...as long as you have this all-color, how-to manual by your side. Whether you're moving an interior wall or adding a shed, these instructions, tips, dozens of large-size photos, and extraordinarily detailed and colorful line drawings will show how to go about making key structural changes to your house. From codes and permits to tools and materials, become privy to the insider information the professionals know. What kind of lumber should you buy? Which nails are right for your job: ring shank or hot-dipped galvanized? How do you demolish a wall without damaging the rest of the house? What's the smart, safe way to construct a garage from the ground up? You won't want to start work without the answers to these and hundreds more important questions about tools, materials, framing systems, post-and-beam, foundations and floors, partitions, barriers, insulation, and much more!

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Do you want to move, remove, or install a wall, but hesitate because you're wondering what "hidden" surprises lurk behind what's there now? Plan for them and get the job done right with the solid grasp of the fundamentals that you'll get here. You can do it yourself -- and improve your home -- once you know the basics of framing.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal