"Trim Complete" covers those important finishing touches that give a house a one-of-a-kind personality: trim and modling. An expert carpenter, Greg Kossow presents a vibrantly visual guide that details every possible project, from the most basic baseboards, to the most complicated casings. He tackles real-world situations with authoritative advice, never failing to address how to solve problems when things do go wrong. The book's ingenious design makes it a snap to find the relevant information for each project and Kossow includes a crystal-clear table of contents. Plus, unlike most other books that only deal with basic carptnetry, "Trim Complete" includes hard-to-find advice on complex crown molding and making custom modling.

A completely revised, redesigned and updated edition of the number one guide to home wiring and lighting, now in handy paperback format. Contains comprehensive and up-to-date information on the new electrical regulations. Whether you're changing a fuse, inserting a light fitting or rewiring an entire room, Collins Wiring and Lighting contains all the information you need to complete the job simply and safely. Now in paperback, this new edition includes information on all the new products, techniques and electrical regulations, allowing you to make home improvements cheaply and easily. With over 250 colour illustrations and photographs and clear, step-by-step instructions, this book will help you turn your good intentions into a job well done! contents include: emergency repairs uses and plugs complete wiring light fittings and fixtures identifying faults and maintenance safety tips tools for the job

Many of us dream of owning a treehouse, whether it's a tree fort or playhouse for the children, a secret retreat or just a unique space for relaxing and reconnecting with nature. This book is a comprehensive guide to designing and building your perfect treehouse - no previous building expertise required. Beautifully illustrated, and written by a professional treehouse builder, the book explains how you select the right tree, which materials and tools to use, and how to construct the platform, walls, floor and roof. For anyone wanting to be more ambitious, there are options for installing special features such as ladders, slides and climbing walls.

There are other manuals on how to build cabins, but W. Ben Hunt's is the only one that shows you how to build and furnish an authentic pioneer cabin the easy way, natural, using only hand tools and the woods around you. Our ancestors used logs and hand tools to build durable, dry, windproof, and protective dwellings; and they fashioned chairs, beds, and tables out of half logs, twigs branches, and bushes. In this day of power saws, lumberyards, and high prices, it's good to know that you can build in the same way.

The Sunday Times bestseller, Making It is an inspirational memoir about beating the odds and turning things around even when it all seems hopeless, by Jay Blades, the beloved star of hit BBC One show The Repair Shop. We had our hardships, and there were times that we didn't have a lot of food and didn't have a lot of money. But that didn't stop me having the time of my life. In his book, Jay shares the details of his life, from his childhood growing up sheltered and innocent on a council estate in Hackney, to his adolescence when he was introduced to violent racism at secondary school, to being brutalized by police as a teen, to finally becoming the presenter of the hit primetime show The Repair Shop. Jay reflects on strength, weakness and what it means to be a man. He questions the boundaries society places on male vulnerability and how letting himself be nurtured helped him flourish into the person he is today. An expert at giving a second life to cherished items, Jay's positivity, pragmatism and kindness shine through these pages and show that with care and love, anything can be mended.

Each title in this new do-it-yourself series presents over 20 projects to complete with clear, step-by-step color photographs throughout. Each book includes an easily-accessible materials list for each project as well as all necessary stencils, patterns and templates. Whether you decide to decorate an entire house or garden, or simply want to make a thoughtful hand-made gift, the In A Weekend Series has all the ideas you need.Look inside for a host of creative ideas for making planters and window boxes from scratch, as well as transforming and reviving articles from around the home.

Making, maintaining and mending our own homes is part of what makes us human. It is a skill that was alive and well until just two or three generations ago. Harrison Gardner is a man on a mission to help us rediscover the lost art of building our own while leaving a more harmonious mark on the environment. Build Your Own explores the principles of construction and outlines a multitude of practices and methods that enable you to build a home with the materials available to you. Practical techniques, such as plastering, moving earth, basic demolition, installing insulation, building internal walls and attaching cladding, are demystified and made easy. Whether you plan to build your own structure, are curious about the idea or are dealing with construction workers, Build Your Own is an essential tool that shows that anyone can learn to build - and perhaps everyone should. 'A revolutionary book ... within it is the knowledge to empower you to shape and craft your own living space.' Manchan Magan

In Building A Low Impact Roundhouse Tony Wrench shares his many years of experience, his skills and techniques, his ups and downs, always in a witty and inspiring manner. The book covers the process of visualising and designing a house through to the practical side of lifting the living roof, infilling the walls, laying out rooms and adding renewable, autonomous technology. Building A Low Impact Roundhouse has become a classic text. Tonys home and lifestyle have attracted the interest of the media and he and his partner continue to inspire many individuals and communities to seek out ways of living more sustainably. Now in its fourth edition, with a fascinating 2014 update. Tony also includes sections on the physical design and writes about the lifestyle required for living in a roundhouse. He offers advice on roofs, floors, walls, compost toilets, wood stoves, kitchens, windows and on planning permission. There are additional photographs of life in and around the dwelling and illustrations from the construction plans for one of the UK's most unique of homes. This true and captivating story covers the realisation of a lifetime s dream as well as being a practical how to manual for anyone who loves the idea of low impact living and wants to self-build an affordable, organic home.

Only you can know what kind of kitchen you need, so whether you plan to do most of the work yourself or hire specialists to do it for you, this book takes you through the whole process of working out your requirements and translating them into reality. It helps you anticipate practical problems, offers detailed guidance & is fully illustrated in colour, making the process of creating your dream kitchen as painless as it can be. Dennis Dixon is a professional kitchen fitter and a qualified electrician, with many years' experience of kitchen installation and property management. He lives in Hampshire and works on projects throughout the south of England.

If you have only dreamed about the beauty of building with timbers, this book will open your eyes. It will convince you that this method is not only practical today for homes and other buildings, but often is less expensive than "stick building."

Timber frame builder Jack Sobon and writer Roger Schroeder offer a book for builders as well as those wishing to have the work done for them. Here is practical how-to for both beginners and experienced carpenters who want to try this method. It offers:

The basics of timber framing.

How to design for strength and beauty.

How to combine modern tools and time-tested methods.

A starter project: How to build a 12 x 16 garden toolshed.

Dozens of illustrations and photos that make it all easy to understand.

The updated and highly illustrated guide to understanding how just about everything in your house works! The revised and updated third edition of How Your House Works is a hands-on guide that gives you the low-down on why your faucet is leaking, your dishwasher is overflowing, or your furnace is on the fritz. This comprehensive book is your reference to virtually everything in your house with richly illustrated explanations of electrical systems, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, major household appliances, foundation, framing, doors, and windows. This must-have book answers most questions homeowners face when repairs are needed or when a new house or addition is in your future. How Your House Works is filled with easy-to-understand illustrations that show how things should be put together and how they function. The book also highlights issues outside the house as well as clock thermostats, ventless gas heaters, moisture and mold, and passive solar heating. Using the illustrations and the author's clear explanations might save you the expense of calling a professional. This invaluable guide: Offers a colorful resource to home electrical systems, HVAC, plumbing, major household appliances, foundation, framing, doors and windows, sustainability, and much more Includes easy-to-follow information for troubleshooting problems Contains dozens of new full-color illustrations Presents new chapters on solar power and smart home technologies Helps homeowners save money on many common household repairs Written for homeowners with little or no knowledge of home maintenance or repair, How Your House Works is your illustrated and updated guide to understanding how appliances, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and more work!

Parties with pizzazz -- parties that everyone talks about -- happen when some creative person gets things rolling! Twenty-three absolutely unforgettable party themes for all seasons and occasions are included -- a "TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) Party, " a "Murder We Wrote (whodunit participation) Party, " a "Kidnapping Caper (for teens only) Party" -- these and many more. Each party plan tells how to do it, gives food suggestions with recipes, reproducible party game papers, checklists and lots more, plus "do-it-yourself" invitations professionally designed! Just add the specifics and photocopy them. Everything made easy. Success assured -- these ideas have all been party-tested. We know they're good! Enough parties here for a year or two of fun. Guaranteed to make you the most celebrated party people in town!

This book offers hundreds of ideas for turning a backyard into an outdoor living area. Taunton's best-selling "Idea Book" series has sold more than 2.5-million copies. Featured ideas range from outdoor kitchens and fireplaces to innovative and clever solutions for outdoor storage and play areas. Everyone wants more from their homes and that means expanding the liveable space to the outdoors. In fact, homeowners are spending more time and money than ever on their gardens. This book brings together hundreds of fresh ideas and unique solutions for making the most of outdoor space. The inspiration is limitless for small to extensive projects. It is brimming with ideas for porches and patios, outdoor rooms for dining and entertaining, garden rooms, all types of sheds and outdoor buildings and more. Add natural pool settings and picturesque outbuildings to the mix and readers will delight in this outdoor design guide. A new sidebar features a DIY project for more hands-on homeowners.

This is a practical guide to tools: how to choose and use them, shown in 220 photographs. It is a simple and accessible guide to do-it-yourself tools for a wide range of jobs, including tiling, painting, flooring, woodwork and general repairs in the home. It includes photographs for easy identification of the tools. It shows you how to use planes, chisels, saws, drills, hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, sanders and many more. It includes instructions on making the best use of each tool, with hints and tips on selecting the right types. It offers guidelines that show you what to wear, how to handle tools with care, and how to tackle jobs safely to avoid accidents. For any task around the home, tools will be needed. Knowing how to use them efficiently is vital if you want a good result. This book discusses preparation, the right tools to use for a particular job, and how to use them safely and effectively. Useful tips point the way to improving your skills to get the most out of your tools.

This title offers expert advice on essential home decoration and maintenance, including painting, papering, tiling, laying floors, carpentry skills, insulation, and outdoor projects and repairs. Projects include painting and varnishing wood, tiling a work surface, laying foam-backed carpet, replacing window panes, fitting window locks, making a garage storage wall, insulating roofs, repairing roofs and guttering, laying decking, making pergolas, building rock gardens, installing water features, and many more. It features a guide to tools for a wide range of do-it-yourself jobs, including using chisels, saws, drills, hammers, screwdrivers, pliers and sanders. Over 2400 photographs illustrate each step-by-step project, to provide instant reference. Looking after your home is economical and satisfying, and this book is filled with practical tips for do-it-yourself jobs. All areas of the home are covered, both indoors and out. There is clear step-by-step advice on internal and external maintenance, repairs, carpentry, flooring, brickwork, roofing, fences, walls and paths.The book includes instructions for painting and papering walls and ceilings, laying ceramic tiles, fitting floor coverings and carpets, making bookshelves, draught-proofing doors, repointing brickwork, laying patios and installing ponds and fountains. The book also contains a guide to tools, from saws and drills to spanners and paintbrushes. A reference for beginners and experienced do-it-yourselfers alike, this is an essential manual that you will refer to again and again.

One of a new series of Haynes DIY Manuals. Welding is an art that goes back to the days of the village blacksmith, but until recently the tools and materials needed were too expensive for DIY use. Nowadays, however, equipment that was once considered

John Vivian tells you everything you need to know to build your own stone walls from start to finish. He covers everything from basic equipment and materials to building retaining walls, building in gates and stiles, moving boulders, and using lower-quality stone. Clear, detailed drawings show exactly what to do and how to avoid problems.

Chris Mitchell and Pilar Guzman are design obsessives who both want the same thing: rooms that are spare yet warm, layered yet clean, current yet timeless. Rooms that never forget the real humans - with all their needs, hopes, emotions, aspirations, and even spills - who live in these spaces. Over the course of six ever more ambitious home renovations, they've cracked the code on how to achieve this. It's a simple formula, one that lies in mixing modern design with timeworn materials - in particular, white oak, brass, and bridle leather, all three of which become richer, mellower, and burnished with patina as they age. Add a few essential lessons (Decorating by Mood, Borrowing from the Best) and a nine-point manifesto that covers everything from lighting (rooms should feel like lanterns at night), to the use of black as an accent, to the intention that every space should serve multiple purposes, and the result is Patina Modern, a uniquely inspiring and practical design guide. The book leads by example, as the authors reveal in room-by-room detail the full evolution of their homes, including a Brooklyn brownstone and two classic Hamptons "cottages." Along the way, we come to not only understand just how they see and think but also learn what they've learned, getting an education in colour, proportion, paint, and the world of modern furniture design, for which the authors have a special passion. Tools, principles, and the power of designing around the things you love - this is the gift of Patina Modern, showing just how to put it all together to create your own beautiful spaces.

Easy-to-care-for, productive, inexpensive, and full of personality, chickens are popping up in backyards throughout the country--in the suburbs, rural towns, and even on city plots. All it takes to keep a small flock is a bit of land and a properly designed coop.
Just like houses, chicken coops come in all sizes and styles to meet the needs of any chicken family. Author Judy Pangman has combed the country identifying the top chicken coop designs, from utilitarian to high-style. The result is this ultimate collection of 45 building plans that are sure to meet the needs of any chicken owner.
The featured designs include basic easy-to assemble hoop houses, A-frames, and multi-storied wooden structures, as well as larger models for small commercial farms. There are also a variety of moveable coops that can be rotated around the yard, and low-budget coops constructed from found and repurposed materials.
Pangman shares inspirational and instructive stories about the participating coop designers/ builders. Enthusiastic communities of chicken-keepers have organized chicken tours in cities such as Seattle, highlighting the fun and fantastic imagination of some coop architect/builders. There are designs echoing the house styles of the neighborhood, as well as the most contemporary trends in architecture. Building a chicken coop offers a great outlet for any would-be architect who wants to stick to the miniature, scaled-down building
A 16-page color section shows detailed photos of many of the featured coop plans, as well as some amazing kits and one-of-a-kind coops built from recyclables.
With its comprehensive building plans and chicken-laden stories, "Chicken Coops" is sure to inspire a sunny-side-up, no-yolks-barred attitude in all chicken owners who dream of building a bigger, better coop to house their flock.