[.ca] Graphic Guide to Frame Construction: Details for ... (ISBN 1561583537)

A must have:
For anyone involved or intereted in home frame construction this is the book to have. I am an architectural draftsman and this book, in my opinion, is the best reference book I own. Whatever the construction detail, this book has it. The detailed drawings are clear and well explained. What I really like most is that they give you several details for floors,decks,roofs,etc. depending on the situation. This is very helpful when you deal with custom designed homes when no two are alike.

my most-used reference book:
I am a residential architect, and I refer to this book constantly when drawing details for a variety of projects. No book could show every possible detail, but this one does a great job of illustrating and describing the situations most likely to be encountered. I have found that the recommendations are consistent with general construction practices in my area. I almost always turn to this book first when I get stuck and need a little extra information to complete my drawings.

Great reference book with TONS of Practical information:
I am a homeowner and adventurous tinkerer with all things mechancial/technical. I have never swung a hammer for a living, and am fairly clueless when it comes to general construction. (I have installed windows, replaced drywall, repaired plumbing, and run electrical simple lines, never built anything from scratch). I am about to embark on a complete remodel of a previously converted garage, and wanted to do most of the work myself. Armed with a copy of Visio 2002, I planned the layout of the new room (about 20' x 15') which will include moving some interior walls and doors, blocking an exterior window, installing a new interior window, and extensive removal and replacement of siding, sheathing, drywall, stucco, flooring, etc. Well, I needed a book that could augment my basic "sense" of the way things should look with some actual technical information. For example, how exactly do you frame an opening for a new window or door? How do you frame up a new wall segment that joins to an existing wall segment? What the heck is a "king stud" any way? All of this information is laid out very nicely in a textbook-like format, with lots of diagrams. The great thing is the way that the author starts each section with an overview drawing (say of a typical exterior frame of a house), then points to specific features, which are then detailed in subsequent sections. I would liken this to a "Bentley Manual" for automotive repair; it will not tell the complete novice how to build a wall, but for someone who already knows the difference between a 10d hot-dipped box nail and a 8 x 1-1/4" Drywall screw it is a great reference and can add a LOT of clarity to the way that homes are actually constructed using "best practices". (It will also help point out all the shortcomings of the manner in which your 50's era home was built! :-) My only complaint with the book is that it is very sparse on "method" descriptions. Essentiallly there are just short paragraphs with brief descriptions that can sometimes be a bit cryptic. These would be very clear to a professional builder, but for someone like me, they require a bit of head scratching and guessing at times. I had great fun looking at the diagrams, then pulling off wall paneling and seeing the relationship between the drawings in the book and the actual construction of my home.

Great reference book with TONS of Practial information:
I am a homeowner and adventurous tinkerer with all things mechancial/technical. I have never swung a hammer for a living, and am fairly clueless when it comes to general construction. (I have installed windows, replaced drywall, repaired plumbing, and run electrical simple lines, never built anything from scratch). I am about to embark on a complete remodel of a previously converted garage, and wanted to do most of the work myself. Armed with a copy of Visio 2002, I planned the layout of the new room (about 20' x 15') which will include moving some interior walls and doors, blocking an exterior window, installing a new interior window, and extensive removal and replacement of siding, sheathing, drywall, stucco, flooring, etc. Well, I needed a book that could augment my basic "sense" of the way things should look with some actual technical information. For example, how exactly do you frame an opening for a new window or door? How do you frame up a new wall segment that joins to an existing wall segment? What the heck is a "king stud" any way? All of this information is laid out very nicely in a textbook-like format, with lots of diagrams. The great thing is the way that the author starts each section with an overview drawing (say of a typical exterior frame of a house), then points to specific features, which are then detailed in subsequent sections. I would liken this to a "Bentley Manual" for automotive repair; it will not tell the complete novice how to build a wall, but for someone who already knows the difference between a 10d hot-dipped box nail and a 8 x 1-1/4" Drywall screw it is a great reference and can add a LOT of clarity to the way that homes are actually constructed using "best practices". (It will also help point out all the shortcomings of the manner in which your 50's era home was built! :-) My only complaint with the book is that it is very sparse on "method" descriptions. Essentiallly there are just short paragraphs with brief descriptions that can sometimes be a bit cryptic. These would be very clear to a professional builder, but for someone like me, they require a bit of head scratching and guessing at times. I had great fun looking at the diagrams, then pulling off wall paneling and seeing the relationship between the drawings in the book and the actual construction of my home.

Best Framing book for Do-It-Yourselfers!:
I had to replace a small shed roof (15'X4.5') on the back of a sun room and was very disappointed in ALL of the responses I received from the local contractors. Northern Virginia has been a hot spot for home renovations the past 5 years and apparently, these guys simply do not have to try to get work. Their complete lack of professionalism, responsiveness, and outrageous prices convinced me to do the project myself and thankfully, I found this book before I started. It provided clear, concise drawings and pictures that showed me, a beginner, how to frame, flash, and roof my entire project. The room is dry as bone now and I can't tell you how often I hear, "You did that yourself!". Great book.