IDEAS
The Not So Big House by Sarah Susanka
What makes a house feel like home? This book focuses on quality materials and designs, on how to maximize the utility and beauty of a space rather than just expand it. Filled with color photographs and inspiring text, The Not So Big House is the first in a series of titles by Susanka, an architect who challenges us to think creatively about what we want in a house, rather than settling for what’s already out there.
The Impractical Cabinetmaker by James Krenov
Well-known cabinetmaker Krenov describes his creative process, from acquiring logs, to visualizing what he wants to make, to actually making a piece of furniture. This can take years, as he evaluates his wood supply and tries to keep a balance between designing something and letting the individual boards guide the final form of the project. He calls himself impractical for a reason, but as my brother once asked me “do you want it done fast, or do you want it done right”?
A Reverence for Wood by Eric Sloane
Sloane wrote several books about various aspects of early American life. This particular volume deals with the close relationship between settlers and the trees and wood that surrounded them. This book is filled with stories of tools and the people who made them. There is a lot of information about types of wood and the seemingly endless uses people found for it, profusely illustrated with black and white drawings. If you like this book, also try A Museum of Early American Tools or An Age of Barns.
The New Kitchen Idea Book by Joanne Kellar Bouknight
Filled with bright, colorful photographs of beautiful and functional kitchens, this book is sure to get your creative juices flowing. Bouknight discusses the pros and cons of various materials and how to use them. Storage ideas for every imaginable kitchen gadget (21 rolling pins, for example) will help you get clutter out of the way while keeping your tools accessible when you need them.
Natural Home Heating by Greg Pahl
With the price of energy always going up, these natural heating strategies could end up saving you money, as well as helping the environment. The author discusses options such as active and passive solar heating, wood-burning options, and even geothermal solutions.
Building Construction Illustrated by Francis D.K. Ching
This is a fascinating book, invaluable if you are designing a new structure or want to understand how buildings are put together. Clean line drawings show the various methods of constructing walls, roofs, windows, and other parts of a building using a variety of materials. You won’t find detailed projects here, but if you’re trying to decide what method or material to use, this book will quickly make you familiar with the most common solutions.
PROJECTS
Wiring a House by Rex Cauldwell
If you are planning any type of renovation or addition that involves adding, moving or replacing anything electrical, this is the book for you. Cauldwell comes from a family with three generations of electricians and draws upon this wealth of experience in his book. He starts with the basics of what electricity is and how it works and then gives detailed but clear explanations of everything from installing the main power cables to replacing a faulty outlet. He includes tool and materials recommendations, as well as “above the code” features he feels will make your house safer and more functional.
Plumbing a House and Installing & Repairing Plumbing Fixtures
by Peter Hemp
Replacing a toilet or hot water heater? Adding a whole new bathroom? These books will help you plan and accomplish both simple and complicated plumbing tasks. Hemp describes the best tools and types of pipe to use for various jobs. He covers both rough-in plumbing and installing the final fixtures using photographs and drawings to clearly illustrate how everything works.
Renovating Old Houses by George Nash
If you own one of the many wonderful older homes in the area, this book gives you all you need to know about returning it to its days of past glory. From cosmetic repairs to complete overhauls Nash explains what to do, what not to do, and how to do it.
Building Porches and Decks
by The Editors of Fine Homebuilding
Color photos of wonderful decks will give you many ideas, and the practical tips and drawings will help you to make them reality. The book contains discussions about what materials are best for chosen applications, and how to use them. This book is a good mix of the practical and the creative.
Art of Woodworking Series
by Time Life Books
This series covers a variety of topics, from sharpening your tools to building furniture and toys. Each volume starts with a few interesting one-page essays by woodworking professionals discussing a particular aspect of the craft. These are followed by clear explanations and drawings that show you just how to proceed.
Renovating a Bathroom
by The Editors of Fine Homebuilding
Another great offering from the Taunton press, this book both inspires and instructs. Which toilet should you pick? (I would recommend NOT choosing the $3,000 one shaped like a lion). How do they make those one-piece shower stalls you can buy at home improvement stores? How can you adapt your trowel to safely install a base for your shower? These questions and many others are answered in this information packed book.
Cabinets, Shelves & Home Storage Solutions by Herb Hughes
Hughes begins with a brief overview of tools and materials you can use, and follows up with designs for several storage projects. Lots of ideas for shelving and cabinets will help you find a place for all that clutter that just doesn’t seem to fit anywhere and keep frequently used items close at hand.
Kids’ Places to Play by Jeanne Huber
This is a great collection of backyard projects for kids to play in, on and around. Most of these are not too difficult to build, and some of them can even be used for other purposes such as garden sheds once the kids grow up.
TECHNIQUES
Wood Joiner’s Handbook by Sam Allen
Nails and screws have their place, but sometimes they just don’t fit the project. If you’ve ever struggled with attaching the different parts of a woodworking project, this guide will help you with step-by-step instructions for making all of the commonly used joints as well as many not-so-common ones. Your projects will become sturdier and more attractive as you master the skills in this book.
The Woodwright’s Eclectic Workshop by Roy Underhill
Build it the old fashioned way. How to build almost anything using only traditional hand tools. Famous from the PBS series, Underhill explains how to use axes, drawknives, and a host of other tools. He combines the practical tips with fascinating stories about how people used to build everything they needed from the materials at hand. If you like this, you’ll also want to read The Woodwright’s Shop and The Woodwright’s Workbook.
Working with Wood: The Basics of Craftsmanship by Peter Korn
Korn, director of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, gives an easy to follow introduction to all aspects of furniture making. Beginning with the selection of wood and the use of power and hand tools, he finishes up with several simple projects that illustrate the techniques covered in the book.
How to Restore & Repair Practically Everything
by Lorraine Johnson
Molding split? Heirloom plate cracked? Stood on that woven-seated chair one too many times? Johnson covers basic repairs for practically any item you can find in your house. Clear, concise instructions and illustrations show how things were originally constructed and how to get them back in service. Contains information hard to find in other sources, such as metalwork repairs and cleaning paper artworks.
Getting Started in Woodworking: Skill-Building Projects That Teach the Basics by Aimé Ontario Frasier
Frasier starts with an introduction to tools and materials, and follows up with progressively more complicated projects, each designed to teach certain woodworking skills. Each project is supplemented with small side boxes that provide tips and exercises to help master particular skills. If you’re a beginner or want to brush up on some basics, this book is well-written and explains things more advanced books take for granted.
Home and Garden Television’s Complete Fix-it
by Home and Garden Television
This reference guide that gives you the basics for just about any repair job you might face in your house. Simple drawings and tips will help you understand what the problem is and how to fix it. Coverage includes things that don’t show up in other books, such as how to safely step on and off of a ladder to the roof.
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