We can all use a visual explanation of residential construction details at one time or another. Rob Thallon has put together one of the best collections of drawings for frame construction and interior details. The Graphic Guide to Frame Construction (1991) and the Graphic Guide to Interior Details (1996) are both intended as reference books for builders and designers ($30 each, Taunton Press, P.O. Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470, 800/888-8286). The frame construction book covers foundations, floors, walls, roofs, and stairs. The interior details book covers walls, ceilings, floors, cabinets, countertops, trim, and stairs, and has appendices on paints/coatings, composite panels, fire/safety codes, and sound reduction. Both books are slightly over 200 pages. The obvious strength of
