December 1996 Table of Contents

Features
Contractor Table Saws

Portable tablesaws are handy, but 10-inch contractor models are the workhorses of most job sites. Our tool editor assembled and tested six new saws; here’s how they stack up. Read more

Plywood vs. OSB

Are these two products really equivalent, as manufacturers and grading agencies claim? A wood technologist puts to rest questions about OSB’s suitability as an economical substitute for plywood. Read more

Safe Scaffolding Options

Working contractors who cut corners on staging risk large fines and serious injury. A scaffolding sub explains how to safely set up pipe staging, pump jacks, and wall and roof brackets. Read more

Temporary Site Lighting

It’s hard to do good work in the dark. Here’s an overview of products to light up the job site, from hand-held and string lights to powerful stanchion lights. Read more

Venting Details for Cathedral Ceilings

Unvented roofs in northern climates are prone to ice buildup, but how do you ventilate a valley or hip rafter in a cathedral ceiling? And what do you do at a skylight, where the headers block the vent chutes? A snow-country builder describes the venting methods that have worked for him at these and other tricky spots. Read more

Letters
Letters

Foam insulation pitfalls, sticking deadbolts Read more

News
Eight-Penny News

Building on fill can be fatal, BOCA adopts new stair rules, verdict in Masonite suit Read more

Q&A
Q&A: Slab Over an Existing Slab

Q: What type of preparation work is needed before placing a 4 1/2-inch-thick topping over an existing slab? Read more

Q&A: Service Panel Surge Protection Q&A: Service Panel Surge Protection

Q: Does a surge protector installed in the service panel eliminate the need for individual surge protectors throughout the house? Read more

Q&A: Ceiling Cracks With Trusses Q&A: Ceiling Cracks With Trusses

Q: On a recent house we built, cracking has occurred where nonbearing interior partitions join the ceiling. We used a wood truss roof system, and I’ve read that truss movement often causes this type of cracking. How do I correct this problem? Read more

Design
Building With Style: A Study in Compromise

Working with a narrow floor plan Read more

Business
Engineering
Kitchen & Bath
Kitchen & Bath: Staying on Top of the Kitchen

Avoiding installation trouble spots Read more

Products
For What It's Worth

Shallow seismic anchor, structural metal roof panels, wrinkleproof roofing felt Read more

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