January 2014 Table of Contents

Features
Heavy Lift Heavy Lift

Raising 250 tons of house safely above the flood was just part of the story. Read more

A Builder's Guide to Vinyl Siding A Builder's Guide to Vinyl Siding

By using sound installation techniques and combining it with other low-maintenance trim material, you can preserve traditional aesthetics when installing vinyl siding . Read more

An Efficient Box Truck Build-Out An Efficient Box Truck Build-Out

An organized work vehicle can save you a ton of time and effort, and it might even double as a portable workplace. Read more

On the Job
Dressing Up Porch Posts With PVC Dressing Up Porch Posts With PVC

Pre-fabrication on the work bench makes wrapping PT porch posts with PVC trim fast and easy. Read more

On Site With Liquid Flash On Site With Liquid Flash

A veteran builder compares Huber's liquid-applied membrane to their ZIP tape for flashing windows and doors and sealing pipe penetrations. Read more

Business
Business Tips for Optimizing Your Website Navigation

Tips on how to optimize your website navigation to help your audience—as well as the search engines—find your valuable content more easily. Read more

Energy
Retrofit Exterior Foundation Insulation Energy Retrofit Exterior Foundation Insulation

Is there a minimally invasive, cost-competitive, easily deployable method of upgrading soil-side foundation insulation in existing buildings? Read on. Read more

Q&A
How to Marry a New Floor to an Old One for Tile How to Marry a New Floor to an Old One for Tile

To avoid flexing that will crack the tile, bridge the joint between the old and new sections with thick plywood underlayment. Read more

Products
Hearth & Home Technologies Energy Pro Gas Fireplace Products Hearth & Home Technologies Energy Pro Gas Fireplace

Ambeince and heating efficiency come together in this 36,000 Btu furnace. Read more

ODL Energy-Star Qualified Tubular Skylight Products ODL Energy-Star Qualified Tubular Skylight

With 98% reflective mirror interiors, ODL claims that these skylights deliver 25% more light than the company's standard model. Read more

Masonite Hamel Solid Core Interior Door Products Masonite Hamel Solid Core Interior Door

These doors offer a primed hardboard finish and are available with a renewable wheat straw core or with a 20-minute fire rating. Read more

Real Carriage Barn-Style Door Kits Products Real Carriage Barn-Style Door Kits

When space is at a premium, barn-style doors offer a space-saving solution. These doors are available in several wood species as well as salvaged wood. The kit consists of the door and track and roller hardware. Read more

Certainteed Health Product Declarations for Ceiling Tiles Products Certainteed Health Product Declarations for Ceiling Tiles

Certainteed now publishes HPDs for its ceiling tile products, listing all the ingredients, and it has plans to extend this practice to all its products. Read more

All Weather Fence GForce Hinge Products All Weather Fence GForce Hinge

Unlike traditional strap-style hinges, the flanges of the GForce Hinge grab the top and bottom of the gate's 2-by rail, using the gate's weight to compress the wood grain and limit sagging. Read more

Rust-O-Leum BIN Products Rust-O-Leum BIN

BIN Advanced primer and sealer uses synthetic rather than natural shellac, for a low odor, and is water-based so cleanup is easier. Read more

Renaissance Induction Range Products Renaissance Induction Range

The cooktop on this 30-inch Induction Range heats only under cookware, using electromagnetic energy to stimulate a pot’s iron molecules. Read more

MasterChem Industries Kilz Pro-X 100 Series Interior Paint Products MasterChem Industries Kilz Pro-X 100 Series Interior Paint

The 100 series of paints claims to offer better hide, improved sprayability, and easier touchups, at an affordable price. Read more

Fypon Mesa Beam Products Fypon Mesa Beam

This polyurethane beam sports a woodgrain texture and comes pre-primed. Useful for both interior and exterior applications, the beam's hollow core ensures that it's lightweight, too. Read more

Summit Appliances Ingenious Refrigerator Products Summit Appliances Ingenious Refrigerator

This counter-depth refrigerator packs 18 cubic feet of storage into a compact footprint and offers some handy features, including Power Cool for rapidly cooling the fridge compartment after loading groceries. Read more

Toolbox
Mafell Erika Pull-Push Saw Toolbox Mafell Erika Pull-Push Saw

Powering an 8 7/8-inch Mafell blade, the Erika can rip like a table saw and crosscut like a sliding compound-miter saw. Read more

Sawhorse Plans Toolbox Sawhorse Plans

These sawhorses are made of plywood, have three legs for incomparable stability on uneven ground, and break down quickly to lay flat. Read more

Measuring Up Toolbox Measuring Up

When Milwaukee rolled out its 25-foot model 48-22-5125 magnetic tape measure last summer, most of us bought one to see if it would be a good fit. So far, we think it’s great. Read more

Corded Convert Toolbox Corded Convert

Unlike cordless drivers, it never peters out while driving a screw. Read more

SawStop Contractor Table Saw Toolbox SawStop Contractor Table Saw

SawStop Contractor Table Saw Read more

Backfill
Mud Michelangelo Backfill Mud Michelangelo

Some of us struggle to tape a flat joint; this drywall contractor creates remarkably lifelike relief sculptures in drywall mud. Read more

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