Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction: Materials, Finishes, and Details

The most comprehensive guide to material selection & installation It takes a wise choice of building materials and details to create durable, attractive, and affordable custom homes and remodeling projects. Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction provides up–to–date, field–tested recommendations that help professionals balance cost and performance when designing and building residential projects. Steven Bliss, former editorial director of The Journal of Light Construction and founding editor of Progressive Builder , draws on his extensive knowledge as a practicing builder, designer, and construction editor to help building professionals select the right materials for every job and install them with confidence. This one–stop resource covers the real–world challenges of material selection and installation so designers, contractors, and building owners can make informed decisions for all major building components. Useful to architects, designers, and specifiers—as well as contractors, builders, and developers— Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction features: More than 200 photos and illustrations of critical residential construction details Installation tips and cautions that help prevent costly product failures Descriptions of the latest composites and synthetics that are changing the way we build Easy–to–use charts for making quick product comparisons An authoritative guide to indoor air quality and healthy house construction

Preface. Acknowledgments. Chapter 1: Exterior Finish. Rain–Screen Principle. Sheathing Wrap. Flashing Membranes. Wall Flashing. Wood Sidings. Wood Shingles and Shakes. Fiber–Cement Siding. Vinyl Siding. Stucco. Wood and Composite Trim. Trim Details. Caulks and Sealants. Exterior Adhesives. Exterior Wood Finishes. Resources. Chapter 2: Roofing. Asphalt Shingles. Clay, Concrete, and Composite Tile. Metal Roofing. Modular Shingles. Wood Shakes and Shingles. Low–Slope Roofing. Walkable Roofing Membranes. Roof Ventilation. Resources. Chapter 3: Windows and Doors. Window Types. Window Materials and Construction. Window Energy Efficiency. Window Flashing. Skylights. Exterior Doors. Resources. Chapter 4: Decks and Porches. Framing Materials. Decking Materials. Fasteners. Construction Details. Rooftop Decks. Covered and Screened Porches. Finishes for Decking. Resources. Chapter 5: Interior Finish. Drywall. Wood Floors. Resilient Flooring. Laminate Flooring. Carpeting. Interior Trim. Interior Doors. Stains and Clear Finishes. Sound Control. Lighting. Resources. Chapter 6: Kitchen and Bath. Kitchen Design Basics. Bathroom Design Basics. Kitchen and Bath Flooring. Ceramic and Stone Tile. Kitchen Cabinets. Countertops. Plumbing Fixtures. Kitchen and Bath Ventilation. Resources. Chapter 7: Indoor Air Quality. Overview. Whole–House Ventilation Strategies. Air Cleaning Strategies. Common Indoor Pollutants and Sources. Resources. Index.

STEVEN BLISS served as editorial director of The Journal of Light Construction for more than sixteen years and construction technology editor of Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

"This comprehensive guide just may set the standard for years to come." ( Green Builder , October 2006) "By using the Guide, residential building professionals have access to a source of objective information that takes the guesswork out of selecting products and materials…." ( ToolBase News , Vol. 11, Issue 2) "Readable, practical, and most of all, highly applicable….." ( Old–House Journal , May–June 2006)