Better homes and gardens new complete guide to home repair & improvement

Inside Your Home

Floors and Stairs

Anatomy of a floor

Silencing squeaks

Patching wood, tile, and sheet flooring

Fixing stairs

Laying a wood floor

Laying carpeting

Installing resilient flooring

Laying a tile floor

Interior Walls

Anatomy of interior walls

Finding studs

Patching walls

Repairing and installing paneling

Repairing and installing ceramic wall tiles

Installing molding

Framing with wood and metal

Installing drywall

Ceilings

Anatomy of a ceiling

Repairing holes in drywall and plaster

Raising a sagging ceiling

Installing recessed lighting

Installing a suspended ceiling

Windows

Anatomy of a window

Repairing windows

Repairing window shades and venetian blinds

Interior Doors

Anatomy of a door

Freeing a binding door

Repairing doors

Hanging a door

Storage

Organizing existing space

Getting more room

Closet organizers

Buying and installing cabinets

Fireplaces

Anatomy of a fireplace

Repairing firebricks

Installing gas logs

Solving flue problems

Installing a new fireplace

Basements and Foundations

Anatomy of a basement

Solving basement problems

Solving water problems

Outside Your Home

Roofs

Anatomy of a roof

Pinpointing leaks

Using ladders

Repairing wood, slate, asphalt, tile, and metal roofs

Repairing flashing

Preventing condensation in attics

Installing and repairing gutters and downspouts

Installing roofing

Installing a skylight

Exterior Walls, Windows, and Doors

Anatomy of exterior walls

Sealing walls

Repairing siding

Repairing brickwork

Repairing stucco

Installing new siding

Repairing broken glass and fixing windows

Repairing screening

Installing storm windows

Porches, Patios, and Decks

Anatomy of a porch

Repairing columns

Anatomy of a patio

Applying stains and preservatives

Laying a brick-in-sand patio

Working with concrete

Building a deck

Fences and Garden Walls

Repairing fence rails

Fixing gates

Building a new fence

Setting fence posts

Applying finishes to fences

Installing chain-link fencing

Anatomy of a retaining wall

Building a dry stone wall

Building a masonry wall

Working with bricks and concrete blocks

Walks, Steps, and Drives

Leveling walks

Repairing steps

Patching asphalt

Building new walks, steps, and drives

Garages

Anatomy of garage doors

Troubleshooting garage doors

Installing garage door openers

Your Home's Systems

Electricity

Anatomy of an electrical system

Tools for electrical repairs

Testing circuits

Repairing lamps

Types of cable

Installing and wiring receptacles

Extending circuits

Installing new circuits

Working with low-voltage wiring

Installing outdoor wiring

Lighting

Selecting lighting fixtures

Installing dimmer switches

Installing recessed, track, and fluorescent lighting

Installing low-voltage lighting

Plumbing

Anatomy of a plumbing system

Clearing clogs

Repairing faucets

Fixing drains

Repairing toilets

Quieting noisy pipes

Installing new pipes

Installing new faucets, sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets

Purifying water

Gas

Anatomy of a gas system

Lighting pilot lights

Testing for leaks

Adjusting burners

Installing gas ranges, dryers, and grills

Heating and Cooling

Anatomy of air, water, and radiant heating systems

Maintaining furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps

Anatomy of a cooling system

Maintaining room and central air-conditioners

Choosing new equipment

Weatherization and Ventilation

Upgrading your home's weather stripping and insulation

Installing ventilation fans

Security

Protecting against fire and break-ins

Securing windows and doors

Installing alarm systems

Basics You Should Know

Tools and Techniques

Measuring with tapes, rules, squares, and levels

Cutting with handsaws and power saws, chisels, routers, and taps and dies

Sharpening tools

Hand and power drills

Fastening with hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, staple guns, riveters, soldering tools, adhesives, and tape

Holding and clamping with pliers, vises, sawhorses, benches, and clamps

Shaping and smoothing with rasps and files, planes, sandpaper, power sanders, lathes, and jointers

Materials and How to Use Them

Choosing, buying, and working with lumber

Joinery techniques

Working with plywood

Working with plastics and acrylics

Working with metals

Working with glass

Finishing

Interior painting

Wallpapering

Exterior painting

Painting metal

Spray-painting

Sanding

Clear-finishing wood

Metric Conversions.