In This Issue

  • April 2005 Issue No. 87

  • Build A Better Backyard

    Features
    A Tale of Four Cities
    If you want to be inspired, visit these communities and see what homeowners with a sense of history can accomplish
    Can't a Fella Get a Little Peace and Quiet?
    Tangled up in cordless tool choices? We give you power over the options
    Building a Garden
    Bone structure isn't just for supermodels. It's the basis of any really good landscape design
    Backyard Blitz
    15 quick and easy ways to turn a not-so-great space into the great outdoors
    There's Gold in them thar hills!
    A couple turns a dilapidated 1840s miner's cabin into a weekend retreat
    Second-story Job
    A Sacramento stairmaker adds a story to a small bungalow so he can create his very own set of dramatic stairs
    Departments
    On the Job
    Handcrafted homes on wheels; builder's bargains on eBay; How to understand lumber labels; and more
    House Calls
    One couple's master-bath plan takes a dramatically different tack by grouping fixtures in the middle
    Landscaping
    Luxuries
    Mailboxes that win our stamp of approval
    Talking Shop
    Snips and scissors
    Paperwork
    Live in the house of your dreams while a renter foots the bills
    Upkeep
    Repairing a broken tile
    Homeowner's Handbook
    Installing a floating floor
    Workshop
    Ask This Old House
    Fixing cracked plaster, keeping basements dry, best clear finish
    Norm's Notebook
    Cutting circles, garden-tool storage rack, supporting cantilevered countertops