Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction

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 ix

Acknowledgments xi

Chapter 1 Exterior Finish 1

Rain-Screen Principle 2

Sheathing Wrap 3

Flashing Membranes 5

Wall Flashing 6

Wood Sidings 9

Wood Shingles and Shakes 15

Fiber-Cement Siding 19

Vinyl Siding 21

Stucco 24

Wood and Composite Trim 29

Trim Details 36

Caulks and Sealants 37

Exterior Adhesives 40

Exterior Wood Finishes 42

Resources 47

Chapter 2 Roofing 51

Asphalt Shingles 51

Clay, Concrete, and Composite Tile 62

Metal Roofing 74

Modular Shingles 80

Wood Shakes and Shingles 85

Low-Slope Roofing 94

Walkable Roofing Membranes 96

Roof Ventilation 97

Resources 101

Chapter 3 Windows and Doors 103

Window Types 103

Window Materials and Construction 105

Window Energy Efficiency 112

Window Flashing 119

Skylights 123

Exterior Doors 127

Resources 132

Chapter 4 Decks and Porches 135

Framing Materials 135

Decking Materials 137

Fasteners 141

Construction Details 144

Rooftop Decks 150

Covered and Screened Porches 151

Finishes for Decking 154

Resources 156

Chapter 5 Interior Finish 159

Drywall 159

Wood Floors 164

Resilient Flooring 176

Laminate Flooring 179

Carpeting 180

Interior Trim 183

Interior Doors 186

Stains and Clear Finishes 188

Sound Control 188

Lighting 194

Resources 206

Chapter 6 Kitchen and Bath 209

Kitchen Design Basics 209

Bathroom Design Basics 217

Kitchen and Bath Flooring 223

Ceramic and Stone Tile 227

Kitchen Cabinets 244

Countertops 247

Plumbing Fixtures 251

Kitchen and Bath Ventilation 261

Resources 264

Chapter 7 Indoor Air Quality 267

Overview 267

Whole-House Ventilation Strategies 270

Air Cleaning Strategies 277

Common Indoor Pollutants and Sources 281

Resources 297

Index 299

"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)

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. 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