Wood-Frame House Construction

Rating:
Summary: Lots of material, but a little old
Review: This book has many things to recommend it. It includes a wealth of material on wood frame house construction, from laying out a hole in the ground for foundations, to framing, to "paint and paper". And it's clear and generally easy to read. It was designed for people in apprenticeship programs and trade schools, so it's oriented toward practical details, not engineering theory, which will make it a good match for most do-it-yourselfers, too.

On the other hand, it clearly is an older book. Attempts have been made to keep it up to date with newer techniques, but a lot of obsolete material remains, and it's not always easy to tell which methods are new and which old. The obsolete material could be a plus, in some cases -- if you're renovating an old house, for example. But I wouldn't place absolute trust in this book as a bible of new house construction.

I am a structural engineer, and reviewed this book primarily in my search for resources to recommend to my residential clients who are involved in do-it-yourself renovation projects.