Windows
& Doors
by
Scott McBride
Softcover
230 x 275mm
216pp
Published by The Taunton Press, Connecticut, USA.
R.R.P.$24.90
ISBN 1-56158-483-5
As reviewed in House & HOME Issue 64
The windows and doors in the average new home have been designed and engineered to keep costs down in materials, manufacture and installation, and they're pretty basic to work with. However, if you're renovating an older home or selecting some up-market windows and doors for your new home, then there's a lot you can learn if you want to make the most of your investment.
Taunton Press has released a new book, Windows and Doors, authored by Scott McBride, long-term contributing editor to Taunton's Fine Homebuilding magazine. Its contents are pages and pages of handy hints, brief explanations, and installation and repair guides relating to virtually all forms of windows and doors.
The chapters consist of segments of half a page to a couple of pages on a single topic, including relevant photographs and diagrams. Though not step-by-step, the photographs do illustrate the key operation/s, depending on the subject matter. The tips appear on most pages and consist of a paragraph or two, sometimes with an accompanying illustration.
Topics covered include different methods of door operation, door construction, in- stalling interior, pre-hung and exterior doors, solving out-of-plumb problems, installing new doors into old frames, repairing and maintaining doors, installing windows and skylights, window repairs and maintenance, and adding the trim to finish off a door or window installation. Then there's the hundreds of tips, fixes and trade secrets.
Windows and Doors is primarily a reference book, because its segmental style of layout makes it relatively easy to track down the specific information you need, but awkward to read from cover to cover. Nonetheless, making the effort to read whole chapters is likely to reveal pertinent information that might otherwise be overlooked.
Some of the products and methods (and certainly some of the terms) mentioned in the book are not relevant in Australia, but since finish joinery is more to do with the skill and knowledge of the joiner than any Code requirements, Window and Doors provides a great deal of valuable information on an important subject. The book is highly recommended to those who 'want it done right'.
Windows and Doors by Scott McBride Softcover, 216pp, 230 x 275mm Published by The Taunton Press, USA.
Photos: Colour
Units of Measurement: Imperial
Contents
Introduction
Chapter
One - Choosing and Specifying Doors
Door Operating Systems
Styles
and Materials
Ordering Doors
Chapter
Two - Installing Interior Doors
Preparing the Opening
Installing
a Prehung Door
Chapter
Three - Installing Complex Interior Doors
Installing a Pair of Prehung
Doors
Installing a Set of Four-Panel Bifold Doors
Installing a Bypass
Closet Door
Installing a Pocket Door
Chapter
Four - Installing Exterior Doors
Framing a Door Opening in a New Exterior
Wall
Cutting an Opening in an Existing Exterior Wall
Prepping an Exterior
Door Opening
Installing a Prehung Exterior Door
Finishing the Exterior
Chapter
Five - Installing Complex Exterior Doors
Installing Prehung French Doors
Installing Center-Hinged Patio Doors
Installing Sliding Patio Doors
Installing Storm and Secondary Doors
Chapter
Six - New Doors in Old Frames
Fitting a New Door to an Existing Opening
Hinging a New Door to an Existing Frame
Installing Locksets and Deadbolts
Chapter
Seven - Fixing Door Problems
Adjusting Doors for a Better Fit
Weatherstripping
Door Jambs
Sealing Door Bottoms
Repairing Doors
Chapter
Eight - Choosing Windows
Window Operating Systems
Material Options
Glazing Options
Ordering Windows
Ordering Storm Windows and Screens
Chapter
Nine - Installing Basic Windows
Framing a Window Opening
Prepping
a Rough Opening for a Window
Installing a Wooden Casement
Installing
a Clad Double-Hung Window
Installing a Sliding Window
Chapter
Ten - Installing Complex Windows
Installing Bays and Bows
Installing
Round-Top Windows
Chapter
Eleven - Repairing Windows
Tuning Up Old Windows
Replacing Sash
Ropes
Reglazing Window Sashes
Replacing Double-Hung Sashes and Tracks
Installing Vinyl Replacement Windows
Chapter
Twelve - Skylights
Choosing a Skylight
Framing and Finishing a Skylight
Opening
Installing a Skylight in an Asphalt-Shingle Roof
Installing
a Special Skylight
Chapter
Thirteen - Interior Trim
Installing Jamb Extensions
Installing Door
Trim
Installing Window Trim
Alternative Trim Styles
Index