5 comments about Building Doors & Gates: Instructions, Techniques and over 100 Designs.

1. I have been looking for a source for quite some time for directions for building "board and batten" doors and was glad to finally find this book. Not only did I find the particular door I was looking for but there were lots of illustrations for many different types of doors many of which are historical reproductions.
   
   I highly recommend this book.
   
   Stephanie Lish



2. If you want to learn how to build doors, as the title suggests, do not buy this book. You will be sorely disappointed, and guaranteed that this book will not aid you in building a door. If on the other hand, you are simply looking for some black and white sketches of various types of doors, then this could be the book for you.
   
   A complete waste of money.
   
   Jeff



3. I bought this book because I need to make a new, exterior door for an old house in my hobby woodshop. Allthough the book has many drawings of more architectural nature, it doesn't really show the technical details for the guy that has to build the door, so to me the book was somewhat disappointing.



4. I think that the reviews of this book are indicative of a typical problem of books of this type. The publishers take a book on a certain aspect of woodworking and pad it out with a lot of superfluous "basic woodworking" type filler, making it appear to the casual observer as if it is a detailed "how to" book. Buried within this padded and filled book is a good overview of English style gates and doors, with descriptions and general construction notes. So, if that is what you're looking for, you'll like the book. But you do need to have the required carpentry skills before you approach the text. As is so often the case in the woodworking press, the authors were undermined by the clueless publisher.



5. A good basic book. A bit dated. Would benefit from an update in techniques. Readers might enjoy the options of new joinery methods incorporated into door building.

2 comments about A Treehouse of Your Own: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building an Amazing Treetop Retreat.

1. This book outlines the stages, techniques, and materials to build one particular, very complex treehouse. While it does attempt to use the specific example to provide general guidelines and recommendations for treehouse building, there are other books out there which do a better job at this. That said, the author of "A Treehouse of Your Own" is obviously an incredibly talented guy, and it is cool just looking at the photographs of the featured treehouse as well as some of his other projects. The intricacy of design is truly incredible, and there are some cool features which might actually be practical to a backyard treehouse. Basically, I think there are very few people out there who will be building the treehouse described in this book or anything even close to it, as it would require the right tree, lots of expensive tools and materials, a huge amount of time, and a reasonably high level of expertise. But, if you want to challenge your conception of what is possible, this book will certainly do it.



2. This is basically detailed manual for building (expensive) treehouse. I think you should have it if you want to build seriously.
   Lot's of photos, explanations, ideas.

1 comments about How to Build Walks, Walls & Patio Floors.

1. I recently purchased this book, along with several others, to help me with a backyard landscaping project involving a flagstone patio, walkways, and low retaining walls. I found this to be the least useful of the lot. It is neither a good how-to book nor a source of inspiration and ideas. It covers far too many different techniques, from stepping stones to pavers to bricks to concrete to flagstones, all of them at a fairly superficial level. It had very little on using flagstones, which is primarily what I wanted information on. Furthermore, some of the excavating and edging techniques recommended seemed at odds with what I had read elsewhere.

   The book had some pictures of completed projects, but they were for the most part pedestrian and had little or no explanation of the design principles demonstrated in them. For a more comprehensive look at the topic, I would suggest "Start-to Finish Patios" from Ortho Books. It is much longer and covers both ideas and suggestions and building techniques much more comprehensively. It even goes into lighting and pergolas.

4 comments about New Complete Home Landscaping.

1. Over 950 photographs and watercolor paintings illustrate New Complete Home Landscaping, a step-by-step guide for amateur and professional landscapers alike. Internationally recognized garden writer Catriona Tudor Erler discusses how to choose the right plants for one's climate and soil conditions, how to install a fence, when to fertilize and what fertilizer to use, fighting common diseases, how to transplant large trees and shrubs, and much more. Packed with pages and pages of detail and explicit constructions, New Complete Home Landscaping lives up to its title as an indispensable and well-rounded resource for anyone seriously contemplating a landscaping project.



2. This book touched on all aspects of gardening and landscaping - design elements and plans, water features, walls & fences, gazebos, decks and patios. It offers suggestions on plants and flowers appropriate for specific areas and climates. There is also a section with solutions to common problems. I highly recommend this book. The text gave me a lot of knowledge, while the pictures inspired me to start working on my own yard!



3. There are some interesting and workable ideas in the book. Before purchasing you might want to check out your local library first. I'm not disappointed with it however I think the layouts are more for the professional landscape/design area. There is even a section for making your own pesticides. It is a nice book to have on hand.



4. I got nothing from this book. It is big and heavy with not much information for me.

4 comments about On the Porch: Creating Your Place to Watch the World Go By.

1. I picked up a copy of this book because my husband and I want to remodel our unused dark & uncomfortable back porch. We were able to get some great design ideas that will help us increase our entertaining space because we will actually be able to use our porch for summer parties. Also, great tips and ideas for furnishing the new space. Of all the design and remodeling books that I looked at, "On The Porch", was the best at answering my questions and offering ideas!



2. ON THE PORCH: CREATING YOUR PLACE TO WATCH THE WORLD GO BY discusses the ambiance and design of the home porch with an eye to surveying how a porch added to a home can change its atmosphere. It's the first book on the market devoted to porches alone and covers an extensive range, from assessing different types of porches for different purposes to design, construction, and maintenance. Everything from furnishings to lighting is reviewed in this in-depth, well detailed guide perfect for any library strong in interior design or homeowner hints.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



3. This book is very well written and gives good, practical advice which should be considered when you are planning to build or remodel a porch addition to your house. It gives types and styles to choose from.
   Some of these are huge projects that I would need to mortage my house for or sell some property or inherit some money to do but I still enjoyed reading about them.
   Definite read if you are planning a porch!



4. This book is a piece of America. Back to basics. Simple and well planned. When you want to touch base and realize the simplicity of a home you will look for this helpful and complete guide. Sandra is a real asset when it comes to easy living. Thanks for sharing.

No comments about Complete Landscaping: Lowe's (Lowe's Home Improvement).

No comments about Outdoor Kitchens & Fireplaces.

No comments about The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Gazebos & Arbors: Ideas, Techniques and Complete Plans for 15 Great Landscape Projects (Black & Decker Complete Guide).

1 comments about Complete Deck Book.

1. I'm a german landscaper. We need more good stuff like this in our country to make better gardens and to learn from the skills of people which use there imagination.This book has show every detail to me how to make special kinds of wodden decks.

1 comments about Design Ideas for Decks & Patios (Design Ideas).

1. I love this book. It inspired me to work on my outdoor living space.
   I have incorporated several ideas and designs from the book and my place is looking better and better...can't wait to have my summer party!