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

4 comments about Sauna: A complete guide to the Construction, Use, and Benefits of the Finnish Bath.

1. It's important to know before you buy this book, or his book about Underground Homes, that they use the cordwood masonry building technique, more or less to exclusion. Roy has saved this technique from oblivion but he tries to pass off his books as "complete" in the sense of including various techniques. They don't. I'm not saying not to get them, but remember that caveat.



2. I wouldn't feel compelled to write a review of this book, except for the low star rating of the only other reviewer of this book [at this writing anyhow]. This is an excellent book for building a free-standing sauna--as long as cordwood masonry building style works for you. Rob Roy is the master of this technique and written much about it in a number of books. He has an easy style and knows his material. But yes, if you're looking to build a wood-only sauna, look elsewhere.



3. When I decided that an outdoor wood-burning sauna was in my future I sought a book that would contain detailed information on sauna construction, stove usage and evaluation, and the like. Instead, Roy's book, though enjoyable, was far less than a "..complete guide.."
   
   An enormous amount of time is spent on cordwood construction (inappropriate for us living in hardwood areas) and virtually little or no space devoted to selecting, evaluating and using the many stove options that are available on the market.
   
   I am certain that Mr. Roy could write such a book. His passion for and knowledge of the sauna is apparent throughout the book. It's a disappointment that this "complete guide" fell short of my expectations.
   
   Though I don't feel that I wasted the book's purchase price (I am now more enthusiastic about my yet-to-be-built sauna than ever), I wish that Roy's book would have imparted more of his obvious knowledge about those matters that are of interest to us non-cordwood oriented neophytes.



4. 
   We bought this book hoping it would give us the basic information we needed to build an outdoor sauna (ex. materials list, basic dementions, review of different types of stoves, etc). While there was some of this information, most of the book was dedicated to Cord Wood construction. This was interesting, but not the way we wanted to build. I wish there had been a more balanced amount of information on all the different types of sauna construction (log, cord wood, conventional framing, etc.)

5 comments about Patio: Garden Design & Inspiration.

1. This book is an excellent sourse of inspiration for the garden designer who is tired of traditional garden design. Jamie Durie explores new materials and plant selections in a way that is comfortable and exciting. A must read for those of us who are tired of English garden design!



2. I must admit that I wasn't expecting much from Jamie Durie, knowing him mainly for his home renovation shows in Australia.
   However, after much searching through countless books on garden design in bookstores, I found his books to be far and away the best I've seen.
   His designs are very modern and innovative and the book gives a lot of insight into the design and construction process. Backgrounds and reasoning on particular choices made and goes into detail on subjects such as lighting, plants and materials.
   I own quite a few garden design books and I would definately rate this the best I've seen and just about every design in his books I would rate amongst the best I've seen.



3. This is the best of Durie's books and is an excellent companion for the California garden designer. The plans are helpful for understanding the layout of a garden, but the photos are what really make the book. The light modern style, clever detailing, and CA compatible plants give me new ideas every time I open it.



4. A definite must have. This is by far one of the best inspiring books for outdoor designs. If you are looking for something modern, minimalist, different from ordinary, don't look any further and buy this book. I designed my own terrace thanks to the great ideas and inspiration by Jamie Durie.



5. I've bought that book 'cause I'm planning to transform a small corner of my garden into a nice patio. But this book is about balconies, sky gardens, decks, pools, back yards, seaside retreats, etc...Nothing about patios!!! If you're looking for ideas for your patio, this probably isn't a good book for you.

4 comments about Outdoor Stonework: 16 Easy-to-Build Projects For Your Yard and Garden.

1. If beautifying your world with stone and concrete is your goal, this book is a must.
   The author did a fine job of eliciting interest in a project by showing wonderful color photos of the finished product first. Then he supplies photos and diagrams of each step while describing it in down-to-earth fashion. He adds some photos of historical works to show what can be done and how long a quality job can last.
   I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of building a winding path. Mr. Bridgewater showed each layer of the walk, how to install that layer (tamper, rake, shovel, hose...) and feel that I really could create a viable path for my own home.
   The only nit I have to pick was his measurements for the Japanese lantern's components. Although I could figure it out, he was inconsistent in indicating whether a dimension was length, width, or height.
   Overall, I would purchase this book again.



2. Good beginner book for breaking into this type of homemade garden crafting. An excellent purchase for those interested in this creative art form.



3. I have been wanting to create many stone projects and this book helps with selection and ease of doing it yourself with a fabulous look!



4. The Search Inside feature for this book doesn't even show the COVERS OF THE BOOK.
   
   This is insulting. I wouldn't even consider buying a book whose author had this philosophy.
   
   Amazon: Why even have the Search Inside feature?

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.

No comments about Outdoor Kitchens: Ideas for Planning, Designing, and Entertaining.

5 comments about Home Theater Design: Planning and Decorating Media-Savvy Interiors.

1. This book is really helpful if you're planning a home theater system or integrating some type of audio and video stuff inside the house. I had a small house and was able to get lots of tips for designing my a/v system in it. Now that I bought my new house (much larger) I am able to reference the later chapters for dealing with the new challenges. Highly recommend!



2. This book has tons of helpful tips about features that you should have in an entertainment room. It helps you learn what accessories to get, but doesn't help much in the way of actually building the room. I was hoping to have some help on how to install a suspended ceiling with the sound-proofing material, or how they recommend to frame an elevated seating platform.
   
   All in all, I'd say this book is an advantage to have, and it definately is worth purchasing, but don't expect it to help you with the nuts and bolts of the operation.



3. I bought this book to help me plan the space for a home theater I am planning to build myself. Big mistake. It contained nothing useful for me.
   
   This is a book written by someone who only knows home theater from the perspective of rich or trendy clients who pay big bucks to have someone else do all the planning. It's also something of a advertising piece to show off very big and expensive (nothing under six figures) home theaters designed by two firms the author repeatedly gives credits to. At the very end she even has a brief interview with the head of one of those firms.
   
   If you're really rolling in the dough and want to see lots of glossy pictures to see how to spend your money, this book is for you. Example: "John and Jane have a wonderful theater space with arched alcoves along the walls. They display their collection of antique vases in each alcove, and use accent lighting to enhance it. They install a crystal chandelier for ambient lighting..."
   
   For everyone else it's a waste of time. It's so limited in text that it didn't take more than a couple hours to read through. Instead of giving you some real planning guides, the author limits herself to glosses of the obvious along with references to the type of professional you'll need to hire (so many - I've never heard of an acoustician before. He came somewhere after the cabinetmaker you'll need to design the housing for the projector).
   
   This is a book that bows to wealth and trendiness. For those of us who want to tap our own creative ability as well as our more typical budget, we'll have to look elsewhere for inspiration and information.



4. The first question you have to ask is 'What is a home theater.'
   
   And the author doesn't have any better definition than you do, so she has written the book in three sections, and with a definite point of view.
   
   One section is on small systems in small rooms. Here you are basically using more or less standard equipment in more or less standard rooms.
   
   The next section is on multi-purpose rooms, such as a den or living room with a major emphasis on media but still useful for other things.
   
   Finally there's the dedicated home theater. Here a room is built to make your own small, but technologically, audiologically, aesthetically and in every other way professional quality. This often includes stadium seating, with high quality chairs and tables for drinks and popcorn between the seats.
   
   All in all the book is more concerned with the interior decoration of the home theater than with the technical aspects. I suppose that's fair, because the rapid change in the technology. Anything you attempted to print in a book would become obsolete at the next Consumer Electronics Show.



5. This book gives an excellent overview of the different levels a home theater can be done at as well as many illustrations to refer to. It is very helpful in gaining knowledge of how theaters work and should be designed and integrated into their environment. That is where the hundreds of illustrations help out most.
   The only thing to remeber when reading this book is that technology changes so rapidly that some of the information relating to video displays and a few other items are outdated but not harmful in any way to your project or design. I recommend it.

5 comments about What Color Is Your Swimming Pool? A Homeowner's Guide to Troublefree Pool, Spa & HotTub Maintenance.

1. I own a home with a large spa in the basement. When I purchased the home, the spa was not filled with water, and since I had no experience maintaining pools or spas, I read this book to give me some general operating tips. Although the book is not written to explain details concerning all complex pool and spa maintenance procedures, it is an excellent introduction for the novice pool or spa owner.
   
   It is true that the author sometimes refers the reader to a trained pool professional, but I think that is appropriate given the range of possible complications. He also recommends getting a periodic professional water analysis (most pool shops will do this free or at very reasonable cost) as the chemical sticks are good for only fairly basic information. One of the strengths of the book is the explanation of the basic applied chemistry involved in pool maintenance.
   
   After reading this book and getting a water analysis, I have been confidently enjoying the hot tub. Overall, I recommend this book for all pool and spa owners, especially novices. People with a lot of experience with pools may desire a more advanced text, but I think this one works great for probably 99 percent of the pool and spa owners out there.



2. This book was written in layman's terms. Everything was explained in easy to follow step by step directions. I feel much more in control of my pool after reading this book. I will definitely keep it around as a reference book.



3. Middle of the road. I preferred the Ultimate pool guide, but as a newcomer to pools this book also helped me understand a lot.



4. This book quickly answered some vexing questions I have had for some time concerning the correction of imbalances in my pool water. It clearly explains what steps are needed to put things right. Good value for money!



5. This is a good book if you need to know the basics about a pool. But it's not real technical, it did not provide enough information no how to get or keep the chemicals correct in the pool. But if you're like me and did not know anything about your pool it is a very good starter guide for you.

1 comments about The Art and Craft of Stonescaping: Setting and Stacking Stone.

1. Book as described. Good instructions and nice photography. Overall, it delivers what it promised. Recommend.

1 comments about Pool & Spa Planner (Better Homes & Gardens).

1. I borrowed this book from the library (too many pool books are not worth buying), and spent the rest of the night looking at it. Great photo examples of various types of pools that are described in detail, along with chapters on Safety, Design, Landscaping, Materials, etc... One of the best!