The Home Carpenter & Woodworker's Repair Manual Book

Author of more than a dozen books on the do-it-yourself bookshelves, William Spence has topped them all with a massive, comprehensive, full-color guide essential for every homeowner. More than 700 photos and 900 drawings accompany the instructions for scores of carpentry and repair projects indoors and out, for every room in the home.
When you need to repair, replace, or remodel any part of your home, you can get the job done right, whether you fix it yourself or supervise the work of professionals. Hundreds of major and minor carpentry and woodworking jobs are clearly explained by an expert who knows all the shortcut skills and money-saving techniques--illustrated with more than 1,600 color photos, illustrations, diagrams, and tables. Projects range from installing a wall, to replacing the wainscoting. They cover jobs indoors and out, and include updating kitchens and bathrooms, and installing lighting and appliances, as well as new or old ceilings and floors, doors and windows, cabinets and closets, roofing and siding, finishing attic and basement rooms, and even furniture repair.

Library Journal

Craftsperson Spence provides detailed instructions and insights on various home carpentry repairs (e.g., fixing roofs) and renovations (e.g., adding closets). There is some crossover from his Encyclopedia of Home Maintenance and Repair, but the focus here is on carpentry (the section on furniture repair is especially interesting), so plumbing and electrical work is excluded. Unfortunately, the illustrations do not meet the quality of the instructions, and the layout suffers from poor editing, which gives the book an unfocused appearance. Spence's expertise is not well represented in this package. Not as complete as the standard DIY home repair manuals, Home Carpenter is suitable for larger collections only. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.