Product Description

When Clem Labine and his family abandoned Manhattan for an old brownstone in Brooklyn, Labine decided to launch a newsletter about the restoration and maintenance of antique houses. From these humble beginnings, The Old-House Journal grew until it had many thousands of subscribers in all fifty states.

Since its first publication in 1980, The Old-House Journal Compendium has been the go-to guide for anyone looking to buy, restore, or maintain an old house. This new edition combines the solid, detailed advice that made The Old House Journal newsletter famous, now in a modern, easy-to-use format. Fully redesigned with more than 800 black-and-white illustrations, this famous how-to reference provides sound and encouraging instructions for all at-home renovators. Accessibly organized into chapters that correspond to the parts of a house, The Old-House Journal Compendium covers roofs, windows, wiring, plumbing, plastering, staircases, floors, painting, chimneys, fireplaces, stoves, moldings, woodwork, shutters, kitchens, bathrooms, as well as period design and decoration, and even landscaping--truly everything the new owner of an old home could need.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #150412 in Books
• Published on: 2007-12-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 452 pages

Customer Reviews

Invaluable source of info on classic home restoration
As a source of information on style, building technique and materials, this book is an invaluable aid to anyone looking to renovate or refurbish an old home. It presents a good a mix of information on the techniques used in construction with style details, plus descriptions of features and their components.

Excellent Resource for a Newbie
I loved this invaluable resource! This is the kind of book you can't merely borrow from the library, because you will be referencing it over and over again. I am new to preservation, and have no construction or "handi-woman" experience, and this book was great for me. It gives you very practical do-it-yourself advice, without being unnecessarily hard on your wallet. I am now able to judge what I can and cannot do myself, and make a list of renovation priorities. As I go through my list, I find myself flipping through this book for the basics on renovations I can do myself, and also for good tips on how to find the right contractors for those things I am not cut out for!

A must have
This book is a must have for any current or future home owner. It gives solutions to common house issues, in an easy to understand format. This book also gives check lists for what to look for when purchasing a house.