Wood-Frame House Construction

First published in 1955 as U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook No. 73, this highly popular guide presents sound, time-tested principles for wood-frame house construction, complete with expert advice on selecting suitable building materials. For this edition, it has been completely revised and updated to incorporate advances in home building brought about by the availability of new materials, use of more manufactured components, and changes in construction techniques.


Chapter 1 covers the preliminaries that should be considered or dealt with before beginning construction ― financial planning, site selection, design, etc.


Chapters 2–4 discuss laying the groundwork (including foundations, footings, and retaining walls), framing and closing in ― describing each step in the order it is usually completed.


Chapters 5–7 describe later tasks that don't necessarily have to be done in the order they are presented. Topics include porches, decks, interior wall framing, plumbing, heating and electric installation, flooring, interior finishes, cabinets, and more.


Chapter 8 covers special topics often associated with wood-frame construction: protection against decay and termites, energy conservation, all-weather construction, maintenance and repair, and other matters.


Technical notes, an annotated list of suggestions for additional reading, and a glossary round out the book.


Clear, thorough, and easy to follow, with nearly 200 helpful illustrations, Wood-Frame House Construction offers a detailed, informative guide to construction techniques invaluable for the do-it-yourselfer or as a review for the professional.