Building Outdoor Structures [antikvár]

Preface In producing this book we designed and built more structures than you will find between these covers. After much discussion, reexamination of the techniques involved, and an overall evaluation of the utility of the finished structures themselves, wc settled on the final projects to be included. In some cases, the decision to include a specific structure seemed to be harder to make than in others. The hot tub, for instance, required an inordinate amount of testing and use before we could write it up for the book. It also was difficult to get our children out of the freestanding tree house so they could tell us whether they thought it was a worthwhile project. At any rate, we hope that you will find the projects you choose to build as attractive, useful, and easy to build as we do. The book begins with a section on tips and techniques for buying and working with wood, for working with cement and brick, and for providing adequate drainage around the structure. We strongly recommend that you read this section thoroughly before beginning a project, as it provides basic information on materials, tools, and terminology. Coupled with the detailed instructions provided for each individual project, this information should make most of the structures manageable even for the novice woodworker. For the experienced woodworker, who knows, we might teach you a new trick or at least remind you of an old one! Almost all of the project plans contain a list of required materials and provide step-by-step illustrations. For some of the larger projects, the gazebo for instance, our approach is somewhat more generalized. With projects of this size and scope, we felt that you might want or need to alter the size, shape, or configuration to your own specifications. Accordingly, for these few projects, we describe step-by-step techniques, allowing you to build the structure to your own liking. Most of the work can be done using common hand and/or hand-held power tools. In some cases, we did use shop tools (table saw, planer, etc.) to speed the process: Please remember, folks, we had to produce all projects in a very short time. We would like to offer special thanks to a number of individuals and companies who provided materials, services, or tools for building the projects. The redwood stain that produces such a lasting and attractive finish was provided by the Watco-Dennis Corporation. The tools supplied by Shopsmith and Black & Decker performed like champions. A special note of appreciation is due Stephen Ward Smith who provided the luxurious greenery you see in many of the photos as well as his considerable expertise in landscaping, and to Rusty Barnett and Ernie Wilson who gave unstintingly of their time, patience, and good advice to make some of the projects a reality.