Editors of Cool Springs Press

I think the description GoodReads provides for this book is pretty good: it will appeal to those who like reading the The Old Farmer's Almanac. It is a collection of trivia, facts, recipes, weather information, travel info (if you are looking for places to travel, this is a great guide), festivals, etc. all in Texas. Anyone wanting to learn about Texas in small segments will like this book. It has a lot of ideas for travel in the state. Some pretty good recipes too, and a lot of trivia to entertain. Overall, a nice little book to read here and there. I bought on clearance, and I am glad I did. I will certainly hold on to it.… (mais)

Black and Decker DIY Roofing by Editors of Cool Springs Press provides detailed instructions and photos on how to repair and replace your roof. I like that the instructions are explained in layman’s terms with helpful photos. The materials and tools needed are also listed. The various types of roofs are discussed (metal, asphalt, cedar shakes, concrete tile) along with different types of repairs. There is a chapter on working safely as well. I found this book very helpful. It allowed me to tackle a repair on my roof. It is a nice addition to my DIY library.… (mais)

This is the third edition of a book first published in 2009 and updated in 2014, so it's a bit stodgy. Nevertheless, there are some interesting projects and the authors demonstrate a broad range of fabrication methods.

I think, though, that you will get more satisfaction from investing in specialized plans for the projects you have in mind. Get books like this from your library.

I received a review copy of "Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Outdoor Carpentry, Updated 3rd Edition: Complete Plans for Beautiful Backyard Building Projects" by Editors of Cool Springs Press (Quarto - Cool Springs) through NetGalley.com.… (mais)

Could feel overwhelming

This is a book about play structures for children (swings and climbing frames) and adults (ladder golf, a backyard putting green!) but it is not a book to play around with. Sloppy work could endanger your children. Several of the projects here are complex, expensive, and difficult. You or your construction partner will need good skills and a wide range of tools to do them.

The book is comprehensive, covering not only the actual construction of the play structure – design, materials, tools, and safe carpentry – but also how to lay out your play area, level and prepare the soil, terrace a hillside with a retaining wall of blocks or timber, install concrete footings, and improve site drainage whether you are designing and building a unique creation or assembling and installing a kit project like the putting green. You will learn a lot from reading the book, even if you never touch a hammer.

On page 108, the book veers off into a discussion of swimming pool construction. This mostly focuses on the kinds of pools – concrete, fibeglass, vinyl lined, etc., and descriptions of how pool surround decks are built. This is not a how-to discussion, really, and is a bit unmatched to the remainder of the book.

The final section of the book is about building tree houses. The discussion is detailed, suggesting ways to gauge weight of the house and stress on the tree.

The tree house designs, and the earlier Zipline and Tree Swing projects rely on eyebolts running through the wood of the tree for support. I was taught that drilling though like that is terrible for the tree, allowing water and bacteria easy entrance. If it is possible, I would consider other attachment methods. For ziplines and tree swings, chains can be wrapped around the trunk or branches, for example, although these should be carefully padded (and the padding renewed often) to prevent destruction of the bark, which is perhaps even worse for the tree than the eyebolts.

I can't imagine myself building any of these structures, even if I were very handy. I suggest that you borrow the book from a library before buying.

I received a review copy of "Black & Decker Play Structures & Backyard Fun: How to Build: Playsets - Sports Courts - Games - Swingsets - More" by (Quarto - Cool Springs) through NetGalley.com.… (mais)