Better maintenance means more enjoyment of your pool or spa. Black & Decker The Complete Guide Maintain Your Pool & Spa will both inspire and educate readers on the practical points of owning and maintaining a home swimming pool, hot tub, or recreational whirlpool. For those considering a recreational water feature, an exciting gallery chapter and a planning/design chapter will show the latest trends and products, and unique new ways to integrate a pool or spa into the landscape. The book also includes an overview of each type of structure, including above-ground and in-ground swimming pools, stand-alone whirlpools, integrated pool/spa installations, and pool houses and accessories. For readers who already own a pool or spa, lengthy, detailed chapters on basic maintenance, water quality, seasonal upkeep, and routine repairs provide everything needed to keep water features in good operating condition. Even the mechanical systems - pumps, heaters, drains and skimmers - are covered in depth. With this book, no pool or spa owner will need to spend money on a professional pool-care service, and may never need to call a repairman.

The common backyard swingset or treehouse or jungle-gym will never go away, but today's recreational landscape is also likely to have a full-featured sports court, a putting green, an outdoor kitchen for grown-up entertaining, or a board-game gazebo where the adults play bridge or mahjongg. Here, in one comprehensive book, are more than 25 complete DIY projects to create play spaces for family members of all ages--toddlers to old-timers. Also includes a detailed appendix giving rules and dimensions for all the popular lawn games, such as badminton and croquet. This is an ideal book for consumers traveling less and recreating at home more.

A guide to hangin and repairing drywall, including tools and techniques to do a professional job.

Hanging and finishing drywall is quite possibly the one job that do-it-yourselfers dislike the most. It’s messy, it’s tedious and even small imperfections appear glaring when the walls and ceilings are painted. Working with Drywall gives a fresh perspective on this maligned but essential task. It goes beyond the basics of installing drywall to reveal all the secrets any homeowner needs to know to transform “rocking and mudding” from a chore into a true pleasure.

Everything you need to know about plumbing. Everything. Fresher and more complete than ever, this edition includes new material and revised information and is completely current with the 2006 Universal Plumbing Code. From basic repairs to advanced renovations, this is the only plumbing reference book a homeowner needs. And now, for the first time, Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Plumbing includes a comprehensive section on working with gas pipe. No other big book of plumbing for DIYers covers this important subject. Also new to this 4th edition is expansive coverage of PEX (cross-linked polyethylene), the bendable supply tubing that's taking over a major portion of the DIY market. And with the current popularity of outdoor kitchens, we've expanded our coverage of outdoor plumbing as well. Now, we'll show you every step of the process to supply and drain an outdoor sink.

Creating extra living space affordably has never been easier. This book shows dozens of different uses for basement spaces, then shows readers exactly how to accomplish each task. Painstakingly clear photos leave nothing to the imagination, as they teach consumers exactly how to handle modern materials and tools to add an extra bathroom, a family room, bedroom, home office, or game room to their homes.

DIVAt heart, almost every homeowner would love to have a better lawn—greener, denser, healthier. This book is an up-to-date, environmentally responsible approach to lawn care with mainstream appeal. It focuses on dozens of common lawn problems, offering detailed solutions to each one. An ideal reference for busy homeowners who want better grass quickly and easily. /div