It's got a great balance between being accessible and detailed. Unlike most books of this genre, it doesn't assume you've got thousands of dollars of woodworking tools in your basement, but does assume that you know a bit about what you're doing, and are looking for someone more experienced to get you through some tricky projects. The best part is page after page of expert tips that help you do things more quickly and efficient, based on the author's 25 years in the business. The pictures and illustrations are also top notch, again, a great balance between detailed and accessible. A lot of thought went into writing this book and it shows.


Clear, concise, informative   August 30, 2003
Richard Mastello (Seattle, WA)
126 out of 128 found this review helpful

There are a lot of carpentry books out there, and most of them fill you with extraneous details that you don't want to read about, and don't tell enough about what you need to DO. DeKorne's book is a rare exception. He gets right to work, and much of the work of describing what to DO is accomplished with fine photographs and illustrations. I'm an engineer and think I know how material's put together, but I learned far more about how wood goes together (and will perform over its service life) than I ever expected. DeKorne doesn't just parrot the theory of woodworking, but takes you beyond the bench with details that allow you to trim out an old house with expert precision, even where nothing is square or plumb. There's nothing about dovetails, or mortise and tenon (what a relief!) but plenty about practical joinery. The sections describing compound miters are the best I've ever read. Finally I feel like I understand how to make an elegant crown fit in an old house.


Good Resource but not a Step-by-Step Guide for all project   January 30, 2006
Sonya (Dallas, TX)
33 out of 33 found this review helpful

I really like the Build Like a Pro books. I find them very informative about subjects I have no clue about. Whether you are a DIY or plan to hire someone, I think the information is a good basis for being able to understand how things should or might be done.

There are some projects that DO show step-by-step instructions with photo's, i.e. Making an Outside Corner when cutting baseboard (pg 59). There are Pro Tips and What Can Go Wrong scattered throughout the book. The format is very easy to follow and there are lots of drawing, illustrations and great photographs.

One of the main reasons I picked up this book is for the section on crown molding. I've seen lots of decorating shows but in the ones that give the most detail, the people seem to have been doing it for ages. I've found that if the DIY show says 2 hours, it probably is going to take me double that because of my lack of experience. The Crown Molding section talks about the various crown styles/profiles, gave Trade Secrets and how to cope with problems like sagging ceilings are wavy walls. Basically, it covered every aspect that I could think of when installing crown.

The only thing this book is missing is a appendix of terms, which would have been helpful to understand terms that are unfamiliar to me as a novice. Some terms might have been covered earlier in the book, but if you are reading just one topic or chapter, you might have missed the explanation. Because of this I am giving it 4.5 stars.

Definitely work purchasing.


Everything I wished my father had taught me   May 7, 2004
Martha Martinez (Toledo)
36 out of 37 found this review helpful

My husband gave me this book as a gift, and it's provided wonderful encouragement (it's also a book he wanted, of course). Together we have completed some nice house projects together, such as converting our back porch into a sunroom and adding a new window in the dining room to bring in much needed light. We both agree the hardest part to do well is the wood trim, and it's what you see everyday afterwards. This book has been a wonderful guide and confidence builder for us both. It's not a beginner's book, but it's not at all too advanced. I pride myself on having learned some basic carpentry and how to use some tools, but with this book I've picked up some of the extras I wished I'd learned from my father (or any other family member when I was younger) about woodworking. The book's full of useful tricks and short cuts, as well as clear explanations about how all the pieces work together, and what the shortfalls we should be looking out for to get professional looking results. I'd recommend it to anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of carpentry who wants to take on some real carpentry jobs around the house. Next up for us: Wainscoting in the a bathroom, and then replacing the bland, little trim in our living room with elegant Victorian details!


Thumbs waaay up   July 3, 2004
Hayden (Mountain View CA)
24 out of 24 found this review helpful

I bought 5 copies as gifts for friends and family who love to work on their homes. The advice about using blocking to install crown makes this book worthwhile by itself, but this is just one example of dozens of tricks for completing carpentry jobs to dress up a home interior. Great photos throughout. I've worked my way up to tackling built-in bookcases, and found the stp-by-step advice on this as helpful as the rest.