Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Books Can Help You Plan Your New Dock

In February, with wintry weather waning, some turn their thoughts to gardening; others - actually, those who own lake cabins - spend time thinking about docks.

One of the early summer chores for cabin owners is repairing their docks, which are often ravaged by winter storms, or moved ashore or twisted apart by ice storms.

Among the new books available is “Docks & Projects,” published by Cottage Life Books ($24.95), the Canadian-based company which also produces a syndicated TV show called “Cottage Life.”

The chapter on building a dock is the best I’ve seen because it surveys the various floatation systems and offers a quick review of the advantages and disadvantages, of each system. When it comes to docks, the decking is easy - it’s the structure that makes the difference in whether it floats and how it will survive winters frozen in the ice.

The book has other great projects for summer weekends, from building toy boats to putting in a flagstone path.

Another book for people who like to spend summers living in their yards is “Summer Furniture: Practical Designs for the Backyard” by Tom Carpenter (Camden House, $18.95).

The woodworker’s plans range from an Adirondack chair to trestle tables to a planter box.

Pull up that chair: Starting Wednesday, area home and garden enthusiasts can spend all day watching others garden and repair their homes on TV. Cox Cable in Spokane will begin offering Home & Garden TV (HGTV) on Channel 55. The programming includes plenty of gardening how-to shows, as well as tours of famous gardens, home decorating and home remodeling.

Advice for free: Two new how-to booklets for novice do-it-yourselfers are available from Georgia-Pacific.

“Building Panels: How to Choose the Right Panel for Your Next Project” is an overview of the types of wood panels available. It explains the industry grading system and offers tips on handling, installing and finishing building panels.

“Nails: Choose the Right Nail for the Job!” explains how to select the correct nails for framing, decking, flooring, roofing and siding projects.

The booklets are free and are available by calling (800) BUILDGP.