Steve Maxwell articles from the Toronto Star, Ottawa Citizen and Canadian Contractor

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VIDEO: Tips for Building Great Outdoor Timber Projects

Got some outdoor building projects in mind? Heavy timbers of the kind you can get at any building supply yard are a great material to use, and the tricks you’ll learn here will help make those timbers look terrific. Click […]

VIDEO: Fine Woodworking Without Wood

Wood is a wonderful material, but sunshine, rain and seasonal temperature swings can make it look weathered and cracked in short order. This is fine for some applications, but not others. That’s what gave me the idea to build an outdoor display […]

VIDEO: Tankless Water Heater Tour

I just finished installing a tankless water heater, and as I was testing the flow and adjusting the water temperature, it reminded me of this video. I made it a while back to explain how tankless water heaters work, and […]

HOMEOWNERS WANTED: Share How Insulation Improved Your Home and Win Prizes

Insulation is one of my favourite topics for articles and videos because insulation makes the difference between an expensive, uncomfortable house and an economical, comfortable place to live. The numbers show this fact and the experience of people do, too. Have you […]

Choosing a Toilet That Really Works

As gross as this looks, it’s not what you think it is. These cylinders of soybean paste are especially formed for testing toilets. And testing like this has done a lot to improve the performance of toilets around the world. Read on to see how . . .

VIDEO: How to Patch Big Holes in Drywall

Online video courses are the next big thing on the internet, and this way of learning is here to stay. I’ve been making and selling courses of my own for a few years, and the video below is from one […]

Time to Make the Trades Cool Again

Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, discusses the decline of people entering trade jobs in Canada.

VIDEO: How Vapour Barriers Work & Why They Matter

Most homes are insulated with some kind of insulation such as fibreglass or rock wool, but for these products to work properly they need to be installed with some kind of vapour barrier. This is vital to prevent the growth […]

VIDEO: Stair Tread Installation Trick

Are you building or renovating stairs? You’ve got to watch this video. It’s the first I ever posted online, it’s been public since November 28, 2008 and it’s still useful. It teaches a simple, cost-free way to mark new stair treads […]

WOODWORKING: Tips for Working With Rough Lumber

Milling rough lumber for workshop woodworking projects saves money, but it also opens more creative possibilities than standard, pre-dressed wood. That’s why woodworkers work with rough lumber, but success demands more than just running boards through your jointer and thickness planer. […]