HOW TO BUILD STAIRS: Key Tips & Tricks to Make Things Better (Videos Below)
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, helps homeowners understand how to build sturdy stairs that won’t creak under your feet.
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BEAUTIFUL BRICK: Watch These Videos & Learn Why Brick Construction is Great
There’s a lot to love about brick construction, and the two videos here show some of the reasons it’s easy to like bricks and why you might want to consider using them if you’re building new or adding a major…
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AGING AT HOME: Boosting Household Accessibility With a Porch Lift
I sometimes help seniors decide exactly how to renovate their home so they can age well in place, with no need to ever move into a nursing home. One of the first things we often look at is something called a…
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DECK FINISHING: “What Should I Do About Conflicting Deck Stain Advice?”
Making Sense of Deck Finishes Question: What should I do about conflicting advice I’m getting about deck finishing? I just built a new staircase out of cedar for my deck and the measured moisture content of the wood is less…
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HOME INTERIORS: Why Cast Iron Radiators Are Still Great Home Heating Option
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, discusses the aesthetics and efficiency of cast iron radiators as home heating options.
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HOME BUILDING: How Wooden I-joists, Composite Studs and Glulam Beams Deliver Better Buildings
Steve Maxwell shows us three applications where engineered lumber helps you build better buildings.
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CLASSIC BRICK: How to Design for Old-Fashioned Beauty
Over the last five years I’ve been trying to understand a kind of beauty I see from time to time. It has to do with old brick buildings and I think I have it figured out. The most impressive brick buildings…
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OUTDOOR WOOD: “How Can I Fix the Fuzzy Wood on My Deck?”
QUESTION: What should I do about the fuzzy surface fibers that developed on my deck? In the fall I stripped and pressure washed the wood and now it’s all fuzzy. I’m afraid that when I re-stain in the spring it…
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ASPHALT SHINGLE ROOF REPAIR: Climb Up Top With Me & See How It’s Done
Have you lost some asphalt roof shingles because of wind? Let me show you how to fix that with a job I did on my now house a while back. It’s got a steep roof, so it’s tricky to get up and…
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MULTI-FUEL GENERATORS: Ideal Option for Long-Term Outages
Home generators have never been more popular because people are more concerned than ever about backup electrical power when the grid goes down. What’s easy to miss is that without pre-planning, most generators won’t offer much benefit for outages lasting…
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ROOFS: Leak-Proof Alternative to Eavestrough
Sick and tired of leaky, clog-prone eavestrough? You might consider a trough-free alternative that Steve has used at his own place. Click to watch it in action.
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DOOR HINGE INSTALLATION: Watch Me Chop a Hinge Pocket for a Wooden Door I Built
Just for fun, here’s a two-minute peek over my shoulder as I use a super-sharp chisel and mallet to create a pocket for a hand-forged hinge for a wooden door I built. This is how all traditional hinges are installed.
