OUTDOOR PLAYSETS: Tips & Plans for Building Your Own
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, talks to homeowners about how to build a safe and fun wooden play area for children on their back lawn.
-
-
PREPAREDNESS: Why The Electricity Grid Could Go Down for Months (and what you can do about it)
Our world has become entirely dependent on centrally supplied electricity, and this has brought a lot of good to humanity. That said, there’s good reason to believe that the reliability of this electrical supply isn’t as solid as it might…
-
OUTDOOR PROJECTS: Real-World Tricks for Working With Posts, Beams & More
There are tricks that make a big difference to the visual success of outdoor woodworking projects, and that’s what you’ll learn about here. You’ll find them useful for almost every project involving big, exterior wood. Decks, docks, gazebos, swing sets,…
-
HOW TO GET RID OF GNATS – 10 Fast, Easy Ways That Really Work
The term “gnat” means different things to different people, but generally they’re small biting and non-biting flying insects that often appear in groups. Sometimes spelled “nats” or “knats”, the annoyance they cause when flying around your home remains the…
-
YARD & GARDEN: How Poor Soil Conditions Can Sabotage Your Driveway from Below
Your driveway’s biggest enemy is not the weather or heavy traffic – it is what lies beneath the surface. While most homeowners focus on choosing the right paving material, the soil underneath determines whether your investment will last decades or…
-
HOMEBUILDING: Furnace-Free House in Cold Toronto Heats for $20/Month
Learn About Reiner Hoyer’s fantastic super-efficient furnace free home and how he stays warm during the Toronto winters.
-
PLUMBING: My Favourite Way to Make PEX Water Pipe Connections
Join more than 85,000 people who have watched and learned from Steve’s tour of the ProPEX pipe and connection system.
-
“How Can I Shorten a Door to Allow for Higher New Flooring?”
Question: What’s the best way to shorten two wooden doors as part of a laminate floor job I’m planning? I need advice for marking and cutting the bottom of these doors accurately and without splinters. Answer: This job is actually…
-
STONEWORKING: Splitting A Monster Rock With Plug-and-Feather Wedges
When a huge stone was uncovered while excavating for an addition my son Robert is building, we got out our fastest rock drill and some ancient tools called plug and feather wedges. You can see the situation in the video…
-
HOMEBUILDING: Watch Last Stone Being Laid After 31 Years
On July 4, 1987, I laid the first stone in what would be the basement of my homestead house on Manitoulin Island, Canada. Back on July 26, 2018 I laid the last stone in the last of four peaks in this…
-
HOMEBUILDING: Why Brick Ties Are Vital & See An Excellent Version
Brick ties are hidden pieces of hardware that tie brick veneer to the underlying wall frame of some modern house. Conventional brick ties are one of those common construction details that strikes me as just barely good enough to do…
-
ANCHORING TO CONCRETE: Powder-Actuated Tools Make It Easy
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, informs homeowners of the benefits of powder-actuated tools (PATs), especially for basement renovations.
