How to Stay Sane During Home Renovations (Practical Tips That Work)
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, outlines his philosophy for home builds and renovation projects.
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Can You Install Carpet Over Vinyl Flooring? What Works, What Fails & What to Check First
Question: Can I install carpeting over the luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring in my basement? The current floor is dark in colour right now and makes the place feel like a dungeon. Answer: Do you happen to know if your…
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Tremclad Rust Paint Review: Does It Really Stop Rust?
This Tremclad rust paint review is based on more than 50 years of hands-on experience with outdoor steel. There’s one product I’ve happily used for decades, and it’s made especially for exterior steel: Tremclad rust paint. It’s my go-to paint…
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Church Interior Restoration: Cathedral Painters at Work
If you haven’t been to an old church for a while, you might consider going at least for the view. There’s a lot more painting skill behind traditional churches than you might realize, and it’s definitely worth looking at. Alex…
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Engineered Wood Building Products Deliver Better Homes and Performance
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, talks about engineered wood lumber materials, a popular eco-friendly option.
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Is Pine Good for Flooring? Pros, Cons & What To Expect
A subscriber asked: “Is knotty pine a good option for a finished floor? We’ve read your recommendations on this material, and would love to use it, but we’ve been advised not to. We’re told the wood will probably buckle, crack…
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Home Standby Generators: Size, Cost, Fuel Options and What You Need to Know
A number of years ago, some Toronto relatives of mine experienced an extended power outage over Christmas, and like many people in their area of the city they ended up being forced to move into a hotel during the holiday…
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Simple Portable Off-Grid Power for Cabins, Cottages and Blackouts
Off-grid power technology is getting better quickly in surprising ways, and this means it’s never been easier to enjoy running water and electric power for lighting and small cooking jobs in cabins and lakeside cottages that can’t connect to utility…
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How to Keep Upstairs Bedrooms Cooler in Summer (Even When Central AC Doesn’t Do It)
Is the second story of your home too hot in summer, despite air conditioning that’s running full blast and making lower levels too cold? Click for a real-world solution that solves the problem once and for all.
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How to Get Rid of Rotten Egg (Sulphur) Smell in Well Water
Question: How can I get rid of the rotten egg smell of the water at our cottage? It affects both the hot and cold supply. I’m told dumping chlorine down the well may help, at least for a while. What…
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Classic Wooden Stair Railing: See How It All Goes Together
There’s something satisfying about a solid, classic stair railing. That’s why I like what they call “box newel” railings. The name comes from the frame-and-panel newel posts that support the railing at each end. Click above for a 10-minute tour…
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Who Are the Top 5 Kitchen Remodelers in Minneapolis?
A kitchen remodel is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make to a home — but it’s also one of the easiest projects to get wrong. Between layout decisions, material choices, timelines and budgets, many homeowners feel overwhelmed…
