If you’ve got worn wooden floors and not enough money for professional refinishing, I’ve got an encouraging story to tell you about how to refinish hardwood floors yourself . . . saving substantial money and building your hands-on skills at…
Are you tired of having a cold basement in winter? This is a common complaint and the solution is not immediately obvious. If you’ve dealt with practical matters much, you know there can be a big difference between theory and…
If you’ve ever pulled up a section of baseboard during a DIY project and found a fine trail of sawdust-like material where none should be, you already know the sinking feeling. Maybe you were finally getting around to that basement…
Ants are among the most common household pests in the Southeast, and Alabama’s warm, humid climate creates ideal conditions for several species to thrive around residential properties. While it is tempting to treat every ant sighting the same way, different…
Sourcing cabinets for a kitchen remodel in Orlando is messier than most people expect. RTA Cabinet Suppliers can vary wildly in box construction quality, lead times, and what actually shows up at the job site versus what was promised. Contractors…
The hot water that comes out of your taps may be more of a danger than you realize. It all comes down to avoiding excess temperature, but one specific piece of hardware let’s you do something about it. Dangers of…
Canada’s Handiest Man, Steve Maxwell, has compiled a top 10 list of ways to reduce your home’s energy consumption and be more green.
In this week’s two-video episode see how stairs are supported on notched pieces called “stringers”; determine how many treads you need for a given stair installation; accurately mark a stringer for cutting; take a video tour of a cherry stair railing.
a circular saw and handsaw are used for cutting the stringers you’ve marked
the second video below shows how to build a fancy staircase railing
Anyone can put “licensed and insured” on a business card. When the furnace is down in January, most homeowners take those words on faith, and the unqualified operators in the trade are counting on exactly that. Homeowners across Canada can…
Older Toronto homes have plenty of character, but their pipes haven’t been touched in decades. Plumbing companies in Toronto deal with this every day, yet finding one that’s actually licensed, shows up fast, and won’t charge you double for a…
When a house stops working, the reflex is to add on. More square footage, out the back or up a storey. Additions have their place, but they are the most expensive answer to the question, and they are rarely the…
A few years ago I visited one of the largest, most advanced sawmills in North America, and I came away with something unexpected. This massive facility pumps out enough 2x4s and 2x6s to frame 15,000 homes each year, but it…