Think you’ve seen everything log building has to offer? Think again, as we show you how this Canadian craftsman takes the craft to new levels.
Continue ReadingCottages & Cabins
Q&A OF THE WEEK: “What can I do to warm the floors of my 1875 cottage?”
Q: What can I do to warm the floors of my 1875 cottage? I recently bit the bullet, went below, and stuffed two layers of insulation batts between the floor joists above the crawl space. The floor is still freezing […]
Continue ReadingHow to Choose a Backup Generator & Three Options For Legal Connections
UPDATED 18Sep2020: Want the most economical kind of backup generator to provide power for your home or cottage or off-grid building project? Large portable models provide the most power for a given purchase price. But how do you connect a […]
Continue ReadingHOUSE & HOME: Let Me Sneak You In To See A Truly Beautiful House
When it comes to houses, there are two ways to look at things. You can see a house simply as shelter and a place to keep your stuff, or as an energizing, beautiful refuge of comfort and security. Click below […]
Continue ReadingQ&A OF THE WEEK: Is Knotty Pine Good For a Finished Floor?
Q: 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 and split […]
Continue ReadingBEAT THE HEAT: “How Can I Make Upstairs Bedrooms Cooler in Summer?”
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.
Continue ReadingDo You Have a Place Worth Loving?
Too few kids these days get to grow up wearing nothing but a swim suit all summer long. Country life puts everyone into constant contact with nature, and childhood experiences with rural places can be create memories and strengths that last a life time. Saying goodbye to these times can be hard, but there’s value in it, too.
Continue ReadingHELPLESSNESS, HUMILITY & A SWIMMING RAFT (Plus Project Plans!)
UPDATED 23Jul2020: I’ve only felt deeply and undeniably helpless once in my life, but it taught me a valuable lesson. Perhaps it will help you, too. A family of otters had something to do with the whole thing. It happened […]
Continue ReadingBRICK VENEER: A Great Homebuilding Option
UPDATED 23Jul2020 + video below: Masonry wasn’t my favourite homebuilding material when I got involved in building and renovation back in the mid-1980s, but 30 years of dealing with reality has changed my mind. Brick veneer, in particular, offers the […]
Continue ReadingQUALITY & MORALITY: Build Unto Others As You Would Have Them Build for You
If you do anything at all creative with your hands, you need to understand an idea I call “the challenge of a thousand decisions”. From moment to creative moment we’re all faced with decisions – many of them small – […]
Continue Reading Learn More from Bailey Line Road