Do you have mold and mildew stains to remove? Back in July 2018, I wrote a story on the evolution of oxygen-based stain removers over the last 10 years and how these products have advanced with next-generation formulations that are […]
Continue ReadingWINTERIZING WATER SYSTEMS: Simple System Is 100% Reliable
Dealing with a seasonal water system may be the least enjoyable part of owning a lakeside home or rural getaway, but it doesn’t have to be this way. The frustration and uncertainty endured draining water pipes in the fall and […]
Continue ReadingSTONE HOME FINALE: Watch Video of Last Stone Being Laid
In July 1987, I laid the first stone in what would be the basement of my homestead house on Manitoulin Island, Canada. On July 26, 2018 I laid the last stone in the last of four peaks in this stone […]
Continue ReadingHOUSE & HOME: Two Properties With Two Great Video Stories
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 you can see it as an energizing, beautiful refuge of comfort […]
Continue Reading
Got a Question for Steve?
[pirate_forms]
SUCCESS & FAILURE: How “Personal RPM” Affects Your Life
When people ask me what I do for a living, the conversation usually goes like this . . . I explain that for 20+ years I’ve supported my wife and five kids family with a combination of digital work and […]
Continue ReadingBRICK VENEER DONE RIGHT: Tech Tips for Successful Installations
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to brick veneer. The word “veneer” implies something thin and skimpy, but it’s actually one full brick thick – about 3 1/2″. Most of the modern brick homes and commercial buildings […]
Continue ReadingHOME STANDBY GENERATORS: Choosing & Using Automatic Backup Power At Your Home
BONUS: Don’t miss the two tech videos below. More and more people are deciding to get proactive about electrical power supply at homes, cottages and small businesses, and that’s why standby generators are gaining in popularity. Declining reliability of the […]
Continue ReadingDETAIL SANDERS: Tips for Using This Key Tool for Outdoor Wood Refinishing
Summer is the season you’re most likely to refinish outdoor trim, door frames, window sashes and finickity woodwork of all kinds, and detail sanders are tools I’ve come to rely on for this kind of work. Also called multitools these days because they can also cut and grind, detail sanders are not for stripping back large expanses of bare wood.
Continue ReadingLAWN CARE: High-Mileage Zero-Radius Mower Keeps On Cutting
Canada’s Handiest Man, Steve Maxwell, sings the praises of a lazy man who revolutionized lawn maintenance by inventing a zero-radius turning lawnmower.
Continue ReadingQ&A: How Can I Dispose of Shavings From My Planer?
Q: I recently bought a benchtop wood planer and have been happily generating bags and bags of sawdust in my workshop. Trouble is, I just found out that my municipality doesn’t accept sawdust as garbage. How can I dispose of […]
Continue Reading