Design is a make-or-break issues when it comes to renovations and new homes, but too often ideas about design come too small and too late. To make your place better, you need to think about the big design ideas you’ll find here and you’ll need to think about them early on, when they can have an influence on how your place feels and functions.
Continue ReadingPORTABLE GENERATOR: How to Choose One Wisely
As far as I can tell, there are two reasons more and more people are interested in buying portable generators. One is a lack of faith in the reliability of grid power. Low prices are the second. I’m not sure […]
Continue ReadingGAP-FREE WOODWORKING JOINTS: Simple Trick Makes It Easy
Sometimes a little woodworking trick can deliver a lot of value. That’s the case with an operation called “kerfing”. Click below to watch how I use kerfing to tighten up a visible joint that’s got more of a gap than […]
Continue ReadingWOODWORKING TRICK: How to Replace Jointer Blades So They Cut Great
Every good woodworker needs to be something of a mechanic. That’s because all woodworking machines need tender loving care from time to time. The jointer needs this more than most. Click below to watch a video I made a few […]
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HOW BRICKS ARE MADE: Video Tour of North America’s Largest Clay Brick Plant
The Brampton Brick manufacturing facility is the largest clay brick plant in all of North America. They produce about 800,000 bricks per day there with only 7 operators on staff at any given time. That’s more than 200 million bricks […]
Continue ReadingINSTALLING TRIM: Five Tips for Great Results (Plus Two Videos!)
Installing trim? Be sure to see the five tricks that’ll make the job easier. Bonus video, too!
Continue ReadingVAPOUR BARRIERS: How They Work & Why They Matter
Most homes are insulated with some kind of fibre-based insulation such as fibreglass or rock wool, but for these products to work properly they need to be installed with some kind of vapour barrier applied to the warm side of […]
Continue ReadingCERAMIC TILES: This is What a Proper Installation Looks Like
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, goes over how DIY homeowners can install ceramic tiles that last.
Continue ReadingOFF-GRID ENERGY: Tour a Real-World System With 20-Year Track Record
When Anne and Fritz Kettling decided to build their dream home on an island in Canada, they weren’t willing to compromise. “If I can’t build on this spot, I don’t want to build at all”, Fritz told someone who was […]
Continue ReadingEDGE-GLUING SOLID WOOD: Three steps for success in the home workshop
Gluing boards edge-to-edge to make wider pieces is an essential woodworking skill. Learn these three tips for getting this job done right.
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