Outdoors
This is where you’ll find lots of information for hands-on success outside. Gardening, farming, vehicle maintenance and repair, outdoor structures and more.
Review the entire Archive of Outdoors Articles here, or do a more in-depth search to find what you’re looking for.
Creative Renovation Ideas That Add Function Without Adding Square Footage
When a house stops working, the reflex is to add on. More square footage, out the back or up a…
EASIER COTTAGE LIVING: Low-maintenance Design & Building Strategies
Cottages and rural retreats are great, but not if you have to work on them all the time. Read five…
RURAL LIVING: The Essential Habits of Highly Successful Homesteading
Feel like opting out of the rat race and making it on your own in the country? It’s a great…
Building a Fabric Structure: What I Learned (Before You Buy One)
Fabric structure buildings have become a popular option for barns, equipment storage, workshops and agricultural buildings. Compared with traditional framed…
How to Turn Trees Into Firewood (The Right Way)
If trees grow where you live, then making them into firewood is a great way to reduce heating costs and…
CEDAR RAIL FARM FENCES: How They Tell the Story of Hope & Fear on Manitoulin Island
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, maintains a tradition of cedar rail farm fences by continuing to use and upkeep them…
How to Make Small Logs Into Lumber Without a Sawmill
Question: Is it possible to make something from the oak tree I cut down at my place? I don’t have…
Why Hearing Protection Matters for Lawn Care, Woodworking, and DIY Projects
A Saturday spent improving the yard can become noisy before the first cup of coffee has gone cold. The mower…
PICKUP TRUCK EXTENDER: “Big Bed” Stands the Test of Time
Steve Maxwell, Canadas Handiest Man, sheds light on a new rural Canadian invention, Seg-Ins Big Bed, a truck extention that…
Building a 42×80-Foot Fabric Structure: Complete Video Series
Need a large, economical building for equipment storage, farm machinery, vehicles, livestock, warehousing or workshop space? This video series follows…
How to Build a Mason Bee House: Plans, Instructions & Video Tour
Want to boost pollinators in your garden? Encourage mason bees with this simple but effective DIY project. Click here or…
FREEZE-PROOF WATER: How to Protect a Raised Cabin Water Line from Freezing
Got a water supply line from a well or lake that can’t be buried enough to protect from freezing? The…
WHEELCHAIR RAMPS: How to Build a Good One for Your Home or Business
A wheelchair ramp is one of the single most important feature you can build into any home where people with…
VEHICLE WORK: Trick For Drilling Holes Under a Vehicle
If you’ve ever had to drill into a vehicle frame or other heavy steel with a hand-held drill, you’ll want…
ECONOMICAL HEATING: A Tour of My Outdoor Wood Boiler
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, outlines the benefits of an outdoor wood furnace as an alternative heating option thats energy…
Fix Cloudy Headlights Fast With Simple Polishing Products
Has your vehicle developed cloudy headlight lenses? It happens with older vehicles, but the fix is simple. Click below to…
Simple Outdoor Wood Finishing: What Works Best Outside?
Outdoor wood finishing seems simple until you try to keep new wood looking new. Cedar, pine and other exterior woods…
Stacking Firewood: Why Round Piles Work So Well
Stacking firewood in round piles can look unusual at first, but it’s one of the most practical ways I’ve found…
Garden Mulch: Make Your Own from Garden Waste with a Chipper Shredder
If you want better soil, fewer weeds, and less watering, garden mulch is one of the best tools you can…
Farm Innovation in Action: Two Efficiency-Boosting Machines on an Ontario Beef Farm
Key Takeaways Successful farming today is about more than growing crops and raising livestock. It also depends on the right…
How to Insulate Cottage for Year-Round Living (and Keep Water Flowing)
Key Takeaways What Makes Cottage Insulation Different from House Insulation? A seasonal cottage often begins life with very different assumptions…
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This is where you’ll find lots of information for hands-on success outside. Gardening, farming, vehicle maintenance and repair, outdoor structures and more.