A while back I talked to a young pastor about a building project he had in mind. His church is planning to put up a new multi-purpose building, and their architect recommended structural insulated panels (SIPs) for the walls. I…
As some of you know, my wife, Mary, was suddenly diagnosed with an advanced case of chordoma in May 2024. That’s a very rare, slow-growing cancer that affects the spine and lower skull. Only one in one million people are…
Recently, the people at Mobil 1 asked if I’d be interested in partnering with them to make a how-to video on DIY motor oil changes. Naturally, I said “yes”, both because I’m a big believer in doing this work yourself,…
Question: What’s causing the clay brick on the entrance wall of my house to peel and flake? It was built in the mid-1980s, and all the houses in our neighbourhood have the same problem. I’ve asked many of the masons…
The phrase “cold feet” is more than just something someone says when they’ve lost enthusiasm. In some houses it’s a permanent source of literal discomfort each winter. Bathrooms, basements, floors over crawlspaces and those notoriously cold bedrooms over garages are…
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, discusses how to properly replace the handle on a hand tool.
The more I work with wood, the less I like sawdust. Besides the health risks, it’s just plain bothersome, especially when it’s airborne dust. That’s why my ideal workshop experience is as dust-free as possible. This is the motivation behind…
Got a water line that needs to be protected from frost? Watch an actual installation video that I made a while back showing a smart heating cable on a cottage country water line. This system is so efficient you don’t…
Back in the 1990s, I learned a valuable lesson that I haven’t forgotten. It happened over a ten year period while I interviewed dozens of construction company owners and executives for ongoing articles I wrote for a magazine called Carpenter. The…
Listen into to the last of a 3-part conversation Steve had with a young man wondering about leaving his life in the city and building a home a livelihood for himself in the country.
Ever thought of building a country life for yourself? Join Steve for part 2 of a 3-part conversation he had helping a young man with questions about setting out to build a modern homesteading lifestyle for himself.
81-year-old Marc Smith has been making and selling specialty windows since 2000, and he’s been doing it online. He was one of the first to venture into online sales, and his windows impress me. Watch this video to see why.