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.
Question: Why isn’t my heat recovery ventilator (HRV) working? We’ve had the unit installed since our home was new five years ago, but windows still get wet with condensation each winter when it gets cold. Answer: Heat recovery ventilators offer…
Plug welds offer a simple way of joining two pieces of metal when you don’t want a visible weld bead. You can see a plug weld above that I made in my shop. Watch the video below for a plug welding…
If glue could create a perfect bond between pieces of wood in all situations, there would be no need for anything other than simple butt joints. But since adhesives will probably never get that good, woodworkers everywhere have developed ways…
Steve Maxwell, “Canada’s Handiest Man”, lets homeowners in on the pros and cons of living with a tankless water heater.
You know the thrill of turning raw materials into something uniquely yours, so choosing presents for fellow makers can feel like a project in itself. Before you wander hardware aisles aimlessly, remember that this website has lots of really great…
Travel back in time and see how one of the most famous hotels in the world was built – and saved – against all odds.
If you’ve got drain pipes that aren’t completely protected from frost by sufficient soil, you may have a huge problem waiting to happen. If that sewage line freezes up, it can be well into spring before it defrosts naturally. Click…
Question: How can I add insulation to the roof of a 500 square foot cabin without covering the rafters and roof boards you can see inside? My place is in the eastern townships of Quebec, Canada and we’d like to…
Over the last few years I’ve been increasing the productivity of the cattle pastures on our Manitoulin Island homestead, and a big part of this is rotational grazing. By restricting cattle to relatively small areas of the pasture for a…
Question: What should I put on the interior walls of a garage I’m converting to a workshop? I’ve kicked the car out and two of the walls are currently covered with OSB. Should I cover the remaining walls in OSB…
Building houses for a cold climate requires things that aren’t immediately obvious. Read on for five essential building strategies for success. A lot of people miss this stuff.