How to Protect Exterior Wood A week ago, my lovely wife and our 2-year-old American Dirus dog were on Mt. Desert Island in Downeast Maine. We rented a tiny cottage just 12 feet from the shoreline of Bass Harbor. If you’re not familiar with this part of the USA, I can assure you it’s a […]
Crack Repair - Pinpoint the Cause Before Repairing Houses are just like you and me. As they age, they develop wrinkles or cracks. Some people don’t like wrinkled skin. Just as Ponce de León was searching for the fountain of youth, many people look for products to recreate their smooth teenage skin. Home centers sell […]
DIY Home Building - Be Prepared for Delays and Heartache As I look back on the decades of giving advice to homeowners like you, one thing stands out in my mind. I’ve always tried my best to tell you the truth about how hard or easy some tasks might be. That’s the opposite tact of […]
Wood Rot Prevention - There are Many Ways to Prevent Rot The inspiration for this column came to me this morning as I was greeting people at church. My wife and I are the head ushers at the 10:30 AM mass. In between people dashing through the door to avoid the drops of rain falling […]
This is a small image of my son's basement remodel plan. You can draw this with pencil, paper, and a ruler if you don't have a computer.
Architects Design Flawed Garages Time and Time Again Two weeks ago, on a whim, I recorded a 60-second video that I uploaded instantly to YouTube.com. I wanted to share one of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever seen in the common garage. I’m willing to bet you’re a homeowner who suffers from this oversight by architects […]
Room Addition Foundation - Get it Square and Level Are you feeling pinched by the current economy? I know I am. I shop for materials each week at the grocery store giving my lovely wife a break. She did it for the previous 45 years. Gasoline, food, insurance costs, interest rates, etc. are all way […]
Wood Shrinks and Swells Unequally - Not Like Fine Leather Gloves Wood is a true gift from God. It’s not much different than tomatoes, wheat, or corn in that wood is really a crop. Any farmer that’s lucky enough to have a stand, or bush, of maple trees on his farm will tell you that […]
Exterior Ceramic Tile - Best Way to Install It A fellow amateur radio operator reached out to me several days ago. My vanity call sign was coined after my Ask the Builder business. It’s W3ATB. The W3 stands for www for my AsktheBuilder.com website. This operator knew I’d be able to answer his question. He […]
Bad DIY Videos on YouTube Can Cost You Thousands of Dollars You may think that YouTube is an oasis of helpful home improvement videos. After all, anyone with a smartphone can upload a video in seconds. Each week I scour YouTube for videos I feel may help you save time and money. With each passing […]
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