Steve Maxwell

Steve Maxwell is an award-winning technical writer, syndicated columnist and technical editor for Canadian Home Workshop magazine, Steve is an expert on everything under the workshop roof. He'll tell you how to do things the right way using the both the latest technology and tried-and-true techniques.

Steve's Columns

• Insulation innovation holds promise for true energy efficiency
• Solar energy success
• Foam forms moving skyward
• Home workshops can be more than a hobby
• Removing oil-based paint from brick
• Home renovations a high-stakes game
• Not all 'certified' home inspectors are equal
• Picture hanging made easy
• Old-world router delivers 21st century features
• New Canadian website helps homeowners find good tradespeople
• Best material for kids' play structures
• Cordless drill that works when you need it
• How to protect the wall behind a wood stove
• Shedding light on compact fluorescent mania
• What is the best location for a furnace?
• Combo kits offer best bang for your cordless tool buck
• What is the best product for painting concrete floors?
• Central vacs always good, now better
• Holes in poured concrete basement walls
• Furnace replacement
• Kitchen laundry saves time, trouble and looks great
• Horizontal or vertical drywall in basements?
• A better base for ceramic tiles
• How to shop for a drill
• Laser engraving
• Eliminating rooftop ice
• Pre-finished or traditional wood floors?
• Reflective insulation saves money and environment in new ways
• Online blinds
• Self-directed home design
• DIYer's best friend celebrates 40th anniversary
• Living Through the Mess: Drywall dust survival guide
• Window shopping
• Home juicer makes autumn harvest sweeter
• New insulation products save heating costs
• Finishing basements requires special care
• Insulating a century home
• Finding the perfect axe
• Solatube solution
• The three things you need to re-finish your deck
• Finger-scan lock reduces entry hassles
• Shingles: Fiberglass vs. organic
• Recessed light fixtures
• Pellet stoves: the big picture
• Replacement tool battery racket is now history
• Deck board spacing
• Finishing the basement
• Window condensation tip of iceberg
• Hand tools that rule
• Hardwood over radiant heat
• Christmas shopping help
• Brick failure explained
• Hardwood over radiant heated concrete
• Warming winter windows
• Outdoor plugs need TLC
• Painting vinyl windows
• Two-stroke engines run cleaner than ever
• Good wood floors
• Sharpening tools can be quick and easy
• Installing underground electrical cable
• Cold room tune-up
• Window, doors and exterior foam
• Dealing with lots of ants
• Decks that shed water
• Replacing window screen
• Expert advice on how to build a long-lasting deck
• Humid basement solution
• Sump pump solutions
• Fast and effective Rx for dull drill bits
• Garage floor repairs
• Preventing basement sewage back-ups
• Transition Decision
• Classy prefinished flooring
• Ventilation education
• Ceramic tile removal
• Aluminum screen know-how
• Fixing floor flex
• Household venting options
• New windows, more condensation
• Dealing with floorboard gaps
• How to build a safe, backyard play set for your kids
• Sauna moisture control
• Finishing a wooden closet
• Dry basement key to successful finishing
• Dealing with goopy antiques
• More heat from less wood
• Wood finishing success
• Grounding a dust collector
• Deck on concrete
• Polish brass hardware
• Under-deck storage idea
• Home generator hook-up
• Finishing a basement floor
• Copper pipe corrosion
• Garage floor fix
• A trio of tips for basement renovation success
• Ceramic tile sealer?
• Sewage safeguards
• Uneven floor fix
• Fixing window screen
• Potlight bascis
• Patching a pitted garage floor
• Peeling paint on textured surfaces
• Getting glue off concrete steps
• Installing vinyl over ceramics
• Dealing with wood paneling overload
• Venting multiple exhaust appliances
• Building the warm door
• Repairing a damaged floor finish
• Interchangeable screwdrivers boost home order
• Refinishing woodwork
• Wavy basement floor fix
• Flushing failure solutions
• Upgrading half-wall basement insulation
• Septic tank access hatch
• Window condensation is coming
• Insulating a block wall
• Finishing a wood threshold
• Removing a toilet rack
• Insulating an old place
• Correct buffing technique makes all the difference in woodworking
• White ring removal
• Taming a noisy drain
• Dryer cost control
• Best-value countertop
• Porch post problems
• Staining birch
• Birch is Beautiful
• Better Bookshelves
• World's best floor insulation
• Refinishing a wooden boat
• A-1 Skylight Installation
• Basement Mold Control
• Kitchen Cabinet Refresh
• Removing carpet gunk
• DIY Concrete Countertops
• Fixing Damaged Furniture Finishes
• Improving Softened Water Taste
• Wood on Walls
• Oil Stove Basics
• Wide Floor Cracks Fixed
• Drying Out a Damp Crawl Space
• Dealing With Wood Gum
• Finishing Bathroom Cedar
• Child-Safe Toy Finish
• Moulding Restoration
• Basement Insulation Strategy
• Cottage Water Pump Fix
• Tile Grout Replacement
• HRVs and Summertime Humidity
• Troubleshooting a Wet Basement Nightmare
• Moldy Ceiling Fix
• Tubular Skylight Too Hot?
• Floor Finish Repairs
• Dealing With an Uneven Basement Floor
• Lazy Toilet Solutions
• Next time, throw a workshop birthday party for your kids
• Basement Wall Insulation
• Cottage Flooring Options
• Water Supply Shut-Off
• Challenging Air Conditioner Drain
• Block Wall Insulation
• Better Tasting Water
• Parging Preservation
• Preventing Basement Fuzz
• Oil Tank Replacement
• Blocking Air Conditioner Noise
• Silencing Noisy Drains
• New Basement Finishing Plans
• Foundation Crack Fundamentals
• Septic System Moss
• Fixing Leaky Valleys
• Choosing Competent Contractors
• Wood Siding Replacement
• Silencing Squeaky Stairs
• Suspended Ceiling Solutions
• Hiding Ugly Paint
• Fixing Wiggly Chairs
• Ceramic Tile Shower
• Wood Deck on Concrete Slab?
• Painting Outdoor Metal
• Choosing a Chainsaw
• Removing Old Deck Stain
• Ceramics Over Plywood?
• Roof Valley Treatment Options
• Metal Roof Facts
• New Home Quality
• Rooftop Moss Control
• Finishing Board and Batten Siding
• Innovative Building Systems
• Installing Pine Panelling
• Removing Stubborn Underpad
• Flaky Chimney Fix
• Bad Ceiling Repair
• Crown Moulding Success
• Alternative Energy Technologies
• Painted Floor Strategies
• Ceramics Over Vinyl
• Flaking Floor Fix
• Flat Roof Assessment
• Eliminating Water Hammer
• Refinishing Outdoor Furniture
• Buying a Circular Saw
• New Gas Furnace?
• Condo Sound Control
• Building a New-Home Deck
• Maintaining Outdoor Teak
• Choose a Router
• Sound-Resistant Basement Ceiling
• Window Repair or Replacement?
• Power-driving wood screws gets better
• Softened Water Taste
• Stripping Walnut
• Opening Up a Room
• Finishing a Wood Table
• Chimney Cap Details
• What's a generator good for, anyway?
• Eliminating Drain Smells
• Concrete Floor Repair
• DIY Wood Floor Finishing
• Sanding Wood Smooth
• Solid-Surface DIY
• Eliminating Floor Bounce
• Cracked Heat Exchanger
• Assessing Roofing Options
• Fixing Nail Polish Table Damage
• Painting an Acrylic Shower Stall
• Cleaning Interior Logs
• Building a Basement Clothes Closet
• Insulating a Floor
• Warming the Room Over the Garage
• Insulation Upgrade
• Cordless Circular Saw Quest
• Concrete Countertops Rock
• Repairing Bathroom Drywall
• Dealing With White Basement Fuzz
• Waterproof Roof Deck
• Foundation Wall Rx
• Wall Panel Installation
• Solving Clothesline Twists
• Finishing Wooden Chopping Block
• New Windows Are Wet
• Painting Vinyl Siding
• Ceiling Tile as Vapour Barrier?
• Finishing cherry wood cabinets
• Chainsaw savvy
• Closed-valley shingling options
• Improving the efficiency of a fireplace
• Eliminating bathroom sink odours
• Fixing Floor Squeaks
• Soundproofing Basement Walls
• Wood Foundation
• Repair Furniture Scratches
• Drying Out a Basement
• Fixing Hardwood Floor Scratches
• Faucet Screen Maintenance
• Raccoon Control
• Hardwood Flooring Troubles
• Pillar-Free Basements
• Rejuvenating a Formica Countertop
• Protecting garage floors against salt
• Reclaiming Dryer Heat
• Solving Hot Water Woes
• Building Firm Railings
• Choosing a Floor Finish
• Solving the window-condensation problem
• Frost-Proof Cottage Water Systems
• Window Replacement
• Trimming a Door
• Purchase of Multiple Routers Saves Marriage
• Installing Laminate Floors in a Cottage
• Cracking Ceramic Tiles
• Repairing Holes in Wood
• Hiding Drywall Screws
• Radiant In-Floor Heating
• Insulating Exterior Walls
• Airsealing Around Windows and Doors
• Understanding Attic Ventilation
• Upgrading Basement Insulation
• Finishing Indoor Wood
• Painting Paneling
• Eliminating Exhaust Fan Drips
• Cold cellar problem
• Radiant floor heating
• Wall repair first step to a good paint job
• Dish and clothes washers now do more with less
• New fridges and ranges offer more than meets the eye
• Polishing brass
• Frugal floor treatment
• Better-built retaining walls
• Furnace replacement?
• Deck finishing
• Condo noise control
• Old wood siding
• Parging problems
• Pressure washers
• Sawdust disposal
• Outdoor wood furniture finish
• Shed help
• Exterior painting success
• Whole house fans
• New home deck
• Deck de-splintering
• Siding mold
• Ceramic tile over vinyl
• Butcher block
• Soundproofing strategies
• Oak trim
• Rejuvenating teak
• Insulation upgrade
• Countertop spruce up
• Secure drywall anchors
• Floor trouble
• Rusty railing
• Cold floor over garage
• Carving-wood supply
• Workshop respite
• DIY laminate floors
• Canadian dowel jig worth a look
• Steamy bathroom
• Insulated concrete forms
• Fire-rated SIPs
• Wide-board furniture design
• Finishing a basement
• Cottage drywall
• Dent repair
• Floor and roof trusses
• Exterior foam insulation
• Soundproofing the basement shop
• Biscuit joiner tricks and tips
• Vermiculite risk
• Basement fuzz
• Easier wood splitting
• Insulated duct work
• Window well fix
• Choosing the Router of Your Dreams: Performance has never been better, choice has never been wider
• Countertop caulking
• Garage road salt
• Cold room tactics
• Burned routed edges
• Pressure-treated safety
• Troublesome trusses
• Ceiling salvage
• Exposed brick
• Railing retrofit
• Soundproofing a wooden floor
• Reclaiming dryer heat
• Building better fences
• Wallpaper as flooring
• Replacement windows
• Finishing outdoor chairs
• Tankless water heater
• Fixing a mouldy cold room
• Steel stud stains
• Trimming a door
• Air nailer quest
• Ceramic tile base
• Laminate floor for the cottage
• Painted paneling
• Paving-brick primer
• Insulation under siding
• Concrete countertops
• Pressure-treated switch-over
• Outdoor spruce
• Pool deck alternatives
• Keeping basements dry and toasty
• Finishing a fence
• Vapour barrier failure
• World-class infill planes made by hand in Canada
• Woodstove rebuild
• Indoor wood rot
• Door threshold replacement
• In-floor brick heating
• Leveling a basement floor
• Eavestrough drip fix
• Polishing Brass Entry Hardware
• Filling Trim Holes
• HRV Without Ducts?