Being a carpenter isn’t always fun. We work hard, in the weather, and it’s a tough way to make a buck.
There are, however, aspects of the craft that, to me, are priceless like being able to build things for–and with–my family. We’ve made everything from “timber” mantles to coat racks to the frame for our wedding picture (hundred year old, nail embedded studs we pulled out of a remodel…awesome.)
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Glass block? I already know what you’re thinking. Glass block = cheesy, 1970s renovation disaster. When can I take a crow bar to it? (OK,…
For customers hoping their roof can be more art than asphalt, materials like quarried slate and thick cedar shakes come into play. They’re timelessly beautiful…
Question: I’m planning to build a pergola. I’ve heard that you’re supposed to stain the end-grain of the wood to maximize its life. I’m building…
For builders scouting heating features and upgrades for a new home or remodel, thinking green (or greener) or fielding questions about effective ways to keep…
If there are two trends I notice in cordless drilling and driving, they are these: .44 Magnum-type 18- and 24-volt drill/hammer drills tend to be…
So here’s not my favorite job: scraping paint and coatings and repainting them. But to underestimate the importance of a proper paint job is to…
Mark & Theresa are inside the Ultimate Tool Playground at the Craftsman Experience in downtown Chicago, where it’s all about real tools, real wood,…
Mark and Theresa take you inside Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s 200th episode where they build 7 houses in 7 days for Joplin residents. In this…
Ever thrown a shovel full of dirt into a wheelbarrow only to have it tip over? Yup…me too. So here’s a MyFixitUpLife QuickTip for keeping…
Hello, Mark. I’m once again turning to you for some DIY advice and guidance. Looking to re-stain my deck. What are the key elements (product…
Mark & Theresa take a break from building the Real Wood playset in Cunningham Park, Joplin, MO. MyFixitUpLife and Real Outdoor Living have teamed up…
All shovels—even if we call anything with a handle and scoop that—are not created equal. And in our lives as home improvement contractors, we have…
Make a splash. I love details. Now that doesn’t mean I can’t see the forest for the trees, so when I see new products that…
Four years after introducing the first battery-only powered finish nailers, Senco is already on the second generation. And you know what? I’m starting to hear…
Recent supercells (intense wind and lightning storms) have been dropping old and shallow rooted trees where I live for the past month. I’ve been cleaning…
