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Three tricks to “age” new wood
Go ahead—you can replace that bad board in your weathered boathouse, deck, or shed without the new one looking like an obvious fix. Try these time-tested techniques to “age” new wood. Before you...
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Woodstove heating inefficiently? Here’s a simple fix
Every airtight woodstove and fireplace insert has braided fibreglass rope installed around the door edge for a tight seal. Eventually, when it gets brittle or starts falling out, or when closing the...
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3 reasons why you need this cottage roof de-icing system
In the fall of 2017, I installed a unique, Canadian-made roof de-icing system on a cottage-country home with severe ice damming, and it’s worked perfectly ever since. The system is called Edge Cutter,...
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Save big on DeWalt and other cottage tools during Amazon Prime Big Deal Days...
Our editorial team independently selects these products. If you choose to buy any, we may earn a commission that helps fund our content. Learn more. If your cordless drill lasts half a charge and your...
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A Q&A with TV’s Todd Talbot
Cottage Life TV’s new documentary series, Todd Talbot Builds: The Passive House Project, follows the real estate expert and contractor—and former star of Love It or List It—as he and his wife, Rabecca,...
View ArticleCottage Coach: Which screwdriver heads should you keep in your tool box?
You likely have an array of screwdriver heads scattered in your cottage tool box. But how do you tell a Robertson from a Phillips screw? Cottage Coach Adam Holman walks you through how to identify the...
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Cottage Q&A: How to remove black stains from your cedar deck or fence
There could be a few different culprits behind the black stains on your beautiful cedar deck or fence. Luckily, most of them aren’t permanent. In this video, Cottage Life Editor Michelle Kelly explains...
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How to choose the right chain for your next DIY job
Hardware store displays of chain on giant spools can be daunting, but you really only need to make three decisions: how strong a chain you need; how much corrosion resistance it needs to have; and how...
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Cottage Coach: Tabletop ring hook game
You don’t need fancy screens or gadgets to keep everyone entertained for hours—just build the tabletop version of this classic ring hook game. Cottage Coach Adam Holman shows you how. To build this...
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5 ways to build a cottage that’ll last a lifetime
As we built our new home in cottage country, my husband, Robin, a healthy 30-something, often joked with visitors to our construction site that he planned to “die in this house.” In addition to...
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These cottagers turned a vintage Airstream into stylish spillover sleeping space
Neck-deep in a full renovation on their Bernard Lake, Ont., property, Stéphane Aubin and his partner, David Clemmer, realized they needed a home base. “We were renovating day in and day out, hopping...
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Here’s why a Swedish Torch is better than a campfire
Campfires are traditional at cottages, but for portability and concentrated heat, the Swedish Torch is a niftier contraption, using the chimney effect to feed a single-log fire with oxygen. Likely...
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Tereasa Surratt agreed to buy her husband’s childhood summer camp—and then...
When Tereasa Surratt agreed to buy and renovate her husband’s childhood summer camp, she did so reluctantly. By 2003, it had been neglected for 20 years, and its vibes were pretty Blair Witch-y. If...
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Cottage Q&A: How to prevent dock rot over the winter
We have an aluminum dock with cedar inserts. What is the best way to store it? We have always stacked it in its frame to keep it from warping, but I feel like the ends of the boards never get a chance...
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Cottage Q&A: How can I add passive ventilation to my cottage?
We have an uninsulated, 90-year-old cottage on the Gatineau River, Que. In the fall, we drain the plumbing, install wooden shutters over all windows and doors, and turn off the power. Inevitably it...
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Gift Guide: Holiday shopping for a DIYer? Try this mix of 9 affordable and...
Our editorial team independently selects these products. If you choose to buy any, we may earn a commission that helps fund our content. Learn more. If you like giving inexpensive gifts, it’s easy to...
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Could you void your insurance policy by DIYing electrical work?
The next time you strip wires for a DIY electrical fix, are you stripping your cottage of insurance, too? The answers cycle like alternating current—positive, negative, and back again. On the plus...
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This family cottage in Prince Edward County maximizes nature’s bounty
“We love the country, we love Prince Edward County, let’s look for a place there.’ ” Frank Park and his wife, Tracey, were first charmed by the bucolic slice of eastern Ontario when they visited in the...
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