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4 tricks to restore scratched furniture
It takes just one scratch to mar a piece of cherished furniture. But repairing it can be fun and satisfying, especially when many of the remedies are close at hand. 1. Use oil For shallow scratches, I...
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7 cottage heating mistakes that you’re making
It’s getting cold out there! And you need to save every penny you can these days (we mostly all do). So, if you want to cut your heating costs, don’t make these common, money-sucking mistakes when it...
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The best—and worst—types of firewood to burn
Planning a cozy gathering around the hearth, woodstove, or firepit? Make sure you burn the right wood. For the healthiest, least smoky, and most efficient fires, here are four types of wood to eschew,...
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How to inspect (and care for) your cottage utility pole
Privately owned utility poles must be the most underappreciated part of getting electricity to the cottage, aside from maybe the bill. “For most private pole owners, if the pole’s standing and they...
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Cheap and simple DIY fixes for 10 annoying cottage problems
Steal these Cottage Life tested and approved tricks to solve 10 common cottage problems. Build it, fix it, get it done!Get Dockside DIY, for tips on how to maintain your cottage…and then someSign up...
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This guy turned an old boat…into a shed?
What do you do with a boat that doesn’t float? Consider taking inspiration from Brian Robitaille, who converted a derelict aluminum watercraft into striking lakeside storage. Long-time regulars at...
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Cottage Q&A: Preventing mould growth over winter
We close our cottage over the winter, and when we open up again in June, there is mould along the ceiling boards. (We used to get mould elsewhere until we started pulling the furniture away from the...
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3 quick fixes for a damaged countertop
If the laminate countertop in your cottage kitchen or bathroom has seen better days, here are three options for reviving the surface without a full-blown countertop replacement. 1) Filling scratches...
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Cottage Q&A: What’s causing our smelly septic?
We installed a toilet inside our cottage, and since then there is a sewage smell outside that seems to be coming from our vent stack. There are lots of trees and a large hill right behind our cottage....
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Steal these 7 CL-approved DIY tricks
Every cottage DIYer needs emergency fixes and how-to tricks to make life at the lake easier. Straight from the pages of Cottage Life magazine, here are seven of our recent favourites. Build it, fix it,...
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New changes to the 2024 Canadian Electrical Code will make it easier for...
The 2024 Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) will be issued on March 1, bringing with it sustainability-related specifications that will change how builders make upgrades. While the Code itself still needs...
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How to recalibrate your oven’s temperature
When the baguettes that you’ve perfected at home bake too slowly or fast at the cottage, your oven temperature may need recalibrating. Start by getting an accurate temperature reading. Place an oven...
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Stuff we like: Wood wall tiles
After 50 years of woodworking, I’m rarely surprised by new products. These wood wall tiles, made by Timber Tiles, are an exception. Cut obliquely from sustainably harvested Canadian hemlock, they...
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What is mass timber (and should you use it at the cottage)?
Mass timber is a class of engineered wood product made from layers of wood that are glued, heated, and laminated under pressure. The pattern of wood layers and laminating processes can differ, but all...
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Cottage Q&A: Bleeding deck knots
We had a new deck put up at our cottage. It was done with pressurized wood, maybe spruce? Many of the boards have knots in them. Some of the knots were weeping a whitish green substance. What is that,...
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Muskoka Lakes resident forced to install baseboard heaters after township...
In 2021, Gerald Parker and his family planned to build a passive home in Muskoka Lakes near Utterson, Ont. Parker designed the home to be as eco-friendly as possible and aimed to harness natural...
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The easiest way to sharpen your garden tools
A few minutes’ work with a file can make many garden tools, especially shovels, much easier to use. The same goes for axes, hoes, and garden trowels. All of these tools are meant for slicing, and a...
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3 essential spring window tune-ups
If your cottage windows have condensation or wet sill plates, it’s a sign that something’s wrong. Ignore a weepy window, and you’ll eventually have to contend with mouldy frames, rotten studs, and...
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This tucked-away treehouse is a modern take on a childhood dream
Like the annual growth rings on a thick tree trunk, the details of Cam and Lauren Green’s treehouse near Minden, Ont., reveal the couple’s backstory in rich layers. “It’s one of those things that feels...
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7 yardwork mistakes that you don’t know you’re making
Spring is the time to roll up your sleeves and knock off some chores—indoors and outdoors—before the cottage season really ramps up. Tackling the exterior property maintenance tasks first? Don’t make...
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