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I have a 100SF cottage that I want to run power to. My initial idea was to put a 30 amp breaker in the garage and run wires to the cottage. The run would be about 170 feet, and calculators state I would probably need a 6 or even 4 gauge wire, and my eyeballs just about popped out of my head when...

I read that deck railing posts are supposed to be maximum 6 feet apart by code. I have an odd-shaped deck that I am building in the trees. One section of it is 7.5 feet long. Would you experienced carpenters call it good and have the rail span that 7.5 feet between posts, or add a post midway...

I have a Porter Cable circular saw and recently have been abusing it a bit during a deck project - full depth cuts into beams, lots of cuts on 2x8's, 2x10's etc. I'm on my third blade since this project started. The original blade quit cutting during the deep cuts into the beams so I replaced it...

Is there any reason to use T&G other than the need to hide the nail holes? I'm looking to have cedar paneling directly on the studs for a new rustic guest bathroom. The nail holes don't bother me. I was thinking the regular boards would allow me to save a little money and choose boards with more...

I was wondering if any of you really clever types could help me with an idea I have. I'd like to come up with a contraption capable of pumping large quantities of diatomaceous earth into a yellow jacket ground nest. Something like a compressor hooked up to a PVC pipe but how to feed the dust...

I'm finishing up the hearth pad for my wood stove and I need to add the trim pieces around the edge. I've read a lot of differing opinions and techniques on finishing the trim - stain, varnish, seal, combinations of the three. What is your preferred technique and stain product? After I install...

I'm not a fan of drywall. I'd prefer to use something like THIS (note I'm not interested in this particular product it's just an example). What are peoples general opinions on this kind of siding? Should I be worried about the increased fire danger over drywall?

For those of you familiar with sheep panel - anyone have any ideas on what I could use for hinges for a 4x4 section of sheep panel for a simple gate?

I have an old steel 500 gallon septic tank that is in bad shape. I'm going to need a bigger one when I replace it to comply with current codes. My question is, what exactly do you gain with a larger tank? Using the following article as reference...

We are working on getting a soapstone wood stove which weighs about 450 pounds. The hearth pad will add another 150 pounds at least to the total weight that will sit on the floor. I decided to get into the crawl space and see what's going on, and this being a very old house with decades of DIY...

I'm trying to get a plan together to start re-insulating my old house. The current insulation is a hodgepodge of materials, techniques, and placement of insulation. It's really quite ridiculous. The rats and mice have made a mess of it as well. I have a few preliminary questions that will help...

I have a detached garage that is on a slab foundation. The previous owner added a "craft room" in the rear of the structure by walling it off and adding a floor 6 inches off the concrete. It seems that this floor is just some 2x6's as floor joists with plywood and tiles for the floor. I don't...

I wanted to post this problem I resolved as reference for someone who might need the info in the future. This is our first winter in an oil-heated home so it's new to me. I came home last week during the coldest day of the year (around 10 degrees f) to find that the house was freezing, and...

When I bought our house in the country this summer, I promised the GF that I would build an enclosure for her cats since the house sits pretty close to the road. I had a week off and my dad was game to help me out so we built this completely ridiculous cat structure. We had a good time doing it...

Hello everyone, I just purchased an old homestead late last summer and I've been overwhelmed with the process of learning about the house and starting repairs. Looking forward to learning from all you knowledgeable folks here!