Products
HelpingYouFinish.ca, a superb website for DIYers, has lots to offer contractors, too
by Steve PayneHelpingYouFinish.ca has been launched by Rust-Oleum Canada, who bring you such well-known brand names as Tremclad, Varathane, EpoxyShield and Zinsser.
Fusion Stone delivers just about everything that contractors and their customers are looking for (Sponsored post)
by Robert KociContractors are constantly on the lookout for better, easier, and more profitable ways to provide quality products and performance to their customers. Fusion Stone (www.fusionstone.ca) can help with that
PPG launches Mulco Supra Elite bubble-free sealant
by Steve PayneThis high-performing sealant meets the most stringent Canadian regulatory standards for VOC levels.
All Weather Windows receives ENERGY STAR "most efficient" designation
by Steve PayneIn 2013, All Weather Windows was also named ENERGY STAR Manufacturer of the Year in the fenestration products category.
Tax tips for self-employed contractors from the Canada Revenue Agency
by Steve PayneThe tax filing deadline this year for self-employed contractors is June 16th. Don’t forget to save a few bucks with your “tradesperson’s tools deduction” and, for employers, the “apprenticeship job creation tax credit.”
Can this new wall panel system help you finish a basement FIVE times faster?
by Steve PayneAn Ontario company, DRIcore, says its new Smartwall product can be a “game-changer” for any contractor who is in the business of finishing basements.
Want to learn how to build and sell a high-performance home? Attend these Union Gas seminars…
by Robert KociUnion Gas partners with builder Andy Oding and building expert Tex McLeod to help Ontario builders improve their selling and building processes
Hardwood flooring that purifies the air?
by Steve PayneThe air-purifying flooring is available at specialty flooring retailers across Canada for between $5.25 and $12.75 per square foot, depending on the specific type and style.
Do you have what it takes for TV?
by Steve PayneA producer of home renovation shows is looking for “the next great contractor for TV.” They are looking for “an experienced and reputable contractor with a big personality.”
Masons launch campaign against National Building Code's anticipated wood-frame provisions
by Brynna Leslie“An attack ad has reignited a simmering feud between the Canadian wood industry and rival groups in the construction sector,” according to an article in the Edmonton Journal. Since British Columbia introduced its Wood First Act in 2009, the Canadian…
CertainTeed receives environmental product validation
by Brynna LeslieU.S.-based CertainTeed has met an environmental milestone. The company announced on November 1 that it is the first manufacturer to complete the UL Environmental Claim Validation (ECV) process for its full line of gypsum products. UL Environmental is a privately-run…
Steve's two trucks: A personal history
by Steve MaxwellA good work truck is your most important power tool. It’s as important as any lead hand. Here’s my personal story about my two vintage Ford Trucks. Tell us your own truck story for a chance to win an iPad.
Milwaukee Tool sponsors Canadian Contractor's RenoSummit business seminars, just six weeks away.
by Robert KociIf you aren’t making enough money as a renovator, it’s quite possibly NOT your building skills. It’s your business skills that need sharpening. At our one-day RenoSummit seminars, Nov. 5 (Whitby, ON), Nov. 6 (Toronto) and Nov. 8 (London, ON), you can learn how to make the money you really deserve.
The ABCs of ICFs, a review
by Robert KociSince we ran our first article on ICFs (Insulated Concrete Forms) on this website last year, we’ve had a LOT of questions from contractors about what ICFs are, and how they can be used in renovation contracting and new homebuilding. Here’s the article again, with some interesting posts underneath it, including one today from Gary Brown at Amvic System, a major Canadian ICF supplier.
Canada's top renovators to gather in Las Vegas for Remodelers Advantage Business Summit
by Steve PayneFrom Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, just three weeks from now, some of the most successful renovators in North America, including dozens of Canadians, will gather in Las Vegas. The Remodelers Advantage Business Summit 2013 isn’t an every-year opportunity. These events are only held every 3 years. As a special offer, Canadian Contractor has a way for you to save $300 off your registration.
Wrapped laminate cabinets from Quebec: up and coming
by Steve MaxwellToday’s best wrapped laminate cabinets allow very convincing wood grain reproductions of cherry, walnut, mahogany and dozens of other luxurious hardwoods. All for about half the cost of real wood!
Bug-free building with Mozi-Q pills
by Steve MaxwellThe black flies were noticeable and biting and I let them have their way with me, unprotected, for an hour, just to get a sense of how thick and hungry they were. About 20 minutes after chewing a Mozi-Q, the only flies still around me stayed a safe distance away, with just the occasional bump into my face or ear.
Is "Lego-like" Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) the future of wood construction?
by Steve PayneCLT snaps together easily. The panels used in a new toy store in Ottawa’s west end measured 28 feet high, four feet wide and five inches thick. They were shipped to Canada by the Austrian firm Binderholz. But there are Canadian suppliers of CLT panels, too.