A Biography of "Canada's Handiest Man", Steve Maxwell

Born to Be "Canada's Handiest Man"

Some children are born with silver spoons in their mouths; I was brought into the world with a fully loaded tool belt. An award-winning home improvement authority and woodworking expert, I’ve been helping people renovate, repair, build, and maintain their homes since 1988.

I know firsthand what it takes to build every aspect of a home; I built the 3000 sq ft stone and timber home in Manitoulin where I reside with my wife and children.

My Passion for Woodworking

My interest began early when my grandfather introduced me to tools at the young age of seven. That interest continued to grow and bloomed into a career; today I’m a union carpenter, cabinetmaker, and mason. In addition to using and recommending products and tools, I've acted as a design and development consultant for various building projects and international power tool companies.

Thinking it would be a waste to not impart the knowledge I’ve gathered over the years, I was drawn to writing. Now I share my how-to know-how with a print readership of 2 million through various print and online publications (click here to see complete list).

Joy from Helping Others

My desire to help people isn’t restricted to homeowners. Together with my wife, we sponsor eight children overseas through Compassion Canada and World Vision. That strong sense of social consciousness also plays a part in my home improvement work on a local level as I try to source as much home grown materials and products as possible: therefore supporting the Canadian economy and cutting down on my carbon footprint. The latter also leads me to look for energy efficient, water conserving, and alternative power sourced home items.

“I have the best job in the world...I’m a lucky guy: I get to tell people about stuff I love. It’s a privilege. Wood, tools, homes and building - these things never cease to fascinate me and I love to share my enthusiasm and expert knowledge with DIY homeowners and contractors alike.”

A Welcome Letter from Steve