Kevin Stevens

Kevin Stevens

Originally from Michigan, I moved to Colorado in 1991 to be closer to the mountains that I love. Colorado has always been a destination for my rock climbing, skiing, hiking and backpacking pursuits. As a father of two young daughters I don’t get out quite as much any more, but I’m still fairly active.

I hold a Master’s degree in Biology and spent a dozen years working as an Engineering Specialist in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. I have also been a custom furniture builder and woodworker for over 30 years. About 10 years ago, I left the corporate world and started my own carpentry business, this career change stemmed from a 960 sq. ft. addition to my home I which I performed all but the basic “dry in” tasks. Here I found a passion and skill set that had been hidden away. In addition to basic handyman tasks I specialize in custom furniture, tile and hardwood flooring, kitchens, baths and decks.

Over the last few years I have become involved in the tiny house movement and I’m making changes to live a simpler lifestyle. We recently purchased over 40 acres of land in northern New Mexico and are building a small (200 sq. ft.) off-grid cabin there. Our long-term plans are to relocate / retire there and build a slightly larger off-grid home.

When I'm not up to my elbows in sawdust, I enjoy cooking, and photography. Time lapse and true infrared are a couple of my favorites in the photography realm. Another recent pursuit of mine is target shooting. I picked up a black powder muzzle-loading pistol a few years ago, and since then my collection has expanded a bit. My father is a 20 + year veteran of the police force, and we now share some of our spare time together shooting. He taught me to shoot all of those years ago and it has been fun to reconnect on that level with him.

Thanks for reading. You can follow some of my adventures on my blog pages.

http://kmswoodworks.wordpress.com

I stripped away the Z-BRICK and drywall and installed new drywall in this house. (Photo by the author, Kevin Stevens).

How to Remove Z-BRICK

Posted by Kevin Stevens | May 14, 2012

Thirty to forty years ago Z-BRICK was considered a wonder product. When I was a kid I remember seeing TV commercials for it. Simple and boring plain walls could be magically transformed...

A wood fence is only as strong as its posts. Anchor posts properly in concrete, never directly in the soil. (Photo: Kevin Stevens)

How to Build a Rot-Proof Wood Fence

Posted by Kevin Stevens | May 06, 2012

Fences are normally built for two reasons: 1) To provide some level of containment, whether this is for the family dog or a herd of cattle grazing in the back forty. 2) To provide a...

Custom wood and granite tile tables built by the author, Kevin Stevens of KMS Woodworks in Nederland, CO.

Troubleshoot DIY Wood Table Construction

Posted by Kevin Stevens | Apr 16, 2012

In my 30 plus years as a woodworker and custom furniture builder in the Denver area, I have built a good number of tables. These projects ranged from 7-foot-long fullsized dining tables...

Pictured here are footers of a deck foundation. Photo by the author.

DIY Deck Construction Advice from a Contractor

Posted by Kevin Stevens | Apr 16, 2012

With spring in the air, building a deck might be on your mind. Deck construction is not as hard as you might think, and if you follow some basic guidelines it can be a great DIY project. Bit...

The loft in Kevin's cabin in New Mexico.

The Fundamentals of Lofting a Bed

Posted by Kevin Stevens | Mar 07, 2012

When I was designing our 200 sq foot cabin, an important element was the sleeping loft. This concept is common in the plans of many tiny houses. The fact that a double to king-sized...

Frugal Remodeling Tips from a Contractor

Posted by Kevin Stevens | Mar 05, 2012

Homeowners often face the decision to remodel or move. The driving forces are varied, as some folks need more space, while others may just want to make their home different, modern,...

I'll show you how to use a jackhammer without injuring yourself. --Kevin

How to Use a Jackhammer Without Dying

Posted by Kevin Stevens | Feb 28, 2012

Concrete is some tough stuff. You start with a bag of gray-looking sandy gravel mix, add water, mix it and then pour or shape it to meet your needs. Later, after the chemical reaction...

Here's the shelving I built into the bed of my truck. You can see how I store my tools there.

How I Made the Most of My Pickup Truck

Posted by Kevin Stevens | Feb 22, 2012

Contractor = Pickup truck …right? This is pretty true for nearly every fellow contractor I’ve worked with over the last few years. A few exceptions include some that work...

The cabin in autumn. -- Kevin

Passive Solar for Beginners

Posted by Kevin Stevens | Feb 07, 2012

One of the benefits of living in the Wild West is our abundant sunshine. An advantage for home builders in Denver is that Colorado averages over 300 sunny days per year. My home here...

My safe guns.  -- Kevin

Tips for Firearm Storage at Home

Posted by Kevin Stevens | Jan 16, 2012

A few days after Christmas we had some neighbors over to catch up a bit. In the beginning of the evening we talked about all kinds of things, including my new Springfield Champion .45...