Philip Schmidt

Philip Schmidt

Philip lives in Colorado with his wife, two daughters, and too many leftover building materials. He has been teaching readers how to do things for almost two decades. A former carpenter, project designer specializing in houses and everything we do with them and longtime writer and editor, he is the author of 24 books, including PlyDesign: 73 Distinctive DIY Projects in Plywood (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007T1PJ36/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1), Little Free Libraries and Tiny Sheds: 12 Miniature Structures You Can Build to Enhance Your Yard or Neighborhood (https://www.amazon.com/Little-Free-Libraries-Tiny-Sheds-ebook/dp/B07QFG3ZBP), Black and Decker the complete guide to treehouses: Design and Build Your Kids a Treehouse (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008D1PIT6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1), The Complete Guide to Greenhouses & Garden Projects: Greenhouses, Cold Frames, Compost Bins, Trellises, Planting Beds, Potting Benches & More (https://www.amazon.com/Decker-Complete-Greenhouses-Garden-Projects-ebook/dp/B005CDCX50), The Complete Guide to DIY Greenhouses, Install Your Own Solar Panels: Designing and Installing a Photovoltaic System to Power Your Home, DIY Solar Projects - Updated Edition: Small Projects to Whole-home Systems: Tap Into the Sun, The Complete Guide to a Clutter-Free Home, The Complete Guide to Contemporary Sheds: Complete plans for 12 Sheds, Including Garden Outbuilding, Storage Lean-to, Playhouse, Woodland Cottage, Hobby Studio, Lawn Tractor Barn, Schaum's Outline of Elementary Algebra, Decorating with Architectural Details, Install Your Own Solar Panels: Designing and Installing a Photovoltaic System to Power Your Home, Ultimate Guide: Trimwork, Upgrade Your House: 100 DIY Repairs Improvements For Under $100, The Complete Guide to Attics & Basements, The Complete Guide to a Green Home: The Good Citizen's Guide to Earth-Friendly Remodeling & Home Maintenance, Craftsman Router Techniques; A Comprehensive Guide to Using Routers, Molding & Medallions: Four Easy Weekend Projects (eHow Easy DIY Kindle Book Series), McGraw-Hill's 500 College Algebra and Trigonometry Questions: Ace Your College Exams: 3 Reading Tests + 3 Writing Tests + 3 Mathematics Tests, Black Decker The Complete Photo Guide to Treehouses: Design and Build Treehouses for All Ages, Don't Sweat It... Hire It!, The Complete Guide to the Green Home, Decorating with Architectural Details, and The Complete Guide to Treehouses.

Help With a Water Damaged Subfloor

Posted by Philip Schmidt | Jan 01, 2011

Photo of a water damaged subfloor by Moresheth/Flickr When you spill some liquid on a carpeted floor, your primary concern is, naturally, the carpet. So you deal with the stain...

Chain Link Fences: The Good, The Bad, The Options

Posted by Philip Schmidt | Jan 01, 2011

Photo of a chain link fence with a decorative design by Editor B/Flickr. Objectively speaking, chain link fences are part good, part bad and, it must be said, part ugly. Yet many...

Help! My Garage Door Does Not Close!

Posted by Philip Schmidt | Jan 01, 2011

Photo of a very nice modern garage door by shanestar/Flickr. Garage doors can be spiteful. They seem to know when it's raining or sleeting or you're running especially late, and they...

My Garage Door Opener Acts Weird

Posted by Philip Schmidt | Jan 01, 2011

Like many mechanical domestic servants, garage door openers are woefully underappreciated ... until that fateful day when they decide to stage a revolt. The aftermath can get ugly,...

Wood Siding: Real vs. Composite Shingles

Posted by Philip Schmidt | Dec 09, 2010

Choosing siding is, and always will be, a tough call. And no matter how many high-tech products come and go, they'll forever be compared to traditional materials like masonry, stucco...

Triage for a Flooded Washing Machine

Posted by Philip Schmidt | Nov 24, 2010

A washing machine has a couple of electrical parts that tell it when to fill the tub with fresh water and how much to fill it with. These are the timer control and the water level switch....

7 Reasons Why Your Roof Leaks

Posted by Philip Schmidt | Nov 16, 2010

When professional home inspectors examine a roof, they don't start in the attic with a flashlight but rather on the ground outside the house, with a pair of binoculars. This is not...

10 Reasons Why Your Lights Don't Work

Posted by Philip Schmidt | Nov 14, 2010

Thanks to their wonderful reliability, we all take light fixtures for granted and unthinkingly rely on their comforting glow whenever we need it, day or night. But what happens when...

Preventing Thanksgiving Plumbing Emergencies

Posted by Philip Schmidt | Nov 09, 2010

Among the major American holidays, Thanksgiving ranks first in several categories. It's the most widely celebrated holiday, it's the biggest travel time of the year, and it comes with...

Autumn Storm Window Guide

Posted by Philip Schmidt | Nov 02, 2010

If the onset of cooler fall weather is reminding you of how much your old windows failed to keep you warm last winter, you might be thinking about adding storm windows before the real...