Timber Link Blog

  "What outdoor project should we tackle this season?" We hear that one at the counter every spring—and again when the cottage opens for the summer. The good news?   You don't need a full reno to make the yard work harder. Here are ten popular outdoor projects Muskoka homeowners and cottagers keep asking about, what they're good for, and the materials we usually send people home with. 🌲 1. Deck Still the king of outdoor living. A deck adds space to sit, eat and watch the lake without eating into the lawn. Scale and design decide how long it takes—a simple platform can be a DIY weekend; a multi-level build may need a contractor and a permit check. Material choice is the big fork in the road: Pressure-treated MicroPro Sienna decking for a solid, workhorse build Trex or MoistureShield composite if you want less staining and scrubbing   ( https://www.chamberlaintimbermart.ca/pd/web-moistureshield-vantage-compsite-decking/8980 ) 👉 Pair it with railing that won't figh...

  "I've got half a can of the living room colour from three years ago… is it still good?" We hear that one at the counter every fall. The honest answer? It depends on how it was stored. The good news?   A few minutes of prep today saves you a lumpy mess—or a colour-match trip—next spring. In this post, we'll cover how to seal and store paint and stain for winter, how to tell if old paint is garbage, and how to get rid of it the right way in Muskoka. 🥶 Why Winter Is Hard on Paint Latex (water-based) paint and water-based stains don't like the cold. Let them freeze, and the binder can break down for good. That's the classic Muskoka problem: cans left in an unheated cottage, shed or garage from October to May. Paint makers recommend a dry spot out of the sun at roughly 15–27 °C, and most cans simply say   "keep from freezing." 👉 Best spots:   a heated basement shelf, utility room or closet in the house you live in all winter. 💡 Pro Tip:   Closing up ...

Closing the Cottage This Thanksgiving? Start With the Water. For a lot of Muskoka families, Thanksgiving weekend means one last turkey dinner at the lake... and then closing the cottage. This year, Thanksgiving Monday falls on October 12, 2026, and by then cold nights are already routine around Muskoka. That matters, because water left in a pipe, pump, toilet or water heater can freeze, expand and crack whatever it's sitting in. The worst part? You usually don't find the damage until May, when the water goes back on and starts coming out somewhere it shouldn't. The good news? Winterizing cottage plumbing isn't complicated. It's a sequence. Do the steps in order and don't skip any. Let's break it down. 💡 Important: Every cottage is plumbed a little differently. Use this as a general guide, follow the manufacturer's instructions for your pump and water heater, and if you're not sure how your system is put together, call a licensed plumber. 🧰 What Yo...