The NAHB International Builders' Show is the place to go to check out the latest building products. Jeff Wilson attended the 2012 show in Orlando and here shares his favorite finds.

There's nothing like escaping the Midwest and going to Florida in the middle of winter. That’s what I got to do recently in Orlando at the National Association of Homebuilders’ International Builders’ Show 2012. While I attended as a host and presenter for LP Building Products, I also got a chance to check out the booths and exhibits.

Will home automation become something that we can’t imagine living without? Jeff Wilson takes us on a tour of a design showroom that highlights some of the time- and energy-saving benefits of automation.

Home automation sounds a little intimidating. Just the mention makes me think of the USS Enterprise on Star Trek – seamless integration of controls for everything from lighting and sound to heating and air-conditioning to security and energy-efficiency. Oh, and don’t forget to set those phasers to stun.

No matter where you live, you are bound to find a unique building material that is made close to home.

Generally speaking, I’m not much of a shopper. Like a lot of guys, I like to dodge into a store, make a quick purchase, and then skedaddle. Things change a little when I head to my local home center or hardware store. More than once I’ve come home from what was supposed to be a short jaunt to pick up some lumber to hear my wife ask, “What took you so long?” OK, maybe I was perusing the new LED lighting or trying out a new multi-tool. I was definitely NOT shopping.

I’ve good-naturedly taken to calling the Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) of my 1940s Cape Cod style kit home a “self-inflicted wound.” You know those big renovation projects, right? Those are the ones that start with good intentions and then stretch out over months and years. That said, the good news at the Wilson house is that the benefits of the DER are easy to see and feel, and we’re actually glimpsing the light at the end of our renovation tunnel.

If you really want to get some things done around the house, you will need power tools. Jeff Wilson shares his insights regarding which tools are must-haves.

I always loved shows like Roy Underhill’s The Woodwright’s Shop – by watching I can experience, vicariously, detailed woodworking without power tools. Folks like Roy are truly artisans, and I have tremendous respect for that kind of work.

Ever considered the amount of house you choose to occupy? Join Jeff Wilson, the host of Everyday DIY on the At Home channel, in thinking small to see what it can do for you and what great possibilities exist for living in tiny spaces.

Back in my “salad days,” I spent a little time working in a ski town out west, and I do mean working – I had three jobs at any one time and had job titles as diverse as Record Store Clerk, Taxi Driver, Pizza Delivery Guy, and Graveyard Shift Convenience Store Clerk. That last job was the only one I ever had where I had to routinely carry a baseball bat (and I don’t mean that in a good way).

Need some ideas for gifts this season? The DIYer in your life will love any of these gifts, whether you choose a tool or select a book or music that he/she can enjoy during holiday "downtime.”

Things are beginning to get festive around the international headquarters of Buildipedia. Our managing editor has been wearing the Santa suit since Halloween, of course, but even the video crew is now sporting the green tights and pointy ears of Santa’s helpers. Indeed, representatives of all holiday traditions roam the corridors of the office, going about their important work with a spring in their steps and jolly tunes on their lips. Not to mention the visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads.

What hand tools do you really need to have around the house? A modest toolbox is enough to get you started for basic home improvement projects.

Every do-it-yourselfer worth his or her salt needs the right tools for the job. For some of us, that means a vast, random collection of obscure and vaguely useful tools like steering wheel pullers and flaring tools for copper tubing. My tool collection includes not only “one use” tools but also several antiques that come from my grandparents and my Dad. Just holding some of those old tools, especially the ones made by hand out of necessity, gives you a whole new perspective on the do-it-yourself mindset. Heck, when was the last time you had to make a tool you needed?

Meet Jeff Wilson, construction industry expert and host of more than 200 episodes of home improvement shows. Get the inside scoop from Jeff right here on his Everyday DIY blog – and join in the conversation yourself!

I know you’ve been diligently following my DIY Video Series on the At Home Channel here at Buildipedia.com... I mean, c’mon, who would miss all of the excitement of home renovation “as seen on At Home?”