Editorial Policy
This page describes every standard Gladewick applies to the selection, research, writing, review, and publication of content. It is our public promise to our readers — and the framework that makes Gladewick a trustworthy source of home and garden guidance.
The four non-negotiable principles behind every Gladewick article
Expert Authorship
Every article is authored by a named specialist with verifiable, hands-on professional credentials. No anonymous content. No generalist writers.
Accuracy First
Claims are verified against primary sources. Every article is reviewed by a second independent expert. Errors are corrected promptly and transparently.
Editorial Independence
Commercial relationships — advertising, affiliates, sponsors — never influence article content, product ratings, or editorial recommendations.
Full Transparency
Every author is named. Every article shows who wrote it and who reviewed it. All commercial relationships are disclosed. No hidden agendas.
Our Editorial Mission
Gladewick exists to give every American homeowner access to the same quality of expert home and garden guidance that contractors, designers, and tradespeople charge thousands of dollars to provide — at no cost, with no paywalls, and with complete editorial transparency.
Our content covers home improvement, interior design, garden and landscape, DIY and repairs, and home and garden products. In every category, our standard is the same: the person writing the article must have actually done the work they are describing, at a professional level, for real clients or in real homes.
We believe that the internet has too much home and garden content written by people who have never held a tile saw, never diagnosed a drainage problem, and never navigated a contractor bid. Gladewick was built specifically to be different. Everything in this Editorial Policy exists to enforce and document that difference.
The standard we hold ourselves to: Before any article is published on Gladewick, we ask one question — would a licensed professional in this field read this article and consider it accurate, thorough, and genuinely useful? If the answer is anything less than yes, the article is not published.
Author Standards & Qualifications
Gladewick does not publish content from anonymous authors, generalist writers, or content created by artificial intelligence. Every article on this Site is written by a named human expert who meets our minimum qualification standards.
Minimum qualifications for Gladewick authors
To write for Gladewick, an author must meet at least one of the following criteria in their specific subject area:
- Professional trade experience: A minimum of 7 years of hands-on professional practice in the specific field they write about (e.g., residential electrical work, landscape design, interior design, flooring installation)
- Formal credentials: A relevant degree, diploma, or professional certification from an accredited institution in their field (e.g., Horticulture Science, Interior Architecture, Construction Management, Architectural Technology, Turfgrass Science)
- Trade certification or licensure: A current or former professional license or trade certification in a regulated field (e.g., licensed electrician, Accredited Staging Professional, KonMari Method practitioner, Building Energy Efficiency certificate)
- Demonstrated field track record: A verifiable history of completed professional projects in the relevant category — such as designing 250+ kitchens, staging 350+ properties, or conducting 500+ home energy audits
What this looks like in practice
Our 18 current authors include a licensed electrician (Rob Callahan), a university-trained horticulturist (Emily Carter, Oregon State University), a certified home staging professional (Jennifer Hayes, ASP), a turfgrass scientist (Steven Clark, Ohio State University), a professional painting contractor (Marcus Webb), and a former residential energy auditor (Brian Nguyen). See our full Meet Our Team page for every author’s credentials.
Author disclosure on every article
Every published article on Gladewick displays:
- The author’s full name
- The author’s professional title and credential summary
- The reviewer’s full name and their relationship to the topic
- The publication date and most recent update date
- A link to the author’s full profile page, which lists their credentials, experience, and all articles they have authored or reviewed
How We Select Topics
Gladewick’s content strategy is built around topical authority clusters — comprehensive coverage of specific subject areas, structured so that readers can find expert guidance on every related question within a category, not just isolated articles on random topics.
Topic selection criteria
We evaluate potential article topics against the following criteria:
- Genuine reader need: Does this topic answer a real question American homeowners are asking? We use keyword research, reader queries, and our authors’ professional experience to identify questions that genuinely matter to real people undertaking real projects.
- Expert coverage available: Do we have a qualified author who has direct, hands-on experience with this specific topic? We only assign articles to experts in the precise subject area — a kitchen design writer does not write about lawn care.
- Accuracy achievable: Can we produce an article that is genuinely accurate and complete, backed by verifiable sources and professional experience? If a topic cannot be covered accurately, we do not cover it.
- Not commercially motivated: Topic selection is driven by reader need, not by affiliate commission availability or advertiser interest. We do not create articles specifically to generate affiliate clicks.
Content we prioritise
- Practical, step-by-step guidance that helps homeowners complete or understand real projects
- Honest buying guides and product comparisons that help readers make informed purchasing decisions
- Expert explanations of complex topics (building codes, material selection, plant care) that make professional knowledge accessible
- Seasonal and timely content that addresses what homeowners actually need right now
- Content that fills genuine gaps — questions that are currently poorly answered online
Research & Source Standards
Gladewick content is grounded in primary, authoritative sources. We do not allow authors to cite other home content websites, SEO-driven blog posts, or unverified secondary sources as the basis for factual claims.
Acceptable primary sources
- Direct professional experience: The author’s own documented professional experience is a primary source for technique, process, and practical guidance — provided it is consistent with industry standards
- Manufacturer specifications and technical documentation: Official product specs, installation guides, and technical data sheets from manufacturers
- Government and regulatory bodies: EPA, USDA, US Department of Energy, OSHA, local building departments, and state regulatory agencies
- Professional associations and trade organisations: American Horticultural Society, National Electrical Contractors Association, American Institute of Architects, and equivalent bodies
- Peer-reviewed academic research: Published research from university extension programmes, horticultural institutions, and materials science journals
- Industry codes and standards: International Residential Code (IRC), National Electrical Code (NEC), International Building Code (IBC), and relevant local adoptions
Sources we do not accept as primary
- Other home and garden content websites, regardless of their domain authority or traffic
- Wikipedia or crowd-sourced encyclopaedias for technical claims
- Social media posts, forum discussions, or Reddit threads
- AI-generated content or AI-sourced information
- Anecdotal reports without professional context
On local variation: Building codes, permit requirements, and horticultural recommendations vary significantly by location. Our authors are required to explicitly note when guidance is location-specific and to advise readers to verify requirements with their local building department or extension service before proceeding.
The Writing Process
Every article published on Gladewick follows a consistent production process designed to maximise accuracy, usefulness, and readability.
Brief & scope definition
The article topic is defined with a clear scope — what the article will cover, what it will not cover, and what the reader should be able to do or understand after reading it. The appropriate expert author is assigned based on their specific field expertise.
Expert research & drafting
The assigned author researches and writes the article, drawing on their direct professional experience, primary sources, and field knowledge. Authors are required to personally verify any factual claim they cannot support with their own professional experience or a primary source.
Independent expert review
The draft is reviewed by a second credentialed expert in a related field — never the original author. The reviewer evaluates accuracy, completeness, safety, and practical applicability. The author and reviewer are never the same person. See our full Editorial Review Process page for details on how reviewers are assigned.
Editorial accuracy check
Our editorial team verifies all factual claims, checks that sources are cited correctly, confirms that safety warnings are included where relevant, and ensures that the article meets our style and quality standards.
Publication with full attribution
The article is published with the author’s name, credential, and reviewer’s name prominently displayed. The publication date is recorded. A disclosure notice appears on any article containing affiliate links.
Ongoing review & updates
Published articles are placed on a review schedule. Articles covering time-sensitive topics (products, codes, seasonal guidance) are reviewed more frequently. When updates are made, the “last updated” date is revised and material changes are noted where relevant.
The Review Process
Independent expert review is one of the most important — and most often absent — elements of home and garden publishing. At Gladewick, it is mandatory for every article.
How reviewers are assigned
- The reviewer is always a different person from the author — this rule is absolute
- Reviewers are selected from our team of 18 experts based on their specific knowledge overlap with the article topic — a bathroom renovation article might be reviewed by our flooring expert or home improvement writer, not our seasonal decor specialist
- Reviewers have the authority to request changes, require additional source citations, flag safety concerns, or recommend that an article not be published in its current form
- Reviewers are credited on the published article by name, title, and a link to their profile
What reviewers evaluate
- Factual accuracy: Are all claims correct, current, and supported by appropriate sources?
- Safety completeness: Are all relevant safety warnings included for DIY, electrical, plumbing, structural, or chemical content?
- Practical applicability: Is the guidance genuinely actionable and realistic for a US homeowner?
- Local variation: Is the article clear about where guidance may vary by location, code version, or climate zone?
- Professional standard: Would a licensed professional in this field consider this article accurate and thorough?
For a complete description of our review process, including how reviewer pairings are made and what the review workflow looks like, see our dedicated Editorial Review Process page.
Editorial Independence
Gladewick’s editorial content is entirely independent of its commercial operations. The following rules govern this separation and are non-negotiable.
What we guarantee
- Advertisers do not receive editorial coverage, favourable mentions, or preferential placement in exchange for purchasing advertising on Gladewick
- Affiliate commission rates play no role in which products are recommended, featured, or ranked in our articles
- Brands cannot pay to be included in, ranked higher in, or removed from Gladewick articles
- Authors are not informed of affiliate commission rates when writing or evaluating products
- We recommend products with no affiliate programme when they are genuinely the best option for the reader
- Negative product reviews are published when products fail to meet our testing standards, regardless of commercial relationships
- Our editorial team has the final and absolute authority over all published content — no commercial partner may overrule or veto editorial decisions
What this means for you
When Gladewick recommends a product, ranks it first in a comparison, or calls it the best option in a category, that judgement is made entirely on merit — based on the professional evaluation of our expert authors and reviewers. The presence or absence of an affiliate relationship, an advertising contract, or a brand relationship has no bearing on that judgement.
The firewall between editorial and commercial: The people who make editorial decisions at Gladewick — our authors and editorial reviewers — are not involved in commercial negotiations. The people who manage advertising and affiliate relationships do not have influence over editorial decisions. This firewall is structural, not just a policy statement.
Product Reviews & Testing
Product reviews are one of the most commercially sensitive areas of home and garden publishing, and we apply our strictest standards here. Our product review process is led by Melissa Torres, our Home & Garden Product Reviewer based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Our product review principles
- Real testing under real conditions: Products are tested in actual home environments, not in controlled laboratory settings that do not reflect how homeowners actually use them
- Purchased vs. provided disclosure: When a product is purchased by Gladewick or the reviewer, this is noted. When a product is provided by a brand for review purposes, this is disclosed clearly in the article
- Brand-provided products receive no special treatment: Products provided free of charge by a brand are evaluated with exactly the same rigour as products we purchased independently. A free product does not earn a positive review
- Consistent methodology: The same evaluation criteria are applied to every product in a category — regardless of brand size, price point, or commercial relationship
- Negative reviews are published: If a product fails to meet our standards, the review reflects that. We do not suppress negative findings
For the complete methodology used to evaluate home and garden products — including testing duration, criteria weighting, and how we handle conflicting results — see our dedicated How We Test Products page.
Affiliate Relationships & Sponsored Content
Affiliate links
Gladewick participates in affiliate marketing programmes and may earn commissions when readers purchase products through links on our Site. The presence of affiliate links on Gladewick is governed by the following rules:
- Every article containing affiliate links carries a clear disclosure notice at the top of the article, before any product recommendation
- Affiliate links are added to articles after editorial decisions are made — they are never a factor in which products are recommended
- A product we cannot link to with an affiliate relationship is recommended and linked to directly if it is the best option
Our full Affiliate Disclosure explains in detail which programmes we participate in, how commissions work, and how our editorial independence is protected.
Sponsored content
Gladewick may occasionally publish sponsored content — articles produced in partnership with a brand and for which Gladewick receives compensation. The following rules apply to all sponsored content on Gladewick:
- All sponsored content is prominently labelled “Sponsored,” “Paid Partnership,” or “Partner Content” at the top of the article, before any editorial content begins
- Sponsored content must meet the same factual accuracy standards as our independent editorial content
- We will not publish sponsored content that makes false, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims
- Sponsored content does not guarantee positive editorial coverage of the brand in independent articles
- The final editorial decision on any sponsored content rests with Gladewick’s editorial team, not the brand partner
Clear labelling — what to look for
| Content Type | Labelling | Commercially Influenced? |
|---|---|---|
| Standard editorial article | Author + Reviewer attribution only | No |
| Article with affiliate links | “This article contains affiliate links” notice at top | No — links added after editorial decisions |
| Product review (brand-provided item) | “Product provided by [Brand] for review” disclosure | No — same review standards apply |
| Sponsored content | “Sponsored” or “Paid Partnership” label at top | Yes — clearly disclosed |
| Display advertisements | Clearly delineated ad units labelled “Advertisement” | Yes — clearly separated from content |
Content Updates & Currency
Home and garden advice is not static. Building codes change. Products are updated, improved, or discontinued. Best practices evolve. Plant hardiness zones shift. New research emerges. Gladewick’s editorial process includes a structured system for reviewing and updating published content.
How we manage content currency
- Update schedule: All published articles are placed on a review calendar. Articles covering time-sensitive topics — product specifications, pricing, building codes, seasonal guidance — are reviewed more frequently than evergreen conceptual content
- Trigger-based reviews: Specific events trigger immediate article reviews: a product being discontinued, a major code update, a manufacturer changing specifications, or a reader reporting a potential inaccuracy
- “Last Updated” dating: Every article displays the date it was most recently reviewed and updated. This date is changed only when material content changes are made — not for minor formatting or link updates
- Re-review on update: When an article is updated materially, it goes through the same independent review process as a new article before the updated version is published
Despite our best efforts, some information on the Site may become outdated between review cycles. If you encounter content that you believe is inaccurate or out of date, please report it to support@gladewick.com. Reader reports are one of the most valuable tools we have for maintaining content accuracy at scale.
Corrections Policy
Gladewick takes factual accuracy seriously enough that we have a formal, published corrections process. We believe that how a publication handles errors is one of the most important indicators of its editorial integrity.
Our corrections commitments
- All reader-reported errors are acknowledged and investigated within 24 hours
- Confirmed factual errors are corrected promptly — typically within 48 hours of confirmation
- Material corrections are labelled transparently within the article, noting what was corrected and when
- We never silently alter factual content without noting that a correction has been made
- Corrections are reviewed by the same independent expert review process as original articles
To report an error, email support@gladewick.com with the subject line “Correction Request,” the article URL, the specific claim you believe is inaccurate, and any source that supports the correct information. For the complete corrections workflow, see our dedicated Corrections Policy page.
Content We Do Not Publish
Gladewick’s editorial standards define not just what we publish, but what we explicitly will not publish, regardless of commercial incentive or reader demand.
We do not publish
- Content created by artificial intelligence without full human expert authorship, review, and verification
- Anonymous content — every article has a named, credentialed author
- Paid editorial placements disguised as independent content — all commercial content is clearly labelled
- Content that encourages homeowners to perform work that requires a licence without a licence, or that would create safety hazards
- Clickbait content that makes exaggerated or misleading claims about outcomes, savings, or results
- Thinly researched articles designed to rank for keywords without providing genuine informational value
- Content that misrepresents a product’s performance, durability, or suitability — including content that overstates performance to generate affiliate commissions
- Content outside Gladewick’s defined topical areas — we do not publish general lifestyle, news, or non-home-related content
Diversity & Geographic Representation
Gladewick’s audience is the full breadth of American homeowners — across climate zones, housing types, budgets, skill levels, and geographic regions. Our editorial standards reflect this.
Geographic coverage
Our 18 expert authors are based in 11 states across the US — from Oregon and California to Florida and Tennessee — giving Gladewick genuine regional expertise in the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, the Mountain West, the South, and the Northeast. This matters because home and garden advice is profoundly location-dependent: what works for a garden in Portland is not the same as what works in Phoenix; what is code-compliant in Tennessee may not be in California.
When an article’s guidance is specific to a particular region, climate zone, or regulatory environment, our authors are required to state this explicitly and provide guidance for readers in other regions.
Budget inclusivity
Gladewick content is explicitly designed to serve homeowners at all budget levels. We cover both professional-grade and budget-friendly options. We are not a luxury publication, and we do not bias our recommendations toward expensive solutions when more affordable alternatives perform equivalently.
Skill level inclusivity
Our how-to and DIY content serves a range of skill levels — from complete beginners attempting their first project to experienced DIYers tackling advanced work. We always clearly indicate the skill level required for a project and include safety warnings appropriate to that level.
Contact Our Editorial Team
We welcome feedback, corrections, and questions about our editorial standards. If you believe an article on Gladewick contains an error, conflicts with our Editorial Policy, or falls short of our stated standards, please contact us.
Editorial & Accuracy Inquiries
To report an inaccuracy, query our editorial standards, or request a clarification on how a specific article was produced:
support@gladewick.comFor contributor pitches, sponsored content enquiries, or press requests:
hello@gladewick.comYou can also use our Contact Us page to reach our editorial team through our secure form.
Read our complete set of editorial and trust documents:
- Editorial Review Process — Full details on how our expert review system works
- How We Test Products — Our product evaluation methodology
- Corrections Policy — How errors are reported, reviewed, and corrected
- Affiliate Disclosure — Full disclosure of our commercial relationships
- Meet Our Team — Credentials and backgrounds of all 18 Gladewick authors
- Disclaimer — Liability limitations for our home and garden content