We will be closing up shop tonight (July 2nd) at 5 pm and will be closing for a three-day weekend to celebrate our Independence Day! We’ll be back open on Tuesday, July 6th at 7:30 am to assist you with your specialty building materials needs. Stay safe and enjoy!
Before your next project, be sure to visit us!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
Congratulations on the next step in your project! Now that you have selected your materials and they have arrived at your job site, the very first step is to inspect everything to be sure you have received the correct products and they are free from any defects or damage. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.
If you will not be installing your building material products right away, it is imperative that they are stored properly, otherwise they can be damaged quite quickly by moisture, humidity, temperature, sunlight, and job site dirt. Any materials that are intended to be installed indoors, need to get out of elements as quickly as possible. Building materials that will be installed outdoors, can remain outside for a short time as long as they are stored properly out of direct sunlight.
Starting from the bottom, your stack of lumber or other building materials should never be stored directly on the ground for any length of time, so be sure to elevate them by placing pieces of scrap lumber or pallets underneath. Should you be storing your lumber over damp ground or freshly poured concrete, you must also put a moisture barrier down. Cedar siding or other “dry” building materials should be kept between 4 to 6” above the ground. Be sure that your pile is laying completely flat.
If large pieces of lumber are strapped together and you will be using them with in a short time period, go ahead and keep them banded together for stability. This is especially helpful when storing pressure treated lumber, as it has a tendency to twist and warp quite quickly when stored outdoors. Items like cedar siding and trim, should be separated and stacked on vertically aligned stickers to allow for airflow and to acclimate before installation.
Next, cover your building materials with a waterproof tarp or plastic, but not too tightly. You do want to allow some airflow. To help prevent cupping and to hold down your tarp, you may want to put weights on your lumber pile. Having a peak or covering your pile with a tent in case of rain is also a good idea. Should any of your building materials become wet on the job site, they should be separated and allowed to dry thoroughly before installation.
Following these tips for short-term storage of your Western Red Cedar and other building materials will help your job go a lot smoother, as well as save you time and money!
360.757.6343
In the honor of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, we will be closed Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day.
We appreciate your support of our small, locally owned business!
360.757.6343
Also known as a Gypsy Wagon, or quite simply a living wagon, a vardo was a horse-drawn wagon used by British Romanichal Travels as their home during the mid-1800s. Vardos were highly decorated, intricately carved, and painted and were viewed as woodworking masterpieces.
Starting with a vintage Gypsy Wagon chassis, our customer has been in the process of creating this vardo using our clear Western Red Cedar. Due to its lightweight, ease of workability, and availability, Western Red Cedar is a popular choice for mobile buildings, wagons, and the like.
Please enjoy these in-progress photos and be sure to check back for updates! They will be outfitting the interior of the vardo much like it was done back in the 1800s with heavy fabrics and great attention to detail.
Before your next project, be sure to visit us! We ship our specialty building materials to homeowner and contractors nationwide!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington, WA 98233
We are pleased to offer a new product to our line-up this spring, 1×4” clear grade KAYU® Mahogany T&G. Whether your style is traditional, coastal, modern, or farmhouse, adding natural wood accents to your home is hot on the market right now.
This 1×4” clear Mahogany T&G may be used as siding, in exterior porch ceiling or soffit areas, as well as interior walls and ceilings. It is the same beautiful tropical hardwood that has been used in the yachting and boating industry for many years where beauty and performance are of upmost importance.
Naturally resistant to rot, decay, insects and mold, these solid pieces of wood can be installed vertically, horizontally, diagonally or in any combination. This wood is harvested sustainably from renewable resources and can be repurposed or completely recycled when it has fulfilled its intended use.
All this at an excellent value compared to similar clear grade woods and/or composite materials. Contact us for pricing. In stock and ready to deliver!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
We ship nationwide!
Nothing warms a space like real wood. It provides natural beauty that just can’t be duplicated. However, as we all know, it does have its drawbacks, which has opened the doors for science and innovation to enter. New to the marketplace and likely to only gain popularity, as the technology evolves are modified wood building materials.
Using proprietary methods to modify the wood structure with the use of thermal and/or non-toxic chemical agents, fast growing woods like ash, pine, sycamore and poplar, are turned into extremely durable, long lasting exterior building materials. And like other natural wood building products, at the end of their original intended use, they can be repurposed or recycled, leading to zero waste.
These amazing new modified wood products are being found in commercial, as well as residential construction, all over the world. However, distribution seems to be a drawback.
At this time we are pleased to offer Kebony products by special order. Developed in Norway, Kebony has created a patented process using bio-based liquid that enhances the properties of sustainable softwoods to provide them with hardwood characteristics, such as extreme durability and stability. Refined and beautiful, Kebony modified wood products are backed with a 30-year outdoor warranty. They offer products for decking, cladding and millwork. Learn more HERE
As the technology and interest in modified wood building products progresses, we fully expect many more players coming to the marketplace, as well as greater availability. We’ll keep you posted!
Before your next project, be sure to visit us! We ship nationwide.
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
It has been a pretty exciting January around here! We have had the pleasure of being featured in two publications; the 2021 Community Report for Peoples Bank and the Winter Issue of Premier Builder Magazine – Seattle/Puget Sound Edition.
We are extremely grateful for the support of these two organizations, as well as all our customers, vendors, colleagues, family and friends. When running a small business, every bit of help along the way helps!
Before your next project, be sure to visit us! We ship nationwide!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA 98233
You guessed it: Western Red Cedar
Due to the phenols and other natural properties of Western Red Cedar against rot and decay, it is great for use in damp areas, including bathrooms and saunas. It is also very flexible and resists warping under heat and humidity. Because it is a low-density wood, it is a great insulator and heats quickly. And, it smells great!
Pro tips:
Because your sauna will reach high temperatures and cool off when not in use, the Cedar will expand and contract a great deal. To reduce the chance of cupping, we recommend using narrower dimensions of materials, such as a 4” tongue and groove (T&G) product for the walls for optimum stability. And while knotty grades are easier on the pocketbook, we recommend using clear grades of materials, as the knots tend to heat up faster and get hotter and may become uncomfortable to the touch.
When shopping for your materials, keep in mind, that because a sauna is generally a small space, shorter lengths of materials can be used and sometimes come with a discounted price.
Special “Thanks” for Michael S from Arizona for sharing these gorgeous photos of the Western Red Cedar sauna he built using materials he purchased from us.
We ship nationwide!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
Due to wide availability, combined with natural beauty and ease of installation, clear Western Red Cedar Beveled siding is a popular choice for premium exterior siding. With proper care and maintenance, clear Cedar Bevel siding will provide many years of service. And, when its life cycle is complete, it is easily disposed of, which makes it a very eco-friendly building product.
Bevel siding is produced by re-sawing lumber at an angle to produce two identical pieces, each with a thinner edge than the other. Traditionally installed horizontally, it provides a shadow line that varies with the thickness of the siding chosen.
Also commonly referred to as Clapboard siding, it is available in knotty as well as clear grades. To learn more about our popular budget friendly knotty Bevel siding, please visit our blog on that by clicking HERE.
Common Sizes for Clear Bevel Siding
Generally speaking, clear Western Red Cedar Bevel siding is sold “random length” from 3’ to 20’ lengths in bundles with specific piece counts.
For those projects that require a painted surface, clear, vertical grain, finger-jointed, primed Bevel siding is a great money-saving option and is readily available in the same common sizes as natural clear Bevel siding. Recommended for smooth face use in 16’ lengths, this siding is already primed with a good quality alkyd oil primer and is ready to install and paint.
Not able to use an “off the shelf” product or want something special made? We specialize in working with customers with unique needs all over the US and can mill custom clear Bevel siding in most any size in random lengths. To save money and time on the job site, we also can provide custom factory pre-staining or pre-priming to your clear Bevel siding. Code conforming fire treatment is also an option.
Starting at the bottom of the wall, Western Red Cedar Bevel siding should be face nailed to studs with 1-1/4″ good penetration into solid wood. Place nail just above the overlap, using one nail per piece, up to a maximum of 24″ apart. Fasteners should be corrosion resistant and approved for installing Western Red Cedar. Either natural or color-matched stainless steel nails are a popular choice when installing premium clear Bevel siding. No caulking should be used between joints to allow the wood to expand and contract. Please see our blog General Guidelines for Installing Western Red Cedar Siding for more tips.
Before your next project, be sure to visit us! We ship nationwide!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
During Christmas time and the closing of 2020, we want to sincerely thank our employees, customers, vendors, colleagues and friends for their support of our small business. We couldn’t do it without each and every one of you!
So our staff can spend time with their families, as well as ring in 2021, we will be closing early on Christmas Eve and closed all day Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. May your Christmas be merry and bright and the New Year bring everything you deserve.
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington