Mark your fall calendar!

Our Annual Open House will take place Saturday October 8, 2011!

American Made Matters

From http://www.americanmadematters.com/ :

"Over 5.5 million manufacturing jobs have been lost in the US in the last decade. This has a “rippling effect” of four to five other jobs lost. That means, in total, there have been some 30 million jobs lost. In the last six years, over six million jobs have been outsourced. Many American factories have closed their doors and laid off their workers because they could not compete with lower cost producers. Many others have moved jobs offshore to survive and compete with lower-priced foreign made alternatives. Some have downsized to cut costs and survive in the face of reduced orders.

Today, American workers have to fight to keep their jobs. Only about 11 million people still make things in the US which is the lowest since 1941. American producers cannot compete on price but we can still compete on quality, safety, service, durability and speed to market. American workers and companies recycle money back into our economy. Please help to keep our jobs here in American by supporting American made products and companies."

Ash Flooring Sale!

Final week to save 15% on all Ash flooring!

Ash is a wonderful wood native to New York State. Famous for its use in baseball bats and other sporting equipment Ash is a very hard, strong wood ideal for high traffic areas of the home. It has an open grain pattern with distinctive white to gray/brown coloring and accepts stain well.

Clapboard siding

Clapboard siding, also known as bevel or lap siding, is a horizontal siding material in which 1 edge is thicker than the other. The boards are placed on the exterior of a home such that each board overlaps the next. Popular throughout the northeastern region, Clapboard siding is made in different widths to appeal to different style preferences.

Basswood

Basswood is an excellent hardwood specie for use in carving. The 'softness' of this hardwood makes it very easy to carve both with and across the grain. Basswood contains hardly any grain pattern and is almost white in color. It has enough structural integrity to allow for intricate designs and is very dimensionally stable so it holds its shape well.

Check out local artist Stephanie Rocknak's use of Basswood in her amazing carvings!

Building a Deck

Do you have plans to build a deck this summer? If so you know that it is a complicated project. Constructing a deck involves load calculations, precise measuring, pouring concrete footers and much more. A deck is, after all, a structure that will hold the weight of your family, guests, furniture and anything else you choose to put on your deck. You want this structure to be safe.

For your safety be sure to consult or hire a professional with extensive construction knowledge so your deck is built correctly. Here are some tips on deck safety.

Eastern Hemlock

Eastern Hemlock is an excellent wood material for outdoor use. Here in central New York Hemlock trees are abundant and the wood is widely used for many different types of exterior applications: siding, fencing, arbors, pergolas and many more. Here rough Hemlock beams create the structure for these distinctive porches.

Open Garden Days

Excited to see some beautiful gardens this weekend at "Open Days" in Ulster and Westchester counties!

2011: International Year of Forests

Did you know that the United Nations has declared 2011 the International Year of Forests?! Check out how we practice sustainable management, conservation and development of forests in our part of the world.