Wood is one the most beautiful and environmentally friendly products in the world. It comes in a variety of colors, textures, patterns, grain, and much more. It is a natural material that can’t be duplicated and sometimes it may be hard to envision exactly what will arrive at your doorstep after you place an order.
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Trees for US – Why Restoring Our National Forests Matter
The Ocala National Forest is the southernmost forest in the continental United States. It covers over 383,000 acres of land and includes over 600 lakes, rivers, and springs. This forest, which was founded in 1908, provides a sanctuary for several different species of animals, as well as an escape for the millions of residents in Tampa and Orlando.
The Eco-friendly Art Deco Decking
Art Deco is one of the classic styles of building that was made famous during the 1920’s – 1940’s. This style is characterized by narrow, bold geometrical shapes that are usually lavishly ornamented. In many areas across the United States like South Beach, the eclectic Art Deco style has begun a renaissance but not in traditional buildings rather in other structures like decks, porches, and siding of houses.
Wood of the Month: Ambrosia Maple (Wormy Maple)
Ambrosia Maple is a highly coveted wood for many projects because of its very unique and colored patterns. A lot of people often wonder if Ambrosia Maple is a specific species of wood, or if some sort of chemicals were added to give it the interesting patterns. The truth is that Ambrosia maple isn’t a different species, its regular soft maple that has had small beetles called ambrosia beetles nesting in it which carry a certain type of fungus for food.
Wood of the Month: American Cherry
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Often used in furniture making, wood working, and flooring, American Cherry has become a staple in the industry because of it’s ease of handling. It has had a strong, positive reputation for many years with wood workers. Unfortunately, this beautiful wood is often stained to the point where its colors are lost. The natural tones of American Cherry range from light browns to darker reddish tones, with highlights of white from sap wood.
Can Composite Decking be Recycled?
For years the decking industry has gone back and forth as to what is a “green” decking option and what isn’t. In an industry where everyone boasts their product is the best, how are we supposed to make an educated decision when buying a new deck?
Some composite decking does use recycled materials, but does that mean the boards themselves can be recycled? The majority of the time the answer will be no. Our findings suggest that the composite deck boards that can’t be recycled are made from wood and plastic fibers which are combined using bonding agents that deter any machine from separating them.
Buyer Beware! You Get What You Pay For!
When companies use terms like “buyer beware” and “you get what you pay for,” you begin to tune it out because you hear it so much. Unfortunately, every once in a while these clichés are the only way to describe a situation. We recently had a homeowner reach out to us after he purchased some ipe decking, and the saying holds true. You get what you pay for.