Unmasked!

Well, you may be surprised, or you may be mad at me when you’re done reading.  But for whatever reason, while I was recording our last TV spots I decided to take a couple of pictures for the blog.

Why would you be mad at me?

Because you’ll see the green screen behind me and realize I wasn’t even at the store when we recorded them!  Look, it’s hard doing them at the store.  Phone interruptions, intercom pages,  fellow employees trying to make me laugh while we’re recording… Oh yes, that happens a good bit.

But don’t I look happy though?  Probably happier than these poor folks.

These are those tasked with attempting to make me look good on TV.  ugh.  And I didn’t even extend to them the dignity of a good photo, my bad.  But they do an awesome job.  Baker Woodward is my ad agency, love those guys.  Don’t think for a second the professional look of our marketing materials has anything to do with me.

Well anyway, here’s the finished product.  There are three others but I only included one in the blog.

How’s that?  If we can help with lumber, doors, windows, cabinets or how to choose and ad agency, give us a call (256-852-7411) or visit us at wilsonlumber.net.

Isn’t it about time?

Isn’t it about time to look at replacing that door?  Or maybe it’s just me.  Actually, in the picture below, it’s exactly me!

A embarrassed as I am to say it, this door was on my back patio just last week.

    

Ick!  Can you believe that?  Here’s where you insert all the jokes about the mechanics car never working properly and the Building Materials Store Owners doors being rotted.  Well anyway, let this serve as a wake up call to you to go and check your doors.  This kind of thing can happen and if you don’t use the door often (we don’t), it can slip by you (it did).

Well, fast forward to today.

    
Ahh, now that’s much better, and it’s not even painted yet.  But you can see the difference.

It’s not just about aesthetics though.  If there’s rot around the bottom of the door jamb, it could indicate a leak in the wall somewhere.  So it’s not something you want to take lightly.

Here’s a job we did last week for a customer’s front door.  In this case, it was simply time for a facelift on this home.  This is the before:

And here is the after:

These doors are Thermatru fiberglass and came pre-finished with a Mahogany finish.  Very nice.  And it will be a long time before these folks have to worry about that door.

Well, maybe I got you thinking about a project of your own.  If so, give us a call or see us on the web.

5 for fall

How about a top five list for fall projects.  I promise I’ll go easy on you, none of this stuff costs more than 13 bucks each (actually, the rake is $13.11 but I could probably be talked in to waiving the 11 cents:)).

#1. A rake, of course

Oh, I know its not fun and quite honestly, if you’re like me you need a pair of gloves to avoid blisters if you have a big yard.  However, I have recently been able to make use of another resource along with the rake, my teenage boys.  Oh, they come with a certain amount of moaning, but its worth it.

#2. Trash Bags

Well, I guess this isn’t exactly exciting either but let me tell you, it does matter what kind you choose.  You can get a lot of bags really cheap, but you don’t want that.  For serious yard bagging, be sure to look for at least 2 mil thickness.

3. Weatherizing caulk

We’ve been Dap fans around here for quite some time.  They make good product, and a wide range of it.  Going into the winter, you’ll want to check around doors and windows to make sure the seal is still good between the brick/siding and the frame of the door or window.  Also check windows to be sure the glazing is still good that holds the glass in.  It’s pretty easy work replacing it.  However, to maintain proper neatness, you might want to avoid using teenage boys on this one.

4. Door Weatherstrip

I suppose we should dress up this drab looking display of this weatherstrip but we fly through it so fast there’s no point.  Everybody needs this.  Go to your doors, open them and run your fingers along the weatherstrip around it to make sure it’s in good shape.  If it’s not, cold air is coming.

5. Foam tape

Why, yes there is a them developing here.  I hate to be redundant but cold weather is indeed coming.  Check to make sure your windows are installed square (mine are not).  If they’re installed racked, you could see daylight in the corners and once again, that’s a recipe for cold air getting in.

OK, so its not the most exciting list in the world.  In fact, it almost looks a little like work.  But hey, we’re nothing if not practical, right?  And these are easy jobs.

If you’re like me, you have two options.  1. Get out there and get some work done or 2. Make you teenage boys do it.

I can’t let you have my teenage boys…  But if we can help with anything else see us on the web or give us a call (256-852-7411).

FACT – Cabinets…

FACT – Cabinets are not the easiest part of construction or remodeling your home. Dwight Schrute may not have said that just yet on the popular TV show, ” The Office,” but surely he agrees. He did say this, “I am faster than 80% of all snakes.”

OK, back to cabinets….

Cabinets are so complex that I cannot fit everything into one blog post. There are so many options that have to be considered at the beginning stages (layout design and finishes). Then the decisions vary from door styles to cabinet components. Like the amazing pull out drawers that makes finding the sauce pan so much easier.

Kith Cabinet Components

When you think you are about finished with the over all design and interior components – do not forget the exterior options as well. How about some glass inserts to showcase your favorite dinnerware or add some color to your kitchen with stained glass.

There will be more posts following this one about finish options, door styles, cabinet components, countertops, and islands. Sadly, those chicken curry bites topped with a seedless red grape are all gone and won’t be around for the next blog post. They were all eaten at our Open House!

All images were taken in our showroom in Huntsville, AL. If you have any questions or would like to come by and see us, you will find all of our contact info and directions at www.wilsonlumber.net .

Burritt part 2

I blogged a few weeks ago about the Aeratis porch and the Baron Bluff Building at Burritt on the Mountain.  They had an open house there this past weekend.  Apparently the building is a big hit with wedding planners but you’ll have to read someone else’s blog to learn more about that.

It is a beautiful building and spectacular view.

Now, I’m not saying that it’s all because of the porch, I am saying that the porch will be there for a whole lot of years looking great with no maintenance (other than cleaning).  The Aeratis warranty is 20 years if it’s registered with Aeratis and is even transferable (although I doubt if the Burritt ownership is going to change anytime soon:)).

Large porches have always been a part of culture in the south.  So Aeratis is a perfect fit for projects needing a historic feel.  It performs better than the timbers used for porches years ago but without the maintenance.

For more information on it visit our website or give us a call at 256-852-7411.

chili cook-off

Eventually, I promise I’ll get back to posting things that actually matter to the building materials world.

But first:) I have to admit that when I heard of some employees planning a chili cook-off, I had no idea what we were in for.  Clearly, this is the best place to work in the world.

So I’m thinking that there will be 3 or 4 pots of chili and a few plastic bowls.  well, no.

This was all out chili awesomeness.  I want to be clear, I was only an observer.  I did nothing to add to the event except bring an empty stomach and a compelling personality.

This is Emile and Ryan on the “Slap Yo Mama” team with one of our judges.  They didn’t win anything but our hearts.

This team on the left (Guy, Josh & Josh), was the “Hoof Hearted Chili” team, it had deer in it.  Also did not win.  The three guys on the right are the judges, Robert Bass with Mark Harris Homes, Jeff Starbird with All-Temp Windows and Tim Schremsher with TLC Home Services.

The “5 Chicks Chili” team won best presentation.  I think it was those glasses full of fixin’s in the center of the table, that was a nice touch.  This is our Cabinet and Closet department staff.  Look closely though, at the contestant stage right.  That’s not a chick, that’s Patrick.  They probably scored extra points for that.  Left to right is Amy, Linda, Cindy, Lauren and yes, Patrick.

Alas, I cannot post a picture of the winning team, the “Wind Talkers” due to the fact that they were highly adamant that they did not want all the fame and fortune that comes with posting their picture on the internet.

I will say however, that it might have been the best chili I have ever tasted.  I say might because there is a pretty good possibility that my wife will read this and her chili has always been my favorite.  I am not ready to unseat that quite yet.

So for lumber, doors, windows, cabinets or chili recipe’s, give us a call (256)852-7411 or see us on the web.

Greatest Conference Ever

We are members of a group called the “Executive Council on Construction Supply”.  These are the best and the brightest in our industry.  Now, why they let us in to this group is beyond me, perhaps they needed some comic relief.  Anyway, there is a yearly conference and it is always the best in the industry.

This year it was in Phoenix.  See Phoenix pictured below.

Uhh, well yes, that picture was taken on a golf course but lets not get too bogged down in the details of the conference.

The point is, there were a lot of really smart people there that I learned a lot from.

I don’t know if you’re like me, but when I go to one of these I am always challenged to be better, more efficient, more innovative.  Not easy.  Here is a picture of a lumber yard we toured at Alliance Lumber in Phoenix.

Of course there’s not always a bus on their yard.  The biggest difference I found at this yard is that there are no warehouses.  It never rains so they don’t need them.  That’s a big deal.  If I could just lay everything out however I wanted that would be great.  One of our challenges here is that we’ve been here 63 years so we have some warehouses that are really not exactly like we’d lay them out today, but I digress.

One really cool thing I saw was this.

I suppose I should have asked their permission before I pictured it but I think its on their website so I’m OK.  Anyway, the steel piece embedded in the wood allows them to install a wood truss onto a metal frame.  I’m not sure how friendly that is to this market but you never know.

Oh, one other thing that you need if you’re in construction.  It’s an iphone app (I assume its available on other platforms) called Construction Instruction.  It’s quick video instructions on proper installation of a whole lot of stuff.

Well, there’s much more of course but the rest would bore you so I’ll stop.  If there’s anything we can help you with or if you want to know about the golf course give me a call (256-852-7411) or as always, visit is on the web.

a really big stick of wood

I had the opportunity to tour the Andersen Windows plant last week, one of them anyway.  Part of the office was a display area where they had window samples set up.  Very nice, made me jealous.

In that area was this:

Wilson Lumber Salesman Louis Guthrie at the Andersen Windows Plant

Now that’s a big stick.  The community around Bayport (Minnesota) used to be a big logging area.  You’ve seen pictures of rivers full of logs with guys walking on the logs sending them down to the mill.  That was it.

This is a cutout off one of the white pine logs they milled.

See the inscription in the glass on it?  What that says is… well, I have no idea what it says.  I guess I was so enamored by the really big stick of wood that I forgot to read it.  I never was good at details.