know who you are

There are really two sides to Wilson Lumber.  There’s the side that most people know, that is, that we sell building materials to pro’s who are building and remodeling homes (although as frustrating as it is, most people don’t know that we sell a whole lot more than just lumber).

But then there’s the significant side of our business where we sell to homeowners.  Now most of our interactions with homeowners (at least in dollar volume) is with what you might call larger ticket items.  Replacement doors, decks, cabinets, etc.  Hence, our tag line “way more than lumber”.

    

Anyway, recently we have discontinued all electrical, plumbing and paint products (well, almost all).  It’s not that we didn’t enjoy selling this stuff, or even that we didn’t make money at it.  The problem was that we were not excellent at it.  And we believe that if you cant be excellent at something, you just shouldn’t do it.  Also, we realized that people don’t need us for that kind of stuff.  And we are perfectly OK with that.  It gives us more resources, energy and space for the stuff we are excellent at.

As if that is not enough, I attended a conference recently where I saw this particular study by the Farnsworth Group that I’ve previously written about.

Basically, professionals depend on us for Lumber, Millwork and Building Materials.  (I must admit, I thought lumber and millwork were building materials.  I guess they meant stuff like siding, brick, gypsum, etc.)  So, as we are excellent at those things, that is where we focus our resources.

You might notice on the study that only 3% of pro’s made their last paint purchase at a place like Wilson’s.  And only 15% for electrical and 4% for paint.  I guess I’m now wondering why we kept that stuff around as long as we did.  O well, hindsight is 20/20.

If you need any lumber, millwork or building materials, give us a call (256-852-7411) or visit our website.  And if you need electrical, plumbing or paint, we can refer you to someone excellent:)

Building, Home and Remodeling Show Time

Well I cant just show you pictures of all the great stuff in our booth!  Then you wouldn’t have enough need to go see it.  And Huntsville’s Building Home and Remodeling Show is always worth going to see.

I’ll give you an overview.  Door specials on replacement steel unit’s INSTALLED, special pricing on Iron Doors, Window displays from Andersen Windows and Ply-gem, both with a wide breadth of product offering, decks, siding, Shower Doors, Cabinets and Closets.

And believe it or not, we did all this without cluttering the booth up, it’s pretty impressive.  Definitely one of my favorite booths ever.

So what are you waiting for?  The show’s open now.  Come on down!  Like I said, it’s always worth going to see.  Just do me one favor, don’t go see our competitors while you’re there:)

Glass…not only for your Showers

I went to a condo tour this past spring in Atlanta, GA. One of the many things that caught my eye were the bathroom layouts. They weren’t large but were designed well.

Think about it…less sheetrock more glass…

Shown above is a Pivot Glass door and wall system in a frosted glass. Please just take a look at the back-to-back door pull… My, my, my – I just love it.

To clarify, Wilson’s did not supply the door/walls, but we can sure can make it happen for you if live in the Tennessee Valley. Complimentary Design services are offered at Wilsons.

Again, the door pull is perfect. The image above is of the shower in the same bathroom. The shower and lavatory stalls were in opposite corners of the room with a tub in between. 

I used a similar square back-to-back towel bar  shortly before visiting this tour when a customer requested a straight lined towel bar to double as the door pull. The customer was satisfied Wilson’s  found one, and I was more than pleased with the finished appearance.

Designed and Installed by Wilson Lumber

Wilson’s two shower door lines are different in many ways. Southeastern Aluminum is customizable with the sizes and glass options. They also allow us to supply a special door handle or towel bar if our customer choses not to use their standard options. Roda by Basco doors are already a set design that includes unique door styles, glass options, and hardware. Finish options and glass options are also available!

Click on these links to see examples of what each can offer your existing or new home!

www.southeasternaluminum.com

www.rodabybasco.com

Call our Designer Closets and Cabinets department to get pricing or more information, 256-852-7411.

Shower Doors Year Round

Now, I’m not gonna lie to you.  Setting up and working the Home Show is a pain in the neck.  Each year in the March timeframe, the Huntsville/Madison County Builders Association hosts the best local Home Show there is.  And I mean that.  It is top-notch in every way.  Exhibitors have some great displays, and the attendees are great leads.

But I’ll just say it, it’s a lot of work.  It’s worth it of course, so I hate to complain.  In fact, for all its extra effort, its actually kind of fun.  The break in monotony, the trying to top last years display, the lottery for the good booth space (we’ve actually lost out on that one for a few years now, oh well).

Last year we displayed some shower doors.

Yes, we used wood frames to display them and no, of course you wouldn’t try that at home.  You should have been there during set-up.  “Is that wood? You can’t install shower doors in wood!” “Sure you can, it was easy to set up.”  “No you cant, it doesn’t look right.”  “Well, maybe not exactly but it gets attention.”  And on it went.

Forgive the K-mart bag (photobomb)

By the way, you can get them in clear or obscure glass.  Now I’ll go ahead and admit that I had no idea people would be so interested in shower doors.  The market is bigger than I thought.  I guess its on of those things where you decide to cut costs by getting a curtain and then later go, “why did we do that?” and then you buy a door.

which brings me to my point.  you don’t have to wait until the Home Show to look at shower doors.  Believe it or not, we sell them year round:)

And you wont be disappointed because the displays here at the store are also set in wood.

Come see us at 4818 Meridian Street or visit our website.

HOW TO: Select a Shower Door

Shower Doors are an easy and noticeable bathroom upgrade. Not much else is needed to be said. Well, maybe the hard part that most people don’t like to talk about… Selecting the door.

Shower Doors are basically puzzle pieces to your shower enclosure. They fill every nook of the opening. It is very important to have a professional measure the opening to ensure the correct measurements and notes are taken. Common things to look for when a professional comes to measure are a pad/pencil, measuring tape, and a level.  Best part about having someone measure for you, is that it only takes them a few minutes and they are out the door!

Once the measurements are taken, it will allow the designer to give you a precise drawing and price. However, as the customer it is your decision on the type/thickness of glass, finish, door hardware, and shower enclosure hardware. Below I will list some tips to help you make your design process move smoothly.

STEP #1: TYPE OF DOOR

There are multiple types of door options, but a lot of this decision is based on your opening size and the configuration. You can choose from a frameless glass door, semi-frameless glass door, and by-pass glass door.

Two of our most popular door hinge styles are the Signature Pivot and Signature Hinge:

Signature Hinge

STEP #2: TYPE OF GLASS

The most common glass option selected is clear. However, some people are pulled away from clear because of the probability of having to clean too often. There is an option that can be applied to the glass while in manufacturing. It is basically a coating on the glass that does not affect the clarity – but does allow you cut the cleaning by at least 60%!  Some compare it to Rain- X (like you use on vehicle windows), but for your shower door and is more affective.

You can always pick more obscure, colored, or detailed options as well:

STEP#3: SELECTING A FINISH

When selecting a finish for the shower door it is best to match it to your existing or new hardware. If you are not sure which finish you have, a designer can use samples to color match for you.  

STEP #4: HARDWARE SELECTION

This decision is all you! What do you prefer? Victorian style…. Mission style… or maybe you prefer the standard C-pull!

Crescent Pull

If your opening is wider than 30″ you will need to add a side panel. There are a some options for securing the stationary panel. One way would be to add the U-Channel along all surfaces that the glass will touch. The U-channel helps to prevent excess leaking. U-channel also allows a more frameless appearance.

The clips and clamps provide the same stability as the U-channel but will be installed roughly 1/8″ from the surface. This option is best for shower enclosures that are spacious enough not to have the shower head spraying directly on the panel.

To see more options, please visit our showroom or take a look at our suppliers websites at Roda by Basco and Southeastern Aluminum.  

As always, please comment or call (256-852-7411) with any questions