Aluminum Framed Patio Cover
The climate of southwest Washington’s Tri-Cities area is sunny, dry and often gusty. This desert locale receives just 7-8 inches of rain per year – a far cry from Seattle’s 58 inches of annual rainfall. Local warm Chinook winds – literally “snow eater” winds, because they can melt snow in a single day – can blow at more than 30 miles per hour. In these conditions, any outdoor structures must be strong and sturdy.
The Les Schwab Bowl is an annual football game showcasing the best high school players from 6A and 5A schools across the state. It’s a North vs. South battle in which the top graduating seniors from all over Oregon face off to benefit the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association’s general scholarship fund. This year, the Les Schwab Bowl is on Saturday, June 22, at Hillsboro Stadium.
This 66th annual Les Schwab Bowl will be the culmination of a week of activities intended to build strong friendships. All participating players stay at Pacific University in the week leading up to the big game. During this time, the players go into the community to complete service projects at hospitals and elsewhere. For instance, players coach and mentor at-risk youths.
Gorilla Decks
Many Vancouver, Wash., residents are trading in their old wood decks for PVC decking. But rather than ripping out the old cedar deck and replacing it entirely, many Pacific Northwest homeowners are saving money by keeping the underlying wood structure and resurfacing the top with PVC.
In our culture of instant gratification, we’re used to seeing food preparation instructions encouraging us to “Just add water!” Home improvement is rarely this straightforward, but the mantra “Just add picket fencing!” could prove just as transformative. A picket fence adds instant charm to any home, especially those that lack fencing. Today we’re highlighting a project the Salem Rick’s crew recently completed for a home in Corvallis, Ore. By reviewing this project, we hope to show how a picket fence can greatly boost a home’s curb appeal.
With a garage on the right and a good-sized front yard on the left, this Corvallis home had plenty of potential. But it wasn’t until we added a 42-inch white scalloped picket fence that the small front yard really “popped,” as designers are fond of putting it. We provided a complete fence installation, including an entryway pergola over a gate between the front yard and the garage.
Without much maintenance, a cedar deck will last for 20 to 30 years. However, if you don’t regularly stain your cedar deck’s surface, it will quickly become ridden with warps and splinters. We recommend yearly staining, which extends the life of cedar decking while also preventing pest infestations. Moreover, an annually stained deck will be less slippery. And for the homeowner focused on maximizing resale price, a regularly maintained cedar deck will bring a higher asking price, as it will look newer than a neglected deck.
If you’re planning to take advantage of our glorious streak of good weather to stain your deck, here are the steps you’ll need to take to prepare. Read the rest of this entry »
Agriculture, Richland, pergolas: They all have a natural affinity. Richland, one of the three Tri-Cities in southeastern Washington, began as a small farm town. Its location at the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima rivers makes Richland perfect for growing produce; the land here is, indeed, rich. In the last decade, a thriving community of wineries has cropped up in the area as well – this August, Washington State University’s campus in Richland will break ground on a $23 million wine science center. Finally, food processor ConAgra/Lamb-Weston is located in Richland, making it convenient for area farmers to process their crops.
Given Richland’s history of agriculture and its long growing season, it’s not too surprising that many Richland residents enjoy transforming their own backyards into gorgeous gardens. Our Tri-Cities store manager Bob Mead fields Richland residents’ frequent requests for pergolas to use as growing structures to support their gardening efforts. He points out, “With a pergola you can grow a garden from top to bottom. One of the early uses of pergolas was to grow grapes and other vines.”
Sometimes a bit of destruction is required to create a stunning cedar decking area. That was certainly the case with today’s spotlight project, a cedar deck resurfacing project we recently completed in Oregon City. If your deck is looking dull, drab and just plain worn out, this renovation project may interest you.
One unique aspect of this renovation was that we were able to incorporate the existing multi-story frame, which was perfectly sturdy enough to sustain years of use. Engineer types will appreciate that the structural support for elevated decks like this one get better airflow than ground-level decks, thus minimizing the tendency for dry rot and allowing contractors like us to reuse the still viable frame. However, to give the tired-looking 480-square-foot deck a “facelift,” we tore off and replaced the cedar decking surface as well as the handrails. This approach saved the customer several thousands of dollars while still delivering the appearance of a brand-new deck.
Salem residents are known for their dedication to earth-friendly practices. From acting as a test market for electric vehicles to improving bike paths, Salem’s legislators and residents have found multiple ways to pursue a more earth-friendly way of living. But Salem homeowners may not yet realize how adding a patio cover can also help save the planet.
Pergolas and patio covers are some of the most popular outdoor living structures in the Tri- Cities. (Pergolas have open roofs, while patio covers provide solid protection from the elements.) These structures allow Tri-Cities residents to take advantage of the area’s desert sun – more than 300 days of sun per year, typically! In such a dry, sunny place, it just makes good sense to build a comfortable, sturdy outdoor living structure.
Structural integrity is important when building anything in the Tri-Cities, due to the famous Chinook Winds that sweep through the area. Named after local tribes, the Chinook Winds are warm enough to melt winter snows in a day and strong enough to blow down shoddily constructed structures.
Port Orford Cedar
PVC Decking
TigerWood
Handrails
Underdeck
Benches
Cedar
Vinyl
Aluminum
Chain Link
Pasture
Aluminum Framed
Wood Framed
Vinyl Pergolas
Cedar Pergolas
Cedar Gates
Vinyl Gates
Ornamental Gates
Chain Link Gates
Arbors
Retaining Walls
