Upselling Secret: Discover Hidden Deck Fasteners

The rising avcrage cost of buildin-c a deck, whether crafted of pricey hardr,voods, composites, redwood or cedar, has fueled thc sales of hidden deck fasteners.

After all, asks Weston Leavens, creator of the Deckmaster hidden bracket. "Nobody adds surface screws to interior hardr'vood floors, so why have them on the outdoor deck where water can penetrate into the joists?"

Since introducing his bracket l5 years ago, Leavens has witnessed "an explosion in the dernand for hidden fastening. Much of this has come from the grorving popularity of composites and hardrvoods, but even when using traditional rnaterials. people want the benefits. It seems everybody has seen thc problems rvith surface nails and scre'uvs."

Those problems include:

' Appearance. Visible fasteners detract frorn the look of the deck's surface. And, as time passes, their appearance further deteriorates.

. Maintenance. Nails and screws may have to be redriven and can make resanding of the deck more difficult.

. Lonsevitv. Nails and screws can facilitate water penetration into the wood, shortening the lif'e span of the deck.

DEALERS find hidden fastening systems, such as EB-TY, to be perfect add-on sales to high-dollar deck packages.

. Saf'ety. Protruding nail and screrv heads can be hazardous. Hidden fasteners grasp the boards at the edges or from below.

"The look is why the consumer rs first interested in a hidden system." said Albert Mickadeit of Swan Secure Products, Inc., master distributor of EB-TY hidden deck fasteners. "I'd say 20%, of the people looking for our system will not accept anything but a

'hidden' system. It's what they want. The next group of purchasers are 'up sold' to the product. They love the look and once they consider the total job cost, they are rvilling to pay the extra for that high-end look. Hardwood decking is expensive and if you're spending that much, you might as well go all the way."

Hardwood importer Advantage Lumber, Buffalo, N.Y., specializes in the edge-mount Ip6 Clip. Advantage's Rob Pelc has seen "significant growth in the use of hidden fasteners" due. in part, to the products' continuing improvements. Fiberglass reinforcement has strengthened the clips, he said, "so that they can be used on 3/4" decking, which requires more strength because of the slightly higher cupping factor. They are mostly sold with our 5/4x6 decking, which has grown hugely this last year because we now sell it pregrooved both edges along the entire length. Probably 907o of the decks that we have sold in the last year have been our pregrooved decking with Ip6 Clip hidden fasteners."

Fiberglass reinforment also inhibits overdriving. Other improvements, such a\ charrgirrr lrrrrn:rlrnLrc tllirc 1o torr rllirc unrl olleriliL tllc eliyts ilr t't-torc colors. hln c lrlso hclpurl sllcs.

Hidclcn fiistL'nllts \\ stcnts lr|c lrVlril able- ll'onr a \ arict\ ol nurrrullctrrlcls ln an lrsst)rtntcnt of clilts lrrrd ltr-trckcts lrrtrl cr cn. trot.n ShaclocTrack. trnrlcr' tlcek nuiling strips. Dillcrclrt nrrrlcri ltls rcclLrirc rliffercnt fastcncls. "Yorr ncctl 1o bc lrrr lrc <tf thc ntant Iritlrl rr ootls rn ailublc uncl thc chat'actct'i\trcs ol cuclt \\'oo(1." Mickacleit saiil. "Air tllrcd lfol)icul halrlrritod u ril Iurr c lL lcnrlcrrct lo shlink rathet' thln crpunrl. lrrrrl kilrr rllicrl rr ili crpancl. Irrstlrllcrs sltoLr ltl lr lu u,r s hlrr e thrrlootl ucclinlrtc."

Wltcn cltoosirrg lr hirklen lltstcl)ilt1l s)'stcnr. it's lrlso rntltot-tlrrrt 1o eLrnsirlcr' thc instullutiorr elurr-tretcli:tie:. Htrrr high ol'l tltc qlLrrrnrl u ill thc tlce k lre .' If it's l0$. urr untlc|tl]oLiltt \\ \lcln nlir\ pro\c to bc euntlrcrsorlc. Instllllrtion of clecks Itigh oll tlte Llorr ntl rrlrt rcqLrife scullirlclirrg ot'l)l()\c ttro ehll lcngint for sr stclns thirt rle rruuttl "slanrntinc" [roalcls i ltto t lrc I lrstcrrcr-. ".4 lr-arltin!. cr-u'r'c is ulu u_r s tltc eilsc ()n thc fi|st clcck." sairl Micl<atlcit. "This sontetin-tcs cl iscouruscs irtstlrllcrs. but ttnce thcv knou thc srs tcrn lrrrcl ricr clolt a streat)tlinc ntctll(xl. lltcn thcr cun incorprtrate thc lrtok irrtir thcir' :ulcs untl ol'lcr it us an 'Lll) scll' rr itlr l snurrlct (luotc."

Wholesaler Winding Down

With tlrc collrrltsc ol u lrrst-cliteh cllort to scll lltrr-t ol lltc uontltln\ t() clttltlotecs lrrtrl irtreslols. ('ltintintirri

Folcst I'trrrlue t:. ..\lblrrtr. ()r'.. llttie i pittcs closiltr its tlotrrs br tltt cntl o1' tlrc nr()nlh.

Chintintini ltr.csrtlcrrt Itrek Bootlt lloolltntrn conlirrrrctl. "l cr,yrcet lll ol ttur-ttpcnrtions r ill be slrrrt tlot rr lrr Vlrti lr. lltr'lt u."]l lrr' :'r'ttrtr,- rr'lr,lr li,r' 0ut lruclirln in .\1lt i1."

Ittnn sitirl tltc businc\\ pto\etl too e.rpensir c to bLrr. Hc lttribLrlcrl tltc closure prinlilil,r Io rulul\\ l,r lilbilitr antl health insuntncc cosls.

Sitl.c t]tt !(rll)olltlir)n \ (r\\nr't\ tlce iclctl in lnte Octobcl to closc. tlrc c()nlpult\ ha: been lirlf illirrg contt'lcls. eollce ting ()n its ntorc than S l rlillion irt lcccir irblcs. uncl ltiLring clol n c\e css inr crttorr.

I1s lcnurrrrr llctuling plant Itl\ rctlrrcctl its ri orkfirrcc frorn -17 to 10. '[-lrc lcnlrrr nurchincf\. as n ell its tlttcks. r'uckirrg. lilts lrncl othcl cclr-ri1tnlcnt. ltre tct)litti\ clr sllrtctl to Ltc auc tioncrl oll Altril -1.

Pnlco Plans Major Expansion

Pelco plans a $25 million expansion that will include a new state-ofthe-art sawmill and a new high-speed planer in Scotia, Ca.

Designed to process smaller second growth logs (up to 24"), the new sawmill will not only be high-tech, but also energy efficient. The mill's power will come from Par-co's own plant that produces energy from wood waste that would otherwise be dumped in a landfill.

"Like our forests, Palco evolves and adapts to the changing conditions," said Robert Manne, PRLco's president and c.e.o. "This new multimillion dollar project allows us to do just that. Because we have sold or donated more than 28,000 acres of old growth forest to the public and have set aside thousands of additional acres of old growth to protect wildlife habitat, we no longer have a significant supply of large logs. This sawmill will enable us to adapt to those changes."

mization, a high-speed mechanized lumber stacking system, and an automated packaging system.

The new planer will process all of P,rlco's redwood decking and play s)'stem products, as well as Douglas fir structural framing and industrial beams. It will replace older, significantly slower planers at Fortuna and Carlotta. Ca.. which will continue to process rough sawn lumber.

capitalization after an expansion, and performing poorly in yard locations.

To help turn business around, the company closed eight under-performing lumberyards, selling its Eugene, Or., discount building materials outlet. The remaining l2 locations made an effort to sell slow-moving and obsoIete merchandise and kept stock levels in check, greatly improving inventory management.

Manne also hopes the projects will increase tourism and business opportunities in the Humboldt County. Pnlco is also renovating the Scotia museum, and including renovations that allow visitors the opportunity to watch timber being transformed into everyday wood products.

Keith Brown On The Rebound

A year after hiring an independent consultant to help restore profitability, Keith Brown Building Materials, Salem. Or.. is back in the black.

"This project has been like repairing a building that has been damaged in an earthquake-only then can you start to rebuild," Murphy said. "The hard work of our employees, excellent service by our suppliers, partnerships with our bank and the forgiveness of subordinated debt have all helped in making Keith Brown a profitable company once again."

The $5 million planer can process more than 2,000 linear feet of roughsawn lumber per minute and will feature high-speed quality finish, handsfree lumber grading, board trim opti-

As of December 2003 the company produced a year-end net profit-its first time doing so in three years.

Keith Brown first began having problems in the fall of 2002, when the company was combating a soft commodities market, experiencing under-

While closing yards and cutting corporate staff and yard personnel was difficult, c.e.o. Brad Pence is confident that the firm can now be a force in the West Coast building materials supply.

LVL Mill Possible In Alaska

#1

I At Britt Lumber, we specialize in redwood fence posts, boards, rails, decking and balusters cut from our ^r\ certified @srsto*t,r loresrc. ) rNlTlATlvE Call Boss Muxworthy at P.O. Box 248. Arcata, Ca.95521 105 Alder Grove Rd. The fencing specialists ' (7071 822'1779 . Fax (707) 822-5645 30 THB MnncuaNr MnclzrNn Mnncu 2004 and a Canadian forest products company to bring a new laminated veneer lumber mill to Seward.

The proposed $60 million project would employ an estimated 200 people. The plant could export its products to markets in the Far East.

Dale Lindsey is looking at a 4Oacre site in Seward that is owned by the Alaska Railroad Corp.

"State lands in these regions are capable of providing the primary fiber supply for the LVL mill, utilizing a harvest approach that is balanced and consistent with the sustained yield principle," Lindsey said.

Proceeding with the plan depends on whether or not Alaska can make an available supply of wood through continuing timber sales on state lands.

Washington Mill Worker Dies

A worker died at Banks Lumber Mill, Banks, Wa., after becoming caught in equipment

According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, Cory Kepple, 24, got pinned underneath press rolls Feb. 7 while he was operating a debarker.

OSHA is investigating the accident.

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