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By Christopher Grover, President & Charlie Jourdain, Vice President Californ ia Redwood Association

A T THE California Redwood .{a.Association. we get plenty of questions, and we know that redwood lumber merchants receive the same question. So here is a list of the most frequently asked questions and their answers.

Q. Wlth all the choices out there, why should I choose redwood?

,'\.. ttre most immediately distinctive attribute of redwood is its natural beauty. Other products try to imitate it, but they really can't. Redwood also has a beauty that goes below the surface, and that is what makes it keep on looking beautiful year after year. Customers keep coming back to redwood for its dimensional stability and its natural resistance to decay and insects.

Q. f r it more environmentally responsible to use a composite instead of redwood decking?

,,&" Th"t" are a lot of different decking products out there making some pretty striking claims, but few really match up with redwood. Redwood is the fastest growing conifer in North America. Redwood is made from solar energy, water and nutrients in the soil. Very little energy is required to shape and deliver this product to builders in California and other Western states. Petroleum based products, even the "recycled" ones, consume far more energy and nonrenewable resources. At the end of the life cycle, redwood can be easily disposed of because it is a natural product and it is bio-degradable. Treated lumber and composites create a much greater environmental burden.

Q. Wtr"n will we run out of redwood lumber?

:\. Neuer. Redwood is being harvested and regrown on a sustainable basis. There are more redwoods today than there were when Man first started harvesting the trees.

Q. no.r a redwood deck require a lot of maintenance?

,'&, There's a good reason the words "redwood" and "deck" have been linked together for decades. Redwood lumber performs beautifully outdoors with very little maintenance. Like any outdoor surface, you will want to sweep it off every so often to keep debris from building up on the surface and between the deck boards. As for finishing, in many places, that can be a matter of choice. With its inherent dimensional stability and heartwood decay-resistance, redwood lumber is one of the few woods that can be left unfinished. This no-maintenance option results in a look that is often preferred in coastal areas and other places where redwood's driftwood gray appearance feels like part ofthe landscape.

Q. Should redwood be allowed to weather before it receives a finish?

A. tf you choose to use a protective finish it should be applied as soon as the project is completed. Allowing wood to weather prior to finish application can result in premature coating failure if the surface is not properly prepared. We recommend using a quality finish system containing water repellents, a mildewcide and UV protection. Redwood siding should always be backprimed or prefinished.

Q. Uo* do I evaluate the merits of redwood versus the new composite and plastic decking materials?

A. These products are new, and so everyone finds them interesting. They

Redwood Marketing Tip #1 Know Your Stuff

One of the most valuable assets any lumber company can have is a knowledgeable employee. We all want employees who can answer customers' questions, solve problems and close the sale. It's true today and it was true 20 years ago, when redwood wholesalers asked the CRA to develop a redwood training course for their employees.

The result of this collaboration was Redwood Basics for Sales & Marketing, an eight-part coffespon- dence course that provides a solid grounding in all the issues related to selling redwood lumber. Shortly after its introduction, the course won a Gold Award for Best Employee Training Aid from a national building industry publication.

Over the years, hundreds of lumber professionals have taken CRA's course from outside salesmen to company presidents. In many cases, today's redwood experts were yesterday's students. As course gradu- ate John Gaskin, Captial Lumber Co., Phoenix, Az., explains, "Capital has successfully used the CRA training course as a core element of our training for years." are so new, that, in general, projects built with them have not been around long enough to evaluate. There have, however, been reports of installations with mildew and decay problems. They tend to be more expensive than redwood and, because they have little strength, their applications are more limited. They may require special tools and installation techniques. For instance, unlike redwood, these products may be very sensitive to tempera-

Some of the subjects covered are redwood chemistry, properties, forestrl, grades, sizes and patterns, installation and finishes. Assignments are graded by a redwood expert who provides liberal comments and feedback on the student's progress.

Graduates of the course are equipped to talk knowledgeably about redwood and other products to architects, builders and consumer customers. They understand the underlying properties that make redwood different from other products and why these special qualities make redwood the natural choice for outdoor projects like decks, fences and other garden applications.

You may enroll employees in the $200 course through your redwood supplier or directly through the CRA. If you have any questions about the course, contact Christy Haase at (415) 382-0662 or christy @ calredwood.org.

Redwood lllarketi ngTip #2 Have a Plan

Your customers don't just buy redwood lumber. They have a dream, and they buy redwood from you to build that dream-project by project.

When you give your customer the perfect project plan, suddenly you become the redwood expert. Your customers will keep coming back for more lumber, more tools, more plans and expert advice. That's why the California Redwood Association developed a project plan library for the most popular projects out lhere. We want you to be the expert with the plan.

How do we know these plans are popular? We know because every week, hundreds of may like the sandbox and just about everyone can use a picnic table. These plans were written and developed by the same people who produce plans for the major national how-to magazines, so they are professional from top to bottom. Even your pio builders I will find them helpful.

There are 14 redwood project plans: ture changes. Also they are not biodegradable, so there are scrap disposal problems. In terms of the environment, they are made from nonrenewable petroleum-based products, while redwood is beine constantlv and do-it-yourselfers buy our printed plans or download free plans from the CRA Web site.

. Garden Tool Shed - get those shovels and pick-axes out of the garage and put them in this freestanding storage shed.

Mendocino Bench - a stylish garden bench with a curved seat and broad armrests.

Sonoma Picnic Tablethe classic picnic table, including detached benches.

. 2x2 Baluster Railings-arailingis the finishing touch for many decks. These plans show several options using 2x2 redwood.

Many dealers use these same plans to give their customers a nudge in the right direction. It doesn't take too much imagination to match the right project with the right person. Customers building a deck may also be interested in benches, Adirondack chairs, or maybe a swing. Customers buying sod or flowers may be interested in redwood planters or a potting shed. Customers with young children

. Monterey Potting Center - freestanding workstation for the serious gardener in need of shelves, storage and shade.

. Petaluma Planters - quality redwood planter boxes, can be modified to be square or rectangular.

. Deck Over Concrete - here are plans to transform an ugly, cracked concrete slab into a naturallv beautiful redwood deck.

. Freestanding Decka small 8xl0 deck fits in wherever you need to be up off the ground. rcsro\\ n. Thc\ iilso fcrluirc tlorc cncrgv to 1'l'orlrrcc thart lurttber.

. Santa Cruz Sandbox - a medium sized sandbox brings beach{ype fun to any backyard.

Windsor Shade Shelter - handsome free-standing redwood shade shelter provides a cool place to relax.

Lake Tahoe Gazebo - one of the most popular plans in the library, a classic gazebo.

Calistoga Spa Surround - several ideas for beautifying that spa while adding valuable storage space.

. Adirondack Chair - the classic outdoor chair. Lean back with a beverage of your choice and enjoy the view.

. Adirondack Swing - the Adirondack chair remodeled; bring a co-pilot.

The plans can be downloaded from www.calredwood.org or hard copies can be ordered from CRA's Novato. Ca.. offices.

Q. t'un I rrsc rcrl*ootl firr stt'r.rctr-u. rul applications'.)

Whilc it is comntort to u\c rcrlrr oorl tle cking o\ cl prcssurc treatcrl lumbcl fianring. wherc- rlurabilitl urrrl lrllpclrnrncc are ir conccltt. ot whcrc chcnrical pr-csel'\ lrtive\ afe lr cortccfrr. rcclri oocl joists. bcams and lx)sts ciut be usccl. Thc usc of rt-cluood in thcsc applicilti()ns ancl othcI constructi()n applications reclLlirillg rlLrraLrlc rlutcriiils lurs sccn rcncwecl inte rcst dr.rc tt-r rcccnt ploble-nrs u ith chcnricallt, trcatccl rvoocl.

Reclu oocl's rclatircll ligltt ttcight ancl favorablc strcnsth to-s cicht f i.rtio nllke it nruch casicr to "i. ork \\ ith ancl a]lo$ s 1oI grcirter \l)ans rr hcn corlplrrccl to nran r)ladc conll)ositc r)ratcriuls. tlrc Calilirrnia Rccl l oocl Associution is thc inclepcnclcnt authorit\ on lccln oocl lunrbct' pr<ttl ucts. Wl-tcncvcr' )ou of )ouf cLls tollers Irar c c1r-rcst ions. \ ou clur con lact thc CRA at .tr05 Enticnte l)r.. Stc. l(X). \orato. Ca. 9.19:19: (,1 l5) 313l 0662; nfb(t calrr-tl* ood.org.

Redwood Marketing Tip #5 Show Your Stuff

'l'he lull-color poster Mugu:itrt' was supplied by' the Calil'olnia Redrvood Associalion and Redrvood Inspection Scrvice as a dealer' s point-of-purchasc piece.

It shon's c-xamples of both alchitecfural and gar'clcn grades of rccllvclocl lumbcr. explaittr thcir propcrties and suggests typical uses. lt also ailorvs space fbr clealers to inclicate availabilitl' and describes the RIS glade stamps.

Consumers, builclers irrrrl specilicrs rvill lpprcciate and usc this ref'elcnce tool. Aclditional free posters (up to l0) can be ordered b1" contacting the CRA At (I]88) CAL_REDWOOD.

Absolute Integrity BTTII

Nail & Screw Pail Progra

Packaged t{ails & Screwe

Bulk l{ails & $crews

Gollated Fasteners

All Thread Anchor Bolts

$ub*Floor Adhesive l-Joist nackaged ivith this issue of 'l'he Mercltottt

Scotia Sawmill Specs

Project Cost: $25 million

System Designer/Builder: Hi-Tech/Comact, Hot Springs, Ar.

Location: Scotia, Ca.

Capacity: 260 million bd. ft. finished lumber per year lncreases productivity.

Processing Speed: 14-17 logs per minute. Produces '1,000 linear ft. of lumber per minute or 17 ft. per second.

Lasers: Six lasers map every 1/4" of each log, firing 500 to 1,000 times per second.

Computer Calculations: There are 160 possible combinations of finished lumber length and widths, 36,000 possible combinations of length and diameter for eaach log, and several million possible milling options. Computers crossreference this data with market prices and computer preferences and make the appropriate milling choice in less than one second.

Benefits: lmproves workers safety.

Reduces waste.

Increases flexibility.

Reduces processing costs.

Increases opportunity to process logs lrom small forestland owners.

128 jobs in 2004 at the new mill. Total employment at the Scotia manufacturing complex will increase to 256 employees in 2005 when the mill goes to three shifts.