Toal Lumber Co.

Hardwood Adds Home Value

Hardwood flooring, paneling, cabinetry and decorative millwork can improve a home's resale value by as much as 30Vo, according to a survey of custom and semi-custom home builders in the 40 fastest growing U.S. home building markets.

More than 95Vo of the builders questioned in The Hardwood Council study said they or their customers specify hardwood in new home construction with more than 907o saying it increases resale value. Almost 807o of the respondents build homes with an average price of $225,000, compared to the national average of $121,000.

Appearance and durability were cited as reasons to choose hardwood. Red oak was the most popular with maple, white oak, cherry, ash, poplar and birch mentioned as favorites. Although hardwoods are most often used in flooring and kitchen cabinetry, a number of builders cited the need for design ideas incorporating hardwoods into bedrooms, bathrooms, countertops, window seats, foyers, architectural accents and other interior applications.

Home Buyers Prefer Siding

Marketing studies by Masonite Building Products show siding ranks as one of three top features considered before a home buying decision is made. Curb appeal and overall appearance are considered important.

Prefinished colors and easy maintenance rank high among available cladding options. "In the wood composite category, we feel hardboard and OsB-based sidings play an important role in filling builder and homeowner preferences," notes Jeff Idzik of Masonite.

TakingPrecautions ls The Best Way To Prevent Robbery

"Retailers need to evaluate their suspiciously in tle store, outside or risk and trke action to minimize it," even across the street, request a says a security expert who is consult- police security check. ed by police and FBI investigators. "A police burglary unit once told me, 'The crime that happens most often is the one the victim allowed by not taking precautions."'

Amr a business against crime with a combination of a security system and personnel training, Edward T. McGunn advises. He suggests retailers can avoid robbery with the following actions:

/ Use a time delay cash droP safe near the cash register.

/ Control and limit cash in the register; drop all large bills into the safe; keep cash especially low after dark.

/ Post signs stating cash is locked in a time delay safe.

/ Make sure clerks frequentlY ask for smaller bills, explaining they never have much money for change.

/ When someone loiters or acts

/ Grgot customers with good eye contact and observe their actions.

/ Keep the store clean.

/ Make sure customers, passersby and police can se€ in from the outside by repositioning window signs or displays blocking the view of the register ilea.

/ Offer law enforcement personnel free coffee and use of the washroom to bring them around frequently.

/ Keep register locked; open it only for the shortest possible time; never be diverted while it's oPen.

/ Check security equipment daily and fix any not working.

/ Never discuss company business with customers, relatives or friends; be suspicious of anyone asking questions related to store security.

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Oak Still Underfoot Favorite

Although oak remains by far the most popular species of hardwood flooring among both retailers and consumers, common grades are becoming more popular than select grades. A preference for knots, streaks and other naturally occurring character marks influences this trend as much as the lower prices, reports the Hardwood Council.

Generally, prices range between $60 and $65 per bundle for Select grade and between $50 and $55 per bundle for #1 Common grade. (A bundle contains 18 sq. ft. of flooring.) Average profit margin for oak hardwood flooring falls between 20 and 35Vo, the council notes, with relailers realizing the greatest profit on the higher grades.

Gabinet Sales Increase 11.2o/o Kitchen cabinet sales rose 11".27o in 1993, according to rhe Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association. Although stock cabinet sales were up l2.3%o, custom cabinet sales increased onlv 6Vo.

The Merchant Magazine

Safes Climb 26.80/o In 5 Years

Sales for California lumber and building material retailers increased 26.8Vo between 1987 and 1992, to a total of $7,651,125 billion in 2,284 locations, according to recent Bureau of the Census statistics.

During the same period, the number of retail lumber and building mat€rial employees increased 2,8Vo to 42,50r.

Sales for all of California's 162,lll retail stores totaled $224.6 billion in 1992, up 25Vo from 1987. Nationwide, retail sales rose an esti-

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mated2TVo over the five year period. Retail sales in Los Angeles County were highest at $63.1 billion, 28Vo of the total. At $21.2 billion, Orange County was second.

Weyerhaeuser Merits Award

Weyerhaeuser recently received an award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its part in developing the Long Island (Wa.) Forest Management Plan, considered a model for environmentalty sound log_ grng.

Last year the company and the agency completed a series of land exchanges and purchases to protect a 274 acre climax cedar forest known as the Cedar Grove. Weyerhaeuser also donated 40 acres of surrounding mature forest containing timber worth nearly $1 million as a buffer against wind and fire. In all, over 1,600 acres of Weyerhaeuser's Long Island land has been transferred to federal ownership.

Executive vice president Charley Bingham accepted the award.

Wholesaler Confidence Falls

Confidence in business conditions in the wholesale disribution industry is generally positive, but lower than during the second quarter.

A confidence index survey released by National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors showed 112.6 for third quarter 1994 and 100.3 for the year ahead. Survey respondents cited possible interest rate increases and uncertainty surrounding health care reform as the primary reasons for lower confidence in business conditions. The survey was completed prior to the Aug. 16 interest rate increase.

"Confidence levels are still comfortably positive with regard to both the short and long-term," said survey chief Parick Dolan. "But while positive, some doubts appear to be creeping into their thinking about the economy."

Wood Flooring Styles Change

To meet their customers' demands for more and better options, versatility and durability, retailers must keep abreast with the unprecedented changes taking place in the wood flooring market.

Advanced technology in the past decade has developed different and improved products and installation techniques. Six wood tone colors were available in wood flooring in 1986. Today, more than 26 different colors are available, ranging from white to the darkest walnut, and including pastels, greys and deep reds.

Four wood species dominated the wood flooring market 10 years ago. Todav there are at least 20 includins exotic species. More than 15 styles of flooring are available today, as opposed to five less than 10 years ago.

Treaters Joint Distribution

Allweather Wood Treaters, Washougal, Wa., and J. H. Baxter & Co., San Mateo, Ca., are joining in the distribution of Chemonite prcssue treated Douglas firproducts.

Allweather Wood Treaters will maintain a complete inventory of Chemonite products at Baxter's Eugene, Or., and Weed, Ca., facilities. They will also coordinate custom treating services.

"Our agreement with Baxter allows us to better serve customers with additional products within our existing seven state market," said Alan Wade, president of the company, which has production plants in Washougal and Medford, Or., and a disnibution center in Tacoma. Wa.