BUILDING.REMODELING BOOSTING LONG.TERM REDWOOD DEMAND

By L. Keith Lanning Executive Vice President and General Manaser California Redwood Association

G TRONG 9 HOUSING starts and rising home remodeling and commercial construction are boosting all redwood markets. according to California Redwood Association forecasts for 1979.

Despite a short-term drop in redwood lumber shipments predicted earlier this year, current building trends mean outstanding long-term redwood demand-supply stability, with big potential for building sup- ply retailers merchandising redwood.

This year's major trends-housing starts around 1.9 million with multi-unit starts around 621,000, and a home remodeling market expected to surpass $37 billionare boosting demand for clear and clear all heart grade redwood lumber and redwood plywood siding, trim, paneling and fascia. Knotty redwood garden grades, construction heart. construction common and merchantable. are also in demand for easy-living decks. lences and garden shelters.

To make the most of these rich markets, CRA magazine-newspaper promotion will reach more builders. architects and consumers this year than ever before, offering more design booklets, technical data sheets, and more do-it-yourself construction projects adaptable to any home anywhere. More retail sales aids will also be available to redwood dealers for top quality merchandising geared to big-ticket profits.

Despite short-term cutbacks, redwood will continue to enjoy year-round availability due to yearround manufacturing not geared to seasonal construction markets. Redwood logs have a high moisture content that may require up to two years' air-drying time, creating long-term stable inventories. particularly for fine architectural products.

Within the last l0 years, development of special new mills has increased production of redwood garden grades from smalldiameter logs. Shorter manufacturing and air-drying times'required for small-log products have also increased industry flexibility to meet short-term market trends.

Outstanding dimensional stability, redwood heartwood decayresistance, lightweight workability, a Class II flamespread rating for l" lumber and 5/8" plywood, superior

Story at a Glance

All redwood markets will be bolstered by strong housing starts, rising commercial construction and home remodeling... a maior redwood garden grades promotion will be launched this spring.

insulation, finish retention. and rich enduring beauty-these are a few redwood qualities strongly in demand for current home building styles.

Many redwood markets-luxury custom homes, historic restorations, urban recycling and renovation now occuring throughout the U.S.-are relatively unaffected by general housing ups and downs, representing long-term stable demand.

In addition, high new-home costs and property tax rollbacks are stimulating contemporary home remodeling markets for redwood room add-ons. custom kitchenbath remakes, and luxury landscaplng.

Influenced by residential styles and trends. modern commercial and institutional structures are also demanding more redwood for lowrise "garden" office complexes, contemporary supermarkets, banks, restaurants, major shopping malls, hospitals, industrial office parks, fire stations, electrical plants, libraries and civic centers. among many others.

New Cra Sales Aids

Through Winter-79, CRA promotion will focus on a new booklet, Remodeling With Redwood, featuring restoration of San Francisco Victorians to modern kitchenbathroom designs, and contemporary paneling ideas for a city apartment-all using kiln dried architectural redwood grades.

In the Spring, CRA will also launch major redwood garden grades promotion with nationwide publicity on a multi-purpose garden room with planters, a workbench, snap-in bug-proof screens, and an optional second roof that can be weatherized for year-round outdoor enjoyment.

In addition, for the third year CRA's successful Design-a-Deck Plans kits will be offered to retailers and consumers as a tool to encourage do-it-yourself deck projects and to boost retail sales of redwood garden grades.

Publicity on snappy d-i-y space saver projects will also continue, promoting short "carry-home" lengths of clear and clear all heart lumber.

Continuing CRA promotion to many different redwood users assures long-term demand for all redwood products. Stimulated by strong residential-commercial building trends with natural energysaving material, redwood's many many markets offer rich potential for the next several years.