Hardlines Outdoor Living Supplement 2024

2024

Outside spaces your customers will love

How some of Canada’s top retailers are selling the category

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CONTENTS T H I R D Q UA R T E R 2 02 4 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2S8 416-489-3396 • www.hardlines.ca PRESIDENT

Michael McLarney mike@hardlines.ca VICE-PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

David Chestnut david@hardlines.ca EDITOR

Steve Payne steve@hardlines.ca A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

Geoff McLarney geoff@hardlines.ca CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Frank Condron M A R K E T I N G & E V E N T S M A N AG E R

Michelle Porter michelle@hardlines.ca A D M I N I S T R AT I V E A S S I S TA N T

Jillian Macleod jillian@hardlines.ca ART DIRECTOR

Shawn Samson TwoCreative.ca Hardlines Outdoor Living is published by Hardlines Inc. All editorial content copyrighted 2024

by Hardlines Inc. No content may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher.

Cover image courtesy of Regal ideas.

THANK YOU TO OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS

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Aluminum deck framing is the future

When it arrives in Canada, it will revolutionize the deck building industry, says Dr. Decks

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Not Just Cedar

The Cedar Shop, Calgary, says it sells more treated lumber than anyone in the city

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Torrefied Wood and More

The WoodSource in Manotick, Ont., has everything landscape contractors need

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Cooking in the Great Outdoors

A Home Building Centre dealer in Red Deer, Alta., has a sizzling barbecue business

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Category Captains

From decking to lighting, here are some hot products for your outdoor living displays

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Hardscape artistry

Modern paver and hardscape design options can turn a standard backyard patio into a dreamscape

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Top 10 Trends in Outdoor Living

Our experts tell us what’s hot in the category

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O PEN I N G CO M M EN T

“Aluminum won’t rust, and it’s taking Australia by storm.”

Jason Russell, Dr. Decks

ALUMINUM DECK FRAMING IS THE FUTURE It is not widely available in North America right now. But when it arrives, it will revolutionize the deck building industry When it comes to trends in decking, the thing that I’m most excited about is something that you don’t even see when the deck is finished. Steel deck frames have been around for years now, but I believe the next big thing in framing systems will be aluminum.

Aluminum deck framing systems are not widely available in North America at the moment, but that won’t be the case for long. I have used an aluminum framing system from Australia called OutDure on several deck projects, and www.hardlines.ca

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I’m already sold on this technology.

OutDure only has distribution on the east coast currently, but the company hopes to have the product available throughout North America by the end of the summer.

OutDure incorporates a clip system that works with any grooved board, and that can be any hardwood or composite on the market; I have been using it with TimberTech AZEK PVC. It’s a modular system that locks together seamlessly with nuts and bolts just like an erector

set. We have used the system to build a standard mid-level, four-foot-high deck as well as a 600-square-foot, big beam deck ten feet up, and several decks in between. There is also a pedestal system for rooftop decks.

Along with smooth installation, one of the main benefits of aluminum deck framing is the fact that it doesn’t rust.

Anyone who has ever worked with a steel deck frame knows that when you cut or drill steel it tends to rust at the cut, which can lead to nasty staining on boards and stone patios and walkways around the deck.

We’ve also found that the aluminum framing works well with existing railing systems; we like to work with the crystal rail and picket rail systems from Regal ideas. With the aluminum frame, we install the same blocking and supports that we would with any other framing system, and the railings just go right on top.

OutDure is just the first wave of what I believe will be a growing aluminum framing trend. TimberTech will be introducing its own aluminum system soon, and as more and more companies enter the market, aluminum will become a more competitive option. When that happens, the benefits over steel and wood products will speak for themselves.

Dr. Decks Aka Jason Russell TACOMA, WASHINGTON HardlinesOUTDOORLIVING

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D E A LER PRO FI LE: T H E C E DA R S H O P

NOT JUST CEDAR

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our specialty, of course, but we debated changing the name when we moved because we sell more treated lumber than anyone in the city. But The Cedar Shop brand has been around for over 36 years now, so it was kind of hard to change it.”

Lumber is definitely the core business at The Cedar Shop, especially the deck and fence varieties. On the cedar side, the company stocks fencing and decking along with siding, shakes and shingles in clear and knotty. In addition, retail customers can find cedar accent pieces like backyard furniture, benches, planters, and trellises. Along with its namesake product, The Cedar Shop also stocks

treated lumber, tongue-and-groove pine and fir, several lines of latex and oilbased stains, a range of fasteners, and three major lines of composite decking and fencing.

“We got completely out of the composite business when we were over at the old location because we just had nowhere to keep it inside,” explains Wile.

“Now we can keep it inside all the time and contractors can just back in and load up. It’s gone from no business at all to a significant business for us in the last few years.”

The last few years have also seen a change in the company’s clientele, adds Wile, from a roughly 80-20

Photos: Joanna Jensen

There are likely few contractors in the deck and fence business in Calgary who aren’t aware of The Cedar Shop.

Located right in the heart of the city, The Cedar Shop has been a fixture in the region’s lumber and building supply industry for almost four decades.

For many years the operation was shoehorned into an 11,000-square-foot location on 42nd Avenue, but in 2018 it moved down the street into a massive new facility.

“You could say we upgraded a bit. The new location has a 53,000-square-foot retail building along with almost three acres of storage yard and parking,” says company president Mitch Wile. “Cedar is

The Cedar Shop, Calgary, says it sells more treated lumber than anyone in the city

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“You could say we upgraded a bit. The new location has a 53,000-square-foot retail building along with almost three acres of storage yard and parking.”

retail-to-contractor split to about a 70 percent contractor focus today. He credits the expanded facility for much of that shift, but he also believes the company has established a reputation as the go-to source in Calgary for backyard contractors.

“We brought in different interior products in the last few years to generate more business from November to March, and that has improved a lot.

But spring and summer is go, go, go for us,” he says. “Deck and fence contactors know they can count on us to have the materials they need in the vital construction window in the spring and summer. So, we send our purchasers

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D E A LER PRO FI LE: T H E C E DA R S H O P

“We send our purchasers out to the mills and buy up everything we can. That’s just the way we have to do it because we are known for our lumber products.”

Mitch Wile, president, The Cedar Shop

out to the mills and buy up everything we can; that’s just the way we have to do it because we are known for our lumber products.”

With that in mind, Wile doesn’t worry too much about addressing every aspect of the Outdoor Living market. While he does stock some pavers and associated products like cement, he stays away from what he calls “the toys.”

“When you’re talking about things like barbecues, umbrellas, patio furniture, ceramic planters, fire pits, bug zappers, we just leave that stuff to the big boxes.”

That being said, The Cedar Shop has developed a few niche Outdoor Livingrelated categories to complement its

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lumber business. Not surprisingly, one of those is cedar-related: the company produces its own brand of fence lattice available in eight different styles.

The cedar lattice strips come cut from the mill and are glued and stapled on site. But unlike the flimsy lattice available at some garden centres and home improvement stores, The Cedar Shop sells the good stuff, says Wile: “Our lattice is basically the best you can get; we make it with true half-inch by inch-and-ahalf strips, which makes it really strong and durable.”

The company also specializes in supplying large “appearance-grade” cedar and fir timbers specifically for use in

the construction of pergolas, gazebos and large trellises. Talk about niche: just one 6x12, 20-foot custom timber can run from $1,200 to $1,400.

“Nobody else in the city stocks them because of the cost,” Wile says.

The Cedar Shop also happens to be one of the largest, if not the largest, stocking dealer of sauna kits, Harvia sauna heaters and supplies in Alberta.

“Saunas you can buy anywhere,” says Wile. “But our quality is beyond anything you can buy in this market. We do custom kits and barrel saunas and we work closely with a couple of specialty contractors who do nothing but saunas.”

Wile also credits some of The Cedar Shop’s popularity with contractors to one very simple marketing strategy: free delivery. Beginning in early spring, he says the company’s fleet of flatbed and boom trucks works from morning to evening delivering fence and deck packages.

“We used to charge for it, but a few years ago we decided to try free delivery for a week or two and it just went crazy,” Wile explains. “We lost about $90,000 in delivery revenue the first year we offered it, but we picked up about $2-million in sales, so it more than paid for itself.”

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D E A LER PRO FI LE: T H E WO O D S O U R C E

TORREFIED WOOD AND MORE The WoodSource in Manotick, Ont., has everything landscape contractors need for their structures

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overtime to get lumber and wood products to jobsites that range all the way from Belleville to Montreal.

“We can’t help you if you’re looking for a barbecue. But if you’re building a fence or a deck or a pergola, we definitely have what you need,” says Priddle. “Anything in wood is our core business, and we always have a ton of product ready to go.”

Not surprisingly, the clientele at The WoodSource skews to about 60 percent contractors, many of the landscaping variety. The company also partners with a number of landscape architects who specialize in Outdoor Living spaces that feature wooden structures of various kinds.

The WoodSource has the distinction of being one of the largest cedar retailers in eastern Canada. Says Priddle: “We have

focused heavily on bringing in woods from out west that are good for exterior applications—lots of cedar and Douglas fir. The cedar is primarily used in decks and fences, and tongue-and-groove panelling and siding. The Douglas fir is used mostly for beams for timber framing in gazebos and pergolas.”

The WoodSource also prides itself on stocking only “eco-friendly” natural lumber, and isn’t shy about advertising

Photos: Annemarie Grudën

For a contractor looking for lumber to complete a deck or fence project, a building supply dealer called The WoodSource sounds like a good place to start. That logic has kept The WoodSource in Manotick, Ontario, just south of Ottawa, busy for more than 25 years now, through two generations of family ownership. And like the name says, wood truly is their focus, especially in the spring and summer.

“May and June are typically our busiest months; we sell about four times as much product in the spring and early summer as we do in January and February,” says dealer-owner Mark Priddle.

When the home improvement dealers are rolling out the patio furniture and the potted plants, The Wood Source has a fleet of five delivery trucks working

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that fact to customers. Toward that end, all the company’s lumber is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), meaning that the lumber has been sourced ethically from sustainably-managed forests.

Another interesting “eco-friendly” option available to customers at The WoodSource is torrefied wood. The torrefying process involves baking the wood at very high temperatures to

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eliminate the natural sugars within it; the resulting lumber is very stable and highly rot resistant. It is a perfect alternative to treated lumber because it does not involve any chemical process. “It works great outside, and it is a sustainable product because it is natural wood, not PVC or composite,” adds Priddle.

Still, for customers who would prefer a low-maintenance lumber option for their outdoor project, The WoodSource

has that covered as well. The company stocks pressure-treated wood for fencing, decking and subframes and also carries several lines of composite wood products, including siding. Along with lumber, they also carry complementary items like railing systems, fasteners and hardware.

Priddle is quick to point out that The WoodSource is not simply a lumberyard. In fact, the company’s sprawling

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D E A LER PRO FI LE: T H E WO O D S O U R C E

Mark Priddle, dealer-owner, The WoodSource

“Torrefied wood works great outside, and it is a sustainable product because it is natural wood, not PVC or composite.”

15-acre facility includes a retail store, a 12,000-square-foot mill and warehouse, a 20,000-square-foot storage warehouse and several more covered lumber storage structures. A partner company on the same site specializes in selling reclaimed-lumber-like barn board and barn beams. The on-site mill produces things like tongue-and-groove flooring, stair components and railings, tabletops, and panelling from rough lumber.

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The company’s milling capability also allows it to tap into an unusual Outdoor Living niche product. Many years ago, Outdoor Living meant sitting in a rocking chair on your front porch, and The WoodSource specializes in providing custom materials for contractors who do heritage restorations of porches on older homes, of which Ottawa has many.

“You often see front porches on very old homes where the decorative mouldings and posts are broken or rotting, but these components have to be replicated because you can’t just buy replacement pieces off the shelf,” explains Priddle.

“We have a special milling machine that can replicate any old wood moulding. We can also replicate posts and columns, and we have a few profiles of old decking styles that were used a century and more ago for porches and railings.

It’s definitely a unique niche that sets us apart.”

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D E A LER PRO FI LE: E X E C U T I V E H O M E B U I L D I N G C E N T R E

COOKING IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS How is a contractor-focused Home Building Centre dealer in Red Deer, Alta., doing as a specialty barbecue distributor?

Very well, thank you.

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Welikoklad is well versed in it.

Well, how about the Red Deer Barbecue Society (RDBS)? If anyone was to create it, Jason Welikoklad might be the one.

Wait, why is a Home Building Centre doing so well in the outdoor cooking category?

Well, that’s a tale in itself.

First of all, a bit about the store. In 1974, Bill Welikoklad, Jason’s father, was a builder (Executive Homes). Bill was frustrated by the service he was receiving in this central Alberta city, midway between Edmonton and Calgary.

So, ever the entrepreneur (you can see where Jason gets it), he bought a piece of land, put up a shop, and went looking for the nicest lumber he could find.

Two years later, Bill quit building homes to focus on his building supply store, which has grown into a local institution. In 2001, Executive Home Building Centre was awarded the prestigious

Photos: Ash MacLean Photography

“We think it’s the best barbecue store anywhere.”

That’s Jason Welikoklad talking. He’s the dealer-owner of Executive Home Building Centre in Red Deer, Alta.

If Welikoklad has anything to do with it, Red Deer will be the new Kansas City.

That’s the Missouri city that has become the epicentre of the grilling, smoking, and barbecuing world. The Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) is the largest “competitive cooking organization” on the planet. “Kansas City Barbecue” is a thing—well known in the industry—and

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Jason Welikoklad, dealer-owner, Executive Home Building Centre

Outstanding Retailer Award in the category of Best Contractor Specialist.

Today, Jason has worked in the business for 31 years. He’s a chip off the old block. Like his father, he’s always looking for entrepreneurial opportunities. When he started to accumulate the biggest barbecue section in the area, Jason knew he was onto something.

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In the spring and summer, the retail barbecue display is about half of the store’s footprint, Jason is proud to report.

“We’ve actually turned it into its own entity. We went from a 95 percent contractor store, with not much of a retail department. It was one of those things.”

What happened was, the outdoor cooking sector exploded. Partly it was pandemic-fuelled. Customers couldn’t go anywhere, were bored, and so they started cooking in their backyards.

Jason has built a specialty outdoor cooking business—with its own wholesale arm. The latter is called the 403 BBQ Co.

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D E A LER PRO FI LE: E X E C U T I V E H O M E B U I L D I N G C E N T R E

“The 403 BBQ Co. is a wholesale arm of Executive Home Building Centre.”

Jason even purchased a 12,000-squarefoot warehouse, just down the road from the store, to house the wholesale operation.

403 BBQ Co. is the distributor of Furtado Farms pellets and cook wood in western Canada as well as products like Blues Hog charcoal. They also specialize in Canadian brands of sauces and rubs like Prairie Smoke & Spice and House of Q. Jason has learned a thing or two about the rubs and sauces industry—which is obviously radically different from the building materials industry. “Other guys have gone broke trying to do it.

They’ve bought too much inventory.

Now, there’s such a thing as an expiry date. And you can really take a hit on it.”

Therefore, if you’re going to be in the rubs and sauces business, you have to have the turns. Which is no problem for the 403 BBQ Co. Jason has seen the evolution of the business, from standard gas grills and conventional charcoal barbecues, to smokers.

One of the biggest smokers (physically as well as the price tag) that Jason carries is the Yoder Cimarron, which weighs in at 1,600 pounds. It’ll cost you somewhere in the range of $14,000.

“Caterers like Yoder’s biggest smokers,” Jason says, “but they aren’t just for caterers. They are used in competitions

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or by a backyard ‘pit master’ that really likes to barbecue.”

Yoder Smokers are not the typical barbecues you buy in the big boxes. They can take about ten briskets. They have to be winched or forklifted onto a trailer.

Which can be supplied by the store.

Serious stuff.

“People say, ‘I don’t want it that big!’

But you do. You add a tray of beans, you

add some potatoes, some pies, you’ll still need the air flow.”

“Regarding the size,” Jason says, “it’s because barbecue is an event.” His very own barbecue team has won multiple competitions, including First Place Brisket over the season in the Alberta Cup Series.

Now, that’s commitment to a category!

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CATEGORY CAPTAINS

From decking to lighting, here are some hot products for your outdoor living displays

POLYMERIC JOINT IS EASY TO SPREAD Techniseal’s Noco is a high compressive strength polymeric joint specifically designed for the installation of flagstones and other paving materials for which mechanical compaction is not possible or not traditionally used. Its formula makes it easy to spread, allowing it to flow smoothly and uniformly down joints.

Noco does not require the use of a vibrating plate or any other means of mechanical compaction. www.techniseal.com

PROTECT PAVERS FROM DETERIORATION Made of acrylic and plasticizers, Techniseal’s Wet Look WL1-2 Protector is specially designed to protect concrete pavers. Formulated both for bare and previously sealed surfaces, it prevents deterioration due to chemical products such as de-icing salts, while providing resistance to acids and alkalis. Its transparent film stops the penetration of contaminants, facilitating the maintenance of pavers. www.techniseal.com

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KEEP WEEDS AND BUGS OUT OF PAVERS Techniseal’s EZSand polymeric sand is applied dry between pavers and hardens when activated with water.

Not only does it stay in the joints permanently, but it also prevents weeds and insects from invading them. It is suitable for patios, residential driveways, and other living spaces around the house. www.techniseal.com

THE LOOK OF REAL WOOD MEETS COMPOSITE DURABILITY RusticSeries James Hardie from Woodtone replicates the natural beauty and warmth of real wood siding while preserving the strength and durability of composite products. Just like real wood siding, each substrate and profile of RusticSeries will vary in terms of grain pattern and color. Choose from 18 two-tone colour combinations.

More durable than vinyl, it’s suitable for both single- and multi-family builds. www.woodtone.com

PREFINISHED PANELS ARE EASY TO INSTALL, CLEAN Trusscore Wall&CeilingBoard is the PVC alternative to drywall and FRP for sheltered projects. The prefinished interlocking panels have a smooth, non-porous and water-resistant finish. Quick and easy to install, Trusscore panels weigh 40 percent less than drywall and install four times faster with a watertight seal and no need to mud, tape, prime, or paint. They also are resistant to detergent or chemical cleaners and can be pressure washed repeatedly. www.trusscore.com

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PRO D U C T S H OWC A S E

STAY SAFE WHILE INSTALLING COMPOSITE STONES TandoStone aLL-Pro Corner can be installed with the same ease and confidence as TandoStone panels. Unlike with painted concrete options, there are no seams or repeating patterns with the aLL-Pro Corner. Its lightweight composite technology allows for the use of ladders instead of scaffolding and there is never any breakage. Designed with safety in mind, it has no harmful silica dust or falling stones. www.tandobp.com

SIDING RESISTS WEATHER, PESTS Brushed Smooth is the latest addition to LP’s SmartSide ExpertFinish line. It boasts a smooth finish and the advanced durability of engineered wood. Available in all 16 of the ExpertFinish colors, this new option has all the same benefits as the cedar texture line. It is treated with the SmartGuard process for added protection against many weather conditions and resistance to both termites and fungal decay. www.lpcorp.com

A CLEAR VIEW WITH LOW MAINTENANCE Crystal Rail’s 10mm white, “no-iron” tempered glass panels are complete with aluminum mounting brackets and pre-installed LED lighting. It’s designed for homeowners that want a pure unobstructed view, low maintenance, and modern style. www.regalideas.com

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CUT AND INSTALL RAILING PANELS IN RECORD TIME The unique textured black and textured white railings of Regal ideas’ Urban Rail make for a contemporary look and feel. Available in six- and eight-foot pre-assembled sections, Urban Rail allows the user to cut and install the panels in record time. Made from 100 percent aluminum alloy and backed by a 20-year structural warranty, Urban Rail is used in single- and multi-family residential and commercial applications alike. www.regalideas.com

ACCENT LIGHTS ENHANCE SAFETY, AMBIANCE Yard Lite offers a series of high-performance accent lighting for outdoor projects. It can be used to light up areas such as stairs to ensure and improve safety, to create an ambiance, or to accent that perfect outdoor masterpiece. The lights are easy to install and plug directly into the Regal ideas and Crystal Rail LED lighting systems. Available in three colour options: white, gold, and blue. www.regalideas.com

EMERGENCY LIGHT OFFERS MULTIPLE SETTINGS The 636V2 brings you the best in Ideal Security’s automatic, long-lasting rechargeable LED emergency light set for power outages. It switches between three modes: “Emergency,” a standard emergency light; “Night Light,” a gentle accent light; and “Auto” for the best of both worlds.

An efficient low-power setting offers 80 lumens and 48 hours of light, while the more intense high-power setting emits 140 lumens and 21.5 hours of light. www.idealinc.com

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PRO D U C T S H OWC A S E

RAILING COMBINES DURABILITY AND RESISTANCE TO CORROSION Trex’s X-Series Railing features a modern, streamlined design, with posts and top rails made from premium powder-coated aluminum for durable strength and style.

The versatile posts can be configured to accommodate cable or frameless glass infill. Cable hardware made from premium-grade stainless steel is resistant to corrosion in marine and coastal applications. The railing’s springloaded cables optimize tension management. www.trex.com

GREEN MATERIALS YIELD A LUXURIOUS LOOK Trex Signature decking combines the ease of maintenance and high performance of Wood Plastic Composite with a proprietary shell formulation.

Available in two nature-inspired colors, Ocracoke and Whidbey, Signature is a new luxury tier in the brand’s decking lineup. It’s crafted with eco-friendly materials. www.trex.com

KITS MAKE INSTALLING PRIVACY FENCING EASY HOFT’s Post Kits are specially designed for professionals and DIYers, making it easy to build unique projects quickly and efficiently. These kits include all the necessary hardware, and are compatible with 5/4-inch wood and one-inch composite deck boards, or 6mm & 10mm glass panels. www.hoftsolutions.com

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gillfor.com

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PRO D U C T S H OWC A S E

DECKING COMES IN CLASSIC OR MODERN STYLES TruNorth’s new Gen II series decking adds versatility with two distinct finishes across six colours. Customers can choose from a sleek and modern brushed finish or opt for a classic wood grain look. Designed to work seamlessly with the Gen II Slide & Go Clip, it’s available in square edge, grooved board, and fascia. The Gen II series is manufactured in Canada from 95 percent recycled materials and rice husks. www.trunorthdecking.com

NATURAL WOOD LOOK WITHOUT THE FUSS The Slide & Go Fence provides the natural look of wood without the maintenance. It’s easy to install just the right amount, from a single privacy screen to an entire fence, matching the customer’s desire for solitude with style.

The fence provides the strength of aluminum and the warmth and look of wood. The low-maintenance and durable system is built to withstand extreme weather. www.trunorthdecking.com

EASY TO OPERATE, EASY TO CLEAN Timberline is an advanced and customizable pellet grill with an intuitive touchscreen display and simple controls.

Its thoughtful design ensures easy cleaning and maintenance.

The Traeger Induction cooktop allows for scorching-hot searing, simmering, frying, and more, while built-in compatibility lets your customer create the ultimate backyard cooking setup. www.traeger.com

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www.hardlines.ca

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ANSWER THE CALL OF THE WILD With the Traeger Ranger, cooking an outdoor feast is easy right on a truck bed while camping or fishing, or when taken along for a weekend away. Featuring Traeger’s Digital Arc controller, the Ranger provides precise temperature control with an added keep warm mode to ensure that the food is ready to eat when needed. www.traeger.com

EXPAND OUTDOOR COOKING POSSIBILITIES BEYOND GRILLING The 2022 Smokefire wood-fired pellet grill, Stealth Edition, is designed with a sleek black-on-black aesthetic. Highheat searing and low-and-slow smoking contribute to exceptional wood-fired flavour. Roasting, steaming, and even stir-frying are possible, along with traditional grilling.

The built-in grill lighting illuminates the cooking grate for the late-night or early-morning cook. Porcelain-enamel construction retains heat, even in cooler temperatures, and helps prevent rust and cracking. www.weber.com

A VERSATILE GRILL FOR SMALLER SPACES Weber’s new Lumin electric grill is designed for those with limited outdoor space and for fans of electric grilling who crave barbecue’s authentic flavour. It’s suitable for balconies where charcoal and gas units are not permitted.

The Lumin can quickly reach high-heat temperatures of more than 600°F/315°C. A unique smoke mode allows the user to infuse foods with smoky flavour. Clean-up is simplified with a front-access grease tray and dishwasher-friendly, porcelainenamel cast iron cooking grates. www.weber.com

www.hardlines.ca

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H A R D S C A PI N G

HARDSCAPE ARTISTRY Modern paver and hardscape design options can turn a standard backyard patio into a dreamscape

There is nothing quite like a well-kept lawn and garden to make a property look amazing. But not everyone has the time, or inclination, to maintain a green paradise. Besides, there are all kinds of maintenance-free hardscaping options available today that can make any outdoor living space magazine-worthy.

Due to factors like the rising cost of travel and out-of-reach vacation properties, more and more homeowners are opting to invest heavily in their own backyard, creating elaborate, year-round outdoor spaces to relax and entertain. Here’s a look at some of the trends driving the hardscape segment

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www.hardlines.ca

2024-07-04 1:24 PM

Paramount Landscaping Inc.

LARGE FORMAT PAVERS One of the biggest current hardscaping trends is a move to longer, cleaner lines in block and paver products. In recent years, interior floor and wall tile designs have featured large-format units with fewer joints between tiles. The result is a sleeker, more modern look that has now migrated outdoors. www.hardlines.ca

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H A R D S C A PI N G

PORCELAIN-QUALITY PAVERS Modern paver manufacturing techniques have opened the door to a wide range of design options. It’s now possible to produce durable, pressed-concrete slabs a mere two centimetres thick. These porcelain-quality pavers come in a wide range of colours and textures, and can even mimic natural wood.

BUILT-INS In the past when people talked about hardscaping they tended to mean stone patios and walkways. But a hardscape design these days could also include a built-in stone fire pit, planter boxes, a full outdoor kitchen and a sitting area complete with a TV and stereo system, all seamlessly integrated into the overall hardscape design.

WATER FEATURES If you can’t travel to hear the waves crashing on the beach or camp beside a babbling mountain stream, you can always enjoy a backyard water feature. Some of the more ambitious hardscape designs now incorporate fountains, ponds and even waterfalls, often in combination with embedded mood lighting.

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www.hardlines.ca

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ENHANCE THE LOOK AND VALUE OF YOUR OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES Fully enjoy your outdoor living spaces by relying on Techniseal products for the installation, maintenance and protection of concrete pavers.

Our cleaners and stain removers will keep hardscape installations looking their best while our extensive line of surface protectors, offered in four finishes, will preserve their look for many years.

Protect patios, fences, and other exterior wooden structures while enhancing their look with Techniseal’s first-rate Wood Stain & Sealer.

Available in eight magnificent colours, this product is easy and fast to apply and doesn’t flake over time.

For 40 years, Techniseal has been the most trusted brand by Canadian homeowners and landscaping professionals.

Products available at the following retailers or online:

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H A R D S C A PI N G

MIX AND MATCH It used to be that combining two colours of the same brick pavers in one design was considered creative. Now it’s not uncommon for designs to incorporate two or three types of pavers featuring different shapes, colours, styles, sizes and textures.

It complicates things for the installers, but the finished product can be striking.

LIGHTING Sure, patio lanterns and solar-powered garden lights look nice on a summer night, but backyard lighting has gone to the next level. Now lighting systems can be integrated right into the hardscape design to illuminate pathways and steps for safety while creating a dramatic look at the same time.

TURFSTONE It seems counter-intuitive, but one hardscape product growing in popularity is designed to look a little softer when installed. Known as permeable pavers, or Turfstone, this product features gaps that allow grass to grow through and fill out the pattern. Alternatively, the gaps can also be filled with decorative rocks.

STONE INFILL The standard hardscape procedure is to butt stone pavers up against each other, with brick sand filling in the cracks. An interesting alternative, however, especially for large-format products, is to place the individual slabs farther apart, leaving space in between for decorative small stones.

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www.hardlines.ca

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Hardlines_FullPg Trim Size: 9” x 10.875” | Bleed: 9.25” x 11.125” | Safety: 8.5” x 10.375” | Non-Bleed Size: 8.5” x 10.375”

Creates the perfect hideaway for you, away from you know who.

Distinguished privacy fencing options create instant areas of retreat. Designed for people with neighbours, or just the neighbourhood busybody.

It starts with a single scan. From there, our integrated technologies and adept delivery systems ensure Taiga customers get certainty delivered with every product.

We know what you want, where it is, and when you need it.

Discover more at taigabuilding.com/hoft

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T R EN D S

TOP 10 TRENDS IN OUTDOOR LIVING What’s trending in the Outdoor Living world? Turns out quite a lot, according to our experts: Mitch Wile of The Cedar Shop in Calgary; Mark Priddle of The WoodSource in Manotick, Ontario; pro contractor Jason Russell (aka Dr. Decks); and Jason Welikoklad of Executive Home Building Centre, Red Deer, Alta.

1. Keeping up with The Joneses

4. Torrefication

The pandemic boom is over but, still, the neighbours are trying to catch up with the Joneses. Says Mitch Wile: “People are looking over the fence and saying, ‘Gee, we really need to do something with our backyard.’”

Speaking of eco-friendly wood options, torrefication involves modifying the internal structure of the wood using a high-temperature baking process.

“With this process you can take a piece of wood that would only last five years or less outside and give it a Class-A durability rating,” explains Priddle.

2. The Composite Boom Our dealer experts have all seen a move away from natural wood fence and deck products to composites and PVC. For Mitch Wile that has meant a 500 percent increase in composite sales in the past two years. “It comes down to maintenance,” says Wile. “Millennials just want to build it and never touch it again.”

3. Sustainability Many customers are concerned about how their project will affect the planet.

Toward that end, all the lumber at The WoodSource is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). “We have seen a definite increase in demand for sustainably forested lumber in the last few years,” says Priddle.

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7. Cedar Accents Many homeowners may not be willing to commit to a full cedar deck or fence, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love the look of cedar. “Sometimes people have a stone patio and they just want a wood accent piece or two to break up the grey,” says Wile. “A cedar trellis, or planter box or privacy screen is perfect.”

8. High End Grilling Home improvement retailers sell a lot of barbecues. But a few are taking it to the next level. Jason Welikoklad’s Home Building Centre in Red Deer, Alta., carries everything from the standard gas and propane models right up to 1,600 pound commercial-grade smokers from Yoder.

9. Quality over Quantity

They are not widely available in North America at the moment, but Dr. Decks, pro deck expert Jason Russell, believes it won’t be long before this technology becomes commonplace. Aluminum framing systems offer advantages that steel can’t match.

Modern deck framing systems use hidden clips to speed up the installation process, but Dr. Decks still takes the time to pin and plug the ends of every board. “I don’t just lay all the boards and pinch-off the clips and expect them to have nice, straight lines,” says Russell.

“Only up to a point is time money. You still have to think about quality.”

6. Horizontal Fence Boards

10. Go Big or Go Home

Based on the vast majority of fences, you might think that fence boards come in one size and can only be hung vertically. Well, not only can boards be cut to different widths, they can also be hung horizontally, creating a more contemporary look, Priddle says.

The 403 BBQ Co. is Welikoklad’s wholesale operation. It’s a nice complement to the incredible barbecue section he has created in his store. 403 distributes sauces, rubs, charcoal, fuel pellets, and cookware—delivered to him by the trailer load.

5. Aluminum Deck Systems

www.hardlines.ca

2024-07-05 11:23 AM

Taiga picks.

Taiga treats.

Taiga distributes.

We wood.

Whatever it takes.® Start at taigabuilding.com

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When you buy with us, you get Taiga service the whole way through.

Taiga Exterior Wood is strong, dependable, and on time. All of Taiga pressure treated wood products pass a rigorous approval system, ensuring you get what you want, when you want it, every time.

2024-07-04 1:45 PM

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