Studio Project: FSC Lumber Material for the framing.

 

FSC Framing Lumber

Framing has begun in the new studio this week and it is quickly taking shape.  In keeping with as green a project as possible I decided to use lumber that was harvested from sustainable forests.  FSC certification for lumber is how one can insure that the material being used is genuine.  For those who may not be familiar with FSC it stands for Forestry Stewardship Council.  This is a worldwide organization that provides a vehicle to certify forests and suppliers.  FSC is recognized as the authority in this area and insures that forests are managed in ways that protects our environment while insuring a supply of materials for the future.  As we progress down this road using sustainable materials is just one of many steps to becoming a responsible inhabitant of this earth.

[wpvideo hnzvakIn]The realities of using materials such as these pose a few challenges.  First, availability for small orders that are common with our company can lead to lead times and increased costs of the traditional way of ordering material.  Fortunately, our supplier Pine Cone Lumber of Sunnyvale CA, was very cooperative and was able to provide the material within a one week lead time.  The cost is more and ranges from 10-30% over standard lumber.  On this order this represents about $200-$600, a small price to pay for helping our environment, I did not even bother to compare the cost vs. regular lumber as I did not want my decision to be influenced by cost alone.  Another reality of using FSC material for framing is that it is kiln dried which makes the material physically harder to work with.  Nailing through kiln dried material requires nail guns rather than hammers.  Pat Leary, our project manager, brought this to my attention.  This equates to just a bit more inconvenience due to additional tools, hoses, and carrying around the gun vs. a hammer.  Otherwise the material was pretty clean and straight. 

ON the material you will see the FSC stamp which is important to be sure that you are in fact using sustainable material.

Engineered beams on site.

Another element of staying true to sustainable materials is the utilization of engineered lumber.  As you can see we elected to use beams known as PSL’s.  These are manufactured from “strands” of lumber that are sourced from waste and other resources from lumber mills.  Additionally these types of beams are stronger and straighter than the conventional solid lumber beams.

 

 

       

Bill Reid

Founder and Owner of Remodel West, a residential design and construction firm, originally established as Cupertino Kitchen Design in 1992. I have created a very progressive company with a high level of quality standards. Over the years, the company has built revenues to 8.5 Million and scaled operations as we rolled with the times. By re-branding the business in 2007 to Remodel West, we aimed to better align our name with the scope of work performed. I am a Certified Graduate Remodeler through NAHB and Certified Green Building Professional through Build It Green and most recently Certified Renovator through the EPA which is now a federal requirement. My primary goals are to design and build more eco-friendly projects, to do projects for those clients seeking high quality. My professional background stems from twenty-six years of hands on experience beginning in 1985 in cabinetry design and sales, and progressed to my involvement with a startup company from 1987-1991. In 1992, at age 26, I started Cupertino Kitchen Design/RemodelWest. My strengths are creating a vision for our company, planning, and empowering our employees to accomplish our goals. Sue and I have been married 26 years with three wonderful children, Jessica, Michael and Adam and of course our dog Ellbee. We live in Los Gatos and enjoy visiting our home in Lake Almanor, fishing, brewing beer, reading and relaxing.