JUNE/JULY 2010
PORTLANDHOME VOL XXXV • NO. 2 • EVEN
MARCH/APRIL 2014
PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
12 - 13 What’s Your Decorating “Personality”? Ways To Survive The Big Chill
14 - 16 Make The Most Of Your Interior Concrete In The Kitchen? A Convenient And Affordable Kitchen And
ON THE COVER
Bathroom Makeover
18 - 23 Access Granted With Residential Elevators And Lift Systems Technology Update: Rethink Refinishing Do You Want A Truly Comfortable Home? What Dust? Dustless Refinishing Leaves Your Hardwood Floors Brand New If It’s In Your Crawl Space, It’s In Your Home Do You Need A Perspiration For Beautiful Wood?
24 - 36 Pool Owners Go Green And Save How To Find A Great Remodeling Firm Need A Change From Plain Or Damaged Concrete? Increase Outdoor Safety While Restoring The Beauty To Your Yard Beautiful Garage Floors In One Day Eco- Friendly Roofing Takes Portland By Storm Maximizing The Life Of Your Cedar Shake Roof Cost Effective Recycled Concrete, Retaining Walls, Pavers, Stonework And Stamped Concrete Transform Your Garage Tired Of Cleaning Out Your Gutters?
Decorative concrete as an art form. It is more than just an attractive surface to walk on or look at—artistic concrete is a unique way to express oneself. The ambiance of the pool area featured on the cover is completed with custom concrete, offering beauty, originality and style for this functional outdoor space. For more information about concrete for your home, you can call Custom Concrete Construction at 503-628-4505. Specializing in all phases of decorative concrete, Custom Concrete Construction can create virtually any concrete need for you outdoor living spaces. You can visit their website at www.Custom-Concrete-Construction.com. See their ad on page 38. CCB#196423. Design by Loot Design. Photo by David Papazian.
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MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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PORTLANDHOME Publisher Wally Hicks III
Production Managers Dawn Dowlatshahi, David Marchand Writer/Copy Editor Caitlin Feener Marketing Manager Debbie Tarnoff Home Furnishings Director Deborah Mesna Marketing Specialists John Davis Publisher’s Representative Market Link Administrative Coordinator Sarah Carlisle
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For comments to the publisher: wally@keyaccess.com The opinions expressed in the editorials are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Portland Home. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, we cannot supervise the way in which information found in Portland Home is used. Portland Home is produced bi-monthly by Affluent Target Marketing, Inc., P.O. Box 18507, Anaheim Hills, California 928178507. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. All submitted materials, including images, logos, and text, for advertising and editorials are assumed to be the property of the provider, and Affluent Living Publications can take no responsibility for unintentional copyright infringement. Affluent Target Marketing, Inc. has the right to refuse advertising. CIRCULATION VERIFIED BY U.S. POSTAL RECEIPTS.
Reach Your Best Buyers Get your company’s message out to homeowners that are interested in upgrading their home and lifestyle at a very economical price per household. Utilize the attractive format and long shelf life of Portland Home to reach qualified buyers that are interested in the products and services you sell. Our circulation is based specifically on the demographics your company needs to reach. For more information on how we can help you grow your business, you can call:
John Davis (503) 888-1560
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MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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homefashion
What’s Your Decorating “Personality”?
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e all have different decorating personalities. Some people change their furnishings frequently and equate home décor to fashion trends. Others buy the highest quality traditional furniture, keep it forever, and plan to pass it down to their children. And then there are those of us in between who aren’t sure when we should replace that sofa that’s just not quite right for the space. There is much to consider when planning your decorating and furniture purchases. If you’re feeling a bit lost about home decor decisions, here are some tips to help get you started. 1. Determine the real use of each room. Which rooms need to be highly functional, and which can be decorative or for special occasions? What is your family’s lifestyle? How much wear and tear will each room get
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from kids, pets, or frequent entertaining? 2. Take stock of your current furniture. Do you have family heirlooms, antiques, or very high-quality furnishings? If so, you may be keeping these pieces a long time, and you have the option of reupholstering or refinishing them to freshen their appearance and function. If you’re living with furniture that you’re not fond of, doesn’t quite fit the space, or is past its prime and not worth repairing, start planning for buying some new pieces or whole sets. You can always sell your old pieces or donate them to a charitable organization. 3. Give some serious thought to your own personal style. Look all around you for inspiration and narrow down your favorite colors and interior motifs. Magazines, books, online sources, home shows, stores, and professional decorators can all give you insight into the types of décor that best suit your style and make you feel at home. Start a photo collection of styles that you love – pictures of entire rooms, particular pieces of furniture or fabrics, or even travel photos of a Morrocan palace, an Italian villa, or an English cottage. All these images will be useful for inspiration whether you are redecorating yourself or hiring a designer. Ask yourself these questions: Do you love formal settings or comfy/casual? What kind
of mood do you want to create in your room... calm and relaxing, or dynamic and energetic? Do you love color palettes with warm tones or cool tones? Do you lean toward traditional or contemporary? Which styles will complement your home’s architectural character? All these clues will help you pinpoint the unique decor that best suits your personality. 4. Identify and work around a focal point in each room. This can be a fireplace, a conversational seating arrangement, a piece of art, a window with a view, or many other features. 5. Keep in mind natural traffic patterns through and between rooms and arrange your furniture accordingly for ease of movement 6. A common decorating challenge is to define spaces in open floorplans. You can achieve this with furniture arrangement, area rugs, folding screens, a “wall” of tall houseplants (consider bamboo), or sometimes even a fountain or sculpture. 7. Choose your paint colors LAST! Take samples of your fabrics, wood tones, and flooring if possible when choosing paint chips, and then bring the chips home to view them in the room at different times during the day. There are many other considerations for putting together your décor, whether in one room or an entire house. If you decide to hire a designer, make sure to check their references, look through their portfolio, establish a clear budget and time-frame, and pull out that photo collection of the looks you love. If you enjoyed reading this article and would like to see more general topic articles please email your topic recommendations to debbie@keyaccess.com ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
homefashion
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oday, Americans have an array of options to help fight the cold, control heating costs, utilize alternative forms of energy and conserve resources. Hunter Douglas, the leading window fashions manufacturer, launched Duette shades, the world’s first honeycomb shade, in 1985. The unique honeycomb construction traps air inside the cells to keep homes warmer in winter and cooler in the summer. This year, a product that is 20 percent more energy-efficient was introduced—Duette Architella Trielle™ honeycomb shades—featuring yet another inner cell for a total of five pockets to trap even more air. Take these tips from Donna Lobosco, Hunter Douglas Director of Brand Communications, and enjoy a safe, comfortable winter. Wrap It Up, Especially at the Window. Proper insulation is essential to keeping the cold at bay. Don’t neglect a major source of heat and energy loss—your windows. They can account for up to 25% of utility bills by leaking heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. Highly insulating Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades combine function and fashion, insulating against heat loss while adding a handsome design element to any room. Dodge the Draft. Drafts are the demons of energy conservation, consuming up to 30% of a home’s energy. Hunter Douglas window fashions help block window drafts and keep warm air in. You can also remove or cover window air conditioners and keep the fireplace damper closed when not in use. ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
Fan Out. Ceiling fans aren’t just for cooling—set your fan to run in reverse in cold weather. It will circulate warm air throughout the house. And keep those blades clean for more efficient use. Don’t Block It Out. Be sure rugs and furniture are not blocking heat from floor registers, baseboards or radiators. There’s An App for That. Hunter Douglas recently introduced the Platinum™ App—the perfect complement to Duette Architella shades and the full array of Hunter Douglas offerings. You can move your window treatments to desired positions from an Apple mobile device and do it by shade, room, time of day or even activity. Lighten Up. Many Hunter Douglas styles maximize the daylight streaming through your windows, even on dark winter days. Let the daylight in with Duette Architella shades that operate from the top-down. Or, consider Silhouette® window shadings and Luminette Privacy Sheers that diffuse light while drawing it deeper into a room to reduce the need for artificial lighting. While the weather outside may be less than ideal, inside a Hunter Douglas home, all is light, bright and more energy efficient. To see a variety of different Hunter Douglas products, you can visit them online at hunterdouglas.com
MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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kitchen&bath
Make the Most of Your Interior—Create Ambiance with Paint
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hen it comes to colors, there is a whole world to explore. Choosing the perfect paint will personalize a home, create a whole new feel to your environment, and determine specific moods. The right colors will enhance the beauty of furnishings, transform an average room into a grand entrance, and create harmony and balance—whatever feeling you are trying to evoke is possible with color. As a resident of Oregon, paint color is even more valuable and can create a lasting effect on your well-being and emotional health. When the days are gray and dreary in the long winter season, it might be the vibrant bedroom with elegant coral walls that you turn to for inspiration, or the calm watery blue room that brings visions of the ocean and sunshine to mind that help get you through those mundane months. However, if you are hesitant to add some color to your life because the thought of moving furniture, preparing the walls, and taping every window sounds like too much to handle, don’t let that stop you from making the most of your environment. Professionals will come into your home and take care of the tedious, endless prep work—all you have to do is look forward to the transformed space that you get to enjoy once they are finished. Skilled painters can reach those “hard-to reach” areas of the home that are often avoided or overlooked, ensuring that all spaces get equal attention. They can also do difficult touch-ups and cutting-in so that everything looks immaculate after applications.
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One great area of the home to start is with your kitchen. Already serving as the focal point of your home, it’s a room where your entire family constantly gathers and entertains. While kitchen remodels and new cabinetry can cost a fortune, some creative paint applications will do the trick for a minimal amount of money. If you have tired, dated cabinets, professionals can spray the boxes and doors with the paint color of your choice for a brand new look. Your cabinets will have that factory-like finish— guests will think that you installed new cabinets from the manufacturer. If you want more than just color or want to keep a wood tone, a coat of stain or finish can also be applied. You can also do the same thing to your bathrooms. New paint can turn an old vanity into a fresh new focal point, or uplift those tired cabinets that are not reflecting the ambiance you wish your bathroom had. Finish the entire look with a new coat for your walls and the end result will exceed your expectations—the process is practically instantaneous. Whether you want to spruce up the house, clean up your walls, update your cabinetry and kitchen, or simply create a home that captures the true essence of your lifestyle, it’s time to give your interior some personality. Treadline Construction specializes in all modern, traditional and contemporary designs, and can help you put together a custom plan that brings your vision to reality. Along with interior painting services, Treadline offers many additional services such as hardwood refinishing, new flooring material installation, finish carpentry, railings, stairs, complete kitchen and bath remodels, and much more. For more information, you can call Treadline at 503-855-3740 or visit www.treadline.net. CCB #170878 ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
kitchen&bath
Concrete In The Kitchen? Discover How Concrete Can Enhance Your Lifestyle
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ost homeowners associate concrete with their yard—sidewalks, driveways, and other exterior applications. However the incredible possibilities of concrete are quickly emerging as this surface solution continues to find a permanent place inside the home. Concrete has a long history as an extraordinarily flexible artistic and architectural medium. Now it’s quickly becoming a popular choice for interior applications due to its durability, strength, warmth, and character. The design and color possibilities are infinite, from simple and understated to bold and beautiful. It is a versatile material that can be transformed into sophisticated pieces of art that will last a lifetime. It can be ground to reveal natural sand and stone or recycled glass or marble can be added for a terrazzo finish. Practical as well as aesthetically pleasing, concrete is a top choice for people that suffer from allergies because it does not trap dust and other irritants the way some surfaces do. So, what are some recommended ways to incorporate concrete into your living spaces? One of the best places to start is with your countertops. Because culinary creativity starts in the kitchen, many homeowners find themselves moving away from the manufactured look of laminates, granite and other surfaces, opting for a more timeless choice. Functional yet flexible in style, this is where concrete comes in to play. Offering an earthy feel for your environment, concrete countertops work for any style of décor—from traditional to modern. ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
Additionally, a concrete countertop is a truly unique piece that is completely customized for your home. Concrete can be handcrafted into a distinctive surface that expresses both your personal style and cooking preferences. Your oneof-a-kind countertop creation will be a special addition to your home, increasing its overall value. However, countertops are not the only way to bring concrete into your home. Because of its adaptability, concrete finds itself welcome in other areas, including fireplace surrounds, furniture, sinks, fire bowls and much more. Another feature that makes concrete attractive to homeowners is its environmental qualities. Recycled content is often added to the mix which actually takes material out of waste stream instead of contributing to it. Fabrication can be a very “green” process where almost everything can be reused and recycled. Coulee Concrete Design is a Portland design-driven collective comprised of concrete artisans and furniture designers who create products for residential settings. Working with an array of materials, including wood and steel, Coulee Concrete Design specializes in a blend of cement and crushed recycled material that is transformed into high-strength, eco-friendly works of art. For more information about concrete for your home, you can call them at 503-895-2621 or visit their website at www.couleeconcrete.com. OR LIC #172059 / WA LIC #COULECD898JM MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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kitchen&bath
A Convenient and Affordable Kitchen and Bathroom Makeover
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f you are finally ready to tackle that kitchen and bath remodeling project, you are probably also coming to terms with how much money it’s going to cost. Of course, you can always cut corners and leave things out in attempt to appease your budget, however what’s the point of a remodel if the end result isn’t exactly what you’ve always dreamed about? Fortunately, there are ways to attain that perfect kitchen or bathroom at an affordable price, without having to compromise a thing. In a kitchen remodel, new cabinets easily take up the greatest portion of your overall budget. Not to mention, new cabinet installation can take weeks to months and your old cabinets will likely end up in a landfill. If this sounds invasive, expensive and wasteful to you, then it’s time to discover the benefits of refacing. Cabinet refacing only takes a few days to complete, and costs a fraction of the price to replace. Along with gorgeous cabinets that look and feel brand new, you will also save time and natural resources. Essentially, any look that new cabinetry provides can be achieved with refacing. You can choose the style, wood species, finish and hardware, and professionals will remove and replace your old doors, drawer fronts, and other aspects to achieve a complete cabinet transformation. Additionally, genuine wood veneers are applied to all exposed frames and boxes,
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including inside of the frames (something that is often overlooked). The finished product will surpass your expectations—those old, worn-down cabinets will be beautiful once again. Upgrades are easy to include, from complete drawer replacement, full extension glides, tilt-outs, lazy Susans, rollouts, and even crown molding. Cabinet refacing can also work wonders in the bathroom— transform old vanities and kitchen sink cabinets into stylish new focal points. Another convenient way to give a kitchen or bathroom a revamped look is with new countertops. From the elegant touch of quartz or natural stone to the timeless look of granite, an upgraded countertop will be the finishing touch to your rejuvenated environment. A professional can help you make the right choice for your lifestyle—whether your focus is on convenience, hygiene, aesthetics, or durability. The time has come to stop putting off the remodel that you truly desire. Improving the look and functionality of your kitchen space and/or bathroom is not an idea that’s out of reach—there are options for every budget, so discover your ideal solution today. At Surface Solutions, your satisfaction is the ultimate goal. There are no high-pressure salesmen, and no hidden costs. Each custom project is designed with the utmost care, attention to detail, and sensitivity to your specific needs so your kitchen and bathroom remodel is done right the first time. For more information about cabinet refacing, countertop fabrication and installation, or more, you can call Surface Solutions, LLC at 503-369-1988. You can also visit their website at www.surfacesolutionsnorthwest.com. OR Lic. #197242. ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
Now, your concrete floors can look as beautiful as the rest of your home. Specialty Coatings installs a wide variety of decorative finishes for your garage and shop floors. Our exclusive Acryli-Guard 4-coat flooring system can be installed in one day and you can drive on it in less than 1 hour. And it's guaranteed for life not to peel—even under hot tires! These seamless coatings are easy to clean and will dramatically improve the appearance of your floor. We also do commercial and industrial work. Call today for a FREE estimate!
(503) 644-7500
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MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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homeinteriors
iving in a multi-level home provides challenges for anyone who has trouble navigating stairs due to age, wheelchair, or other mobility issues. With the addition of a custom home elevator, stairlift, or vertical platform lift, homeowners and their loved ones can safely and easily access all levels of their home, despite physical limitations, with an added sense of independence. Residential elevators designed by trusted manufacturers like Waupaca Elevator Company, Inc. are ideal for homeowners looking for mobility solutions as well as those who desire the added value and convenience that a home elevator will bring to their home. A residential elevator can be retrofitted into an existing home or designed into your dream house. As people grow older, they often need to move from their home, relocating to an unfamiliar neighborhood, because of the increased difficulty in safely using the stairs. An elevator eliminates the need to move from your home and can be significantly less costly than selling your home—especially in this real estate market. A home elevator can greatly improve your quality of life. While stairs are great for exercise, they are incredibly inconvenient—and dangerous—when carrying heavy loads or bulky items from one floor to another. Modern technology has made home elevators dependable, safe, quiet, durable, and a considerable complement to any home. Elevator car designs can be customized to suit your tastes and blend seamlessly with the style of your décor.
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For homes or budgets where a residential elevator isn’t an option, the Stannah 260 custom stairlift offers a wide variety of features and is custom designed to fit your staircase, ensuring optimum performance. The chair and track’s attractive, compact design takes up a minimum amount of space, making it ideal for narrow staircases. When not in use, it is easy to fold up and offers a convenient lever that allows the user to raise the footrest without bending down. The entire journey, controlled by a simple armrest rocker switch, is ultra-quiet and smooth, while conveniently located swivel handles allow riders to easily get on and off the chair. Because the Stannah 260 attaches to the stair treads, it can be mounted on either side of the staircase to suit your preference. For indoor or outdoor applications such as porches, decks, or other raised levels in the home that require elevation of up to five feet, the Genesis OPAL vertical lift, manufactured by Garaventa Lift, is ADA-compliant and easily transports passengers short distances. Ideal for wheelchair-bound residents and guests, the platform walls, platform gate, and optional automatic folding ramp travel with the platform to create a safety barrier around the passenger. For more information or to arrange a no-obligation consultation or demonstration, you can call Elevator Solutions, Inc., a locally owned and operated company, at 503-285-4222. Their trained staff can offer assistance with choosing and/or designing your residential elevator, chair, or lift system. CCB #143436, WA #ELEVAS1000L8. ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
homeinteriors
Technology Update: Rethink Refinishing N-Hance® Wood Renewal Offers New Lightspeed® Option eople often put off refinishing their wood floors because it is so inconvenient: the micro-fine sanding dust, the noxious fumes, the wait for it to harden so you can walk on it and put your furniture back. It used to be that you had to wait two to four weeks for a room with refinished floors to be fully functional again. New technology has now made it possible to instantly cure wood floors and other surfaces. This technology, called ultraviolet curing (commonly known as UV curing), is similar to what the dentist uses to cure fillings, only on a much larger scale. It allows wood surfaces to be dried and cured the same day the finish is applied. The new UV floor refinishing offers homeowners the following benefits: •Cures the wood finish instantly and makes it usable immediately as •opposed to traditional wood finishes that can take up to two weeks to dry. •Is the most durable finish with the highest wear index and highest •scratch resistance. •Costs only $1 more per square foot than the conventional wood finish. •Can be used on cabinets and kitchen tables, bars, as well as on wood floors. •Is eco-friendly and safe for family and pets. Using high-intensity light instead of heat- or air-drying, the UV curing process is based on a photochemical reaction and is a better alternative to
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traditional solvent-based finishes. In UV curing, there is no solvent to evaporate, no environmental pollutants, and no shrinkage of the coating, resulting in a durable, fast, eco-friendly finish. One company in the Portland/Vancouver metro area offering this new technology to businesses and homeowners is N-Hance® Wood Renewal, a national partner of The Home Depot for wood refinishing/renewal of kitchen cabinets and wood floors. N-Hance has just launched a new ultraviolet curing service, appropriately named Lightspeed® , that instantly dries and cures refinished wood surfaces. The Lightspeed technology combined with their proprietary method of environmentally-friendly, low-odor, non-sanded wood refinishing means you can renew all the wood surfaces in your home while minimizing downtime and inconvenience. Using Lightspeed in combination with the N-Hance color-change methods means you can update the look of your cabinets and provide them with a tough, protective surface that will resist wear and scratching for years to come. The cabinet color-change process is typically a fraction of the cost of removing and replacing your cabinets, saving your budget for higher-end appliances, counters, and finishes. “The launch of Lightspeed will enable us to better serve our commercial and residential customers who are looking for a more convenient wood renewal method,” said Kate Gailunas, local N-Hance owner. N-Hance Wood Renewal is one of the only companies in the Portland/Vancouver metro area offering Lightspeed technology to businesses and homeowners. For a free in-home estimate and more information, you can call N-Hance at 503-922-0980 or 360-573-5095. You can also visit their website at www.nhance.com/ssi. CCB#191494 WA#NHANC**887PD MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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homeinteriors
All registers are sealed
The crew arrives
Do You Want a Truly Comfortable Home? Seal In Your Savings… From the Inside
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ry answering this quick question—what is the single most effective thing you can do to save on the cost of heating and cooling your home? Upgrade your windows? Insulate your attic? Replace your furnace and air conditioner with Energy Star-rated equipment? While all of these measures help reduce energy waste, recent reports cited by the U.S. Department of Energy found the single most effective means of conserving home energy for many homeowners is air duct sealing. As surprising as this may seem, the evidence is clear. The average home in the U.S. loses about 25 to 40 percent of heated and cooled air through leaks found throughout the home’s air duct system. Even newly built homes are, more often than not, plagued by leaky air ducts—leaks that divert heated and cooled air from their intended destination, reduce the efficiency of your furnace and air conditioner, and ultimately increase your monthly utility bill. So, how do you find and seal air duct leaks in existing homes without having to tear down walls or strip the insulation? After years of testing, scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory came up with a solution based upon revolutionary thinking: If you can’t access the leaks from the outside of the ductwork, let’s do it from the inside. The breakthrough sealant they developed is applied as a non-toxic aerosol mist that is pumped throughout the inside of the home’s air duct system. The
Connect from aeroseal equipment to furnace
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PORTLAND HOME • MARCH/APRIL 2014
Making an entranceway in the furnace
aerosol particles, about the size of smoke particles, stay suspended in the air until they come across leaks in the ductwork. There they accumulate and bond together around the holes until the leaks are filled. The new aerosol technology, commercially called AeroSeal, is applied with the help of specialized software that controls the flow of the sealant and provides a real time progress report of the process. When the job is completed, the homeowner is given a printout report that shows the before and after leakage amounts and the overall reduction levels attained. In addition to energy savings, effective duct sealing can have an immediate impact on home comfort and issues related to air quality. Allergens such as dirt and pollen from outside the home are regularly sucked into the air duct system by the furnace or air conditioner. Leaks and gaps in the air ducts allow these allergens to bypass filters and spread throughout the house. While a number of air conditioning and heating service providers in the greater Portland/Vancouver area offer ductwork testing for air leaks and provide an estimate of how much air you’re losing, when it comes to sealing, ENTEK Corporation is your local contractor that has the technology, product and training to accurately test and seal your ductwork from the inside out. A complete design/build heating, air conditioning and energy solutions company, ENTEK is dedicated to providing services that empower people to take control of their own living environment and energy use. Duct sealing with AeroSeal is just one of the many energy solutions ENTEK can offer—your entire house is a system that must be assessed in order to be truly comfortable and efficient. For more information and a list of all available products and services, you can visit their website at www.entekhvac.com or call 1-800-633-1354. CCB #49202 WA #ENTEKC*893WE
Monitoring the process
Quantifiable results ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
homeinteriors
WHAT DUST? Dustless Refinishing Leaves Your Hardwood Floors Brand New
THE PROCESS OF REFINISHING WOOD FLOORS HAS CHANGED dramatically in recent years as the industry has evolved in response to homeowners’ desire to minimize the mess that occurs during hardwood restoration. Traditionally, sanding and refinishing hardwood floors has been a dusty mess, requiring extensive masking with plastic sheeting. Adjacent rooms, cabinets, counters, and other surfaces needed to be covered, making them useless until the project was completed. Even with all of this effort to protect the home, inevitably dust would get through, creating the need to have a professional cleaning crew come in to remove the evidence. Traditional floor sanders use a dust bag to collect and attempt to filter the dust generated by the sanding process and blown out of the exhaust pipe. Air passes through the bag and back into the room while attempting to filter out the dust, but due to the porous nature of the bag, fine particles of dust are blown through with it. This problem is compounded as the bag fills up with dust and there is less effective surface area to work with. The filter is getting smaller! The same amount of air trying to go through a smaller cross section has to go faster, increasing pressure as well as the amount of fine dust that is blown through. This also hurts the ability of the sander to collect the dust from the floor. You might see more dust being left behind or becoming airborne as the bag gets full. Industry leaders have maximized efficiency with the use of dust-free technology to eliminate the amount of particles stirred up during ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
the traditional sanding process. Hoses remove the dust from the home during sanding so that it never has a chance to become airborne and settle on furnishings or be breathed in by homeowners and their families. While the traditional refinishing process wreaks havoc on allergies as well as housekeeping, dustless refinThe dust containment system Traditional refinishing creishing offers the ideal solution for removes the dust from the ates a cloud of dust that sanding process leaving your settles on furnishings and removing the mess and allergens cabinetry. home virtually dustless. from inside the home. An experienced technician will advise you on the best finish to fit your taste and style, whether it be up with a fan to place in the window. Swedish, water-based (green), or a penetrating Professional-grade machinery and finishing products are the mark of an experienced wood stain and wax. Sanding and finishing wood floors is a floor refinisher. For more information, you can call Treadline highly specialized process that requires the touch of skilled technicians well-versed in the Construction at 503-855-3740. To view their proper techniques and equipment. Many com- online portfolio, you can also visit their website at panies advertise dustless refinishing and show www.Treadline.net. CCB #170878. MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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homeinteriors
If It’s in Your Crawl Space,
It’s in Your Home
a
dirt crawl space under a home is a very bad idea. As warm air rises, replacement air enters from the lowest part of your home, your crawl space. Properly sealing the crawl space and removing the moisture can provide mold free, radon free, and insect deterrent living spaces: which leads to a healthier and more energy efficient home. There are three things that destroy materials in general, and wood in particular: water, heat, and ultra-violet radiation. Of these, water is by far the most damaging. Dirt crawl spaces are never-ending sources of moisture. Even if the dirt’s surface seems dry, digging down a few inches reveals moist earth. Moisture ruins houses by providing a hospitable environment for mold, fungi, and insects that destroy wood framing. Moisture in a crawl space affects not only the floor system directly above it, but also the entire house. Warm air in a heated building rises. As it rises, replacement air is sucked from the lowest part of the house – your house is actually sucking the ground. This natural air movement, called the stack effect, is how chimney’s work. Consequently, whatever is in the air at the lowest point eventually flows up into the living sections. Up to 40% of the air we breathe on the first floor of our home comes from the crawl space. To avoid moisture’s negative affects, a crawl space should be fully sealed and isolated from the ground and the outside. A new innovative and effective method has been tested and perfected in numerous locations throughout
Natural air flow from the ground up.
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PORTLAND HOME • MARCH/APRIL 2014
After
the country and is now available to Portland and southwest Washington homeowners – the CleanSpace ® Crawl Space Encapsulation System ™ by Basement Systems Inc. This technique involves placing a 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high- and low-density polyethylene with polyester-cord reinforcement on the dirt (or concrete) floor and up the walls. This pool-liner-like sheeting is made especially for this system and is treated with an antimicrobial finish that protects against mold and mildew growth on the liner. Lower energy loads, as a result of the encapsulation system, translates into a profitable return on the initial investment. It is strong enough to crawl on and store materials on, and is blue on the bottom and bright white on top to really brighten a crawl space, making it a relatively pleasant storage place. Many crawl space foundations leak. Such cases require a drainage system appropriate to the details of the crawlspace. Basement Systems, the makers of CleanSpace®, designed a tri-patented sump pump system, the SuperSump ®, that works in conjunction with the liner to create an airtight seal to keep moisture and bugs out. The SuperSump features a built-in WaterWatch ® alarm system to let you know if there is ever a pump or power problem before the crawl space floods. Just remember that your crawl space, although often neglected until
it’s too late, is one of the most important spaces in your home. It can be a spawning ground for mold, bugs, smells, odors, and radon gas. The moisture generated in the crawl space can lead to structural damage in your home and loss of energy. While on the other hand, a clean, sealed crawl space can be an extra source for much needed storage while making your home a healthy and safe one. To learn more about the CleanSpace ® Crawl Space Encapsulation System™ or other innovative crawl space solutions, you can call Interstate Pest Management at 503-636-0565 (Portland) or 360-693-5029 (Vancouver), e-mail them at info@interstatepest.com for a free estimate, or visit them on the Internet at www.InterstatePest.com. They are licensed, bonded, and insured, and can fix your crawl space quickly with little or no disruption to your daily routine. The CleanSpace ® encapsulation system comes with a 25-year warranty against rips and tears, and from having groundwater on top of the liner. CCB#127319 Before
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homeinteriors
Do You Need a Prescription For Beautiful Wood?
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here’s a reason why you chose to invest in wood for your living spaces. Timeless, versatile and exceptionally beautiful, wood is the perfect choice for most areas of the home—from flooring to cabinetry. However, homeowners often start to feel tired of their wood applications because like most things, time can turn those once elegant focal points into tired and run-down areas that you have trouble tolerating on a daily basis. Unavoidable circumstances, such as sunlight or water, eventually have a negative effect on the aesthetics of your wood. But—before you make plans to tear everything out and replace your wood, it’s time to learn about an alternative that will save you incredible amounts of time, stress and money. Compared to the high cost of available alternatives, restoring and refinishing your wood can significantly increase the appeal and value of your home. Cabinetry, floors, window sills, doors and more can all be restored to their original beauty, or you can create a completely new look with processes such as deepening the hue of light wood, or changing the color of existing wood. The refinishing process involves the use of a stripping agent to completely remove the old finish right down to the bare wood. From here, you are now able to work with a blank canvas. New stains can be applied, allowing you to change the color of the wood. The result is a brand new, totally transformed new space. The life will breathe back into your wood, producing a whole new ambiance for you to enjoy. The restoration process is used when time worn wood needs to be returned to its natural state of beauty. It differs from refinishing because the finish is not completely removed. Restoration can work on just about any wood, from cabinetry to all of you architectural installations. It’s also a great choice for vintage homes or structures, allowing you to preserve the unique character and charm. You can even restore windowsills, frames, interior doors, moldings, baseboards, mantels, stairs, banisters and just about any natural wood in your home. Whether refinishing or restoring, both options are environmentally friendly and green. Not only will professionals use water-borne and non-toxic chemicals, choosing to rejuvenate existing wood keeps trees standing, as well as trash out of the landfill. You will also be pleased with the quick turnaround of wood refinishing and restoration. Once a job is started, professionals make sure to stick with it until everything is finished so that you can get back to your routine as soon as possible. If you are ready for the wood transformation of a lifetime, The Wood Doctor is ready to help. With more than 25 years experience, The Wood Doctor offers expertise and meticulous attention to detail so that your expectations are always met, if not exceeded. For more information, you can call The Wood Doctor at 503-560-5220. You can also visit their website at www.TheWoodDoctor.com. CCB #189632. ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
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exteriorslandscaping
Pool Owners Go Green and Serene
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he best way to see the kind of commitment a company makes to the environment and their customers is to take a peek at (or, better yet, a dip in) a new and local demo pool, located just outside of Portland. The demo pool showcases the innovative green technologies that make owning a pool more sustainable, and how choosing the right automation allows pool owners not to be tied to their pool. “We’re unusual in that we’ve been a subcontractor for so many pool builders that we’ve seen which construction methods withstand the test of time—and which don’t,” says sales manager Kary Reinke. “We do the work ourselves—rarely using other subcontractors—so we have absolute quality control.” Here are just some of the features you’ll discover upon a visit to the demo pool. •The cartridge filter saves water—there’s no need to back wash and waste water, and it runs at lower pressure than a sand filter. The cartridges can be cleaned with a simple rinse a few times per season. •The EcoStar variable speed pump saves up to 90% on energy costs because it can circulate at lower RPMs, and then ramp up to higher speeds when needed. It’s the most efficient pump on the market—and people
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love it. It saves up to $1,500 in energy cost each year! •12volt LED lights are used because they last 20times longer than standard bulbs, and save as much at 86% on energy costs! •The low ambient heat pump can work down to 40degrees. It maintains the pool temperature very efficiently by taking heat from the environment and using it to warm the pool water. •A UV filter means that less chlorine is needed to treat the demo pool—something swimmers definitely appreciate. •The new Universal H gas heater is used on the demo pool, and it will eventually have solar heat as well. •To help save chemical and heat costs, a Cover Pools® auto cover was installed over the pool. Additionally, an enclosure was installed so visitors can swim year-round. Both the auto cover and enclosure lock to secure the pool! Pacific Northwest Pools can handle any pool project you are considering—from installation to rejuvenation. For more information about your own pool project, or to schedule a visit to check out the Pacific Northwest Pools’ demo pool, you can visit www.pacificnwpools.com or call 503-631-4816. CCB #154973 ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
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MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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exteriorslandscaping
How to Find a Great Remodeling Firm (And How to Avoid the Bad Ones)
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re you thinking about a siding, window or roofing project? When looking for an exterior remodeling firm, it seems your choices are limitless and it can be very difficult to know where to start. Fortunately, there are many resources available today that allow a homeowner looking for a reputable contractor to find exactly what they’re looking for. So, what can you do? There are a few steps you should take that will ensure you are choosing a high-quality remodeling firm. First, require at least 10 references with both phone numbers and addresses. A quality contractor should hand them over with pride. You should also ask to see if the contractor has been given any awards from major remodeling publications, such as Professional Remodeler or Remodeling Magazine. Education. A quality exterior remodeling firm should come to your home and offer education on the siding, window or roofing process. This not only includes the high quality materials that are being used, but the installation practices that ensure the job is done right. Great remodelers are proud to educate their clients right up front as they know the work being done will be in line with what is discussed in the home. Service. It is also imperative that the person you initially speak to in the home will also be running the project from start to finish. This ensures that the promises
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that are being made are by somebody who understands the challenges of running a remodeling project. Salespeople typically make promises that can’t be kept by the production team in order to make the sale. They do this knowing that they can remove themselves from the project once the sale is made, leaving their production department to pick up the pieces. Honesty. Another aspect to consider is whether the company that you are hiring is subcontracting out the work to another company. It is meaningless to get a great salesperson, only to find out that the sub installing the materials is cutting corners with zero accountability. Great companies use in-house crews for the majority of the work they do. Hiring a siding, window or roofing contractor can be a bit like gambling—you may hit the jackpot, or you might get cleaned out. In order to avoid having a nightmare experience, it is necessary to follow the steps outlined above. By doing so, you will have ensured that you’ve hired a company with your best interest in mind, and you’ve received a remodeling job that lasts as long as you own your home. Lifetime Remodeling Systems specializes in siding, window and roofing replacement. They have won multiple awards and are certified by Hardieplank and GAF. For more information, you can call them at 503-242-4242 or visit them online at www.lifetime-remodeling.com. CCB #170747. WA:LIFETRS947NB. ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
exteriorslandscaping
Before
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Need a Change From Plain or Damaged Concrete?
Resurface with Decorative Concrete Coatings
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oncrete may seem like an unlikely canvas, but resurfacing with decorative concrete coatings can instantly transform boring or unsightly surfaces into a work of art. With a variety of possible applications including garage floors, interior floors, large commercial floors such as restaurants, and even waterproofing basement floors, decorative concrete coatings offer homeowners the freedom to create unique designs while adding dramatic visual appeal. Resurfacing your existing concrete surfaces can be at least half the cost of tearing it out. Like other elements of your home, why replace it, when you can reface it? High-end, quality coating systems offer a resilient, flexible surface that resists chipping, mildew, oil, and rust. Easy maintenance, slip resistance, and extreme durability—four times the strength of normal concrete—make decorative concrete coatings the perfect solution for enhancing high traffic areas. Resurfacing is faster and more economical than removing and re-pouring new concrete. This superior solution allows you to have the flooring of your dreams, without a messy process that disrupts the flow of your everyday life. Additionally, with an extensive selection of colors, patterns, and textures, there’s an attractive combination to fit any style and budget with minimum hassle and low-maintenance materials. Homeowners have the opportunity to customize their concrete surfaces to coordinate with their home and complement their personal style in as little as one to three days, depending on the design and system
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installed. Concrete specialists will work with you to transform an oily, mildew, or rust-stained surface into a colorful, textured finish that will retain its elegant appearance for years to come, enhancing curb appeal while creating an eye-catching surface that will become the envy of the neighborhood. Combine stamped concrete with other decorative concrete applications such as staining for maximum appeal. Transform your garage floor and create an attractive living space that can be used for more than just storage, polish some life back into a large and busy space such as an office or restaurant, or reclaim your basement by waterproofing and rejuvenating the floors and turning it into an entertaining game room or a quiet reading area. With non-porous, easy-to-maintain coating systems, you only have to reseal every five years, and with full-service specialists offering a written warranty as well as cleaning and sealing options, taking care of your concrete surfaces has never been easier or more convenient. For more information or to schedule an appointment to view samples and color options, you can call NW Creative Resurfacing at 503-750-4330 or e-mail NWCreativeResurfacing@gmail.com. NW Creative Resurfacing uses products that have been time tested for more than 50 years. To view their online portfolio, you can visit their website at www.NWCreativeResurfacing.com. CCB #180848, WA #NWCRECR925JZ. MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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Increase Outdoor Safety While Restoring the Beauty to Your Yard
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e have all experienced the awkwardness of uneven concrete. Whether you’ve been caught off-guard while walking down the sidewalk, or have noticed your car bouncing while pulling into the garage, sinking concrete is a surefire way to diminish the curb appeal of your lovely investment. However, aside from the negative effect that uneven concrete has on your home’s aesthetics, what’s even more important is the safety risk that it poses. Members of your family and even guests can easily trip on sinking concrete when they aren’t paying attention, and this can be especially hazardous on uneven stairs or steps. Luckily, you can restore the safety to your sidewalk without having to tear out your concrete for replacement—a process that is extremely time-consuming, expensive, and invasive. Instead, professionals can raise and stabilize your uneven concrete without having to tear anything out. Grout injection, void filling and wood expansion joint replacement are all efficient ways to make your driveways, sidewalks, patios, steps, and more look as good as new and safer. This flat-rocking process is about one-third the cost of tearing up and replacing your existing slabs. Most jobs take less than one day, which means you don’t have to deal with the mess and disruption that often comes along with concrete replacement. Clean and professional, this creative process is good for the neighborhood, better for the Earth, and great for your budget. A durable custom mix provides a new solid base for your concrete slab. Extremely stable and reliable, professionals will actually fix the problem from underneath instead of simply pouring more concrete on top of sunken concrete. Grout injection lifts and stabilizes uneven concrete slabs, while expansion joint replacement gets rid of gaps between slabs and rotten wood expansion joints. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about uneven and mismatched slabs. The finished product will blend throughout the overall look of your exterior. Once your concrete is leveled, complete the look with a thorough pressure washing and sealing, and your outdoor spaces will look perfect just in time for summer! This is a great option that is an affordable way to restore the beauty and safety back into your concrete. Flat Rock Concrete Leveling professionals have extensive knowledge in the industry and possess a meticulous skill that must be learned through construction experience, which the Flat Rock family has acquired over 25 years. For more information on these services, you can call Britt Allen at Flat Rock Concrete Leveling at 503-421-8580. For more information on the process of concrete leveling, you can visit www.flatconcrete.com. Lic #FLATRRC892MA / CCB 192071
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Beautiful Garage Floors In One Day
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t used to take three to five days to install an epoxy three-coat flooring system in your garage. Typically, the floor was prepared and primed on the first day, a body coat installed on the second day, and a clear coat on the third day. Depending on the time of year, the coating then took anywhere from one to three days to cure before you could walk or drive on the floor. Now with AcryliGuard, a four-coat concrete flooring system can be installed in one day and you can drive on it within an hour. Although this technology has been around for more than 30 years, this is the first time AcryliGuard has been used in the residential market. The material is basically a liquid plexiglass that is 100% solid and doesn’t contain any solvents. When the material is activated, its chemical structure simply changes from a liquid to a solid within about 30 minutes and doesn’t require any time to dry. Like any coating system, the preparation of the concrete surface is the main key to success! Shot blasting (like sandblasting, but without the mess) is the best method to prepare concrete because it removes contaminants, opens the pores of the concrete, and increases the surface area 200% to 300%, allowing the coating materials to penetrate and anchor.
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The biggest cause for coating failures in the Northwest is hydrostatic pressure. Since concrete is a porous material with microscopic air passages, moisture passes from the ground, through the concrete and into the atmosphere. The amount of pressure is determined by the volume and strength of the moisture. Most epoxies can withstand about three pounds of pressure before delaminating, whereas the AcryliGuard can withstand about 11 pounds, which provides superior adhesion and performance. This is due to the penetrating characteristics and strength of the primer. In fact, this product comes with a lifetime warranty not to delaminate—even under hot tires! Unlike epoxies and urethanes, the AcryliGuard will never turn yellow or become brittle, which makes a coating more susceptible to chipping and cracking. One significant benefit of this flooring system is that it doesn’t become slippery when wet. This is why Fred Meyer uses this product in their produce departments. Most other coating systems require the addition of aluminum oxide for non-slip, which is effective, but makes a floor more difficult to clean. AcryliGuard costs slightly more than a standard epoxy floor due to the fact that
more material is applied to the floor. An average epoxy system is between 10 and 30 mils thick (mil = 1/1000 of an inch), whereas the AcryliGuard system is approximately 80-100 mils thick. Considering the amount of material used and the life expectancy of the floor, AcryliGuard offers tremendous value with a low cost of ownership. For more information on making your concrete beautiful or to schedule a free estimate, you can call Specialty Coatings at 503-644-7500. CCB# 151176
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exteriorslandscaping
Eco-Friendly Roofing Takes Portland by Storm s your greatest and most personal investment, it’s important to protect your home from the elements and the roof of your home is of primary importance in that consideration. In today’s environmentally conscious world, recycled building materials are also of primary importance. But going green with your home doesn’t mean sacrificing quality, aesthetics, and affordability. As an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional roofing systems, EUROSHIELD™ covers your home in style while reducing your carbon footprint. This roofing system offers function and durability as well as beauty. EUROSHIELD™ roofing products were created 14 years ago with the goal of utilizing mountains of rubber tires that have been amassing on the landscape since the dawn of the automobile. Up until recently there has been little use for them. Years of research and development led to the creation of a unique formula, containing over 75% recycled materials, for the production of the finest synthetic rubber roofing products available on the market today. Between 600 and 1,000 rubber tires are used in the production of a EUROSHIELD™ roof for an average-sized home. Scrap material generated during the installation process can be collected and recycled again—virtually eliminating environmentally harmful waste. Heat, wind, rain and snow will take its toll on any roof, but you can rest easy no matter what Mother Nature brings your way—
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EUROSHIELD™ roofing systems are rain, wind, hail, and fire resistant. As an added bonus, many homeowners comment on the difference the product has made in keeping their homes cooler in the summertime, and also about the superior sound-deadening qualities this roofing system has to offer. EUROSHIELD™ offers two types of roofing systems; a thicker heavier panel that replicates either slate or shake and features a locking “tongue and groove” butt edge, and a thinner lighter panel that also replicates shake or slate, that is lower cost and faster to install. The primary advantage to the lighter product is its lower price point, bringing rubber roofing within reach of more homeowners, while offering a similar slate or shake look. The slate profile is designed to accurately replicate the look and texture of a traditional heavy chiseled-edge slate tile, but without the considerable weight and high cost associated with slate. The shake profile is the perfect choice for those who want the look of a wood roof without the worries of premature failure due to rotting, cracking and warping. EUROSHIELD™ roofing systems are available in three standard colors: black, grey, and brown. When it’s time to sell your property, your EUROSHIELD™ roof increases your home’s resale value by adding to the design, beauty, and durability, and in green Portland, eco-friendly features are always a plus. For more information on EUROSHIELD™ roofing systems, you can visit www.euroshieldroofing.com. Also, Keith Green Construction, Inc. is a certified installer that you can visit online at www.keithgreenconstruction.com, or by phone at 503-681-7912. They can answer any questions you might have. CCB OR #109148, WA#keithgc948kh. MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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Maximizing The Life of Your Cedar Shake Roof
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obody wants to spend money on a roof. Certainly it would be more fun to put that money aside for a new RV, boat, car, etc.—anything besides a roof! Unfortunately, the simple economics are that once your roof is allowed to deteriorate beyond restoration process capabilities, you will spend from $300 to $450 per square foot to replace it. The vast majority of today’s cedar shake roofs carry a price tag of from $9,000 to $30,000. Under conditions commonly found in the Northwest, total deterioration can take place in less than 10 years. The problem is, your roof gets “Oregonized.” When wood is exposed to the effects of sunlight and moisture, it changes both physically and chemically—commonly called weathering. First the color changes from reddish brown to silvery gray. This happens within the first year. Gradually the roof will take on a darker gray color, indicating it is being colonized by microfungi. As the roof continues to age, wood-destroying organisms slowly degrade the shingle’s surface and edges. Debris from trees accumulates in the valleys and between the shakes. After each rain these areas remain moist longer, encouraging the growth of
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other troublesome plants, primarily lichens and mosses. Your roof is now “Oregonized” and deterioration will rapidly accelerate. Moss and fungus growing on your roof does double damage: (1) During rain, it retards the shedding of water, which promotes leaks. (2) When the rain stops, it prevents the surface from drying, and wood-rotting organisms begin to grow. The accumulation of leaves, needles, and other debris has the same harmful effects and increases the chance of fire damage. Preventative maintenance and specialized treatment is a process and is the key to maximizing the life and beauty of your cedar shake roof. Be wary of roof cleaner contractors who solicit door to door or leave flyers promising quick fixes. Demand their license or CCB numbers as well as references, and choose an experienced roof cleaning company. Quick-fix solutions to revitalize your roof should be approached with extreme caution. Pressure washing makes your roof look brand new, but the problem is that 6 to 36+ gallons per minute of water under 1,500 to 3,500 lbs. per square inch of pressure tears at the shingles, leaving them 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch thinner, removing years of life from your roof. Do not pressure wash.
The other most common method of restoring your cedar roof to its original luster is replacing the natural oils. Never do it! These oils account for less than three percent of the cedar’s total mass, and that was when the tree was alive! Furthermore, petroleumbased products are oxidized and broken down fairly quickly and increase the flammability of your roof. Taking care of your cedar shake is a responsibility; it’s a process—not an event. Putting the care of your roof in the hands of a cedar shake expert is among the wisest dollar decisions you will ever make on your home! There is a specialist who has pioneered a process that is neat, clean, simple, and safe. This process won’t rot your gutters or stain your concrete, won’t harm your lawn or shrubs, won’t injure animals, is virtually odor-free, and, best of all, is guaranteed. Cedar Tech has a completely biodegradable and environmentally compatible process that is time-tested on numerous sensitive applications, including the Inn at Otter Crest and the Leach Botanical Garden. To contact the experts and seasoned pros at Cedar Tech, caring for cedar roofs since 1991, you can call Kevin Stinson at 503-643-9303 or visit their website at www.CedarTechRoofCare.com. Cedar Tech is licensed, bonded, and insured, with extensive references throughout NW Oregon and SW Washington. CCB #160333 ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
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MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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exteriorslandscaping
Cost Effective Recycled Concrete, Retaining Walls, Pavers, Stonework and Stamped Concrete Eye-Catching Yet Functional Solutions for Outdoor Living
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s families change, many homeowners find themselves feeling cramped in what used to be ample living space. With the kids getting older and the puppy now a full-grown dog, you’ll need more room, but with the housing market still in the decline, it’s no time to sell and start over somewhere else. Adding on is always an option, but breaking the bank with major construction costs isn’t. Why not better utilize the existing space you have—outdoors? Outdoor living options offer endless opportunity for expanding your home beyond its four walls. The starting point to creating outdoor living space is a patio or deck, and you’re not limited to the ground floor. If your house has the perfect space off an upper story, a custom deck is the only way to go. Choose a traditional all-wood deck or a wood deck structure with a concrete or stone surface. For living space at ground floor, a concrete patio is ideal in the Pacific Northwest as wood decks will decay, are prone to moss, and can become slippery. Concrete patios are low-maintenance and visually appealing, with installation options available in a wide variety of finishes, including stamped concrete, which comes in an array of colors, stone patterns, and textures. Concrete pavers are another option, available in many eye-catching colors and styles. For homeowners that want the underlying durability of concrete but a different look, stone and brick surfaces can be applied over a concrete installation. If you think your outdoor area is hopeless because of sloping or other space issues, consult an experienced hardscape contractor that also specializes in retaining walls. They can add curb appeal to a front yard by bringing definition to your property and creating a more manageable landscape, as well as develop areas of your property that are sloped or otherwise unusable. Installing retaining walls enables you to add sport courts, patios, children’s play structures, and garden areas, making it easier to maintain while maximizing your square footage. Constructed with a range of attractive products and materials like recycled concrete, stone, block, brick, and poured concrete, retaining walls don’t have to be an eyesore, in fact, quite the opposite. Gorge Stone, a stone veneer product that resembles local indigenous stone, can be used for retaining walls, fireplaces, and building siding for a more natural look. As a green product, recycled concrete walls provide the look of stone at about half the price while using a waste product that is neither manufactured nor quarried and often takes advantage of on-site recycling from a driveway, sidewalk, or patio that has been removed for replacement. As part of any well functioning landscape, pathways and stairs allow homeowners to enjoy their yard year-round, while a well-constructed driveway adds value and curb appeal. Driveways, pathways, and stairs can be constructed with concrete in finishes that include exposed aggregate, stamped and colored, sand finish, or a standard broom finish, as well as concrete pavers, stone, and brick. With the addition of features such as built-in barbecues and firepits constructed with brick or stone and fueled by natural gas for durability and convenience, you can transform your backyard into a functional and beautiful environment ready for friendly get-togethers and relaxing nights with the family. For more information, you can call The Wall, member of the Association of Oregon Recyclers, at 800-228-9255 or 503-735-9255 and e-mail info@bythewall.com. Serving Portland Metro homeowners since 1985, The Wall is a complete design-build company offering full-service design. They are also members of the Home Builders Association of Metro Portland and The Oregon Remodelers Association. www.ByTheWall.com. OR #54495, WA #WALL***991OO, Metro lic. #1363.
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exteriorslandscaping
TRANSFORM YOUR GARAGE with Durable, Cost-Effective, and Beautiful Garage Coatings
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f you open your garage door every day and don’t like what you see, then perhaps it is time to do something about it. Flooring is one of the major factors that separates your garage from the rest of your home and often gives it a drab appearance, which makes the space undesirable for a variety of uses. Imagine the ways a clean, beautiful garage floor could expand your living space. Convert the most viewed space in your home into the most admired sight in your neighborhood. Whether you dream of transforming your garage into a workout room, a home office, or just a nicer looking space, the first step should be getting those floors looking fabulous. Homeowners are flocking to the next generation of polyaspartic floor coatings, which can give your garage a durable, cost-effective finish that will increase your home value and leave you smiling. This improved garage coating formula is truly a step above traditional floor coatings, which are prone to problems like fading, yellowing, and peeling. The new formula boasts many advantages over its predecessor. This formula is UV-resistant, twice as thick, and four to five times more abrasion- and chemical-resistant than traditional coatings. Perhaps best ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM
of all, installation can be completed in one day and you drive on your brand new garage floor the following day! The application process begins with your floor being diamond ground to remove any oil, grease and stains and to ensure the very strongest chemical bond to the concrete. All cracks are filled and a neutral base coat is applied. Then the pores of the concrete are opened using a dustless diamond floorgrinding machine to allow the best possible bond with the surface. After sanding, a neutral-colored prime coat is applied that forms a chemical bond with the existing concrete. Then a clear second coat mixed with colored chips is applied, providing the finished color of the floor. There is a wide assortment of colors to choose from, ensuring that all homeowners can find a perfect fit. Finally, a third clear coat is applied to seal your new floor and the process is complete! Within four hours you are walking on your new floor and can move your personal belongings back into the garage. For more information on garage floor coatings for residential and commercial applications, you can contact Alternative Surfaces at 503-830-0207 and you can visit them online at www.AlternativeSurfaces.net. CCB #185031 WA #ALTERSL913BG MARCH/APRIL 2014 • PORTLAND HOME
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our gutters and downspouts perform an important job in funneling rainwater away from your house, so it's important to keep them free flowing. Clogged gutters can cause major damage to your fascia, foundation, siding, and landscape, not to mention possible mold issues. However, as most homeowners know all too well, keeping those gutters clean can be quite an uphill battle. They get blocked by everything; from leaves and pine needles to tennis balls and insect nests. Not to mention, when it comes to keeping your gutters clear, the choices can seem quite limited. You have the option of getting up on a ladder, balancing carefully as you hold your bucket in one hand, and clean your dirty, smelly gutter with the other. Alternatively, you can hire a gutter cleaning professional to come do the dirty work for you, which gets pretty expensive. Luckily, there is another way!
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The ideal solution is the Premier Gutter Cover, a unique self-cleaning system that uses both gravity and rainwater to shed debris from your gutter and prevent gutters from clogging and overflowing. It’s unique, patented, louvered design works with rainwater to keep your gutters clear.
Blocked Gutter The Premier Gutter Cover was put through rigorous testing for over 10 years in the heart of the Mt. Hood National Forest, which has almost 100" of annual rainfall. Even in this harsh environment, the cover shed debris so effectively, not even small debris such as pine needles or seeds are trapped. In addition, the cover virtually eliminates any snow or ice damage to gutters.
Premier Gutter Covers reduce access for animals, which deters birds, wasps, and bees nests. In addition, by encouraging water movement through your gutter, the Premier Gutter system helps deter mosquitoes. The sleek design has a powder-coated finish, which blends with your home’s exterior and does not alter your home’s appearance. The tempered aluminum will not rust or suffer sun damage. The Premier Gutter Cover works with your existing gutters and won’t penetrate your roof. Premier Gutter Covers are environmentally friendly and made locally, here in Oregon. All packaging materials are recyclable. The professionals at Fisher Roofing can install your Premier Gutter Cover system without damaging your roof warranty. For over 30 years, Fisher Roofing has established a reputation as one of the finest roofing contractors in the Portland Metro area. For information, you call Fisher Roofing at 503-227-ROOF (7663), or visit www.FisherRoof.com/noclog. CCB #45970 ONLINE AT PORTLANDHOMEMAGAZINE.COM