Gypress shakes up historic renovations

(-'lveness sHAKES have long been \-rpopular in the South. but they are gaining share elsewhere, in a market that traditionally has been associated with cedar.

"Customers are becoming more aware of their availability," said Chuck Harris of Wholesale Wood Products, Dothan, Al. "We recently supplied cypress shakes for projects in New York. The builders called looking for alternatives to cedar and redwood."

Now, cypress shakes are hitting the national stage, as part of a l3-episode series on Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford. The nationally syndicated TV show, which airs weekly and offers advice on maintaining and improving a home, is featuring "The Kuppersmith Project"a renovation of a 1926 American Tudor-style home in Mobile, Al.

To aid in the renovation of the exterior and preserve the home's rich character, the Southern Cypress Manufacturers Association donated cypress shakes that replaced the home's original cedar shakes.

"The cypress shakes we're installing on the exterior of the house are a real eye-catcher," said Lipford.

"Thanks to the weather-resistant characteristics of cypress, the siding on the Kuppersmith house will last a long, long time."

In exterior applications. cypress can be painted or stained to attain a desired color, left unfinished to weather to an attractive gray. or preserved with a clear sealer. "With shakes and siding, some people prefer the natural honey color of cypress over the dark, red-brown color of cedar," said Harris.

On the Kuppersmith house, a semitransparent stain was applied to repli- cate the home's original shakes, while allowing the cypress grain to show through.

Cypress is known for being a versatile wood, favored for a variety of interior and exterior applications. To further display this unique quality, the SCMA also donated cypress for ceilings on the home's front porch, back porch, and breezeway, as well as for the home's front door. shutters. and part of the fence system.

"Honestly, I hated to put stain on the cypress because the wood is so beautiful in its natural state," said Allen Lyle, producer of Today's Homeowner. "The cypress really catches your eye and highlights the American Tudor style. We've had several comments by various neighbors about how pleased they are to see the home restored using true wood instead of synthetic products."

"Most homeowners are looking for local building products, and cypress is native to the region," said Frank Vallot of Acadian Cypress and Hardwoods, Ponchatoula, La. "The longevity, beauty, and competitive price of cypress products are the icing on the cake."

The project will be featured on Today's Homeowner through April, and again from June through August. In the fall, Better Homes & Gardens and Renovation Style magazines will also feature the project. The multichannel exposure will position cypress products as the construction market and wood industry rebound.

- For more information, visit www. da nny lipfo rd.c o ml kup p e r s mit hp r oj e c t and www.cypressinfo.org.

By fack Draper, Western Red Cedar l-umber Association