Spring 2020
ROCK SOLID LUXURY
Adding the look and feel of stone to home exteriors, and more, has never been easier.
INSTANT CURB APPEAL
Few things transform the look and feel of a home’s exterior than a fresh coat of paint or stain.
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Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. is a Canadian member-owned, Lumber, Building Materials and Hardware buying group representing over 300 member locations across Canada. Visit castle.ca to find a Castle location in your area.
Editorial Director Castle Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. Jennifer Mercieca Publisher - Espress Labs Inc. Dan Alexander Managing Editor Teresa Christine Art Director AŃ—cha Niazy Contributors Lawrence Cummer Teresa Christine
Advertising Inquiries Jennifer Mercieca Director of Communications Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. 905-564-3307 jmercieca@castle.ca Material Contact Maryam Bashir Marketing Coordinator Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. 905-564-3307 mbashir@castle.ca Published and designed exclusively for Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. by Espress Labs Inc.
On the cover: Gentek
ABOUT IDEAS // SPRING 2020
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// EDITOR’S NOTE
ON TH E I NS I D E There is no denying that refreshing the look and feel of a home’s exterior positively impacts how homeowners feel about their home while also increasing its curb appeal. In this issue of IDEAS, we look at some of the simplest and most affordable ways to do this. When it comes to exterior paints and stains, there is something to suit every need with a multitude of design and colour options available. Few things transform the look and feel of a home’s facade than a fresh coat of paint or stain. Similarly, and often combined, is the rock-solid luxury of stone. At one time, adding stone to a home often meant heavy expense or a major renovation project. Today, that’s all changed, with the availability of products like mortarless or mechanically fastened stone veneers and siding. With a walk down the aisles of your local Castle location, there are options for every exterior makeover. Whether the job calls for a top-to-bottom update or a small change, stains, paints and stone can help revive the outside of your home and help welcome Springtime.
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WELCOME SPRINGTIME //
Photo courtesy of CanWel
One thing remains certain, that no matter what is happening in our lives, our communities, or our world at large, time will go on and the seasons will change. Spring, perhaps more than any other time of the year, brings with it a sense of renewal, rejuvenation and regrowth. A time to shed some of the longer darker days, and start building for brighter, better days ahead. For some homeowners, this means starting from the outside.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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EDITOR’S NOTE
INSTANT CURB APPEAL
Adding the look and feel of stone to home exteriors, and more, has never been easier.
Few things transform the look and feel of a home’s exterior than a fresh coat of paint.
ROCK SOLID LUXURY Adding the look and feel of stone to home exteriors, and more, has never been easier.
// SPRING 2020
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Meet the
CONTRIBUTORS TERESA CHRISTINE Teresa is an accomplished communicator, copywriter and award-winning Editor with the publication and design team at Espress Labs Inc. For fifteen years, she is also known, recognized and respected for her brand direction and creative instincts and has advised clients in various industries including construction, building materials, consumer and lifestyle. Her ghostwriting is proudly displayed through published content and across various digital platforms and print forms across the country and beyond.
LAWRENCE CUMMER Lawrence (“Law”) Cummer is a freelance writer and editor and has been a frequent contributor to Contractor Advantage, Ideas and Rough Construction for nearly a decade. Over his more than 20-year career, Law has written about contracting and construction, general business, information technology, health and safety, personal finance and almost every topic in between. He has a passion for storytelling and sharing how people can work better, easier — and “smarter” — from contractors to technologists to business executives.
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ROCK SOLID LUXURY
Adding the look and feel of stone to home exteriors, and more, has never been easier. Written by Lawrence Cummer
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Photo courtesy of Gentek
At one time, adding stone to a home meant heavy expense or a major renovation project; leaving it close to impossible if the home lacked the right foundation or a brick ledge to support it. Today, that’s all changed, of course, with the availability of mortarless or mechanically fastened stone veneers — that can be screwed directly to walls — adding stone elements to a home can be a project a handy “weekend warrior” can perform, allowing for wide, sometimes wild, creativity. “Over the last few years, stone veneers and stone siding have been evolving and picking up steam,” says Brad Thomson, retail director, Canada, at Oldcastle Architectural, which offers Beonstone, panelized stone siding marketed by its company Permacon. “It’s really becoming DIY friendly and for a few reasons.” He notes that accessibility to traditional masonry stone and brick work has been increasing in price and has started to taper off in recent years as access to skilled masons has dipped in price. This makes the easier-toinstall stone veneers available now a perfect fit for general contractors or as a do-it-yourself (DIY) homeowner project. Oscar Quan Rosales, product manager for masonry and retail at Permacon, adds that in addition to easy install and not requiring an existing brick ledge, or unaffordable change in
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FEATURE STORY // ROCK SOLID LUXURY
Photo courtesy of Gentek
foundation, homeowners are seeing mechanically fastened stone as a warmer, more durable choice than wood and vinyl cladding. Beonstone panelized stone siding can be installed on most surfaces with anticorrosive screws, the number and length of which influenced by the type of wall. It’s also available in a range of style profiles (Classic, Canyon, Element and Horizon), each in several colours. Ease of installation is a key factor homeowners or contractors must consider, says Simon Osborne, business development at Canadian Stone Industries, master distributor of Versetta Stone. It’s one his company hasn’t taken lightly.
“The thing that separates Versetta from its competitors is there are limited parts and pieces. The galvanized nailing flange (by which you install the product) is embedded right into the product when it’s manufactured,” Osborne says. “The other consideration is the weight per square foot.” To that end, he says, his product is anywhere from 20 to 25% lighter than competitors. Versetta Stone is a morterless, cement-based mechanically fastened stone siding product. It uses an interlocking tongue and groove installation, so it installs just like traditional siding. Gentek Building Products, a distributor of Versetta Stone, says this allows carpenters and contractors to “recreate the beauty and craftsmanship of authentic stone masonry using nails or screws.” // SPRING 2020
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WELCOME SPRINGTIME //
Photo courtesy of Gentek
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// SPRING 2020
Available in a number of styles (Ledgestone, Tight-cut and Carved Block) and colours, Osborne says the product’s new Northern Ash is a darker colour that compliments the tones of popular vinyl siding today. Versetta Stone is a non structural, cementbased, manufactured stone veneer that uses an interlocking tongue and groove installation, installing just like siding. Available in a number of styles (Ledgestone, Tight-cut and Carved Block) and colours, Osborne says the product’s new Northern Ash is a colour that compliments the darker tones of popular vinyl siding today. While natural stone veneers are not new, they are seeing an upswing in use, both externally and internally, suggests Ivan Rapa, president and CEO of Erth, producer and distributor of high-quality natural stone veneers under the brand Erth Coverings. He theorizes that accessibility and homeowner awareness have played a major role in this growth. The time is right now for many householders to embrace natural stone, he suggests. “Thin (stone) vaneers have been around for a long time, but really only started to make an impact about 15 to 20 years ago,” he says. “It’s typically 20 years between major renovations, so those people who haven’t renovated their home over the last 10 or 15 years and are now getting into the frame of mind there is a lot more information available and if they are working with designers, they are more aware of the possibilities.” He says Erth Coverings are finding their way throughout the inside and outside of homes, adding that the thinness of the veneer — only 1' — lends itself well to internal use where traditional masonry — 4' stone or 3 to 3 ½' brick — would rob rooms of square footage. (Just as true in use as external cladding, where use of thin stone to clad the house could save builders around 3% of the total square footage, he says.) Erth Coverings are manufactured using allnatural stone suitable for indoor or outdoor Photo courtesy of Erth Coverings
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WELCOME SPRINGTIME //
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Whether you’re adding insulation to your attic or remodeling a room, the right insulation products are key to your home’s comfort. Johns Manville offers fibreglass batts that add energy efficiency and reduce sound transmission in any room. Plus, products are quick and easy to install. So you’ll save on labor — and on your heating and cooling bill. With Johns Manville, you get high-performing products and support to bring projects to life. Look for Johns Manville insulation in your local Castle, or specify with a contractor.
JM.com/Canada | 1-800-654-3103 // SPRING 2020 15 © 2019 Johns Manville. All Rights Reserved.
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FEATURE STORY // ROCK SOLID LUXURY
Photo courtesy of Erth Coverings // SPRING 2020
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application with exterior corners available for each stone type. Available in a variety of styles and colours, Erth Coverings bring natural stone to a wide range of possible applications to a wall without the weight that would require a brick ledge. Stone lends itself to a range of skill levels, says Andrew Koza, business development manager at CanSave, distributor of StoneCraft. He says some will find panelized stone, such as Farmledge, more DIY-friendly, adding that it goes up in half the time. If somewhat skilled, a handy homeowner can make use of any of StoneCraft’s stone profiles, from a rugged and more randomized profile, made up of much smaller pieces, to larger panels with the more rectangular elements, and everything in between.
Bringing stone from the outside to inside the home is even easier, he notes, creating a wide variety of applications. “The beautiful thing about doing an interior wall is a lot of people have old brick or old outdated fireplaces or focus walls can be a popular thing to do. And StoneCraft is something you can do in a weekend. It’s not something that takes a huge amount of skill or time. Just pick a wall.” “It’s something that most people with average skill level pull off. We have boxes, called handy boxes, which easily carried right into the house and have everything you need. You just apply Xcel MGA (masonry grab adhesive) to your pieces and up you go.”
Photo courtesy of Cansave
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WELCOME SPRINGTIME //
FEATURE STORY // ROCK SOLID LUXURY
Photo courtesy of Cansave // SPRING 2020
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FEATURE STORY // ROCK SOLID LUXURY
StoneCraft manufactured stone veneer provides the distinction of quarried stone, at a fraction of its price, weight and installation time, the company says. It is available in a variety of stone profiles (Laurel Ledge Canyon, Heritage, Fieldstone, Ledgestone and Cobble) and a wide variety of colours. Homeowners should remember that along with its durability, stone is a long-lasting (as well as one of the oldest) building materials. Style is not something to take too whimsically, since masonry trends typically have a long lifecycle. That’s one of the reasons Fusion Stone uses only natural colours found in the local Ontario market for its products, suggests Eric Hensel, Ontario sales representative for Fusion Stone. Most requests are for white and black tones and, of course, natural colours are always in vogue. “We don’t offer pinks and purples and things of that nature,” he notes. “One of the nice things about our products being Canadian made is we understand the indigenous colours of Canada when it comes to the masonry world. We extract and extrude our own aggregate resource up in the Bruce Peninsula, which is a raw limestone aggregate, and we apply colouring to it, those colours are the same gray or brown that we extract out of the ground.” Offered by CanWel Building Materials Division, Fusion Stone is available in three stone veneer textures (Great Lakes, Peninsula Ledgestone and Dry-Stack), each in a number of natural colours. With options abound, adding a new stone veneer product to a home is becoming nearly as easy as finding inspiration, planning and deciding where and how big a project you want to take on. SIDEBAR: WHAT IS A BRICK LEDGE? A brick ledge is a reinforced concrete bearing to support the heavy weight of materials such as bricks or stone, generally on the exterior of a house or building. It is a requirement for traditional masonry but not for mechanically fastened and thin stone veneers. —
Photo courtesy of Canwel
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Photo courtesy of UCP Paint Inc.
INSTANT CURB APPEAL
Few things transform the look and feel of a home’s exterior than a fresh coat of paint or stain Written by Teresa Christine
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WELCOME SPRINGTIME //
A coat of colour is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to boost a home’s curb appeal. And a walk down the paint and stain aisle reveals there’s a colour and a formulation to meet just about every need. Practicality, sustainability and style all come into play to help homeowners make the call about which products to choose. PERFORMANCE AND STYLE Canadians are increasingly looking for sustainability and performance, notes Tony Margani, EVP sales & marketing/Science & Environment, Wheelhouse Coatings, Inc. He adds that in-demand products have better coverage with fewer coats, minimizing the labour involved and preventing waste. With stains, low-maintenance options have become particularly popular. “We’ve seen an increase of sales for solid stain versus semi-transparent stain for exterior,” says Jean Campos, national sales manager & development, UCP Paint Inc. To apply a semitransparent stain, she explains, more prep work is necessary since stains and marks on an existing deck will show through, after the product is applied. But a solid stain, she explains, “would cover all the surface and whatever dirt or stain is on it.”
Photo courtesy of PPG Architectural Coatings
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FEATURE STORY // INSTANT CURB APPEAL
Photo courtesy of UCP Paint Inc.
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WELCOME SPRINGTIME //
Photo courtesy of The Sherwin-Williams Company
Consumers are also more knowledgeable and particular when it comes to the look they want to achieve, as well. “We’re seeing trends toward more aesthetically pleasing finishes in the flat to matte range, which is really an extension of interior trends from 2019,” says Margani.
like Para’s Deep Loch and Seascape have been popular and will continue to grow well into 2020,” she predicts. Homeowners are then introducing warm shades of brown into the mix, says Banbury, through paint and accessories, to balance the blues and bring natural hues into the scheme.
MAKING THE CONNECTION When it comes to colour, homeowners are considering their outdoor spaces as extensions of their indoor spaces. “The colours they’re introducing into the interior are being used for the exterior, as well,” says Ashley Banbury, senior colour designer for Para Paint. “Shades of blue
Andrew Rzicznek, director of marketing, SherwinWilliams Company, says the organization’s latest line of colours reflects consumers’ desire for simplicity. “We embraced the simple and organized lifestyle and kept the colour palette to timeless shades like grey and brown colours,” says Rzicznek. The company also created a line of what
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FEATURE STORY // INSTANT CURB APPEAL
it calls “healing colours” to meet homeowners desire for “positive” and “uplifting” colours to elevate their curb appeal.
benches and more. “The result is great. It has become one of our most popular pre-mix colours,” she says.
SHADES OF GREY When it comes to exterior stains, there’s a similar story, with a significant nod to the traditional. “After 14 years of experience in the domain, I can say that customers are sticking with the three standard exterior stain colours (walnut, redwood, cedar)—but gray is the new trend,” says Campos. Since 2018, he says, the shade has emerged as a popular choice.
TWICE AS NICE “Another trend we’ve seen recently is the use of two colours while staining a deck,” says Campos. “Customers are using one colour for the deck— the most popular ones are Walnut, Redwood and Cedar—and a white solid stain for the trims.”She adds that staining vertical railings black adds contrast, as well, for a striking finish.
Since 2018, Campos has seen UCP’s the shade emerge as a popular choice. “This grey solid stain can enhance a full deck,” says Campos. She’s seen customers use the grey colour on decks, railings,
The key to using more than one colour is balance. “Earthy muted tones set the backdrop for pops of bright yellows and blues for windows and doors,” says Margani. He adds that windows and doors are better for holding and showing of f paint
Photo courtesy of UCP Paint Inc. // SPRING 2020
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sheens, “of fsetting the sof ter, more subtle flats and mattes of the main exterior spaces.” LITTLE EXTRAS Sometimes significant style comes from just the smallest touches. Painting exterior planters in statement shades, for example, can make a big impact, says Rzicznek. “Especially in an urban neighborhood, adding a planter or two with bright accent colours— like Matte Sunrise, Matte Aqua and, Gloss Jungle Green—provides everyday happiness as you enter your house.” Or, he points out, homeowners can also add a little subtle luxury through a shade like metallic gold on planters or even light fixtures. SIMPLE CHANGES, BIG IMPACT From easy-coat solid stains to on-trend paints, there are options to suit every exterior makeover or fixer-upper-project. Whether the job calls for a top-to-bottom update or just a small change for a simple accessory, stains and paints remain just about the easiest way to make a big style statement. —
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WELCOME SPRINGTIME //
FEATURE STORY // INSTANT CURB APPEAL
Photo courtesy of Jason Bonnell-Cormier of UCP Paint Inc.
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