Greenwood

Before you replace any failing wood features on any of your properties, you need to consider the environmentally friendly solution that makes sense. As the Architectural Director for two Associations, I was constantly plagued with wood replacement and maintenance issues especially along the coast of California.  The solution is GREENWOOD.  This environmentally friendly, product that is made in the U.S.A. of 100% recycled plastic with a 50year warranty on color and condition.  It comes in a great variety of colors and will effectively end the problems associated with dry rot, termites, and painting.

Unlike Trex and similar products GREENWOOD does not incorporate wood fibers which are prone to color fade.  In addition GREENWOOD comes in an impressive variety of shapes from narrow trim to massive facia.  Imagine never having to replace or paint the wood elements of your property for 50 years.  Recently, I replaced all the pickets, railings, railing caps, facia, and trim with GREENWOOD on a project in Carlsbad, California that couldn’t keep up with wood replacement and painting because of it’s proximity to the water.

Although the material costs are greater than wood the labor costs are significantly reduced because the material can be manufactured to size, for less waste and easy installation.  The on going savings from priming and painting, not to mention the disruption caused by carpenters and painters is worth it’s weight in gold.  Imagine all the maintenance required is a periodic power washing.

Now, although these products come in a variety of price choices, the only product truly worth mentioning is the premium line.  This is fiberglass reinforced as part of its matrix which dramatically cuts down on the expansion and contraction qualities of the material.  In addition the fiberglass aids in the product’s structural strength as well.

One major drawback to this solution is finding a company that manufactures enough different shapes and sizes to accommodate a complete project.  Trying to match up color and texture with products from different manufactures is an invitation to disaster.  Another critical consideration is permanence of color.  This is not a product that accepts paint.  You need to pick an accent color that you can live with indefinitely.  If you feel the need to change the pallet do so by changing  the exterior walls or roof treatment.  White of course in the most adaptive, but many of the browns are enduring in their desirability.

On the Carlsbad project, we had failing walkway with a polyurethane surface.  We replaced the Poly with a quartzite stone which not only provided permanence, but additionally brought a variety of color from which to choose for the exterior stucco. Having two pavilion like buildings under 28 individual ownerships, suggested a more personalized approach to living might be achieved by breaking the buildings up with a complimentary series of colors rather than one long monochromatic approach.  This technique is being widely adopted in Southern California on newer complexes.  By taking this approach, the use of a single color accent on all the wood replacement created a sense of continuity to the project, while changing the exterior color enhanced the individuality reflected in the ownership.

If you are looking for low maintenance and longevity, this is the direction you should be taking.  It saves the forests, keeps plastic out of the landfills, frees you from carpenters, termite companies, and painters.  Most of all it preserves your financial resources and provides long term peace of mind, and did I mention it is made in the U.S.A.

Contact Dreamweaver Design, Inc. for availability in your area.

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