What does a wooden covered bridge in Eugene have in common with a splintered stadium bleacher in Beaverton? Once deconstructed, nails removed, and milled, these “rescued” wood products make great floor boards…and are gaining popularity as an “exotic” wood. In this instance, exotic refers to the story behind the wood, not its country of origin. “Exotic doesn’t have to mean out of this country. Not when you think about what the reclaimed wood used to be, not what kind of wood it is,”... more

Homeowners have countless choices when it comes to fixing their floors. One option is to re-sand and re-stain an existing wood floor. If that won’t do, it’s possible to tear out the old floor and start anew, using new or reclaimed wood products or environmentally friendly materials like cork or linoleum. In some cases, setting a new floor over an old is the best option, especially if the existing floor — for example, vintage linoleum — contains asbestos. A licensed contractor can help you... more

The battle is over! Tankless water heaters are here to stay. They are conclusively more efficient than their tank-style counterparts. Tankless or on-demand water heaters use less energy, take up less valuable space in your home, and can be vented directly to an outside wall. Look for tankless water heaters to be the industry standard in all new construction in the next five to seven years. There are some people who say tankless water heaters don’t work, they’re probably just a fad, or they had... more

When Samantha and Jeff Irwin first laid eyes on the Balch Hotel, they fell in love with it and knew this historic property had potential. Raised in the Hood River area, they were familiar with the beauty that the Dufur Valley offered. Without prior construction or hospitality experience, they bought the Balch Hotel. Built in 1907, the Balch Hotel had been a charming stop for weary travelers over the decades. Located in the rolling hills of Dufur Valley, it’s just one hour and forty minutes east... more

Wouldn’t it be nice to have your hardwood floors re-sanded — with no dust left behind? Matt Sellens, owner of Portland, OR-based Perpetua Wood Floors, offers customers just that. Using specially designed equipment, Sellens and his crew can sand a new or existing wood floor without leaving a whiff of dust behind. “It’s fairly new technology,” he says. Think of it as an elaborate vacuum system that draws all the dust generated by the sanding through a precisely designed filtration unit and... more

For three days in November 2007, over 900 vendors of green and sustainable building materials and services converged on Chicago’s McCormick Place. According to the US Green Building Council’s website (www.greenbuildexpo.com), the “USGBC’s Greenbuild Conference and Expo was an unparalleled opportunity to connect with other green building peers, industry experts, and influential leaders as they shared insights on the green building movement and its diverse specialties.” Many new products... more

In the last issue of Northwest Renovation I wrote about visiting some of the best-known Arts and Crafts buildings in England. In this issue I will continue this architectural journey into Scotland and look at some early 20th century buildings designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his Glasgow cohorts. Scotland St. School shows the abundant use of natural glass. Decorative metalwork on the Glasgow School of Art. Glasgow at the turn of the last century was the Second City of the... more

Using the right brush for a painting project makes the work go easier and faster. A premium brush will even make the painted surface look better and last longer. Quality brushes are an investment. They are not going to be found in the dollar bins at hardware stores. Depending on the size of the brush expect to pay between $10 to $25 per brush. The good news is that most painting jobs — including painting a house — usually can be done with about three brushes, and with care they can last for years. Natural... more