One of the most common types of remodels done in older Portland neighborhoods is the renovation of the attic (or “upstairs”). People back in the early part of the 20th century must have been more athletic than us today, because usually going up the “stairs,” alluded to by the word “upstairs,” was more like climbing a ladder while ducking to clear low headroom and carrying an armload of daily laundry, or other detritus. Some of those goofy Japanese TV ninja-style course competitions pale... more

Small, unique, family-owned, intimate, and wildly busy, are the terms that best describe Portland OR-based Truax Builder’s Supply. Founded in 1946 as a wood window manufacturing and sales establishment, Truax today remains a family-owned business. A fire in 2004 led to the construction of a new showroom, but the company is still located at 10949 SE Division Street. Small in that it resides in two modest buildings with only 17 employees, Truax is not small in scope when it comes to... more

The Second Installment of a Three-Part Series Earth Advantage 1909 A working project/forum/classroom for old home voyeurs and “green” build enthusiasts alike. The Earth Advantage 1909 House has progressed since our first installment in the October/November 2004 issue. Recall that Richard and Anne DeWolf, co-owners of Arciform LLC a design-build company located in North ... more

Whether painted crimson or stained dark, secured by a screen door or embraced by glass tiles, a dramatic front door can add flair to the plainest exterior. By concentrating on door size, style, and applied finishes the front door can reflect both your personality and the era of the home. Updating an old look? Repaint those original wooden doors. Be bold — when you choose contrasting colors instead of complementary,... more

With many homeowners wanting to keep their vintage windows and find answers to the inefficiency of their windows, Chosen has developed a new mobile workshop to replace single pane glass with one-piece double pane insulated and energy efficient glass. This new system uses the existing old growth fir sash and keeps the inside vintage profile of these old windows in place. Owner, Vern Forrest, using his new system to remove... more

Small, unique, family-owned, intimate, and wildly busy best describe Portland’s Truax Builder’s Supply. Founded in 1946 as a wood window manufacturing and sales establishment, Truax remains a family-owned window and door business still in its original location on 109th and SE Division Street. Small in that it resides in two modest buildings with only 17 employees, but not small in scope when it comes to windows and... more

McGee Salvage Can a person have a passion for hardwood flooring? Yes, and Tobey Parsons, owner of McGee Salvage located on the south edge of Scappoose, has it bad. Parsons’ main gig is reclaiming high-quality wood flooring from gyms, dance floors, old warehouses, buildings, and homes. Parsons also stocks old growth clear vertical-grain 3 1/2″ fir that graces most of Portland’s older homes. Parsons specializes ... more

Improve Interior Lighting, Ventilation, and Your Health The ancient Egyptians held many secrets, one of which was an ingenious method of bringing daylight deep into their kings’ dark burial chambers by using metal shields to reflect the sun’s rays. Throughout architectural history light has been used to great effect — particularly in sacred places to illuminate altars and stained glass. For the modern ... more