Warm Weather Home Improvement

Whether you plan to install them yourself or you’re hiring a professional to create a stunning deck — and railings — straight out of an HGTV makeover show, it can be tricky knowing exactly what to get.

We’ve teamed up with our friends at Trex® to chat about your railing options and give you a few pointers for choosing the right ones for your deck …

THE SELECT® RAILING

If you’re looking to install a railing yourself, this one is perfect for DIYers. It comes in a timeless shade — Classic White — with round aluminum balusters that will complement any decking style. This railing is made from 40 per cent recycled material and installs easily with an external bracket system.

 

THE SIGNATURE™ RAILING

Want something a little fancier? The Trex® Signature™ Railing is offered in three different matte finishes — Charcoal Black, Bronze, or Classic White — to match your deck, and it comes in two different rail styles that suit its design.

• THE ROD RAIL: If you love the look of horizontal railings, the Rod Rail is the perfect mix of vertical aluminum posts (with a cap and skirt) and horizontal aluminum rods that won’t obscure the view.
• THE CURVED RAIL: We love the look of a rounded deck with curvable hand railing and swivel brackets. Imagine leaning back against a curved rail and looking up to admire the stars in an inky black sky.

 

You might want to add … a cocktail rail!

Instead of trying to balance your drink on a skinny railing, why not opt for the cocktail rail? It’s the ideal spot for resting your drink — or arranging a row of planters — without worrying it’s going to slip right off. Trex’s cocktail rail is so popular that it’s available as an option on any of their railing components. The structural aluminum guardrails are designed to curve with the shape of the deck, and the railings are available in two heights: 36” or 42”.

THE TRANSCEND® RAILING

When only the highest-performing railing will do, go for the luxurious Transcend® railing. It’s made from the same material as the Transcend® decking, which means it won’t rot, warp, peel, or splinter.

It’s available in seven shades — Charcoal Black, Classic White, Fire Pit, Gravel Path, Rope Swing, Tree House, and Vintage Lantern — so you can choose a shade to match your deck, or a shade to complement it.

 

You might want to add … warm glowing lights!

There’s nothing like the soft glow of exterior lighting when you’re spending time outdoors once the sun has set. It lights your way around the property, but it also provides a feeling of coziness.

You can get a Post Cap Light that’s tucked discreetly under the cap of your railing. It provides soft downward lighting that makes it easy to see where you’re going in the dark. You can also opt for a Deck Rail Light, which is secured just below the rail post to light up the deck below.

If you’d prefer the lighting to be built right into your deck, you can choose recessed dot-style lights that are installed flush with the deck boards. There are also stair riser lights that make it much safer to go up and down deck stairs in the darkness.

Questions about choosing the right railings for your deck? Be sure to stop by your local TIMBER MART and chat with us about it. We’d be happy to help.

Many of our customers tell us their garage is “always messy” no matter how many precious Saturdays they spend trying to clean it up. The problem is that if the right systems aren’t in place, things don’t have their own proper space to return to — and it’s impossible to keep the space organized.

Luckily, we know a LOT about organization here at TIMBER MART. From pegboards and wall hooks to ingenious inventions for storing sports equipment, here are a few products that will make it much easier to clean up your garage this spring — and keep it organized …

MOUNTING BRACKETS

Get everything off the ground and corralled onto this nine-piece metal and neoprene unit that can hold a safe working load of up to 100kg. It comes with two mounting tracks and seven hooks of various sizes, designed to hold shovels, rakes, mops, hoses, extension cords, and just about anything else you’d want to hang.

PEGBOARDS WITH HOOKS

Pegboards are ideal for keeping small items neatly stowed. You can use small hooks of various sizes for hanging up tools like hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers, scissors, and rulers. But pegboards aren’t just for hooks! Clip-on storage bins are perfect for items you need to grab frequently — like tape measures — that don’t hang properly on hooks. Screws, nails, tacks, and other small pieces are best stored in special plastic jars that clip onto pegboards.

JUMBO STORAGE HOOKS

When an average-sized hook just won’t do, this jumbo storage hook can hold up to 40lbs without breaking a sweat. It’s perfect for keeping ladders and heavy lumber off the floor of your garage.

FLEXIBLE MULTIPURPOSE STORAGE HANGERS

For hard-to-hang items that don’t quite work on standard hooks, try a Kuvu. It’s a flexible black rubber tool with loops on each end, and can be used to hang, wrap, hold, hoop, grab, and organize lots of things in your garage, like skates and scooters or bike helmets and hockey sticks.

BICYCLE LIFTS

Think of how much room you’d save in your garage if bicycles weren’t leaned up against walls or parked helter-skelter across the floor. A bicycle lift will help you maximize your garage’s storage potential by using a pulley system to stow a bike near the ceiling.

BALL HOLDERS

We LOVE this lightweight plastic invention that finally puts an end to basketballs and soccer balls getting loose and rolling down the driveway. A ball holder can be mounted just about anywhere in your garage, and its plastic arms wrap around a standard-sized ball — keeping it there safely until the next game or practice.

Ready to dive into organizing your garage? Be sure to come by and see us. We’d be happy to suggest even more products that can help whip your space into shape in no time. Happy organizing!

Cottages should be comfortable vacation spots where we can get away from day-to-day life and spend time relaxing.

But whether you’re at your cottage every weekend, once a month, or just a few times each season, your cottage is there 365 days a year — exposed to the elements. When it’s time to replace your cottage’s siding, what’s going to be the best option for it?

From the moisture in the air and the weather your cottage experiences each year to the style of siding you prefer, here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing new siding for your cottage.

THE LOOK

Start by thinking about what you want your new cottage siding to look like. Cottages aren’t usually primary residences, and that’s why it can be nice for them to have a quaint, “cottage-feel” that puts us instantly into vacation mode.

We’ve worked with many cottage-owners who love James Hardie’s HardieShingle® siding for their cozy getaway spaces, whether they’re in the woods or on a beach. They have the character and authenticity of classic cedar shingles, but still have the strength and durability of James Hardie — resisting rotting, curling, warping, and splitting.

THE HEAT

Is your cottage situated in a warm climate where sun is going to be beating down on your siding day after day? You need to consider how hot temperatures are going to affect it.

James Hardie HZ10® products can protect your cottage from heat, humidity, and the blistering sun. They’re made with ColorPlus® Technology so they have exceptional fade resistance, keeping the colour of your siding where it should be — not a bleached-out version of it. This siding is designed to resist the cracking, splitting, rotting, and swelling that can result from hot, humid temperatures.

THE COLD

But wait — maybe your cottage isn’t anywhere warm at all. Maybe it’s a rustic ski shack in the mountains, surrounded by powdery white snow and towering evergreen trees. Cold weather can also have a negative effect on certain types of siding.

Vinyl siding can crack in cold temperatures, but James Hardie HZ5® products are made to resist freezing conditions, snow, and ice. They’re designed to maintain dimensional stability under challenging weather conditions, as well as stand up to extreme temperature swings — from cold winters to hot summers.

THE MOISTURE

Is your cottage located near the salty air of the coast, where hurricane-force winds could threaten your siding at any time? Water can damage your home like nothing else can — causing mold, swelling, cracking, and colour separation.

Wood-composite siding can expand and contract with changes in moisture and humidity, and vinyl siding installations may put you at risk for water intrusion — especially around windows and trim joints.

James Hardie HZ10® products are formulated for superior performance in areas prone to hurricanes and storms. They’re designed to resist the cracking, splitting, rotting, and swelling that a humid, wet climate is going to invite.

THE LONGEVITY

Many Canadians plan on spending their retirements years in their cottage, once they’re no longer needing to stay close to home for work, so they want to choose a siding for their cottage that’s going to last a long time.

James Hardie siding has a 30-year limited, transferable warranty that offers non-prorated product coverage for the entire 30 years, so cottage-owners can feel confident they’re choosing a product with a solid future.

Do you have questions about choosing new siding for your cottage? We want to help — and you don’t even need to invite us over for a BBQ. Stop by your local TIMBER MART and we’ll be happy to chat about siding.