Weatherize Your Home for a New England Winter

There are numerous options available when considering a countertop for your kitchen or bathroom, while almost every choice will increase the value of your home, there are many important questions to be answered before you can move forward with confidence with a purchase decision. Often the first thing people notice when they enter a kitchen or bath, countertops can make a statement. “Sometimes the choices for countertops seem endless;” says Kitchen and Bath Assistant Manager, Rachelle Rivard , “thinking about your space and your needs helps narrow down your selection. We can work with you to and help you find the right countertop.” Composition: Solid Surface: A blend of natural minerals and high-performance acrylic with color and patterns that run all the way through. Granite: Igneous rock forms such as granite and mica. Quarried from the ground, color and patterns run through but may be inconsistent. Quartz: Typically, 93% natural quartz particles mixed with resins and pigments. Soapstone: Quarried from the ground, non-porous Dekton®: A Blend of recycled quartz, glass and porcelains compressed at high heat. No resins/bonding agents used. Value: A countertop that will keep its new appearance and resist damage is always a plus. Solid surface countertops can resist damage and can be re-finished or repaired if damaged. Those made from quartz, soapstone and Dekton® might require replacement if damaged. Some, like granite are one of a kind, if it becomes damaged, it may be very difficult to repair without replacement. Solid Surface Keeps new appearance with minimal maintenance. Re-finishable to look new. Repairable if damaged. Granite May require professional care. If damaged, needs replacement A one-of-a-kind piece, products of nature. Quartz Keeps new appearance with minimal maintenance. If damaged, needs replacement. Soapstone Keeps new appearance with minimal maintenance. If damaged, needs replacement. Dekton® Keeps new appearance with minimal maintenance. If damaged, needs replacement. Design Versatility: Depending on your kitchen design, and the need for fabrication to meet specifications, you may find some types of countertops may not meet design versatility requirements. Some may have visible seams and joints, while others can be formed, inlayed or routered to fit any design. Some may incorporate the backsplash into its seamless design while other types always have a separate backsplash. Some have limited edge details. Depending on the composite material, some may support under sink mounts while other may not.  Solid Surface Can be cut, formed, inlayed and routered for any design. Several sink options: solid seamless, undermount stainless, etc. Granite Limited design and fabrication available. Always loose backsplash. Limited edge details. Seams and joints are visible. Average slab is 115"x70" Quartz Limited design and fabrication available. Always loose backsplash. Limited edge details. Seams common at every return. Average slab is 120"x54" Soapstone Limited design and fabrication available. Always loose backsplash. Limited edge details. Seams common at every return. Average slab is 115"x70" Dekton® Ideal for kitchen worktop, both inside and outside. Limited design and fabrication available. Always loose backsplash. Limited edge details. Seams common at every return. Average slab is 126"x56" Durability: Regardless of what you purchase you want your countertop to be durable and able to withstand the rigors of everyday use. Depending on the composite and the hardness of the surface, you may be able to place hot items directly onto the countertop and even cut on the surface without damaging it. On some surfaces, chips and cracks are not reparable, while other surfaces are reparable either by the homeowner or by the factory technicians. Solid Surface Some heat resistance, trivets are recommended. Cannot cut on surface. Scratches may be refinished by homeowner. Repairable surface by fabricator. Granite Some heat resistance, trivets are recommended. Cutting on surface will dull knives. Chips and cracks are not repairable. Quartz High heat resistance. Chips and cracks are not repairable. Soapstone Some heat resistance, trivets are recommended. Tends to dent, rather than chip or crack. Chips and cracks are not repairable. Mild scratches early on can be removed by applying mineral oil and rubbing with your thumb Dekton® Highly heat, impact, and shock resistant. Chips and cracks are not repairable. Cleanability: The ease in which you can keep your counters clean and free from buildup, mold and bacteria is very important. Some countertop material is non-porous, while others are porous and prone to permanent staining if not careful. Some use only mild soap and water or special cleaners and require regular sealing, while others any household cleaner can be used, and sealing is never necessary. Solid Surface Non-porous, resists stains. Impervious to mold and bacteria. Can use most household cleaners. Granite Porous surface may stain permanently. Visible seams can trap dirt and germs. Clean with mild soap and water, or special granite cleaners. Sealing is required twice a year Quartz Non-porous surface, resists stains. Visible seams can trap dirt and germs. Can use most household cleaners. No sealing required. Soapstone Virtually non-porous surface, resists stains. Visible seams can trap dirt and germs. Can use cleaners, like Ajax and Comet, after treated with mineral oil. Daily cleaning with mild soap and warm water. Dekton® ZERO porosity. Any household cleaner can be used. No sealing required. Appearance: One of the deciding factors for many is the appearance of the countertop. How well it blends or contrasts with the flooring, cabinets, appliances, and the home. Depending on the composition of the countertop both those found in nature and those manmade can deliver a vast array of colors, patterns, speckling or veining. Depending on the composite material, different levels of finish such as matte, glossy, or high gloss may be available. Solid Surface Wide variety of colors and patterns. Classic seamless bowls, deck, and backsplash. Granite Rich, dramatic colors speckled or veined. Glossy finish. Noticeable seams. Backsplash loose.piece, products of nature. Quartz Real granite appearance. Glossy finish. Noticeable seams. Backsplash loose. Soapstone Fresh from the quarry, it is blue-grey or green in color. Dark tones emerge once exposed to water, grease, and oils. Noticeable seams. Backsplash loose. Dekton® Real granite appearance. Mostly matte finishes, with some high gloss options. Noticeable seams. Backsplash loose. At East Coast Lumber we have 5000 square feet of kitchen and bath displays full of design inspiration and various countertops to view. Our award-winning kitchen and bath designers can help you make the right choice for your countertop. With free measuring and design service you can’t go wrong. Visit us today, or contact one of our Kitchen and Bath Designers to help you find the countertop you need.

“At East Coast Lumber we sell wood pellets and wood bricks. Before you buy, there are a number of factors to look at when determining the right wood heating fuel for your home.” says Eric Murphy , Purchasing Manager of East Coast Lumber, “We can show you what options are available, answer any questions and arrange delivery if necessary. We sell different grades of pellets for every budget. Our goal is to keep wood pellets and wood bricks in stock before, during and after the heating season.” Benefits: Many people use alternatives to cord wood to heat their homes often to avoid the dust, dirt, bugs, critters, mold, and mess associated with cord wood. Because wood pellets and wood bricks have low moisture and ash content there is a higher combustion rate. This means lessened creosote buildup in the heating system, flu, and the chimney so there is a much lower risk of chimney fire and a cleaner more efficient burn. Additionally, low ash content means there are less clean outs and downtime while waiting for the heating system to cool. Another benefit of wood pellets or wood bricks is the fact these are easily stored. You can purchase by the ton or for those with limited space, limited lifting capabilities, or a limited budget, the available bag options may be helpful. It’s best to keep from moisture and the elements, on an elevated surface, and off the ground if stored outside. With all wood heating fuels, caution should be used when storing and be kept away from any source of flame or extreme heat because of the extreme flammability. One thing to keep in mind is that wood pellets and wood bricks may be purchased year-round and are ready to use immediately. No need to wait for the wood to dry or season. Facts: Wood Pellets The shelf life is dependent on how dry the environment where the pellets are stored is. The higher the moisture content, the less stable the product becomes over time and it may begin to break down. It is best to purchase what you need for a season to ensure the quality of the product in your heating system. Ash Content: < .25% - < .5% depending on the brand purchased. Moisture Content: <4.00% - < 5.64% depending on the brand purchased. Cordwood Equivalent: 1 ton=1.5 cords of wood Renewable source: YES BTUs (Heat Value): 8,250 to 8,800 BTUs depending on the brand purchased Fiber Fuel Wood Bricks Fiber Fuel Wood Bricks are stable and the shelf life, if kept dry, will last from season to season and not deteriorate. Must be stored inside. Ash Content: < .5% Moisture Content: 5-8% Cordwood Equivalent: 1 pallet=1 cord of wood Renewable source: YES BTUs (Heat Value): 8,966 BTUs Shop wood pellets and wood bricks sold at East Coast Lumber.

As we enter the Fall building season and experience another month of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lumber market is looking at double-digit increases in the cost of lumber, a dwindling supply, and builders and supply stores are feeling the affects and for good reason. Lumber suppliers pulled back production early in the pandemic in anticipation of slowed demand. What the suppliers did not anticipate was how enthusiastically the building industry would react to the increased demand for new and upgraded living space. Once it became clear that the demand for lumber and building supplies was not slowing, but instead continued to skyrocket, lumber suppliers began working in earnest to catch up, but demand continues to outpace production capacity. Housing starts are up. A combination of pre-existing pent up housing demand and, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), what seems to be a migration from densely populated cities to more spacious suburbs, along with lower interest rates are driving new home builds at a frantic pace. On the remodeling front, “Home” is becoming more important than ever. People are looking for more living space. Some people are bringing older parents to live with them. While others, perhaps due to job loss and housing instability, are moving back home to live with their parents. Then there is renewed interest and focus on remote working and learning environments, causing homeowners to try to make long term work/learn-from-home space from existing square footage. All the while, lumber yards across the nation continue to work tirelessly to forecast anticipated demand and are trying to secure supply in uncharted territory, due to the dwindling supply, increased demand, and the fact that prices are forecasted to continue to climb. According to the NAHB “Rapid increases in lumber have caused the price of building material for the average new single-family home to increase by more than $16,000 since April 17.” East Coast Lumber is feeling this pressure. Daily, our buyers are watching trends, trying to forecast demand, negotiating with vendor partners for supply, while trying to meet the demands of our customers and keep the yard stocked and costs down as much as possible. It’s never an easy task but has become more complex in the current environment. Eric Murphy , Sales Manager at East Coast Lumber says, “We are working with our customers to find ways in which to meet current expectation on projects. It’s critical to understand the timeline of various projects and try to project future material costs accordingly. Consistent communication with our business partners is essential during times of volatility in the market. Due to our experience in the market, we have confidence on how to manage these situations, but right now we are in unprecedented territory.” At some point the market demand will begin to cool. Until then Eric says, “East Coast Lumber is committed to helping people in the communities in which we serve and would like to thank its customers for their continued support during this time.” Below are links to other articles on this matter that may help anyone understand that this is truly an industry issue and not isolated to any one dealer or region. https://www.newsweek.com/why-there-lumber-shortage-us-1526548 http://nahbnow.com/2020/08/average-new-home-price-now-16000-higher-due-to-lumber/ http://nahbnow.com/2020/07/lumber-prices-hit-2-year-high-up-50-since-april/

We’re certainly not shedding any light by explaining there have been difficulties in supply chains in most industries this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. For the most part, with a lot of work and leverage from our vendor partners, East Coast Lumber has been able to continue to supply our customers with the products they need. In the last few weeks; however, we have been struggling with the supply of pressure treated lumber. As we understand it, there was a shortage of raw material due to mills and logging stoppages in the south. There was also unprecedented demand this Spring by consumers who were stuck at home during the beginning stages of the pandemic. People filled their time with projects like new fences and decks, built raised garden beds and back yard chicken coops, and repaired any older structures. The supply chain and East Coast Lumber were well stocked going into the season so we all weathered the initial demand. But now with warehouse, mill and dealer stock diminished, the entire industry is struggling to meet demand and backfill the supply chain. Subsequently, with all of that demand pressure treated prices have spiked. East Coast Lumber does have a lot of lumber on order, but due dates are extended and tenuous at best. We have reached out to as many sources as we can to try and find more material. We have had to institute some limits on the amount of pressure treated material we will sell to any one customer. We understand and share the frustration of consumers and builders alike and ask for your patience as we all work through this shortage. Below are links to other articles on this matter that may help anyone understand that this is truly an industry issue and not isolated to any one dealer or region. https://www.hbsdealer.com/pressure-treated-lumber-demand-spikes https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/dekalb-county/trying-repair-your-deck-good-luck-finding-lumber-during-pandemic/V7HZ6MPSYBGKBHIGEGJE74U3OM/

Remodeling your kitchen is often an exciting and sometimes overwhelming process. Ever heard of option paralysis? It's a real phenomenon! East Coast Lumber makes is simple by breaking down the process step-by-step. Let's start off by focusing on kitchen cabinetry, from Mantra to Decora Cabinets, there are numerous options available. To help guide you through the process, we put this guide together to help give you a better idea of which direction is best for you.

Regardless of whether you have the trailer for heavy duty equipment, a recreational vehicle, or whatever else you may you use it for, annual maintenance is highly recommended.

As many of you know, wood pellets are in high demand and of short supply this winter. We believe this will remain the case for the rest of the season.

We are replacing all Fiberon Railing with Trex Railing starting immediately.

We're all guilty of occasionally procrastinating. Like leaving the dishes in the sink overnight after a big meal or waiting until December 24th to buy all of your Christmas presents. No matter what it is, there will always be times where you wish you had planned ahead, and that's where our "It's Not Too Early" blog series comes in. We're here to remind you there's a reason the early bird gets the worm! You could get your snowblower fixed in January, although having to shovel yourself out mid-snowstorm to get to the Equipment Center is weirdly ironic. You could buy your yearly supply of wood pellets in November, but wouldn't you rather have them at your fingertips the instant you wake up and see your breath? You could decide to put up de-icing cables next year, but that won't help you when your roof starts leaking after ice dams form. Of all the examples above, de-icing cables are something you absolutely must buy before the snow falls. Allow us to explain.