Cascade Joinery Holiday Hours

The holidays have arrived and we will be taking a few days off to rest and enjoy our family and friends. Cascade Joinery will be closed from Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) until January 2nd. We will return Monday, January 3rd during our regular business hours. We hope you enjoy your time off, happy holidays from Cascade Joinery!

christmas tree in timber frame home

Posted in Events/Happenings | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Shop Bellingham's Holiday Homemade Bazaar

handmade bazaar posterAre there still a few names on your list that you need to get last minute gifts for? If so there is no need to panic, simply head out to the Holiday Homemade Bazaar. The Holiday Homemade Bazaar is the go-to place for one-stop shopping. There you can find quality, handmade, locally-produced gifts this holidays. Some of the local goodies include letterpress cards and journals, hand-mixed teas and cacao, furniture made from salvaged wood, handmade bread and cookies, Washington State honey, luxurious soaps, salves and lotions, stuffed animals, buttons, magnets and much more! And since all of the items for sale are locally made, and you are shopping locally,  you can go green and give the gift of green. Shop sustainable this year and visit the Holiday Homemade Bazaar!

  • What: 3rd Annual Holiday Homemade Bazaar
  • When: Now until Friday from 12 noon
  • Where:The Mill; 205E Chestnut Street; Bellingham,WA
Posted in Events/Happenings | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Tips on Building a Green Timber Frame Home

Cascade Joinery timber frame homeGoing green is the thing to do, and if you are about to begin building a new timber frame home you can go green from the start. The key to building a green home is in the construction and in the manner in which you outfit the inside. Green practices help preserve the earth and they also help you save money. As you know the U.S. Green Building Council has created a system of guidelines to rank green buildings known as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. The most common practices focused on in LEED certified homes consist of:

  • Protecting the Surrounding Land

    • Before building, earn points toward LEED certification by choosing the right site. Make sure you’re not building on protected land, or in a way that will greatly disturb the surrounding habitat.
  • Plan Around the Sun
    • Make your home more energy efficient by placing it on the land correctly. Avoid direct western exposure, which will overheat your home, and reduce energy consumption. The best thing to do is use the natural arc of the sun as a guide.
  • Landscape Locally
    • Exotic plants from faraway require more resources to thrive. Using natural and indigenous landscaping methods and materials will keep you from polluting the groundwater with chemicals.
  • Choose Non-toxic Finishes
    • Choose a low- or no-VOC product to stain timber because it it has water base.
  • Install Energy Saving Windows
    • Choose windows with the Energy Star seal because they help lower energy usage. There are many styles to pick from and although they are more expensive they will save you between $125 – $350 a year.
  • Rethink Your HVAC
    • Heating and air conditioning accounts for more than half of the energy used in the average home. A timber frame home already sets you off on the right foot since you will more than likely use structural insulated panels (SIPs), one of the most efficient and tightest building systems around. You can also include radiant-floor heating, geothermal heat pumps, and even Energy Star-rated furnaces and air conditioners to boost your home’s efficiency.
  • Use the Sun.
    • Use the sun actively by using it to heat water and provide electricity. The materials needed to accomplish these things are lowering and there are state and federal government programs to help offset the cost. The newest panels are more efficient and barely noticeable on the home.
  • Save Water
    • A LEED-certified homes have low-consumption toilets and fixtures, which can save you anywhere from 12 to 16 gallons of water every day.
    • The second way to save water is through a system that captures rainwater for reuse in the home. You can even incorporate a water filtration system to make collected water potable.
  • Know Your Appliances
    • Along with windows and HVAC, you will also need to use Energy Star labeled household appliances. There are Energy Star products that range from refrigerators and dishwashers to dehumidifiers and air cleaners. For a complete list of Energy Star-rated products visit energystar.gov.

Information adapted from Timber Home Living.

Posted in Green Building | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

5 Timber Frame Home Design Tips

Cascade Joinery timber frame home

Cascade Joinery Hood Canal

You’ve been sorting through the things you need to have in your timber frame home, and those you would like to have and you finally have it all. Or so you think. Although you may believe you’ve covered every possible design idea for your timber frame home, you may have overlooked a few things. We’ve gathered five timber frame home design tips that will take the good design of your home to great.

  1. Think and plan ahead. Consider what future needs you will need from your home in years to come and include them in your design.
  2. Build Up, not out. Building out can eat away at your budget so consider building up if it’s feasible. This way your home can include all your design preferences.
  3. Add window drama. Each window in your home does not have to be the same. Vary the size and shape of a few of your windows for a unique touch.
  4. Don’t skimp on storage. Don’t forget that secondary bedrooms need storage space for clothes as well as additional items that aren’t used everyday. If you aren’t planning for vaulted ceilings use those areas for attic space.
  5. Add outdoor living spaces. Consider adding outdoor rooms, decks and porches off living spaces such as the great room and bedrooms.
Posted in Design, slider, Timber Frame | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Let Your Walls Clean the Air

How would you like to rid your home of strong odors from cooking, VOCs, and other air-borne pollutants by doing nothing? All you have to do is sit back and let your walls clean the air in your home. We’re sure you’re wondering how can you do nothing and clean the air in your home at the same time? By simply covering your walls in Saratech Permasorb wallpaper. The wallpaper captures and isolates air-borne pollutants, those you can and can’t smell.

The non-woven glass fiber and polyester wallpaper contains absorbents that capture and store toxins in the air. Because of the small size of the absorbents they can easily be mixed with textiles. And even though are extremely small they are extremely porous, which allows them the ability to catch toxins. The wallpaper is a viable solution for cleaning buildings with the sick syndrome, and helping deodorize new ones. What do you think, would you consider using wallpaper in your home that cleans the air?

saratech permasorb wallpaper that cleans the airsaratech permasorb wallpaper that cleans the airImages found on 3rings

Posted in Green Building, slider | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Personalize Your Timber Frame Home with Customization

We are experts in custom timber frame homes and we love when clients bring us their ideas to customize their plan. Your home is probably the one place you will spend majority of your time outside of work, so you want it to be as personal as possible. You can personalize your timber frame home with a customized floor plan. To really make your timber frame home yours consider personal touches to fit your lifestyle. The possibilities are endless—you can incorporate nooks, craft rooms, lofts and outdoor rooms to name a few. Some other ways to personalize and complement your custom home are to include:

Wine Cellar- for wine connoisseurs to display and properly store their favorite bottles. The cellar can also include an area to host wine tastingswine cellar

Music Room- a space for the musically inclined to practice and display instruments
Sleeping Porch- smaller and more cozier than an outdoor room perfect for reading, naps and guests
Hobby Room- instead of starting projects in rooms of the house deemed for other tasks include a space to work and where all your supplies can be easily found.

What type of customization would you add to your timber frame home to personalize it?

Posted in Design, slider, Timber Frame | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Share Cascade Joinery with Others!

Last month we detailed the design changes that have recently taken place on our blog. One of the newest features allows you to quickly share your favorite posts through the top two social media sites. At the top of each post you will find a Twitter ‘Tweet’ button, along with a Facebook ‘Like’ button. Simply clicking on the buttons will show your friends, family and followers which of our posts you find interesting. If you want to share our posts through email or other sites you still can. To share Cascade Joinery posts…

  1. Click on the title of the post you wish to share.
  2. At the bottom of the post hoover the mouse over the share box.
  3. Find the application you want to share through, or type in the name in the search box and click the icon.
  4. Enter your user name and password for the site.
  5. Click enter or send (depending on the site) and you’ve shared our post.

cascade joinery blog

Posted in Events/Happenings | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Home Winterizing Tips

storm windowsThe temperature is steadily dropping all over, which in turn will make you want to fire up the heat. Instead increasing the amount of energy you use in your home but turning up the heat, warm your home in a sustainable way. By following these home winterizing tips you can warm up your home and save on energy. You may even be able to qualify for a tax credit. Consider these home winterizing projects before you crank up the heat

  • Cover drafts in doors with home made or store bought draft snake. Drafts can waste 5%-30% of energy use in your home.
  • Change furnace filters once a month, dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy usage.
  • Run ceiling fans in reverse to move heat throughout your room, heating costs can be cut by %10.
  • Install storm doors and windows to seal drafts, reduce air flow and increase energy efficiency by 45%.
  • Insulate pipes to reduce how much you pay for hot water and decrease the chance that they will freeze. The federal government will reimburse you for 30% of the cost, up to 1,500 for high efficient insulation.

Want to receive more tips on green home living? Subscribe to our blog by entering your email address on the right hand side of the blog and receive sustainable home living tips directly in your inbox!

Posted in Green Building, slider | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Happy Thanksgiving from Cascade Joinery!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are taking some time off today just as you probably are to spend some time with our family and friends. We will be back tomorrow November 26th during our regular business hours so feel free to give us a call. We hope you thoroughly enjoy your day and eat a few dishes made from local produce! See you when we get back!

cascade joinery timber home

Craftsman

Posted in Events/Happenings, slider | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Tips on Reducing Waste Over the Holidays

alfresco thanksgiving dinnerThanksgiving is almost here which means your home will be filled with your family and closest friends all enjoying each-other’s company. Along with your holiday gathering comes great deal of waste. To help reduce waste over the holidays and throughout the season keep these tips in mind when you decide to entertain:

  • Use grass clippings and shredded leaves for mulch around your outdoor plants.
  • When hosting a party, set the table with cloth napkins and reusable dishes, glasses, and silverware. Save and reuse any party decorations or favor that are still in good condition.
  • After the holidays put leftovers in recyclable containers, and share them with family, friends, or others. Whole and/or untouched leftovers from parties can be donated to a local food bank or homeless shelter.
  • When it’s possible, compost any leftover food scraps, leaves, and grass clippings.
  • Show your guests where to put recyclable items when they finish with them,  such as aluminum, glass, and plastic bin.
  • When the gathering is over fill the dishwasher to capacity before running it. This will allow you to run fewer cycles, saving energy.
  • Try not to put hard, thick or waxy foods down the drain because they will clog pipes and harm the disposal.
  • Buy  in concentrate, bulk, or in refillable containers, they reduce packaging waste and can save you money!
  • If you going away from home for the holidays, turn down your thermostat and put lights on timers.

Image from Sweet Something Designs.

Posted in Design, Green Building | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off