Working at the REX Project

PROGRASS Gregg and Ellis Landscape Design worked very hard incorporating our original materials into the landscaping of the REX Project. Christine Ellis built pathways from our old brick and the crew of PROGRASS used our broken sidewalk and leftover foundation for our patio. That saved us close to $400.00 in having to buy new materail, and transportation of material.

Standard Supply Company. You have got to ask for Tina! our tub, and faucets all came from them. It's a one stop shopping. No crowds, you receive one on one attention and Tina is always one step ahead of you. Prices were good too. That's me getting at the tub!!

Crews Behind the Scenes

Once a home is complete you only see the exterior and interior beauty of it. But there are so many on site that are behind the scenes, or should I say behind the walls that contribute to the success of great building.

NW FOAM HOME were our spray foam insulation company that we chose. I mentioned earlier that they used Demilec Spray. Well, they were an incredible group of people to work with. They accidentally got some foam on the garage door and before I noticed it, they told me about it, cleaned it up and all was good. That is a strong sense of character. They were professional, believed in their work, communication was awesom and we love the results.

KEMPER DRYWALL of course was our drywall company we went with. I would make a call and boom within hours or a day they were on site and completed whatever needed to be done. There was even a major repair that needed to be done and they fixed it at no charge. Ask for Dan or Kemper and trust me, you can't go wrong.

PREVENT TECH NW, they sprayed to prevent mold and mildew to our wood framing before the sheetrock went up. Less then one day, actually just hours and they had completely covered the whole house. Emery is the fella you want to chat with. Less mold and Mildew is always a win-win in my book.

WOOD CRAFTERS and MOULDINGS AND MILLWORK, Carl and Bryce from Wood Crafters and Nate Freese from Mouldings and Millwork are 100% on the button with any question you might have. Their suggestions save money. And the green materials they recommend are top notch.

If you are remodeling or new construction, go with these companies. You will NOT have builder nightmares.

Wood Crafters, my escape!

If you ever want to work with a great bunch of guys who know their stuff, head down to Wood Crafters in Portland Oregon. Ask Bryce and Carl and tell them Shannon sent ya. Both were extremely helpful in finding just the right columns and railings for the REX Project. Carl even hand made the balcony caps himself! What I love about Wood Crafters is they have all the bells and whistles related to wood products that make your house shine.

Exterior Siding Old and New

The whole east side of the REX House was installed with the original shiplap siding from the old house. A major portion of the west side is also our old siding. We found matching new shiplap siding at Lakeside Lumber and Aspen Siding and Windows did a great job piecing it all together. I even asked them not to plug the holes so we can see the old stuff. It turned out amazing.

There was lead paint on the siding so we had to have it stripped. We took it to Houck's Stripping Process center in Portland. Then the crew at Lakeside lumber sanded it and primed it. It turned out great!

REX Flooring

The flooring has been installed at the REX Project and looks fabulous! Why not? The work was done by Fabulous Floors. They installed the entire floor in two days and by using the Osmo finish, it only took two more days for completion. We choose Chest Nut, and it's a reclaimed wood that we purchased at Ecohaus. Random lengths and random widths. One downer is that we were told that we would receive equal amounts of widths of 5", 4", 3" and 2". We only received a very small amount of 5" width. So when ordering, get it in writing the actual amount of product that you will get. If the order is not what you purchased, request the correct amount at no charge or a reduction in price. Also in writing before you purchase. To seal the chestnut we chose Osmo wood finish. I checked out Ecohaus's website and pulled this information about Osmo.

..."Makes wood look, feel and stay beautiful. This product has a satin finish, but it can be polished for a slightly higher sheen.

Because this is a semitransparent stain, the final appearance will be influenced by the natural color of the wood. Best results are usually obtained by using a color that is the same or slightly darker than the bare wood. We recommend light shades only for new, light-colored wood.

Because the finish is microporous, any moisture found in the wood can evaporate without causing peeling. This feature makes Wood Wax Finish a good product for rooms with high humidity, such as kitchens and bathrooms. It has been used for decades in Europe in rooms with high moisture—even around indoor swimming pools.

Ingredients

Depending on the tint, 50 to 60 percent solids (the part of a finish that remains on the wood after the finish dries): natural vegetable oils and waxes, iron oxide and organic pigments, and white titanium dioxide pigment—all approved for use in the food sector in Germany. This finish also contains water-repellent additives and lead-free dryers.

The natural oils include sunflower, soybean and thistle.

The finish uses two hard, natural waxes—carnauba and candelilla. A Brazilian palm tree, Copernica cerifera, produces the carnauba in its leaves, berries and stalks. Villagers cut down fronds, dry them for several days, and then beat off the wax. The candelilla comes from the outer coating on a desert shrub, Euphorbia antisyphiliti, that grows in northern Mexico. Farmers boil the leaves and stems with water and sulfuric acid to release the wax.

The remaining 40 to 50 percent of the contents are aliphatic low-odor mineral spirits that meet the German standard for purity.

Benefits of OSMO Wood Wax Finish Transparent

Environmental benefits include:
· Made mostly from readily renewable, natural ingredients.
· Meets European safety standards for use on children's furniture and toys and resistance to perspiration and saliva.
· Contains no biocides or preservatives, only aliphatic low-odor mineral spirits that meet the German standard for purity.


Practical benefits include:
· Easy to apply—just one coat on woodwork, two on furniture and floors.
· Does not raise the grain of wood, so there's no need to sand between coats.
· Won't peel, rub or flake off. Finish resists water, dirt and abrasion.
· Dries to a satin sheen but can be polished for greater gloss.

How much do I need?
One liter covers approximately 200 square feet.

How to use this product

Preparation

Wood surface must be clean and dry (maximum moisture content of 20 percent).

Old paints and varnishes must be removed. Old microporous stains only have to be cleaned.

On new wood, where possible, apply the finish to all sides of the wood before installation. It's easier and neater.

Do a trial application on a scrap or in a hidden spot. You can deepen the color by applying a second, thin coat after the first one dries. You can also mix colors.

Application

Open windows. Make sure ventilation is good.

Stir the finish slightly. Don't thin.

Using a stiff OSMO brand brush or a clean cloth, apply a thin coat evenly and thoroughly. Brush or rub in the direction of the wood grain. (We recommend an OS brush because its short bristles were designed to work efficiently with this finish.)

Drying
Drying takes about 12 hours. Maintain good ventilation.

Storage

Can be stored for five years or longer.
Freezing doesn't ruin this product. If the can freezes, the finish may thicken. But it will regain normal consistency and be ready to use after two or three days at room temperature.


Safety
WARNING: Spontaneous Combustion Danger!
Oil-soaked materials (rags, steel wool, sanding dust, etc.) may spontaneously combust.
Immerse oil-soaked materials in water and store in an air-tight container.

WARNING: Contains Flammable Solvents!
Use only in areas with no open flames or other sources of ignition. No smoking. Provide good ventilation.
Observe all local and federal laws that pertain to the handling and storage of these types of products."