How to Build a Wood Storage Shed

Posted 20 October 2021 3:00 PM by Jase DeBoer

Cooler months are upon us. Now is the perfect time to plan your fall building projects. A wood storage shed is an easy project to complete and is especially handy if you use a wood stove or fireplace to heat your home. Depending on your storage needs, our project plan is completely customizable and easy to build within a weekend.   How Much Storage Do I Need? Our standard, single-stall storage shed holds roughly a quarter cord of wood, or an amount of wood that fills a space equal to 4 feet...

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Fall Maintenance For Your Deck and Porch

Posted 9 September 2021 1:25 PM by Jase DeBoer

With the arrival of fall, the temperature starts to drop and the air becomes crisper. Leaves change in color to vibrant reds, yellows and oranges. Soon enough, those leaves will start falling, landing in your yard and on your deck. ProWood® is built to last, and we want to share a few fall maintenance tips to keep your deck looking as good as new this season. Keep leaves, seedpods and sticks off your deck by raking, sweeping or leaf blowing on a regular basis. Leaves and other debr...

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How To Keep Your Deck Splinter Free

Posted 26 August 2021 12:59 PM by Jase DeBoer

If you have recently built a wood deck or purchased a home with an existing wooden deck, you’ll want to keep it in tip-top shape. However, a large concern with wooden decks is the potential of deck boards splintering over time. With proper care and maintenance, your deck boards can remain pristine and look like new. Why Do Splinters Occur? Through continuous water absorption and water loss in your wood deck, natural defects may surface. The continual shrinking and swelling of your deck bo...

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Common Pests That Destroy Your Home

Posted 27 July 2021 12:30 PM by Jase DeBoer

A recurring concern homeowners have is how to keep their homes safe from common pests and invaders. Although they may be small, some insects can create serious damage in a short amount of time. Even with a concrete foundation, homes are built with many wood components, such as sill plates, joists, rafters, studs, and more. To help keep these important structural components intact, be on the lookout for these common pests. Termites Most commonly known and feared, termites can make their appearanc...

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Is Treated Lumber Safe for My Garden Bed?

Posted 23 June 2021 1:31 PM by Jase DeBoer

Raised bed gardening is a fun and effective way to grow vegetables and flowers in rural and city environments. Raised garden beds help protect plants from pesky animals and foot traffic while allowing the soil to warm faster in the spring to produce early crops, healthier plants and higher yields with less work. Raised garden beds are also decorative and will add a touch of charm to your vegetable garden or outdoor living area. Whether you are building a raised garden bed to grow vegetables, her...

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How to Remove Gray Discoloration from Lumber

Posted 21 May 2021 1:28 PM by Jase DeBoer

Your wood deck, fence or patio may have looked pristine upon installation, but within a few years, it likely started to change color. We all want our investments to last for decades, and with these few tips you can restore your outdoor wooden structures in a weekend. Why Does Discoloration Occur? Many wood species experience discoloration. With constant exposure to water, sun, dirt and other elements, lumber will naturally fade to a gray tone if not treated and coated with a waterproof sealer. ...

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What is Color-Treated Lumber?

Posted 21 April 2021 5:33 PM by Jase DeBoer

As you plan your building project, you may come across a handful of unfamiliar terms and classifications of lumber. There are many types of lumber, from pressure treated to heat treated. You also may have heard of “color-treated” or “color-infused” lumber. What exactly is color-treated lumber, and how does it differ from other lumber options? A Patented Process The color treatment process occurs as the wood is pressure treated. Our in-solution colorant penetrates the wood...

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Deck Maintenance During The winter Season

Posted 23 January 2020 4:18 PM by Jase DeBoer

For some, winter is a time to stash the outdoor furniture and get ready to watch the snow pile up on the deck until the spring thaw. For others, it’s a time to enjoy the deck in other ways, with outdoor heaters, fire pits, grills that never get stored and holiday décor. As a contractor, your clients can fall into both categories and will come to you with questions on how to properly winterize their deck. It’s important to be prepared for these questions, and ProWood® is he...

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How to Build a Chevron Privacy Panel

Posted 3 October 2019 4:18 PM by Jase DeBoer

If you're looking for ways to incorporate more privacy into your outdoor space, a chevron privacy panel is the perfect way to go. A privacy panel is surprisingly easy to build and can be completed within one Saturday afternoon. With these simple steps, you can create the ideal privacy panel for your backyard. What you'll need:  24 x 1x6x8' Pressure-treated boards  2 x 4x4x8' Pressure-treated posts  3 x 2x4x6' Pressure-treated boards  4 x Stamped brackets ...

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Stair Stringers

Posted 31 August 2019 8:43 PM by Jase DeBoer
Edited 08/31/2019

Building stairs can seem like a daunting task, and the stair stringer is often the most complicated part. While purchasing precut stringers is an option, you can also cut your own stair stringers. Here are some pro tips to ensure success during your project.  Cut Your Own Stringers    Start by using either a 2"x12" or 2"x14" piece of lumber. You should cut the first stringer to your specifications, and then use that stringer as a guide for the rest. Be sure to treat the ends with ...

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A Job Well Done … Tips to Remember for Excellent Customer Service

Posted 15 July 2019 2:04 PM by Jase DeBoer

Building season is officially in full swing, and while it’s your busiest time of year, your job isn’t done after that deck, patio, fence, pergola or anything in-between has been built. Going the extra mile for your customer can be the key to having a successful company. After all, word of mouth travels fast with homeowners, and you’ll want to be known as the contractor that goes above and beyond for their customer. Tips to Remember Establish Connections: After your build is do...

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Weekend Building Tips and Flips

Posted 16 May 2019 12:59 PM by Jase DeBoer

Summer is right around the corner. Warm weather, long days by the pool and cookouts call for a celebration. If you need to get your outdoor space in tip-top shape for the summer months ahead, we’ve got you covered with quick tips and weekend flips. Quick Tips: Sun Exposure Sunshine is great but too much sun can make it uncomfortable to enjoy your outdoor space. When building a deck or other outdoor structure, pay attention to the orientation of the sun. For example, if you build a pergol...

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Designing with Pressure-treated Lumber

Posted 30 April 2019 2:39 PM by Jase DeBoer

Pressure-treated lumber can be used in many ways to optimize your outdoor living space. You can use it to add a deck, pergola, outdoor seating or even landscaping elements such as lattice. No matter what stage you’re at in the building process, we’re sharing four design tips you can use when adding new outdoor structure or updating existing structures. Deck Patterns If you’re at the very beginning stages of planning your deck build, consider the many pattern possibilities avai...

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Notching Posts – Is it okay?

Posted 21 March 2019 10:37 PM by Jase DeBoer

Say “No” to notching pressure-treated deck posts. We want you to build an outdoor railing system that you, your family and guests can enjoy without worrying about safety issues. In order to do so, you need to know this building shortcut is not advisable, and we recommend avoiding it at all costs. When you notch your railing posts, creating a lip that extends over the deck or porch boards, the outward thrust is significantly reduced. Unfortunately, notching railing posts is a practice...

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Should I Hire a Contractor?

Posted 22 February 2019 3:09 PM by Jase DeBoer

Let’s face it: Homeownership comes with an array of projects. Some of these projects can be small, and some can become quite large. Depending on what you have on your to-do list, determining if you should take on a project or reach out to a contractor is an important decision. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before getting started: Is it more cost-effective if I do the job? Do I have the right equipment for this project? If no, then I need to consider those cost...

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Top 5 Uses for Treated Lattice

Posted 22 January 2019 1:15 PM by Jase DeBoer

Lattice be your go-to guide for all your treated lumber tips, tricks and trends! See what we did there? On a more serious note, we’re taking a look at lattice and sharing our top uses for this timeless product. Lattice not only looks great as a piecrust, but it can also be a delightful addition as décor inside your home or as an outdoor solution. ProWood® offers a variety of lattice styles and sizes to complement your next project. 1. Privacy We all need it. We all want some p...

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Planning A Deck Build

Posted 28 December 2018 2:18 PM by Jase DeBoer

When you’re ready to install that backyard deck you’ve been wanting, you may be thinking to yourself, “Where do I even begin?” That’s a good question to ask, and most homeowners have asked themselves that same question. From the planning stages to design all the way to installation, ProWood® can help you determine where to begin. After all, we do know a thing or two about decks. Plan A standard deck size is either going to be 10’ x 10’ or 12’ ...

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Is it safe to have a fire pit on my deck?

Posted 7 November 2018 1:16 PM by Jase DeBoer
Edited 07/17/2019

The simple answer is yes, but there are safety precautions to keep in mind before lighting it. 1. Clear your deck of leaves and other debris that could possibly catch fire from flying embers. 2. Check with your local zoning ordinances to make sure your fire pit is a safe distance from your house. While checking local codes, look for rules related to open flames. Some counties have fire restrictions in residential areas. 3. Don’t place your fire pit directly on your deck. The bottom of...

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Pressure-treated Lumber Maintenance 101

Posted 12 October 2018 3:39 PM by Jase DeBoer

Upkeep of your wood deck, railing, fence and other outdoor structures is important for keeping your pressure-treated lumber in tip-top shape. Know the facts and how you can protect your wood against common or naturally occurring problems. SHRINKING AND SWELLING Continuous water absorption and water loss in your pressure-treated wood can cause natural defects like twisting, cupping, warping, checking and/or splitting to occur. Application of a sealer or semitransparent stain made for pressure-t...

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How to Build a Pergola

Posted 4 October 2018 7:00 PM by Jase DeBoer

Extend your living space to the outdoors by building a pergola. Not only do pergolas provide some privacy, but they can also provide shade to an area that receives too much sunlight. Pergolas allow you to create an additional living space that can serve as a cozy entertaining space for your backyard. Queue the beverages! Let’s not waste any more time ─ start building your pergola with ProWood® now! These instructions call for two individuals to construct an 8’x8’ square p...

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