Materials

The single most important aspect of any structure is the type and quality of the wood used to build it.  We use Clear Grade, Dry Redwood.  We use redwood for a variety of reasons.  The first reason is that redwood is naturally the best-suited wood to be used in wet, harsh outdoor conditions.  Redwood contains high levels of natural tannins, which helps make it more rot-resistant than other woods due to moisture and mildew.  Redwood is also naturally insect resistant, which makes is doubly well suited for outdoor applications.  Redwood also is extremely resilient.  This means a typical redwood board will bend quite a bit farther than, cedar for instance, before the grain starts to splinter and crack and eventually break.  

Another reason we use Redwood is dimensional stability.  Wood is an inherently unstable material when compared to plastics, steel, or many other materials.  One major reason is due to the fact that wood contains moisture and the moisture level changes in response to changes in atmospheric moisture content (humidity).   Changes in the wood's moisture content cause the wood to shrink and swell.  Over time, these repeated expansion and contraction cycles lead to warping, checking, cracking, cupping, etc.; all of the things wood does when it is exposed to the elements.  Redwood exhibits the lowest volumetric shrinkage (during drying) of any commercial domestic wood.  This also means that Redwood exhibits the least shrinkage and swelling in use.  Products made of Redwood are much less subject to defects associated with changes in atmospheric humidity.  

A key factor, which makes our roofs stronger than many other manufactures', is the style of wood used in our roof system.   Our roof system utilizes a custom milled, rabbeted bevel pattern similar to that used in lap siding.  Each individual piece interlocks with the adjoining piece.  This forms a tight, weather resistant joint that directs water over the joints rather than into the joints.  This system works the same way a shingled roof works.  Some manufacturers use a tongue and groove design, which actually conducts water into the individual joints and promotes decay and rot. Another reason our roofs are stronger is that we use thicker material.  Our custom stock is 13/16" thick at the thick end (before rabetting).  We also use the same thickness custom stock in our door and base panels.  Some manufacturers will use thinner stock in these parts because the edges are not visible.

Our custom milled stock on left.  Common stock on right.

Construction

Most manufacturers use staples to assemble their products, this is the fastest, easiest way to quickly produce wood products in a cost effective manner.  Unfortunately, this method of construction does not produce a stable, long-term product.  Staples are inherently unstable because they have no barbs or threads to hold them in the wood.  They can easily “back out” of the grain.  In fact, over time, the wood grain actually pushes out the staples as it undergoes the numerous expansion and contraction cycles it experiences over a period of years.

All structural assembly in our enclosures is done using 2 1/2” and 3” copper, zinc coated wood screws.  All pieces are predrilled and then the screws are driven home.  This is done for all windows, wall sections, corner sections, the roof support system, and the base panel support frames.  This method takes longer because all joints are hand assembled, but the long-term results are worth it. This method of construction also produces extremely tight joints.   Fit and finish are first rate.

Our roofs are unique.  They are constructed of interlocking, beveled stock, backed by 3 1/2" strips of Redwood.  This gives our roofs a rustic look. They are assembled with specially selected construction grade adhesives, which have been tested and shown to provide strong, flexible, water-resistant bonds to Redwood.   We do use staples, but only as “clamps” to hold the panels together until the adhesive sets.  The result is a roof which is strong and resilient.

It is our belief that attention to detail is critical.  There are many small details we take pains to perfect that many other manufacturer do not.  For example, a standard feature on all of our fully enclosed gazebos is removable sliding windows.   Our doors glide on fully adjustable Teflon™ rollers in an aluminum track for years of trouble free service.  Our skylights are made from thermoformed domes, and not a sheet of plastic bent over a frame, as some manufacturers sell.

We have a unique process for staining.  Some manufacturers simply spray the stain on their finished product.  This is a very fast, cost effective way to stain wood.

We, on the other hand, stain all our parts before they are assembled.  The reason we can do this is because we hand dip each individual piece in a huge vat of Duckback stain.  The stain penetrates into every nook and cranny including the thirsty end grain.  This method provides protection not only on the surfaces that can be seen, but in areas which cannot be seen or accessed with a spray.  The stain we use is one of the highest quality stains on the market, Duckback Superdeck™ Semi-Transparent stain.    This stain has mildew inhibiters built-in and provides some UV protection..  We use Semi-Transparent stain so that the beauty of the redwood shows through; you can still see the natural beauty of the redwood grain.