5 Tips for Adding Curb Appeal to your home this weekend.
You’ve been putting off that to-do list long enough! Fall is here, all those little touch ups and tweaks are going to have to wait until the spring. Keeping your home in good shape adds curb appeal and will save you money in the long run while adding value if you choose to sell your home. Here are 5 tips on how to add curb appeal in one weekend.
1. Open up those shutters
This is a great way to add character to your home without breaking the bank. Simply adding shutters really adds character to your windows. The best part is that it won’t take more than a weekend to do this.
2. Trim your windows and doors
Something as simple as putting trim board around the front door can really make your entranceway stand out. Decorating your doors and windows with engineered wood trim acts as a frame to these architectural elements, instantly making them seem more attractive.
3. Replace gutters and downspouts
If your home has an aging gutter system, swapping it out for a new one will will instantly bring your home back to life. Rest assured that people looking at your home will take note of this and immediately jump to conclusions. Today’s gutter systems can be color matched to your home so they can be out of sight and out of mind.
4. Bring out the flowers
Flower pots are a quick way to add flair to your home’s exterior. They add color, charm and tradition to your home and can go a long way in setting the mood of your outdoor décor. Make sure to pick flowers that match nicely with the color palette of your home & garden.
5. Dress up the front door
This is the big one. Your home’s entry leaves the strongest impression on any visitor. They spend a lot of time walking up to it and standing outside it while they wait for someone to answer – giving plenty of time to carefully examine the door and its surroundings in full detail. Give your door a boost with a nice color, and make sure it reflects your home’s interior style as well.
5 Things That Make Naturetech Engineered Wood Siding Green.
Along with all the benefits of engineered wood siding (hidden nails, extremely low maintenance, light weigth, etc…), there is an entire category of benefits that deserves some special attention: the environment. So in case you didn’t get your veggies yet today, here’s your fill of GREEN:
- KWP Naturetech™ prefinished engineered wood siding and wood trim board is the only siding choice that can easily help architects and builders LEED certify their projects.
- Naturetech™ wood is FSC certified and EPP certified. Containing 100% pre-consumer recycled content.
- Both the hardboard siding and trim board are pre-finished, meaning they are termite resistant and will not rot, crack or split.
- Naturetech™ siding is factory finished, so you don’t have to paint on site, or use any harmful materials to finish the product.
- Most importantly, Naturetech™ generates no waste in the manufacturing process, so you can feel good about what you are wrapping your home in.
For more detailed information on KWP Naturetech™ and the environment, check out our Green Fact Sheet here.
Choosing the right color for your home’s exterior
The color of your home’s exterior says a lot about your home. Something as simple as changing the color of your home’s accents can completely change the entire look and feel. If you are looking to change the color of your home, we recommend you do your research first. The Internet is a great tool, but it is even better to take a drive through a your neighborhood and see some other home exterior color ideas. Everyone is different, and we believe that your home should be a reflection of your personal style. Keep that in mind, follow these guidelines, and you’ll do just fine!
- Don’t clash with your neighbors! When one home is completely different from the rest of the block, it sticks out (in a bad way). Not only can it be unattractive, it can actually decrease your property value, along with that of your neighbors. The key is to make your home stand out while still blending in- don’t worry, we’ll tell you how.
- Contrast! A great way to emphasize the little details of your home is to pick an accent color that contrasts with the background. Only accent the features you want to show off- better to have your gutter blend in and your windows standing out, don’t you think?
- Dark or light? Well that all depends. Lighter colors have traditionally been seen as the safe choice, and dark colors are becoming increasingly popular. Each has their own qualities, for example: a light color tends to make a home seem larger and the lot seem smaller. Dark colors on the other hand make a home look smaller but more prominent. Light colors bring the house forward visually, which is nice for homes placed far away from the curb. Dark colors on a big home can make it seem less imposing on the lot.
- Keep in mind: Your entryway says a lot about your home. Think of your entryway as a reflection of what lies behind the front door. Let it be a representation of you and your style!
We truly believe that your home should be a reflection of your style. Keep that in mind when doing any renovations to your home’s exterior. You’re going to be looking at your home every single day, so make sure you love it!
The Top 5 Features of Engineered Wood Siding
We’ve been getting a lot of questions on what makes engineered wood siding so special. Our favourite feature is that it maintains all of its inherent wood properties but requires far less maintenance. As well, the durability of engineered wood siding is remarkable and its lifespan rivals that of any other siding material. As you can see, we like engineered wood siding and we like our KWP Naturetech™ siding especially. Here are 5 features that separate our siding from the rest.
1) Heavy-duty ½” thickness is 30% thicker than our competitors sidings!
2) Superior design allows for all nails to be hidden- don’t waste your money on painted nails anymore!
3) 100%-recycled wood allows you to earn LEED points for your home.
4) Our siding is termite resistant and it will not rot, crack or split.
5) Our Tru-Align™ interlock system ensures precise horizontal alignment of each course of siding.
What’s not to like? Check out some of our siding choices here.
What is Engineered Wood Siding?
We have noticed over the past few years that Engineered Wood Siding has been sorely misunderstood. Next time you just happen to be talking to someone about building materials (which will hopefully be sooner rather than later), bring up the term and ask the person what they think it means. You will likely get answers such as “cork board”, “melamine”, or simply “it’s not real wood”. Well I’m here to set the record straight on what “Engineered Wood Siding” really is.
What is Engineered Wood?
First and foremost, engineered wood siding is real wood all right. It’s just made a little differently, which is where the “engineered” part comes in, but it most certainly is real wood. Engineered wood is made up of 100% recycled wood from various sources mixed with a high quality resin that holds it together. It is baked in extremely high temperatures in order to harden the panel which will provide the strength and rigidity to ensure the panel does not break or chip. The panel is then cooled, trimmed and sanded. Once the panel is formed it then gets embossed with a wood grain and painted for the look.
As you can see, engineered wood truly is wood, it’s just made for the 21st century. Read on for the advantages of using engineered wood over real wood…
Advantages of Engineered Wood.
Now that we’re all on the same page about engineered wood, let’s discuss some of the advantages of using engineered wood over real wood. Engineered wood is pre-finished and pre-painted, so the only thing that needs to be done on-site is the installation. Engineered wood is also much lighter than hardboard siding, fibre cement or brick. This reduces transport costs and makes the material easier to handle during installation. Engineered wood is also resistant to termite damage and will not rot, crack or split. Thoughtful of the environment, engineered wood is made from 100% recycled material and comes from [in the case of our product] responsibly managed forests. So if you’re looking to grab LEED points towards your home, or simply looking to gain a little peace of mind, engineered wood is a great option for your home.
Look & Feel of Engineered Wood.
Let’s discuss, for a moment, the look and feel of engineered wood. It’s not 1980 where you take a piece of melamine and slap on a shiny photograph of a wood finish that repeats itself over and over again. Engineered wood features a natural looking wood grain that’s embossed directly into the panels, and it is done completely randomly, so no two pieces look the same. The color availability is wide and varied, whether you want a natural look or something ultra-modern. The panels are available in a variety of widths and styles suitable for any look you wish to achieve.
Wrap-up.
Engineered wood siding is a great, cost-effective alternative to hardwood siding or brick, and will give you a more realistic look than other alternatives such as fibre cement. With key features including no rotting, cracking or splitting, environmental advantages and no on-site finishing, engineered wood siding is a great option for your home. So next time you’re having that conversation about building materials, see what the other person thinks of engineered wood, and set the record straight.
Downloads
KWP Green Fact Sheet File Type: pdf - File size: 3.26 MB
Category: Green Information
KWP LEED Points
File Type: pdf - File size: 14.54 kB
Category: Green Information