Cedar Talk

Enclosed Garden Structures

DLauder — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:52:30 +0000

Garden Houses and Cabanas

Enclosed Structures provide destinations for outdoor living and point-of-purchase destinations. They offer protection from breezes, sunlight and precipitation. Common structures are Garden Houses & Cabanas, collectively sometimes called kiosks. They are typically integrated into garden environments or public recreation areas as retreats or point-of-sales structures. Resorts use them for information kiosks, convenience bars and secure structures for water sports rentals.

The Best Wood for Garden Houses and Cabanas

The best structures are made of rot and insect resistant woods such as cedar, redwood or in rare cases, teak. Modular systems allow parts replacement due to storm damage and the ability to install in hard-to reach locations such as rooftop gardens and secluded urban yards. An investment in an Enclosed Garden Structures increases home value while adding to the pleasures of outdoor living. Resorts can close and secure them during off-hours. See Vixen Hill for Garden Houses & Cabanas.

Open Garden Structures

DLauder — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:46:54 +0000

Gazebos, Pergolas and Arbors

Open Air Structures provide destinations for outdoor living. They allow breezes, sunlight and in some cases precipitation to enter the structure. Common structures are Gazebos, Pergolas and Arbors. Gazebos offer the most protection from sun and precipitation while pergolas & arbors allow measured amounts depending on roof configuration and plantings. They are typically integrated into outdoor kitchens or garden environments, sharing their space with climbing plants and flower beds.

Cedar Gazebos Resist Rot

The best structures are made of rot and insect resistant woods such as cedar, redwood or in rare cases, teak. Modular systems allow parts replacement due to storm damage and the ability to install in hard-to reach locations such as rooftop gardens and secluded urban yards. An investment in an Open Air Structure increases home value while adding to the pleasures of outdoor living. See Vixen Hill for Gazebos, Pergolas and Arbors.

Three Season Porches – What You Need to Know About Porch Design and Orientation

Roger — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:03:22 +0000

An Orientation in Three Season Porch Living

Many modern subdivisions include the designer’s disregard of directional orientation, with houses being situated more for maximum profits than for practical considerations. It’s not unusual to see sun decks on the north side of houses … where the sun never shines. I suspect buyers only realize this months after moving in.

Vixen Hill Manufacturing designs and sells modular three-season porch systems. These are often installed on existing decks. Because of this, Vixen Hill needs to know your deck’s compass orientation and how you intend to use the porch. This information helps determine the most appropriate architectural inserts and coatings (paints) so the porch can meet or exceed expectations.

Northwest facing porches usually benefit from wood stain interiors, white exteriors and wainscoting (lower raised panels) for a warmer more-embracing feeling. South facing porches seem best painted white inside and out and with a more open façade. No matter what the case, Vixen Hill’s modular porch systems allow architectural inserts (along with screen and storm-glass panels) to be removed to suit the mood of the season.

Advantages of Three Season Porches

Summer dining and morning coffee are by far the most popular three season porch pastimes. Extra room for entertaining is an added benefit. And because three season porches are not considered living space, tax and permit considerations are minimized. Consider rediscovering all or part of your deck with a modular enclosure that extends your outdoor living experience. Remember that a porch is an investment with immediate returns. Expect a higher quality of life with increased economic returns if the house is sold.

Visit VixenHill.com and interactively design a modular porch system, then save it for future consideration. It’s fun and it’s free. For assistance with non-standard designs or more involved three season porches, call the factory: 800-423-2766.

Contact Vixen Hill for more information on three season porch systems that maximize your investment and your enjoyment.

Do your real wooden shutters Look a little tired?

Roger — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:17:48 +0000

Well built, real wooden shutters are a significant investment. You spent big money purchasing and installing them. Durable as they are, as the years passed, the shutters faded and lost that fresh-new-look. However, getting that new look back doesn’t have to mean you need new shutters. There’s a rehab solution you’ve not thought of – we can help.

Vixen Hill Manufacturing can recondition your shutters, making them look almost new for approximately $100 per pair plus freight. That’s far than the $500(or more!) per pair you originally paid. And because your shutters have already been installed, numbering them for takedown then reinstallation can be done quickly. Vixen Hill will even use your numbering to emboss your shutters with permanent numbers making reinstallation even easier. Winter is the best time to send your shutters for restoration because they won’t be missed.

If significant repairs are needed the cost may vary. In some cases shutters may need to be replaced. Contact us online at Vixenhill.com, via Email to Sales@VixenHill.com or call 800-423-2766 to discuss your situation.

Rotting Shutters? Tips on selecting shutters that are truly rot-resistant.

Roger — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:41:17 +0000

Historically accurate Vixen Hill Shutters last for decades.

Rotting shutters are not unusual even when they’re made of rot-resistant woods. “Incredibly, cedar, teak, mahogany and cypress will rot if they can’t dry out,” says Chris Peeples, owner of Vixen Hill Cedar Shutters. “Moisture trapped in wood grain, especially in warmer climates, allows bacteria to breed voraciously. The inherent natural toxins that prevent rot in these woods are simply overwhelmed! Rotting can also be attributable to modern coatings,” explains Mr. Peeples. “Today’s paints include impervious resins that act like plastic coatings,” he continued. “The myth is that these coatings prevent water penetration, thereby eliminating rot. This is not true because expansion and contraction of the shutter surface creates hair-line cracks that allow water penetration. The water becomes trapped by the paint. Since the wood can’t breathe and dry out, bacteria breeds and the wood rots.”

In the old days paints were simply oxide pigments mixed with linseed oil. They weren’t shiny like plastic shutters. The linseed oil in the coating shed water yet allowed the wood to breath. That’s why the shutters on old houses lasted one hundred years or more. It’s the advent of plastics and urethanes during the 60’s that made people think that shutters should have a glossy shiny finish. But, if you want to be historically accurate and have your shutters last for decades, you can still buy solid oil based solid stains. If you use the proper coating, authentic wood shutters will outperform plastic and metal shutters.