Suppliers

Alexander Lumber Co
343-2171
212 E. South St.
Alexander Lumber Co.


Galesburg Builders Supply
342-4155
212 E. South St.
Galesburg Builders Supply

Galesburg Electric/
Industrial Supply Co
343-4112
739 S. Henderson St.
Galesburg Electric Co.

Gunther Construction
342-4155
PO Box 1488

Hanson Lumber Co
342-5185
161 N. Acadamy St.

Knox Glass
344-5291
825 N. Henderson St

Lowe's Home Improvements
342-4488
531 W. Carl Sandburg Dr
Lowe's Home Improvements

Menards
343-5410
2791 Veterans Dr

Midwestern Building Supply
344-9171
2800 W. Main St

People's Do-It Center
342-6151
468 E. Berrien St
Peoples Do it Center

R P Lumber Co. Inc.
289-4112
723 US Hwy 150 East,  Knoxville, IL
R.P. LumbeR

Sherwin-Williams
344-3942
2246 Promenade Ct.
Sherwin Williams

How To Choose Construction Materials

Ever since man learned to build his own shelter and not rely on whatever place he could just lay down his head, man has used various types of construction materials to build his dwelling. When man learned to cultivate crops and domesticate animals to sustain his needs, man needed to construct a permanent type of shelter for himself. From this need arose the use of construction materials, some of which are still in use today for constructing buildings and other great edifices.

Generally, there are two major sources of construction materials. This is the natural type of building material. Our ancestors used a lot of natural building materials. The simple natural building materials for constructing the roofs and walls of houses and even great big walls for protecting against invading tribes were mixed from thatch or sod, mud and clay. 

Structures that have been built from rock have also been familiar to man for the longest time. There are different types of rock, and different types of buildings and edifices have also been created. Some houses made from rock that were in existence from the Neolithic and Bronze Age are still standing today. Rocks are one of the strongest building materials, as we can observe from the Pyramids in Egypt.

Boards and planks from wood are used extensively in building houses and other structures. Wood is flexible enough to bend and adjust to contours while still retaining its strength. Machine saws have made it easier to cut wood into the width, height and length that is desired.

The other source of building material is called synthetic building material. Examples of synthetic material would include petroleum based paints and PVCs. These are materials used in construction that are generally made in industrial settings. Although there are paints and pipes that are environmentally sound, it is more common and much cheaper.

Another building material is concrete. This is made from mixing different kinds of materials together Portland cement concrete is the most common form of concrete, though, when used alone, it is not very strong. To strengthen a building that uses cement, steel rods are added to it This is used today in almost any building – houses, building, bridges and the like.

One of the most important construction materials used for construction purposes is metal. Metal is used in constructing large buildings or skyscrapers. Metals are composed of different kinds of metal alloys, one of which is steel. Steel is strong, and can be used in constructing buildings that will be used for a long time and need to last.

When choosing the different kinds of construction materials that will be used in building your edifice, be sure to check which can be sourced easily. The material should be of sufficient quantitiy so there is no problem with supply until the building is finished. In the end, your building will have been made up of different kinds of materials.

Information from: Howtodothings.com

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Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies: Materials video:

Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies: Materials - Click here for the funniest movie of the week

Take the time to prime all sides and edges of the wood prior to installation. This in some ways can be faster, since you can roll the paint on working off of saw horses. When the wood is cut during installation, prime the freshly cut edge (usually end grain) as it is being installed. The end grain of wood is where water can easily enter the wood. You do not want water in the wood. Heat causes it to 'boil' to the surface and push (blister / peel) the paint from the wood. If you take the time to completely seal each piece of wood, your paint job will last for many years to come. This process takes more time in the beginning, however, it will pay dividends far into the future.

For previously painted surfaces, thoroughly wash the surfaces with soap and water. Many paint manufacturers recommend the use of a 'powdered commercial cleanser'. Spic & Span, Soilex, and TSP(trisodium phosphate) are examples. However, be careful with TSP. It can be very harsh for your eyes and skin and the phosphates are somewhat harmful to the environment. Wash the areas with a sponge or brush and pole similar to what billboard hangers use. Rinse thoroughly and let dry. The surface must be dry before painting. Also, beware of damp wood. Do not paint it until it has completely dried.

Always, always use recommended primers. Primers generally have a high resin content so that they 'stick' to the surface to be painted. They are also formulated so that the finish coat sticks to them.

READ AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS
ON THE PAINT CAN! -- This effort will be rewarded.


Wood Deck - Clean / Seal

Unprotected wood is immediately attacked as soon as it is exposed to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays and water from snow, rainfall, and dew. The UV rays actually blast apart the wood cells on a microscopic level. This damage permits water to penetrate deep into the wood. This water can accelerate wood rot in untreated lumbers such as cedar and redwood. In addition, repeated water soakings lead to excessive shrink and swell cycles that result in cracking, cupping, and twisting. For these reasons, it is necessary for you to quickly seal any wood product that is exposed to outdoor elements.

Independent lab tests have shown that it really pays to clean new wood before it is sealed. The lab results indicate that sealers can penetrate up to 25 percent deeper into new wood that has been cleaned with an oxygen bleach solution. The cleaning action opens the wood pores of the freshly milled lumber. Oxygen bleach is a unique product. It does not remove the natural color from wood. What's more, it is non-toxic to plants that surround your wood deck. It also does not harm wood fibers. It is safe to use oxygen bleach on all woods except redwood. I have successfully used oxygen bleach on redwood, but in certain instances it has been known to darken it. If you want to be completely safe, use oxalic acid to clean redwood. Existing wood decks have to be deep cleaned before they are sealed.

Often salespeople will tell you to use chlorine bleach to clean wood decks. Chlorine bleach - sodium hypochlorite - is a fantastic sanitizing product if you want to kill germs, however, it creates havoc when used on wood. Chlorine bleach removes natural wood color, destroys wood lignin (the glue that holds wood fibers together), can corrode metal deck fasteners and hardware, and can kill vegetation that surrounds decks.  

Your disappointment with many wood deck sealing products is shared by many consumers and testing labs. Apparently many of the commonly available deck sealants contain wood protecting resins made from natural products such as tung oil, vegetable oil, linseed oil, and animal fat. These oils are gourmet foods for mildew and algae. To slow down mildew and algae growth, the sealers often contain toxic fungicides and mildewcides.

Look for ones that are formulated using synthetic oils and resins. These products contain no food for mildew and algae. If you want maximum performance and protection, be sure to use a pigmented (colored) product not a clear product. The pigment particles absorb and deflect UV rays helping to protect the wood.

Cooler weather with daytime temperatures of 60 - 70 F are best for cleaning and sealing decks. The cleaners do not evaporate quickly and the penetrating water repellents have adequate time to seep deeply into the wood before the sun can evaporate them. Avoid hot, windy summer days for deck cleaning and sealing. Reserve those for fun in the sun, not work!