Zonda - Resource Library

Home spaces, and the way people interact with them, have undergone dramatic changes in the past several years, and few residential living spaces have seen as much change as outdoor elements such as decks. The materials available for deck substructure have also seen recent advances. This course will cover the history of deck materials, including new options, and the considerations and challenges involved in building decks — with a particular focus on all-important substructure materials — that will withstand the tests of time and the elements.

It’s a common human reaction; we turn to nature in uncertain times. Nature nurtures, as they say. With the 2020 global pandemic and the limited access to the outdoors it has meant for many, people are looking at their surroundings with new appreciation – and an increased desire for buildings that help them feel good as they spend more time indoors.

While we know that good architecture doesn’t guarantee good health, evidence is growing that a well-designed building can lead to an improved overall sense of well-being for occupants. And, since wood has a natural connection with nature, there is increasing evidence that wood can contribute to the well-being of building occupants when it is left where it can be seen and even smelled. This CEU explores the trend towards architecture designed to improve the well-being of building occupants.

The role of the construction industry in combating climate change is a relatively new consideration, but one that is gaining prominence on sustainability agendas at a global scale. Individual home owners, contractors, and developers each have a role to play in reducing carbon emissions at the residential scale. Here are five project examples that illustrate how you can build single-family housing sustainably, with style.

Two years into the pandemic, homeowners are looking to return to their roots. For home design trends, that means a pivot to warmer living spaces accented with wood tones that help residents relax and reconnect with nature, especially as families continue to spend time indoors. Continue reading for ways to keep your clients’ homes current while leaning on wood’s restorative nature to give them the calm and peace they’re seeking today.

Americans are increasingly turning to professional builders and remodelers for their home renovation projects. But homeowners looking to increase the value of their residences need to be strategic in their upgrades. For builders and remodelers, that means the opportunity is now back on the table to offer homeowners cost-effective and stunning ways to improve the value of their homes, while employing one of the most versatile and easy-to-work with building materials available: wood.

Renovating for long-term ROI can be a balancing act. For homeowners, it’s important that renovations offer immediate benefits while also standing the test of time, both functionally and aesthetically. The key to timeless renovation is functional design rooted in tradition. One of the oldest and most renewable building materials—wood—is sustainable, stylish, and classic.

Lumber supply and demand has taken home builders on a ride throughout the last year and a half with wild swings in pricing.

To understand where lumber prices will go from here, and what builders can do to adjust to ongoing market volatility, industry experts from building material leader 84 Lumber and commodities tracker Fastmarkets unpack the specifics of what caused the whipsawing in the market over the last 18 months - and provide clues for what may lie ahead.

Read about various multifamily construction projects where the use of wood was critical to the success of the building. New design, manufacturing, and construction techniques - coupled with evolutions in building codes - allows light-frame wood and mass timber buildings to reach higher heights and densities. New wood construction also achieves superior design aesthetics and fire safety characteristics in residential buildings.

There’s a shortage of labor in the lumber and building materials (LBM) industry. If you’re an LBM dealer or distributor not affected by the labor shortage, chances are your customers—or your peers—are. It has created opportunities for businesses to find creative ways to do more with less. Technology is proving to be a valuable asset, and is helping dealers and distributors position themselves as the manufacturers and suppliers of choice for their customers. In this eBook see how this labor shortage came about and look at the impact it’s had on the industry.

Today, the on-site, DIY approach to wood concrete forming fabrication is rapidly giving way to the precision, convenience, and speed of ready-made, turnkey systems.
Read the following 10 reasons why contractors for structural forming, road and bridge, and water treatment projects nationwide are teaming up with UFP for their forming needs.