U.S. housing starts rose to their highest rate in more than four years in October, suggesting the housing market recovery was gaining steam, even though permits for future construction fell.

The Commerce Department said on Tuesday housing starts increased 3.6 per cent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 894,000 units - the highest since July 2008.

September's starts were revised down to show a 863,000-unit pace instead of the previously reported 872,000 units. Economists had expected groundbreaking to slow to a 840,000-unit rate last month.

The department said superstorm Sandy, which slammed the East Coast in late October, had a minimal impact on the data. The Northeast accounted for about 8 per cent of overall housing starts. Groundbreaking in the Northeast fell 6.5 per cent.

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An expanded lumber mill in the Alberni Valley, owned by Coulson Group of Companies, is taking old-growth cedar wood as far as it can possibly go.

The expansion to Coulson Manufacturing Ltd. has created a product that is the first of its kind. It is a strip of plywood with a cedar face, and, according to CEO Wayne Coulson, it allows the mill to produce 10 times the amount of product for a lower cost.  
 

"It's been great," said Foster Coulson, operations manager for the expansion. We've been getting a lot of traction in the market."

Gluing a thin strip of cedar to a thick strip of plywood is an idea that is new to the wood industry. The Coulsons call it a "value-added" product, and it is currently being shipped from the Alberni Valley to eastern Canada, Colorado, California, Australia and Europe. It is also now available in RONA Canada stores.

"It's a diminishing resource," Foster said of old growth cedar. "What we're doing is creating sustainability."

The expansion to the mill, which opened in late May, has also added 12 new jobs, with a possible six more on the way if the mill starts running a third shift shift. 

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Once a year from January to April, CAWP offers a part-time Online Certificate in Industrial Wood Finishing.  The program consists of 100 hours of online learning from January to March followed by a 6-day practical session in Vancouver in late April. It is one of the most comprehensive courses on wood finishing currently available, and covers wood properties, sanding, coating types and application methods, guns and compressor systems, automated finishing, environmental compliance, safety, and quality testing. Participants come from across Canada, the United States, and overseas, and have included spray finishers, line supervisors, production managers, owners of small shops, coatings lab technicians, equipment sales reps, and manufacturing engineers. 

Don't miss out!  Course has filled up over the past few years!

For more information please visit CAWP Finishing Certificate or call Jason Chiu for more information at 604 822-0082 

Note: BC Companies may qualify for training funding.  Call for more information.

We are also offering two management skills training courses from January 7th to February 18, 2013:

Online Management Skills Training Courses

January 7th  - February 18th, 2013

•          Quality Management & Control
•          New Product Development

February 18th to April 1, 2013

•          Production Planning
•          Safety & Human Resources Management

• Apply Standard Operating Procedures and proper training methods to increase quality
• performance and reduce rework
• Green Finishes - Why make the switch to NEW Water-borne finishes
• Optimize transfer efficiencies
• Proper surface preparation
• Technology advances in Water-borne finishes
• Sustainable finishing

In Canada, there are two methods that can be followed to ensure a log home meets mandated (national or provincial building codes) energy efficiency requirements: a prescriptive method and a performance based method. The prescriptive method clearly sets out minimum standards for each component and they must be met. No measurements or modeling is required which in turn makes it easy to follow. The performance  method has thermal performance minimums and how these are to be met are up to each builder - a full selection of building products and practices can be used as long as they can meet the performance requirement. Proving compliance requires computer modeling and/or other calculations and testing to be performed.

The EnerGuide Rating System (ERS) is the performance modeling tool used in Canada for determining energy efficiency and Hot2000 is the software used to calculate estimated energy consumption for a home. This consumption is compared to a benchmark consumption value and an ERS rating, ranging between 0 and 100 is given to a home. The 2012 National Building Code of Canada (NBCC), which many of the provincial building codes are based upon, proposes that a new home must achieve a minimum ERS 80. Achieving such a rating can be accomplished by ensuring a home has adequate insulation in the walls and attic, energy sufficient windows, exterior doors and that the house is well sealed to retain heat. As well, a house should incorporate energy efficient mechanical services and appliances such a high efficiency space heating, hot water heater and heat recovery ventilator.

This is a very unique book that focuses exclusively on converting the log shell into a finished home. It is a must-have guide for builders, general contractors and do-it yourself enthusiasts. It covers steps right from the foundations to ensure that the sill log will be tightly sealed, all the way to the installation of kitchen cabinets in a manner that will allow the logs to settle without damaging the cabinetry. Each chapter of this book shows one aspect of the finishing process and provides several options using a diverse selection of techniques and products available today. Three-dimensional colour drawings depict the placement of sealants, e.g., gaskets, wind-proofing membranes and vapour barriers, and explicitly show how to use and install them so that they effectively perform their function. The book is invaluable educational material and food-for-thought when developing new log building solutions and assemblies.

"This book is a giant step towards demystifying the process of turning a log shell into an outstanding dream home."

Wayne Sparshu, Spar-Log Homes Inc., Alberta, Canada

"Log Homes are everyone's dream home. Building with logs is truly an art and a science. This essential guide details the necessary provisions to complete the dream and avoid the nightmares of guesswork."

Robert Savignac, Arbor Vitae Log Craft, British Columbia, Canada

"This book promotes the observation and understanding of the separate parts of the building process puzzle. It provides creative common sense solutions that have evolved through the open sharing of ideas by a network of focused log building professionals. The result yields enduring end-user satisfaction, creating more work for all."

Donald L. Breimhurst, Home Field Advantage Ltd., Pennsylvania, USA

"This is critical, timely information that has been long overdue!"

John Boys, Nicola LogWorks, British Columbia, Canada

Only $24.99 CAN for FPInnovations members, $49.99 CAN for non-members and $49.99 USD for those residing outside Canada.

You can order your copy by contacting our Publications Services at publications@fpinnovations.ca, or through Amazon Books at http://www.amazon.ca/The-Illustrated-Guide-Home-Construction/dp/0864885423