When people are considering building an outdoor wood bridge, the choice of wood is often paramount as the single most important decision of the entire process. The wood used will influence not only the design of the bridge, but also its aesthetic value and its reliability and durability over time. Luckily, the choice is easier than one would imagine, as ipe wood is the clear choice when it comes to bridge building material. Why (more…)

A Japanese Garden is full of mystery, nature and serenity. Just as landscape gardens of the West followed historic points of reference such as Classical Garden Design, Traditional Garden Design, English Garden Design on up threw Modern Garden Design, the Japanese garden tradition has a history that followed the trends and lifestyles of their location and times. It would be very pretentious to copy directly a Japanese Garden for (more…)

• Adhesive: A substance capable of holding materials together by surface attachment. It is a general term and includes cements, mucilage, and paste, as well as glue.
• Anisotropic: Exhibiting different properties when measured along different axes. In general, fibrous materials such as wood are anisotropic.
• Balanced Construction: A construction such that the forces induced by uniformly distributed changes i (more…)

Looking for a way to upgrade your home? Consider installing faux wood blinds. These blinds are classy, attractive and practical. Faux wood blinds are a great alternative to aluminum or natural wood blinds, and these blinds won’t dent like some aluminum blinds do. Faux wood is just as beautiful as natural wood, but less expensive and more durable.

What are faux wood blinds? Faux wood blinds, also called ‘faux woods,’ are made (more…)

 Blasting the Bridge Keepers: A Construction Expert Denounces the NTSB’s Report on the I-35W Bridge Collapse—and the “Public Servants” Who Keep Dropping the Ball

An NTSB report over a year in the making cites faulty gusset plates as the cause of the 2007 Minnesota bridge collapse. But the report contains a glaring sin of omission: It ignores key problems inherent in our nation’s infrastructure over (more…)