Alamo Hardwoods Blog

Taste Feb.

Taste Magazine February

Taste is hitting the stands again, with more work from our friend Swain Edens.Be sure to grab a copy or subscribe, even!  Look for new pages on our molding and millwork, coming soon to an interweb near you!!

Posted by JR on 25th January, 2012 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: moldings, taste magazine

Fresh Faces

Jesse, Thomas, Felipe

School is great, but I really feel there are times when I learned more from living six months in an old house versus six years of architecture school. They don't teach you in school how to remove and reinstall a 1957 toilet with absolutely NO current standardly available parts at 10 PM on a Saturday. (anyone else have to make a tank-to-bowl gasket from plumber's putty?)

My favorite old house moment is when you finally break down, call a professional plumber and then they say "Boy, I haven't seen one of those (fill in blank) in YEARS!" Handing then a blank check you say, "I'm happy that you're so excited! Take all my money and get the (fill in blank) to SHUT OFF!"

With those moments in mind we work with UTSA and San Antonio College's schools of architecture to employ student interns. They get to interact with clients, architects, interior designers, suppliers, contractors and carpenters directly to see what reality is.  They also find out what carpenters will be saying about them in a few years. This way hopefully they know what they're drawing before they put a pencil to paper (stylus to tablet?).

They can learn the relationship between design dreams and  materials limitations BEFORE they go out into the world and wonder why they can't find 21' long oak boards. (20' is our new maximum, up from 16's)

Jesse says he'll leave us with a greatly increased knowledge of construction materials and their use on sites. ( He also started to look at one of his classmate's circular wood deck design with a critical eye as to how it could really be made, or not)

One of our recent employees, Paul Maloy came in all ready to be a super-modernist. Six months here and already he was developing a strong appreciation for the houses of the King William and Monte Vista areas. (Welcome to the dark side, I said). Even if high Victorian isn't your favorite style, you begin to appreciate the level of workmanship and planning it took to create those gingerbread palaces.

I have developed myself over the years of living in a Reginald Roberts 1957 special an appreciation for the small simple details that few people would ever even notice.  Our friends at "Atomic Ranch" magazine are making a career out of appreciating those humble little houses that so many would demolish in a heartbeat.

So hopefully your architect or designer will be able to dazzle you with their knowledge and expertise of materials and detailing. If not,send them to us.

My most published photo

Posted by JR on 23rd January, 2012 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: UTSA Architecture Students, learn by doing

Alamo Hardwoods Wuz Here?

The Willson House, Monte Vista Homes Tour

In architecture school so often we dream of making distinctive, impact statements with our projects. We want everyone to look at our designs and say "I know who did THAT piece of work!".  The American culture is often centered around the concept of individual genius alone again the tide of mediocrity. We reward being different from the herd with attention and praise.

Then we graduate and enter the real world.

Those of us who work on historic restoration projects or remodeling often have to subjugate our own personal tastes to that of the existing work. People so often ask, "What's RIGHT for the house?". I always remind the client that it's their house and it should make them happy.  When working in a declared historic district, like Monte Vista in San Antonio, sometimes a design committee comes into the picture. The Monte Vista Historic Society helps to keep watch over activities in the neighborhood.

Steven Willson

Steve Willson and his lovely wife Marcia took the plunge and bought a1928 house in Monte Vista, in addition to their Houston residence.While the house was in good shape, it did need attention in various areas. The neighborhood was built with quality materials and excellent designs, but after eighty years, even the best built house needs a little work

White Oak front door panels, pre-restoration

Window sill deterioration

Door Panel Molding, interior

One of the advantages of being in business for so many decades, is that we start to see the same molding designs in various places. We had encountered this unusual door panel molding in another house. The other owner had paid for us to make the matching knives and set the molder to make what they had needed. For any custom molding order we always make extra stock just in case the carpenter has an "oops". This over-run lives in our bins, waiting for the oops, or the next person who needs it. In this case, the Willsons saved knife, set-up and running charges. Its a real joy to see someone's face light up when they find the obscure molding that they need from 1923 and realize they've saved hundreds of dollars in fees. Kind of like watching people realize they've won at bingo.

Warehouse with overrun moldings.

Freshly restored White Oak front door the day of the Monte Vista Homes Tour

Our years of knowledge help us to guide the homeowner to the best material for the job. White Oak is rot resistant instead of Red Oak (for the same money) and should be used where the rain might hit the element. Of course,  the right material for the job is only part of the equation.

Not every carpenter is qualified to work on older structures. Some older houses are more like large pieces of furniture for the quality and methods of construction that were used back then. We introduced the Willsons to Mandarin Studios and Darren Windell. Not only do they do high quality woodwork and finishing, but they also have blacksmiths on staff, perfect for reproducing the 1920's ironwork found in this house.

The same window sill as above

So by the time of the Monte Vista Homes tour, for which the Willsons graciously opened their house, the home looked as beautiful as the day it was built. People touring assumed that the moldings and flooring and millwork from us and the ironwork from Mandarin studios was all original and had no idea of all the work and sweat that the Willsons put into the project.

Steven has a much better appreciation for the costs involved and he and his insurance company can protect you and your historic home from whatever might come. We can write reports for the insurance estimators of what materials were used in a house before there's ever a claim so that IF something happens you know that you're covered for the original excellent quality that made you crazy enough to buy that house in the first place. 

Mike Daniels, realtor who also showed his own house on the tour can find you that special historic property.

And me....no one will know I was there.

But wait...is that a house in Monte Vista on "Top-Chef Texas"?! I know that house! We provided lots of reproduction moldings for that place! Charlize Theron?! and our baseboard and chairrail?..... This momentary brush with fame has suddenly given my life meaning.

and Charlize...if you're still in town....call me! 

Posted by JR on 18th January, 2012 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: reproduction moldings, restoration millwork, monte vista homes tour

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