This month we held DIY classes for kids and ladies in Hood River, Pendleton and Friday Harbor! We made mason bee houses, hanging planters, picket frames and rustic tea shelves that everyone got to take home. Check out our Projects page to make your own by clicking on each photo for instructions.
Wow, what a month of DIY classes! We traveled to Hood River, The Dalles and Pendleton, Oregon for kids and ladies DIY classes at Tum-A-Lum Lumber and to Friday Harbor, Washington for our first ever kids and ladies DIY classes at Browne’s Home Center. This month’s classes included picket frames, address planters and mason bee houses to support our native pollinators. Check out the photos below and the DIY Projects tab for guides to make your own!
We had yet another successful women’s woodworking series at Gorge MakerSpace this spring. Projects included cutting boards, serving trays, stools, shelving, tables, and hat and coat rack. Stay tuned for our next series coming this fall!
We were so excited to hold our first ever ladies DIY class at Tum-A-Lum Lumber in Pendleton, OR! 35 ladies joined us in making address planters out of cedar and customized with their own address numbers. Then on Sunday we had 30+ kids join us to build wood duck houses out of cedar as well. So cool to see the kids build something that was as big as some of them!
We had a jam packed weekend with DIY classes at Marson and Marson Lumber in Cle Elum and Leavenworth this weekend. Over 50 women and kids learned and refined their woodworking skills! The ladies built address planters and learned the awesomeness of the Kreg jig for pocket holes. The kids built toolboxes and then loaded up with snacks for their projects at home! We can’t wait for the next round of classes in September!
We kicked off our 2019 kids DIY classes at Tum-A-Lumber with a cool block lamp project in Hood River and Pendleton this past weekend. All together, 55 kids designed and built their very own lamps with 1” blocks! You can learn how to build your own lamp by checking out our DIY Projects page. Check our upcoming classes here!
Check out this video we made with Tum-A-Lum Lumber about our upcoming DIY classes this year!
February sure was a snowy month for us in the Gorge. But that didn’t stop us from making! 12 women honed in their woodworking skills and built new friendships. So cool to see the variety of projects that kept us on our toes! Our next series is coming up soon at Gorge MakerSpace on Tuesday nights April 23rd-May 14th. Spots are filling quickly so sign up soon! Here’s the link. :)
We are excited to offer our next Intro to Woodworking for Women series in February! Participants will build confidence and friendships while learning basic skills and tool safety to design and build their own projects. Space is limited to 12 participants and you can register by clicking the flyer above. We hope to make things with you real soon!
Green Building. Sustainability. LEED. EPS. HERS. Net-Zero Energy. Passive House. High Performance. All buzzwords in the home building industry. But what do they mean and why should you care?
If you are a home builder or have ever had a home built or remodeled, then you know there are many options in design, materials and methods. Building code provides the minimum standard for home building that is always evolving to advance building practices. Today’s advanced building practices become tomorrow’s code. Certifications like LEED, Net-Zero and Passive House as well as scoring tools such as EPS and HERS showcase homes currently being built better than code. They all have different checklists and options but similarly define how a home relates to its site, use of local and renewable materials, indoor air quality, water efficiency, energy efficiency & renewable energy. Energy modeling and diagnostic testing with equipment such as blower doors and duct blasters measure the home’s performance and enable comparison of efficiency similar to the miles per gallon ratings of vehicles. Home buyers cause use this information to estimate annual operating costs and carbon footprint. Home builders can use these certifications and scoring tools to differentiate themselves in the market, take advantage of utility incentives and stay up to date with building practices. Better built homes are durable, affordable, comfortable, healthy and energy efficient.
More insulation: R-49+ attic, R23+ walls, R-30+ floors
Air sealing: <4 ACH50 (air changes per hour at 50 pascals)
Windows: U-0.25 or better
Whole home mechanical ventilation: ERV/HRV = Energy Recovery Ventilator/Heat Recovery Ventilator
Moisture sensing ventilation fans
Smart Thermostats
95%+ AFUE ECM gas furnace or 10 HSPF 14 SEER+ electric ductless mini split system
95%+ tankless gas water heater or 2.4 UEF electric heat pump water heater
100% high efficiency lighting
Take a look inside an energy efficient EPS home. Features: Zip System R-sheathing, Rain screen system, BIB wall insulation, Air sealing measures, Mitsubishi ductless mini split system, Efficient gas tankless water heater, 100% efficient lighting
