Spring Projects To Enhance Your Curb Appeal

Spring has arrived & everyone is headed outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. Make your home stand out from the rest this spring with these top projects that enhance curb appeal:

Installing a New Front Door
The first thing people notice about your house is your front door, however, most homeowners overlook it completely. This spring, give your front entryway the care it deserves by installing a new style by ThermaTru. Whether fiberglass or steel, these premium entryways are truly unique and uncompromising in every detail.

Updating Porch Railing
Not only is updating your porch railing great for safety, but it also adds new life to your property. Simply upgrade your classic wood railing or replace it with more modern, bold styles by Trex, and in a single afternoon, your front porch will feel like an entirely new space. For even more curb appeal, consider installing any of Trex’s railing lighting features, so that the beauty and use of your porch can last well beyond sunset.

Refreshing Siding and Trim
Nothing can age a house quite like cracked, warped, or faded siding and trim. This spring, refresh your home with new siding and trim from LP SmartSide. Made up of engineered materials, this new siding and trim will make your home more durable, efficient, and beautiful than ever before.

Replacing Windows
Over time, the parts of your window can become damaged, warp, or break. Maybe you don’t like how your current windows look – the color is fading, the window material is warping or old screens or storm windows are dated & out of style. Marvin Windows takes special pride in the beauty and the details of all their products. And as an industry leader in color, materials and hardware choices you don’t have to compromise to get an upgraded look or to match existing windows or styles.

From replacing windows on the front of your house to updating that old siding, a little time and effort invested in your home this spring will go a long way to add some much needed curb appeal.

To learn more visit Maze Lumber today!

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MAZE LUMBER

1100 Water Street

P.O. Box 449

Peru, IL 61354
Phone: 815-223-1742

Fax: 815-223-1752

Hours:

Monday-Friday: 7:30AM - 4:30PM

Saturday: 8:00AM - 12:00Noon

Sunday: Closed

Benefits of Composite Decking vs. Wood Decking

Even though its been 30 degrees in April, believe it or not, summer is right around the corner in the Illinois Valley! That means extra time to spend outside on your deck! However, if you are like a lot of homeowners, there is a good chance your deck could use an upgrade before the season to come. If the boards on your existing deck are looking a bit worn - and the foundation and deck framing system are sound - you can simply replace the walking surfaces and deck railings with composite decking and railing. After all, your time outdoors shouldn’t be spent sanding, scraping and staining – it should be spent sitting on your deck enjoying the view. It's an ideal way to save time and money, while enjoying all of the benefits of composite over wood.

Composite decking is a type of lumber material that is made up of wood, plastic, and binding agents, and is best known for its many benefits, which include:

Low Maintenance Costs

While traditional wood decking requires staining, sanding, or painting throughout the year, composite decking comes prefinished, and only needs cleaned occasionally with soap and water. Plus, composite decking costs less than regular wood decking over the course of its lifespan, since it is resistant to mold, insects, and other decay, helping it to stay in peak condition for longer.

Environmentally Friendly Features

Most composite decking is made with recycled materials – both wood and plastic – cutting down on waste needed to give you your perfect deck. Not to mention, composite decking is toxin-free, ensuring both you and your home are healthy for a lifetime.

Safety

Thanks to the same long-lasting technology that makes composite decking resistant to decay, this durable material also will not crack or splinter, helping your deck to stay strong and comfortable.

Style

Featuring intricate streaks and grain patterns, composite decking reflects the natural beauty of real wood with ease. 

Available in a number of shades, composite decking can even display the same beauty as exotic woods for less cost and hassle.

This summer, opt for a deck that will not only look great, but also be an investment you can count on for years to come by using composite materials. Growing in popularity, composite decking is the best way to ensure the outdoor living space you’ve always dreamed of.

Visit Maze Lumber today to view displays and samples of brands like Trex, Timbertech, Azek, and more!

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MAZE LUMBER

1100 Water Street

P.O. Box 449

Peru, IL 61354
Phone: 815-223-1742

Fax: 815-223-1752

Hours:

Monday-Friday: 7:30AM - 4:30PM

Saturday: 8:00AM - 12:00Noon

Sunday: Closed

20 Service Ideas for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a "day on, not a day off." The MLK Day of Service calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community."

Join forces with your family, friends, or a local organization and try one of these 20 day of service ideas! 

1. Host a Teddy Bear and Friends Drive
Collect stuffed animals then donate to a homeless shelter for new arrivals. Your local police or fire station might accept this type of donation as well. A teddy bear can bring comfort to children in times of distress.

2. Make Hygiene Kits for the Homeless
Homeless people struggle to obtain basic necessities to wash their hands and brush their teeth. Organize your group to collect hotel samples or purchase travel-sized items from a dollar store to complete the kits.

3. Safe Passage to School
School crossing guards are not always available at all schools. Work with community and school leaders to increase safe routes for kids to walk and ride a bike to school.

4. Green Thumbs Unite
Work with community leaders to adopt a monument. Plant a community garden around it and monitor your plants throughout the year.

5. Remember Service Men & Women
Send care packages to deployed troops, veterans, and wounded soldiers. Write a letter of gratitude for their service, and include snack and personal care items. Check out Operation Gratitude and Give 2 The Troopsorganizations to learn where to send your care packages.

6. Best Face Forward
Collect unused make-up, perfume, and other cosmetics for a center for abused women.

7. Fight Childhood Diseases
Work together with your local health department to set up an immunization day or clinic to immunize children against childhood diseases. Help promote the event, pitch in to set up, and assist with administrative work.

8. Bring A Smile to the Homeless
Fill a pair of new socks with granola bars and bottles of water to give to homeless men and women you pass on the street.

9. Pitch In For the Elderly
Organize your group to rake leaves, shovel snow, or do housework for elderly neighbors. If you don’t have an elderly neighbor, consider a senior citizens neighborhood community.

10. Adopt A Park
Decide on a park to adopt. Grab some trash bags and pick up trash to beautify the park. Getting outside to care for the environment is a great way spend a few hours.

11. Care for Furry Ones
Volunteer at an animal shelter to help clean up, play with the animals, groom animals, and walk the dogs. Your time spent here will make the shelter a nicer environment for the furry residents.

12. Donate Old Linens to an Animal Shelter
Linen closets are often overloaded with too many worn out items. Donate old bath towels, blankets, and sheets to your local animal shelter. These household items are used for bedding, clean up, and keeping the animals warm.

13. Read to Senior Citizens
Aging eyes can make it difficult to read fine print. Volunteer to read letters, newspapers, or magazines to residents in a local nursing home.

14. Book Collection
Collect used magazines, paperbacks, and novels to donate to prisons, jails, and shelters. These places are often overlooked when a group is hosting a book drive, but books are so needed at these community places.

15. Recycle Old Athletic Shoes
Sneakers can be transformed into sports surfaces like running tracks, baseball fields, and basketball courts. Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program has ground down more than 28 millions pairs of shoes turning them into more than 450,000 sports surfaces around the world. Donate collected sneakers at a Nike Store near you.

16. Collect Eyeglasses
Many nonprofit organizations collect old glasses and repurpose them by sending them to people in need. OneSight and Lions Clubs International are two organizations helping in this worthy cause. Research online which group has a location closer to you.

17. Stand Up Against Hunger
People struggle with hunger every day. Collect non-perishable food items from neighbors, family and friends and donate to your local food bank. Before collecting items, check out your local food bank’s website to see what items are accepted.

18. Toy Drive
Gather used baby and toddler toys from friends, family, and neighbors. Donate these items to a nearby church, synagogue, mosque, or temple for their youngest members.

19. Help A Child To Read
Become a literacy volunteer to tutor children at your local library or at an afterschool program. It’s worthy of your time to help a child learn one of the most essential life skills.

20. Host A Bake-Off
Hit the kitchen and bake up a pile of goodies. Deliver to local police and fire stations as a way of thanking them for their community service.

You can make a big difference by giving a day of volunteering in your community.

Tell us how you plan to serve!

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MAZE LUMBER

1100 Water Street

P.O. Box 449

Peru, IL 61354
Phone: 815-223-1742

Fax: 815-223-1752

Hours:

Monday-Friday: 7:30AM - 4:30PM

Saturday: 8:00AM - 12:00Noon

Sunday: Closed