A multigenerational remodel opens a new chapter in Oregon
Battling the Elements Comes with Living in Oregon
From the use of Douglas-fir softwood plywood sheathing in the walls to placement of Armorite® Exterior Trim around outdoor windows, doors, fascia and corners, the homeowners chose weather-resistant wood products best suited for standing the test of time.
Douglas-fir plywood sheathing panels have greater moisture resistance than southern pine and radiata pine, which means less swelling, warping, or delamination that degrade the panel’s strength. As an APA-graded Group 1 plywood, it is also subjected to more rigorous testing and quality control measures during production, which helps ensure stability. RigidCoat® underlayment, with its water-resistant coating and helped weather the Oregon winter and spring until the structure could be closed in.
Outdoors, Armorite® Exterior Trim frames exterior cladding on the two-story home. With both smooth and wood-grain textures it’s fully reversible and engineered to resist moisture, rot, decay and termites. In addition, the product is easy to cut, fasten and install.
Add in the fact that Armorite® Exterior Trim is manufactured with 90.5% pre-consumer recycled content entirely comprised of softwood fiber, Devin and Scott’s preference for using sustainable products in their reimagined home was reinforced.
“The sustainable features of wood products are important to me. I have roots in Oregon (not to mention I hold degrees in Sustainability and Renewable Materials from Oregon State University),’’ says Devin.
Over five years, Scott and Devin built a cozy life for themselves and their two dogs, Remy and Mak, in a single-story, 3-bedroom 2-bath home in Oregon with a big front yard garden and a big backyard for the dogs. But when Scott’s mother moved in during the COVID pandemic, meeting her power chair mobility needs and improvising at-home workspaces quickly became unsustainable.
Challenge: Finding a larger, affordable home that met their requirements in an already tricky housing market proved elusive; they knew anything they purchased would likely need immediate accessibility improvements and modifications for multi-generational living. Plus, they loved their neighborhood and wanted to stay. After analyzing their options, the couple decided to lean into each other’s creativity and a family skilled in the trades to add a second story and fully transform their 30-year-old home.
For Devin and Scott, an open floor plan for the first floor of their reconfigured home was non-negotiable – and sustainably produced engineered wood was a critical ingredient for that design requirement.
RigidLam® LVL beams allowed for the large, open concept spaces, which was perfect for the downstairs ADA requirements of the project without the need for columns in the middle of any rooms. Additionally, supporting LVL columns in the walls and by the stairs were specified over dimensional lumber for added strength and durability.
Lightweight RFPI® Joists used to frame the second floor of Devin and Scott’s home provided plenty of space to run wires and plumbing with ease, while adding stability that eliminates bounce in the floor.
Solution: Working with the home’s original builder (from 1994), the family devised a plan to more than double their home’s size – from ~1,300- to ~2,800 square feet – reimagine the downstairs flow for accessibility, make room for a stairway, include separate living/work spaces, customize the kitchen, and more.
For Devin, a strategic marketing manager at Roseburg Forest Products, specifying Roseburg’s engineered wood, Armorite Trim, softwood plywood, and lumber for structural integrity, weather resistance and design aesthetics was a key requirement in architectural planning.
After two years of scheming and floorplan refinement, demolition and foundation reinforcement began in September 2023. With the help of family members experienced in the trades, the couple overcame Oregon rainstorms, a ceiling collapse and unanticipated complete plumbing and electrical retrofits to give shape to their dreams. The use of RigidLam® LVL, RigidRim® Rimboard and RFPI® Joists provided strength and span flexibility, enabling an open floor plan downstairs, while Douglas-fir lumber ensured stable and problem-free framing.
Roseburg Douglas-fir softwood plywood and RigidCoat® underlayment, thanks to its water-resistant coating, helped the project to weather rain during the build cycle, and Armorite® Exterior Trim was used on corners as well as around windows and doors for its attractive, modern wood grain finish and to provide additional resistance to Oregon’s infamous elements.
Results: Nearly a year later, the family moved back into their reimagined and accessible home in July 2024. Replete with customized amenities – including a ramped entry, 3-foot doorways, and a roll-in shower, – the home boasts solar tubes to draw in more natural light, a built-in dog gate, a mudroom, improved insulation and tailored spaces that support work, mobility and livability.
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Watch a time-lapse of construction:
All Inspirations