Throughout the ages, wood has been a raw material. The first peoples made shelters using wood and animal skins. The first tools were made of wood and the first hunting spears were wooden. Dating back to Neolithic times, bowls and plates carved from wood have been found, as have wooden idols. In some Egyptian tombs, ancient wooden chairs have been preserved. In some cultures, coffins were carved from the trunks of trees.

In this country, the Native American tepees were made on a wood frame, and their canoes were, at first, hollowed out tree trunks. Later, some built a lightweight wooden frame, probably of cedar, covered with bark sewn together with tree roots, and sealed with a mixture of sap and fats. Of course, the paddles were made of wood.

Some of the most beautiful homes built by the pilgrims and other immigrants used wood from trees growing in the settled areas. The inlaid designs in the furniture and floors certainly indicate the high level of expertise of the builders. Early settlers in the west built log cabins, and even today, log cabins are being built in some parts of the country. Some of the so-called log cabins, however, that people are having built, mostly for vacation homes, are built with planks of wood, rather than whole logs. These early settlers also built their own furniture and fashioned some interesting dolls and toys from wood, some of which have become prized family heirlooms, collector’s items, or are being copied today by talented wood workers to please more children.

Of course, everyone knows that early ships were built of wood. Early Egyptians knew how to take planks of wood, hold them together with treenails and use pitch to caulk the seams. The first mast may have been two wooden poles lashed together at the top to make a triangular shape, to which a single sail was attached. Although this was basically a sailing ship, it could be propelled by human power with oars.

Different groups designed their ships differently, but for a long time, all would be made of wood. Some of the most beautiful model ships are replicas of the early sailing ships. The craftsmen who build these models to scale use some of the most beautiful woods.

In modern homes, wood is prized. Hardwood floors are more desirable than cheap wood covered by carpet, solid wood furniture costs more, but it is chosen by those who can afford it. One sometimes sees occasional tables made from a slice of a large tree trunk. It’s fun to count the annual rings which indicate the age at which the tree was cut. There are innumerable ways in which wood is used, but one seldom stops to think of what nature provided.

Doreen Archer is writer and administrator for Bizilee.com, which specializes in jewelry, gifts, and accessories [http://www.bizilee.com].

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In pole barn construction the posts (the verticals, also called poles) and the beams (the horizontal structures) are typically exposed. Traditionally the posts and beams were attached to each other with mortise and tendon joints, but now metal fittings connect them. Old-fashioned barn raising involved gathering the community to raise the post and beam structure. It was a great system for building settlements in the New World.

Twenty-first century pole buildings arrive at the building site in pieces, ready to be erected by a team of workers. Manufacturers of pole building kits provide all the hardware, lumber, siding, roofing, and accessories needed for the desired size and style of building. Blueprints, elevations and perspective drawings, and detailed specifications make it easy for contractors and do-it-yourselfers to put the kit together. Customers can choose different types of siding, roofing, windows, and hardware.

Manufacturers offer both standard and custom-designed kits, any of which are delivered in one or two loads within a month or so of ordering. But the manufacturers’ roles aren’t over once the kits are delivered; they continue to provide practical assistance to the builders in case problems arise during construction.

Customary uses of modern pole barn and garage building kits include one-, two-, and three-car garages; barns; warehouses; machine sheds; horse stalls; indoor riding arenas; and run-in sheds. For storage, nothing surpasses a pole building. It’s not uncommon for customers to erect a pole building for storage with the intention of using it for other purposes (play areas, offices, etc.) in the future when they can afford it.

Pole barn packages are part of the growing movement to find alternative to on-site stick building. Along with log cabin kits, modular buildings, and mobile homes, pole building kits provide relatively inexpensive ways to erect residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial structures. In addition, they minimize wood waste, limit destruction to building sites, and provide a much more efficient use of labor because there is no waiting around for supplies, lumber, or hardware. And, because each barn building kit is customized, customers pay only for what they want.

Most children play at building, starting with Lincoln Logs, going onto LEGO, and then graduating to sophisticated models and real-life tree houses and playhouses. It seems as if putting things together to make structures is a natural human instinct. With pole barn kits adults can continue to expand their desire to create shelter, whether they choose to erect the buildings themselves from the kits or hire someone to do the work. In either case, customers get the pleasure of seeing the building they need built on their property quickly, efficiently, and cost effectively.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Pole Barn Kits [http://www.apmbuildings.com].

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There are some very practical, low-cost ways to make your home run more efficiently and save money every month on electricity and heating bills, while reducing your total impact on the earth. Let’s get started!

Get your home tested: Almost any home would benefit from receiving a home energy audit. Whether you do one yourself or have a professional walk through your space, it’ll help you pinpoint areas where you can improve to make your home more energy efficient. The test usually covers your home’s exterior, including foundation, roofing, windows, doors, and percentage of exposed walls, and then considers the interior systems, such home heating and cooling, appliances, water fixtures, electronics, lighting, and more. When you’re done, take the plan and start to make improvements. You may even find that federal and municipal incentives and tax rebates exist to defray the costs of any retrofits.

Add timers to appliances: You can reduce your energy consumption by ensuring appliances are only working when they’re required. For instance, installing a programmable thermostat can cut heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent, saving close to $150 every year for some homes. You can also install a timer on your water heater to program it to heat water only when it’s most needed. Another common place for timers is for lighting. Simple timers that turn lights on and off at pre-set times every day can help to prevent you accidentally leaving lights on after you exit a room. And motion sensors can be used to automatically turn lights off in closets, garages, and backyards so that you’re not running them when no one’s around.

Dial down for savings: Many appliances can be dialled down to cut energy consumption. Turn the temperature setting down a couple of degrees on both your furnace and water heater during cold weather without losing comfort-you’ll see the difference on your energy bill. Raise the temperature on your air conditioner a degree or two, too, during hot weather. Your home may not be as chilly, but you’ll likely still live within your comfort limits. Make similar adjustments with other appliances such as your refrigerator and freezer to see additional savings.

Upgrade your lighting:  If you haven’t yet, go out and get yourself some compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) to use throughout your home. Contrary to their flickery, yellow ancestors, today’s CFLs are much improved and come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. They do cost more upfront than conventional incandescent bulbs, but they generally pay for themselves in a couple of months or a year. And since they last much longer, you’ll also be changing bulbs less frequently. Just be sure to recycle them when they burn out to ensure proper containment of the tiny amount of mercury they contain. LEDs (light-emitting diode) bulbs are another great option since they’re even more efficient and longer-lasting than CFLs. And they can be used for more than your holiday decorations-think landscape lighting, task lamps, and more.

Find out more:

· US EPA Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Audit

· Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency

Kate Williams is a wellness coach and health educator. See more of her articles and information about “green” topics especially creating non-toxic homes at Safe Clean for Kids. http://www.Safe-Clean-For-Kids.com Contact: kate@Safe-Clean-for-Kids.com and 1-866-567-1587 (toll free).

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Shipping containers have become a daily use for most of the people. There are many organizations as well as individuals who go for steel cargo containers. There are different reasons for different individuals or organizations when it comes to their use of containers. No two individual has the same taste and visions in life. So, they too have different views on different aspects. There might be individuals who go for buying shipping containers in terms of business. So let us have a look at the top 6 new uses for shipping containers.

1) Saving the loading time

When you go for purchasing your own container, you will have the opportunity in loading the container at your required location that you wish. Not only this, but you can also go for loading on your own time frame. There might be situations where you have a project that needs to gather donated goods and that too in a period of time. In this case you can always go for using a container. This would help in saving a lot of time.

2) Security

When you buy a portable containers, you can keep all your goods at a much safety place. This would also help a lot in securing your goods in the best place. You would find that there are many charitable organizations that go for donating goods to the other areas of the world without much security. In this case it would be best for you if you had your own storage container which would allow you to keep all these goods in a secured place. So, if you are looking for security of your goods, steel cargo containers come in handy.

3) Space

With the use of containers you can save a lot of space. So, you can go for utilizing the space for some other uses. This is another reason why there are individuals that go for using shipping containers.

4) Easy to use

Shipping containers are very easy to use. Unlike other containers it does not require lot of effort in cleaning them.

5) Shipping options

You can go for shipping with any shipping line when you go for buying shipping containers. In this way you can get to negotiate the best possible rate of shipping. You can get to use the shipping line to ship when you go for negotiation for the best possible rate of shipping.

6) Helps in cases of natural disasters

Nobody can forecast natural disaster. So, the victims of natural disasters get to suffer a lot. In this case, there are people who lose their homes as well as all their possessions. They feel lucky that they are alive but importantly they need a place where they can live in. So, in this case emergency housing like metal shipping containers have been provided to provide temporary housing for them.

So, you have seen that there are many uses for shipping containers. You can definitely go for shipping containers as it would help you in all aspects.

Mobile Mini offers a wide range of portable storage and on site storage for your next construction project. Mobile Mini Steel storage containers work perfect. You can find Mobile Mini Location all over the US Canada and the UK Mobile Mini can answer all your storage containers questions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Camino

The shipping containers are stacked, painted and customized to form the outer structure of the houses. Glass ceilings, walls and windows add light and give the structures a very bright and airy look.

The Shelburne Museum, located in Vermont, features a Collectors House designed by interior designer Albert Hadley and architect Adam Kalkin. It was created by using 3 overseas shipping crates that make a very striking house. The building features glass garage doors, a large patio area, living space, bedrooms and a full sized kitchen.

Adam Kalkin has designed houses out of shipping containers before, but his last one is actually a luxury dwelling for the rich. He unveiled his creation at the Art Basel Miami Beach art show in December 2005 and the attendants were surprised to see lavish furnishings and a beautifully designed interior inside a shipping container. The project has the interesting title of “Push-Button House” because it can be loaded in the back of a truck to be moved and it opens up like a Murphy bed to expose the interior.

Jennifer Seigal is another architect that uses shipping containers to create beautiful living spaces. One example is the Seatrain house she built for real estate developer Richard Carlson, equipped with all utilities and featuring an indoor fountain. She indicates that these houses are much less costly to build than the traditional ones, and that they are very modern looking and can be customized to the individual needs of the buyer.

While the use of shipping containers for shelter is not new, the thought of making architectural statements and unique creations is. Architects strive to create a feeling of openness, light and beauty using the prefab shipping containers as the foundation.

Although his Push-Button house is only an experimental project, Mr. Kalkin has built houses that he intends to make available to the public, like his Quik House. He currently has orders for ten. These modern prefab houses are made from five shipping containers and are then loaded on a truck and delivered to the buyer. It takes less than a week to reassemble them on location. The Quik House sells for between 150 to 175 thousand dollars, depending on the distance to deliver the house and the options that the client chooses. There are many different options, including mahogany sliding doors and a full stainless steel kitchen.

In addition to this deluxe version of a prefab home Mr. Kalkin is also planning on selling a single shipping container living space called an A-Pod. This will be equivalent to a studio apartment, and will sell for under $100,000.00.

Humanitarian issues

Most architects have noted that the prefab shipping container habitat is ideal for setting up in emergency situations and for humanitarian needs. These very structurally sound and durable homes can be moved easily on the back of trucks and can be loaded and unloaded numerous times with no damage or need for repairs. They can be moved virtually anywhere there is a road and it is easy to hook up plumbing and electrical connections to the outside of the shipping container.

They are very dry, leak resistant and easy to care for. They can be insulated to keep out the cold and, despite being metal, are reported to be easy to cool even in hot climates. The shipping container homes are virtually fire resistant and can be easily cleaned or painted if necessary.

While a shipping container home may not have been an option you had previously considered, it might be something to ponder in the future. The sky is the limit to using your imagination in designing your very own low cost prefab home.

Cornelia Myers believes that shipping containers can make viable and comfortable houses. Visit http://www.Shipping-Container-Housing.com to find out how to build a house from shipping containers and how much it costs and to learn more about the companies that provide design services for shipping container housing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cornelia_Myers

But before you make the choice to construct your very own container home, there are a few things you should consider. Just because container homes are becoming very popular with the green building set doesn’t necessarily mean that you should make the plunge yourself. You need to think about your personal needs, your financial situation, and local building codes before you make the investment of building your own container home.

First, you need to realize that a shipping container home is definitely not a traditional house. This may seem obvious, but it’s an important factor to consider. Even though homes built out of cargo containers seem really cool now, you may find that the novelty wears off after a few years. Any home is a long-term investment, so you need to be absolutely sure that you are happy with your potential living situation before you invest thousands of dollars into it. Even though container homes are a smart, eco-friendly choice, you may find yourself yearning for the comforts of a traditional home after a while. Also, consider your space needs before you start construction. If you have a big family, or just want a lot of bedrooms, you may need multiple shipping containers to have the house of your dreams. This requires a lot more work and customization than homes that only use one cargo container.

Next, think about the total costs associated with building a cargo container home. Shipping containers by themselves are relatively cheap, but it takes a lot of time and labor to transform it into a cozy home. You will also need to ship the container to your building site, which might be more expensive than you think. Foundation work also needs to be done, which tacks on extra cost. Before you purchase a shipping container for your new home, consult with a knowledgeable building contractor who can accurately calculate your total cost. An even better option is to work with a company that specializes in cargo container architecture. They will have an expert opinion on everything you will need to do, and they might even be able to sell you a container for your home and make all of the modifications you need ahead of time. By dealing with one company, you can be sure of what all of your costs will be, since you will not need to reconcile quotes from different vendors and contractors.

And most importantly, you will need to consult with local authorities to make sure your new container home meets all local building codes. Some communities simply won’t allow homes constructed out of shipping containers. If this is the case, you may be out of luck, but it’s much better to find out before you invest money or begin construction. Check all applicable state and local building codes before you buy materials or hire contractors. Pay special attention to building codes related to building homes using steel, since this is the most likely restriction you will find on shipping container homes. Also, when you consult your local building office, make sure that you have a specific house plan in mind before you ask for approval. If you just say that you want to build a cargo container home, you might get a quick rejection. However, if you prove that you have a specific, well thought out plan for a home, you are more likely to convince local authorities that your proposed project is up to code.

These considerations should not dissuade you from building a shipping container home. They are cheap, efficient, and environmentally friendly structures that can make a unique home. But, as in all major projects, it’s very important to take into account all of the snags that could come your way. By planning ahead, you can make sure that your cargo container home project gets done right.

Hank Steele writes for Shipping Containers Sale, a website specializing in information about the sale, purchase, and creative uses of shipping containers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hank_Steele

The idea is to convert the rectangular boxes into viable homes. The benefits are that they are extremely sturdy and surpass all building codes in terms of rigidity and strength. They can withstand hurricane force winds and are excellent tornado shelters when placed underground. The main concerns would be getting the plans past the building department. There is a new uniform building code for shipping container homes beginning to work its way around the industry though, so passing code could be more easily achieved.

Many people will run away from the idea entirely because initially, they aren’t that compelling to look at. Yes, aesthetics are a problem by most standards, but you can modify them using a little vision and creativity, transforming them into architectural marvels. It does take some getting used to the idea of making a home from shipping containers, but the benefits outweigh the detriments by far!

You would be surprised at the utilization of the shipping containers. There is even a massive 4.5 acre residential project where containers will be used to make a multi-story condo complex in Salt Lake City, Utah! Yes, the idea is more mainstream than ever before, especially given the recent global awareness of greenhouse gases and global warming; not to mention the gas prices we all suffered through.

There are companies sprouting up that are taking containers and converting them into homes. Which means that this approach to greener building methods is accessible to all. Expensive? They are far more affordable than conventionally built homes.

RK Yates

http://containerist.com

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