Home Shows are an event designed for homeowners in all stages of remodeling, landscaping and decorating their homes. Each event includes hundreds of home improvement and landscaping exhibits with product demonstrations and sample interior and exterior vignettes. With a combination of new products and expert advice from the pros, the Home Show inspires homeowners with countless ideas on enhancing their home’s comfort and functionality, as well as its aesthetic appeal and overall value.

Who should attend?

Whether you are a new homeowner, or someone who has lived in your home for years, anyone with an interest in updating, enhancing, or creating a new look or amenity for their home will enjoy the Home Show.

Why should you attend?

Hi everyone.  My name is Terry Henrie.  I have been with Kodiak Mountain Stone since August of 2008.  I started in the Cardston office working the Reception and Order desk.  Kodiak has been growing and expanding since my first day and after about 6 months I moved into the Administration Manager position which I really enjoy.  I get to work with everyone on our team.

Now a little about myself.  I grew up in Southern Alberta going to school in Cardston and then moving to Calgary where I attended SAIT.   I have lived most of my life in Northern Alberta except for short periods of time in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota, Maryland, Illinois, and Oregon. I really enjoyed the travel and have come to love the beauty of Canada and United States.   I am part of a blended family with 9 children, 18 grandchildren and happily anticipating 3 more babies this spring (2012).   I have always worked in an office learning several different industries: insurance, banking, college, mental health, addiction recovery and now enjoying Kodiak Mountain Stone.  Before coming to Kodiak, I had retired from my 13 year job as Business Manager at the Northern Addictions Centre in Grande Prairie, Alberta.  Retirement was great as it allowed me to travel with my husband as he worked around the continent.  After 3 years we decided it was time to stay home closer to family and that is when I joined the Kodiak team.

He became certified in California as a CPA while working for a Big 4 accounting firm, and after moving home to Cardston (not long before joining Kodiak) also became certified as a Chartered Accountant. He and his wife, Jacki, have three kids aged seven, five, and four.

1. Lose Weight: The holidays is a time for not only family, but to take advantage of all the sweets on the dessert table. Lose the weight and guilt by mapping out a specific exercise and eating plan.

2. Recycle more: Keep the Earth green by managing your carbon footprint and thinking twice when tossing your plastic water bottle in the trash rather than the recycling bin.

3. Quit Smoking: It’s costly and to some, unattractive. Lose the habit and become healthier.

4. Save Money: Don’t overspend on material things. Have something to show for your purchases because it will all pay off in the end.

5. Get a better job: Having a job you love means enjoying waking up every morning. If a change is what you need, do it!

6. Manage Stress: Stressed out? Take a walk or find something that helps you handle that overwhelmed feeling.

7. Take a trip: Go somewhere you’ve never been or never thought you would end up. Pack a light bag and GO.

8. Eliminate Debt: Pay off all your outstanding bills for a debt free beginning, a clean slate.

9. Go back to school: Stop the procrastination, get the degree you always wanted. If needed, save your money and make it happen!

10. Volunteer more: Give back to your community. It will brighten someone else’s day by helping the well-being of those less fortunate.

My grandma taught me everything about Christmas. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: “There is no Santa Claus,” jeered my sister. “Even dummies know that!”

Santa ALWAYS needs a few good helpers – Ho, Ho, Ho!

My grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her world-famous cinnamon buns.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me.

“No Santa Claus!” she snorted. “Ridiculous! Don’t believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let’s go.”

“Go? Go where, Grandma?” I asked. I hadn’t even finished my second cinnamon bun.

“Where” turned out to be Kerby’s General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days.

“Take this money,” she said, “and buy something for someone who needs it. I’ll wait for you in the car.” Then she turned and walked out of Kerby’s.

I was only eight years old. I’d often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church.

I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobbie Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock’s grade-two class. Bobbie Decker didn’t have a coat. I knew that because he never went out for recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough; but all we kids knew that Bobbie Decker didn’t have a cough, and he didn’t have a coat.

I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobbie Decker a coat. I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that. I didn’t see a price tag, but ten dollars ought to buy anything. I put the coat and my ten-dollar bill on the counter and pushed them toward the lady behind it.

She looked at the coat, the money, and me. “Is this a Christmas present for someone?” she asked kindly. “Yes,” I replied shyly. “It’s … for Bobbie. He’s in my class, and he doesn’t have a coat.” The nice lady smiled at me. I didn’t get any change, but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons, and write, “To Bobbie, From Santa Claus” on it … Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy.

Then she drove me over to Bobbie Decker’s house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa’s helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie’s house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk.

Suddenly, Grandma gave me a nudge. “All right, Santa Claus,” she whispered, “get going.”

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his doorbell twice and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobbie. He looked down, looked around, picked up his present, took it inside and closed the door.

Forty years haven’t dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my grandma, in Bobbie Decker’s bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: Ridiculous!

Santa was alive and well … AND WE WERE ON HIS TEAM!

Merry Christmas from the Kodiak Mountain Team!

All natural and manufactured stones are porous since they are made up of countless interconnected capillary pores through which liquids and gases can move (YES…Natural stone is porous too!).  These porous materials act like a “hard sponge” and actually suck in liquids over time, along with any dissolved salts and other minerals.

What exactly is a sealer?

A sealer is a liquid applied to porous surfaces such as concrete, natural and manufactured stone, or tile, to prevent staining (efflorescence & spalling) from either water or oil-based materials. A sealer reduces the natural absorbency of a stone or material.

Modern stone sealers are divided into 2 types:

Topical sealers

Sometimes a topical sealer is referred to as a coating because this is exactly what it does…. coats the surface of your stone with a protective barrier.  It’s a layer or thin film sitting on the surface of your stone. Generally made from polyurethanes or acrylics. These sealers may be effective at stopping stains but, being exposed on the surface of the material, they tend to wear out relatively quickly, especially on high-traffic areas on driveways etc, and typically need to be removed before a new coat can be applied.  These sealers are typically not breathable, and are not effective against salt attack such as efflorescence and spalling.    

Impregnating sealers (Our Favorites!)

These are a type of penetrating sealer, which penetrate deeply into the material, impregnating it with molecules which bond to the capillary pores and repels water and / or oils from within the material. Most impregnating sealers impregnate deeply enough to protect against salt attack such as efflorescence and spalling.   A good depth of sealer is also essential for protection from weathering and traffic.

Kodiak Mountain Stone  initially will be offering two  Acrylic Sealers to our customers for application on natural and manufactured stone applications.

Matte Look Finish VS Wet Look Finish

GEMKOTE 400 (Solvent-based Acrylic Sealer)

GemKote™ is an aromatic acrylic sealer that can be applied to almost any surface: concrete, tile, cementitious overlays, natural stone, manufactured stone, and much more. Use GemKote™ for a gloss finish as well as for its UV and stain protection (efflorescence protection).

-          Non-yellowing

-          “Wet-look” finish

-          Interior/exterior use (If applied inside….do it in a well-ventilated area)

-          Can be applied with a brush or sprayed on.

-          Enhances color

-          Available in full matte finish that enhances color without “wet-look” finish.

-          Packaging in 1-gallon, 5-gallon, and 55-gallon quantities.

-          Coverage – 150-200 SF per gallon

DRI-LOOK (Water-based Acrylic Sealer)

Concrete Coatings, Inc. Dri-Look™ Masonry Sealer is designed specifically for brick and manufactured stone surfaces to provide an invisible barrier against water and the elements, yet leave the natural look of these surfaces with no visible sheen. Micronized polymers provide all the necessary protection to extend the life of these surfaces.

-          Water resistant

-          Invisible finish

-          Interior/Exterior finish

-          Can be applied with a brush or sprayed on.

-          No odor or silicone

-          Packaging in 1-gallon, 5-gallon, and 55-gallon quantities.

-          Coverage – 600 SF per gallon (Sprayed)

Improve the Look and Value of your home

While it  may take some special tools, you probably already have the ability to do it yourself. Once you have your surface prepared and ready, installing the stone can actually be a lot of fun. Some smaller projects can be completed within a day or a weekend.

Installing stone can turn the ordinary into something extraordinary or even something that is unique and eye-catching to those around.  A plain brick or stone wall might look boring and cold, but stone can transform it into a naturally beautiful, warm  feature. With modern versions of manufactured stone, installation is easy and totally possible for the average home do-it-yourselfer(even me).

And if you’re concerned that the manufactured stuff might not look as good as real stone, think again  we go to great lengths to make our product look authentic, even up close.

You may require some special tools. Most do-it-yourselfers have a pretty good selection of basic tools on hand. But you’ll need a few not-so-common tools for your manufactured stone installation.

Specifically, you will need a masonry blade for your saw. Most saws are capable of cutting manufactured stone as long as you attach a masonry blade. Depending on where you are installing, you may have to cut the pieces into different sizes or shapes.  A chop/Miter or  circular saw can be used with the proper blade.  A lot of people use a wheelbarrow but I prefer to mix mortar in a bucket to get the mixture right and I don’t have as much waste.

You will also need a trowel to spread the mortar onto the back of the stone piece and for your scratch coat to apply mortar.

Prep Surface

About the only part of the project that might seem like work is the surface preparation. The preparation to me is also the labour intensive part; I like to use a minimum of a 3/8″ plywood for support, but depending on the previous surface there are many options.

Before you start putting up the stone, you may need to add a thin “scratch” coat of mortar(just like a stucco Scratch)  I prefer the surface to be level but not smooth.  I like to use a grout notched trowel to create a better bonding surface. In exterior home areas, you may need to put up a moisture barrier(check local building codes) but definately a metal lathe in your scratch coat to support the weight of the surface. We should be able to help you make the decision of how to proceed.

Placing the stone on the wall is simple and a little like a go as you want jigsaw puzzle.  I like to do 3 or 4 layers of corners then fill in between with flats.  Mixing and matching the stone pieces is like playing with Lego as a kid.  You don’t want vertical joints to line up and you want a nice flow to the pattern of the stone.  Sometimes(mostly always) a woman’s eye can help pick out the right mix of colour and pattern.  I like to put a nice healthy load of mortar on the back of the stone; just like buttering a piece of toast (I call it buttering the stone) but with more mortar… my doctor would kill me if I used that amount of butter!  From there put the “buttered” stone onto the wall and give it a little twist and push to bond into the scratch.

Half the fun of working with manufactured stone is the picking the right profile and colour for your project.  Some styles will require you to have a mortar bag to fill in joints and others will be simply a drystack that has no mortar to fill the gaps.  Whatever your choice is; it can be a simple enjoyable process that allows you to express your taste while improving the look and price of your home.

Blogs seem to be a “Buzz” word on the internet and it is an opportunity to share information and ideas.  We are starting this blog to be both educational and informational to our Customers; our dealers and our staff.  We are going to try to provide you with up to date Product knowledge and current products we are working on as well as events and promotions we are participating in.

We welcome your input as well as discussion and pictures and advice on any projects or products associated with Kodiak Mountain Stone.  We are truly looking for your input and feel free to share as that is important to us.

Any information or pictures can be forwarded to:

blog@KodiakMountain.com

A brick’s color has a lot to do with the region that the brick is made in and the color of the clay found in that region.  The color of clay can be either left alone as seen in many commercial buildings looks, or the look of the front of the brick can be changed by adding a Portland cement mixture of an additional color.  This face color is called a “slurry”.

Some common brick terminology:

• Bond: a pattern in which brick is laid. (a half bond, or a third bond)
• Stretcher: a brick laid horizontally, flat with the long side of the brick exposed on the outer face of a wall.
• Header: a brick laid flat with the short end of the brick exposed.
• Soldier: a brick laid vertically with the narrow (“stretcher”) side exposed.
• Sailor: a brick laid vertically with the broad side exposed.
• Rowlock or Bull Header^[1]: a brick laid on the long, narrow side with the small or “header” side exposed.
• Shiner: a brick laid on the long narrow side with the broad side exposed