Home Zone by Maggie Reed

Finding yourself in a pickle when it comes to space in your home? Josh Weltman of Historic Woodworks in Driggs, Idaho, did.

His unique solution not only saved space, but it also saved wood. Weltman used reclaimed wood from a defunct Wisconsin factory's old pickle vats. He then utilized Johnson Hardware's 2610F Wall Mount Hardware, its 1601 Full Access Folding Door Hardware and the striking wood to add distinctive charm throughout his house.

"I see a valuable resource going to waste, and once you see how gorgeous this old wood is, nothing else even comes close to its beauty," said Weltman.

The philosophy of Historic Woodworks is "Preserving History through Recycling," and the company accomplishes its mission through saving lumber from the American landscape and keeping it out of landfills.

In 2007, 1.3 million tons of wood were reclaimed and repurposed for other uses. In addition, recycled wood products offer credits, if certified in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

Reclaimed lumber also adds personality to a home. Each piece carries its own character and history. In this case, the brine- and vinegar-soaked wood attributed to its wonderfully rich color.

For Weltman, his bathroom and bedroom doors shared the same tight corner. He solved this by hanging each door with Johnson Wall Mount Hardware. By hanging the doors, it allowed them to glide along the outer door and created space.

He also had a problem with the entryway to this laundry room, which was crowded with an adjoining wall and an attached pantry. Weltman solved this issue with Johnson's Full Access Folding Door Hardware. The doors, also made from old pickle vats, could now fold completely out of the entryway and flush with the wall.

Not only does Johnson Hardware free up space, it also helps lower your energy costs by allowing rooms to be zoned.

Zoning helps keep unoccupied rooms at separate temperatures.

Along with lowering your energy costs, this hardware can also decrease the cost of new construction. For every traditional hinged swinging door, 8 to 10 square feet of floor space is lost. Each square foot can cost $80 to $129. If you exchange 10 swinging doors, you can save $8,000 to $12,900 and gain up to 100 square feet of functional space.

Reclaimed wood minimizes our consumption of new timber, conserves landfills, lessens carbon footprints and facilitates the sustainability of our environment all while giving consumers a one-of-a-kind design.

And installation is a breeze for remodelers or experienced do-it-yourselfers, taking an hour per door. Weltman said, "Installation is super easy. That is why I chose Johnson Hardware for every interior door in my home."

Johnson's 2610F Wall Mount Hardware allows doors weighing up to 200 pounds to be mounted to interior walls. The Series 200 Wall Mount Hardware can handle doors weighing up to 300 pounds.

For more information on Johnson Hardware, call 800-837-5664 or visit www.johnsonhardware.com.

Maggie Reed may be reached at trocar2000@hotmail.com. To find out more about Maggie Reed and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT CREATORS SYNDICATE 2009