INTERIOR DOORS: JELD-WEN door takes advantage of juniper wood

?(Western juniper) now occupies about 10 times more territory across eastern Oregon, northern California, and southwest Idaho than it did in the 1880s and has muscled out native shrubs, flowers and grasses to achieve a dominance that may last for hundreds of years.? ? ?Oregon?s Agriculture Progress,? Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station, 1995- 2005.

JELD-WEN windows and doors has just announded availability of interior and exterior doors made with Western juniper as part of the authentic rustic style JELD-WEN® IWP® Estate collection.

The company is calling these doors an eco-friendly green option for homeowners because juniper is considered a ?water hog,? and the overgrowth of juniper especially in the Western states has been linked to the disappearance of critical water springs in high desert regions, as a single tree can consume 30 to 50 gallons of water per day.

JELD-WEN goes on to say that since invasive juniper outcompetes several native plant species, this leads to a loss of forests and wildlife habitat. So much so, state and local governments have offered programs to help support juniper removal in areas where it is quite literally a growing problem…now this ?throwaway? wood, which might otherwise be burned down to clear land, can be put to productive use.

The company says its Juniper doors deliver unique knots and splits in addition to large, swirling grain patterns. The coloring of the grain can vary from lighter tones to deep cinnamon brown with reddish undertones. The natural beauty of juniper works well for rustic, historic and traditional styles, such as Mediterranean, Old World and Lodge architecture.  JELD-WEN Juniper doors come prefinished and are available as a door only or prehung.

As far as strength, juniper performed well In tests conducted by Oregon State University, when it came to machining, gluing and finishing. Once dried, juniper shrinks and swells less than many other species according to JELD-WEN. 

To close things out, here are some additional Facts from JELD-WEN on juniper:  GetWithGreen.com does note that JELD-WEN did not say exactly what type of forests the wood was harvested from.

JELD-WEN FACT SHEET
Western juniper facts and figures

?If not managed, Western juniper?occupancy ultimately is expected to result in massive watershed degradation, which seriously affects productivity, biodiversity, water quantity and quality and resource values with drastic economic and ecological consequences.? ? ?Western Juniper, Its Impact and Management in Oregon Rangelands,? Oregon State University, February 1993.

?What?s so bad about juniper? The main thing is that it hogs water?its roots reach wide and deep, depleting water from the soil, and its heavy canopy can keep some precipitation from ever reaching the ground?As juniper consumes more of the water and nutrients on a site, other plants languish and die ? a ?slow strangulation.?? ? ?Oregon?s Agriculture Progress,? Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station, 1995- 2005.

?(Western juniper) now occupies about 10 times more territory across eastern Oregon, northern California, and southwest Idaho than it did in the 1880s and has muscled out native shrubs, flowers and grasses to achieve a dominance that may last for hundreds of years.? ? ?Oregon?s Agriculture Progress,? Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station, 1995- 2005.

?Private landowners, landowner associations and government land management agencies very much want to work with private industry to find ways to rehabilitate areas which are now (juniper) woodlands and lower management costs.?  ? ?Processing and Finishing Western Juniper? (Prepared for Wood Technology Clinic and Show), U.S. Forest Service & Connolly Wood Products, March 1998.

?Historically, juniper control projects tend to be mechanically based. Bulldozing or chaining were popular choices. Junipers were piled, and burned when dry. Both procedures resulted in disturbed soil requiring seeding and they were costly. This approach also resulted in high nutrient losses and scalded or sterile soils after the piles were burned.? ? ?Western Juniper, Its Impact and Management in Oregon Rangelands,? Oregon State University, February 1993.

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