New Door Turns Environmental Concern into Eco-savvy Option for Homeowners
New JELD-WEN Juniper Doors Deliver Sustainable, Eco-Savvy Style with Rustic Appeal

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. May 14, 2008 — Is it a style or a sustainability statement?

With JELD-WEN’s new Juniper door, it’s a beautiful balance of both. The world’s largest manufacturer of reliable windows and doors is the first to introduce interior and exterior doors made with Western juniper as part of the JELD-WEN®  Estate collection. As a result, JELD-WEN has turned an environmental concern into an eco-friendly option for homeowners, builders and remodelers looking for authentic rustic style.

JELD-WEN's sustainable Juniper doors deliver a one-of-a-kind look with unique knots and splits  in addition to large, swirling grain patterns that some wood experts describe as “sensual.” The rich 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. The knotty wood ages gracefully with warm, deep tones that naturally darken over time, creating a customized look as no two grain patterns are alike. Natural cracks and splits accentuate its rustic appeal. JELD-WEN Juniper doors come prefinished and are available as a door only or prehung.

These doors hold the key to a number of environmental benefits as well. Considered a “water hog,” 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. 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. 

In addition, junipers have created a major obstacle for farmers and ranchers whose livelihood requires arable land and pastures. Now this “throwaway” wood, which might otherwise be burned down to clear land, can be put to productive use.

“JELD-WEN’s Juniper door will be a hit with homeowners and builders who are looking for a beautiful and eco-friendly choice,” said Elizabeth Souders, JELD-WEN door marketing manager. “It makes use of a material that is currently being wasted, and it also delivers a unique rustic look that so many homeowners are seeking these days.”

In addition to the style and sustainability benefits, these Juniper doors are engineered for strength.  In tests conducted by Oregon State University, juniper performed well when it came to machining, gluing and finishing. Once dried, juniper shrinks and swells less than many other species.

“Environmentally friendly products are great, but they also have to perform and look just as good as other options that are out there,” said Souders. “These doors deliver the best of all worlds.”

About JELD-WEN
JELD-WEN, inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of reliable windows and doors. Based in Klamath Falls, Ore., JELD-WEN began as a small Oregon millwork plant in 1960 and has grown into a company with nearly 150 divisions and more than 20,000 employees worldwide. Today the company manufactures a full breadth of windows, doors and garage doors, and has earned numerous awards and endorsements for reliability, innovation and excellence. For more information about the exceptional value and reliability of JELD-WEN products, or to find a dealer near you, please visit www.jeld-wen.com or call 800-877-9482.

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.