The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of people’s lives, including the ways they spend their time and money. With travel restrictions and health concerns keeping people at home, vacation budgets are being re-directed to backyard leisure activities. Many people have been spending more on outdoor renovations to enhance their yards than ever before.
Backyard Renovations on the Rise
Glenn Morgan is experiencing the increased demand for backyard decks, pergolas and saunas first-hand. He is the owner and president of Cedarland Lumber & Sauna Co. Glenn says that the renovation industry has experienced incredible growth and his company’s lumber sales have increased by almost 50%. “We have had many customers build new decks or renovate older decks,” he says. “We have also seen a huge increase in consumers building pergolas in their backyards.”
Cedarland Lumber & Sauna Co. supplies the Kitchener-Waterloo area with exceptionally high-quality Western Red Cedar in a variety of grades. They carry lengths up to 20’ long, which allows their customers more flexibility in their backyard projects. “We are more selective as to the mills we purchase from. We try to ensure a higher quality product than our competitors can provide while still maintaining competitive pricing wherever possible,” says Glenn.
Higher Demand for Cedar Saunas
The demand for home cedar saunas has increased along with the demand for decks and pergolas. Glenn says that their sauna sales have doubled since last year. “Many consumers are discovering the vast number of health benefits from owning and using a sauna regularly,” he says. “Saunas help build the body’s immune system and many consumers are more concerned than ever with finding ways to stay healthy.”
The do-it-yourself cedar sauna packages that Cedarland Lumber & Sauna Co. offer include everything needed to build a complete sauna. Customers can purchase one of the pre-made packages available in different sizes to suit any space. They also carry a variety of outdoor saunas including Barrel Saunas, Cabins Saunas, Luna Saunas, and more.
Increased Demand on Lumber Products
The increase in demand for cedar and other lumber products across the country has created serious supply issues, causing the costs to increase dramatically. In order to continue to supply his customers with the quality of cedar that they are expecting, Glenn has had to rely on his experience in the industry. “During the pandemic, our biggest challenge has been supply issues, but our experience and professional relationships with suppliers has allowed us better opportunities to secure material to fulfill our customers’ needs as much as possible,” he says.
The Western Red Cedar products that Cedarland Lumber and Sauna Co. specialize in comes from carefully managed forests in British Columbia. When demand for these products is up, they cannot simply cut down more trees and still remain a sustainable industry. Glenn supports the way that his industry is managing these valuable resources. “This is something that I totally support as a retailer of lumber. We must maintain the integrity of our forest management systems to protect not only our forests for future generations, but our industry going forward,” he says.
Demand Continues
As summer approaches, the demand for Cedarland Lumber & Sauna Co.’s products remains high. Glenn and his team at Cedarland Lumber & Sauna Co. are happy to help their customers with any lumber or sauna related questions. Give them a call at 1-866-502-3327 or visit cedarlandlumber.com. For more information about the health benefits of cedar saunas, check out Cedarland Lumber & Sauna Co.’s informative brochure here or by scanning the QR code below.
