One of the first things you notice when you visit our home office in Pleasanton, CA, is the art. Our late founder, Barclay Simpson, had a great appreciation for art. It’s one of the many legacies he left us. From the eight-foot metal sculpture of Michelangelo’s David — made completely from Simpson Strong-Tie products — that greets you at the main entrance, to the one-of-a-kind paintings, prints and sculptures scattered throughout the building, it’s quickly apparent that ours is not just another suburban office building.
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Made Even Stronger: Mexico Beach Home Rides Out Hurricane Michael
On October 10, Hurricane Michael made landfall on the Florida Panhandle with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph. Having already wrought havoc across Central America, the Category 4 storm became the third most powerful hurricane (in terms of minimum central pressure, a key indicator of strength) ever to hit the contiguous United States. By the time the storm finally cleared, it had tragically claimed 60 lives and some $11.28 billion in damages.
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Giving Back: Simpson Strong-Tie Celebrates Do What You Can Day
One of the Simpson Strong-Tie core values is to give back to the communities where our employees work and live. This value, established by our company founder, Barclay Simpson, is reflected in the actions of not only our company but also of our employees.
One of our biggest days of giving back is November’s Simpson Strong-Tie Do What You Can Day, an annual event celebrated throughout our company at our locations around the world. Here are some of the ways we did what we could.
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DIY: How to Build a Large Package Shelter
It’s the holiday season, so that means it’s package delivery season! Many reasons could impact your package delivery, including long driveways, dogs and weather. We’ve partnered with Rogue Engineer to come up with a solution for preserving your delivery person’s sanity while keeping packages safe from damage.
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DIY: How to Build a Leather Ottoman
One of the simplest ways to add stylish comfort to any room is with a leather cushioned ottoman. If you go to the store, you’ll end up paying more than $150 for a decent foot rest. That’s why we’re excited to partner with Jaime Costiglio to bring you this DIY leather ottoman. She used our A21 angles to make sure this ottoman will stand the test of time. See her plans below.
The coffee table does double duty as an ottoman when paired with a leather cushioned top. And since it’s an ottoman, you can put your feet up without anyone yelling at you to get your feet off the table. Let’s build this round leather ottoman and upholster the top so you can take full advantage.
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DIY: Building a Stylish AC Screen Cover
If you check out the DIY tag on our Building Strong blog, you’ll discover a diverse selection of indoor and outdoor furniture you can easily build at home. You’ll also find a growing list of projects that can help enhance and beautify your yard. Simpson Strong-Tie Brand Ambassador Jaime Costiglio was seeking a way to hide her AC unit without blocking access to it. Here’s how she did it.
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Five FRP Advantages for Contractors and Structure Owners
FRP fiber-reinforced polymer provides a number of advantages over traditional concrete-strengthening materials and methods. Strengthening concrete structures by means of this composite has benefits for contractors and property owners alike.
While FRP is not feasible for all applications, there are demonstrable FRP advantages for many structural rehabilitation projects.
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How to Build a DIY Potting Bench
Hi everyone! Jen Woodhouse here, excited to share my newest project: a DIY potting bench! Plants are one of my love languages, and I’m happy to say that my “vocabulary” is growing rapidly! It’s fall planting season, so this DIY potting bench is the perfect weekend project for all you plant lovers out there.
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Drop, Cover, and Hold On: International ShakeOut Day is October 18
Each year, an earthquake preparedness event known as the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill takes place around the world. The coordinated earthquake drill provides an opportunity for schools, businesses, homeowners and others to practice what to do once the ground starts shaking or swaying.
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From Our CEO: Why Company Culture Matters
“When people join our company, they don’t come for a bus stop. This is a career.”
— Barclay Simpson
That quote from our company founder is one of my favorites. I had the pleasure to work very closely with Barc when he was alive, and I can tell you that he truly believed and invested in people. I’m certainly a product of that belief.
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