Building Dreams: The Impact of Simpson Strong-Tie Student Scholarships

We recently caught up with past recipients of our Simpson Strong-Tie Student Scholarship, part of our Strong-Tie Undergraduate Fellowship. The scholarship provides juniors and seniors majoring in architecture, civil or structural engineering, and construction management or technology at participating schools with $3,000 towards their education.   

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Employee Safety Day at the Simpson Strong-Tie West Chicago Plant

Safety is our number one priority for our employees, especially in our manufacturing facilities and warehouses. By conducting safety exercises, we can mitigate risks, promote a safety culture, improve emergency preparedness, and enhance employee well-being. Earlier this year, Simpson Strong Tie’s West Chicago warehouse organized a Safety Day, where the team engaged in interactive training to promote safety awareness. Learn about the various training exercises conducted during the event and how they both fostered camaraderie and enhanced safety knowledge. 

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Free Backyard Planning Software for Upgrading Your Outdoor Living Space

Research shows that remodeling and outdoor living projects are on the rise as homeowners feel more confident investing in their primary residence. Since many people view the outdoors as an extension of their living space, Simpson Strong-Tie offers free backyard planning software to help them design their dream backyard.

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A New Foundation for America’s Roads and Highways

Simpson Strong-Tie has been committed to helping people design and build safer, stronger structures for more than 65 years. Now we’re advancing our mission even further — to help build safer and stronger roads, highways, airport runways and other paved surfaces in North America and around the world.

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Three Critical Steps to Seismic Retrofit a Home

In our first blog post in this serieswe identified why older homes are more vulnerable than newer homes to earthquake damage. We described what retrofitting is and how it strengthens your home’s structure. And lastly, we posed five questions you should ask yourself when deciding if your home needs retrofitting.  

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Protecting Homes Against Earthquakes — a New Blog Series

October is Earthquake Preparedness Month, and October 15 is the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill. In this blog series, we thought we’d share some steps homeowners can take to help minimize the risk of damage from earthquakes. Depending on your location, you may find further information and resources at the end of each blog post, with links to local cities that participate in resiliency plans for homeowners and contractors. 

If an earthquake were to strike at this very moment, are you confident your home is adequately constructed to withstand its forces? Continue reading “Protecting Homes Against Earthquakes — a New Blog Series”

Outdoor Accents® Avant Collection™ — a New Look for Backyards

One of the ways many homeowners increase the enjoyment (and monetary) value of their property is by adding a well-designed deck, pergola or other outdoor structure to their backyard. Whether it’s for entertaining or just chilling with a good read and a bracing beverage, a beautiful outdoor living space makes any backyard activity more desirable. Perhaps that’s why, in a 2017 survey, 25% of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) remodelers reported adding a deck as one of their most common projects, and the figure was nearly identical for new home construction.

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How Earthquake Brace + Bolt Provides Financial Support to Help California Homeowners Retrofit

When you live in earthquake country, you know it’s not “if” there will be a big quake, it’s “when.” You may have an earthquake emergency kit ready, but there are also steps you can take now to strengthen your home to make it more resistant to earthquake damage. And if you live in California, there’s a program called the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) that provides up to $3,000 for seismic retrofit grants to homeowners residing in more than 150 California zip codes. If you’ve checked it before and your zip code wasn’t listed, be sure to check it again because the list has been expanded and changes every year. Continue reading “How Earthquake Brace + Bolt Provides Financial Support to Help California Homeowners Retrofit”

Getting Big Payback from Brick or Stone Veneer Remodeling Projects

Homeowners seeking the best bang for their buck on home improvement projects typically turn to swanky kitchen or bath upgrades involving high-end appliances or granite countertops. But the latest cost-versus-value report by Remodeling magazine finds that the addition of masonry veneer siding delivers a much higher return on investment.
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Announcing: Give It Your Best Shot 2019! Simpson Strong-Tie® Outdoor Accents® Photo Contest

Simpson Strong-Tie’s “Give It Your Best Shot” photo contest is returning for the summer of 2019. Last year, we received dozens of beautiful shots of pergolas that were built using our Outdoor Accents connectors and fasteners. It was tough to choose a winner, but eventually we settled on Chris Lewis from Chula Vista, California.
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