Project Gallery

SPAN Gives Back: Our Habitat for Humanity Partnership

When SPAN was founded, one of our first priorities was to give back to the home improvement community that had given us so much support. We chose to work with the folks at Habitat for Humanity, and a partnership was born.

Across our home region of the Southeast, we decided to sponsor three different houses, one each in Charlotte, NC; Jackson, Miss.; and Mobile, Ala. Each house would showcase different Southern Pine products while providing a hand up to a very deserving family.

Charlotte, NC
Our Charlotte HFH house was part of a national push to build 1,000 homes at the same time; 30 of this total number were slated for Charlotte.

The house was built on a raised floor foundation, which offered increased livability and comfort to the new homeowner. Pressure-treated Southern Pine lumber framing added an extra layer of protection between the new family and the elements: the preservatives used in pressure-treated lumber render the wood resistant to mold, mildew and insect infestation. Very important in a warm, humid area such as Charlotte!

Using treated framing in these houses represented the front line of what has become a growing trend: the 2006 Southern Living Idea House in Tallahassee, Fla., also was constructed using treated framing... that's right; Habitat for Humanity was a trend-setter!

A front porch on the front of the house, also constructed using pressure-treated Southern Pine, offered the homeowner a quiet, cool place to sit and visit with her new neighbors.

Inside the house, gorgeous Southern Pine flooring was installed in the living areas instead of carpeting. With its rich, golden glow, the flooring provided both a more comfortable walking surface as well as a beautiful focal point for visitors and family alike.

Jackson, Miss.
Metro Jackson Habitat for Humanity had a plan to build 31 homes in one year, and we were honored to jump on board and help them meet their ambitious goal.

The raised floor house we sponsored featured strong, durable Southern Pine framing. The 1100-square-foot home included a shaded front porch, a necessity for the heat of summer. Constructed of pressure-treated Southern Pine, the porch was designed to stand up to the elements while serving as a nice gathering place for the new homeowner, her family and friends.

Topping off the house: interior Southern Pine heart pine flooring provided a gorgeous, custom look for the front living areas.

Mobile, Ala.
The folks with the Mobile County Habitat for Humanity were just a joy to work with, from beginning to end. As with Charlotte, our Mobile house was part of the nationwide push to build 1,000 houses.

Choosing to build a house on a raised floor foundation is paramount in a water-rich area like Mobile. Hurricanes and heavy summer storms result in frequent flooding which would be disastrous to a slab-on-grade home. Our strong Southern Pine framing created a durable, long-lasting beginning for the new homeowner.

Interior Southern Pine flooring added an extra little touch to the homeowner's new digs, and she was thrilled with the final look.

This experience offered several unexpected extras: we convinced Pat Simpson, host of several HGTV shows, to join us for a day of building. Pat wielded a hammer and sweated along with the rest of the crew, entertaining everyone with his industry stories and hilarious sense of humor. Local TV covered the action and it made for some great memories.

Another unexpected challenge: partway through the building process, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast with a vengeance. But our Southern Pine-built Habitat house withstood the winds, rain and flooding with zero damage.