Media Advisory For immediate release: May 23, 2013 Make the Most of Outdoor Living Spaces for Memorial Day Entertaining Memorial Day has always been synonymous with backyard barbeques, family picnics and outdoor recreation. As the unofficial start of the summer season, many homeowners mark the holiday by firing up the grill, pulling lawn furniture out of storage and thinking about ways to spruce up the exterior of their homes. CertainTeed Corporation, North America’s leading brand of building products, offers complete lines of decking, siding, roofing, railing, exterior trim and fence products to help homeowners create the most comfortable, sustainable and low-maintenance outdoor living spaces on the block. To get the most out of an outdoor space this Memorial Day, CertainTeed provides the following tips: Prep the deck Transform a deck into an inviting space for entertaining by adding comfortable furniture and accessories, creating separate zones for grilling, dining, and lounging. Adding a water feature can make an outdoor space feel more private by drowning out background noise, and a shading feature like an umbrella or pergola can keep the area cool and comfortable. Add drama with lighting Outdoor lighting goes a long way toward setting a mood and creating a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere long after the sun goes down. Step and path lights improve safety and add visual appeal, and solar powered lights are an easy and affordable way to accent landscaping. Also, energy efficient LED lights don’t attract insects like halogen lights. Relax with low maintenance materials Most wood fence, deck and railing products require ongoing painting or staining and can rot or warp when exposed to inclement weather. Consider Bufftech® vinyl fence or EverNew® decking and railing that are virtually maintenance-free and can beautifully withstand the elements—leaving homeowners with more time to enjoy it. Gather around the fire Fireplaces have always provided cozy gathering places inside the home, and can serve a similar purpose for an outdoor space. Fire pits are becoming a popular and relatively affordable way to create a central gathering spot in a backyard or patio. For larger spaces, a full-size outdoor fireplace might be an option. Side with style Think of the exterior siding of a home as the “walls” of an outdoor room. Choose bright, primary colors to create a vibrant mood or incorporate warm hues and woodgrain textures for a cozy, Memorial Day 2013 – Page 2 of 2 Media Advisory rustic appeal. CertainTeed offers unsurpassed Freedom of ChoiceTM with a wide array of exterior building products that are designed to mix-and-match with each other and feature authentic textures, versatile styles and rich color combinations. Need help selecting the perfect color? Use online tools like CertainTeed ColorCoach that guide users through the product selection process by offering professional color theory, including tips, trends and palettes that work well together. Be energy-conscious Innovative products, such as CedarBoards insulated siding and Landmark Solaris solar reflective roofing shingles can help homeowners lower their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint. For more information on CertainTeed’s Living Spaces collection, visit ctlivingspaces.com. To schedule an interview about improving exterior living spaces or to obtain images, contact Mike Loughery of CertainTeed Corporation at mike.b.loughery@saint-gobain.com or 610-3417328. About CertainTeed Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products, CertainTeed, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm's slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed® is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, fence, decking, railing, trim, insulation, gypsum and ceilings. A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, the world’s largest building products company, CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 5,700 employees and more than 60 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. For five consecutive years, the company has received top honors from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its contributions in protecting the environment and was most recently the recipient of the 2013 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award. The group had total sales of approximately $3.3 billion in 2012. www.certainteed.com ###