We love seeing how our stone products help bring beautiful projects to life. Some of our favourite real-world examples come from industry professionals like masons, engineers and architects who are using Shouldice Designer Stone in creative new designs and ideas.
That’s why we were thrilled to recently speak with Adam Norwood, a second-generation mason and owner of Norwood & Co. His family-run company has been in business for nearly 40 years and provides clients across eastern Ontario with exceptional masonry, excavating and general contracting services.
Adam recently chatted with us about the family trade, his favourite projects and what colour trends he’s been seeing. He says his favourite part about masonry is the longevity and ability to see the finished results. In fact, one way a love for masonry has been passed down in his family is by showing off completed projects.
“Our father likes to drive his grandkids around and show them buildings he worked on in the past,” he explains. “It’s so great to see that masonry veneers withstand the test of time and can be enjoyed for years to come.”
Currently, Adam and his team of 30-plus employees are working on a 110-unit multi-residential building in Smiths Falls, a commercial complex in Ottawa and the Great War Memorial Hospital in Perth. They’re also continuing their partnership with NeilCorp Homes, focusing on the 180 houses in their Almonte and Arnprior subdivisions this season.
For the last 15 years, Norwood & Co. have been using Shouldice products for residential, commercial and industrial properties. Adam says he loves working with Shouldice because the sills, headers, candles and decorative accessories are some of the “nicest in the business, with sharp angles and a silky-smooth finish.”
He also likes that our products are very easy to work with and produce limited waste because of the way they’re packaged in layers organized by order of use instead of by type. “When I order Shouldice, I know my masons are going to have an easy time choosing from the pallet, and we don’t end up throwing away a bunch of product at the end,” he elaborates.
Adam has two favourite Shouldice products — the Tapestry grey cornerstones and the Wiarton Estate Stone. While the company doesn’t have a preferred colour, he notes that grey has been very popular for the last while, and customers really like the range of greys in the Wiarton blend.
One of Adam’s favourite projects he completed using Shouldice features our popular Estate Stone. The two masonry towers at a commercial complex on Sheffield Road in Ottawa have an angular roof and glass façade that “looked amazing with the Estate Stone.” His other standout Shouldice project is a multi-residential complex in Prescott, where he used our stone, sills and decorative coins.
As Adam continues expanding his business, he looks forward to continuing to work with Shouldice and his local supplier.
“We’re very satisfied with the team at Hoffman Materials who typically provides us with our Shouldice products. And our Shouldice sales rep, Jeff, is always willing to work with us and make sure we’re happy with the product. The prices are fair, and the shipping times are excellent.”
