Architectural Woodwork & Millwork
Not all carpenters work within the architectural framework. When specifying architectural woodwork, or perhaps architectural millwork, we are referring to custom-made wood products that are featured in the interior or exterior of a building. It can be either a residential or commercial building. There is an added complexity related to this specialty. Architectural woodwork or millwork is a creative process involving the design, fabrication, and installation of the product. Many times this is done by hand. The specialized work includes moldings, trim, panels, cabinetry, staircases and more.
Architectural woodwork or millwork requires precision and artistry. Along with the trade itself is our desire to form a strong relationship in order to make your custom cabinetry dreams come true. Let us know what you truly want and leverage our experience to figure out how to build your dreams. We believe each home or business should be tailored to the family or business in it.
At Alexander’s, our devotion to product quality is second to none. Every Architectural woodwork or millwork product we produce is not only functional, but they also create an effective visual presence that dominates the look and feel of your room. The picture below features custom-milled, fabricated, stained, finished, and installed Beams and the Mantle. This was part of a Design-build Cabinetry and Architectural Woodwork commission through a General Contractor.
Examples of Architectural Millwork
We worked directly with the homeowners and a friend of theirs, and we went through a number of design concepts and iterations. We present line sketches, drawings, and 3D CGI renders. We ultimately refined everyone’s input into this simple elegant design. Alexander’s fabricated the cabinetry with applied molding doors.
Then the on-site painter finished them. The 20’+ long beams were shop finished from samples approved by owners. The mantle was an alder box construction and bandsaw run for the rough milled look. We also did the trim carpentry framing and brickwork to ensure the smoothest process and highest quality end result.
Next is a Rolling Library Ladder and 400-bottle wine racking. The rack and ladder were part of a larger commercial-retail project. It is a focal point for the high-end specialty meat market. It begins with Knotty Alder construction and stained lacquer finished. It required a knockdown and component-style fabrication.
The massive scale and conditions required a lot of on-site work. Everything was pre-finished and assembled in place. For efficiency, we set and leveled the limestone countertop. The Rolling Ladder was fabricated and finished in the shop and was ready to install once the cabinetry and woodwork being complete.
A picture can be worth a thousand words. Next we show an Exterior Architectural Millwork for a column repair that is worthy of that distinction. Alexander’s was called to examine the damage and determine the structural risks and propose solutions. The owner had multiple contractors that expressed the porch portico roof was going to fall down, imminent collapse. All due to one column that had started to mushroom from rotting. Replacing 4 20′ tall columns is a costly
endeavor.
While these were structural columns supporting the portico roof, the collapse was not imminent. Realistically the roof would only sag on the corner supported by the most deteriorated column. It had already started although it was not more than a 1/4″. Probing and poking the columns toward the base it was found that the worst one was deteriorated up to 12″, the next just a few the other two had little if any.
Lack of maintenance and the north-south line of columns had set up a circumstance that the north columns got wet and did not adequately dry out rapidly. Mold and mildew were other indicators. Once the caulk and paint had deteriorated then moisture penetrated the columns and rotting inside had begun.
Drawing on design education, many years of experience installing and replacing columns, Alexander’s came up with options to salvage the columns and still retain a satisfactory appearance.The client choose the most simple base block design that was most cost effective.
The real challenge of the process was supporting the columns while removing the bottom 14″ of the columns. Without the columns detaching from portico and falling like trees, and without allowing the portico to sag. Structures such as this once they deflect an inch or more generally will not easily return to where they were. Once the bottoms where surgically removed, the lower fiberglass decorative ring and aluminum base were salvaged and cleaned up for re-use. A treated wood framework was fabricated and placed on top of the aluminum base which effectively made up for the lostmaterial of the column. Trim ring and all others were centered to the column.
The supports were slowly removed until the column’s full weight was set properly on the assembly.Plywood was added and trim pieces were milled to match the sketch approved. The client saved thousands of dollars and now has an interesting aesthetic improvement that should be good for the lifetime of the home, if properly maintained.However, with the treated lumber structurally supporting the columns, the roof is not coming down.
Following is another example of Architectural Woodwork.This time it is revitalized salvaged doors hung in a custom jamb.Pediment and 3/4 reed molding milled, fabricated and installed.The large crown build up was all custom milled to the architect assisting the owner’s specifications/approvals. Due to conditions beyond everyone’s controls the molding profiles, were not available. Plan B was to mill it all up in house/shop.
The ceiling crown build up and door architrave and pilasters were additions to original bid. We worked closely with client’s architect. The wood work for the door required sketches and mock-ups for approval. Alexander’s enjoyed working with the architect, and vice versa. The ability to talk in meaningful and productive ways through the language of “Architecture and design” makes for a great end result.
Our final project shows a Minimalist Style Panel at the Fireplace, mirroring the cabinetry. We worked with a “Boutique Remodeling General Contractor” as she calls herself. Very specific interior design and precise results were required. The cabinetry was rift-sawn white oak plywood with a quirk, groove/notch line. The lines followed through the fixed fireplace panels to the GPS (margins) at the doors.
Installation was extra challenging being in an old post and beam home considering the tolerances desired were within 1/16th of an inch when plumb and level did not exist in the original structures. A lot of scribing and fitting, visually minimizing the variances of new to old.
It is very easy to overlook the specialty associated with this craft.
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Interior Designers
Architects
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