What is Millwork?

Millwork is any type of woodwork that can be produced in a mill and custom millwork is a unique design created according to specific requirements in a mill. It includes moldings, trim, flooring, crown molding, and wall paneling.

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Millwork, as the name portrays, is produced in a mill. Flooring and moldings are often produced in mills, so they are called millwork. Millwork might also include decorative products such as door casings and metals. Millwork can be done from common wood types such as pine, oak, but I can also include uncommon wood types such as poplar, fir, hickory, and maple. Some manufactured wood products have a high density to be used in millwork, such as MDF. Millwork products only require nails, screws, and adhesives to be installed, which makes them convenient and easy. Millwork can be of standard lengths and can be painted or stained. When purchasing millwork, carpenters need to be sure that they buy enough of the products to complete their project because millwork is not always consistent.

ASASA Construction provides sleek custom millwork in Toronto. With extensive years of experience, we know how to do it just the way you like.

Homeowners must make some important choices when deciding to install custom woodwork in their home. Litchfield Builders does its best to walk homeowners through this process to assure that every client gets the kind of wood and level of quality that will meet their desires.

Types of Wood

When opting for millwork wood, homeowners should consider rot resistance, strength, grain, color, and softness. All of these characteristics will impact the project, and using the wrong wood can result in a less attractive or less durable product. Some of the most common kind of wood that is used for millwork are:

White Oak

 

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This hardwood is dense and durable and is often used in cabinetry and furniture. Clients tend to like the full-grain, the way that oak blends with other woods, and also the economical price of this high-quality product.

Walnut

 

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This hardwood is highly desirable for its alluring deep brown color and dense grain. Walnut can be more costly and thus might not be realistic for all customers, but those who do use walnut should find themselves satisfied with the results. 

Fir

 

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It is a flexible wood that can blend with a wide variety of different strains that are dark or light according to the requirements of the customer.

Birch

 

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This light reddish wood and is a hard, medium weight product that creates a fine grain. Birch is most commonly used with millwork and in furniture building.

Cherry

This deep reddish-brown wood is of medium weight and is relatively hard. Cherry creates a beautiful finish with a fine grain that is highly desirable for specific customers.

Level of Detail

The level of detail that the client opts for the project will depend on the kind of project, the type of the home, and the customer’s budget. Individual styles have a limited requirement for highly detailed work. For example, contemporary style millwork is often had a minimalist appearance, with little hand carving involved. Traditional millwork is often much more precise. Clients can opt for the level of detail that’s right for them by discussing this with their contractor.

Custom Millwork Projects for Every Home

How can you incorporate millwork into the home renovation project? There are plenty of options provided by custom millwork companies.

• Crown molding and wainscoting

When most people think of custom millwork, the first thing that comes to mind is crown molding. This decorative, traditional type of custom millwork can be found in homes of all kinds. Wainscoting helps guard the walls, hiding scuffs and providing additional strength as well as attractive value. Molding can draw attention to the height of a room.

• Complete custom kitchen millwork creations

Your custom kitchen is full without millwork creations. Custom cabinetry lets homeowners install the type of cabinetry that will make the most sense for their needs so that each homeowner can get the most use out of their kitchen space. Meanwhile, built-in refrigerator cabinets can help to hide the large, awkward structure that helps to keep the food cold in the kitchen, adding aesthetic value to the room. Since the kitchen is one of the places that home buyers value most when opting for a home, this kind of millwork can help you to sell a house faster. We highly recommend custom kitchen cabinetry to all homeowners who are considering selling their houses in the next couple of years.

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• Living room media centers and storage

Custom-built cabinetry, media centers, and custom storage make it possible to hide or keep organized extensive collections of media discs like DVDs. Homeowners can even protect stereos, DVD players, and so on. It builds a quiet space to sit and work when not using home media, making the living room environment more aesthetically pleasing.

• Elegant bathroom vanities

The size and structure of the vanity can create a massive difference in a small room like the bathroom. Installing a custom-built bathroom vanity allows you to use your space to the fullest. It makes it easier for you to adjust more stuff in the toilet without letting the area feel congested.

• Custom home office and library

Nothing completes the space of libraries or homes like built-in bookshelves and custom-built cabinets. Not only is this type of millwork beautiful, but it’s also very functional.

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What is Casework?

If you have done your homework earlier, you should put your money in custom furniture or custom made cabinetry. You might have encountered descriptions of sample pieces that specify who did the casework for the project, particularly if you are looking at a home remodel where multiple artisans might have been involved. Although you may not find the term casework in every description of cabinetry or furniture unless an article of furniture was created from a single block of material, rest assured that casework most certainly went into its construction.  Casework, simply defined, refers to either the aggregate assembled parts that make up a furniture carcass or cabinet. In other words, the cabinets and cases themselves or the techniques used to make sure those aggregate joined parts stay securely assembled.

Casework is used in residential applications, like kitchens, bathrooms, or laundry rooms. They are commonly called cabinetry and are available in three different quality levels: stock, semi-custom, and custom.  Custom cabinetry is constructed according to the project’s specifications and is usually known as architectural wood casework. Semi-custom and stock cabinetry are the most popular kinds of residential casework, readily available through home improvement shops and material suppliers.  All three quality levels offer a wide variety of sizes, styles, shapes, materials, and finishes.

Hardware is installed on the doors and drawers to allow opening and closing. Equipment is available in several finishes, styles, and types, and commonly consists of pulls, rails, and hinges. Application-specific hardware is also available, like lazy susans and locksets.  Standard finishes are polished chrome, oil rubbed bronze, brushed nickel, satin nickel stainless steel, zinc polished brass, polished brass, antique brass,  and antiqued copper.  Countertops cover base casework to give a work surface and might include an integral sink, depending on the countertop material.  Every countertop material has pros and cons and must be carefully selected to meet specific applications.  Materials used for countertops include metal, concrete, wood, plastic, stone, and simulated stone.

 

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Casework is also installed in other types of buildings and is application-specific. It is available in four different quality levels: economy, custom, premium, and laboratory.  Economy casework is done to meet the basic requirements at a low cost.  Custom casework is relatively high-quality and is used in residences, schools, and commercial buildings.

Premium casework is produced to meet the highest quality requirements, and it is more costly than custom casework.  Laboratory casework also exceeds the highest quality requirements, incorporating high material resistance characteristics that allow to use it in applications where chemicals are often used.  All four quality levels offer a wide variety of sizes, styles, shapes, finishes, and materials.

Casework comes in a variety of different options to suit specific application requirements or individual styles.  Many manufacturers make casework or cabinets. They might specialize in project-type specific casework or create a more generic product. While there are also industry standard dimensions for casework, custom sizes are also available and depending on the intended users.

Examples of Types of Architectural Custom Millwork Pieces

Here we will walk you through some pieces of architectural millwork design. These pieces might consist of:

• Balustrades

Balustrades are the distinctive railings. They get the support they need from balusters or ornamental walls that creates a protective layer on balconies or bridges.

• Baseboards

the board runs along the bottom of a wall.

• Beams

It consists of Squared off timber wood or metal that supports the roof or the next level in a building.

• Cabinetry

Millwork cabinets are box-shaped cubes with doors and drawers for storage that cannot be moved.

• Columns

These are cylindrical pillars supporting the arches or other structures.

• Crown Molding

These are the pieces that lie between the top of the walls and your ceiling.  

• Doors and Door Casings

Doors are the entry and exit ports to the rooms of the building.

• Mantels

Mantels are the chimney and fireplaces areas.

• Stairways

Stairways create the steps, railing, and banisters that connect floors. 

If you see wood inside any building, you see millwork. The design is unique or on point to the building or maybe even a specific room, you probably have a custom design. If the layout in your architecture is not up to your taste, call in an expert architectural millworker to design and install your accents. ASASA Construction is one of the best custom architectural and commercial millwork companies in Toronto. It has the experience of working in commercial and residential places, bringing our clients the design they desire to express their brand or style.

Constructing or remodeling your building is an exciting thing. It can be stressful, as several decisions are made throughout the process. Creating a space that matches your tastes and the requirements of your customers is a must for a successful project. Inducing custom architectural millwork into your design can help enhance your space, and impart a personalized touch that suits your aesthetics. Here are just some of the many pros of opting for custom architectural millwork.

Create a Unique Space Through Custom Millwork

One of the critical reasons that building owners opt for custom architectural millwork is to express their thoughts in the design of their company. Some will construct a custom building from the ground up, and choose millwork that suits that vision. For others, budget constraints limit the places where custom designs can be blended. For commercial renovations, opting custom architectural millwork is a way to enhance the visual appeal of your building while sticking within a budget.

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Professional Experience

Another advantage of custom architectural millwork is the opportunity to work with experts who have the skills and experience required to evolve your vision into reality. A team of experts is there to assist you in making the most out of your new space. They can advise you on millwork options that are best suited for each part of your building. Getting expert advice can make it far less stressful to opt among the multiple existing millwork options.

Quality Craftsmanship

Working with experienced experts also allows building owners to be in ease in the knowledge that their millwork will be expertly crafted and installed. Experts guide every step of the project. From opting the wood to incorporating the finished product into your building, you will have access to expert advice from start to end.

Supporting Craftsmanship

Besides the aesthetic appeal offered by custom architectural millwork, a lot of building owners are also attracted to the idea of supporting an industry that embraces quality craftsmanship. All too often, the components of our buildings are build by machines and in bulk, while the art of craftsmanship is at the brisk of decline. Opting custom architectural millwork for your building is a way to support an industry-backed by generations of experience and attention to detail if you are looking for commercial and residential renovation contractors in Toronto.

Difference between Custom Millwork and Casework

Sometimes your customer calls and says that they need some custom millwork. When we discuss their requirements further; what they are searching for is custom casework. So, what are the significant differences between millwork and casework?

Most millwork is always custom made. For something to be called millwork, the finished product must be constructed into the eventual space that it is going into. Millwork consists of custom woodworking pieces such as restaurant seating, cabinets, shelves, commercial storage, etc. Generally, any work that is customized for a specific space.  Otherwise, it would be known as furniture. Millwork is custom designed for any particular area and requires to be installed by an expert; it can turn out to be more costly than stand-alone cabinets or storage systems.

 

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So what is casework? Casework narrows down to making boxes. These boxes can be used for cabinets, bookcases, display cases, etc.

The significant difference between millwork and casework is that casework is often a stand-alone product. It can be pre-ordered in a set of dimensions and simply assembled and placed in its spot. It is not built into a defined place. You can pre-order casework like ordering a product.  Simply opt from a set of standard measurements and dimensions. Casework is generally fully assembled or partially assembled. It makes casework a little less costly.

In both cases, you can get a wide variety of woods and finishes, but the main difference between casework and millwork is if the product is designed to be installed in a specific area. If so, ask for millwork. Sometimes a great designer can make significant usage of casework into their designs for a sleek look while keeping costs low. Most projects call for a combination of both millwork and casework.

If you are looking for successful tips for choosing the right contractor for your upcoming Commercial Renovation Project than “Top 10 Safety Tips for Commercial Renovation Contractors” is a must-read for you.