In House Custom Millwork

The term millwork is specifically referring to all the building elements made from wood. Building elements such as wooden feature & Accent Walls, slatwall panels, stair pairs, cabinetry, and more. 

Back in 1880 to 1910, every house was made from wood, in order to further decorate their house, they began to use millwork to create details on building elements. Thus, it was the rise of millwork during the time, the “Golden Age” of the woodwork at a mill.

Today, millwork is widely known and it also expands to materials other than wood to produce building elements. Woodwork at a mill refers to a product, stuff and any woodwork that has been produced in a mill. 

Millwork is often used to produce decorative parts such as molding, base trim, flooring, wall paneling, door frame, window casting, and many more. These decorative parts are all cut and created from raw lumber in a sawmill.

Millwork today can also be seen other than decorative items, they can also be seen in cabinets shelving and custom storages.

Woodwork at a mill is made-to-order and made with the given specification and details, it will be exactly what you get in return. It is on the expensive side because it is unique and not mass produce and it is the best way to showcase your uniqueness.

Many are confused between Millwork and Casework, in carpentry, they used both methods closely together, some areas needed millwork, and while others many needed casework instead. So what are the differences between them and how to tell them apart to prevent further confusion?

Millwork uses a systematic and creative mindset. It requires working with their clients’ one on one, creating unique pieces to be for the space given. Each piece is custom design to fit into the assigned space. It involves close communication between the company and its client, they will need to discuss every single detail and work together constantly. 

The finished products are built into space, they are products such as kitchen shelving, counter-top, islands, and it also includes door panels, trims, and moldings. They are all custom designs to fit into the space given. 

The cost of customization for specific spaces may become expensive, however, the finished product will last a lifetime. It is a great choice for homeowners who want to invest in their house and know they will be staying there for a long time. Millwork helps your house to stand out from the crowd. 

Casework, simply put it, it is described as box-shaped woodwork, factory-made, and ready-made. It is also moveable compared to millwork which is built into space. Instead of working with provided space dimensions, casework works with the dimension of the product itself. 

Casework, boxed furniture, has very limited to no space for any type of design customizations. They are usually partially or completely assembled cabinetry or any boxed furniture that can be purchased easily anywhere such as racks, drawers, bookcases, and storage spaces. They are relatively cheap compared to millwork due to mass-production instead of custom fit. When it is ready-made, it requires little to no professional assistance. Thus, for the cheaper pricing.

Millwork products can come in various types of hardwoods or softwoods and it depends on the project and of course, your needs.

It can come from woods, such as Black Walnut, Pine, Oak, Hard & Wormy Maple, White Ash, Veneer Particleboard, Laminate, Melamine etc. 

Millwork works best with high-density wood such as solid wood, but millwork products can come from some wood by-products as well, such as Medium-Density fibreboard (MDF). 

MDF’s density is high enough to go through the millwork process. Other wood products such as compressed wood, even when they are cheaper, are not an option nor can it be used for millwork because their density is very low, they are not strong enough to go through the millwork process. Only solid wood, either hardwood or softwood, can be for millwork.

When choosing what type of wood to use for your millwork, it is best to start off by comparing hardwood and softwood.

Hardwood & Softwood

Hardwood comes from angiosperm trees that produce flowers, flowering plants, and have broad leaves. Their growth rate is slower than softwood due to its complex structure. Most hardwood species are deciduous where they shed their leaves in response to seasons. However, in tropics and subtropics, they are mostly evergreen.

Softwood comes from gymnosperm trees, they usually produce needles and cones. 

As the name suggested, softwood is usually softer than hardwood, however, both hardwood and softwood consist of a large range of wood hardness and densities. Softwoods are not always softer than hardwood, for example, balsa (a hardwood) are softer than most softwoods. 

But the hardest hardwoods are much harder than the hardest softwood.

Which wood to choose from?

Each hardwood and softwood have their own characteristics, their ability to perform, the area they exceed in, and not to mention each individual unique colour and patterns. To give an example, Oak is one of the most popular and widely known hardwood, the wood contains many biomolecules called tannins, which makes it resistant to insects and fungus. 

Another good and popular hardwood is maple, it has a lighter white colour, it is a really durable material for millwork. As for softwood, it is important to choose a wood that is hard and durable enough for millwork. 

So which one to choose? Hardwood or Softwood? Generally, hardwood is better at resisting damage over time, making them durable for a lifetime. Hardwoods often cost more than softwood. Meanwhile, softwoods are more preferable for installation, they are easier to bend, cut, and shape, which makes them ideal.