FAQ

AWI stands for the Architectural Woodwork Institute. They are the governing body that produces the AWI Standards that QCP licensees must adhere to.

AWI-QCP is the Architectural Woodwork Institute’s Quality Certification Program. At QCP, we provide licenses to qualified woodworking firms and confirm project certification to interior architectural woodwork projects.

QCP is a certifying body for architectural woodwork. We provide licenses to woodworking firms who apply for and complete a series of qualifying steps and we confirm projects conform to AWI’s current standards and/or the contract documents. AWI publishes the standards that woodworkers should adhere to, but does not license woodworkers or offer project certification.

No. In order to have a project certified by QCP, the woodworking firm must hold a current QCP license.

Details on the different grades of wood you should use in a QCP-certified project for casework can be found in the AWI Standards for Casework or Section 10 of the Architectural Woodwork Standards. These sections state that cabinet components should be constructed from particleboard, MDF, or non-telegraphing veneer core. These cores are allowed for any grade of casework. The only restriction is on cabinet doors and drawer fronts, which does not allow the use of a veneer core due to possible warping.

Woodworking firms can obtain QCP licenses in manufacturing, finishing, and installation (or a combination of those) in five steps. 

1. Apply for a license
2. Take two (2) open book tests
3. Submit references
4. Complete sample shop drawings
5. Build required samples and undergo inspection of samples and facility

You can find more information and start your application here.

As a woodworking firm, you’ll be eligible to apply for a QCP license if you meet certain criteria, including owning or leasing premises and woodworking equipment, unless you are an installation only firm. If you want to apply for a manufacturing and/or finishing license, you must employ woodworkers who can demonstrate the ability to manufacture and/or finish architectural woodwork in your plant. If you’re applying for an installation license, you must employ installers and demonstrate the ability to install architectural woodwork. 

You can find the full list of eligibility criteria here.

QCP can certify any number of projects per calendar year, but each one requires the registration and payment of the project fee in order to obtain QCP Project Certificates. You can find the project fees here.   Each project registered for QCP certification requires a project fee of ½% of the contract value or a minimum of $500 and not to exceed $10,000.

Once you’ve successfully completed the licensing process and have fully certified the two required provisional projects, your firm will move to “self-labeling status”. As a self-labeling firm you are still required to register your QCP projects and pay the required project fees. However, you will not be subject to inspection unless the specifications require inspection, a party to the contract requests an inspection, QCP selects the project for a random inspection, or it has been (3) three yrs since you last certified inspected project.

No. However, you can find information on how to access the AWI Standards and the Architectural Woodworking Standards from this page. You’ll also find a library of documents relevant to AWI-QCP forms, reports, samples, and much more. 

You can also download our Roadmap to the AWI Standards, which was created to help navigate through the different standards as AWI continues to develop and launch sections of the AWI Standards.

Our Roadmap to the AWI Standards will help you navigate through the different standards. You can find information on how to access the AWI Standards and the Architectural Woodworking Standards from this page. 

If your project is specified as AWI Standards, Current Edition or AWI Standards. And, your project is bid after June 1, 2020 you will find related information in the below sections.

• AWI 100 – Submittal
• AWI 200 – Care & Storage
• AWI 300 – Materials
• ANSI/AWI 0620 – Finish Carpentry/Installation
• ANSI/AWI 0641 – Architectural Wood Casework **
• ANSI/AWI SMA 0643 – Wood Stair, Handrail and Guard Systems ***

**If your project is bid between March 15th, 2019 and June 1st, 2020, then you would NOT utilize section ANSI/AWI 0641, and reference Section 10 below from the AWS 2nd edition.

***If your project is bid between June 1st, 2020 and August 1st, 2021, then you would NOT utilize section ANSI/AWI SMA 0643, and reference Section 7 below from the AWS 2nd edition.

If your project is specified as AWS 2nd Edition, or your project is bid before March 15, 2019, utilize the following sections.

• Section 5: Finishing 
• Section 6: Millwork 
• Section 7: Stairwork & Rails 
• Section 8: Wall/Ceiling Surfacing and Partitions
• Section 9: Doors
• Section 10: Casework
• Section 11: Countertops
• Section 12: Historic Restoration Work

Yes. You only need to include the contract value for the portion of the project that requires QCP Certification as specified in your bid. For example, if you’re bidding on a project that includes $50,000 in cabinets and $50,000 in countertops, but only the cabinets are being certified, the portion you would base your contract value on is just the $50,000 of cabinets even though the job collectively total $100,000. You can find more fee information here.

If you’re looking for a woodworking firm that currently holds a QCP license, you can search your local area here.