With the release last month of the ANSI / AWI 0641-2019—Architectural Wood Casework Standard, the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) opened the door for innovation and cost saving opportunities. ANSI / AWI 0641 took effect June 1, 2020, and succeeds, replaces, and supplants Section 10 of the Architectural Woodwork Standards, Edition 2 (2014) as the most current version of the AWI Standards for architectural wood casework.
The ANSI / AWI 0641-2019—Architectural Wood Casework Standard encompasses a variety of architectural wood casework, including wood veneer-faced architectural cabinets, plastic-laminate-clad architectural cabinets, and cabinet and drawer hardware as specified under CSI MasterFormat Division 6. This standard establishes structural and aesthetic tolerances for each of the aforementioned applications, ensuring that the final product is of the utmost quality with regards to the specified visual appeal and structural integrity.
In previous AWI Standards, a casework unit’s aesthetic and structural requirements were lumped together under three Grades: Economy, Custom and Premium. In ANSI / AWI 0641. Now, characteristics are divided into two parts for the first time: 1) Aesthetics — Economy, Custom and Premium Grades; and 2) Structural Performance — Duty Levels: 1, 2, 3, 4.
Duty Levels evolved from the desire of a performance-based standard, according to AWI Technical Committee Chair Greg Lutz, president of Lutz Woodworks. The Duty Level requirements were determined by measuring the amount of force and pressure the product can tolerate or withstand during the extensive AWI testing process at the AWI National Testing Center.
The ANSI / AWI 0641-2019—Architectural Wood Casework Standard, as well as, AWI 100—Submittals, AWI 200—Care & Storage, AWI 300—Materials, and ANSI / AWI 0620-2018—Finish Carpentry Installation Standard are presented in an interactive format online to view, bookmark, save and share free of charge through the Standards Area of www.awinet.org. Printed copies of all AWI Standards are available for purchase in the website store.
With a trial membership, AWI is also offering non-member users free access to relevant education information, online My AWI Community discussions and member company specialties through its website’s powerful new search feature that is the gateway to AWI’s robust Digital Learning Portal at www.awinet.org. Current AWI members have unlimited access to these bonus materials for the length of their membership.
The Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) has produced and collaborated on the development of standards in accordance with its mission since its founding in 1953 to the present day. AWI is an ANSI-accredited Standards Developer Organization. To continually improve Standards for architectural woodwork and related interior finishes is central to AWI’s mission.
Founded in 1918, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations, and 30 million professionals worldwide.