Put simply, architectural woodwork - sometimes known as architectural millwork - refers to any custom-made wood products that are featured in a building’s interior or exterior, whether residential or commercial. But, the reality is a lot more complex than that. Architectural woodworking is a creative process involving the design, fabrication and installation, often by hand, of beautiful struct (more...)
Read MoreWith the onset of winter and the change in temperature and humidity across the U.S., woodworkers sometimes get feedback from clients that their woodwork is defective. These changes in temperature and humidity are often the cause of this, but is the effect of heat alone on architectural woodwork significant?
Read MoreWhether you’re a junior architect just starting out in your career, or you simply want to learn more about architectural millwork, this guide covers everything you need to know. We explain: what architectural millwork is, the different types of millwork manufacturers, the uses of millwork, and provide tips on how to differentiate lumber for millwork. What is Architectural Millwork (more...)
Read MoreAs a woodworker, you probably already know that architectural woodworking finishes are more than just a quick final polish. But do you know what all your options are for types of finishes, and what considerations you should make when selecting wood finishing systems? Keep reading to find the answers to these questions, learn your options as a woodworker, and understand how you can use the AWI Sta (more...)
Read MoreAt AWI’s Quality Certification Program (QCP), we have two basic components to our quality assurance process. One is woodworking firm licensing, and one is woodworking project certification. These components are separate but very closely related. In a nutshell, woodworking firms must have a QCP license to certify projects. Holding a QCP license doesn’t automatically mean that every woodworki (more...)
Read MoreWe’ve had a lot of questions recently about the new ANSI/AWI Standards and the performance-based system they’ve adopted. In this article, we address all your major questions, including how the performance-based system works, why the standards changed in the first place, and what benefits they bring to woodworkers and design professionals. Performance-Based Architectural Wood Casework Standard (more...)
Read MoreProducing accurate, clear, and comprehensive shop drawings is a crucial step to submitting a woodwork project under the AWI Standards. Keeping manufacturers, contractors, and designers on the same page, they ensure that the design concept will look and perform exactly as intended. Most woodworkers do not provide the level of detail in their shop drawings that QCP requires. Continue reading to lear (more...)
Read MoreIn our latest podcast, Greg Parham, Executive Director for AWI’s Quality Control Program (QCP), speaks with Mike Sarno, owner of Mass Cabinets Inc. (MCI) in Methuen, Massachusetts, about the power of leveraging your QCP license. Continue reading to hear about Mike’s experience with QCP, the process of registering and bidding on a project, and how you can leverage your QCP license to bring val (more...)
Read MoreNew industry standards for wood casework took effect on June 1st, 2020. Known as the ANSI/AWI 0641-2019—Architectural Wood Casework Standard, these succeed, replace, and supplant Section 10 of the Architectural Woodwork Standards, Edition 2 (2014) as recognized by AWI and AWI-QCP when specifying. Taking a performance-based approach, the new standards for casework architecture have a stronger fo (more...)
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