Quality Review Articles for Architects and Designers

How to Ensure Clear Communication in Construction Projects

Achieving good communication on the job site of a construction project is no easy task. With architects, general contractors, woodworkers, suppliers, and owners focusing on different aspects, it’s easy for carelessly delivered messages to be misinterpreted or lost. This can lead to significant delays, mistrust, excessive expenditure, and dissatisfaction on behalf of the client. What causes poor (more...)

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What Types of Projects is QCP Certification Best For?

Architects, woodworkers, and general contractors across North America and around the world use QCP certification to ensure quality, precision, and compliance in their projects. The certification confirms that interior architectural woodworking meets the industry standards set by AWI, giving clients an assurance of a high quality final product.

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What is Architectural Woodwork?

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...)

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The Effects of Heat on Architectural Woodwork

With 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?

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A Guide To Architectural Millwork

Whether 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...)

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Wood Finishing Systems – A Woodworker’s Options

As 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...)

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Quality Review Articles for Architects and Designers

What Licensing & Certification Mean in QCP’s Quality Assurance Process

At 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...)

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AWI’s Performance-Based Architectural Woodwork Standards

We’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...)

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What to Consider and Include in Cabinet Shop Drawings

Producing 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...)

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