• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Promotivia

Ideas. Innovation. Excellence.

  • Home
  • Topics
    • Construction
    • Education
    • Family
    • Furniture
    • Health
    • Pet Care
    • Swimming Pool
    • Technology
  • Ask a Question
  • Contact Us

Millwork Design Tips

Last updated on August 6, 2012 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

Millwork is manufactured from milled wood to produce an interior finish component that adds depth and beauty to a room. Millwork is used to add decoration to doors, window casing, baseboards, mantels, and crown molding. It can also be designed to add an artistic feel to a home, office, or business.

A number of lumber types can be used for millwork. Popular types of millwork lumber include redwood, cedar, fir, oak, pine, walnut, mahogany, and cherry woods. Any type of lumber that fits the décor of the room can be used as millwork, though, so in truth, nearly any wood can be used.

The many styles of millwork include crowns, opening trims, chair rails, panel moulds, casings, backbands, base shoe, and baseboards, all of which will be discussed below.

Crowns

Crowns are used to add decoration to a ceiling. They are placed at the top of a wall and follow the direction of the ceiling. They typically curve up or out to make the room appear higher and more spacious. They also remove the right angle from the corner of the room to simulate openness.

Opening Trims

Opening trims are used to cover joints. Usually, opening trims are round on one side and may have a lip at the bottom. They add depth and cover the unattractive break in wood.

Chair Rails

Chair rails are used to protect the wall. They start at the floor and rise two to four feet from the ground, and they are flat on the back with a flourished front. Chair rails stop scuffing on the wall and add a decorative touch to the room.

 

Panel Moulds

Panel moulds frame wood paneling. They usually run midway along the wall and divide the chair rail from the rest of the wall. Panel moulds fit right up against paneling and add a decorative look and a feeling of continuity to the room.

Castings

Castings are the most popular and visible form of millwork. They often define the overall feel and character of a room. Castings cover the gaps between doors or windows and the wall, and they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles. They break up the wall where it meets any stops. Almost every room features castings of some sort.

Bankbands

Bankbands are dramatic additions to casting. They feature a large overhang, which gives the room a distinct character. Typically, bankbands are below a straight or rounded top.

Base shoes

Base shoes are used to meet the floor and the wall. They run along the base of the wall to conceal the break between the board and the floor. While not always decorative, base shoes serve a purpose and add detail to a room.

Baseboards

Baseboards also run the length of the floor to hide where the floor and wall meet. Usually, baseboards are not very thick, but they flourish at the top and are straight along the bottom.

With an expansive background and knowledge of lumber used for millwork, J. Gibson McIlvain has more than 200 years of experience providing the best quality lumber to all customers. The lumber experts at J. Gibson McIlvain, a lumber importer and wholesale lumber company, are fully equipped to help customers determine their millwork needs. For more information and to see all McIlvain has to offer, click here to visit their website, or check out the following selections from their lumber blog:

  •  Slippery slope of grading adjustments
  • Making the most of paint grade material
  • Lumber sustainability and stewardship

Filed Under: Construction

Additional Articles

walt disney world ipe boardwalk
Is Composite Decking or Tropical Decking Better for Boardwalk Construction? Part 3
ipe boardwalk at johns pass
Is Composite Decking or Tropical Decking Better for Boardwalk Construction? Part 2
disney boardwalk ipe
Is Composite Decking or Tropical Decking Better for Boardwalk Construction? Part 1
backyard inground pool and luxury contemporary home
Adding to the Outdoor Ambiance with Extras
metal fencing around pool
Adding to the Outdoor Ambiance with Structures
multi layer paths steps around pool
Adding to the Outdoor Ambiance with Pathways

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

eighteen + nineteen =

Primary Sidebar

Quality Wood Products
Plywood options

Featured Articles

  • Matching Lumber Color Is Trickier Than It Seems – Part 1
  • Good News for Forests & the Future: Why We Should Start Considering B Grade Lumber
  • Building an Ipe Deck That Lasts for Decades, Part 1
  • Lumber Pricing, Demystified (Part 1)
  • Why Do Large Timbers Have Cracks? Part 1
  • Is Lumber Sustainable?
  • Evaluating Issues Surrounding Teak, Part 1
  • FSC Lumber, LEED Certification, and the Price of Being Green
  • Mahogany Alternatives: A Wood Worker’s Top 3 Picks
  • Outlook for Genuine Mahogany’s Future, Part 1
Tropical Decking Lumber

Popular Articles

  • Expandable Children's Furniture at The Bedroom Source
  • African Mahogany Lumber vs Genuine Mahogany Lumber
  • The City Way: Taking Your Child’s Bed to the Next Level with Maxtrix!
  • Perfect Furniture for a Boy's Bedroom, Pt 1
  • Perfect Furniture for a Boy's Bedroom, Pt 2
  • How Do You Treat Reactive Attachment Disorder?
  • Ultra-Budget-Friendly Swimming Pool Upgrades
  • Why Sleep Is Important for Young Athletes
  • Why Parents Love Jackrabbit Class Management Software

Reader Feedback

  • DSP on Pool Maintenance Tips for Salt Water Pools, Part 1
  • Zachary Tomlinson on Amazing Benefits of Pool Ownership, Part 1
  • Zachary Tomlinson on 3 Types of Pool Covers, 3 Distinct Purposes
  • Afton Jackson on Bathroom Remodeling Ideas: Can You Use Wood in the Bathroom?
  • Alice Carroll on 4 Types of Vinyl Pool Liners
  • Afton Jackson on So You’re Adding an In-Ground Swimming Pool? Here’s What You Can Expect
  • Zachary Tomlinson on Why You Should Consider Installing a Backyard Swimming Pool – Part 3

Copyright © 2023 Sozo Firm Inc · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer · Sitemap