Home Improvement
2007-10-01 11:09:00
About mouldings
: What is a “board foot”? A “square foot”? A “linear foot”?
Wood that comes from conifers or needle-bearing trees is classified as softwood: pine, Douglas fir, spruce, redwood, etc. The wood from deciduous trees (trees which lose their leaves each year) is classified as hardwood. There are some woods that are classified as “soft” that may be much harder or stronger than woods that are classified as “hard”. Balsa for example, is considered a hardwood although it is of course much softer than, say, spruce.
Question: What is a “board foot”? A “square foot”? A “linear foot”?
Answer: A “board foot” or “square foot” or “linear foot” are all ways of measuring wood. A board foot is the measure of the volume of a piece of wood. A square foot is the measure of the surface area of a board (or group of boards.) A linear foot is the measure of the length of a board.
Question: What woods work best outside?
Answer: Generally, hardwoods do not perform well in outdoor applications unless very well protected and maintained with a marine-grade varnish. The exception to this is teak, which holds up very well outdoors and which is often used for boat decking and trim. Exterior wood mouldings should be pine, redwood or Douglas fir.
Question: Can one get moulding already primed or painted?
Answer: Most milling houses can furnish either.
Question: Can mouldings be duplicated to match a moulding I already have in my house?
Answer: Yes, most milling houses can duplicate and match a moulding for any customer’s needs. Generally, mouldings can be matched from ¼” to 12” in width from 1/8” to 6” in thickness, in an many as 14 different wood species of your choice.
Question: What is required to duplicate a profile?
Answer: Again, generally an actual sample or an accurate scale drawing works best. Most milling houses can work with rough sketches, however separate drawing charges will usually apply to make an accurate pattern for you.
Question: Is it expensive to duplicate?
Answer: Duplication costs depend on the size, quantity and material species. Average custom setups run from $100 to $200.00 per profile duplication at most places. Some exceptions apply when duplicating thick or wide materials. Setup charges include a completed drawing of your profile for your approval signature, template manufacture, tooling to cut your profile and setup and running of your order through the machines. A price per lineal foot for the material of your choice and quantity will also accompany your estimate. There may be some flat fee minimum charges if ordering less than 20 lineal feet of a custom profile.
Question: How long does it take to duplicate?
Answer: On average custom duplication from start to finish is less than two weeks. Special order materials or special lengths may require longer.
