Millwork Defined
Here is a quick definition of millwork!
Traditionally, millwork is any decorative material for building construction made by a wood mill. In other words, millwork is any wood product produced from a sawmill.
In the late 19th century, wood provided the basis of almost all of the elements of home construction – inside and out. Thus, wood became the default material associated with mill production. Decorative wood millwork provides the finishing touch to a home. That standard remains to this day! It is a critical element of modern home design.
Additionally, millwork is permanently affixed within the room. Any millwork that is mobile & not built-in is actually furniture. These include fixtures such as wood chairs, sofas. hardwood end tables, etc.
Stock wood profiles and custom wood millwork patterns produced at milllwork facilities both fall into this category.
In 2022, millwork manufacturers typically use hardwoods such as red oak, poplar, maple, birch, cherry. Softwoods like pine and MDF (medium-density fiberboard) are also commonly used in millwork production.
Millwork vs Casework
Millwork is different than casework. While both describe built-in woodworking production, casework specifically refers to wood parts made for case or rectangular box production (kitchen cabinets, drawers etc.) Whereas millwork refers to lineal production such as crown mouldings, wood casings, baseboards, etc.
What Does Millwork Do?
Contractors, designers, architects , remodelers and homeowners use millwork for one purpose, to give a finished look where walls, ceilings and entryways converge. In the era of tract built housing, millwork provides an economical solution for customization.
Millwork is inextricably associated with interior design and decoration. Both residential and commercial construction use millwork extensively to finish space.
Even simple off-the-shelf moldings produce stark visual improvements. Additionally, DIY’ers can often handle the millwork installation competently. However, certain millwork requires more installation expertise than others.
Additionally, casework is often made for use in prefabricated applications. Whereas, custom millwork is specifically made for a particular client or application.
This is generally true but not universal.
Who Makes Millwork?
Typically, moulding & millwork companies make the wood accessories that are finished & ready for installation.
For example, Commercial Forest Products, may manufacture millwork in bulk for a big box retailer. The home center then distributes it among it’s retail locations. This is typically how standard patterns like #711 casing and #356 casing are produced & distributed.
Additionally, carpenters, contractors and homeowners are also capable of manufacturing wood mouldings. However, this usually makes more sense with small customized milling runs. The production speed of large scale commercial milling equipment makes them a better fit for longer runs.
In my opinion, one of California’s best hardwood moulding & building products manufacturers was Sanford Lussier. They were a fixture of Huntington Park for many decades. I recently wrote an article about the company which you can read here.
Millwork in the Home
Millwork is found in both the interior and exterior of most homes. Thus, it is easy to spot if you have a few minutes to explore your property.
Starting with a home’s exterior, pine window sills, mahogany exterior door jambs (or door frames), oak door sills are commonly found exterior millwork examples.
Home interiors often have oak corbels, poplar handrails, MDF ceiling crown mouldings, poplar base boards, wall paneling, walnut stair treads, etc.
Examples of Millwork
Here is a list of common millwork used in contemporary construction:
- Trim Molding
- Base Moulding
- Door Casing
- Window Casing
- Door Sill
- Stair Banisters
- Handrails
- Crown Moulding
- Chair Rail
- Shiplap
- Mantels
- Siding
- T&G Paneling
- Corner Moulding
- Base Shoe
This is not a comprehensive list as the scope of millwork changes periodically due to fashion and design. However, much of today’s millwork falls within these categories.
