Finish carpentry is a special kind of carpentry that is differentiated from other carpentry, since it focuses very much on the small details that create the more extinguished look. Where construction framing is also done by carpenters, it’s a different type of carpenter than the one that does the finishing touches. When this is what you want, you’ll want to get a hold of trim and finish carpenters near you that can help you out with your project.
While any type of carpenter is a skilled professional, the attention to detail is especially important here to make sure that the right ambiance is created. Rough construction is good for what it is, but it may also leave imperfections during the process, and the job now is to make your home look its best.
Finish carpentry is used in a lot of different places that we will briefly walk you through to give you a better impression of the many opportunities that you have in front of you. You should also be aware of the many different types of wood and material that the carpenters can work with that include laminate and more.
Since you obviously have a clear understanding of what it is you want to have made, it’s also important that you make sure that the contractor you’re looking to contract with has the experience making similar projects, and you should request seeing examples of similar work that they did in the past to make sure they’re the right ones for the job.
Working in wood and creating finish carpentry is not easy and it takes several years to get really skilled at it. Underneath are some of the things that are commonly made by finish carpentry companies.
Ideas for Things a Finish Carpenter Can Create for You
While it involves all sorts of detailed wood work, here are some examples to get your imagination going.
- Plate rails: This a platform attached to the wall that serves the purpose of storing a bunch of items, which can include plates, paintings and more, although it’s your imagination that is the limitation.
- Wall frame molding: They can be added to any room but are more common in dining rooms, living rooms and hallways, and they’re created looking like a picture frame.
- Wainscoting: This type of wood paneling is attached to the walls and is especially popular in older homes. They usually tend to stretch from the floor to the middle of the wall.
- Picture Rail: Where a plat rail allows things to stand on top of it, a picture rail is made for things to hang from it.
- Chair rail: Its original intention was to protect walls from furniture being backed into it causing damage and leaving marks.
- Crown molding: Installed between the wall and ceiling this adds detail where the two meet. They can be made in a range of different materials, some better suited for certain spaces than others.
- Baseboards: Instead of being attached close to the ceiling, baseboard is attached next to the floor.
- Window casing: You have just had your new windows installed, and now you want to give them the aesthetical appeal they deserve. This is basically trim installed around windows and doors and ensures that there isn’t any unfinished part left looking unsightly.
Materials
While wood is the most common material for finish carpenters to work with, it’s not the only one. Here are some of the materials that finish carpentry can be made out of.
- Wood composite: It consists of a mixture of wax, resins and wood fibers and looks a lot like traditional wood too. For exterior purposes, this is generally chosen over wood due to its better ability to withstand the elements.
- PVC: Another good material for exterior purposes because it doesn’t need to be painted often and will withstand the effects of sunlight well too.
- Polyurethane
- Polystyrene: Consisting of rigid foam material
- Fiberboard: It’s not ideal if moisture is an issue, which means it shouldn’t be used for exterior purposes or in the bathroom.
- Primed wood: Often cheaper than unprimed wood because the priming may hide imperfections thereby allowing cheaper wood to look better.
- Bare wood: This includes anything from poplar, fire, oak to aspen and everything in between.
Things to Know and Look for in Finish Carpenters
While it is you that decide which finish carpenter you wish to go with, here are some recommendations that may help give you an idea of what you can be looking for in the screening process. These will often be characteristics that show that local finish carpenters know what they’re doing.
- Use numbers only to a limited extent
You’ve always been told that you should be using a contractor that accurately uses numbers to calculate things, however finish carpentry is a little bit different. Numbers will sometimes play games, and sometimes it’s better to use the old fashioned method that includes actually putting the piece of wood against the wall and marking the places that need to be cut. By doing that, no wrong points will be made because the piece of material has literally been tested against the wall for accuracy.
- They’ll be happy to measure the space and make sure it is accurate.
When we said before that numbers could mislead, we did not mean that measuring was redundant. Measuring product is necessary and will ensure that you don’t end up throwing away a lot of material. By measuring one time too many, you don’t accidentally end up cutting something short which could mean you would need to use additional material.
When cutting wood, leaving a little bit in excess is better up until the point where it is in fact installed.
- Being experienced with different surfaces.
Finish carpentry is not always installed on the same, nice and smooth surface and the project will occasionally be a little bit more tricky when different surfaces meet, which requires a skilled pro to work with those challenges and make it look beautiful. Different types of methods will be needed depending on the type of surface that is being worked on to ensure the best results.
Creating a parallel look when the surfaces are uneven takes a lot of precision. Joints are difficult to work with and proof of previous success with this should be looked for when you’re checking references.
- They’re systematic and careful when it comes to creating the details.
Although it requires a lot of detail, trim and crown molding often requires a systematic approach to both ensure consistency and efficiency in the work produced. A systematic installation is used to ensure that all the pieces serve the different purposes they’re intended to serve.
Talk to the different pros about their approach and be sure to note whether you get the impression that they’re systematic.
- It’s better that things are level than parallel
Not all homes are level, and if they aren’t, this means that the carpenter will either need to choose to make the installation level or parallel. Surprisingly, it’s better to make sure that the installation is parallel instead of level, which means that if a feature is installed 30 inches above the floor on one wall, it’s 30 inches above the floor on a different wall, although a home that isn’t level will mean they may differ in height, although not relative to the house.
A skilled carpenter is good at hiding unevenness and other things that could otherwise be ugly. Ask them about the difficulties they see in doing your specific project.
Getting Quotes
Hiring residential or commercial finish carpentry companies can really be what takes your structure to the next level in terms of its ambiance, and it will increase its value by making it look more expensive, which is why these details are also more common in luxurious homes.
To make sure that you’re still getting this done at a reasonable cost, you can use our form to get quotes from competing contractors. We’ll match you with the 4 most relevant contractors in your area that will reach out to you, and although the cost may not be the sole thing you look at since you want the pro who can make your home truly outstanding, you’re still getting good quotes as a consequence of them knowing they’re competing for your attention.
Filling out the form only takes 2 minutes, it’s free and there’s no obligation for you to sign with any of them. What are you waiting for?