Architectural
Woodwork:
Creating a Lasting Impression of
Quality and Elegance
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One of the challenges of this restoration was matching the existing profiles in the Broadmoor created by those original craftsmen. "The quality demanded on a five-star project like the Broadmoor is intense and we cannot tolerate mistakes or late deliveries," said Paden. "We work with only a handful of companies for our hardwoods and architectural millwork."
ISEC turned to Heppner Hardwoods of California for all the standing and running trims required. Heppner Hardwoods has been providing fine architectural woodwork for hospitality contracts for the last 25 years. Located on 5 acres, with their own mill attached to the lumberyard, they have one and a quarter million-board feet of imported and domestic hardwoods on site. Quartered Red Oak, which has a very dominant grain, needs a plain colonial cove crown or a simple pattern. The wood itself has such character that the simple crown frames it. Sycamore is another good choice for plain patterns. Hard white maple on the other hand is a denser, tighter grain that can carry a complicated pattern with more coves. The wood defines and complements the detail. Installation of architectural wood elements is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle Excellent precision molding with tight tolerances improves the quality of the installation because no fitting has to be done – the pieces all match up perfectly.
Coming from a design background, Lorraine Heppner recognized the need for excellent quality architectural woodwork in high-end projects. "My career background, prior to taking over the management of the company in 1991, was in fashion," said Heppner. "I am often asked how that discipline translated into architectural millwork, and the answer is really very simple."
"The elements of fashion and architectural design are made up of shapes, profiles, and silhouettes, and the inner eye to bring it all together," explains Heppner. "Then, of course, there is the execution of that vision. As a draftee of apparel patterns, (execution of design) it was crucial that they be accurate. That same exactness is brought to the millwork process. In woodworking terms it is called 'being within tolerance.'"
The Broadmoor called for consistency in tolerance and length for the standing and running trims. Heppner Hardwoods supplied excellent quality milled product and moldings in specified length.
"Before we enter into a partnership with a supplier we have a preliminary phone interview to find out the basics of their plant size, number of employees, type of machinery and volume of work," said Norblom. "Once that is established, we conduct a plant tour by an AWI certified inspector to see first hand the plant flow, craftsmanship, finishing capabilities and quality of product in production. The suppliers ability to produce the quality, coupled with their ability to ship product on time is critical in our decision making."
"We work with WIC and AWI specifications and are also a 'Chain of Custody' company certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and the Rainforest Alliance," said Rhyner. "One of the most common complaints we hear when contractors first come to us is that if the millwork is not exactly milled so that every piece is identical, they have major problems with installation. When you join pieces of running trim, if the profile is not exact on each piece, it's a nightmare."