Trademark Wood Products

Many of the projects we undertake at Trademark have non-standard board lengths exceeding the available lengths for the species required for their projects. In some cases, a glue joint is the appropriate solution to achieve these longer lengths. This is often seen with box beams and stair skirt boards. The solution we have found for beams or skirt boards that will be painted or stained a dark color is a long diagonal joint which allows for a longer, uniform glue surface that will provide more stability to the joint and allows for a straight, seamless surface that, once finished is almost imperceptible. #millwork #premiumwood

At Trademark we are constantly refining and adjusting our processes to meet the needs of our clients as well as our own internal needs so that we can keep you in the fast lane. One example is the choice in grit of sandpaper. If you are priming your trim, the primer you use may require a look at the grit of sandpaper we would use. For an oil-based primer our standard 150 grit will give you the desired finish when you apply your primer. If you are using a water-based primer, that tends to raise the grain and a 220 grit may be a more appropriate choice. #millwork #premiumwood

At Trademark, we have hundreds of knife profiles which we are constantly adding to as we see and run different and unique projects. The reason we have so many is because we are a premium millwork shop that works with the best builders who do some of the most unique and eye-catching projects out there. If you have a vision for a unique molding or a unique component of your house or project, get a hold of us and see how we can help you. #carpentry #millwork

Another species we often see is Birch. Birch has a creamy light color and indistinct growth rings which gives a fairly uniform appearance. Birch trees generally grow up to 80ft tall, but can be difficult to source in longer lengths of over 10-12ft. #carpentry #birch

Did you know another species similar to Douglas Fir is the Cedar tree? We typically use D grade cedar, which is a beautiful and high grade of Cedar which has very few knots and a beautiful grain structure similar to a vertical grain fir. Cedar is not a very hard wood but is moisture resistant and is frequently used in wet saunas. We have run tongue and groove cedar for several saunas this past year and it machines and sands up beautifully. Lengths up to 16ft are typically not difficult to source, but availability may vary. #carpentry #cedar

One of our favorite species to run is vertical grain Douglas Fir. Douglas Fir is a massive evergreen species native to the western US. It is hardy enough for exterior uses and we have run it as tongue and groove for ceilings and 3 and 4 season porches. We also sourced some massive fir beams for a project in Wisconsin. Douglas Fir grows very tall, grows quickly, and grows straight. Lengths of up to 16-18ft are generally not difficult to source, but availability may vary. #carpentry #douglasfir

Did you know another species we see quite frequently is veneer grade walnut? The reason we use veneer grade is because anything less than veneer grade will often contain too much sapwood which is a light creamy yellow and is considered by many of our clients to be undesirable. The heartwood of a walnut tree is a beautiful, rich brown color that is often stained or sealed and adds a touch of class to any room it is applied to. Walnut trees are prone to knots and typically can grow to 100-130ft tall. However, when sourcing a veneer grade, available lumber lengths will typically not exceed 11-12ft. #carpentry #walnut (photo from our old shop and previous logo)

Soft maple is another species that we see from time to time. Soft maple is similar to Poplar in appearance and ability to take paint and stain. Soft maple is not necessarily its own species, but is a commercial term to denote it as separate from hard maple (often big leaf maple in the western US and silver maple in the eastern US). Lumber length is similar to hard maple so longer lengths upwards of 10-12ft may take additional time to source. #carpentry #softmaple

Did you know along the line of extremely dense woods, hard maple is one of the hardest woods and comes in various grades and varieties (Birds Eye, curl, quilt)? Hard maple has a generally straight grain but is prone to burn marks when machining specifically because it is so hard. Hard maple has multiple uses which include flooring, baseball bats, cutting boards, bench tops, etc. Longer lengths are generally available, but depending on the time of year, it may be more difficult to source lengths over 10-12ft. #carpentry #hardmaple

Coming on the heels of white oak is red oak. While not as popular as it once was, we see several projects per year which use red oak. Red oak is similar to white oak in its hardness, although it is slightly softer and is known for its characteristic warm red hue and beautiful grain. Red oak also comes in several grades ranging from plain slice to rift cut. Red oak, while it is a massive tree, does not typically grow straight and is prone to knots and lengths exceeding 10-12ft can be challenging to source. #carpentry #redoak