Working with the Manufacturer

Manufacturers should have the expertise and experience to be an effective partner, able to provide detailed support for designing, drawing, and specifying a finished product that realizes the designer’s vision for the project and meets all requirements, including codes or local provisions, such as for historic preservation. CAD drawings and specification sections, as well as detailed installation information, should be easily downloaded from the company website, along with direct advice and support.

Companies also differ in their corporate commitment to using sustainable manufacturing processes and providing products with minimal adverse effect on the environment.

A few examples of what to look for in a molded millwork manufacturer:

• Minimum five-year warranty
• Excellent instructions and technical resources, readily accessible, including CAD and shop drawings
• Physical testing of products
• Color samples and production samples
• Products made without CFCs, HCFCs, or any other ozone depleting compound
• Use of water-based coatings and paints that exceed performance required by VOC regulations
• Products with zero emission of toxic gases
• Use of materials containing post-consumer content to reduce landfill loading
• Routing of all waste materials for recycling

The selection of molded high-density polyurethane millwork will open a wide range of possibilities not available with fabricated millwork. High-quality, high-density polyurethane material is impervious to moisture and insects, won’t decay or warp, and is economical to transport, install, and maintain. Molded polyurethane can be used to create precise detail in single pieces of any size, enabling the use of flexible forms for components that would be technically impossible or prohibitively expensive to produce and install with conventional materials. Today’s specialized molding manufacturers combine innovative technology with traditional craft to translate the newest original designs or transform the most treasured historic ones into light, durable, economical architectural elements.

SAMPLE SPECIFICATION

Shown below, a simplified sample specification section for a molding.

Spectis Moulders Inc. specializes in producing unique custom moulded and fabricated products. The company policy is “We will build anything!” Spectis has complete design, engineering, and drafting capabilities, enabling it to work from very simple sketches to develop and produce just about any product with impeccable detail and quality. www.spectis.com.