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Have you ever marveled at the intricate gingerbread of a classic San Francisco Victorian, admired a stately Southern Colonial or enjoyed the hand-wrought detailing of a Craftsman bungalow? One feature that all outstanding traditional-style homes share is great architectural millwork.
 The term "architectural millwork" encompasses a raft of materials and products. Also known as "architectural ornamentation," "detailing," "carpenter art" or simply "trim," this refers to the moldings, posts, columns and other detailing applied to house exteriors. The genre' includes shutters that flank windows; pediments and pilasters that surround doors; dentil and crown moldings; columns; and the other elements that add interest and anchor a house's architecture in the vernacular of a given period and style. Much millwork serves a functional role, too--moldings hide the transitions between differing materials and columns may provide support, for example. Many of these moldings and products are used inside rooms as well as on exteriors.
If you intend to build a traditional-style home or you own an older traditional house, it pays to be familiar with decorative millwork. The trim of existing older homes often has been removed during earlier "remodeling" and begs for replacement. Or, because millwork is particularly vulnerable to the abuses of harsh weather, it's often in shoddy condition. Being familiar with decorative millwork is key to choosing types and styles that will look great and last.
The first step is to learn the language; a substantial vocabulary is built around the parts and pieces, from capitals to pediments, corbels to pilasters. See below for the definitions of common components.
Historically, decorative millwork has been shaped, carved or built-up from wood. Although wood is still often the material of choice, much of today's decorative millwork is made of high-density polymers and other composites, synthetics or manufactured materials. Here is a closer look at the most common materials:
Wooden Detailing
Wooden detailing is easy to cut and fasten, durable and--of importance to restoration enthusiasts--authentic. Pine, a softwood, is very commonly used; poplar is a moderately-priced hardwood. Other species such as redwood, cedar, and oak are used, too.
Although some species, such as redwood and cedar heartwood, have a natural resistance to decay, all wood must be protected from weathering with stain or--more likely--paint. To guarantee continued protection, this finish must be reapplied every few years.
Wooden gingerbread, newel posts, porch posts, moldings and similar wooden millwork is made both by small, local mills, and by large mills that distribute to home-improvement centers, lumberyards, millwork shops, and sell directly through mail-order catalogs. Two such companies that offer products by mailorder are Silverton Victorian Millworks and Vintage Wood Works. These companies have many stock components and will produce custom materials.
How much does wooden detailing cost? Because the offerings are so varied, even ballpark prices are almost impossible to pin down. Silverton's popular Colorado handrail, which is 2 inches by 2 3/4 inches, runs about $4.50 per lineal foot in hemlock and $7.50 per lineal foot in oak. The best way to see the selection and pinpoint prices is to request a catalog.
In general, quality wood is a scarce and expensive resource--and you pay for it accordingly. Wood meant to be painted is considerably less expensive than material meant to be finished naturally or stained with a transparent finish. When choosing wood, you must also consider the fact that many types of moldings are actually built-up on site from several molding profiles; both labor and material costs can escalate with complexity.
Composites
PrimeTrim(r) exterior and interior trim from Georgia-Pacific is an all-wood composite that is highly resistant to rot and decay, and has no knots, finger joints or defects. It is sold factory primed on the face and two edges and is said to require re-painting less than traditional wood trim. It is made in 16-foot lengths and may have either a smooth or textured surface.
Plaster
Plaster has been used for centuries to create interesting detailing. Today, plaster is used for a variety of interior details, including mantels, crown moldings, ceiling domes and the like. On building exteriors, it is used for some columns, corbels, wall plaques and other small details. One plus for plaster is the fact that it is all-natural--made from gypsum and typically reinforced with hemp. It must be sealed for weather protection. Plaster Cast Designs, in Shelbyville, Tennessee, is one company that sells an extensive line of stock parts by mailorder and can custom-cast parts by request.
Polyurethane Foam
New moldings and architectural elements are commonly made from high-density polyurethane foam. Easy to cut and fasten with standard woodworking tools, polyurethane isn't subject to some problems associated with wood: shrinkage, expansion, warping, splintering and decay. Molded detailing is usually factory finished with a UV-inhibiting primer and white acrylic finish. It may be painted or stained with a non-penetrating stain. Finishes on polyurethane tend to last longer than on wood.
Unlike wood moldings that are often combined from several different pieces, these molded products are one piece, which makes them much more affordable to install than wood.
Many different components are available. The largest manufacturer of these products, Fypon, makes over 3500 different styles and sizes. And if you can't find a stock piece that suits you, you can get it custom formed to your specifications. NMC Focal Point and Orac Decor also distribute a full line of products throughout the United States.
Typical products made from polyurethane include door surrounds--both complete or with separate pilasters, mantels and pediments; decorative window headers; raised panels for under windows; decorative scrollwork brackets; gable-end trim; corner trim; shutters; dentil blocks for under soffits; cornice moldings and more.
Many homeowners install polyurethane moldings themselves, following the manufacturer's instructions. These materials are cut with conventional woodworking saws (a special miter box is available for large profiles). They're usually tacked in place with finishing nails, but special adhesives are used for joining moldings that create joints guaranteed not to crack or separate. Small profiles are priced similarly to wood, but larger profiles are more economical because they're made as a single piece.
For mail-order catalogs or the names of nearby dealers, you can contact the companies directly. Because the offerings are so vast, the best way to check prices is to get a catalog. Orac Decor's most popular crown moldings range from about $10 per lineal foot to $17 per foot. All are sold in 6 1/2-foot lengths.
Siding System Accessories
Alcoa, CertainTeed, Wolverine, and other major manufacturers of vinyl siding produce classic details made from vinyl that are designed to coordinate with siding systems. These products include window and door surrounds, shutters, corner posts, dentil molding and a range of other components, as well as decorative custom shingle and siding patterns.
For example, Alcoa Building Products' line of Images Designer Accessories includes Accent Panels in four fish scale patterns, wainscot, dryer vents and fixture mounts. These decorative accessories are available in a wide range of colors and can be used with vinyl and aluminum siding, brick and stone.
CertainTeed has gone to great lengths to create trim that mimics the look of wood. "To make our siding systems appear more wood like, we designed more substantial trim components that resemble 1 by 4 and 1 by 6 wood boards--the materials carpenters typically use," says Robert Long, marketing manager of the siding division of Certainteed's Vinyl Building Products Group. One of the benefits of this system, which is designed to be used with Monogram vinyl siding, is that trim parts can be interchanged or combined quite freely to make up very realistic profiles.
Wolverine also offers a realistic line that includes a premium, super-rigid soffit; fish scale, beaded and lattice panels; extra-wide fluted, stepped, or smooth corner posts; and stepped window trim.
If your home is sided with aluminum, you may be able to use some vinyl specialty parts; otherwise, you can get custom-bent aluminum pieces for some architectural features, but these tend to be expensive and not very authentic looking.
Columns
Some columns are structural; others are merely decorative. Structural types are made of materials that can bear substantial weight: wood, aluminum or fiberglass composites. Non-structural columns are made of polymers (some are hollow and may receive weight-bearing wood or metal posts). Non-structural columns come in many classic shapes. They're typically sold in increments of 4-foot lengths and may be coupled with any of a variety of decorative caps and bases.
Fypon makes a line of columns that are both beautiful and structural--these columns, including classic styles as well as porch posts and even lamp posts, have a steel pipe that has been wrapped in polymer. A special cap that prevents uplift in high-wind or seismic areas is available. These are made in 10 and 12-foot lengths. A typical 10-inch-diamter by 8-foot column will cost about $225 in either plane or fluted styles; capitals and bases, sold separately, are about $20 each.
Real wood columns are available in cylindrical, tapered, and squared profiles. The surfaces of some are decorative--fluted, for example. Typically, a column is sold as a complete kit, with a separate decorative wooden cap and base. Although the wood is preservative treated, it must be painted. Sizes range from 6-inch-diameter by 8-feet long to 20-inch-diameter by 20-feet long.
Some aluminum columns are structural; others are not. Although most are primed with a special bonding primer that may be painted, some have factory-applied finishes. These extruded columns are hollow, typically constructed from interlocking sections or staves. For example, Moultrie Manufacturing's columns come in snap-lock staves; although they are load-bearing columns, they may be wrapped around an existing column or post. Lengths run up to 30 feet long; diameters are from 5 to 36 inches.
Composite columns, made from a mixture of ground marble, fiberglass and polymer resin, are also load-bearing. These hollow columns offer the look of stone, but they are lightweight, tough and highly durable. For a 10-inch-diameter by 10-foot-long fluted column from NMC Focal Point, you'll pay about $250. Capitals and bases are sold separately.
Some columns are made from a combination of materials. A.F. Schwerd Company, for example, makes custom columns from tongue-and-groove wooden staves with aluminum bases. According to Pat McKenry, "If a column goes bad for any reason, it's usually the base--we make an aluminum base because it's less likely to rot and it's ventilated. These bases will last forever." An average 8-foot tall by 10-inch-diameter column sells for about $577 plus shipping; a fluted column costs about 25% more. Dixie-Pacific offers wooden columns with either wood or composition plaster capitals and wood or cast marble base moldings.
Of course, columns only fit certain styles of architecture. But whether your house is a Greek Revival beauty or a shingled bungalow, you'll find there is a wide range of millwork products that can imbue it with interest, grace and charm.
Millwork Terms
Arch surrounds-- Half-round or elliptical trim mounted above a door or window.
Bracket-- Filigree or ornamental blocks between a vertical support and horizontal member. Brackets usually provide crossbracing or support between a post and beam or a beam and cornice.
Capital-- The decorative top of a column or pilaster.
Corbel-- A short block or bracket projecting from a wall, often meant to provide support for a horizontal member.
Cornice-- Projection at the top of a wall, under a roof's eaves.
Dentil blocks--Blocks attached to a wall that present a toothed pattern.
Dentil molding--Toothed molding attached to a wall.
Gable decoration--Triangular-shaped filigree or panel fitted into the rake end of a gable roof.
Header or head-- Horizontal projection over the top of a window or a doorway.
Keystone-- Angular block centered over a door or window in a header or mantle.
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