What will I likely pay for millwork?

December 28, 2006 7:26 AM

What should I expect to pay for some custom millwork? Assuming, of course, that the hive mind doesn't tell me I'm an idiot...

You can see the things I make in the link in my profile - I won't self-promote here. The first steps in making them involve cutting 1x4 pine into a frame, biscuiting, gluing and clamping it. When I'm done I cut 3/4 inch screen bead that's then affixed on the inner and outer edges of the face to make the inset for the tile & grout.

This is some of the most time-consuming work in my fabrication and the least gratifying. It's also not as cheap as I'd like, considering how much time I have to invest into it. It's also most prone to unattractive flaws - if the bead isn't a good joint then crud gets in the corners and makes the end product look like crap. So my thought is this: can I get boards pre-routed with the 2 inch wide, 1/4inch inset that I am currently creating using screen bead?

And the obvious secondary question: will this break the bank, ie: me? The pine 1x4 is pretty cheap, the screen bead not so much: I think I'm paying a little under a buck a foot at the moment so if my time, glue, and brads are considered valueless then current cost is about $3 a foot. More than that is acceptable because of the time cost but not too much more. What's the likely cost to purchase a lot of 10' boards ripped and routed like this?

Lastly, is there any obvious flaw to this approach that I'm missing?

posted by phearlez to shopping (10 comments total)

You are not crazy. I recently had some moulding custom milled. I was shocked at how affordable it was. The shops near me did have minumum charges but it sounds like that won't be an issue for you. You should have no problem finding a shop willing to mill this for you at an affordable price. By the way mfg.com has a woodworking section. You could always post an rfq (request for quote) there but then you would have shipping to deal with. Good luck.
posted by snowjoe at 7:47 AM on December 28, 2006

If you had a router table or a table saw with a dado blade set you could hog it out yourself in a few passes. I wouldn't imagine you'll recoup machining costs if that channel is all you need...
posted by prostyle at 8:05 AM on December 28, 2006

Not that much, especially if you get a lot done at once to amortize the setup over the run size.

You should be able to locate a local woodshop or millwright to quote it.

What you are confronting is a make/buy analysis, in which a key element is the valuation of your own method, including scrapping defects and the value of reduced quality in your end product. Spend some time calcluating this, which is something you have 100% of the info you need. Then, you'll be able to evaluate a quote quickly.

I can't imagine that the purchase of a component of the simplicity you describe would lose out, especially since the labor content and scrap potential of your method is apparently high.

(I just had a lot of custom millwork done and 90% of the cost was material (1x6 quarter sawn white oak up to 12 feet long.) The machining was cheap by comparison.
posted by FauxScot at 8:32 AM on December 28, 2006

I know Smoot Lumber in Alexandria, near Landmark Mall, does this. Give 'em a call: 703-823-2100.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:38 AM on December 28, 2006

Snowjoe, do you have any feel for what the price was like compared to the price of the unmilled lumber? I know what I'm paying for the raw materials now so what I'll pay for this alternative is what I'm most interested in knowing.

Prostyle, I have a router, I have a table saw (but no dado). My issue with doing it myself is that I'd do 20-30 8 or 10' boards at a time and it makes a godawful mess.

On the mess subject, since I don't have a dust collection system and my workshop is in a multi-use basement that means I usually step outside when I router out the 1/2 inch wide, 1/8 inch lip for the mirror inset. In summer, no biggie. During winter, even in somewhat temperate Virginia, much less fun.

The total quantity also puts me off a bit - my working space is somewhat limited so supporting boards for that long a rip is problematic. Three passes (using a 13/16 wide dado blade, the widest I have ever seen) down a 1x4 twenty times... ugh.
posted by phearlez at 8:51 AM on December 28, 2006

I just had a lot of custom millwork done and 90% of the cost was material (1x6 quarter sawn white oak up to 12 feet long.

That's the core of what I was wondering. Thanks FauxScot.

MrMoonPie - thanks, a personal recommendation is worth a lot to me.
posted by phearlez at 8:53 AM on December 28, 2006

Smoot planed some rough-cut cherry for me, and did a good job. That was about 10 years ago, though. They did seem to be set up for small runs.
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:21 PM on December 28, 2006

You might also try a quote from Vienna Hardwoods.
posted by exogenous at 2:19 PM on December 28, 2006

I second the router table suggestion. I suspect it would save you money in the long run and open up new design options.
posted by Huplescat at 4:23 PM on December 28, 2006

Thirding Smoot's. One of their specialties is to mill crown molding to match the existing stuff in houses in their neighborhood (which used to be Old Town, Alexandria before they moved). They're totally set up to do short run custom stuff at very close tolerances, all for a reasonable price.

They also sell the world's best building block sets for kids.
posted by toxic at 7:07 PM on December 28, 2006