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Your Options for Thickness, Custom Lengths, and Material Type


  Thickness Options: In the past Brackets and most other
  exterior items were typically between 1" and 1-1/2" thick.
  Please consider at least 1" for the extra substance this provides.
  You'll be enjoying your thicker Vintage Woodworks items long
  after the small price difference is forgotten!

  "Happy to be a repeat customer ... pleasant service over the phone and products I know I can trust!! Thank you."         - Keith T, California

Custom Lengths: Our Spandrels and Door & Window Caps can be made to the exact length you require at no extra cost! Screen and Storm Doors can be made to the exact length and width you require!

"Hello Vintage Woodworks. I received my order which I changed at the last minute. Thank you for accommodating my changes so efficiently. I especially enjoyed the fact that your company list wood as "renewable" and that wood is a result of Gods creation! Amen! I look forward to doing business with Vintage Woodworks again."       - Troy S, Florida

Material Options:
Alder, Knotty | Alder, Superior | Ash | Birch | Cedar, Spanish | Cedar, Western Red | Cherry | Cypress | Douglas Fir | Hemlock, Western | Hickory/Pecan | Mahogany | Maple, Soft | Oak | Pine | Poplar | Redwood | Walnut, Black |

At Vintage Woodworks you have an extensive range of choices in both natural solid wood and low maintenance synthetic "wood"! Our most popular materials and thicknesses are discussed below.

Our recommendations
Exterior - Our first choice for exterior use is low maintenance products, such as those made from Cellular PVC, High Density Polyurethane, High Density Polyethylene, or Yellawood® KDAT Pressure Treated wood. Our second choice is Cypress. Cedar and Redwood are also good exterior woods. Also see Care & Feeding of Wood Millwork.

Interior, painted - Poplar is our choice for painted interior millwork.

Interior, stained - If your interior woodwork is to be stained, Pine is most economical, but Oak is our first choice. Our reasons for the above recommendations are explained below.

Synthetic Wood
For exterior use we offer low maintenance synthetic wood products that look, feel, and sound like painted wood. We do not like and do not offer slick vinyl-type products.

Cellular PVC - Most of our items are available in AZEK® Brand Cellular PVC. It is truly a MIRACLE material! It will never rot, cup, split, twist, or warp. It is impervious to moisture, salt, and insects. It's also suitable for ground or masonry contact and comes with an AZEK® Industry-leading Manufacturer's Lifetime Limited Warranty. AZEK® Cellular PVC has most of the good qualities of real wood but none of wood's maintenance requirements. And, unless you tell, no one will know it's not real wood!  Read more....

High Density Polyurethane - All of our polyurethane products come with a super tough, long lasting white factory finish. Because polyurethane does not expand and contract nearly as much as wood, this factory finish will last a very long time before repainting is necessary. That, plus the fact that it is impervious to moisture and insects, makes High Density Polyurethane low maintenance and great for exterior use.  Read more...

High Density Polyethylene - We offer Polyethylene Porch Posts. When you consider their longevity and virtual lack of maintenance they are very affordable. Polyethylene is a very tough, low maintenance material that does not need painting. Not now. Not ever! The outer shell is very resistant to damage (denting, scratching, etc.) We have tested these Posts with sharp hammer blows and moments later could not find the area of impact! Our Polyethylene Porch Posts look, feel, and sound very much like painted wood... and they will look fresh and new indefinitely!
Read more...


Alder, Knotty
If you want a lot of character, meaning knots and more irregular grain patterns, Knotty Alder has it. The knots range from tight to open and split patterns. The effect is more rustic and informal. Coloring is similar to Cherry, ranging from a light honey color to a reddish-brown hue.

Knotty Alder is one of the softest woods in the hardwood family, making it more vulnerable to scratches or dents. Most often, Knotty Alder is found in rustic designed kitchens, furniture, doors, beams, mantels, columns, and paneling. Knotty Alder can stand up to years of wear and tear. It is very budget-friendly and is usually very available.


Alder, Superior
Also known as Select Alder or Clear Alder, Superior Alder is a high-grade hardwood. It is light to medium-brown and evenly textured, with a fairly straight grain pattern and good working properties. Because of its uniform, small pore structure and consistency of color, Superior Alder is a preferred wood for finishing. It takes finishes almost exactly the same as cherry and the same range of colors works well on it. It also looks good with "mahogany" and "walnut" colors and takes paint as well as poplar, if not better! If natural is what you are looking for, Superior Alder has a honey-like color.

The smooth grain of the wood makes it extremely pliant, which is one reason it is a preferred wood of furniture makers around the world. Superior Alder will very seldom crack and works well both in wet and dry climates, making for tremendous exterior doors, kitchen cabinets, shutters, mouldings, baseboards, panel stock, turnings, carvings, and kitchen utensils.


Ash
Ash wood is a strong, aesthetically pleasing smooth-grained hardwood with a uniform look. It comes in varying shades of tones ranging from beige to light-brown hue. It does not scratch and damage easily. Ash will accept any color of stain easily without losing its beautiful grain and texture.

Ash has very good strength and stability, comparable to oak. It is tougher than most other woods, and due to its high elasticity and abrasion resistance it is used widely for furniture, cabinets, doors, windows, staircases, and stair treads. In addition, due to its hardness, Ash is a good choice for flooring. Ash is neither rot-resistance nor waterproof, but is slightly more durable than many woods with regard to decay. However, it will not last long if in contact with the ground;hence its best for indoor purposes.


Birch
Birch is pale in color, but can come in pink and amber tones. With uniform wood grain pattern and hard surface, both can be easily painted, stained and polished.

Today, birch/beech wood is appreciated for its hardness, compared to oak, as well as its surface with a uniform texture that suits modern décor very well. When polished, its reduced grain provides a fine surface suitable for the manufacture of furniture and decorative items.

Both Birch and Beech are also highly suitable for cabinetry applications, provided they are appropriately protected against moisture and pests. Flooring, moldings, and doors are also popular uses.


Cedar, Spanish
Despite its name, Spanish Cedar is not only a hardwood (and therefore not a Cedar at all), but it is also not Spanish. It actually comes from the Meliaceae family, along with Mahogany; it is similar to Genuine Mahogany in its beautiful coloration, attractive grain pattern, and great workability. It also has similar characteristics to Western Red Cedar but with its own enduring charm.

Spanish Cedar has a color characteristic of being pink to dark reddish brown with a purplish tinge from time to time. Its grain patterns are typically straight, sometimes wavy, and fine. Unlike Western Red Cedar, this type of wood has a more even-colored grain, which is preferable for staining or clear natural finishes.

While not as hard as Mahogany, it is a great choice for outdoor applications because of its natural oil content. Great as entry way doors, exterior trim, moulding, and exterior siding. It’s bitter taste and distinctive odor also helps ward off attack from termites.


Cedar, Western Red
Please do not confuse our premium Western Red Cedar with the rough, knotty Cedar available at most lumber yards and home centers. Our Western Red Cedar has a smooth surface and only a few small, tight knots.

Often used outside, Western Red Cedar holds paint well and is very weather resistant. However, it is relatively brittle when used for thinner items. Therefore, most of our items are not offered in 3/4" thick Cedar.


Cherry
Cherry is a hard and heavy wood that is light pinkish-brown and can vary from rich red to reddish brown. It can darken with age and on exposure to light. Cherry has a straight-grain, a fine uniform, satiny, and smooth texture. It naturally may contain mineral deposits and small gum pockets that are natural and randomly occurring and add character.

Cherry is highly prized by woodworkers because of its rich color, smooth grain and flexibility. It is used commonly for wood flooring, stain-grade moldings, trim, kitchen cabinets, doors, furniture, and in kitchen accessories like bowls, wood spoons, and cutting boards.

If choosing wood for flooring, Cherry may be a better wood that can be used without any problem. It is a medium-density, shock-resistant, dark-grain patterned hardwood that makes it less likely to dent and scratch easily, and resists warping and shrinking which requires less maintenance and care. Cherry wood is a prized hardwood in America and you can trust it to stay strong, structurally stable, and highly resistant to rot and decay.


Cypress
The U.S. Forest Service ranks Cypress among the top woods (along with Cedar and Redwood) for ease of keeping well painted and for resistance to cupping and checking (weathering issues). It accepts and holds stain or paint very well, and is very weather resistant.  Read more...


Douglas Fir
Douglas Fir, known as Oregon pine and Colombian pine, is native to western North America. Despite being classified as a softwood, it possesses features that enable it to be used in tasks mostly meant for hardwoods. It is very tough, resistant to physical impacts and has great longevity, making Doug Fir a good choice for flooring

Doug Fir is light brown color with a hint of red and/or yellow, with darker growth rings and accepts stains, glues, and finishes well. It also has an incredibly natural appearance if you are looking for unfinished look.

Douglas Fir can be used in both exterior and interior. For exterior, it will last long after exposure to water. Therefore, this wood is perfect for siding and roofing. It does not readily absorb water and dries on-site in two weeks when there is moisture. To protect the wood from rain and sunlight in bad weather, the durability of wood can be increased by applying polish or paint. Popular, interior uses are for moldings, mantelpieces, window cases, window sills, baseboards, as well as stairway risers.

Mixed grain
Mixed grain offers varied patterns and organic flow, with no two pieces alike. It shows more of the true character of the wood and offers far more visual interest than the uniform stripes of vertical grain.

Mixed Grain meshes effortlessly from modern to rustic spaces. It is also ideal for historic remodels and was used in many of the style-setting turn-of-the-century homes throughout the US. For indoor trim, mixed grain provides an excellent product with more rustic look than vertical grain. The occasional knot and nail hole add to the antique look.

Vertical grain
Vertical grain is sawn perpendicular to the growth rings of the tree. This means that if you are looking at a piece of vertical grain wood, you’ll be able to see the lumber’s tight growth rings in straight lines running vertically up and down the face of the wood. Vertical grain offers more consistent coloring, and is a more stable and durable product.

When you need something with the high durability, such as flooring, decking, or anything that needs to stand up to the elements or to heavy wear, vertical grain Doug Fir is your best bet.


Hemlock, Western
Although Western Hemlock lacks the special weather resistant qualities of Cypress, Cedar, or Redwood, it is a traditional and widely used wood for exterior balustrade components. Western Hemlock should perform very satisfactorily if our painting and installation instructions are followed.  Read more....


Hickory/Pecan
Hickory and Pecan both are great and similar hardwoods. They are so similar to each other that it is difficult to tell them apart. Botanically they are split into two groups: the true hickories and the pecan hickories (fruit-bearing), but are virtually the same and are usually sold together.

Hickory/Pecan is one of the hardest domestic woods and one of the most commonly used. It is a strong, hard, and shock-resistant wood. It is durable for interior applications, but not a good choice for external applications because they are very susceptible to insect attack. It creates quality flooring, doors, window frames, cabinets, and suitable for making tool handles and baseball bats.

Hickory/Pecan offers a variety of color, ranging in hues from a creamy brown to an almost-golden brown to medium brown, with a reddish hue. Natural hickory/pecan flooring lightens rooms with its light colors and bold grain patterns. If you choose, it stains and finishes well. It will last a very long time if properly cared for. And given how hard and durable Hickory/Pecan is, it requires comparatively little maintenance.


Mahogany (Sapele)
Mahogany is tremendously pleasing to the eye, ushering warmth into any room lucky enough to be graced with its presence. Its elegant and timeless beauty and general lack of imperfections are a hard combination to beat!

Mahogany’s inherent solid, heavy, and durable physical properties, along with excellent workability, make it an ideal choice for almost all applications. It is less liable to warp, shrink, swell, or twist than most other woods due to its resistance to moisture and atmospheric changes and that also makes it decay resistant.

Mahogany has a straight, fine, even grain with reddish-brown color and displays a wonderful sheen when polished. It oils very well and can be buffed to a very high shine. Mahogany is yet another hardwood that exudes splendor and warmth... and it holds paint very well! That makes Mahogany an excellent choice for both interior and exterior use!


Maple, Soft
Maple wood’s unique color, smooth grain, and strength make it a popular choice among woodworkers of all types. It also tends to get chosen when durability is a concern because it can take a beating. It is commonly used in high-end furniture, flooring, cabinetry, and kitchen accessories.

Maple has a light, creamy color, smooth grain pattern, and has ability to take to a variety of different stains to fit easily into any type of décor. Like cherry, maple will darken over time, though far less dramatically. Maple starts off very light and bright, with a few pink and grey tones. Over time, it will age to a warm golden honey color. Left in its natural state, the creamy white hue can brighten up any room.

If you are looking for a warmer tone, you can choose a medium or dark stain depending on your preference applications. Stained maple looks gorgeous and can be dressed up to suit any preferred style. If you’re looking to give your space a subtle style reminiscent of European charm, maple is an excellent option. Maple hardwood’s beauty is undeniable.


Oak
A traditional, beautiful, durable, strong hardwood, Oak is a pleasure to live with. Indeed, it is a continual favorite for inside use due to it's appealing appearance, hardness (resists nicks and dents) and ability to accept stain very beautifully. Oak is traditionally used in cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, flooring, and paneling.

Red Oak
Red Oak has a light to medium reddish-brown color, though there can be a fair amount of variation in color. White Oak (discussed directly below) tends to be slightly more olive-colored. Unless specified otherwise, Red Oak is what we are referring to when we offer Oak at our Product Listings.

Red Oak is not suitable for exterior use. It does not take and hold paint well without being properly filled, and Red Oak weathers poorly when exposed, as noted by the U.S. Forest Service. It's level of decay resistance falls somewhere between slightly durable to non-durable.

White Oak
White Oak is light to medium brown, though there can be a fair amount of variation in color. Red Oak tends to be slightly redder. Unless specified otherwise, Red Oak is what we are referring to when we offer Oak at our Product Listings.

White Oak's level of decay resistance falls somewhere between resistant to very resistant, making it more resistant than Red Oak. Indeed, it is frequently used in boat and barrel building. However, it may not take paint well without filling, and regardless, it would be a shame to cover White Oak's lovely grain pattern with paint!


Pine
For interior use when staining, Pine is a beautiful, traditional choice that balances nicely between cost and results. (Always use a pre-stain wood conditioner - Minwax makes a good one - when staining softwoods such as Pine.) However, because it is stronger and harder, Poplar is a better choice for painted interior use.

White Pine
The premium Ponderosa White Pine we use is far superior to that available in lumber yards and has only an occasional small tight knot. The U.S. Forest Service has found Ponderosa Pine to be “quite uniform in texture and has little tendency to warp and twist ... generally straight grained and ... moderately small shrinkage.” Unless specified otherwise, White Pine is what we are referring to when we offer Pine at our Product Listings.

Yellow Pine
Likewise, the premium Yellow Pine we use is far superior to that available in lumber yards and has only an occasional small tight knot. Yellow Pine, also known as Southern Pine, can be one of several similar species from the Southern and South Atlantic States. It is generally heavier and harder than White Pine. That makes Yellow Pine a good choice for Beadboard and other wall coverings.

Yellow Pine is relatively stable when properly kiln dried (15% - 20% moisture level) and when used in narrower thicknesses and widths. In larger dimensions, or when not properly kiln dried, Yellow Pine has a tendency to bow, cup, and split. We primarily offer Yellow Pine for items no more than 3/4" thick.

If painting, your best inexpensive choice is Poplar because it is even harder and stronger than Yellow Pine.

Pine, Yellow, Knotty
Knotty Yellow Pine is among the most beautiful woods in the world. It is light yellowish in color with light orange accents, generally straight but uneven grained with small, tight knots that do not fall out. It is stable, durable in nature and moderately high in shock resistance.

Being a versatile wood product, Yellow Knotty Pine has many applications. The most common uses are paneling, log siding, trim, molding, bath and kitchen cabinets, window frames and doors, flooring and decking, decking for roofs, and crafts and home projects. For outdoor applications it must be treated with preservative to prolong its life and beauty!

Knotty Pine was popular in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s for kitchen and living room paneling. At that time many kitchen cabinets were also pine with a honey finish. During the next three decades pine paneling lost its appeal in traditional homes, but not in log cabins and log houses. Today, natural Knotty Yellow Pine has made a roaring comeback, and demand for this beautiful wood is high!

YellaWood® KDAT Pressure Treated Yellow Pine
YellaWood® Brand Kiln Dried After Treatment Yellow Pine is a major improvement on regular pressure treated wood because kiln drying after the wood has been pressure treated returns the wood to its natural state of internal moisture. This greatly reducing warping, cupping, and splitting before, during, and after installation. Also, the SuperSelect grade of YellaWood® KDAT we sell has a much better overall appearance compared to regular pressure treated lumber.  Read more...


Poplar
Poplar is a hardwood, although not as hard as Oak. The U. S. Forest Service ranks Poplar as stronger and denser than Pine but it lacks the special decay-resistant qualities of Cedar, Cypress, or Redwood. Some feel Poplar is not as good for staining, due to color variations in a given board. However, if you're painting, Poplar is our first choice for interior use.  Read more...


Redwood
Our standard Redwood grade is a quality B Grade Clear. This grade is a kiln-dried Architectural Grade, which is the highest category of Redwood grades. It has a color mix of red and tan. A few small tight knots may be present in some boards. Often used outside, Redwood holds paint well and is very weather resistant. However, Redwood's more open grain can produce a slightly rougher finish when used for scrollwork. Redwood is less susceptible to shrinkage, warping and checking than most other woods used outside. It has natural oils and resins that help prevent rot decay and insect attack. Other grades of Redwood are available if required, please inquire.

NOTE - 3/4" thick Redwood comes to us from the mills at 5/8" actual thickness. The other Redwood thicknesses come in at full measure, as do all other woods.


Walnut, Black
Prized worldwide for its deep rich color, Black Walnut can range from a lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. Color can sometimes have a grey, purple, or reddish cast. It works easily with hand and machine tools, and nails, screws, and glues well. It holds paint and stains very well for an exceptional finish and is readily polished. The texture is fine and has a generally straight grain, sometimes displaying an attractive curly or wavy grain pattern.

Because of Black Walnut is one of the most valuable and unique wood, it became prized for furniture, architectural millwork, doors, flooring, paneling, gunstocks, paneling, novelties, and many other items. One of the more assuring qualities of this wood is it has a natural resistance to decay and insects!

Additional woods are also available. Please inquire.

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