There are two types of carpentry: rough, and finish. Rough carpentry is practical, and includes the construction of frames, scaffolding, and other wooden structures that are meant to provide support instead of pleasing the human eye. Finish carpentry, which includes window trim, door trim, crown molding, baseboard, chair rail and wainscoting, is also practical to an extent (good luck accessing the second story of your home without stairs). But unlike rough carpentry, finish carpentry serves an ornamental purpose. It enhances the house’s overall aesthetics – effectively turning it into a home instead of a mere refuge from the elements.
We can’t assume your carpentry skills. The only thing we can confidently guess about you is that you currently have an internet connection. But if you’re like many people, you may suppose that finish carpentry is easier than rough carpentry. After all, instead of hoisting enormous beams and fitting them into place, you’re only gently tapping lightweight boards around window frames, door frames and floors.
This assumption is true to an extent, although it vastly underestimates just how difficult a finish carpenter’s job actually is. They must consider the nature of the wood they are using, measure and cut it with scientific precision, understand how it will expand and contract in response to fluctuations in temperature and humidity, judge which types of stains it is capable of holding, and imagine which kind of aesthetic it will create once it is installed.
In other words, whether finish carpentry can rightly be considered a DIY project depends entirely on the DIYer’s skills. That said, even the most capable amateur in the world stands a lot to gain by hiring a professional finish carpenter!
A Professional Finish Carpenter Saves You Money
Even though you must pay for their labor, a finish carpenter is poised to significantly reduce the amount of money you spend on your construction or remodeling project. They purchase outstanding amounts of wood and other materials, and accordingly pay wholesale prices for them. They know precisely which types of products are best-suited for different styles of homes and architecture, and spare the homeowner the expense of purchasing the wrong ones. They also install woodwork correctly, which ultimately means less need for costly maintenance and replacement as the years wear on.
A Professional Finish Carpenter Saves You Time
Perhaps you know nothing about finish carpentry, but look forward to studying the books and YouTube videos that can turn you into a capable expert. That is an admirable (if not ambitious) goal. But even if you invest all the time it would take to prepare you to install trim, molding and flooring, the act of finish carpentry is still time-consuming. You must spend hours methodically lining up cuts and pieces of woodwork to ensure a tight (but not overly tight) fit. Between your existing professional and personal obligations, you likely haven’t got the free time you would need in order to learn and practice a type of carpentry which could accurately be described as an art form.
A Professional Finish Carpenter Gives You Peace of Mind
When it comes to finish carpentry, even a tiny mistake could destroy the entire project. We mentioned earlier that wood expands and contracts in response to environmental changes. Failing to take that property of wood into account during installation could cause the entire project to self-destruct over time! Furthermore, every cut you make is an opportunity to ruin an expensive piece of wood – one overly enthusiastic dip of the saw blade is all it takes to turn a piece of fine molding into a piece of fine kindling. But when you enlist a professional finish carpenter, you can rest assured amateurish mistakes won’t diminish your home’s appearance or market value.
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Even a skilled finish carpenter is bound to make mistakes from time to time. Only a reputable and honest one will stand behind their work, and immediately return to the job site at the first sign of misinstallation. If you would like a finish contractor in the Twin Cities or St. Cloud, MN area who knows how to save your time, save your money, and still deliver results that are certain to impress for decades to come, then we welcome you to contact Angell’s Construction today!