The book “Plywood A Material Story” came across our desk recently with this awesome video from a wood mill in 1954.
Plywood is an astonishingly versatile material, made by gluing together layers of cross-grained veneers, creating a pliable board that can be stronger than solid wood. Stylish and practical, plywood offers huge possibilities for experimental design, and it has been used to make a wide range of products, from aeroplanes, boats and automobiles to architecture and furniture. This book traces the history of plywood from its use in 18th-century furniture through its emergence as an industrial product in the 19th century, to a material celebrated by 20th-century modernists such as Alvar Aalto and Charles and Ray Eames. An ideal material for the digital age, plywood has become popular again in recent years and is widely used in contemporary design and manufacture. (quoted from the book)
At Gepetto we haven’t done a lot of ultra-modern plywood shaping, but if you want to order a few hundred chairs, we’ll tool up our assembly line to produce them for you!
Build your Pinterest Dream
Pinterest Plywood idea
Of course Pinterest always has a lot of crazy cool pictures – and if you live in Baltimore, Washington, Mendoza, Philadelphia, or even on down to Charleston, Savannah or anywhere on the east coast and you’ve fallen in love with a “p interest” picture – contact us to fabricate a similar design!
We can match plywood specifications with any style of face-grade from light maple like shown on the right – to a dark mahogany or walnut.
If you’re a stylish Virginia Commonwealth University student looking for a loft bed, funky book case or other custom dorm room furniture – give us a note!
If you’re a mom, wondering how you can keep your entryway or hallway from continually being cluttered – have us design a coat, shoe, bookbag built-in storage unit made of plywood!
Small — well designed pieces made from affordable plywood are better than going searching at Ikea or Walmart for pre-built and breakable pieces in chipboard.
Just because we specialize in historic woodworking, doesn’t mean we can’t manufacture your small project to any specification or modern design:
Are you designing your dream home?
We will design and build the ultimate entertainment center and short service bar for your dream home.
Whether you’d like to go with a modern clean look but utilize a bold live edge and solid slab bar top. Or if you’re designing a rustic or log cabin style with the warmth allowing the organic nature of wood to shine through. We can do everything from reclaim old barn wood – to harvest specific species for grain style and structure just for your project. Custom order an all wood bar with our Virginia craftsmanship.
Solid Wood kitchen bar
Commercial Restaurant custom bar order
Are you building out your newest restaurant concept and looking for a builder that can give the space a unique look and feel?
We can build to your architectural plans for a 20ft, 30ft, 40ft, or even 50 or more linear feet of commercial bar service. Designing in modern amenities to speed drink preparation and delivery by your staff.
Handmade wooden bar and restaurant fixtures
Reclaimed wood keeping all the irregularities and character
We have finished one of our single largest historic renovation contracts creating 860 historic replica windows. Built by hand from African mahogany they passed all physical wear and environmental challenge tests before we began building. The Montgomery Building in Spartansburg SC renovated by Harper Construction. Our team has put in overtime, thought through materials problems and worked diligently through some long hours to make sure we met the project deadlines. Thank you all for your skills and dedication!
Built on a Modern Timeline
Gepetto craftsmen specialize in matching and remaking historic pieces for accurate and lasting renovations qualifying for historic tax credits. While the woodworking may not have changed, people’s expectations as to how long something should take sure have!
The solid mahogany ventana frames are to the millimeter replicas of the originals, however our bid and the general contractor’s timeline called for a 100 day turnaround on 860 windows. We had to devise a workflow that built 5 windows a day to meet that timeline!
Wooden windows over 70 inches tall
When the tallest guy on your team can walk through a ventana frame without ducking, it’s a big job. The ventana frames are of pine, and so sourcing stable quality pine planks 8×2″ over 6ft long is also a trick of the trade that you’ll have to hire us to take advantage of fully. Part of our ability to meet detailed project requirements are our network that sources the raw wood materials right for your construction. The ventana frame boxes must be accurately joined to square and plumb and so in the video you see us filling the ventana frame boxes with the ventana sashes. We have a few more trade secret tips for weather sealing and glazing that helped us pass the stress and efficiency tests that were required by the contractor before they signed off on the whole project. Historically accurate, but meeting modern energy efficiency and weather resistance standards are a modern manufacturing success.
Master Craftsmanship Passed On
Matthew (with the logo t-shirt in the foreground) intently solving the positioning and fit puzzle that manufacturing wood projects presents on a daily basis. He teaches the craftsmen who are observing the process as well as the sensibility for checking the work. Unlike metals, cement or fiberglass – wood can only be shaped once. Forming a miter joint must be done with exacting precision or it’s too loose and fails. The solid wood construction of these windows include over 20 joints that must be tended to individually. The decision making process of the craftsman guides the fitting and because we have such a large manufacturing scale – the craftsman makes better choices. If piece A is too tight, he can choose from the source stack of forty or fifty pieces to find a better fit without creating wasted pieces or time.
Manufacturing scale at your service
Contact us to bid your historic renovation and you might be surprised at the price. We have managed many large construction orders for clients across the Eastern United States. The windows in the video are shipped to South Carolina where the coastal towns of Charleston and Savannah Georgia have beautiful sections of historic homes. We supply warehouse and industrial space reconstruction projects in Maryland, Delaware and as far north a Connecticut as the move to re-purpose industrial spaces trends throughout the building and architectural trades.
Project Management
20 years of experience in the field of mill-work has brought Matthew to the level of managing million dollar contracts for large scale production. Nothing in the wood construction field is quite as organized as you might assume, in the above picture Matthew is measuring and calculating the quantity of raw beams needed to be transported from the warehouse to the shop. Materials management, time management and building a skilled workforce that can solve problems as they develop in manufacture all contribute to meeting your project demands.
Big Projects Lost in Small Details
Raw lumber comes from raw nature – she’s not perfectly uniform. These planks are from 8ft to 12ft long and any width from 4 inches to 34 inches! We have to mill the mahogany from it’s beam size to a 3.8 ” wide ventana sill. The plank mahogany will be sorted and ripped before the decorative edge is milled into the side to replicate the historic windows from the 1920’s era building.
Timelapse video of Replica Wooden Windows being built on our woodshop assembly line in Mendoza AR. Built for a historic renovation in Spartansburg SC our craftsmen forge raw mahogany planks into finely tuned handmade windows.
Proveedor de ventanas de madera históricamente preciso Carolina del Sur
Gepetto Millworks fabrica bajo pedido cualquier tipo de réplica histórica de ventanas existentes. Para proyectos de renovación históricamente precisos o de reutilización comercial que desean mantener el encanto histórico y la eficacia de las ventanas construidas en caoba.
Hemos finalizado uno de nuestros contratos de renovación histórica más importantes, creando 860 réplicas de ventanas históricas. Construidos a mano con caoba africana, pasaron todas las pruebas de desgaste físico y desafíos ambientales antes de comenzar a construir. El edificio Montgomery en Spartansburg SC renovado por Harper Construction . Nuestro equipo trabajó horas extras, analizó los problemas de materiales y trabajó diligentemente durante muchas horas para asegurarse de cumplir con los plazos del proyecto. ¡Gracias a todos por sus habilidades y dedicación!
Construido sobre una línea de tiempo moderna
Los artesanos de Gepetto se especializan en combinar y rehacer piezas históricas para lograr renovaciones precisas y duraderas que califiquen para créditos fiscales históricos. Si bien es posible que la carpintería no haya cambiado, ¡las expectativas de la gente sobre cuánto tiempo debe llevar algo sí lo han hecho!
Los sólidos marcos de ventanas de caoba son réplicas milimétricas de los originales; sin embargo, nuestra oferta y el cronograma del contratista general requerían un plazo de entrega de 100 días para 860 ventanas. ¡Tuvimos que idear un flujo de trabajo que creara 5 ventanas por día para cumplir con ese cronograma!
Ventanas de madera de más de 70 pulgadas de alto.
Cuando el chico más alto de tu equipo puede atravesar el marco de una ventana sin agacharse, es un gran trabajo. Los marcos de las ventanas son de pino, por lo que conseguir tablones de pino de calidad estable de 8 × 2 ″ de más de 6 pies de largo también es un truco del oficio que tendrá que contratarnos para aprovecharlo al máximo. Parte de nuestra capacidad para cumplir con los requisitos detallados del proyecto es nuestra red que obtiene las materias primas de madera adecuadas para su construcción. Las cajas del marco de la ventana deben estar unidas con precisión a escuadra y a plomo, por lo que en el video nos ven llenando las cajas del marco de la ventana con los marcos de la ventana. Tenemos algunos consejos secretos comerciales más para el sellado contra la intemperie y el acristalamiento que nos ayudaron a pasar las pruebas de estrés y eficiencia que exigió el contratista antes de aprobar todo el proyecto. Históricamente exacto, pero cumplir con los estándares modernos de eficiencia energética y resistencia a la intemperie es un éxito de fabricación moderno.
Master Craftsmanship Passed On
Matthew (with the logo t-shirt in the foreground) intently solving the positioning and fit puzzle that manufacturing wood projects presents on a daily basis. He teaches the craftsmen who are observing the process as well as the sensibility for checking the work. Unlike metals, cement or fiberglass – wood can only be shaped once. Forming a miter joint must be done with exacting precision or it’s too loose and fails. The solid wood construction of these windows include over 20 joints that must be tended to individually. The decision making process of the craftsman guides the fitting and because we have such a large manufacturing scale – the craftsman makes better choices. If piece A is too tight, he can choose from the source stack of forty or fifty pieces to find a better fit without creating wasted pieces or time.
Manufacturing scale at your service
Contact us to bid your historic renovation and you might be surprised at the price. We have managed many large construction orders for clients across the Eastern United States. The windows in the video are shipped to South Carolina where the coastal towns of Charleston and Savannah Georgia have beautiful sections of historic homes. We supply warehouse and industrial space reconstruction projects in Maryland, Delaware and as far north a Connecticut as the move to re-purpose industrial spaces trends throughout the building and architectural trades.
Gestión de proyectos
20 años de experiencia en el campo de la carpintería han llevado a Matthew al nivel de gestionar contratos millonarios para producción a gran escala. Nada en el campo de la construcción con madera está tan organizado como se podría suponer; en la imagen de arriba, Matthew está midiendo y calculando la cantidad de vigas en bruto necesarias para transportar desde el almacén al taller. La gestión de materiales, la gestión del tiempo y la creación de una fuerza laboral calificada que pueda resolver los problemas a medida que se desarrollan en la fabricación contribuyen a satisfacer las demandas de su proyecto.
Grandes proyectos perdidos en pequeños detalles
La madera en bruto proviene de la naturaleza en bruto: no es perfectamente uniforme. ¡Estos tablones miden de 8 a 12 pies de largo y cualquier ancho de 4 a 34 pulgadas! Tenemos que fresar la caoba desde el tamaño de su viga hasta un alféizar de ventana de 3,8 ”de ancho. La tabla de caoba se clasificará y rasgará antes de fresar el borde decorativo en el costado para replicar las ventanas históricas del edificio de la década de 1920.
Réplica de ventanas de madera
Línea de montaje de ventanas de madera Video timelapse de réplicas de ventanas de madera construidas en nuestra línea de ensamblaje de carpintería en Mendoza AR. Construido para una renovación histórica en Spartansburg SC, nuestros artesanos forjan tablones de caoba en bruto en ventanas hechas a mano finamente afinadas.
Wooden Window Assembly Line
Timelapse video of Replica Wooden Windows being built on our woodshop assembly line in Mendoza AR. Built for a historic renovation in Spartansburg SC our craftsmen forge raw mahogany planks into finely tuned handmade windows.
Proveedor de ventanas de madera históricamente preciso Carolina del Sur
Gepetto Millworks fabrica bajo pedido cualquier tipo de réplica histórica de ventanas existentes. Para proyectos de renovación históricamente precisos o de reutilización comercial que desean mantener el encanto histórico y la eficacia de las ventanas construidas en caoba.
These dark black built in cabinets contrast with the hot pink walls of this children’s room.
Specialty storage systems custom designed to fit your room add’s elegant grace to hide children’s toys and adds permanent value to your historic home built without closets. In this 1890’s home with 12ft ceilings and without modern closets custom built storage systems make a very elegant statement in a room that could easily be overcome by clutter or oddly sized storage solutions. The design team at Gepetto will ensure that clever treats like matching bench seating under your windows provide for both space and function.
In the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, nestled amidst the rolling hills and lush greenery, you’ll find a place where craftsmanship and artistry converge to create timeless wooden treasures. Gepetto Craftsmen, renowned for their mastery of custom round wooden turned carpintería, stand as paragons of excellence in the world of woodworking. In this exploration, we delve into the realm of Gepetto’s unparalleled expertise, uncovering the diverse array of objects and types of made-to-order wooden masterpieces they meticulously craft.
The Essence of Gepetto Craftsmen
Before delving into the world of custom round wooden turned carpintería, it’s essential to understand the essence of Gepetto Craftsmen. Rooted in tradition and driven by innovation, Gepetto’s artisans possess an innate passion for woodworking, nurtured by the breathtaking natural surroundings of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Every piece that emerges from their skilled hands carries not only their expertise but also a deep connection to the land that has inspired generations of craftsmen.
The Artistry of Turning Wood
At the heart of Gepetto Craftsmen’s offerings lies the art of turning wood. Turning is a woodworking technique that involves rotating a piece of wood on a lathe, while cutting tools shape and carve the material into various forms. Gepetto’s artisans have honed this craft to perfection, enabling them to create a myriad of custom round wooden turned carpintería pieces.
1. Table Legs and Pedestals
One of the most notable applications of Gepetto’s expertise is in crafting exquisite table legs and pedestals. Whether it’s a dining table, coffee table, or a grand conference table, Gepetto’s craftsmen can fashion wooden supports that enhance the aesthetic and structural integrity of any piece of furniture. The richness of wood grain and the precision of their turning techniques result in unique, eye-catching pieces that can elevate any space.
2. Balusters and Spindles
For architectural and interior design projects, Gepetto’s ability to create custom balusters and spindles is unparalleled. These finely turned wooden components can be used in staircases, railings, and decorative paneling, adding an element of elegance and sophistication to homes, hotels, and public spaces. Each baluster or spindle is a testament to the precision and attention to detail that defines Gepetto’s work.
3. Porch and Deck Railing Posts
In outdoor spaces, the beauty of custom round wooden turned carpintería truly shines. Gepetto’s craftsmen can fashion porch and deck railing posts that combine functionality and aesthetics seamlessly. These turned posts not only provide structural support but also lend a touch of rustic charm to any outdoor setting, making them ideal for cabins, lodges, and country homes.
4. Newel Posts
Newel posts, often found at the base and top of staircases, are another specialty of Gepetto Craftsmen. These vital architectural elements serve as focal points, and Gepetto’s artisans understand the importance of crafting them with precision and style. The variety of wood species available ensures that newel posts can be tailored to match the overall design theme of a space.
5. Finials and Caps
For those seeking to add distinctive ornamentation to their projects, Gepetto offers an extensive range of finials and caps. These decorative wooden accents can be used to crown the tops of newel posts, fence posts, or bedposts. The possibilities are virtually limitless, with Gepetto’s craftsmen capable of crafting intricate and custom-designed finials that reflect the client’s unique vision.
6. Custom Knobs and Pulls
In the realm of cabinetry and furniture, Gepetto’s expertise extends to crafting custom wooden knobs and pulls. These small yet essential details can significantly impact the overall look and feel of cabinets and drawers. The hand-turned knobs and pulls created by Gepetto’s artisans are not only functional but also works of art in their own right.
7. Vases and Decorative Objects
Beyond structural elements, Gepetto’s craftsmen showcase their artistry in crafting decorative objects that serve as both functional items and pieces of art. Wooden vases, candle holders, and decorative bowls are meticulously turned to highlight the wood’s natural beauty. These objects add warmth and character to interior spaces and make for thoughtful gifts.
8. Custom Lighting Fixtures
Gepetto Craftsmen’s innovation extends to the realm of custom lighting fixtures. Whether it’s pendant lights, chandeliers, or sconces, they can turn wooden components that infuse warmth and character into any space. These bespoke lighting fixtures are designed to complement the unique aesthetic of each project, providing both illumination and visual appeal.
9. Furniture Components
Gepetto’s artisans are often called upon to create custom wooden components for furniture makers and designers. From intricately turned chair legs to decorative inlays, their expertise in custom carpintería ensures that every piece fits seamlessly into the overall design of the furniture, enhancing its beauty and functionality.
10. Architectural Restoration
Preserving the architectural heritage of historic buildings is a noble pursuit, and Gepetto Craftsmen excel in this area. They can replicate and restore wooden carpintería components for historic restoration projects, ensuring that the craftsmanship of the past lives on in the present.
Wood Species and Finishes
One of the distinguishing features of Gepetto Craftsmen’s work is their commitment to using a wide variety of wood species. Each wood species carries its own unique characteristics, from the rich, dark tones of walnut to the warm, honeyed hues of cherry. Clients can choose the wood species that best aligns with their design vision and preferences.
In addition to the selection of wood species, Gepetto offers an array of finishes that enhance the beauty and durability of their creations. From natural oils that bring out the wood’s natural luster to stains that add depth and color, clients have the opportunity to customize the final appearance of their wooden carpintería.
Collaboration and Customization
What truly sets Gepetto Craftsmen apart is their commitment to collaboration and customization. Every project they undertake is a collaborative journey with the client, where ideas and concepts are transformed into tangible works of art. Whether it’s a simple design concept or a complex, highly detailed piece, Gepetto’s artisans are dedicated to bringing their client’s vision to life.
With their state-of-the-art facilities and a team of skilled artisans, Gepetto Craftsmen can turn even the most intricate designs into reality. Their ability to customize carpintería ensures that each piece is unique and tailored to the specific requirements of the project, whether it’s a historic restoration, a contemporary design, or anything in between.
Quality and Sustainability
Quality is the cornerstone of Gepetto Craftsmen’s work. Every piece of custom round wooden turned carpintería that leaves their workshop is a testament to their unwavering commitment to craftsmanship and excellence. These pieces are not just functional; they are heirlooms that can be passed down through generations.
In an era where sustainability is paramount, Gepetto Craftsmen are also dedicated to responsible practices. They source their wood from sustainable and responsibly managed forests, ensuring that their work contributes to the conservation of natural resources. This commitment to sustainability aligns with their deep appreciation for the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Gepetto brought handmade care to the architectural drawings for Si Restaurant in Downtown Mendoza.
View the gallery above to see this heart pine and maple custom milled with circular passageways, arcs and slanted wine rack shelves. The bar style table extends from the vertical curve of the wine rack for bar height seating. The unique table construction utilizing cross grain square cut tiles planed and polished with an epoxy sealer brings the natural warmth and organic fingerprint to the entire surface of the restaurant interior. The bench seating formed from a wave of finish grade ply melds up into the walls and their block and line modern design. The natural organic unstained wood complements and warms the minimalist modern design. (more…)
Gepetto Craftsmen have been design and build project masters for over ten years in Mendoza
High end woodworking for architectural wood elements giving libraries, studies, dens and entertainment rooms a classic finish.
Each of these projects have been commissioned by the homeowners to build pieces specifically for their home’s size and style.
While this table may not have flashy looks, it is built sturdy and tough enough to withstand generations of use.
Historical replication fences, doors, and wooden windows are all handled in-house for construction and design providing you a seamless shop relationship for your historically accurate wood construction project.
Shown here are custom designed solid wood wine racks for a 4 star restaurant called “The Library”. As the name suggests, the library needed an old-world classy feel and the Gepetto fabricated custom restaurant fittings finished out the
