Oak is one of the most popular woods used in woodworking today – specifically for molding – and it’s used by craftsmen in everything from flooring to furniture and everything in between. In fact, over one third of all hardwood produced in the United States is oak. Oak wood has been an important part of man’s history and it has served every conceivable purpose from supporting peasant shacks to building and decorating castles, mansions, churches and even grand battleships. Oak has become a dominant part of our lives and the world around us – especially with decorative oak molding in homes and on fine furnishings.

There are actually about 295 kinds of oaks, but for woodworking there are two broad categories: red oak and white oak – and we stock both. When you’re considering this choice you should first compare the shades of each species. Oak wood can vary from a bright white to a dark brown so the choice you make can influence the look of the room greatly. Next, consider what you’re using the wood for because each wood has it’s own special characteristics. Read the rest of this entry »

There are many different and high quality species of wood available for your woodworking and construction projects at Rino’s Woodworking Shop. In fact, we’re able to get almost any type of wood through our network of suppliers, so just ask. For many though, it may be difficult to know how to make the best decision. With all the factors involved, including quality, grade, cost, grain, color, durability and availability you might get lost. If you’re not sure about how to choose the right wood for your next project you should talk to the experts – your helpful and friendly staff at Rino’s Woodworking Shop. We’ll be able to guide you every step of the way.

As we’ve said, all wood is not created equal. Wood with good working properties such as basswood, or alder, may not have the strength or durability for your project. At the same time, other woods such as cherry, or oak that have nice finishing qualities may not be the color of choice for the project.

The following paragraphs will introduce you to the basics of choosing wood for your next woodworking project. Read the rest of this entry »

Red or white, oak is beautiful, as well as strong. Oak delivers more than adequate strength for molding projects, whether it is a decorative application as in crown molding or a basic oak baseboard installation. The warmth and beauty oak wood provides just draws you into the wood.

Oak, known as a hardwood, is the popular wood of choice for any molding application. Oak’s features are hard, heavy and strong, easy to work with as it turns, carves and bends well. Sanding, finishing and the stability of oak wood are the reasons most woodworkers choose to work with oak. Read the rest of this entry »

About hardwood and hardwood molding

Hardwood molding is used in a wide range of applications including home construction and furniture design and hardwoods can be found in flooring, decorative touches around the home, and even cooking and the utensils used to stir your food.

Hardwood molding contrasts with softwood molding because it’s denser than softwood but there is a wide variation in the actual hardness of the wood in both categories of wood moldings. Hardwood may not always be a harder material but when choosing hardwood for moldings it’s usually best to choose woods like Oak or Maple due to the fact that it will stand the test of time better than softwoods like Pine. Balsa wood for example is actually considered a hardwood but you would never use this soft, light wood for a molding project.

Hardwoods are usually harvested from flowering trees that contain millions of tightly packed, water conducting cells that usually don’t occur in softwood trees. Wood is composed of the dead cells of a tree trunk. Did you realize this? The weight and hardness of the wood is usually affected by the density of these cells called tracheids or vessel elements, as well as the amount of lignin and air spaces within the tracheid walls.

There is no actual weight requirement to be labeled a hardwood but, hardwoods can be subdivided into “medium heavy,” “heavy,” “very heavy,” and woods that actually sink in water called “ironwoods.”

Types of hardwood molding that we carry include Red Oak, White Oak, White Maple, Mahogany and Cherry. We can special order many other exotic hardwood molding types – just call us and ask. Read the rest of this entry »

There has been some question regarding the spelling of the word “molding”. Why does it sometimes appear without the “u” in the word? Can this be explained rationally? Why, yes it can. Here is a very short history:

Woodworking can be considered one of the world’s oldest artforms. Therefore, the art and craft of forming wood in America has deep roots in England and far beyond. In the English speaking world, carpenters turned into cabinet makers and on through the process of everything “wood”. Eventually people looked for ways to improve their surroundings and to define and differentiate themselves from others. They also had money and resources so the concept of decorative woodworking evolved. This is where wood moulding enters the fray in homes and furniture making. Read the rest of this entry »

For those considering, or just getting started with a remodeling project, we thought it would be a good idea to briefly walk through the options for baseboard wood molding and what it’s used for.

To get started, lets look at the various options and concepts:

Baseboards & Base caps:

To get a nice, finished look to the bottom of your wall – the area closest to the floor – you need to consider several things and that starts with the baseboard. When choosing your baseboards you need to choose the wood type, the style and you need to choose the height.

At Rino’s Woodworking we offer many wood types and styles of baseboard to choose from but there are reasons for making certain choices. First, the wood type should match the other wood in your home if possible. Choosing a matching stain is another important task. Next, you’ll want to determine the appropriate height of the baseboard. Normally you’ll choose a larger height if you have high ceilings in a room. You may also choose a baseboard height that is thicker to achieve a higher end look – but you shouldn’t go overboard. Plan to keep your baseboard height in sync with the overall scale and height of your room. One of the most popular sizes used in the United States for baseboard height is 9/16 x 3-3/4 so this is a good place to start when choosing the appropriate baseboard height.

Depending on your budget you may option to choose a baseboard height that is a little higher than the average to add a more higher quality look to your room. You’ll be surprises as to how a thicker baseboard can enrich the overall feeling of a room. Again, don’t go overboard and keep it reasonable based on the size of the room. Read the rest of this entry »

Wood molding is used in residential and commercial applications in a wide range of woodworking and home construction projects. Wood molding can be as simple as a 1×4 inch piece of pine wood used for base board or as elaborate as crown molding used as a decorative touch to complete the look of a room. Molding can be used indoors or outdoors for wood window casings and doorways and provides an added barrier to the frame of a structure. Trim wood molding can be used for chair rails around an elegant room or to finish fine furnishings such as a bookcase, cabinetry, to dress up a plain door, as a fireplace surround or mantle  and many other applications.

Homeowners, as well as home builders, are looking for that extra something to make homes stand out. For many of them, the answer is in the high quality wood molding from Rino’s Woodworking—the wood molding trim details that turn basic structures and rooms into jewels. Read the rest of this entry »

About Honduran Mahogany

There are many types of mahogany hardwood that come from many locations around the world. The type of mahogany lumber that we carry can be classified best as Honduran Mahogany. Wood from this area was originally called “Bay Wood” in the 18th and 19th centuries because it was exported from the Bay of Campeche in Mexico – which is near Honduras.

Mahogany wood from Honduras is a dark colored hardwood which is often referred to as Swietenia mahogany, a species within the broader Meliaceae family, or simply, Mahogany family of woods. The Meliaceae family (Mahogany wood family) is a usually a flowering tree or possibly a shrub. Read the rest of this entry »

About Mahogany Lumber

Some people consider Mahogany lumber (Pronounced: ma·hog·a·ny) to be the most valuable hardwood available and it’s highly prized around the world for cabinets and furniture because it endows furniture with a timeless, traditional quality.

Mahogany wood is also used for boats, pianos,  musical instruments, interior wood moldings, wood trim, and even outdoor furnishings like deck chairs and tables. Read the rest of this entry »

Choosing the right wood to create the perfect Chicago Bar Rail for your beautiful custom bar can make our break your bar project. You should take the time to make the right decision and to choose high quality wood and a woodworking shop that will ensure that you make the perfect choice at the right price when buying bar rail.

At Rino’s Woodworking we take great pride in both our workmanship and the wood products that we sell and use. The only wood that we sell is with an FAS rating (The highest wood grade). Our wood and woodworking is proudly displayed around the country and the world in the homes of Senators and Dignitaries, homes of royalty, in such countries Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. So, when we say that we offer only the highest quality wood for your project, you can trust our word. Please feel free to call us to discuss your project in advance to ensure that you get the perfect bar rail and advice. Read the rest of this entry »