Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Mar 12, 2007 04:22pm | #1

   The majority of ready made moldings are made from western pine, suitable for paint or stain. A few companies offer oak and poplar and a few more have a wider range of species, including cherry, mahogany and maple. There are also MDF, plastic, extruded polyurethane and other man made materials. MDF is commonly available in a number of sizes and profiles. For paint grade, these are the cheapest moldings.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

1. 
   creekwood | Mar 12, 2007 04:45pm | #2

   Thanks for replying. I was thinking it was a pine, but wasn't sure what kind.

2. 
   oldusty | Mar 12, 2007 04:45pm | #3

     Jerry ,

                   As far as less expensive molding materials it may depend on what region you shop in but out West we have several types of Pine and Hemlock / Hemfir is very common . Poplar although it can be stained is largely considered a paint grade material with it's greenish hue very few furniture grade stained works are made with Poplar .

                    dusty

1. 
   creekwood | Mar 12, 2007 07:28pm | #4

   Thanks, Dusty. That's the way I feel about poplar. If you can find clear material, it stains great. But  those streaks are too offensive. I'm just starting a small custom molding operation along with my custom shop, and my customer has given me an opportunity to supply a large amount of cherry molding for him. Now they are changing the 2nd floor from paint grade molding, which I wasn't supplying, to a stain grade molding. They want me to bid on this, and if I'm close, I will make that, too. My chore is to either change their mind to go with more custom stuff on the upper floor, using cherry, or going with the less expensive alternative, closer to what they could get off the shelf, still cutting custom profiles. So I've got to be able to compare apples to apples, as far as lumber cost.

3. 
   ETG | Mar 12, 2007 08:21pm | #5

   Pine is being used for much of the molding currently available, particularly from big box stores.  However, much of it is coming from South America and is not Western or Easter Pine.  Instead it is a species of pine, originally grown on the West coast but is being grown in vast "farms" in South America.  It's grain is not quite as pronounced as are domestic species (and pine usually doesn't have much pronounced grain to begin with) and it is very splintery.  I find it doesn't work as well as domestic pine when coping a joint - more chance for ragged edges from the grain structure.

   Many custom shops are using poplar, in part because it is cheaper than pine and takes a better chip.  I just made a small run of paint grade custom moulding and poplar was the best bet.  If I had needed stain grade, I would have used the particular species needed or "D and better" Eastern pine.

   Prepainted and paint grade mouldings currently being sold are also South American pine with finger joints.  However, I've found the quality of the finger joints to be poor - very little stength as longer pieces break very easily at the finger joint which in fact should be the strongest part of the piece.

1. 
   creekwood | Mar 12, 2007 08:50pm | #6

   Thanks for your reply. Interesting on the imported pine, never knew that. The poplar is cheaper than the pine? Don't you find it hard to get enough clear poplar? The eastern pine could be the direction I go.

   thanks

   Jerry

1. 
   ETG | Mar 12, 2007 09:11pm | #7

   The poplar that the lumber yards are stocking in the mid-Atlantic is clear - haven't seen much else and the price is good.  Big Box stores mark theirs up about 50 to 75% based on my experience.