What Is Custom Millwork?
Custom millwork is architectural woodwork built for a specific space: wall panelling, wainscoting, fluted feature walls, fireplace surrounds, staircase panelling, built-in benches and commercial casework. It sits between furniture and construction. Done well, it defines a room. Done badly, it shows every gap and every uneven joint.
Our millwork comes from the same GTA shop as our custom kitchen cabinets: a Biesse Rover CNC for precise fluting, slats and reveals, a spray booth for painted finishes, and Red Seal cabinet makers on assembly and install. We work directly with homeowners and as a trade partner to designers, architects and general contractors.
Types of Millwork We Build
Wall panelling and wainscoting
Painted panelling, picture rails and wainscot for dining rooms, halls and staircases. Profiles can be copied from existing trim.
Fluted and slat feature walls
CNC-cut fluting and slats in white oak or walnut, often with a floating media cabinet and concealed wiring.
Fireplace surrounds
Surrounds with flanking cabinets and shelving, built with the clearances your fireplace requires. See built-in storage for bookcase-focused scopes.
Full-house packages
Kitchen, vanities, built-ins and panelling in one finish recipe from one shop.
Commercial casework
Lobby walls, reception niches and architectural casework to AWMAC standards. For specific commercial interiors, see office and clinic millwork.
Millwork Pricing
| Scope | Price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinetry within millwork packages | $350-$750/lf | 4-6 wks |
| Fluted or slat feature wall | Quoted after CAD | 4-5 wks |
| Wall panelling / wainscot, per room | Quoted after CAD | 3-5 wks |
| Full-house millwork package | Written quote after CAD | 6-10 wks |
Trade partners
Designers and GCs get trade pricing, shop drawings within a week and a COI within 24 hours. We keep your finish specs on file for the next project.
Common Millwork Problems We Solve
Panelling that does not meet the ceiling
Fixed with laser templating and scribes for ceilings and walls that are out of level.
Painted finishes with brush marks
Fixed with sprayed and cured finishes from our booth.
Uneven fluting across panels
Fixed with CNC-cut fluting that repeats exactly from panel to panel.
Planning a Millwork Project
Millwork projects start with intent: is the goal to restore period character, add a modern feature, or tie a whole house together? Restorations in Seaton Village and Playter Estates usually mean copying existing profiles and painting to match. Modern features, like fluted walls and slat panels, are about proportion and lighting. Full-house packages are about consistency from room to room.
Next, gather reference. Photos of trim you want to match, samples of paint colours, and any designer drawings help us produce accurate shop drawings. For heritage work, a short length of existing moulding is ideal; we can profile it and mill a match.
Working With Designers and Builders
Shop drawings
We return shop drawings within about a week, with materials, joinery and finishes noted.
Trade pricing
Designers, architects and GCs get trade pricing and we keep your specs on file for future projects.
Scheduling
We coordinate delivery and install with the GC's schedule, and issue a COI within 24 hours.
Site coordination
A project lead attends site meetings where needed and confirms dimensions before fabrication.
Caring for Millwork
Painted panelling wipes clean; we leave a touch-up kit with the colour and sheen recorded. Wood finished in Rubio Monocoat or Osmo can be refreshed in place. Fluted and slat walls collect dust in the grooves; a soft brush attachment on a vacuum keeps them clean.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Millwork Shop
- Do you build in your own shop or subcontract?
- Can you match my existing mouldings?
- How do you handle walls and ceilings that are out of level?
- What standards do you build commercial casework to?
- What warranty covers the work?
Millwork Across the GTA
Our millwork work runs from heritage panelling in Seaton Village and Playter Estates to fluted feature walls in Trinity Bellwoods, fireplace surrounds in Lytton Park and commercial lobbies in the Entertainment District. Full-house packages are common in Oakville and Richmond Hill, where the kitchen, built-ins and trim all come from our GTA cabinet shop.
