FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Find answers to the most commonly asked questions about California Woodworking, Inc., our including design process, custom cabinetry, countertops, fixtures and more. If you have a question that isn't answered here, don't hesitate to contact us!

What is your lead time?

One of our most frequently asked questions is, when can you start? Our goal is to accommodate your schedule. Lead times vary depending upon the intensity of the order or project. Times may vary, however generally these are the time frames that can be expected:

Cut to size orders

3 business days

Full service cabinet and countertop service

5 business days for shop drawings
10-15 business days for fabrication (after drawing approval and field measurements are recorded)

Our goal is to accommodate your schedule to our best ability. Please contact us for a more realistic time frame for your specific project.

What is a face frame cabinet?

A face frame cabinet is similar to a frameless cabinet in construction where it is constructed with its sides, bottom and top, consisting of 3/4" thick material however a frame is constructed separately and attached to the cabinet face. A face frame is usually about 1-1/2" wide with its door being about 1" away from the cabinet side.

What is PVC edge banding?

Edge banding is a finished material that is used on the exposed edges of cabinet components. PVC or Polyvinyl chloride is a very common plastic used to produce pipe, electrical cable, signs, clothing and furniture. PVC edge banding is available in a wide variety of colors and is engineered to match most high-pressure plastic laminate colors. PVC edge banding is most commonly used on frameless cabinetry where a face frame is not applied to the cabinet face. Thicknesses of PVC edge banding are most commonly .018" thick but are also available in .04" (1mm) and .12" (3mm) thicknesses.

What is HPL?

High pressure laminate (HPL) is a combination of paper and resins pressed together under high pressure. High pressure laminate is most commonly manufactured from Formica, Wilsonart or Nevamar and is available in different colors, finishes and textures.

A sample of high pressure laminate is shown on the top surface of the sample. The vertical surface represents PVC edge banding. The core of the sample represents particleboard. Notice the HPL creates a black line on its exposed edge whereas the PVC does not.

What is a frameless cabinet?

A frameless cabinet is typically constructed with its sides, bottom and top, consisting of 3/4" thick material with its door edge being only 1/16" from the side of the cabinet. A frameless cabinet creates a more modern style and is also known as European style.

What is the difference between the certification program set forth by kitchen cabinet manufacturers association (KCMA) and architectural woodwork standards (AWS)?

There are many specific differences in cabinet standards set forth by AWS and KCMA. The cabinet standards are listed in the table shown below.

Is California Woodworking, Inc. certified by the state of California as a small business?

Yes, California Woodworking, Inc. currently holds certification with the State of California as a small business (SB micro). You can click here for a current copy of our certification.

What is the difference between quarter sawn oak and rift sawn oak?

Both white oak and red oak lumber is most commonly categorized as plain sawn, quarter sawn and rift sawn. Although plain sawn is most common, both quarter sawn and rift saw oak creates a distinctive grain style due to the way the oak tree is sliced in relation to its medullary rays. Frank Miller Quarter Sawn Lumber (FrankMiller.com) explains the milling process that creates quarter sawn and rift sawn in oak lumber.

View Transcript

This animation was created to show the quarter sawing process free from the distraction of the complex equipment required.

In white and red oak, quarter sawing has a great deal to do visually with the geometric relationship between the growth rings and the medullary rays which emanate from the center of the log. Like the spokes of a wheel all trees have these rays, but in red and white oak they are most pronounced, allowing for the visual separation between quartered and rift in the quarter sawing process.

The log is first cut in half and that half is moved to a staging area to be cut into quarters later. The half log left on the head saw carriage is cut into quarters. These quarters are then cut into boards. We have inserted this graphic to indicate the boards being cut. The growth rings in the first board are at approximately 60 to 90 degrees to the face of the board. In this board you can see that the medullary rays are very visible. This board will be classified as quartered. When we start with a 19 inch diameter log, these first boards, the quartered boards are an average width of 6.5 inches. As we are cutting the log from the inside out, the next step becomes cutting the second face without changing the orientation of the bandsaw blade. This is achieved by turning the quarter log and four end then flipping it with a push bar. If we are cutting four quarter or one inch boards this next face is 1.3 inches narrower than the first board due to the thickness of the first board and the saw blade. However the growth rings are still approximately 60 to 90 degrees to the face of the board thus revealing the medullary rays in the same way. In general when the growth rings are 60 to 90 degrees to the face of the board in white and red oak the board will be classified as quartered. The process continues slicing alternate faces of the quarter log. With each slice not only are the board's getting narrower, but the angle of the growth rings to the face of the board is becoming sharper. As the angle changes from sixty to ninety degrees to 30 to 60 degrees, the medullary rays are revealed to a lesser degree. They are still there just less visible. These narrower less figured boards are called rift. All of the board's will share the same straight grained visual characteristic. This board is straight grain and shows almost no flake, but that can be deceptive rift boards can still show figure and be called rift. The average rift board in white and red oak is 4.5 inches with growth rings at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees to the face of the board.

Remember that we always quarter saw logs from the inside out requiring a higher quality log to produce the fine quarter sawn lumber for which Frank Miller has become famous.

Does California Woodworking, Inc. offer cabinet refacing?

Does California Woodworking, Inc. offer quartz or natural stone countertops?

Does California Woodworking, Inc. offer Corian acrylic solid surface countertops?

Yes, we custom fabricate and install all Corian name-brand acrylic countertops as well as similar name-brand acrylic materials like LX Hausys, Formica, Wilsonart, Durasein, Meganite, Basic, Avonite, Livingstone, and Bellavati.

Does California Woodworking, Inc. offer Formica plastic laminate countertops?

Yes, we custom fabricate and install all Formica name-brand high-pressure plastic laminate countertops and similar name-brand high-pressure plastic laminate materials like Wilsonart, Nevamar, Pionite, Arborite, and Laminart.

Does California Woodworking, Inc. offer cabinet repairs or cabinet modification?

What types of cabinetry does California Woodworking, Inc. offer?

We specialize in two different cabinet industries - commercial and residential. In the commercial cabinet industry, we fabricate a frameless-style cabinet also know as "European" style. In the residential cabinet industry, we are dealers for a variety of semi-custom face frame and frameless cabinetry which include Kraftmaid Vantage, UltraCraft, BJ Tidwell, Starmark, and Merillat Cabinetry.

Does California Woodworking, Inc. specialize in ONLY residential cabinetry projects?

No, we specialize in commercial and residential projects ranging from a small coffee bar cabinet in a commercial, office setting to a new kitchen cabinetry layout in a single-family residential home, or even a large apartment complex.

What is a die wall?

A die wall is a low-height wall usually used in an office setting. The die wall is the vertical structure that supports a countertop. The die wall and countertop usually form a desk assembly and are most commonly seen in a courtroom. Die walls are also used at a nurse's station in a hospital setting or at a reception desk in an office setting. The term "die" could have evolved from the original term "dais," which was a raised platform in a room used for speakers or special guests during meetings.

What are the benefits and downfalls of a wire chase within a die wall?

The main benefit of a wire chase within a die wall is to fully conceal all electrical conduits within the die wall. The main downfall of a wire chase within a die wall is the added cost and length of time required to create the wire chase and removable wall panels to access the electrical conduits for maintenance or troubleshooting purposes.

What are some alternatives to a wire chase within a die wall?

An alternate to providing a wire chase within a die wall is to request to have your electrical conduits and outlets surface mounted beneath the countertop where it will not be exposed to view.

What is the standard microwave size for a kitchen within a commercial office space?

Since there are so many different types and sizes of microwaves, a standard microwave size does not exist for kitchen within a commercial office space.

Does California Woodworking, Inc. have a showroom?

Yes, we welcome you to our showroom, where you can view physical samples of cabinetry, doors, hardware, and countertop materials. Our showroom is usually open Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM until 3:30 PM. We encourage you to call before arrival to ensure a team member is available to help answer your questions. We look forward to seeing you!

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