February, 2008

In Depth: Moulding, Trim & Millwork

This market expands as more builders and consumers discover new materials, custom designs, and a wider range.

By Craig A. Shutt

Even in a down residential housing market, moulding and trim manufacturers are finding encouraging signs for their products. As both builders and homeowners try to make their homes stand out, they are adding details inside and out that add bang for the buck. And a growing number of companies that promote the value of synthetic and composite materials are drawing attention to the entire category, encouraging the trend.

“There are getting to be more mouldings on houses, with the amount of trim and accents growing,” says Jack Delaney, senior vice president at Kleer Lumber in Westfield, Mass. “The residential housing market is down, but we’re more immune to those downswings than some industries. The custom builder and remodeler are our primary markets, and they’re still doing well. When a custom builder is building a $5-million home, it represents a substantial amount of corbels, brackets, and column wraps,” he says. “That market is more immune to downswings.”

In addition to an overall increase in material use, more products are being made from materials other than wood. “We see PVC trim pieces being up in a down market,” says George Green, northeast sales manager for Advanced TrimWright Inc. in East Taunton, Mass. “Even though the market is smaller because housing is off, these products are gaining market share." Adds Tom Riscili, president of Fypon in Archbold, Ohio: “There are geographical pockets in states such as California, Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia that are still fueling new-home construction. These are areas where many builders have switched from speculative to custom homes. Fortunately for the synthetics industry, these custom builders use urethane and PVC products.” Conversions from the long-popular wood options to synthetic products continues to grow each year, he notes. “This year-over-year percentage indicates that builders are embracing these products for interior and exterior residential applications.”

Curb and Couch Appeal

Moulding usage is growing both outside and inside the home, says Tim Dykstra, business manager for Royal Mouldings in Marion, Va. “Homeowners want to dress up the curb appeal of the exterior with various types of gingerbread to make people notice, and they also want to add ‘couch appeal’ inside with crown mouldings and chair rails,” he says.

The remodeling segment in particular is growing, he adds, as people realize the added appeal and personalization that can be provided with mouldings. But even the larger homebuilders are adding options. “That has been a regional trend, but it’s starting to change as the larger homebuilders that build everywhere add trim packages as an upgrade option.”Kurt Williams, product specialist with Windsor Mill in Cotati, Calif., agrees. “Builders are looking to provide more upgrades, and adding millwork designs gives them another upsell option.” Customers are responding to those opportunities, he adds. “Homebuyers are taking more time to ensure they are getting better products for their homes.”And product isn’t going only into upper echelon homes, adds Patrick Shabal, national sales and marketing manager for Koma Trim Products in Huntsville, Ala. “These premium materials often get pigeon-holed into the high end of the market,” he explains. “Building-material dealers told us to quit showing mansions in our collateral materials. Now, we’re focusing more attention on the mid-market houses that can afford to add more trim and create a personal touch.”

Synthetics Continue to Grow

The growth of synthetic mouldings has drawn attention to the category, as more manufacturers of other types of vinyl and composite-wood products have entered the field and made the options more visible. ‰ The market continues to grow for these materials, taking market share from wood products. “Builders recognize both the short-term, job-site timesaving of using synthetic millwork and the long-term advantages of low maintenance for these products,” says Fypon’s Riscili.“Longevity is the key to the popularity of the new products,” says Chris Fox, marketing manager for Universal Forest Products Inc. in Grand Rapids, Mich. “Homeowners understand that these mouldings are meant to be there for the long haul.” There also have been improvements in the manufacturing processes to make the materials look more like wood. “The capabilities of the products are improving, and the appearances have much more of an authentic-looking wood grain than in the past. Once they’re painted, you can’t tell the difference.”Manufacturers of synthetic mouldings often promote their long warranties to emphasize the products’ durability and resistance to moisture, which are key selling points for exterior products. “A lot of the market for synthetic products is driven by the maintenance needs for wood products,” says Kleer’s Delaney. Particularly along the East Coast, from Maine down to Florida, the products have been widely accepted. “This is a harsh environment, so they’ve been readily accepted there. Wood is harder to keep painted in that climate.”

Koma’s Shabal notes that synthetic products won’t dent from rocks or branches that hit them during storms, and moisture won’t penetrate to the fascia board behind. “Remodelers in particular are familiar with tear-offs that were created by bad maintenance and they want to avoid those problems.” Advanced TrimWright’s Green agrees. “Proper installation is critical. Remodelers often find they have to replace old, rotted wood behind existing mouldings, making it a bigger job.”

Prefinishing Options Popular

Builders also appreciate being able to order prefinished mouldings, which are growing in popularity, notes Royal’s Dykstra. “Prefinishing allows the builder to pocket the expenses for painting and to avoid callback costs, as well as fears of moisture penetration and mold.” 

UFP’s Fox agrees that minimizing job site labor offers builders a key benefit. “With wood mouldings, knots can show through and need to be touched up or repainted, adding time and cost. We’re finding a lot more interest today in our prefinished products, especially the primed options, because they require one coat of paint at the site to be ready.” The company also offers several fully painted styles in each region of the country, matching color options to local tastes.

Shabal says Koma entered the market this summer with a line of 15 key pieces that the company’s research indicates represent about 80% of the most commonly used styles. They designed the products to maximize job site flexibility, ensuring proper scaling between door surrounds and window casings. “Builders can use these to finish out and trim a variety of architectural styles while ensuring everything still looks proportionate.”

The attention these products are receiving can be seen in the attention to detail being given exteriors today, Shabal adds. “More builders are employing interior trim techniques to the home’s exterior to provide a higher level of finish,” he says. “Little details can create a great look.”

Durability Encourages Use

That perspective is encouraged by the lack of maintenance needed for synthetic mouldings, Shabal notes. “Once builders and homeowners understand that the paint doesn’t come off, they become more creative and expansive with mouldings. They start thinking up crazy ways to use them, because they know they won’t have to get up there and paint them in a few years.”

The emphasis on durability also has added to interior options for synthetic mouldings, he notes. “Once the interior guys see how easy it is to work with these products, they start to think about options, such as in the bathroom, around the hot tub, and then they move to other areas, like the foyer or wherever moisture could be a problem. We haven’t positioned the products as interior mouldings, but they’re being used that way.”

But not all contractors have been won over by synthetic products. “In the Northeast especially, there’s definitely a Yankee mentality of maintaining past traditions and not changing materials,” says TrimWright’s Green. “Not all builders are sold on it, particularly as it relates to how it’s installed.”

There’s also a concern over costs, which are higher than even premium-grade wood products. “PVC costs are getting closer,” Green says. “Volume is up and costs are coming down, whereas cedar is in low supply and costs are rising.” To offset those concerns requires getting the customer to look beyond the initial cost, says UFP’s Fox. “The long-term benefits in low maintenance and longevity overcome the difference.”

Royal’s Dykstra agrees. “Pricing is the key to sales because it does require an upfront investment. Everyone wants the look, but they don’t want to add the cost. We have to show the long-term value and emphasize that it reduces the possibilities of liability and callbacks. And it can save labor and time at the job site.”

Wood Options Evolve

Wood mouldings aren’t going away, of course, even if they are losing some ground. Many builders rely on these products and the options available are expanding. But the products are evolving. “There’s definitely a trend toward paint-grade mouldings,” says Windsor Mills’ Williams.

In large measure, that’s because mouldings are using more finger-jointing techniques to create long runs from shorter pieces of wood, produced from cutting younger forests. “When there is less long wood available, the best approach is to finger-joint the pieces,” he explains. These mouldings need to be primed—if not completely finished, he adds—to avoid the raw look of finger-jointing. As with synthetic pieces, this prefinishing cuts time on the job site, reducing builders’ costs.Windsor Mill puts a strong emphasis on the versatility of the company’s mouldings, as well as the quality of the cuts, he adds. “There’s more detail to the cuts for shadows and details with wood.” He also points to edges as a sign of the quality that the company achieves. “Most mouldings have compromised edges, without a lot of detail or precision in the edge. They’re bland. We provide a quality cut at the edge so it can reflect a proper shadow line, which is the key to a moulding’s success.”

Engineered composite lumber mouldings also are stressing their durability, combining the appearance of wood with better resistance to weather and insects. MiraTec trimboards from CMI in Chicago look and handle like wood, but they have has no knots or voids, says Peggie Bolan, director of marketing. The mouldings are available in 16-ft. lengths, longer than fiber-cement pieces can offer, she adds.

The trim comes factory-primed on four sides, aiding installation time. It also resists swelling and moisture while holding paint well, and the company promotes a 30-year warranty for the products to emphasize their durability.

Styles Grow

Moulding style options also are growing as homeowners consider the possibilities, especially inside. Fypon’s Riscili reports that distressed wood grain brackets, beams, and trim that can help carry Mediterranean or southern European architecture styles are growing. 

 “During the past 18 months, the design trends that started in California have moved eastward into homes in Texas, Florida, and other states,” he says. The company’s Southwest Collection has ‰ gained popularity for its extensive line of urethane wood grain faux beams, brackets, shutters, and trim pieces.

Windsor Mills also is seeing interest in its new design collection, which provides deep base trim, similar to the way that mouldings were designed in past centuries. As the pieces go up the wall, they become thinner, creating a forced-perspective design. The company has introduced mouldings to cover from the base to the crown for four common room sets. “We’ve set ourselves apart in that way,” he says. “People’s perceptions of mouldings have changed over time, and we want to reinforce the original idea of how they were used.”

A number of pieces are growing in popularity, too. Fypon’s Riscili sees great potential for column wraps, as do other marketers. “As these products become more familiar to builders nationwide, we’re seeing sustained sales of the column wraps.” The pieces not only allow homeowners to dress up otherwise functional elements, but also to align framing to provide a consistent appearance.

Fox notes that UFP has had success with its one-piece cornerboard, which eliminates joints at the corner edge, while Dykstra says that Royal has done well with mouldings designed to add interest to garage doors, giving them a carriage-door feel. “That’s a key area of the home, and it’s become a real focal point now thanks to the trim package.”

“The biggest trend is that people want to have [their style] their way,” says Advanced TrimWright’s Green. “They also are looking at mouldings to provide a complete solution.” Koma’s Shabal agrees. “There’s a lot of interest in structures such as cupolas, steeples, pergolas, flower boxes, outdoor cabinetry, and other pieces.

And a number of manufacturers are expanding into larger pieces as a result of that interest. “There’s definitely a rise in adding bigger items such as arbors,” agrees Fox. Fypon has even added a pre-assembled Dormer Kit for 2008. The company says the pieces can be constructed in about five hours, compared to up to 12 hours for a stick-built design. And since framers can install the kit, it eliminates the need to have skilled carpenters on site.

More Interest in Sustainability

As homeowners expand the ways that they use mouldings, they also want to know how the products fit into their desire to create an environmentally friendly design. “The green movement is still in its infancy, but contractors and homeowners already are more mindful of what is a good renewable source,” says Windsor Mill’s Williams. “Particularly on the West Coast, these are questions that are being asked frequently today, and I’ve been hearing more from the East Coast in recent months.”

Wood products, of course, promote their renewable attributes and the use of second-generation timber to produce products. Wood also can be recycled. Synthetic mouldings have a tougher time selling an environmental message, marketers agree. But there are points to be made.

“The best green statement is not having to repaint every few years,” says Koma’s Shabal. He also notes that fast-growth wood doesn’t have the durability that first-generation trees would have if they were available, leading to more replacements and tear-offs that can end up in the landfill due to rot and mold. Synthetic mouldings also can provide up to 70 times the insulation value as window trim, reducing air infiltration, and aiding energy efficiency, notes Royal’s Dykstra.

There are other aspects to the overall green-building equation to consider, says Kleer’s Delaney. “We won’t profess to have a PVC product that is environmentally friendly, but we are looking at every way possible to recycle our products and minimize the impact on the environment.” That starts with the production facility, which is a zero-waste operation, with all scraps reworked into the process.

Getting these messages out into the market requires continual education, all agree. “Consumers have the ability to learn a lot more about what goes into their homes through the Internet and TV shows,” says Windsor Mill’s Williams. “They have a better understanding of what’s out there, but it requires education of all the options and the benefits.”

The company provides product-knowledge seminars that include details of installations—which are becoming more complex, he notes. “Builders are working with a wider variety of materials today and they have to understand how they all work together and how they interface,” he explains. “There’s definitely a trend to provide more education to builders and to consumers.”

There’s also no indication that product introductions are slowing in this market. Fypon introduced PVC and urethane trellis systems early in 2008, while Windsor Mills has said it will soon introduce a protected exterior wood trimboard product that will offer a longer warranty. Dealers can aid their customers by learning about all of the new products and new lines to ensure they help meet homeowners’ needs.

Sidebar: Selling More Moulding

The moulding category offers opportunities not only to upsell customers to higher quality, but to also expand the sale with additional pieces. Adding those sales requires specialized selling, marketers say. “PVC mouldings in particular still require selling; they’re not an automatic sale,” says George Green of Advanced TrimWright. “It’s a product customers have heard about but they’re not sold on using it yet.”

Here are some of the marketing ideas that manufacturers offer:

Know The Product Lines. “Selling more mouldings requires preparation and dedication from the sales team,” says Curt Williams, product specialist at Windsor Mills. “You have to think of the customers’ needs and point out the benefits that additional mouldings can add to the home.”

Emphasize Curb Appeal. Remind customers that adding mouldings can turn a small investment into a long-term, value-added aspect of the home that makes it stand out. The added curb and couch appeal personalize a home and make it more attractive when it comes to resale.

Promote Warranties. Showing that companies support their products with long-term warranties helps emphasize the products’ durability.

Offer a Wide Assortment. “A basic assortment means basic sales,” says Tim Dykstra, business manager at Royal Mouldings. “If you offer more options and provide the capability to special order, you’ll make more profiles available and encourage creativity. People want that versatility to mix and match and create their own package.”

Use Display Pieces. “The more you show, the more you sell,” says Dykstra. “Customers want to see and feel mouldings to understand them better.” Especially with new materials on the market, being able to see the detail and composition helps customers understand what they’re getting.

Help Them Visualize. Displays and photos showing mouldings in place in a variety of locations inside and outside the home will help builders and homeowners visualize how they could incorporate them into their own designs. Dealers can take advantage of their millwork shops to feature mouldings throughout the showroom with windows or with kitchen and bathroom vignettes.

CRAIG A. SHUTT, a senior contributing editor of LBM Journal, has nearly 30 years of experience covering the LBM industry.