Alabama Millwork and Finish Carpentry

Key Concepts

Wood Milling and Dimensioning

• Jointing flattens one face and squares one edge — always joint before planing.
• Planing brings stock to uniform thickness after jointing; feed with the grain to prevent tearout.
• Ripping = cutting along the grain (table saw); crosscutting = cutting across the grain (miter saw or radial arm saw).
• Always dress lumber in this sequence: joint face → joint edge → plane to thickness → rip to width → crosscut to length.

Material Selection

• Solid wood: best for moldings, door parts, and exposed edges; expands/contracts across the grain — account for wood movement in panel construction.
• Plywood: dimensionally stable, strong in both directions; use for cabinet carcasses, drawer bottoms, shelving. Avoid exposing core voids on finished faces.
• MDF: uniform density, no grain — ideal for painted moldings and flat-panel doors; heavy and moisture-sensitive; does not hold screws on edges well without reinforcement.
• Particleboard: lowest cost substrate for laminate work; weakest of the sheet goods; prone to sag over…

Exam Study Brief | 5 Questions | 17% of Exam

Key Concepts

Interior & Exterior Doors

• Prehung doors: Set unit in rough opening, shim plumb and level at hinge side first, then latch side. Use pine shim stock (not cedar — cedar splits and can fall out). Check door swing and reveal before nailing.
• Pocket doors: Track must be perfectly level; door hangs from rollers on overhead track. Frame kit is installed before drywall.
• Bifold doors: Pivot pin at bottom, roller guide at top track. Align door faces flush when closed.
• French doors: Install fixed panel first (or the active panel depending on swing), ensure both doors are plumb and that the astragal aligns correctly at center.

Key Concepts

Wood Species and Panel Products

• Plywood: Cross-laminated veneers; most dimensionally stable panel product; best for structural applications and face frames
• MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard): Uniform density, excellent for paint-grade moldings and router profiles; no grain direction; swells when wet
• Particleboard: Lower cost, heaviest, least moisture-resistant; common substrate for laminate countertops
• Lumbercore: Plywood with solid-wood core strips; superior screw-holding for edge fastening; used in cabinet doors and quality shelving
• Solid stock grading: Minimum "Select and Better" (National Hardwood Lumber Association rating) recommended for finish applications

Wood Moisture Content, Drying, and Acclimation

• Wood must be acclimated on-site before installation — delivery and immediate installation causes movement, gaps, and joint failure
• Shim stock must be dry — wet shims shrink, split, and fall out of place (pine shim stock preferred over cedar, which splits easily)
• Finish materials should arrive on-site together to simplify acclimation timing and billing

Key Concepts

Wood Floor Finishing Products & Application

• Penetrating oils soak into the wood fiber; they do not form a surface film. Applied by hand or applicator, wiped off before drying. Require periodic re-application but are easy to spot-repair.
• Shellac is a natural resin dissolved in denatured alcohol. Fast-drying, excellent sealer coat under other finishes, but not water- or alcohol-resistant — limited use as a standalone floor finish.
• Oil-based polyurethane forms a hard, amber-tinted surface film. Requires long dry times between coats (8–24 hrs). Apply 3 coats minimum; scuff-sand (120–150 grit) between coats with a buffer or hand pad.
• Waterborne urethanes dry faster (2–4 hrs between coats), are water-clear (no ambering), and have lower VOCs. Require more coats than oil-based; more sensitive to application temperature and humidity. Use synthetic applicators — water raises the grain of natural brushes.

Key Concepts

OSHA 1926.301 — Hand Tool Condition Requirements

This is your primary code reference. Know these four rules cold:

• No unsafe hand tools shall be issued or used (1926.301(a))
• Wrenches (adjustable, pipe, end, socket) must not be used when jaws are sprung enough to cause slippage (1926.301(b))
• Impact tools (drift pins, wedges, chisels) must be kept free of mushroomed heads (1926.301(c))
• Wooden tool handles must be free of splinters or cracks and must be tight in the tool (1926.301(d))

PPE Requirements (1926.300(c))

Employees using hand and power tools who are exposed to falling, flying, abrasive, or splashing objects, or harmful dusts, fumes, mists, vapors, or gases, must be provided with appropriate PPE. All PPE must meet requirements of Subparts D and E.

Key Concepts

General Safety Responsibilities (29 CFR 1926.20) - The prime contractor retains overall responsibility for safety compliance on all work under the contract, even when subcontractors are used. Prime and sub share joint responsibility for subcontracted work. - Employers must initiate and maintain safety programs with frequent, regular inspections by designated competent persons. - Unsafe equipment must be tagged, locked out (controls rendered inoperable), or physically removed — not simply set aside. - Only employees qualified by training or experience may operate equipment and machinery (§1926.20(b)(4)). - PPE failures are separate violations per employee — each worker without required PPE is a distinct citation (§1926.20(f)(1)).

Fall Protection (29 CFR 1926 Subpart M) - Fall protection required at 6 feet above a lower level in construction (general industry threshold is 4 ft — know the difference). - Three acceptable systems: guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems (PFAS), and safety nets. - Guardrails: top rail at 42 inches (±3 in.), mid-rail at 21 inches, withstand 200 lbs force at any point. - PFAS: must limit…

Key Concepts

Stationary Power Tools

• Table saw: Primary stationary cutting tool for ripping stock to width; blade selection determines cut quality
• Miter saw / Chop saw: The 8½-inch blade-sliding compound miter saw is the core stationary tool for finish carpenters — cuts compound angles on boards up to 12 inches wide. Standard chop saws are preferred for quick, repetitive cuts in small molding due to faster cutting action than sliding compound saws
• Jointer/Planer / Electric Planer: Used for surfacing and edge-truing stock; the electric hand planer handles door fitting and surface prep

Hand Power Cutting Tools

• Circular saw: A direct-drive 7¼-inch saw handles most cutting; a 3⅝-inch trim saw is recommended for paneling work. Always check the base for flatness and squareness to the blade at the "zero" setting before use. Use an angle guide or cross-cut guide for accuracy
• Jig saw: Buy quality — good models have variable speed controls and adjustable reciprocating blade action for fast cuts including ripping
• Reciprocating saw (Sawzall): Primarily a…

Key Concepts

Bid Price Structure Every bid is built in layers: Direct Costs + Overhead + Profit = Bid Price. Direct costs include materials, labor, and any subcontracted work. Overhead covers business expenses not tied to a single job (insurance, tools, vehicle, office). Profit is added last, on top of everything.

Material Takeoff for Moldings Running moldings (base, crown, chair rail) are measured in linear feet. Standing moldings (door and window casings, pilasters) are counted by unit or opening. Always measure the actual room perimeter or opening count from plans, then apply a waste allowance — typically 10–15% for straight runs, up to 20% for complex profiles or mitered returns. Add extra for outside corners and returns.

Labor and Manhour Scheduling Labor cost = manhours × hourly rate. Manhour estimates are task-specific. From Finish Carpenter's Manual, representative manhour benchmarks include: - Door installation: varies by type (interior passage vs. exterior) - Door trim/casing: per opening - Base molding: per linear foot - Window trim: per unit - Ceiling/cornice treatments: per linear foot or per…