+---
+title: Architectural Wood Trim and Paneling
+category: Architectural / Specialties
+toc_depth: 3
+description: >
+ When to use: Interior architectural woodwork that is fastened to or applied against the building's walls, ceilings, and openings rather than built as cabinets — standing and running trim (base, casing, chair rail, crown, picture mold, and other moldings); wood wall paneling in flat-panel, raised-panel, and stile-and-rail configurations; wood ceiling and wall slat (linear) systems; ornamental and applied woodwork; and the transparent- or opaque-finished millwork that completes a commercial, institutional, or hospitality interior. Covers the architectural-woodwork quality grade (Economy / Custom / Premium) that governs appearance and tolerances, the species and cut of lumber and veneer, veneer leaf matching (book / slip / random) and panel-to-panel assembly matching (running / balanced / center-balanced), the panel product and core, fire-retardant treatment where the woodwork is regulated as an interior wall or ceiling finish, the transparent and opaque finish systems and the choice between factory and field finishing, moisture content and acclimatization, concealed blocking and hanging systems, and expansion provisions.
+ Not intended for: Factory-fabricated cabinetry, casework, and countertops (see [[sync/wood-and-laminate-casework]]); wood doors and door frames (see [[sync/doors-frames-and-hardware]]); wood stairs, handrails, and guards furnished under a dedicated stair-and-rail standard; structural and rough framing, furring, and concealed blocking furnished by other trades; acoustic ceiling tile and suspension systems; gypsum-board wall and ceiling assemblies (see [[sync/gypsum-board-assemblies]]); plastic-laminate-clad wall panels furnished as a laminate cladding system; and exterior wood siding, soffits, and exterior trim exposed to the weather.
+---
+
+# Scope
+
+This standard covers the furnishing and installation of interior architectural wood trim, wood paneling, wood ceiling and wall slat systems, and ornamental woodwork for commercial, institutional, hospitality, and similar buildings. The work under this standard is the architectural woodwork that finishes the surfaces of a room rather than the cabinetry that occupies it: the standing and running trim that frames openings and bands the walls; the flat-panel, raised-panel, and stile-and-rail wall paneling that clads them; the linear slat and plank systems applied to walls and ceilings; the applied moldings, pilasters, columns, and ornamental members that articulate them; and the transparent or opaque finish that the woodwork carries. The scope includes the architectural-woodwork quality grade, the lumber species and grade, the veneer species, cut, and matching, the panel product and core, the fire-retardant treatment where the woodwork is regulated as an interior finish, the finish system and whether it is applied in the shop or in the field, the moisture content and acclimatization, the concealed blocking and hanging systems, the expansion and movement provisions, and the field installation.
+
+This standard is the companion to [[sync/wood-and-laminate-casework]] and deliberately excludes everything that standard covers. Casework is a built box — base, wall, and tall cabinets, counters, and the millwork built as cabinets — fabricated under ANSI/AWI 0641 and judged on case construction, hinged-door and drawer operation, hardware, and countertop performance. Trim and paneling are surface woodwork — they are applied to the structure, carry no drawers or doors of their own, and are judged on appearance, matching, joinery, and the soundness of their attachment to the wall. A project that has both will reference both standards; the line between them is the difference between a cabinet and a wall surface, not the difference between two species of wood.
+
+As with casework, the single most consequential decision in this standard is the quality grade. The Architectural Woodwork Standards (AWS) published jointly by the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI), the Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada (AWMAC), and the Woodwork Institute (WI), and the successor ANSI/AWI product standards — ANSI/AWI 0622.0646 for millwork and wood trim and ANSI/AWI 0642 for wood paneling — define three aesthetic grades, Economy, Custom, and Premium. The grade is not a single line item; it propagates into the species and cut that may be used, the number and visibility of joints allowed in a run of trim, the veneer match and the sequencing of panels across a wall, the allowable warp and flatness of a panel, the joinery, and the quality of the finish. Specifying the grade correctly is what makes the rest of this standard buildable; specifying it incorrectly either over-builds the woodwork at needless cost or under-builds it so it fails to meet the project's appearance expectations.
+
+Trim profiles, paneling layout and elevations, slat-system extents, species, finish, and the locations and quantities of each are project-specific and shall be [[drawing: as indicated on the interior elevations, reflected ceiling plans, millwork details, and finish schedule]]. This standard establishes the grade, material, matching, fire-rating, finish, and installation requirements for the woodwork shown on those drawings. Coordinate this work with [[sync/gypsum-board-assemblies]] for in-wall and in-ceiling blocking and backing; with [[sync/doors-frames-and-hardware]] where trim adjoins door and window openings; with [[sync/interior-painting]] where opaque-finished woodwork is field-finished by the painting trade; with [[sync/wood-and-laminate-casework]] where paneling and trim meet built-in casework; and with [[sync/firestopping]] where paneling conceals a rated assembly or a penetration.
+
+# Referenced Standards
+
+Materials, fabrication, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted editions of the following standards. Where the contract documents or the adopted building code impose more stringent requirements than a referenced standard, the more stringent requirement shall govern. The Contractor shall resolve conflicts in writing with the Architect before fabrication begins.
+
+| Standard | Title |
+|----------|-------|
+| AWI/AWMAC/WI AWS | Architectural Woodwork Standards (quality grades and general requirements) |
+| ANSI/AWI 0622.0646 | Millwork & Wood Trim (standing and running trim, moldings, ornamental woodwork) |
+| ANSI/AWI 0642 | Wood Paneling (flat-panel, raised-panel, stile-and-rail, and slat systems) |
+| ANSI/AWI 0620 | Finish Carpentry / Installation (installation grade requirements) |
+| ANSI/HPVA HP-1 | Standard for Hardwood and Decorative Plywood (veneer grades and matching) |
+| ANSI A208.1 | Particleboard |
+| ANSI A208.2 | Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF) for Interior Applications |
+| NEMA LD 3 | High-Pressure Decorative Laminates (where trim or paneling is laminate-faced) |
+| ASTM E84 | Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials (flame spread / smoke developed) |
+| UL 723 | Test for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials (equivalent to ASTM E84) |
+| AWPA U1 | Use Category System: User Specification for Treated Wood (fire-retardant treatment, Category UCFA interior) |
+| ASTM D5116 | Small-Scale Environmental Chamber Determination of Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products |
+| EPA 40 CFR Part 770 | Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products (TSCA Title VI) |
+| CARB ATCM 93120 | Airborne Toxic Control Measure — Composite Wood Products (Phase 2) |
+| IBC | International Building Code (interior wall and ceiling finish classification) |
+
+# Submittals
+
+## Action Submittals
+
+The following submittals shall be submitted for review and returned before fabrication begins. Submittals shall be complete and internally coordinated before any item is submitted, and shall identify the AWS / ANSI/AWI quality grade for each category of work.
+
+**Product Data:** Manufacturer's product data for each lumber species and grade, veneer species and cut, panel product and core, adhesive, fastener, fire-retardant treatment, and finish system, including thickness, composition, performance ratings, and the applicable formaldehyde-emission and fire-test documentation.
+
+**Shop Drawings:** Plans, interior elevations, reflected ceiling plans, and large-scale sections and profile details of each trim run, paneling elevation, and slat system, drawn to scale, showing profiles, dimensions, joint locations and types, panel and slat module, reveal and shadow-line dimensions, the relationship to adjacent openings and finishes, concealed blocking and backing requirements, the hanging or attachment method, expansion-and-movement provisions, and fastener locations and concealment.
+
+**Veneer Layout and Sequence:** For transparent-finished wood-veneer paneling, a veneer layout (elevation) drawing showing the leaf-to-leaf match within each panel face, the panel-to-panel assembly match across each wall elevation, and the sequencing of sequence-matched and blueprint-matched panels in the order they are to be installed. Where the project requires it, a flitch submittal or a sample blanket from the actual flitch shall be provided for the Architect's selection and approval before the veneer is laid up.
+
+**Samples:** Finish samples of each species, cut, and finish system on the actual substrate, showing color, sheen, and grain; a sample of each trim profile in the specified species; a corner or joint sample at Custom and Premium grade; and, for fire-retardant-treated work, a sample carrying the treater's classification label.
+
+**Quality Grade Certification:** Documentation of the AWS / ANSI/AWI grade certification for the trim and paneling, including AWI Quality Certification Program (QCP) certification or equivalent third-party certification where required by the contract documents.
+
+**Fire-Test and Treatment Reports:** Where the woodwork is regulated as an interior wall or ceiling finish, the ASTM E84 (or UL 723) test report establishing the flame-spread and smoke-developed classification of the assembly as it will be installed (including the effect of the finish), and, where fire-retardant-treated wood is used, the AWPA U1 treatment record and the treater's classification label.
+
+**Formaldehyde Compliance:** TSCA Title VI / CARB Phase 2 compliance documentation for all composite-wood panel components, including labeling or certificates of conformity.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Action Submittals Required
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Product data for lumber, veneer, panel, core, adhesive, fastener, treatment, and finish"
+ - "Dimensioned shop drawings, elevations, RCPs, and large-scale profile sections"
+ - "Veneer layout / sequence drawing (transparent-finished veneer paneling)"
+ - "Flitch / sample-blanket submittal for veneer selection (where required)"
+ - "Finish, profile, and joint samples on actual substrate"
+ - "AWS / ANSI/AWI quality grade certification (AWI QCP or equivalent)"
+ - "ASTM E84 fire-test report and AWPA U1 treatment record (where regulated as finish)"
+ - "Formaldehyde compliance documentation (TSCA Title VI / CARB Phase 2)"
+default: "Dimensioned shop drawings, elevations, RCPs, and large-scale profile sections"
+```
+
+## Closeout Submittals
+
+At substantial completion the Contractor shall provide the manufacturer's care and maintenance instructions for each finish and species, the manufacturer's written warranty, and an inventory of attic-stock material — matching trim lengths, panel blanks, and touch-up finish — for the Owner's future repairs. Care instructions are finish-specific; a transparent catalyzed finish, a field-applied oil finish, and an opaque painted finish each tolerate different cleaning chemistries, and the Owner's housekeeping staff shall be given the correct guidance to avoid finish damage.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Closeout Submittals Required
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Finish-specific care and maintenance instructions"
+ - "Manufacturer and installation warranty documentation"
+ - "Attic-stock matching trim, panel blanks, and touch-up finish"
+default: "Finish-specific care and maintenance instructions"
+```
+
+# Quality Assurance
+
+## Manufacturer Qualifications
+
+The woodwork manufacturer shall be a firm regularly engaged in the fabrication of architectural trim and paneling of the type, grade, species, and finish specified, with documented experience on comparable projects. Where the contract documents require third-party grade certification, the manufacturer shall be a licensed participant in the AWI Quality Certification Program (QCP) or an equivalent program, and the woodwork shall bear the program's certification label.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Grade Certification Program
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "AWI Quality Certification Program (QCP) certified"
+ - "Equivalent third-party woodwork certification program"
+ - "Manufacturer's self-certification of grade compliance (where AHJ/Architect accepts)"
+default: "AWI Quality Certification Program (QCP) certified"
+```
+
+## Single-Source Responsibility
+
+All trim, paneling, and ornamental woodwork within a related scope and species shall be furnished by a single manufacturer so that grade, species, cut, veneer match, and finish are consistent across the work. Wood color and figure vary between trees, flitches, and mills; woodwork drawn from a single coordinated source and, for veneer, from sequenced flitches is the only way to hold a uniform appearance across a room or a building.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Single-Source Responsibility
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "All trim, paneling, and ornamental woodwork of a species from a single manufacturer"
+ - "Coordinated package from a single supplier with documented material sourcing"
+default: "All trim, paneling, and ornamental woodwork of a species from a single manufacturer"
+```
+
+## Mockup
+
+Where required by the contract documents, the Contractor shall provide a full-size mockup of a representative paneled wall or trim assembly — typically a panel module showing the leaf and assembly match, the trim profile and a joint, the reveal or shadow line, and the specified finish — for the Architect's review and approval of grade, species, match, profile, and finish. The approved mockup shall establish the standard of quality for the work and may be incorporated into the finished work if undamaged and in an approved location.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Mockup Required
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Yes — provide one representative paneling and trim mockup for approval"
+ - "No — mockup not required"
+default: "No — mockup not required"
+```
+
+## Grade Compliance
+
+The trim and paneling shall comply in all respects with the requirements of the specified AWS / ANSI/AWI grade for material, joinery, matching, flatness, and finish. The specified grade governs wherever this standard is silent. Where this standard establishes a requirement more stringent than the grade minimum, this standard governs.
+
+# Environmental and Service Conditions
+
+## HVAC Operational Before Delivery
+
+Wood trim and paneling shall not be delivered to the building until wet-work (concrete, masonry, plaster, and gypsum finishing) is complete and dry, the building is enclosed and weather-tight, and the permanent HVAC system is operating and maintaining the interior temperature and humidity within the range the woodwork will experience in service. Wood is hygroscopic — it continuously gains and loses moisture with the surrounding air until it reaches equilibrium — and woodwork installed before the building's permanent conditions are established will shrink, swell, cup, or open at its joints once those conditions are reached, a failure that no quality of fabrication can prevent.
+
+```datasheet
+label: HVAC and Building Conditions Before Delivery
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Permanent HVAC operating and interior conditioned; wet work complete and dry; building enclosed (standard)"
+ - "Temporary conditioning maintaining the service humidity range (where permanent HVAC is not yet available)"
+default: "Permanent HVAC operating and interior conditioned; wet work complete and dry; building enclosed (standard)"
+```
+
+## Interior Humidity and Moisture Content
+
+The interior relative humidity at delivery and in service shall be maintained within the range the AWS specifies for the geographic region and season, generally between 25% and 55% RH, with extended swings avoided. Wood moisture content at the time of fabrication and installation shall be in equilibrium with that service condition. For most interior conditioned spaces in North America, a 25% to 55% RH service range corresponds to an equilibrium moisture content near 6% to 9%, and architectural woodwork shall be fabricated and delivered at a moisture content in this range rather than at the higher moisture content of construction-grade lumber. Woodwork installed wetter than its service equilibrium will shrink and open its joints; woodwork installed drier than its service equilibrium will swell and buckle a paneled wall.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Interior Relative Humidity Range for Delivery and Service
+type: range
+unit: "% RH"
+options:
+ min: 25
+ max: 55
+ setpoints: [25, 30, 35, 45, 50, 55]
+default: 45
+```
+
+```datasheet
+label: Wood Moisture Content at Fabrication and Installation
+type: range
+unit: "%"
+options:
+ min: 5
+ max: 12
+ setpoints: [5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12]
+default: 8
+```
+
+## Acclimatization
+
+Trim and paneling shall be delivered to the conditioned space and acclimatized before installation so that the woodwork reaches equilibrium with the interior conditions while it is still loose and able to move freely, rather than after it is fixed to the wall. The Contractor shall protect the woodwork during acclimatization, stack it so air circulates around each piece, and not begin installation until the woodwork has stabilized at the service condition.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Minimum Acclimatization Period in Conditioned Space
+type: range
+unit: hours
+options:
+ min: 24
+ max: 168
+ setpoints: [24, 48, 72, 96, 168]
+default: 72
+```
+
+# Quality Grade
+
+The quality grade is the governing decision for the standard. Custom grade is the commercial default and is appropriate for the large majority of commercial and institutional trim and paneling: it provides sound joinery, good appearance, controlled veneer matching, and a durable finish at a reasonable cost. Economy grade is suitable only for utility and back-of-house work — service corridors, storage, and concealed locations — where appearance is not a priority. Premium grade is reserved for the most visible, architecturally significant woodwork — lobbies, boardrooms, courtrooms, executive suites, and feature walls — where the tightest tolerances, the best veneer selection and matching, the most exacting joinery, and the highest finish quality are required and the budget supports them.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Architectural Woodwork Quality Grade
+type: radio
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Economy — utility and back-of-house woodwork"
+ - "Custom — standard commercial and institutional default"
+ - "Premium — high-visibility architectural feature woodwork"
+default: "Custom — standard commercial and institutional default"
+```
+
+The grade may be set differently for different areas of a project. It is common and economical to specify Premium grade for the public and high-visibility woodwork shown on the drawings and Custom grade for the balance, and the shop drawings and finish schedule shall make clear which grade governs each location.
+
+# Materials
+
+## Lumber Species and Grade
+
+Solid-lumber trim, stiles, rails, and ornamental members shall be of the species, cut, and grade scheduled, and shall meet the appearance and defect requirements of the specified AWS / ANSI/AWI grade for the chosen finish. The species governs color, hardness, grain figure, cost, and whether the woodwork is intended for a transparent or an opaque finish. For transparent (stained or clear) finishes, a species selected for its figure and color — such as a domestic hardwood like oak, maple, cherry, or walnut — is used and its grain is exposed. For opaque (painted) finishes, a close-grained, paintable species — typically poplar or a paint-grade hardwood, or MDF for profiled members — is used because the paint hides the grain, and a less expensive paint-grade species is appropriate.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Solid-Lumber Species (transparent finish)
+type: select
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Red oak"
+ - "White oak"
+ - "Hard maple"
+ - "Cherry"
+ - "Walnut"
+ - "Mahogany / sapele"
+ - "Other species per finish schedule"
+default: "White oak"
+```
+
+```datasheet
+label: Solid-Lumber for Opaque (Paint) Finish
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Paint-grade close-grain hardwood (e.g., poplar) for trim and flat members"
+ - "MDF for profiled and molded members (smooth, stable, knot-free paint substrate)"
+ - "Finger-jointed paint-grade lumber for long running trim (concealed by paint)"
+default: "Paint-grade close-grain hardwood (e.g., poplar) for trim and flat members"
+```
+
+## Lumber Cut
+
+The cut of the lumber and veneer — how the log is sawn relative to the growth rings — determines the grain pattern that shows on the face and how the wood moves with changes in moisture. Plain-sawn (flat-sawn) lumber shows the familiar cathedral or "flame" grain, is the most economical and the highest-yield cut, and is the default for most trim and paneling. Quarter-sawn lumber, cut radially, shows a straight, vertical grain (and, in oak, the prized ray fleck), is more dimensionally stable across its width, and is selected where a straight-grain appearance or maximum stability is wanted. Rift-sawn lumber, cut at an angle between plain and quarter, shows a very straight, tight, uniform grain with no flecking and is the most material-intensive and costly cut, used for the most refined straight-grain work.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Lumber and Veneer Cut
+type: select
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Plain-sawn / flat-sawn — cathedral grain, economical (standard)"
+ - "Quarter-sawn — straight grain, ray fleck in oak, more stable"
+ - "Rift-sawn — tight uniform straight grain, no fleck (most refined)"
+ - "Mixed / as selected per location on finish schedule"
+default: "Plain-sawn / flat-sawn — cathedral grain, economical (standard)"
+```
+
+## Veneer for Transparent-Finished Paneling
+
+Transparent-finished wood paneling shall use a decorative wood veneer conforming to ANSI/HPVA HP-1, of the species and cut scheduled, laid up over the specified panel core. Veneer paneling is used in preference to solid-wood paneling for almost all flat and stile-and-rail paneling because a veneered panel is dimensionally stable and flat where a wide solid-wood panel would cup and split, because a single flitch yields enough matched veneer to clad a wall in one continuous figure, and because the figured and exotic species used for feature walls are available only as veneer. The veneer grade, species, and cut shall meet the requirements of the specified AWS / ANSI/AWI grade.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Veneer Standard and Grade
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "ANSI/HPVA HP-1 decorative veneer at the specified AWS grade (standard)"
+ - "Architect-selected flitch, sequenced and reserved for the project (Premium feature work)"
+default: "ANSI/HPVA HP-1 decorative veneer at the specified AWS grade (standard)"
+```
+
+## Veneer Leaf Matching
+
+Within a single panel face, the individual veneer leaves are matched to one another to set the figure. Book match — turning every other leaf over so adjacent leaves mirror each other at the joint like the open pages of a book — is the standard and most widely used match; it gives maximum grain continuity across the joints and a symmetrical figure. Slip match — sliding successive leaves out without flipping them, so the same face of each leaf shows and the figure repeats without mirroring — is used to avoid the barber-pole effect that book matching can produce in certain ribbon-stripe veneers and to give a more uniform, repeating pattern. Random match — placing leaves without regard to grain continuity, deliberately mixing color and figure — gives a casual, planked, unmatched appearance and is used where a non-uniform, board-like look is the design intent.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Veneer Leaf Match (within each panel face)
+type: radio
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Book match — adjacent leaves mirrored, maximum grain continuity (standard)"
+ - "Slip match — leaves slid without flipping, repeating figure (ribbon-stripe veneers)"
+ - "Random / plank match — mixed leaves, deliberately non-uniform planked look"
+default: "Book match — adjacent leaves mirrored, maximum grain continuity (standard)"
+```
+
+## Veneer Panel-Face Assembly Match
+
+Separately from how leaves are matched to one another, the leaves are arranged on the panel face to set its symmetry. Running match assembles each face from as many leaves as the width requires, with no attempt to make the leaves equal in width or symmetrical, so panel faces are not uniform from one to the next; it is the most economical assembly and is used where panels are not seen side by side. Balance match uses leaves of an equal width on each face so the face is symmetrical (an even or odd number of equal leaves), giving a consistent, balanced appearance across panels. Center-balance match uses an even number of equal-width leaves with a single grain joint centered on the panel face; it is the most symmetrical and refined assembly, the most labor- and material-intensive, and the default for the most visible Premium work.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Veneer Assembly Match (across each panel face)
+type: radio
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Running match — non-uniform, most economical (concealed or back-of-house)"
+ - "Balance match — equal-width leaves, symmetrical face (Custom default)"
+ - "Center-balance match — centered grain joint, most refined (Premium feature work)"
+default: "Balance match — equal-width leaves, symmetrical face (Custom default)"
+```
+
+## Panel-to-Panel Sequence Matching
+
+Across a wall elevation, the finished panels are matched to one another so the figure flows from panel to panel rather than changing abruptly at each joint. Sequence matching lays up the panels for a wall from one flitch in the order they are cut and installs them in that order, so the grain progresses naturally across the wall. Blueprint matching is the most exacting: each panel and each component (including the panels over and around doors and openings) is sized and cut to the actual field dimensions from the shop drawings so the veneer figure is continuous across the entire elevation as drawn. Premanufactured sets are matched within each set but not from set to set, and are used where individual panels are not installed in a continuous run.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Panel-to-Panel Sequence Matching (across a wall elevation)
+type: radio
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Premanufactured sets — matched within a set, not set to set (economical)"
+ - "Sequence-matched panels — laid up and installed in flitch order across the wall (Custom feature)"
+ - "Blueprint-matched panels and components — continuous figure to field dimensions (Premium)"
+default: "Sequence-matched panels — laid up and installed in flitch order across the wall (Custom feature)"
+```
+
+## Panel Product and Core
+
+Veneered and laminate-faced paneling shall be built on a flat, stable manufactured core rather than on solid wood. Particleboard core (ANSI A208.1) is flat, dimensionally stable, economical, and the standard core for most veneered and laminate paneling. Medium-density fiberboard core (MDF, ANSI A208.2) is denser and smoother with a superior machined edge, is the preferred core for thin face veneers and for opaque-painted profiled paneling, and machines crisply for routed reveals and profiles. Veneer-core hardwood plywood (ANSI/HPVA HP-1) is lighter and holds fasteners well in its edges, resists incidental moisture better than particleboard, and is selected where weight or screw-holding at edges matters or where a bending plywood is required for a curved panel.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Paneling Core Material
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Particleboard core (ANSI A208.1) — standard veneered and laminate paneling"
+ - "MDF core (ANSI A208.2) — thin face veneer, painted and routed profiles"
+ - "Veneer-core hardwood plywood (ANSI/HPVA HP-1) — lighter, better edge screw-holding"
+ - "Moisture-resistant (MR) core — paneling in humid or incidental-wet locations"
+default: "Particleboard core (ANSI A208.1) — standard veneered and laminate paneling"
+```
+
+## Laminate-Faced Paneling
+
+Where paneling is faced with high-pressure decorative laminate rather than wood veneer, the laminate shall conform to NEMA LD 3 and shall be the vertical grade (VGS) appropriate to a wall surface; the laminate shall be balanced with a backing sheet on the reverse of the core so the panel does not warp toward the faced side. Laminate-faced paneling is used where a durable, cleanable, color-stable wall surface is wanted without the cost and maintenance of a wood finish; it is not a substitute for a casework or countertop surface (see [[sync/wood-and-laminate-casework]]).
+
+```datasheet
+label: Laminate-Faced Paneling (where specified in lieu of wood veneer)
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "High-pressure decorative laminate, NEMA LD 3 vertical grade (VGS), with balancing backer"
+ - "Not applicable — wood-veneer or solid-wood paneling"
+default: "Not applicable — wood-veneer or solid-wood paneling"
+```
+
+## Adhesives
+
+Adhesives used to bond veneer to core, to laminate components, and to install paneling shall be appropriate to the substrate and the service condition and shall be low-emitting where a low-emitting-materials requirement applies. Adhesives in composite-wood panel products are subject to the same formaldehyde-emission limits as the panels themselves.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Adhesives
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Manufacturer's standard adhesives suited to substrate and service (standard)"
+ - "Low-VOC / low-emitting adhesives (green-building or sensitive occupancy)"
+default: "Manufacturer's standard adhesives suited to substrate and service (standard)"
+```
+
+## Fasteners
+
+Trim and paneling shall be fastened with concealed fasteners wherever the grade and detail permit. Exposed face nailing shall be limited to where it is unavoidable, shall use finish nails set below the surface, and the holes shall be filled to match the finish. Concealed methods — blind nailing through the tongue or back of a member, hanging clips and French cleats for panels, and adhesive in combination with mechanical fastening — produce the clean, fastener-free face expected at Custom and Premium grade.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Fastening and Fastener Concealment
+type: select
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Concealed clips / French-cleat hanging system for panels; blind-nailed trim (standard)"
+ - "Adhesive plus concealed mechanical fastening to blocking"
+ - "Exposed finish nails set and filled to match (where concealment is not feasible)"
+default: "Concealed clips / French-cleat hanging system for panels; blind-nailed trim (standard)"
+```
+
+## Fire-Retardant Treatment
+
+Where the trim or paneling is regulated by the building code as an interior wall or ceiling finish, the woodwork shall meet the surface-burning classification required for the occupancy and location under ASTM E84 (or UL 723), and fire-retardant-treated wood shall be provided where that classification cannot otherwise be achieved. Interior fire-retardant-treated wood shall be pressure-impregnated and classified under AWPA U1, Use Category UCFA (interior, weather-protected), and shall carry the treater's classification label. The treatment shall be Interior Type A so that the woodwork does not gain excessive moisture or lose its fire-retardant performance under the humidity swings of an occupied building. Fire-retardant treatment is a chemical pressure treatment of the wood, not a surface coating; an intumescent or fire-rated coating applied over untreated wood is a different approach and shall be used only where it is the basis of the listed assembly. The treatment shall be applied before the woodwork is milled to its final profile to the extent practicable, and any field cuts in treated wood shall be re-treated with the manufacturer's field-applied fire-retardant where required to maintain the classification.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Interior Finish Fire Classification (ASTM E84)
+type: radio
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Class A — flame spread 0-25, smoke developed 0-450 (exits, vertical exit enclosures, high-occupancy)"
+ - "Class B — flame spread 26-75, smoke developed 0-450 (corridors and many assembly/business areas)"
+ - "Class C — flame spread 76-200, smoke developed 0-450 (rooms and areas where permitted)"
+ - "Not regulated as interior finish at this location"
+default: "Not regulated as interior finish at this location"
+```
+
+```datasheet
+label: Fire-Retardant Treatment Method (where required to meet classification)
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Pressure-impregnated FRTW, AWPA U1 Category UCFA, Interior Type A, labeled"
+ - "Listed fire-retardant / intumescent coating as basis of the rated assembly"
+ - "Inherently compliant assembly without treatment (thin veneer over noncombustible substrate)"
+ - "Not required — woodwork not regulated as interior finish at this location"
+default: "Not required — woodwork not regulated as interior finish at this location"
+```
+
+A thin wood veneer (typically 1/28 in. or thinner) bonded to a noncombustible or fire-rated substrate often achieves a Class A classification as an assembly without treating the wood, because the small mass of the veneer cannot sustain flame spread; the ASTM E84 report for the actual assembly governs whether treatment is needed, and the Contractor shall submit the test report for the assembly as it will be installed.
+
+## Composite-Wood Formaldehyde Compliance
+
+All composite-wood panel components of the trim and paneling — particleboard, MDF, and hardwood plywood — shall comply with the formaldehyde emission standards of EPA TSCA Title VI (40 CFR Part 770) and CARB ATCM 93120 (Phase 2), which set identical emission limits, and shall be labeled or certified accordingly. Compliance is mandatory for composite-wood products sold in the United States and is not optional. Where the project pursues a low-emitting-materials credit or serves a sensitive occupancy (healthcare, schools, childcare), no-added-formaldehyde (NAF) or ultra-low-emitting-formaldehyde (ULEF) composite wood should be specified, and emissions may be verified by small-scale chamber testing under ASTM D5116 where required by the contract documents.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Composite-Wood Formaldehyde Compliance
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "TSCA Title VI / CARB Phase 2 compliant (mandatory baseline)"
+ - "No-added-formaldehyde (NAF) composite wood"
+ - "Ultra-low-emitting-formaldehyde (ULEF) composite wood"
+default: "TSCA Title VI / CARB Phase 2 compliant (mandatory baseline)"
+```
+
+# Fabrication
+
+## Grade and Joinery
+
+Trim, paneling, and ornamental woodwork shall be fabricated to the requirements of the specified grade, with members machined, assembled, and finished in the shop to the maximum extent practicable so that field work is limited to fitting, joining at the necessary field joints, and installation. Profiles shall be milled true and continuous. Joints in running trim shall be kept to the minimum the lengths and the grade allow; where a running joint is unavoidable it shall be a scarf or mitered-and-splined joint that closes tight and is located inconspicuously, not a butt joint at a visible location. Coped joints shall be used at inside corners of profiled running trim, and mitered joints at outside corners, so the profile reads continuously around the corner. Stile-and-rail paneling shall be joined with mortise-and-tenon or equivalent concealed joinery appropriate to the grade.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Running-Trim Joinery at Corners
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Coped inside corners, mitered outside corners, scarfed running joints (standard)"
+ - "Mitered all corners (where profile or material requires)"
+default: "Coped inside corners, mitered outside corners, scarfed running joints (standard)"
+```
+
+## Panel Flatness and Matching
+
+Panel faces shall be flat within the tolerance allowed by the specified grade, and the veneer leaf match, assembly match, and panel-to-panel sequence shall be executed as scheduled and as shown on the approved veneer-layout drawing. Veneer shall be balanced — a face veneer on the show side shall be balanced by a backing veneer of comparable thickness and expansion on the reverse — so the panel does not cup toward the face veneer. An unbalanced veneered panel will cup over time no matter how flat it leaves the press.
+
+## Stile-and-Rail and Raised-Panel Construction
+
+In stile-and-rail paneling, the field panel shall float in the grooved frame of stiles and rails rather than being glued fast on all edges, so the panel can expand and contract with seasonal moisture change without splitting itself or forcing the frame apart. A raised (profiled) field panel shall likewise float in the frame. This floating construction is the defining feature of traditional wood paneling and the reason it survives decades of seasonal movement; gluing or pinning a wide panel on all four edges is a fabrication error that guarantees a split panel.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Stile-and-Rail Panel Construction
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Floating field panel in grooved frame (allows seasonal movement — standard for stile-and-rail)"
+ - "Not applicable — flat-panel or slat system"
+default: "Floating field panel in grooved frame (allows seasonal movement — standard for stile-and-rail)"
+```
+
+## Wood Ceiling and Wall Slat Systems
+
+Wood slat (linear) systems — parallel slats or planks mounted on a concealed carrier, backer, or grid with an open or acoustically backed reveal between slats — shall be fabricated as a coordinated system with the slat module, reveal, carrier, and end and edge conditions as shown on the drawings. Where the system is acoustic, the slats are spaced over an acoustically absorptive backing and the reveal is the acoustic opening; the slat module and reveal shall not be altered in the field because they set both the appearance and the acoustic performance. Slat systems mounted on ceilings and high on walls are interior finishes and shall meet the required ASTM E84 classification for the location.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Wood Slat / Linear System Type (where specified)
+type: select
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Solid-wood or veneered slats on concealed carrier, open reveal"
+ - "Acoustic slat system over absorptive backing (reveal is the acoustic opening)"
+ - "Plank / tongue-and-groove ceiling or wall system"
+ - "Not applicable — no slat or linear system"
+default: "Not applicable — no slat or linear system"
+```
+
+# Finishing
+
+## Transparent Finish System
+
+Transparent finishes — clear and stained systems that show the wood grain — shall be applied as a system meeting the requirements of the specified AWS / ANSI/AWI grade. A factory-applied catalyzed (conversion-varnish or comparable two-component) finish is the commercial default for transparent-finished trim and paneling because it is harder, more chemical- and moisture-resistant, and more uniform than a field finish, and it is cured under controlled conditions before delivery. UV-cured finishes provide a hard, fast-cured factory finish on flat panel stock. The finish system, stain color, and sheen shall be as scheduled, and the stain shall be sampled and approved on the actual species and cut because the same stain reads very differently on different species and cuts.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Transparent Finish System
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Factory catalyzed / conversion-varnish system (standard)"
+ - "Factory UV-cured finish system (flat panel stock)"
+ - "Factory pre-catalyzed lacquer (lighter-duty)"
+ - "Field-applied finish (where factory finishing is not feasible)"
+default: "Factory catalyzed / conversion-varnish system (standard)"
+```
+
+## Opaque (Paint) Finish System
+
+Opaque finishes — pigmented systems that hide the wood — shall be applied as a system meeting the specified grade. A factory-applied catalyzed or UV-cured pigmented finish is the durable default and is preferred for trim and paneling on profiled and routed members where a sprayed factory finish reaches into the profile uniformly. Field-applied opaque finishing by the painting trade is common for running trim that is set, then filled, caulked, and painted with the adjacent wall, and is coordinated with [[sync/interior-painting]]; where the trim is field-painted, the woodwork shall be furnished primed or factory-prime-sealed so the field topcoats lie down evenly.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Opaque (Paint) Finish System
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Factory catalyzed or UV-cured pigmented finish (standard for profiled paneling)"
+ - "Factory primed; field topcoat by painting trade (running trim)"
+ - "Field primed and painted by painting trade"
+default: "Factory catalyzed or UV-cured pigmented finish (standard for profiled paneling)"
+```
+
+## Factory Versus Field Finishing
+
+Factory finishing is preferred for paneling and for transparent-finished trim because the finish is applied and cured under controlled temperature, humidity, and dust conditions and is more uniform and durable than a field finish, and because spraying flat in the shop produces a better film than brushing or rolling in place. Field finishing is used for opaque running trim that is integrated with the painted wall, where the joints are filled and caulked and the trim disappears into the wall color, and for woodwork that must be scribed, cut, and fitted in the field before it can be finished. The choice shall be made per category of work and stated on the finish schedule; mixing factory- and field-finished pieces of the same exposed transparent woodwork shall be avoided because the two finishes will not match.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Finishing Location
+type: radio
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Factory-finished (paneling and transparent-finished trim — standard)"
+ - "Field-finished (opaque running trim integrated with painted walls)"
+ - "Factory-finished paneling; field-finished running trim (mixed by category)"
+default: "Factory-finished (paneling and transparent-finished trim — standard)"
+```
+
+## Finish Sheen
+
+```datasheet
+label: Finish Sheen
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Satin"
+ - "Semi-gloss"
+ - "Matte / flat"
+ - "Gloss"
+default: "Satin"
+```
+
+# Installation
+
+## General
+
+Trim and paneling shall be installed after the space is enclosed, conditioned, and dry, after wet finishes are complete, and after the woodwork has acclimatized to the interior conditions. The Contractor shall install the woodwork to the requirements of the specified installation grade (ANSI/AWI 0620 or the AWS installation grade), plumb, level, true, and securely fastened, with tight, properly fitted joints, uniform reveals, and the figure and sequence of veneered panels installed in the order shown on the approved veneer-layout drawing.
+
+## Blocking and Backing
+
+The Contractor shall verify before installation that solid, continuous in-wall and in-ceiling blocking or backing has been provided at every panel-hanging location, at heavy and large panels, at slat-system carriers, and at trim that cannot be reliably fastened to framing or furring alone. Blocking is furnished and installed under the wall and ceiling trades and coordinated on the woodwork shop drawings; the Contractor shall confirm its presence and location and shall notify the Architect of missing or mislocated blocking before proceeding. Paneling and slat systems hung on gypsum board without blocking will pull loose and shall not be permitted.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Blocking and Backing Verified Before Installation
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Yes — continuous blocking/backing verified at all panel, slat-carrier, and heavy-trim locations"
+ - "Not applicable — light trim fastened to framing/furring only at this location"
+default: "Yes — continuous blocking/backing verified at all panel, slat-carrier, and heavy-trim locations"
+```
+
+## Hanging Systems
+
+Wall paneling should be installed on a concealed hanging system — interlocking metal or wood Z-clips (French cleats) or a hanging-rail system fastened to the blocking — rather than face-fastened, so the panels carry no visible fasteners, hang flat and plumb, can be shimmed off an uneven wall to a true plane, and can be removed individually for access or replacement without damage. Face-fastening is used only where a hanging system is impractical and the fasteners can be concealed in a joint or filled.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Wall Paneling Attachment Method
+type: radio
+drawing_ref: true
+options:
+ - "Concealed hanging clips / Z-clips on blocking (removable, adjustable — standard)"
+ - "Hanging-rail system on blocking"
+ - "Adhesive plus concealed mechanical fastening to continuous backing"
+ - "Concealed face-fastening with set-and-filled finish nails (light paneling only)"
+default: "Concealed hanging clips / Z-clips on blocking (removable, adjustable — standard)"
+```
+
+## Scribing and Fitting
+
+Paneling and trim that meet walls, floors, ceilings, columns, and adjacent finishes shall be scribed to fit the contour of the adjacent surface so the joint is tight and uniform; surfaces in a building are rarely flat or plumb, and a panel set against an out-of-plumb wall without scribing leaves a tapered gap. Scribe pieces, fillers, and closures shall be provided to close the gaps between panels and between paneling and adjacent construction, finished to match the woodwork. Reveals and shadow lines designed into the work shall be held uniform; an uneven reveal is the most visible defect in a paneled wall.
+
+## Expansion and Movement
+
+The installation shall accommodate the seasonal expansion and contraction of the wood. Running trim that crosses a building expansion joint shall be detailed to move with the joint. Paneled walls and long runs of trim shall be installed so the wood can move without buckling or opening visible gaps — floating field panels in their frames, slip joints and reveals that absorb movement, and fastening that holds the woodwork to the wall while letting it expand and contract across its width. Paneling shall not be fastened so rigidly across its full width that seasonal swelling has nowhere to go; the result is a buckled wall in the humid season and open joints in the dry season.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Expansion and Movement Provisions
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Floating field panels in stile-and-rail frames"
+ - "Reveals / slip joints between panels to absorb movement"
+ - "Fastening that restrains panels while allowing cross-grain movement"
+ - "Trim detailed to cross building expansion joints"
+default: "Reveals / slip joints between panels to absorb movement"
+```
+
+## Slat-System Installation
+
+Wood slat and linear systems shall be installed on their carriers to the module and reveal shown, with carriers fastened to verified blocking, slats aligned and the reveal held uniform, and end, edge, and transition conditions executed per the details. Where the system is acoustic, the absorptive backing shall be installed continuously behind the open reveals as the assembly was tested, because the backing, not the wood, provides the absorption.
+
+# Testing and Inspection
+
+## Field Quality Control
+
+After installation the Contractor shall inspect the trim and paneling for grade compliance, alignment, matching, and finish. Panels shall be checked for plumb, flatness, uniform reveals, and correct veneer sequence; running trim shall be checked for tight coped and mitered joints, true profiles, and inconspicuous running joints; and exposed surfaces shall be checked for damage and finish defects. Woodwork that does not meet the specified grade, that is out of alignment, that breaks the veneer sequence, or that is damaged shall be corrected or replaced.
+
+## Fire Classification Verification
+
+Where the woodwork is regulated as an interior finish, the Contractor shall make available the ASTM E84 (or UL 723) classification documentation and, for fire-retardant-treated wood, the AWPA U1 treatment label, for the Authority Having Jurisdiction's inspection. Field cuts in fire-retardant-treated wood that expose untreated material shall be field-treated where required to maintain the classification.
+
+# Delivery, Storage, and Handling
+
+Trim and paneling shall be delivered to the project only after the building is enclosed and conditioned and shall be stored flat and fully supported in the conditioned space, protected from moisture, direct sunlight, and physical damage, with air circulation around stacked material during acclimatization. Veneered panels shall be stored flat and stickered, never on edge or leaning, because a panel stored on edge or leaning takes a set and warps. Finished woodwork shall be protected from impact, abrasion, and finish-damaging chemicals through delivery, storage, installation, and the remainder of construction.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Humidity Protection in Transit and Storage
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Maintain woodwork within the service RH range; store flat in conditioned space (standard)"
+ - "Wrapped and climate-controlled transport and storage (Premium / sensitive species)"
+default: "Maintain woodwork within the service RH range; store flat in conditioned space (standard)"
+```
+
+Protective coverings shall be installed over completed paneling and trim and shall remain until substantial completion to protect the work from damage by other trades. The coverings shall not trap moisture against the woodwork or mark or adhere to the finish.
+
+# Warranty
+
+```datasheet
+label: Woodwork Warranty Period
+type: select
+options:
+ - "1 year from substantial completion — standard"
+ - "2 years from substantial completion"
+ - "5 years from substantial completion (Premium / institutional programs)"
+default: "1 year from substantial completion — standard"
+```
+
+The manufacturer and the Contractor shall warrant the trim, paneling, and ornamental woodwork against defects in materials and workmanship for the specified period, including warping, cupping, or twisting beyond the grade tolerance, delamination of veneer, open or telegraphing joints, finish failure, and failure of the attachment or hanging system under normal use. The warranty shall exclude damage caused by moisture exposure or interior humidity outside the specified service range (where the woodwork was installed and the building maintained within that range), by abuse, and by modifications made without authorization. The Contractor shall warrant the installation — including blocking verification, attachment and hanging, scribing and fitting, joint quality, veneer-sequence installation, and accommodation of expansion and movement — for the specified period; deficiencies attributable to installation workmanship shall be corrected by the Contractor at no cost to the Owner.
+
+# Maintenance
+
+The Contractor shall provide finish-specific care and maintenance instructions and an inventory of attic-stock matching trim, panel blanks, and touch-up finish for the Owner's future repairs. The Owner should maintain the interior temperature and relative humidity within the specified service range for the life of the woodwork; the most common cause of in-service paneling and trim failure is not a defect in the woodwork but a building that is allowed to swing far outside the humidity range the woodwork was fabricated for, which drives the cupping, splitting, and open joints that the floating-panel and movement provisions can only partly absorb. Cleaning shall use the method appropriate to the finish, and finish refresh and repair shall use the attic-stock touch-up materials and the manufacturer's recommended products.