Design Solutions - Fall 2008 - (Page 57) when sliced from a log, the individual pieces of veneer are referred to as leaves. These leaves are kept in order as they are sliced and then dried. as the leaves come out of the dryer the log is literally reassembled. This sliced, dried and reassembled log or partial log is called a flitch. The flitch is given a number and the gross square footage of the flitch is tallied. To select specific veneer flitches for a project: 1. Determine the net square footage of face veneer required for the project. This should include paneling, casework, built-in furniture items and, when specifying a sequence to a blueprint matched project, the flush doors. 2. Multiply the net square footage times three, (this is the average ratio, some species require a higher multiplier). Example: 5,000 (net square feet) x 3 = 15,000 square feet; this is the gross square footage that should be sampled for this project. While this may sound like a daunting quantity of veneer to look through, there is an established process that simplifies the task. When a numbered flitch is sampled, typically, three leaves of veneer are removed from the flitch and numbered sequentially. Starting from the top of the flitch, a leaf is removed from one-third of the way down, then from one-half, and then from two-thirds down in the flitch. These three, sequentially numbered leaves of veneer, form a representative sample of that flitch. 3. To view a sampling of veneer that will meet the project needs one should request samples, from numbered flitches, that will represent 30,000 to 45,000 square feet of veneer. This means that if the average size of the flitches sampled is 2,500 square feet there will be about 36 to 54 leaves of veneer, representing 12 to 18 flitches of architectural quality veneers. since it will take at least 6 flitches, with a gross square footage of 2,500 square feet, to meet the project needs, give careful consideration to the following key criteria: length: is the length adequate for the requirements? width: what will the net yield for width be from each flitch? gross square footage of each flitch: total yield must be 15,000 square feet color and grain compatibility: while exact matching is not possible, from flitch to flitch, this is the opportunity to select the range of color and grain compatibility that will enhance the visual continuity of the entire project. The reality of this process is that the square footage of individual flitches of veneer will probably range from 1,200 square feet up to 3,000 square feet. This means that one may end up selecting 9 or 10 flitches, instead of just 6. But the goal remains the same as in the example, selecting flitches that will satisfy the æsthetic needs, while fulfilling the face veneer requirements for the project. it is recommended that specifications be written with the foregoing objective in mind. Then, when the project has been awarded to a qualified woodworker, talk directly to the woodworker and be involved in one of the most exciting aspects of bringing the design concepts to reality. 3The Future Of Woodwork Standards currently, a new edition of Architectural Woodwork Standards is being developed and written to replace the 8th edition of the Quality Standards Illustrated. adopted and published jointly by the architectural woodwork manufacturers of canada, the architectural woodwork institute and the woodwork institute, it is to be called The First Edition of Architectural Woodwork Standards, a specification of Qualities, Methods and workmanship To Produce and install architectural Millwork. The new Architectural Woodwork Standards will replace the AWI/AWMAC Architectural Woodwork Quality Standards Illustrated and the Woodwork Institute’s Manual of Millwork. This effort is being undertaken to make one joint unified standard for the architectural woodwork industry. awi and Design Solutions will continue to keep you informed regarding this exciting new project. FaLL 2008 I DESIgN SoLUTIoNS 57 Your Partner Since 1961
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