Finding Suitable Alternatives
There’s always another option
Even the best laid plans go awry from time to time. Budgets change. Projects are put on hold. Specs are broken. Species are hard to find.
It’s the nature of architectural work, and even more so when you’re dealing with organic materials where supplies ebb and flow based on weather, production cycles, even the political climate. But when uncertainty looms, talk to us. We know how to keep things on track. We can always find an alternative that’s more readily available, less costly, more earth friendly, or whatever it is your situation is calling for. There are countless ways to keep things on track, and we’re committed to doing everything we can to help.
Just ask Jeff Vincent. When he specified a highly figured makore for his Piedmont Center project, he expected to see it played out on walls, panels, moldings, and even doors. But when door costs came in significantly over budget, the door manufacturer suggested Vincent use rift red oak instead and stain it to look more like the makore in the rest of the space. We knew we could do better, so we tracked down a flitch of makore that had the same look, but with a bit less figure and a lower cost, allowing Vincent to keep the project on time and on budget–all without sacrificing a consistent aesthetic throughout the facility.
Sometimes the veneer you want just can’t be found in the time or budget allowed. Particularly in FSC veneers where demand often outpaces supply. Nowhere is that more true than in FSC maple, where high-quality architectural grade flitches are almost nonexistent. “If we get ten calls in a given day for FSC veneer, five of them are for FSC maple,” says Henry Gignac, president of Dooge Veneers, who attributes a disappointing logging season and sky-high demand for the dwindling supply. Gignac encourages clients to consider alternatives like FSC beech or sycamore, complementary species that are more readily available, have a similar aesthetic, and offer LEED points for sustainable materials.
And it’s not just Maple. Low production and high demand have sharply cut into supplies of other species, including FSC rift white oak. But there are alternatives. FSC rift European oak is readily available, comparably priced, and similar in color and grain. “The quality of European oak on the market right now is excellent, much better than domestic oak,” says Gignac, who adds that no matter what kind of problem you run into, there’s always an alternative that won’t compromise the design intent of the project. Just ask.
That’s why we say, “Talk to us.” We mean it. If you run into a snag, let us know. We have the knowledge and the willingness to dig in and untangle things to keep your project moving forward, on time, on budget, and always with an understanding of and respect for your design criteria.
