International Wood International Wood 2008 | Page 37

Exotic veneers don’t require any special handing and finishing tech-
niques, Sagrillo explains: “Any millwork company that’s worth their salt
knows that veneer is veneer, and solids are solids. It’s really what the cus-
tomers want that dictates what you do to finish it.”
There’s a lot of flexibility in how the woods are finished. The 7 For All
Mankind fixtures and millwork were finished with a high-build polished
lacquer so that it almost looks like a polyester finish. “It’s very Italian
looking,” says Sagrillo.
While exotics like zebrano and Makassar ebony benefit from light
staining, many other species are at their best without it.
“A lot of exotics don’t need any stain at all,” says Sagrillo. “It seems a
little ridiculous to take a beautiful wood and stain it when it’s gorgeous
in its natural state. In our own offices, our millwork is in rift white oak,
inset with naturally finished cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa).
“This is another great thing about working with exotics – the way
they complement more familiar species. Some people wouldn’t think
about mixing oak with cocobolo, or even walnut and ebony, but it
works pretty well.”
Imported plywood also plays a crucial role under the surface of
HCM’s fixtures and millwork. A 13-layer plywood is the preferred choice
for much of the structural and support construction due to its strength-
to-weight ratio and value. It has also been used in visible applications for
Lucky Brand Jeans stores outfitted by HCM.
“I like the 13-ply panels because if you want to use them where they
can be seen, they have a very attractive edge,” says Sagrillo. “We also use
waterproof and no-added-formaldehyde MDF and particleboard cores.
But, imported plywood is our standard structural panel. It performs best
for toe kicks, bases and on vertical applications where the store wants to
use hang cleats.”
“When something’s hot, it’s really hot. People
jump on and love it. If you walk into a newer
high-end mall, or the shops in the new Palazzo
resort in Las Vegas, you’re going to see a lot of
imported woods and veneers such as zebrawood,
also called zebrano, rosewoods and Makassar
ebony. Designers are absolutely in love with
these species right now.”
MARC SAGRILLO, Vice President of High Country Millwork
®
Lumber
Veneer
FLooring
Lyptus.com
Beautiful. Exotic. Eco-Aware.
Weyerhaeuser
South America