New baseboard in final installation stage.

New baseboard installation in process

Manhattan Baseboard Molding Carpentry 

Dyke’s Lumber Company started in 1909, the same year The New York Times published its first movie review (for Pippa Passes, a silent movie which ran 14 minutes and 10 seconds). Carrying on its 114-year tradition of quality materials, excellent service and integrity, Dykes is often our go-to choice for superior molding and trim products. Fine quality baseboards and expert craftsmanship are required for the final seamless appearance.

Baseboards serve more purposes and functions than many people realize and installing all new ones takes a precision approach to that visible, perpendicular contact point between wall and floor. It takes time, patience and a variety of tools to remove old baseboards. Then we evaluate damage, uneven wallboard or flooring, old paint or crusty caulking and devise a comprehensive plan to prep everything for new baseboards. There’s measuring, cutting, cornering, nailing and caulking, as well as priming and  painting the new baseboard molding. Handsome baseboards enhance the overall appearance in any room, and combined with perfectly skim-coated walls and new flooring, this living room in West Village evokes a distinctive comfy, classy ambiance.

After old baseboard removed, many tasks to clean up before new baseboard installed.

Historic wall box molding in modern Manhattan home

Video of the process

NYC Box Molding and Chair Rail Carpentry

Louis XIV, aka the Sun King, was King of France for 72 years and 110 days, eking past the late great Queen Elizabeth II on her throne for 70 years and 214 days. Among his plethora of significant accomplishments were architectural feats in which he played a leading design role. He embraced symmetry and all manner of molding, from simple box style like seen here to extravagant ornate kinds. And like the king, this client loves blending old and new, historical with modern, classic and contemporary.

Our Paintworks team walked alongside the homeowner to craft their vision into reality, assisting with molding size, profile and color. Success on a project like this one is dependent upon intricate planning and superior attention to details, once everyone is on the same drawing page for the same outcome. Precise measuring, constant level monitoring, exact placement and meticulous installation are imperative. That’s all before expertly applying Benjamin Moore’s luminous, elegant, Dove Wing paint. We are all confident the room is ready for a spot of tea and croissants or crumpets with any king or queen, and we knew from the beginning it “woodwork”!

At beginning, marking walls, planning ahead

Installing wall molding level, square, and right

Precision, experienced tradesmen at work

Box molding installed, ready for expert painting

Classy wall trim in luxury NYC residence

Manhattan Custom Built-ins

Many of the older apartment and condo-converted buildings in New York City offer beaucoup charm with handsome hardwood floors, abundant and exquisite trim and glamourous light fixtures. Much of the electrical has been updated in kitchen and bathrooms with GFCI outlets, and window glass that no longer contains ripples offers city, skyline and river views. But it’s simply not possible to retrofit the HVAC systems, and thus, many of these enchanting abodes contain somewhat unsightly heat registers.

 When faced with what to do about camouflaging the registers while still receiving the glorious warmth in winter, call on us. We offer classic, custom, built-in solutions that not only hide the register, but also provide you with additional storage space and attractive custom grates and escape holes for heat. In this recent project, we replaced the window sill as well to make everything flush and beautiful. We’ll work with you on a plan for style, size and color – we can paint your new register cabinet any color under the sun. It becomes yet another charming component of your overall décor. We’ve done this before, and we’ll do again. And again. And again. Custom cabinet register covers are the way to go, and we are ones to craft precisely what you want.

Manhattan Carpentry and Painting

Radiators and deep stone or marble windowsills may be passé in new house construction in favor of heat pumps and small vents and, all too often, no windowsills at all. These radiators of old still deliver heat in a warm and wonderful way. Considering that much of New York City’s housing is decades and centuries old, radiators are commonplace in homes, brownstones and apartment buildings. Incorporating them into the interior décor can be fun, and we surely enjoyed this job.

 Here we reinforced a beautiful, new stone windowsill, installed the baseboard, constructed shelves on both ends and built a radiator enclosure. The radiator may be hidden from sight, but the heat from it will waft through the metal mesh, warming this living room and the residents in it all winter long. We painted the entire project in Benjamin Moore’s Super White paint for a light, bright, fresh, functional interior accent piece neatly camouflaging a radiator.

The Pinterest inspiration- a restaurant booth

Starting the the project

The end result in client’s home - beautiful chic reading nook

Pinterest To Reality - Building a Reading Nook With Custom Wall Paneling

Pinterest serves as the visual discovery engine for everything from interior décor to slogans, recipes, fashion, front doors, curb appeal and pretty much everything under the sun. It was here that clients found a charming corner seating space in a restaurant that they wanted to replicate at home. “Make it Happen” was our marching order. Initially, we engaged all our math, measuring and geometry skills to evaluate the space, the bench, bookcases, walls and angles to craft a precision plan with mitered corners, ell seating with back support and custom wood trim on the lower walls.

 The triple-layer paneling projects a 3-dimensional look and feel, and the entire project melded our sketching, measuring, planning, cutting, building, installation, priming and painting skills. The back cushion offers a huge ergonomic benefit, and bench legs make cleaning under it a breeze. Our Paintworks team can make your Pinterest idea come to life as well. Show us a photo, provide specifics and colors and boom, we make it happen!