Articles Archives

6 min read

What to Look for in an Independent Manufacturer’s Representative

Originally published by ISAarchitectural on their website – May 13th, 2020. By: Larry Windsor. VP Construction Services Independent Manufacturer’s Representative Firms are an essential component of the commercial construction industry. These companies are contracted by domestic and international architectural product manufacturers to be their exclusive, trusted salesforce within a defined geographic territory. Many individuals believe the primary …

4 min read

The Forgotten Third Surface

Some call the ceiling the ‘Forgotten 3rd Surface.’” – Paul Emmons What is a Ceiling? A tent’s canvas is both roof and ceiling. Except in minimalist buildings, roof and ceiling are rarely the same surface (even modern tents separate the fly—its roof—from the inner shell and screen—its ceiling). In basic construction, rafters support the roof above while they are clad below to create a ceiling. In this construction the ceiling tracks the roof line; more commonly, ceilings lay flat, covering a room. A ceiling, then, is the overhead surface of a …

6 min read

9Wood’s Certified Wood Journey: The Tale of Two Certifications

9Wood offers designers access to wood for their ceiling designs from sustainably harvested forests, certified by two competing organizations. Both programs offer certified lumber that qualify toward LEED credits. Two Certification Sources Certified lumber connects the building’s wood products back to healthy forests. Certification means that an independent, third party organization has verified that 9Wood’s …

9 min read

The Best* Certified Wood Programs

*based on our experience and satisfaction with FSC® and PEFC. 9Wood offers designers certified wood ceilings through two certification programs: FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). Both programs offer certified wood that qualifies for LEED credits. (See also 9Wood’s Journey supplying certified wood.) Before looking at these programs, …

10 min read

What are the Types of Suspended Acoustic Ceilings?

A suspended acoustic ceiling is a secondary ceiling, hung below the structural ceiling both to treat room acoustics and to look attractive.

8 min read

What is Critical Lighting?

We’ve all noticed the first ding in our new car. At first, you don’t see it when looking straight on. But at just the right angle that dent is very, very noticeable. Or place a glossy magazine cover next to a piece of matte printer paper. Take a step back and look across the plane of both. The magazine …

8 min read

7 Gotchas Bidding Wood Ceilings

“Oh, good I landed the job! Oh, God what did I forget?!” Suspended wood ceilings can be a great way for subcontractors to take on high-value business. But there are risks for Estimators. “If I sharpen my pencil to land the job, how do I keep my numbers fat enough to cover surprises?” Estimators want to: But Estimators regularly run into two big problems when bidding specialty work: First, answers take too long, and you need them fast. You often have a day, …

4 min read

Does 9Wood do residences?

Does 9Wood do Residences ? The short answer is “No”. 9Wood supplies wood ceilings for commercial architecture. A full answer is, “Rarely, with one exception.” The best way to explain this exception—if you’re still curious—is to understand why we focus on commercial architecture. There are four reasons. Acoustics. In commercial buildings the problem is quieting noise. Group spaces, …

4 min read

In times of Uncertainty, Reliability Matters

“Oh, good I landed the job! Oh, God what did I forget ?!” In uncertain times, firms are looking to expand opportunities. Suspended wood ceilings can be a great way for acoustical subcontractors to take on high-value work. But there is a risk-return element to specialty finishes: How do you sharpen your pencil to land the contract, but stay …

5 min read

How Do Our Wood Stains Compare to Our Competitors?

The quality of the stain differs from manufacturer to manufacturer, depending on which staining system they use to stain the wood. In order to produce enough stained wood to keep our business competitive, we need to adopt a staining system that not only produces high-quality wood that looks great but is scalable at a cost …