At Tekton Trades, we believe transparency makes for better projects. Before your build begins, we want you to understand exactly what our work includes — and where the line is between what’s standard, what’s an upgrade, and what’s a separate conversation.
All finish grades, inspection standards, and material definitions on this page reference established industry standards. These are not our definitions — they are the definitions used across the architectural woodwork and painting industries. Our contracts reference these standards by name so there is no ambiguity about what was agreed to.
Finish Grades
Every Tekton project is built to a defined AWI finish grade. That grade is stated in your estimate and contract before you sign. The grade determines what level of finish is expected on each surface category — exposed, semi-exposed, and concealed.
- Surface Definitions
- Economy Grade
- Custom Grade
- Premium Grade
AWI Surface Categories
Source: Architectural Woodwork Institute Quality Standards
The Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) defines three surface categories based on visibility and use:
Exposed Surfaces: Surfaces visible during normal use of the piece and from typical viewing distances. These include cabinet faces, shelves visible from the front, exterior sides of built-ins, and any surface a homeowner would regularly see and touch. Exposed surfaces are held to the finish grade specified in your contract.
Semi-Exposed Surfaces: Surfaces that are visible but secondary to the primary view — visible from limited angles or at edges. Examples include interior sides of cabinet boxes visible when doors are open, the undersides of shelves, top surfaces of crown molding, interior corners of open shelving, and surfaces visible only from certain seated or standing positions. Semi-exposed surfaces receive the next level down from your specified grade.
Concealed Surfaces: Surfaces not visible during normal use — backs of built-ins, interior surfaces of closed drawers, interior cavity surfaces, undersides of bases, and areas completely hidden by walls, flooring, or other elements. Concealed surfaces may be unfinished, raw sanded, or finished to a functional standard only, depending on your grade.
Source: Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) Quality Standards
Economy Grade
Source: AWI Quality Standards
Economy Grade is the baseline architectural woodwork standard. It emphasizes sound construction and functional finish with acceptable variations in appearance.
Exposed surfaces are finished with a protective coating (paint or stain) with no runs, drips, or sags. Minor surface variations, brush marks visible only in raking light, and shadow lines at joints are acceptable. Semi-exposed and concealed surfaces may be raw, single-coat primer, or functional finish only. There is no sheen-matching requirement between surfaces or coats.
What this means on a Tekton project:
- Visible surfaces covered, no runs or drips
- Concealed surfaces raw, sanded, or single primer coat
- No sheen-matching requirement
- Joint visibility accepted
- This is the default grade unless upgraded in writing
Source: Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) Quality Standards
Custom Grade
Source: AWI Quality Standards
Custom Grade represents the industry standard for high-quality cabinetry and millwork. It balances quality appearance with practical time and cost, appropriate for fine residential and commercial work.
Exposed surfaces receive a complete, consistent finish coat with sheen matching and minimal visible defects. Joints are caulked and touch-up sanded. Semi-exposed surfaces are brought to a good functional standard with attention to continuity. Concealed surfaces may be unfinished or primed. Custom Grade allows for minor natural wood characteristics and slight color variation, but visible surface defects are corrected.
What this means on a Tekton project:
- Exposed surfaces finished to full quality standard
- Semi-exposed surfaces finished to functional standard
- Consistent sheen on all exposed faces
- Joints caulked and touched up
- Typical upcharge: +15–25% on finish labor
Source: Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) Quality Standards
Premium Grade
Source: AWI Quality Standards
Premium Grade is the highest level of finish quality — museum-quality work appropriate for showcase pieces, high-end residential, and spaces where appearance is paramount.
All exposed and semi-exposed surfaces receive the same full finish treatment: multiple coats, unified sheen, flawless color matching, and invisible joints. Wood grain and natural characteristics are minimized or eliminated through finish technique. Surfaces are finished to the highest quality standard regardless of visibility. Premium Grade requires advanced finishing skill and substantially more time than Custom Grade.
What this means on a Tekton project:
- All surfaces including semi-exposed finished to full standard
- Uniform sheen across all surfaces
- Joint lines minimized, sanded flush where possible
- Requires off-site finish or full on-site paint cycle
- Must be specified before fabrication begins
- Typical upcharge: +40–60% on finish labor
Source: Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) Quality Standards
Painted Finish Standards
All painted work on Tekton projects is evaluated per PDCA Standard P1. This is the residential paint quality standard used across the painting and finish carpentry industry.
- PDCA P1 — The 39-Inch Rule
- Accepted Variations
- Factory vs. On-Site Finish
PDCA Standard P1 — Inspection Conditions
Source: Painting and Decorating Contractors of America
The PDCA P1 standard for residential paint quality establishes specific viewing and lighting conditions for quality inspection. All painted surfaces are inspected under normal, everyday lighting — not specialist inspection lighting.
The inspection distance is 39 inches (1 meter) from the painted surface. This is the natural viewing distance a homeowner would stand to see and evaluate the work in normal use of a room. Paint quality is assessed under daylight or standard room lighting in the position where that light naturally exists.
Surfaces are inspected from a normal viewing angle — the angle at which a person standing in the room would naturally view that surface during daily life. Raking light (angling a light source across the surface), flashlights, magnification, or angled viewing to highlight flaws are not used in PDCA P1 inspections.
The standard applies to all exposed interior painted surfaces: walls, trim, cabinetry, millwork, and architectural elements that homeowners see during normal room use.
What PDCA P1 Accepts as Normal
Source: Painting and Decorating Contractors of America — Standard P1
Under PDCA P1, the following paint conditions are accepted as normal and do not constitute defects:
- Brush marks and texture variation: Slight visible brush marks or roller texture that appear only under close inspection or raking light. Cross-brushing or slight sheen variation between brush and rolled areas.
- Holidays and thin spots: Minor thin areas or slight substrate show-through in inside corners, caulked seams, or transitions that do not expose raw wood or substrate color.
- Paint line variation: Slight inconsistency in paint lines where tape was removed, along crown molding, or at ceiling/wall junctions. Shadow lines at caulked seams are normal.
- Sheen variation: Slight sheen or gloss variation between different painted sections or between first and final coats, visible only in certain lighting angles.
- Minor surface imperfections: Small dust nibs, lint, or insignificant surface texture variations that do not create rough or defective areas.
Always considered defects under PDCA P1:
- Visible drips, runs, or sags in the finish
- Peeling, cracking, or poor adhesion
- Wrong color or sheen applied
- Bare substrate showing through
- Significant brush marks or application defects visible at normal viewing distance and lighting
Source: Painting and Decorating Contractors of America
AWI on Field-Applied vs. Factory-Applied Finishes
Source: AWI Quality Standards
Factory Finish: Cabinetry and components are built, sanded, and finished in the woodshop before delivery to the job site. Factory finishing allows for controlled conditions (temperature, humidity, dust containment) and high-quality application. However, joints are visible once assembled and installed because assembly seams cannot be fully filled and refinished in the shop. Visible caulked seams and touch-up at installation points are expected and normal per AWI standards.
Field-Applied Finish: Components are delivered raw, primed, or partially finished and are assembled, filled, sanded, and painted on-site after installation. Field finishing allows joints to be filled flush, sanded, and finished as one integrated piece — resulting in minimal visible seams. Field finishing takes significantly longer and requires on-site dust control and curing time.
Factory Finish (default scope):
- Components painted in shop before installation
- Joints caulked at installation — visible under certain lighting
- Touch-up at installation points is normal and expected per AWI
On-Site Finish (quoted separately):
- Installed raw or primed, finished in place
- Joints filled, sanded flush, primed, and topcoated after installation
- Significantly better joint concealment
- Adds 1.5–2× the finish labor of factory finish
Source: Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) Quality Standards
Not defects under PDCA P1:
- Minor brush marks visible only in raking or oblique light
- Slight sheen variation between brush and rolled areas
- Paint line variation at taped junctions with walls or ceilings
- Minor holidays (thin spots) at inside corners that do not expose substrate
- Slight texture difference at caulked seams
- Visible joint lines between painted sections
Always defects at any grade:
- Runs, drips, or sags in finish
- Bare substrate visible through finish
- Peeling or adhesion failure
- Wrong color or sheen applied
- Contamination in finish (debris, insects)
- Cracked or peeling caulk
Wood Joints and Seasonal Movement
- USDA Wood Handbook
- AWI on Joint Fit
- KCMA on Joint Visibility
Wood Movement Reference
Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory — Wood Handbook
Wood naturally expands and contracts with changes in humidity and temperature. This is normal and not a defect.
Seasonal wood movement: Wood typically moves 1–2% in width and thickness as humidity changes through the seasons. A 12-inch-wide board may shift by 1/8 to 1/4 inch seasonally. Movement occurs most in the width of the board; length movement is minimal. Movement is greatest in solid wood; plywood and MDF move less.
Humidity range: Interior spaces in Florida average 40–60% humidity seasonally. Winter heating lowers humidity; summer air conditioning or moisture can raise it. This natural variation causes wood to expand in high humidity and shrink in dry conditions.
Joint gaps: Small hairline openings at joints after weeks or months of installation are normal and expected. A gap of 1/16 inch or less at caulked seams is within normal wood movement. Gaps exceeding 1/16 inch under normal indoor humidity may indicate a structural issue and should be reported.
Prevention: Pre-finishing (painting or sealing wood before installation) slows but does not eliminate movement. Proper ventilation and stable indoor humidity minimize seasonal shifts.
Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook, Chapter 4 — Wood Moisture Relations
AWI Standard on Joints and Post-Installation Movement
Source: AWI Quality Standards
The Architectural Woodwork Institute acknowledges that joints in architectural millwork will exhibit visible seams, shadow lines, and seasonal movement — these are normal characteristics of wood and do not indicate poor craftsmanship.
Joint tolerance at installation: Wood components are fabricated and assembled with ±1/16-inch tolerance on joints. At the time of installation, seams should be tight and even.
Post-installation movement: After installation, wood may shift slightly due to seasonal humidity changes. Caulked seams may show hairline shadow lines under raking or oblique light — this is normal and not a defect. A joint opening of 1/16 inch or less at any point along a seam is within acceptable variation per AWI standards.
Caulk and sealants: Joints are caulked at installation and may shrink slightly as caulk cures and as humidity changes. This does not indicate poor work; it is an expected characteristic of sealed joints in real-world conditions.
Structural soundness: While visual gaps are normal, the component should remain structurally sound and should not rack (twist), loosen, or separate. If a built-in is visibly twisted, separated, or loose, this is a structural issue and must be corrected.
Source: Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) Quality Standards
KCMA on Painted Joint Lines
Source: KCMA ANSI/KCMA A161.1
The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) standard addresses the reality of assembled painted cabinetry: visible joint lines at assembly seams are an expected characteristic of field-assembled work and do not constitute defects.
Factory-finished joints: Cabinetry and millwork finished in the shop before shipment often shows visible caulked or sealed seams once assembled on-site and painted. These shadow lines are visible under certain lighting but are not considered defects if the joint is structurally sound and properly sealed.
Field-painted joints: Built-ins finished on-site may show joint visibility even more prominently. Paint does not eliminate the underlying seam; it highlights it. This is normal for field assembly and finishing.
Acceptable joint appearance: Straight, aligned, caulked seams with clean paint lines are acceptable. Minor shadow lines, visible grout or caulk seams, and slight paint line variation are normal and expected in residential millwork.
Premium finish option: If seamless joints are important, specify Premium Grade or on-site finish at the time of estimate. Premium finishing can minimize joint visibility but cannot eliminate it entirely due to wood movement.
Source: KCMA ANSI/KCMA A161.1 — American National Standard for Kitchen Cabinets
Normal — not defects:
- Hairline joint opening weeks or months after installation as humidity cycles
- Shadow line at caulked seams under raking or oblique light
- Slight grain variation on semi-exposed panels
- Minor sanding marks inside cabinet boxes
- Small gap at wall or ceiling scribe — caulked at completion
Always addressed:
- Joint separation exceeding 1/16 inch under normal humidity conditions
- Structural looseness or racking
- Caulk peeling or cracking within the warranty period
- Components not square, level, or plumb within stated tolerance
Cleanup Scope
- Broom Clean Standard
- Enhanced Cleanup
- Post-Construction Deep Clean
Industry Definition — Broom Clean
Source: Construction industry standard term
Broom clean is the accepted baseline cleanup standard in residential construction contracting. It means:
- All debris, trash, and construction waste removed from the site
- Hard floors swept, not mopped or scrubbed
- No tools, materials, or equipment left behind
- Surfaces in their pre-construction condition minus normal construction dust
This is what is included in every Tekton project at no additional charge.
Enhanced Cleanup — Quoted Separately
Enhanced cleanup goes beyond broom clean and includes:
- Adjacent surfaces wiped down
- Dust removed from surrounding furniture and fixtures
- Full room vacuumed including baseboards
- Dust containment (plastic sheeting) during sanding operations
This is available as a quoted add-on. Request it before the project begins so it can be included in your estimate.
Post-Construction Deep Cleaning
Full post-construction cleaning of the home is outside Tekton’s scope entirely. This includes steam cleaning, full-home vacuuming, appliance cleaning, and any cleaning beyond the immediate work area.
This is the client’s responsibility or a separate cleaning vendor. Tekton can coordinate a referral at the client’s cost if requested.
Walkthrough Inspections
Walkthroughs are conducted under normal lighting conditions — natural daylight or standard room lighting in its normal position for everyday use. This is the inspection standard defined by PDCA P1 and AWI.
Raking light, flashlights, and specialty inspection lighting are not appropriate evaluation tools for on-site painted millwork and are not the standard under which this work is inspected.
- Finish grade — Economy, Custom, or Premium. Default is Economy unless upgraded in writing.
- Finish method — Factory finish or on-site finish. Default is factory unless specified otherwise.
- Cleanup scope — Broom clean is included. Enhanced cleanup is quoted separately.
- Payment schedule — Deposit structure, payment method, and timeline confirmed before work begins.
- Change order process — Any modification after signing requires a written change order. Verbal requests do not change the scope.
Tekton Trades Inc. — Jacksonville, Florida — build@tektontrades.co
Standards references: AWI Quality Standards · PDCA Standard P1 · KCMA ANSI/KCMA A161.1 · USDA Wood Handbook