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6/2212016 PVC Millwork Meets the Challenges of Historic Renovations -Building Products- August 2013 <br />or costs associated with maintenance," says Ergun Merdin, owner of D&E Construction, <br />Boston, Ma., who uses cellular PVC trim from Azek Building Products, Scranton, Pa. <br />"We've been able to make the transition to PVC very successfully." <br />Bill Sandrock, owner of Stratton Creek Wood Work, Kinsman, Oh., agrees. He's been <br />working with PVC products from Versatex Trimboard, Aliquippa, Pa., for the past eight <br />years. <br />"We do a great deal of intricate restoration work, so we started using cellular PVC for <br />exterior applications because it can be cut and shaped like wood. We laminate Versatex's <br />PVC sheet to give us the needed thickness, and then mill it to our specifications." <br />His latest historic project involved renovation of a cupola at Baldwin Wallace University, <br />Berea, Oh., which dated to 1897 and had been irreparably damaged by the elements. He <br />started by taking samples of all the original crown moulding, corbels, handrails, and <br />turnings. <br />"With PVC, fabrication wasn't so much of a challenge," he notes. "We measured the <br />original piece, drew it in AutoCad, and then figured out how to manufacture it. We custom - <br />ground knives to match and ran the profiles through the moulder." <br />According to Sandrock, it took about 1,100 man-hours over the course of five months to <br />construct all the millwork needed for the six -sided cupola. <br />"This was probably the most detailed project we've ever done," he says. "By doing this in <br />PVC, the paint will stick and it will last. It's never going to rot and it's not going to peel. The <br />new paints expand and contract with the material." <br />Although PVC trim components are designed to replicate the look of wood, they aren't <br />affected by moisture and are highly resistant to mold. In addition, PVC trim is consistent in <br />size and finish, immune to rot and insect infestations, and lightweight and easy to install <br />over solid substrates. <br />"PVC delivers the authentic, rich appearance of wood, coupled with the durability and very <br />httpllwww.building-products.com/August-2013!PVC-Millwork-Meets-the ChallerKjes-of-Historic-Renovations/ 218 <br />