This first photo captured the completion of the “dry assembly” phase, where we aligned all of the unpainted parts of the structure at our facility to ensure a perfect fit. We then disassembled all parts for the priming and painting phases. First, during the priming phase, we primed the end grain of all wood pieces with a clear epoxy primer. Due to the clear epoxy having a low viscosity, it flows into the end grains of the wood before solidifying. Once it hardens, it forms a permanent moisture barrier to protect the wood against the wet and humid New Orleans environment.

Sealing the end grain on wood that is exposed to the elements (on columns, railings, etc.) is extremely important because most wood damage occurs from moisture wicking up into the wood from the end grains, following the same pathway that moisture once wicked up into the living tree.

The photo to the right shows the portico after having been primed, painted, and reassembled for installation.

The custom door (photo #3 below) and custom transom (photo #4 below) are shown prior to being installed in the existing jamb once the portico has been set in place at the job site.

We recently milled a large shipment of beams (that were over 100 years old) into beautiful New Orleans flooring…but ended up with a surplus we’re offering at a discount.

Our surplus of 22,000 sq. ft. of antique and classic grades is being offered at 10% below our already low prices for this exquisite material while this surplus lasts.

Call us at 504-899-1351 to price the quantity you need.

The old-growth heart pine beams prior to shipment to New Orleans

100+ yr old beams milled into flooring

...and finally installed

CCM installed New Orleans shutters

In New Orleans shutters have long been a familiar sight on windows, and that will continue for as long as New Orleans and hurricanes exist…however, the opportunity to opt-in to the Individual Mitigation Measures reimbursement program that could cover the cost of adding storm shutters and other covered safety measures will not exist past March 10, 2010.

Over 100,000 applicants for the “Road Home” program should have received a letter near the end of 2009 from the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) that offered them an opportunity to receive up to $7,500 in reimbursement for added safety measures such as strengthened doors, roof tie-downs, elevated air conditioning and heating units, anchored fuel tanks, and storm shutters.

While applicants of the Road Home program may qualify for the program, it is not financed by Road Home. This small-scale mitigation initiative is financed by a FEMA program called the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

In addition to that program, applicant homeowners also have an opportunity to sign up for another mitigation program financed by the same FEMA grant that pays up to $100,000 to reimburse for the costs of elevating their homes.

The LRA advises that if an applicant has already completed the work, he or she must present receipts in order to be eligible for reimbursement.

Any questions about the small-scale mitigation program can be directed to the mitigation hotline at 877.824.8312.

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DesCours Digital Fabrication being cut on Central City Millworks' CNC Router

The installations are in typically unseen, underutilized, and even abandoned buildings, giving the viewer additional sensory opportunities to appreciate the art in normally unavailable architectural gems. These hidden areas become a natural “art gallery” to display art and media to showcase works from nationally known artists. This week-long celebration of architecture and art is completely free to the art patrons willing to seek out the installations.

Twenty-six architects and artist teams prepared 11 sites in the French Quarter and Central Business District

Central City Millworks often collaborates with artists and architectural students to reach their design goals with the help of our CNC router. A CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) Router is similar to a printer…but it routes instead of printes. The CNC sends a computer file to a router that uses sheets of plywood just as a printer would use paper. The plywood is hand-loaded on a 5’x 12’ table with a powerful vacuum to hold it down.

The computer controlled router can move in 3 axes to cut out any shape to close tolerances. Many architects and artists design with the CNC in mind because they know the easy with which it can turn complex concepts into reality. CCM had previously worked with Tulane Architecture Professor Marcella Del Signore to cut digital fabrications for art installations so when NanKo Studio of Los Angeles asked her to recommend a local mill shop to cut their 2009 DesCours fabrication, she recommended Central City Millworks. Following her recommendation, Nanko Studio emailed an autocad file to Rob Thornton, one of CCM’s CAD experts, who then converted it into art. The attached photo shows the progress of the project.