It's All in the Details -- in McLean, Va.

 At SugarOak, we are committed to meeting your needs with personalized service. The key to our success is a blend of quality craftsmanship, professionalism and a willingness to go the extra mile to fulfill your expectations. 

An example of such was the remodel and addition on a 1920s home, which brought us a new carpentry challenge. While simple in appearance, this beautifully understated arched opening to the porte-cochère was anything but simple. Prior to construction, the architect casually commented that he thought that “any good carpenter could do this,” but we knew that it would take one of the best and most experienced carpenters to achieve this detail.

Look closely and you will see that the cedar shakes are bent in two directions, and that the shakes have varying radius bends. Our site superintendent, a highly accomplished carpenter named Steve, designed and built a custom steam box, fueled by a water filled turkey fryer. He experimented by steaming and bending red and white cedar shakes to see which bent better across the grain.

He then created a custom press box to bend the shakes across the grain and a series of jigs to bend them with the grain. The steaming process started long before the arch was installed, as it took many days to steam and dry small batches of shakes.

Once dry but prior to installation, the shakes were primed on all sides. The arched shakes required slight beveled rips on both sides – a couple of degrees – to keep the joints consistent to the run.

The carpenter started installation at the center and worked towards each corner. Even steaming could not get a shake to accommodate the complex intersection vertical to the arch. Since lacing the shakes was not an option, a mitre was required. The verticals were coped into the arch and back cut to get the tightest possible fit. The arched shakes were similarly coped into the vertical sides. The end result is a stunning sweep of shakes that both curve into and rise up and over across the arched opening.

SugarOak has been building luxury custom homes, additions and remodeling since 1983. We firmly believe that building your “dream” home should be a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The SugarOak advantage is our team of professionals who provide an integrated, cooperative approach to the design and construction process.

If you would like more information about SugarOak Custom Homes, please contact Josila Smith at 703 435-9335 or go to http://www.sugaroak.com/