Here's a custom turner down the river a bit:
http://www.arnoldwood.com/
Caset

bought some beadboard from them a couple years ago. Top Notch.

Bought a screen door, porch rails, balusters, and posts from them. Very happy with everything except some cedar porch rails that came through with a "rustic" rough finish, requiring hours of sanding. It hadn't occurred to me to ask and they didn't tell me that the cedar components would come rough cut. The turned balusters, door, and other ornamental pieces were great. I've attached a picture below

Here is a link that might be useful:

We also purchased beadboard from them several years ago and we were very pleased. I was impressed that they offered it in several wood species and I was able to get the same species as my cabinets. Came well packaged and in a reasonable timeframe, as I recall.

I ordered a spandrel and corbels from them and was very pleased with the price and quality. They also arrived very quickly, despite the fact that I live across the country from Vintage Woodworks. I absolutely plan on ordering from them again.

Thanks!! And good to know about the cedar being rough cut! I was thinking of getting cedar for the three corner posts I need.
Now that I've got you all here... ;)
The two local decking choices I have in 5/4 are fir or mahogony. The deck with be painted and is an exterior covered porch--so does get some rain and weather but also protected. What would you go with?

Also, on the railings, spindles, columns, newels, etc., what material would you try to get, if in fact, I go with Vintage Woodworks?

The price of their balusters, though not an exact match for ours, is SO much more reasonable than anyone locally!

Porch run is 27' in an L-shape and the balusters/spindles are two per foot. So I technically need 54 of them and am planning on getting 60 total, just to have a few extra as replacements. The short and chunky 18" ones I want are $14 each on Vintage Woodworks and locally people wanted upwards of $30-40 for each one!! Yikes!

Trying not to break the bank but come up with a lovely porch similar in size, chunkiness, and character to the original...

Sarah

railing section we still have remaining...

And thanks for the lead, Casey...Tarrytown is close to where I grew up, so that's not a problem. I'll send my specs down river and see what I get. Would LOVE LOVE LOVE to keep my business in New York State if possible...just have to make sure it's in my budget!
Curtis Lumber found a few local turners and the porch cost (railing alone--not decking--and not installation) was $12,500!! WHAT?

-Sarah

Sarah,

Hi. Just came across this thread. I'm Ellen at Vintage Woodworks in Texas. Just wanted to let you & everyone else on here know that our Cedar items do have a smooth finish, especially our Cedar turnings, such as Porch Posts. These are fantastic and gorgeous posts. Our Cedar is not rustic, rough Cedar.

We discontinued Cedar rails several years ago due to occasional quality issues with long, narrow pieces of Cedar. These issues are not present in our other Cedar items. Quality is of utmost importance to us, and we are sorry to hear about rwiegand's experience back in 2007. Wish we had known so we could have made it right.

Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help with your project, Sarah!

Happy Holidays,

Ellen
and all the Folks at Vintage Woodworks

Here is a link that might be useful: www.vintagewoodworks.com

Thanks! Will be ordering in early spring--got options down to your company and Mr. Spindle. Will probably order one sample baluster from both. Thanks!
Sarah

I have so much more respect for any company that tries to keep up with online forums where their products are discussed. For instance, when I go to my local paint store, I love them, but there are times I got a better answer on the paint forum. The day I walk into a business and I see a CSR browsing a forum and posting to it during a customer lull, I'll be a customer for life.

Sarah, I hope you can keep the chunky look too. I remember reading a history of baluster styles ones. Can't recall the details, but there is something about the look of those--not spindly, substantial. I like it. I remember looking at high end houses for sale with foyers that were intended to impress--but no matter how large the scale of the room, they all had the rinky dink spindly balusters that are in stock at any local store. Sure didn't impress me!

In your case it's not so much about impressing (or perhaps it is :-) but keeping a certain look and feel going. I hope you succeed.

OMG, I just had a thought--instead of a fantasy football league, a fantasy gardenweb team: sombreuil to advise and consult on the project (and maybe build a couple of fabulous details like a mantel to die for), brickeyee for the GC, bill vincent to do the bathrooms, rhome410 to design the kitchen, christophern on paint, and we can't forget columbus guy for research, and I'd put him in charge of locating architectural salvage items to replace missing details. Why didn't I think of this before?!? Now I can get everything in my house done and done right :-)

I'm also impressed with a company that takes the time to post to a forum! I will be taking a good look at them as soon as I figure out what I need. My interior banister was stolen so I need to replace the basic setup put in place by the previous owner with something more period appropriate.

Sarah, I can't wait to see your finished porch! I adore large old porches!