Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Ciehoski.
Hi Matthew, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began in residential carpentry with a home builder at 22. I work my way through being a carpenters helper to framer. It got to a point where I wanted to focus on more detailed work. Luckily there was a local cabinet and millwork shop in my town who were looking to hire apprentices.
Thus I had to begin from the bottom again. Long story short I spent the next 17 years learning a lot about the cabinet and millwork industry.
3 years ago I got my business license and insurance, from there I began reaching out to local interior designers. I sent my resume and photos of my work and I have been steady busy ever since!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m fortunate to live in a area with a lot of work.
Luckily the only 2 challenges are balancing family / work life and not having as much shop space as I would like.
However there is an old joke in the trade that you never have enough space to work or enough clamps for clamping.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in high end custom built in cabinetry.
Basically the kind of pieces you wouldn’t find in the retail stores. Many times it needs to fit in an oddly shaped wall space or needs certain features added that are out of the norm.
I’m proud of the fact that I’m building things that will last as long as the house. I use all high quality materials. For instance most cabinets from retailers use thin plywood or melamine for the cabinet parts. I use 3/4″ hardwood plywood with hardwood edging which creates a much more robust product.
I’m also using waterborne finishing, where as huge shops are still spraying heavy amounts of solvent based finish. The stuff is horrible for the environment and peoples health as well.
Finally I’m very proud that I can fully customize any shape or idea that a designer dreams up, as long as it with AWI standards of integrity.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I listen to alot of podcasts while I’m working but mostly for entertainment.
However YouTube is a huge source of good info, particularly in my case for the finishing process.
Learning to use the modern water borne finishes was my biggest challenge when starting out on my own. Previously in the big shops I worked in we sprayed all solvent based.
Luckily there are a lot of companies now a days who have embraced social media and are putting out great videos to educate the end user on their products.
Pricing:
- Paint Grade Built Ins start at $1000 a linear foot
- Stain grade hardwood built Ins start at $1250 a linear foot
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ckiwoodcraft
