Since 2006, Strata Design has been quality certified to ”Premium Grade” by the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI). The AWI Quality Certification Program provides quality assurance for design professionals and owners though unbiased measurement of woodwork products and installation.
Certification credentials are earned by woodworking firms who, through comprehensive testing and inspection, demonstrate the ability to fabricate, finish and/or install work in accordance with the quality grade criteria set forth in the Architectural Woodworking Standards (AWS) book.
All of our casework is manufactured to the Custom, Premium, & Modular grades according to the AWS most current standard, 1st Edition, 2009.
AWI’s conducts a weight and durability testing procedure on cabinets. This test is designed to evaluate the structural integrity and load-bearing capacity of cabinetry by filling the cabinets with weight and targeting pressure points. These tests ensure that cabinets can safely support the weights they are likely to encounter in everyday use.
The test is graded on a scale of four levels ranking the integrity of the cabinet. The ranks are specified by the following table.
The AWI utilizes several tools for cabinet testing to ensure precision and quality. These include:
1. Tapered Thickness Gauge: Measures gaps in cabinet components after testing.
2. Metric Thickness Gauge: Measures gaps in cabinet components before testing.
3. Digital Caliper: Measures reveal gaps between doors and drawer components, as well as thicknesses of core, shelf, and door panel materials before and after testing.
4. Metric and U.S. Pocket Tape: Measures overall dimensions, squareness, lengths of door components, and gaps between cabinet components before and after testing.
5. Vernier Depth Gauge: Measures the flushness of cabinet component joints before and after testing.
6. Level Measurement Device: Measures the levelness of the test specimen before and after testing.
**Real images of Strata cabinets under AWI testing found below
By meticulously defining each step of the testing process, these methods guarantee the highest standards of accuracy, reproducibility, impartiality, and confidentiality, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of product quality and the trust of customers.
Strata Design is committed to producing the highest quality cabinets and leverages AWI quality testing to ensure excellence. The Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) supports this mission by setting industry standards and providing valuable growth resources, helping companies like Strata Design achieve their goals of quality and innovation.