Which collection for which room?
The substrate is the decision. Here is how we pair them at the counter.
Standard paint-grade
Finger-jointed primed pine or poplar takes paint well, stays straight and costs the least per foot.
Substantial profiles
Wide, heavy profiles need a stable substrate. Designer’s FJ poplar with four-step priming holds a crisp edge.
Ceilings and hallways
Ultra-lite MDF is straight, smooth and easy to handle at 16 ft. Best kept away from wet rooms.
Show the grain
Poplar, oak, maple, cherry or sapele on quick-ship, no minimum.
Wet or outside
PVC will not swell or rot. It can be pre-finished to a Sherwin-Williams colour code to match siding.
Profile no longer made
Bring a short offcut. GSL mills from the sample; we quote knife-setup and lead time first.
Five collections, side by side.
Substrate, primer and where each one belongs.
| Metro | Designer | Estate | Prestige | Hardwoods | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Style | Modern, straight-line | Substantial, wide profiles | Traditional | Generous proportion | Any GSL profile |
| Substrate | FJ radiata pine | Highest-grade FJ poplar | Primed pine | Ultra-lite MDF | Poplar, oak, maple, cherry, sapele + custom |
| Finish | 3-coat bright white primer | 4-step priming | Specialty primed | Smooth white gesso | Raw, for stain or clear |
| Grade | Paint | Paint | Paint | Paint | Stain |
| Stock lengths | To 16 ft | Widest stock lengths | To 16 ft | To 16 ft | Quick ship or custom |
| Wet rooms | With care | With care | With care | Not recommended | Sealed only |
| Best for | Contemporary homes | Formal rooms, high ceilings | Colonials, capes | Ceilings, long hallways | Stained trim, restoration |
| Price tier | $ | $$$ | $$ | $$ | $$$–$$$$ |
Long lengths and hardwood species are often special order. Call (732) 462-2000 to confirm what is on the rack before you plan a run.
Getting a trim run right
Most problems on a moulding order are avoidable, and they all happen before the saw comes out.
Measure and allow
- Measure each wall and add an allowance for mitre waste rather than ordering exact lengths.
- Order long lengths for long walls — much of the Designer and Prestige stock runs to 18 feet, so a joint mid-wall is often avoidable.
- Decide paint- or stain-grade before you order. Finger-joint and MDF cannot be stained.
- Bring the profile number from the catalogue. It removes all the guesswork at the counter.
Storing and finishing
- Let the stock acclimatise indoors for a few days before you cut, especially MDF in winter.
- Store flat and off a concrete floor. A bowed length is a fight on the wall.
- Prime cut ends before install — particularly MDF, which drinks moisture at the ends.
- Keep the offcuts and the profile number. Together they are the fastest way to match a repair years later.
What we do beyond selling it
- Free take-off from your dimensions: profiles, lengths and quantities with waste allowed.
- Profile matching from a sample, quoted with the knife-setup cost and lead time up front.
- Yard delivery across Monmouth County and beyond, long lengths included.
- Trade pricing, will-call and net terms for trim carpenters and builders on account.
Garden State Lumber literature
The catalogue and CAD library are online. Printed catalogues and take-off help are at the counter.
Interactive moulding catalogue
Every profile with a 3-D drawing, dimensions, line-drawing and applied views
CAD files — PDF, DWG, DXF, Revit
Downloadable from any profile page in the catalogue, for specifying and detailing
Printed GSL moulding catalog
The full flip-book: bases, casings, crowns, collections, S4S, PVC and beadboard
Garden State Lumber app
The same catalogue on iOS and Android — search by profile number on the job
Take-off worksheet
What to measure, room by room, before you order a trim run
Custom milling enquiry
Send a photo of the profile you need matched and we will come back with a quote