I own a house that was built in 1924. We bought the house in 2003 with the idea of giving it a makeover. However, it wasn’t until 2018 that we were finally able to upgrade the house. As most of you have been following the journey, the one thing I heard over and over was talking about the trim. People were asking, where did I get the trim, who makes the trim, do I like the trim? So I figured why not write something up and answer everyone at once. So this is going to be a two-part series. The first part, this article, will focus on the company and an introduction – WindsorONE – An Introduction. The second part will focus on the style of trim I picked out and go into greater detail, more of a review.
Before I jump into this article, this is not a sales piece. I did a ton of research on trim and different companies. After doing my due diligence, WindsorONE was a company I wanted to showcase in my house. I reached out to them about testing their trim products.
About WindsorONE
WindsorONE is a company I never heard about until I started my house remodel. Well, it turns out they have been around since 1972 and family owned since inception. Best of all, the company is located right here in the United States of America. They own two mills, one located in Surry, VA and the other in Willits, CA. So they have a long history and they have the hometown ownership.
As a company, they go above and beyond most other companies and the products they offer. WindsorONE is vertically integrated. They start with the forest and end at the lumberyard. So they are truly in the process from start to finish which says a lot. To me, it says they really care about the quality and the final output. This is a huge selling point for me. I know when I buy this trim, I am getting something that has pride, ownership and will show in the end result.
WindsorONE products are safe. Let’s face it. With so much coming over from China and other countries, you have to wonder not only about the quality control but the safety of the product. How many times have you heard a product has lead or something else that is poisonous to a consumer? WindsorOne one does a ton to protect the user. Besides their top-notch recycling program where all waste is removed and recycled from the mills, they make safe products and they make them to last.
WindsorONE uses a patented application of 100% acrylic latex primer. The waterbased Tru-Core application protects against rot, mold, and termites. The boards are not only durable for outside use but they are safe for interior use with no off-gassing.
Why I went with WindsorONE
There are a ton of reasons I went with WindsorONE but the first thing that drew me to their trim was the look. This was before I even knew anything about WindsorONE. As I noted earlier, my house was built in 1924 so I wanted a modern look to the house but with a style of authenticity. So for me, I picked out the door style I wanted and everything else was designed around my doors.
I went with a 3-panel mission style door. The next thing I needed was trim. I did a ton of research and it took me a while, but finally found something I liked, which was the WindsorONE Greek Revival. I am not sure where I first saw it, but as soon as I saw the trim, I knew this was what I wanted to make this house look like a million bucks with a touch of modern and an old American Style.
Then as I did more research, this was not only a product I wanted but a company I wanted to deal with. Besides the items listed above, I love the fact that they deal with local lumber yards which means it’s not something that is just mass-produced. As you know when you mass-produce items, while it will keep the cost down, it also means more defects. So with mass-produced trim, you have to spend time picking through pieces to find straight trim, then once you get it back to your place, you will always find additional pieces that you can’t use. So, in the end, it turns out to be a pain.
So the fact that I love the look of the trim, the family-owned aspect of the business, the trim was made right here in the USA and it’s not mass-produced these were the main reasons I went with WindsorONE.
My Thoughts of WindsorONE
As a homeowner or builder, I think WindsorONE makes sense for a variety of reasons.
I live in a town where they are tearing down older homes and putting up McMansions. These custom homes by custom builders truly amaze me. While the homes look nice, they don’t look great, well not all of them. Some of these homes you walk into and the first thing you can notice is some crappy mass-produced trim. I don’t understand how custom builders would ever use that trim? Sure you can save money, but your name is on that house. Is that how you want to be known? Trim is something you see all the time, why not make it look like a million bucks?
Also, do you really save money? I don’t think so. Before I used WindsorONE, sure I might think mass-produced trim is cheaper but after using WindsorONE, I don’t believe there is a cost saving. Think about all the trim you have to dig through at the store, then think about all the waste at the job site because you missed a twist, then you have to pay painters to prime the trim you fixed. So is there really a cost saving?
When I brought my trim into the house and unpacked it, not one piece of trim was warped, split or twisted. All the prime was done correctly and I didn’t have to worry about anything. My only waste was cutting down pieces because they were too long for a wall, door or window.
So do you really save more money? Well after dealing with the WindsorONE trim, I think you get a better price with WindsorONE since each board that leaves the factory is checked so you don’t have to worry about it when you make a purchase. So in the end, it’s about the same price but looks 110 times better and less hassle.
Final Thoughts of WindsorONE
I know I talk up WindsorONE. They didn’t pay for this article, this is a company and product I really believe in. In today’s world, it’s hard to find a diamond in the rough and when you do, it’s easy to get excited and want to share with the world. The end results of the trim have been spectacular and so happy I went with WindsorONE. As you will see in part 2, where I dive into the actual trim, you will see a whole other reason that WindsorONE is perfect for any house.
If you are a builder or going to remodel your house, I would highly recommend looking at WindsorONE. All their trim is quality and will make any house look like a million bucks.
