Kiln-dried · Termite-treated · Shop-built
Custom Woodworking & Millwork
Tropical hardwood is the most beautiful material on a Costa Rican job site and the least forgiving of shortcuts.
Overview
Guanacaste, cristóbal, cenízaro and teak are extraordinary to work with and unforgiving if handled badly. Wood that has not been properly kiln-dried will move in a Central Valley house and split in a coastal one. Wood that has not been pressure-treated or naturally selected for resistance will be found by termites. Our millwork is built in a controlled shop from documented, legally harvested stock, then treated and finished for the specific humidity band the house sits in.
What's included
- Kitchen and bath cabinetry in kiln-dried tropical hardwood or marine-grade ply
- Solid hardwood entry doors, interior doors and window systems
- Stairs, railings, pergolas and exposed ceiling structure
- Built-in furniture, closets and shop-fabricated architectural details
- Legal-harvest documentation for every species used
- Termite and marine-climate finish schedules with maintenance intervals
How it runs
Four stages, in this order.
- 01
Species & stock selection
Chosen for the room's humidity exposure and the piece's structural role, with legal harvest documentation.
- 02
Drying & milling
Kiln-dried to the target moisture content for the elevation the house sits at, then milled in the shop.
- 03
Shop fabrication
Built and dry-fitted off site, which produces tighter tolerances than any field-built alternative.
- 04
Install & finish
Installed after the building is dried in, finished with a schedule matched to coastal or Central Valley conditions.
Local practice
Built to Costa Rican standards, not imported ones.
Whatever the service, the underlying method is the same. Structure is reinforced concrete block and beam or light-gauge steel, sized against the seismic zone your lot sits in. Overhangs are deep enough to keep driving rain off the walls. Foundations are raised and drained. Timber is treated or naturally resistant, and detailed to stay out of ground contact.
These are not preferences. They are what has been shown to survive here, and they are why we do not simply execute a set of plans drawn for a different climate without redesigning the parts that would fail.
See the full build standard- Delivered in
- Santa Ana Lindora · Pozos · Río Oro
- Escazú San Rafael · Guachipelín · Jaboncillos
- Santa Cruz Tamarindo · Playa Langosta · Senderos
- Carrillo Playas del Coco · Playa Hermosa · Ocotal
- Curridabat Guayabos · Lomas de Ayarco · Hacienda Gregal
- Belén Cariari · La Asunción · San Antonio
- Garabito Herradura · Los Sueños · Jacó hills
- Peninsula Papagayo Nacascolo · Papagayo master plan
- Nicoya & Cóbano Nosara · Playa Guiones · Santa Teresa
Questions
Custom Woodworking & Millwork in Costa Rica
Which hardwoods hold up best in coastal Costa Rica?
Teak is the benchmark for exterior and marine exposure because of its natural oil content. Cristóbal and cocobolo are exceptionally dense and stable. Guanacaste and cenízaro are beautiful for interior slab work but want more protection near the beach.
How do you protect millwork from termites?
Three layers: species selection with natural resistance, pressure or borate treatment on anything with sapwood, and detailing that keeps wood out of ground contact and out of standing moisture. Detailing matters more than chemistry.
Is the wood legally harvested?
Every species we buy comes with harvest and transport documentation. Costa Rica regulates timber harvest closely and the paper trail exists — it just requires buying from mills that maintain it rather than the cheapest available lot.
Next step
Tell us about the lot.
Send us the plano catastrado and a rough idea of what you want to build. We will come back with a feasibility read on what the site actually allows, what it is likely to cost, and how long permitting will take in your cantón.
Replies within one business day. Consultations in English or Spanish.