By Michelle Keller
“Quality is the heart of our business. Our company’s ability to effectively cater to architects and builders is what drives our operation.” – Adam MacDonald, owner member, American Porch, LLC.
American Porch LLC, based in Townsend, MT, specializes in exterior porch railing and associated components from both wood and synthetic materials. Specific offerings include railing, balusters/ spindles, newel posts, columns and associated products and hardware.
From an 18,000 square-foot manufacturing facility the company utilizes 120,000 board feet annually of Western Red Cedar, Incense Cedar, Inland Red Cedar and Mahogany (2×2, 2×4, 2×6, 3×3, 4×4. All D and Better Clear, KD and Green, S4S and Rough).
Owner member Adam MacDonald said, “We are a nationwide manufacturer and dealer of architectural millwork, dedicated to creating quality custom porch components that complete a home or commercial property and always exceed expectations. No matter the size of the project–from a few feet of rail in front of a dormer window to supplying a series of hotels at a resort–we pride ourselves in delivering quality architectural millwork to the customer’s door fast and easy when they need it.”
MacDonald said American Porch had simple early beginnings. “Founded in 2005 in a detached home garage with a lathe I salvaged from the family farm, we have seen steady and significant growth for the last 17 years, and plan to continue to expand going forward,” he explained. “We have just expanded our manufacturing facility and are working to improve our team’s productivity through state-of-the-art high-production equipment and processes.”
Some of the equipment utilized in the manufacturing process at American Porch includes custom German 5-axis CNC automatic hopper-fed lathes and Weinig moulders. MacDonald said, “We sell a mix of Western Red, Incense and Inland as what we call ‘Western Cedar’. The three woods are similar enough in the way they machine and accept finishes in our facility that they can be used interchangeably. They are also similar enough that the customer is not able to distinguish between them. Having three options gives us flexibility for changes in the markets and producers.”
MacDonald said there are specific reasons they choose the species they use. “Our Western Cedar consists of Western Red and Incense Cedar, which makes for very beautiful and very stable millwork,” he explained. “You truly have to see and feel the spindles made of Western Cedar to appreciate the stunning beauty of this product. And with a great price, exceptional beauty, unparalleled quality, rot resistance and a pleasing aroma, Western Cedar is a winner for any porch. Mahogany is also an excellent choice for those wanting a hardwood porch railing.
It machines to a smoother finish than softwood, and of course is stronger, denser and harder. It will hold up to abuse better than most other materials, and most pieces are a dark reddish-brown color. It’s highly rated for natural rot resistance, making it a good choice for exterior as well as for interior applications.”
MacDonald also said American Porch only stocks Western Red Cedar and Mahogany because they believe they are the best choices for exterior millwork. “In order to keep the cost of production down, we stock only Western Cedar and Mahogany. We’ve narrowed it to these choices because we believe they are the absolute best two choices for exterior millwork. Of course, if the customer has another species of wood in mind we would be more than happy to accommodate. We have had great success with custom turning everything from Balsa to Ebony, provided by the customer or special orders from our distributors.”
When asked about the value American Porch brings to the market and what sets the operation apart from friendly competitors he commented, “Quality is the heart of our business. Our company’s ability to effectively cater to architects and builders is what drives our operation. Contributing to our success are our beautiful and architecturally correct designs and specialized production equipment and capability. We will occasionally offer a new standard product design variation if the market calls for it but we create new custom designs every day for individual customers. From the materials we select, the wood we mill, and the options we provide; not sacrificing quality even as we seek to provide fast, timely service; making sure it’s always in the customer experience as you talk to and order from us; and finally, in the results, you see when you’ve installed and finished your project.”
True to the company name, American Porch is all-American and operated by a team of dedicated and knowledgeable people. “We work, live and produce all of our products in small-town America. If you can’t find us at work in the shop, you’ll find us out back sharing stories around the bonfire. Stop by and you’ll find the grill sizzling with burgers, the cooler freshly stocked and the smell of burning wood scraps in the air.”
Key personnel include owner member Adam MacDonald, owner member Mara MacDonald, production engineer Bob Bodle, and sales and customer service representative Amber Kelly.
For more information visit www.AmericanPorch.com.
