Full-Service Custom Woodworking & Fabrication Contractor
MTR Custom Woodworking & Design is an Asheville-based custom woodworking and fabrication shop serving residential homeowners, restaurants, breweries, retailers, and commercial contractors throughout Western North Carolina. We build from scratch — no kit cabinets, no off-the-shelf millwork — and we handle every phase in-house, from layout drawings through fabrication and installation.
Our services cover the full range of custom wood and fabrication work:
- Custom cabinets and millwork for homes and commercial spaces
- Restaurant, bar, and retail design-build
- Concrete, epoxy, and hardwood bar tops and countertops
- Non-structural steel fabrication and decorative metal accents
- Layout and design drawings for cabinetry and build-out projects
- General carpentry and finish trim carpentry
We serve Asheville, Black Mountain, Weaverville, Waynesville, Hendersonville, Brevard, and surrounding communities across Western NC.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets, Bathroom Vanities & Built-In Millwork
Custom cabinetry is the foundation of what we do. MTR builds face-frame and frameless cabinets in a wide range of hardwood species and painted finishes — designed to your exact dimensions, your layout, and your aesthetic. Whether you need custom kitchen cabinets, a bathroom vanity, or a full commercial millwork package, we fabricate everything in-house for a precise fit and lasting quality finish.
- Custom kitchen cabinets — base, upper, pantry, and island configurations
- Custom bathroom vanities and built-in linen storage
- Office and library built-ins and bookcases
- Retail and commercial cabinetry and display shelving
- Hospitality millwork — host stands, service stations, shelving systems
- Entertainment centers and built-in media walls
Wood species: Red oak, white oak, walnut, cherry, maple, ambrosia maple, ash, hickory, reclaimed chestnut, and painted MDF for clean modern finishes.
Finishes: Natural oil and wax, conversion varnish, marine gloss, ebony stain, and custom painted finishes (brushed or sprayed).
Restaurant Bar Buildouts, Brewery Millwork & Retail Store Design-Build
MTR is one of Western North Carolina's go-to shops for restaurant and bar build-outs. We've worked with breweries, craft cocktail bars, pizza shops, ice cream parlors, and retail boutiques — and we understand what hospitality spaces demand: durability, visual impact, and intelligent use of space. We manage the full build-out scope or work alongside your general contractor from drawings through installation.
- Full bar builds — bar face, bar back, die wall, foot rail blocking
- Brewery and taproom millwork and built-in shelving
- Restaurant booth seating and dining room built-ins
- Host stands, service counters, and point-of-sale stations
- Retail display cabinetry and custom shelving systems
- Office and reception area build-outs
Notable clients include The Whale, French Broad Brewing, Upcountry Brewing, Buxton Hall, Galactic Pizza, The Hop, Banks Avenue Bar, S W Cafe, Foothills Grange, Apotheca, and Unique Real Estate Collective.
Custom Bar Tops & Countertops: Concrete, Epoxy & Hardwood Fabrication
This is where MTR stands apart from most woodworking shops. We fabricate custom bar tops and countertops in three material families — concrete, epoxy, and hardwood — and we know how to use each one to its full potential. We can combine materials in a single installation for maximum visual and functional impact.
- Concrete countertops: Custom cast in any dimension, integral pigments, acid staining, sealed and waxed for commercial durability
- Epoxy bar tops: Pigmented and metallic pours (pearl, gold, black, custom colors), river stone and aggregate encapsulation, UV-resistant commercial topcoats
- Hardwood bar tops: Multi-species butcher block (walnut, maple, cherry, ash), live-edge slabs, end-grain and face-grain configurations, food-safe finishes
- Custom edge profiles and radius corners on all material types
- Works with wood base cabinets or steel-frame bar structures
Examples: Epoxy and river stone bar top at French Broad Brewing; three-species butcher block at The Whale; cast concrete island with herringbone wood panels; epoxy pearl and gold countertop for Room to Dance.
Decorative Steel Fabrication & Custom Metal Accents for Wood Projects
MTR integrates steel into woodworking projects where it makes the piece stronger, smarter, or more visually interesting. We handle non-structural steel fabrication in-house — which means cleaner joints, faster timelines, and no farm-out markup. Steel-and-wood combinations are increasingly popular for residential and commercial projects where industrial character meets natural warmth.
- Bar foot rails and custom steel brackets
- Custom table bases and furniture frames
- Shelf brackets, corbels, and structural supports
- Steel trim and panel inlays in cabinetry and millwork
- Decorative steel accents in commercial bar and restaurant builds
Example: Ambrosia and ash cabinetry with walnut corbels and hand-fabricated steel trim accents.
Space Planning & Design Drawings for Cabinetry and Millwork Projects
Before anything gets built, MTR can produce detailed layout and design drawings for your project. This is especially valuable for commercial build-outs where space planning, equipment clearances, and aesthetic intent all need to be resolved on paper before a single board is cut. Good drawings save money, reduce change orders, and keep fabrication moving on schedule.
- Floor plan layouts with cabinet and millwork positioning
- Elevation drawings for bar walls and cabinetry runs
- Detail drawings for custom fabrications and joinery
- Material and wood species callouts
- Client review and revision rounds before fabrication begins
Design drawings from MTR are practical fabrication documents — built to guide the shop and the installer, not just to look good in a presentation. We also work from drawings provided by architects, interior designers, and commercial clients.
Finish Carpentry & Trim Installation in Western North Carolina
Beyond custom millwork and cabinetry, MTR handles a broad range of general and finish carpentry for residential and commercial clients throughout the Asheville area. Clean, precise trim carpentry is a finishing trade — and it shows in the final product. We install trim that's tight, level, and built to the standard the rest of the space deserves.
- Crown molding installation — standard and compound cuts
- Base molding and shoe molding
- Door and window casing
- Wainscoting and board-and-batten wall treatments
- Coffered ceilings and decorative beam wraps
- Custom built-in trim integration — fireplaces, shelving walls, entertainment centers
- Framing for non-structural partitions and soffits
- Custom shelving and storage systems
- Subcontract carpentry for general contractors and interior designers
Example: Painted residential built-ins with compound crown molding flanking a marble fireplace.
Custom Furniture & One-of-a-Kind Hardwood Pieces
Beyond cabinetry and build-outs, MTR designs and builds custom furniture — benches, entertainment centers, coffee tables, sales counters, storage pieces, and specialty commissions. Every piece is built from solid hardwood, engineered for real use, and finished to the same standard as our commercial work. If you can describe it, we can build it.
- Custom benches — walnut, cherry, oak, and mixed-species combinations
- Entertainment centers and media walls in hardwood and painted finishes
- Coffee tables, side tables, and living room pieces
- Commercial sales counters and reception furniture
- Storage pieces, dog hutches, and specialty commissions
- Mixed-material furniture integrating wood, steel, and epoxy
Examples: Ambrosia maple and cherry entertainment center with matching hickory coffee table; walnut slat bench with inset cherry detail; antique-painted dog hutch with wire mesh doors; bamboo top sales counter at The Water Bird.
Let's Talk About Your Project
MTR serves clients throughout the Asheville metro and Western North Carolina — including Black Mountain, Weaverville, Waynesville, Hendersonville, and Brevard.