Division 06 Wood, Plastics, and Composites

Aesthetic Deviation in Division 06 Wood, Plastics, and Composites submittals

By Deviation Check Editorial Team. Last reviewed June 1, 2026.

Short answer

A visible attribute (color, finish, texture, profile) differs from the spec or the architect-approved sample. Default grade in Division 06 Wood, Plastics, and Composites: Fix and Resubmit.

A visible attribute (color, finish, texture, profile) differs from the spec or the architect-approved sample. This guide covers how it shows up specifically in Division 06 Wood, Plastics, and Composites submittals.

What to look for in Division 06 Wood, Plastics, and Composites

Applies primarily to architectural woodwork and exposed structural wood:

  • AWI quality grade mismatch (Custom specified, Economy submitted)
  • Wood species or veneer species differs from spec (white oak vs red oak, rift-sawn vs plain-sawn)
  • Stain color or finish type mismatch (lacquer vs conversion varnish vs polyurethane)
  • Veneer matching method differs (book match vs slip match vs random match)
  • Exposed glulam appearance grade (Industrial, Architectural, Premium) below spec
  • Exposed fastener heads where concealed fastening was specified
  • Panel core type affecting visible edge quality (MDF vs particleboard vs veneer core)
  • Plastic laminate pattern, color, or texture does not match spec selections

Common examples in Division 06 Wood, Plastics, and Composites submittals

Wood shows every deviation the eye can catch, and words on a submittal almost never capture what the architect approved on a physical sample, so this category turns on the sample, not the schedule. Check these against the approved mockup or sample set:

  • Veneer flitch and match - a book match reads as a mirrored figure, a slip match repeats the grain, and a random match looks like separate boards; the wrong one changes the whole wall even in the right species.
  • Sapwood and heartwood mixing, mineral streak, and color range, which AWI limits by grade (Premium is tighter than Custom); a Custom-grade panel where Premium was specified is a legitimate miss.
  • Stain read on the actual species, not on a generic chip - the same stain looks very different on rift white oak versus plain-sawn, so confirm the sample is the submitted species.
  • Sheen and finish system - a conversion varnish and a catalyzed lacquer at the same gloss number still age differently.
  • Plastic-laminate grade, finish, and directionality where a linear pattern must run a consistent way across a run of casework.

Because a rejected veneer wall is a full refabrication, verify the sample before the material is cut.

How severe is it?

Default grade: Fix and Resubmit. Owner-sensitive; the PM confirms against the approved sample before accepting.

Deviation Check assigns a default per category and escalates or de-escalates based on the spec, always showing its reasoning. See the Division 06 severity rules.

What to do about it

Before you submit (subcontractor): Correct it before you submit. Match the spec, or document the difference clearly enough that the reviewer does not have to send the package back to revise and resubmit.

If you are reviewing it (GC PM): Stamp the submittal Revise and Resubmit. Mark the deviation, return the relevant spec passage as a redline, and have the sub correct and re-send before fabrication or installation.

Back to the Division 06 Wood, Plastics, and Composites hub, browse all divisions, or start a review.

Frequently asked questions

What visible attributes in Division 06 Wood, Plastics, and Composites submittals most often trigger an aesthetic deviation finding?

Wood species and veneer species mismatches are the most common - for example, red oak submitted where white oak was specified, or plain-sawn veneer where rift-sawn was required. AWI quality grade mismatches (Economy submitted against a Custom spec) also appear frequently, as do veneer matching method differences: book match versus slip match versus random match each produce a distinct visual pattern.

How should a project manager resolve an exposed glulam appearance grade deviation in a Division 06 Wood, Plastics, and Composites submittal?

Confirm the specified appearance grade - Industrial, Architectural, or Premium - against the approved sample before accepting any alternate. A lower grade shows more voids, knots, and uneven glue lines that are visible in finished spaces. The PM should verify the finding against the approved sample, not just the spec text, since the owner's visual expectation was set at the sample review.

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