J. Moretz Woodworking

My name is Joel Moretz.  I was born and raised right here in the Boone area.  I've been around wood my whole life in one way or another.  My dad has been in the timber and lumber business his whole life.  My brothers and I grew up either in the woods or on the lumberyard.  As I grew up I became interested in carpentry and woodworking.  I got a once in a lifetime chance to dive right in when I graduated high school.  My parents were building a new house and they let me take a leadership role in the construction.  That is where I got my first start in woodworking and I've never looked back.

Between 1998 and 2002 I attended college at UNC Chapel Hill and got a degree in political science and economics.  I spent weekends, summers, and any other break I had working on my parents' house.  In 2003, I married my wife who is also from Boone.  Becky was in medical school at the time and then we stayed in Chapel Hill for her to complete her residency.  After a 2 year stint with a local builder in Chapel Hill, I started my own shop out of our 2 car garage in 2005.  By 2010, I was building custom kitchen and bath cabinets for 3 area builders and many individual clients as well.   In the summer of 2010 we were finally able to move back home to the mountains.  We also have 2 beautiful little girls now, and we are very excited to be back in the High Country.

I've learned a lot over the last 5 years as a business owner and woodworker.  Every job is different and unique, and I really enjoy this.  I look forward to serving the community I've never stopped calling home here in the mountains.  I now have a 4000 square foot facility and the best shop setup I've ever had so I'm ready to work!

My Business

When I started this business, one of my main goals was to do things better than I had typically seen them done.  My name is associated with everything I do, and I'm proud of that.  When you care about what you do, it becomes more important to do the job right and go the extra mile.  I'd rather lose a little money on a job than to install a sub-standard job in someone's home.  A satisfied customer is worth more to me than a healthy profit margin.

The Difference

I support a community based approach to business.  When possible I source my materials locally.  If that is not possible, I try to get everything from within 200 miles of home.  This takes a little more effort, but it is well worth it. 

I use low VOC waterborne finishes manufactured by Sherwin Williams almost exclusively in the shop.  They are safer, healthier, and easier on the environment.

When it comes to cabinet casework, I use Columbia Purebond plywood.  Not only is it a great product, it is locally produced (Old Fort, NC) and best of all it is formaldehyde-free, thus improving indoor air quality for my clients.

I also heat the shop with wood, utilizing my primary waste stream and turning it into a resource.  This not only saves me money but it allows me to use a renewable resource rather than fossil fuels for heat.