9Wood vs Rulon

When an architect specs a wood ceiling for a commercial project, the submittal almost always comes down to 9Wood or Rulon. Both companies make high-quality wood grille, plank, and specialty ceiling systems. But they're different companies with different strengths, and the choice affects your project's timeline, budget, and final look.

Company Backgrounds

9Wood is based in Springfield, Oregon. They manufacture wood grille, plank, linear, tile, and specialty ceiling and wall systems. Their factory is domestic (a selling point for Buy American projects), and they've grown steadily since 2004. They're known for competitive pricing and solid lead times on standard products.

Rulon International is based in St. Augustine, Florida. They've been making wood ceilings since 1983 and have a broader product line that includes curved, undulating, and highly custom wood systems. They're the go-to for complex architectural wood ceilings.

Product Lines

Customization

Rulon has the edge on complex custom work. If your project involves curved soffits, undulating wave ceilings, or unusual geometry, Rulon's engineering team handles that regularly. Their shop drawings and support for complex shapes are excellent.

9Wood handles standard customization well — custom stain colors, non-standard spacing, different wood species. But for truly complex 3D forms, Rulon is the more experienced partner.

Lead Times

9Wood standard products ship in 6–8 weeks. Custom finishes or non-standard sizes add 2–3 weeks. Their Oregon factory is efficient, and we've rarely had a 9Wood order show up late.

Rulon standard lead times are 8–12 weeks. Custom and curved systems can run 12–16 weeks. The extra time reflects the more complex manufacturing — CNC routing, multi-axis bending, and custom finishing add steps.

For fast-track projects, 9Wood's shorter lead time can be the deciding factor. We've had projects where the GC switched from Rulon to 9Wood specifically to save 4 weeks on the schedule.

Pricing

9Wood is generally 10–20% less expensive than Rulon for comparable grille and plank systems. The gap narrows on simple products and widens on complex ones.

For a standard wood grille ceiling — say 1×2 grille members at 1.5-inch spacing in maple — expect 9Wood to quote $18–$28/SF installed and Rulon to quote $22–$35/SF installed. (These are rough ranges; actual pricing depends on species, finish, complexity, and project size.)

Rulon's premium buys you more engineering support, more finish options, and better capability on complex geometry. For a straightforward grille or plank ceiling, 9Wood delivers the same quality for less.

Wood Species and Finishes

Both offer a wide range. Common species for both: white oak, red oak, maple, walnut, cherry, Douglas fir, western red cedar. Both offer FSC-certified wood options.

Rulon offers more pre-finished options and more control over custom stain matching. Their sample program is excellent — they'll send finished samples in your specified species and stain before production.

9Wood's standard finishes cover most projects. Their clear coat options are good, and they match custom stains from samples you provide. For standard commercial work, both manufacturers' finish quality is comparable.

Installation

From an installer's perspective, both systems go up similarly. The carrier channels, clips, and panel connections are proprietary to each manufacturer but work the same way. The main difference:

• 9Wood tends to use lighter carrier systems, which are easier to handle at height.
• Rulon's hardware is heavier-duty, which matters on large-span systems or heavy panels.
• Both provide installation guides and tech support. We've called both companies from the field and gotten answers within hours.

Our Take

• 9Wood for standard grille and plank ceilings where budget and lead time are priorities. Great value, reliable quality, domestic manufacturing.
• Rulon for complex geometry, high-end custom work, or projects where the architect has specified Rulon by name. Worth the premium for curving, undulating, or architecturally complex applications.
• Either for standard wood wall systems, basic linear ceilings, and most education or corporate applications.