Upcountry Maui · Makawao
Makawao's paniolo heritage, cool misty afternoons and wood-built homes suit warm, honest materials. We install plaster, stone, tile and hardwood for Makawao houses, studios and Main Street businesses.
Upcountry Maui · Makawao
Makawao's paniolo heritage, cool misty afternoons and wood-built homes suit warm, honest materials. We install plaster, stone, tile and hardwood for Makawao houses, studios and Main Street businesses.
Makawao grew up around ranching, and the town still carries that cowboy history in its rodeo traditions and its false-front wooden buildings along Baldwin Avenue and Makawao Avenue. Today those storefronts hold galleries, boutiques and restaurants, and the surrounding hills are a mix of older ranch houses, country homes on acreage and newer builds on the forested slopes toward Olinda.
The style here leans rustic and handcrafted: exposed wood, stone, warm color and texture. That fits the finishes we know best. A lime-plastered wall, a basalt hearth or a refinished wood floor feels like it belongs in Makawao rather than being dropped in from somewhere else.
At its elevation on the slopes of Haleakala, Makawao is noticeably cooler than the coast, and clouds and afternoon showers roll in often, especially on the higher, wetter side of town. Homes here actually get chilly in the evenings, which is one reason fireplaces and wood stoves are common, and why many owners want floors that feel warm underfoot.
Cool, damp air also slows the curing of mortars and plasters. We schedule and protect work accordingly, and we choose sealers and finishes that handle humidity without trapping moisture.
A fireplace is often the heart of an Upcountry living room. We build and reface fireplace surrounds and hearths in natural stone, stacked stone veneer and Hawaiian basalt, and we can integrate the stone with surrounding plaster or tile so the whole wall reads as one piece. Stone on a hearth and around a firebox must be installed with appropriate heat-rated materials and clearances, and we follow the manufacturer's requirements for the fireplace or stove unit.
See our stone veneer, lava rock and fireplace page for materials and options.
Hardwood is a natural match for Upcountry living. It feels warmer underfoot than tile on a cool morning, softens the sound in high-ceilinged rooms and ages gracefully alongside timber beams and stone. In a humid hillside home, we check subfloor moisture and acclimate the boards before installation, and we often suggest engineered planks for rooms over crawlspaces. For mudrooms and entries where boots and rain come in, a durable porcelain or stone tile is usually the better choice.
Older Makawao houses often have original wood floors, single-wall construction or additions built at different times. We check for movement, past moisture damage and uneven framing before committing to a finish, and we tell you plainly when a floor can be refinished and when it should be replaced. Where a home has history worth keeping, we try to work with it: matching original boards, preserving trim and choosing finishes that fit the age of the house.
Cost depends on scope and what we find in the existing structure. Every project begins with a free on-site estimate and a written, itemized quote.
Often, yes. We look at the existing surround, the unit and the required clearances, then reface it with natural stone, stone veneer or basalt using heat-appropriate materials.
Yes. We install solid Koa and other hardwoods including Walnut, Cherry, Hickory, Maple, White Oak, Teak and Mahogany, as well as engineered options.
Cool, damp conditions slow curing. We plan the schedule and protect fresh work so the finish cures properly rather than rushing it.
Yes. We renovate shop, gallery and restaurant interiors and plan the work around business hours and neighbors.