Surface Blog

Welcome to Surface, a blog by Carlisle Wide Plank Floors. Join us in discussion about hardwood flooring wood grains & styles, home decor, green building products, trends and more.

The floors we’ve all come to love now come prefinished.

Posted by Don Carlisle

Pre-finished flooring has been out there a long time. But we waited until we could be sure of getting it right. Right, in terms of the lustrous traditional look for which Carlisle finishes are famous. And right, in terms of the environment.

Announcing Carlisle Custom Coat finishes.
For starters, virtually all other manufacturers leave the bottom of their boards unfinished. Which, because of moisture absorption, could mean mold and mildew problems as well as instability due to seasonal effects. But our new Custom Coat finishes are applied to the top, bottom and even the tongue and groove by our Custom Shop craftsmen so that the board will stay dry, flat and stable. Plus, they incorporate a special additive which effectively combats mold, mildew and other unhealthy airborne microbes. And because they are completely sealed and cured, they are ready for immediate installation. So customers don’t have to first stack them in the house to let them acclimatize. Or wait, wait, wait while each coat dries, which can be a real problem in humid climates. Which means any professional installation will now go faster and more economically. And do-it-yourselfers won’t have to live with smelly fumes, sticky floors and stacked furniture for days on end.

Pro-environment. Super-tough.
Our Custom Coat finishes are formulated to be environmentally friendly. For example, they contain no measurable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can pose a significant health hazard as they escape into the air when finishes are applied on site. Another big advantage is that these new finishes are three times more durable than typical site-applied polyurethane finishes –yet, unlike other pre-finished flooring options, can be easily be touched up when accidents happen. Or be totally refreshed after years of wear – a huge breakthrough. In addition to a clear top coat, our Custom Coat finishes are available in all thirteen of our Historic Stains or any individually-created custom colors. And in board widths up to 12 inches – something no one else offers. We can also pre-finish any and all of our custom surfaces, including foot-worn, hand-scraped and saw kerf. And we even offer a commercial version that stands up to the heaviest foot traffic in the busiest of places. Carlisle Custom Coat finishes – just the thing for the floors we – and our customers – have all come to love.
Check out our latest issue of Surface for more details.
-Don Carlisle

Posted on February 25, 2008 at 01:28 PM in DIY • (4) Comments
Earth Friendly Folks ‘Drink it All In’...

Posted by Jen Fox

... At Carlisle Wide Plank Floors in Hollywood, CA tonight, 02/21/08! Check it out if you're in the area and would like to hang out with some environmentally conscious friends on some environmentally sound wide plank wood flooring!

Posted on February 21, 2008 at 02:52 PM in (0) Comments
Green Buildings - LITERALLY!

Posted by Lindsay Barczuk

We've done a lot of work with an Interior Designer on Mercer Island, WA - who named her company Six Walls. She was visiting our Denver showroom a few years back and took the time to explain why she chose the company name. She said that most people think a room has only 4 walls - but including the ever important floor and ceiling - there are actually six walls. Clever, I thought.

Now, we are teetering on the edge of adding yet another wall - or surface - on which we can imprint our personal touch. In this case, we are talking about Green Roofs - roofs made of soil, grasses and other organic materials that are designed to promote improved stormwater runoff, protect buildings from the heat of the sun, and more. People have even taken this so far as to create a pasture for grazing animals on the roof of their building!

Here's a picture of a Green Roof in Tokyo from Dissonanc3 on Flickr via Ecogeek.org

It's a great idea and, while it may not be ideal in desert climates like in the Southwest, there is certainly something to be said about incoporating a little more color into one's exterior design.

Posted on February 20, 2008 at 10:04 AM in Green Building • (2) Comments
Green Bamboo or Bust?

Posted by Lindsay Barczuk

EcoTimber, a fellow provider of Green Flooring, recently announced that they are expanding their offerings to include bamboo flooring. We've heard a lot about bamboo in recent years and I think there are definitely some advantages to using this material - mostly because of the quick regeneration cycle and reduced cost. For many consumers out there, this flooring option is a great one.
Carlisle has never considered offering bamboo. To begin, bamboo is a plant - not a wood. We sell only high quality wide plank wood floors. Bamboo is an imported product and, while the growth patterns and harvesting techniques are favorable, the transportation implications taint the overall "greenness" of the product. Another question that only time will answer is the long-term aesthetic appeal to the American public.
For now, Carlisle remains focused on the tried and true GREENness of our North American FSC certified Antique and Selectively Harvested Woods.

Posted on February 19, 2008 at 01:48 PM in Green Building • (1) Comments
Recycling History: The Claremont Riding Academy

Posted by Rich Marrila

Good morning everyone. I have attached some pictures of a building that we have secured some great Heart Pine from in New York City. This building is not being demoed, but they are taking the wooden frame work out of it and replacing it with steel to preserve the building. I did a quick google search, and there is a lot of info available on this building.

The Claremont Riding Academy, the last riding stable in Manhattan, was located at 175 West 89th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues in New York City. Built in 1892, and a National Historical Site that was designed by Frank A. Rooke [1 ], Claremont was the oldest continuously operated equestrian stable in New York City[2], and a regular attraction for horsey tourists.
Claremont was a very sophisticated yet homey environment. It was an unusual multistory barn, its floors connected by ramps, housed its horses in individual stalls in the basement and on the second floor. There was an indoor riding ring, but it was quite small and obstructed by posts.

Posted on February 12, 2008 at 09:34 AM in Green Building • (1) Comments