Surface Blog

Spring is finally here. Well, almost.

• Posted by
• Rick Menard

Driving to work this morning, I had an almost un-controlable urge to turn around and head back home to play hookie. Almost! Why today? To answer that question, let us go back to the last time we saw bare ground and 60 degree weather here in New Hampshire. It was late October, and I was deep in the woods scouring for deer sign, taking a vacation day with my wife while the kids were in school. We hiked areas that she had never been to, bringing a picnic lunch and a couple of cameras in case we saw anything worth shooting. The deep ravine, with the roaring brook running through it, was more spectacular to her then I described. Other then being spooked by a beautiful Great Horned Owl leaving a tree directly in front of us, it was a quiet hike.

Seeing ten deer grazing in a bare spot of an otherwise snow covered field this morning is what triggered these thoughts of delinquincy. This winter has been one of the longest in New Hampshire’s history, topping over 100 inches of snow. It started in late October, and today being April 1st, it is a little discouraging to still have two feet of snow in most parts of the woods. Normally this wouldnt slow our family down, but the kids are at that age where they can’t quite keep up with us snowshoeing, and late March sickness has taking over our household.

The good news is the ponds are opening up from being covered in ice, so we will be dropping the 1933 Old Town Canoe into the water very soon. And I can’t wait to try out my new kayak. My wife is itching to get her hands deep into the soil, and the kids have already dusted their bikes off. Goodbye snow, hello green grass.

Posted on Mar 31, 2008 AT 09:18 PM in (3) Comments

How important is customer service?

• Posted by
• Rick Menard

How important is customer service? Not improtant at all…until you need it. If you are buying a commodity item and it always works, like maybe a pillow, you may never need to ask anyone how to fluff it.

I was working on my 31’ Model A Streetrod over the weekend, and I needed to find some information related to a special technique in the painting of "ghost flames."

After searching the internet without success, I decided to call the company I bought the paint from. Please keep in mind this paint is far from a commodity shelf item, and is very expensive, ($225.00 a quart). So I figured if anyone could answer my questions, they would be able to. They are involved with some of the nicest rods built today.

Calling on a saturday morning, I was a little nervous about not being able to reach anyone. To my pleasant surprise, I was able to connect to their "technical department" immediately. To my dismay, it was obvious that the person I spoke with could barely understand what I was speaking about, and knew nothing about my subject.

When clients are running into problems, or just have simple questions, customer service is the link between them and our product. One of the reasons we here at Carlisle Wide Plank Floors are so successfull is we don’t have a "technical department." From the first day you call in, till the day you move your furniture on to your beautiful floors, you are always speaking with the same person. We have installed and finished our floors, we understand slabs, crawl spaces, sub-floors, acclimation, and just about anything else you may have questions on regarding flooring. If one of us is away, or busy, and you need to speak with someone immediately, one of my many co-workers will pick up the phone and help you. We also have someone on-call over the weekends, and I have been known to give my clients my home phone number in case they may need me in the evening. If you leave a message for me, I won’t go home before calling you back.

How important is customer service? VERY IMPORTANT! There is nothing worse then not getting the answers, when really needed. Does anyone know anything about ghost flames?

Posted on Mar 31, 2008 AT 03:13 AM in (4) Comments

Ask the Flooring Guy

• Posted by
• Rick Menard

In the June, 08’, issue of TimberHome Living, on page 12, there is a section called "Ask the Flooring Guy." I was asked to contribute to this section with questions ranging from "What is handmade flooring?" and "How is it different from other hardwood flooring?" to "What is antique wood and how does it differ from reclaimed wood?"

I always find these sections very helpful in educatiing the consumer because there are so many myths out there about flooring, especially when it comes to wide plank. With the average price of homes rising every year, homeowners want to make sure they are going to have the floors they have always dreamed about. Additionally, they want to have confidence that the value and stability of the floor is everything they had hoped for.

Posted on Mar 25, 2008 AT 04:26 AM in (2) Comments

Make Your Room Look Larger!

• Posted by
• MollyLeatherman

Recently, I was reading Domino Magazine.  In the "Ask Dara" column a client was torn between "old-home charm and the low-maintenance appeal of newer structures."  She was hoping to get some recommendations to give a new home the character and style of an older home.  Dara Caponigro, style director of the magazine, suggested smaller "human sized rooms", 9’ or 10’ ceilings, and wide plank floors.  She writes, "You’ll be surprised how this can completely change the quality of an interior".  (See the difference the wider boards make in the room above.) She also suggests staining floors a medium or dark color and installing baseboards and crown molding to complete the look.  Well said, Dara!   For more decorating tips, check out http://www.dominomag.com/

Posted on Mar 25, 2008 AT 03:15 AM in (2) Comments

D.C. Design Center Opens For Business

• Posted by
• Chad Cassin

Carlisle is ready to take on Washington!  The signs are hung, the paint is drying, and most importantly the floors are ready for inspection at our newest Design Center in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. The new Carlisle team members, long-time residents of the area, are excited to get down to business:

We just opened our doors today at the new Carlisle Wide Plank Floors Georgetown Design Center!  The different species of wood flooring are displayed so wonderfully throughout the space… our clients are going to love seeing them first hand while designing the floor that is best for their space!

We encourage everyone to swing by the Center to introduce themselves and see what makes a Carlisle floor so unique! We’re located at 1666 33rd Street, Northwest in Georgetown.

We’re anxious to meet you!

Janel Conforti on behalf of Hannah Greeley and Clare Williams

Posted on Mar 24, 2008 AT 12:24 PM in (2) Comments