Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

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• DIY: Walnut Bathroom Renovation

  Posted by Megan Sprague

  As a proud member of Carlisle’s marketing team, I wanted to share my most recent do-it-yourself project—the installation of my very first Carlisle floor! I chose Walnut because of its beautiful brown tones with highlights of golden honey and the nice figuring in the grain patterns.
  
  I began my project in September 2007 when my boyfriend Dan and I first decided to embark on the demolition of our current bathroom. We knew straight off that it was going to be a fairly large undertaking, but we also knew it had to be done. After two days of destroying, hauling pieces of old sheetrock, insulation and tile out by the truckload we were finally down to the rafters.
  
  As we have delicately built the bathroom back up we decided to make our project as custom as we could afford. Firstly, we’ve done the entire project ourselves: plumbing, electrical, everything! (We did have the extra hands of our dads helping out, which is great.)  Dan invented his own radiant heat system—it’s a built-in subfloor unit with PEX tubing (which we purchased on EBay inexpensively). We were able to install our Carlisle floor directly on top of our radiant heat system. We also did a tile inlay underneath our toilet and in front of our bathtub, and it was really easy to make both the tile and the walnut work nicely together during the installation—we had zero hiccups.
  
  One of the best parts during our renovation was applying the tung oil to our floor. We thought the wood was stunning before we started the finishing process, but as we added the coats of tung oil we were amazed at how it heightens the swirling grains and warm chocolaty tones. 
  
  A few holidays, snowmobile season and a litter of Weimaraner puppies later and we are still working on our bathroom! We are hand making our vanity and that’s our current stage of the process. Stay tuned for the vanity and completion of my bathroom
  
  

  Posted on April 22, 2008 at 10:54 AM in DIY • (0) Comments

• From Apple Farm to Reclaimed “Green” Flooring

  Posted by Don Carlisle

  Reclaimed wood floors are a popular option for homeowners and for public buildings as well. The floors give a sense of history to any building. We understand the importance of maintaining that history. A good example of this is the flooring that we have reclaimed from the Guerrant Family Plantation and Algoma Apple Packing Farm.
  
  Two hundred and fifty years ago the 3,000-acre plantation and farm was the site of 100 buildings. The apples grown on this land near Boones Mill, Va., were harvested and shipped to England and played a role in the nourishment of soldiers from the Civil War to the Second World War. Today only a few buildings made from the plantation trees almost three centuries ago remain, but the wood from these structures are still playing vital roles in today’s construction. It’s the story of the Many Lives of An Apple Farm Tree and the Green alternatives it provides for your home.
  
  Their first lifetime was spent as majestic trees providing shelter and shade for forest animals as an integral part in the eco-system. They grew to great proportions and were likely more than 200 to 300 years old before being harvested.
  
  Their second lifetime was spent as components of the Apple Farm’s many buildings: the large packing barn where apples were prepared for shipment to England was built of chestnut; the farmhand’s quarters were constructed of heart pine; and the main building was oak.
  
  
  

  Posted on April 21, 2008 at 01:06 PM in Green Building • (0) Comments

• 55,000 Ways To Live Greener

  Posted by Lindsay Barczuk

  In the spirit of Earth Day, Carlisle has challenged its employees to commit to greening one aspect of their personal lives.  We figure that, over the course of 365 days, our 150+ employees will reduce the drain on natural resources in over 55,000 ways!

  Some of the suggestions we made are:

• Bring in a coffee mug and stop using the paper/styrofoam cups
• Buy reusable bags instead of using paper or plastic at the store
• Switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs
• Walk or take public transportation instead of driving once a week
• Support local business to cut back on transportation demands
• Buy organic - you'll reduce the amount of pesticides in our food chain
• Step up your recycling
• If you are having a baby, consider cloth diapers
• Bank online - stop your paper statements
• Remove yourself from mailing lists

Do any of you plan on participating in a similar commitment?  Do you have any other suggestions of simple ways to make a difference?

Posted on April 21, 2008 at 12:08 PM in Green Building • (0) Comments

• True Hardwood Story - Bringing New England to Lake Keowee, SC

  Posted by Lesley Anderson

  It's a warm, sunny day in Seneca, South Carolina. The gentle breeze is wafting off of Lake Keowee and the air is thick with the sound of birds, the rustling leaves, and...the landscapers? Are they cutting down that tree over the walkway?! Ronda Ringo just finished a conference call when I gave her a call, and amidst the hustle and bustle of her daily life as a Solutions Principal for EMC Software, she now feared that her yard was going to be treeless. Thankfully, everything was under control, and I got to learn of the fateful way that Ronda and Carlisle Wide Plank Floors were united.

  

  Outside of her day job, Ronda loves interior design. Over the years, she's assembled an extensive portfolio of things that have caught her eye - carpet samples, paint colors, design ideas, and supply companies. A long-time subscriber of Coastal Living magazine, Ronda had seen an advertisement for Carlisle Wide Plank Floors years ago, and knew that was what she wanted to have in her home someday. She tucked the clipping into her portfolio without too much thought at the time. When it came time for her to design her own home from scratch years later, the light went on and she remembered that little clipping as she discussed her flooring options with her contractor.
  

  Posted on April 17, 2008 at 01:25 PM in Customer Stories • (2) Comments

• LEED vs. Energy Star Ratings

  Posted by Lindsay Barczuk

  Green Building Programs and Standards are emerging everywhere.  While many are casually compiled and branded, there are a lot of strong programs out there.  Two of the leading programs are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and EnergyStar.

  The LEED Program is a product of the USGBC (United States Green Building Council).  I think the LEED is strong for two reasons: 1) it takes into consideration different building types - there are different LEED programs for Homes, Schools, Retail, Healthcare, and more; and 2) it considers a broad scope of Green Building objectives - including Materials & Resources, Water Efficiency, Site Sustainability, and Indoor Environmental Quality.  In contrast, the LEED program has been criticized for 1) having limited emphasis on lifecycle analysis; and 2) demanding a higher implementation cost.

  Energy Star, on the other hand, is a residential program that focuses primarily on energy efficiency and indoor air quality.  This program appeals to homeowners because it evaluates and makes recommendations on improving the heating, cooling, and water systems within a home - all of these improvements will translate into savings on the energy bill.  This government program also offers tax benefits to subscribers - another popular and tangible enhancement.  Unfortunately, this program does not consider other Green Building objectives, like Material or Site Selection.

  Have any of you been a part of one of these or another Green Building program?  What was your experience like?

  Posted on April 17, 2008 at 10:42 AM in Green Building • (2) Comments

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