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.

DIY: New England-Style Farmhouse

Posted by Megan Sprague

Check out this great do-it-yourself project out of Trabuco Canyon, California. Donnelle & Tony Koselka decided to purchase our wide Eastern White Pine floors to complete the look of their New England-Style Farmhouse. Originally, Donnelle & Tony chose Marmloeum for their living room, but after some thought realized that a solid wood floor would be more reminiscent of the look they were trying to achieve. While searching the internet and flipping through several magazines, they came across Carlisle Wide Plank Floors. They thought the wide Pine floors would truly fit the New England feel they were hoping for. After speaking with Dan ONeill in our West Hollywood office, they made the jump. Dan helped them understand how long wide boards can extended their home visually, and enlarge the prospective of their living space.

With the help of Dave Delfs, a local installer, the pine floors were easy enough to install. Dave used the Bostik’s 2-part glue system directly over the existing floor. The truth is in these before and after photos! Such an easy change drastically brought the Koselka’s the look they were dreaming of. Donnelle recites, “While I loved our unusual Marmoleum floors (cork-based lineoleum), the wood floors complete our New England-style farmhouse. What a difference the pine makes!”

With a slight eased edge to emphasize the dimensions, warm honey tones of the tung oil finish, and the slow natural distressing that comes with life, it was a perfect fit…especially for their little dog, Riley.

Are you dreaming of a New England-Style home? Click here for more photos and information.

Already a Carlisle customer…want to upload photos of your DIY project? Click here:

Posted on June 23, 2008 at 01:22 PM in DIY • (2) Comments
Special visit with California Public Radio

Posted by Megan Sprague
During my trip to the West Hollywood center last week for the Avenues of Art and Design event, I got a chance to meet up with Pam Gurstein from Southern California Public Radio Station, KPCC. Carlisle has done underwriting with KPCC (if you are in California listen at 89.3FM) and our West Hollywood staff enjoys the stories and daily programs, download podcasts at http://www.kpcc.org.

After working together for quite a few months, Pam and I finally got to meet each other! It’s always nice to put a face to the voice! She and I had a nice visit and enjoyed a delicious lunch at the famous Ivy Restaurant. Here’s a photo of us standing outside the Ivy.

Posted on June 16, 2008 at 09:16 AM in (0) Comments
Georgia Pet Vet Picks Hickory Hardwood Floors for Second Home

Posted by Lesley Anderson

South Georgia-based veterinarian Dave Richards has had an unlikely connection to Carlisle... for 36 years: Carlisle is his wife's maiden name (no relation). Okay, maybe that's a bit of a stretch for similarities here, but this coincidence struck a chord with him during the process of building his second home.

When approaching building a second home, Richards knew what he didn't want from the beginning. "We went to some home shows, and looked at flooring in other people's homes, and some of the wood looked artificial, even though it wasn't! It was just the way it was finished...those standard skinny little boards. It just wasn't our style." he said. "I said, 'I want some wider boards. I want something that really looks like it came out of a tree!" which should come as no surprise coming from this self-proclaimed "tree hugger". After a quick Internet search for wide hardwood floors, the relationship with Carlisle Wide Plank Floors was born.

Posted on May 29, 2008 at 02:35 PM in Customer Stories • (1) Comments
Considering Green Flooring Options: Do your research.

Posted by Kim Cassin
Being that we are members of the National Wood Flooring Association (or NWFA as the industry folk call it) we are privy to many intriguing conversations and debates pertaining to wood flooring products. Most recently bamboo flooring has been a hot topic for discussion among those in our industry and among consumers. More and more we're hearing about this rapidly growing grass that because it's renewable is therefore being considered a great green flooring option.

If it's a green floor you're looking for, you may think bamboo or recycled glass or one of the other quickly renewable or recycled options is the best choice. However, there are many things you need to consider before you know which choice is best in terms of "greenness."

First, just because they say it's green doesn't mean it is. Buyer beware. There are hundreds if not thousands of organizations that offer certifications for every consumer product imaginable, from paper products to granola bars, that certify them as all natural/organic/green/recycled etc. You need to know that not all of these so called certifications are legitimate and even more of them are not so strict in their certification requirements. In short, it doesn't take much effort to acquire many of these seals of approval. When you're considering a green product, whether it's a recycled building product for your new home, the hybrid car you're going to drive everyday, or the organic snack you're going to feed your children, make it your job to understand exactly what makes that product green and how it got it's green certification. Do your research.

Posted on May 27, 2008 at 10:28 AM in Green Building • (5) Comments
Kitchens Continue to be a Remodeling Hot Spot

Posted by Lesley Anderson

You know that phrase, "if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen"? Well, remodelers are heeding the opposite, making the kitchen the hottest place in the house for renovations, and it's not too hard to see why. The kitchen has become more than just a place where food is prepared. It's become the family and social gathering place. No matter how big or small the home, people always seem to end up in the kitchen. Sometimes it's to keep the cook company during a family get-together, or to lend a helping hand. Other times, it's to gather around a bowl of snacks or to do homework after school. When you think about it, the kitchen really is the life force of modern living, so it's only reasonable that during the recent housing dip, people are turning to renovate their own homes instead of purchase new ones. Kitchen renovations top the list of home improvements, according to Remodeling Online.

As a result of this kitchen craze, kitchen manufacturers are cranking out more and more high-quality, eco-friendly options for DIYers and contractors alike. The green movement seems to have hit at a perfect time, since buyers are now looking to not only save the environment, but save money and be able to feel that they're doing their part by working on home projects themselves. Now, instead of simply renovating the look and feel of a kitchen, owners are becoming more invested in the long-term affects of their kitchen renovations by carefully choosing environmentally friendly materials and appliances.

Recyclable materials like glass and quartz are becoming more common in kitchen countertops, and of course you knew we'd mention hardwood flooring! Wood is one of the best examples of nature's renewable resources! Many people often think that once a piece of wood has lost its lustre that it's destined for firewood, but this isn't the case. Reclaimed wood in particular adds character and beauty to kitchen cabinets, and you can also have the satisfaction in knowing you're using a natural, renewable resource for your home that will last for generations. With so many different finishing options available, you could turn virtually any wood surface into something to suit your lifestyle.

Not far behind kitchens on the renovation list are bathrooms. Ironically, kitchens and bathrooms are two rooms we've talked about on the blog that seem further from the front of people's minds when thinking about hardwood flooring, but they can actually be some of the most affordable hardwood flooring projects since their square footage is generally smaller than that of a living room or bedroom. Have you recently renovated your kitchen? What were your biggest priorities in reshaping and refreshing your decor?

Posted on May 21, 2008 at 02:00 PM in DIY • Green Building • (0) Comments