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All entries by Megan Sprague

• Radiant Heat Installation: Questions Answered

  Posted by Megan Sprague

  In response to a few questions on the NWFA Listserve:
  

  Your question regarding radiant heat is a great one.  This type of heating continues to grow all over the country.  Currently close to 30% of our solid hardwood floors are installed over radiant heat and in some markets the numbers are even higher than that.  I would have all the confidence in the world putting our Antique Oak over radiant heat as we do it every day; however, you do have to be careful as the Antique Wood Market is very fragmented and the quality can range drastically.
   
  Radiant heat—in and of itself—is not bad for wood floor.  All floors, including antique wood, should be kiln dried and during this process they are subjected to much higher heat than any current radiant heat systems, especially given the radiant heat systems of today.  You have the advantage of running your tubes closer to the floor which means it should be able to run at a lower temperature and still achieve the heat your require.
   
  However, there are still many variable that will affect the temperature of your system: how close together are the tubes? How high are the ceilings? How many windows are there? Etc.  Often people cut costs and reduce the tubing/wall insulation which forces the system to run at  higher temperatures, which may cause a variety of problems if the temperature is too high.
   
  All in all, I see the problems with wood floors and radiant heat falling into the following categories:

  
  1. Far and away the most common problem is that the radiant substrate is not acclimated (allowed to come up to the temperature you plan to live at) prior to installing the floor with the Radiant Heat system turned on after the install.  When the heat comes on it will push any excess moisture out of the substrate and into the finished floor.  This will cause the floor to temporarily expand and potentially buckle.  However, if the radiant system is turned on in advance of installing the floor it will eliminate the moisture before the wood is installed.  Regardless of having radiant heat or not…the moisture content of your subfloor should be within 2% of the moisture content of your finished floor before starting the installation.  This can be achieved by turning on the radiant heat.

  
  2.  The second most common problem is Improperly dried wood flooring.  This is especially common with antique wood as people think kiln drying is not necessary given its age. However, we have 200 year old wood that still has a moisture content of up to 18%.  The trick is how to get all of the pieces at an even moisture content.  Simply kiln drying it won’t work as it will dry some of the boards to the proper moisture level of 8%, but the higher moisture content material won’t be dry enough.  To fix this problem, we actually introduce moisture into all of our antique wood to bring it up to the highest common denominator and then dry it down, to guarantee consistency.  Without using this technique, you may put boards into your floor with a 15% moisture content that, when they dry out, will cause large gaps to appear.

  
  3.  The third most common problem is using a poorly engineered radiant systems.  People cut initial installation costs and spread the tubes out.  The systems then have to run water through the tubes at a much higher temperature (120+°F) where, in a system that is properly engineered and installed, would run at 90°F.
   
  Simply put, heat is not the “enemy” of wood, water is.  If heat is causing excessive drying then gaps will appear, but if subfloor and finished floor achieve “live in conditions”  prior to installing the floor the heat will not move any moisture and therefore will not affect your floor.
   
  Acclimate your subfloor. Acclimate your system. Use a well designed radiant system and —most importantly—use a high quality wood floor that is properly dried and you can have the same successful results we have in over 1200 radiant heat install per year.
  
  

  Posted on September 24, 2008 at 09:13 AM in Hardwood Flooring • (1) Comments

• Carlisle meets with the Jersey Shore AIA Chapter, in Spring Lake, NJ.

  Posted by Megan Sprague

  Here is some feedback from a dinner Dana and I attended for
  the Jersey Shore AIA monthly meeting.
  
  Dana and I had the opportunity to present our floors at a monthly
  meeting for The Jersey Shore AIA Chapter, in Spring Lake, NJ, with 40
  architects and builders attending.
  
  We started the evening with a meet and greet hour, having the chance to
  answer many questions and just chat with their members. We answered
  questions about floors close to the ocean, over radiant heat, over
  concrete, and acclimation time needed, as well as what makes us
  different from the mass produced flooring out there. We were very
  surprised at how many of these folks have not heard about us, and they
  were very happy to have a better understanding of what makes us
  different and that we will work directly with everyone to make the
  project go smoother. And that we have the knowledge and quality to
  assure the clients floors will be done properly.
  
  We also talked about putting together some lunch & learn meetings with a
  few of the individual offices. I highly recommend any other chapters to
  give us a call if they would like us to do a presentation, including AIA
  accredited visits. It is always a pleasure to meet folks face to face.
  
  Rick
  
  

  Posted on September 19, 2008 at 09:50 AM in (1) Comments

• Designers Network Luncheon in Bethesda, Maryland

  Posted by Megan Sprague

  Hannah Greeley of our Georgetown, DC design center gives this account of her attendance at the event!
  
  Hey guys,
  Thought you would like some feedback from the designer luncheon I attended yesterday!  It was a lot of fun and I met many designers.  I think this is a great networking opportunity and thank you for sending me!  
  Thanks,
  Hannah
  
  Check out this link to view photos of the event: http://tinius-photo.com/DN-Lunch-0918/index.html
  
  

  Posted on September 19, 2008 at 09:39 AM in (0) Comments

• Farhm Home Improvements: A Carlisle Wide Plank Floors’ Preferred Installer

  Posted by Megan Sprague

  At Carlisle, we are proud to work with some of the finest wood floor installers. We tend to pair ourselves well with, who we feel, are “the chosen few” of wood floor installers. They have taken the time to learn about wood, our passion for wood, trees and the forests, and carry that same passion through to the designing of a wide plank wood floor.
  
  One of our best installers, Matt Farhm, sends us his new website, where he proudly displays a few “before and after” photos of some projects he’s done. A native of New Hampshire, Matt recently relocated to the Atlanta, Georgia area where he continues his passion for wood and installing/designing beautiful floors for his clients.
  

  Check out his website http://www.farhmhome.com/
  
  

  Posted on September 17, 2008 at 10:22 AM in Home Building & Contracting • (0) Comments

• Making things right.

  Posted by Megan Sprague

  Good afternoon Jim,
   
  I have spent over 8 years here and I am extremely proud of what we do and the most amazing floors that we hand craft for each client. You should know that my guys here have more passion and dedication to making each floor than anyone in the industry.  We make several thousands of square feet of flooring ever month, not missing a beat.  We have set parameters for each floor that must be met.  From the guys that hand select the floor to the few men that rip it down prior to going to the molder all facets are equally passionate but also making sure that the customer gets exactly what they ordered.  We have built our business that way for over 40 years. I am so proud of the group of guys that make our floors because they carry the same honesty, integrity and ethics as I do.
   
  I looked into exactly what we made for you and what was shipped.  Taking it one step further I re-checked the tally sheet but also the packing slip and bill of lading which lists we shipped four crates which match up to the weight of the wood that your ordered and what we shipped 4,678sf.  There is the possibility that the installer has generated more waste because he knows you are seeking a certain aesthetic appearance to the floor versus what we intended to be in the floor we crafted for you.  Another possibility may be that after hours some of the flooring was taken from the job site.
   
  I have checked and doubled checked everything.  Everything I have checked measures up to exactly what I sent you.  At this point who knows where the wood flooring is.  We can easily go back & forth sending emails and not get anywhere.  I want you to be able to complete your home, move in and get your life back.  Building is a long and tedious project, believe me I know.  Ask anyone here and they will tell you my experience was painful both financially but also put my marriage to the test (we were newly weds back then).  I think we both should take ownership to this and with that said I would like to make half of the floor for you at no charge with you paying for the other half.  Further more I will cover the shipping costs.  With this I will also make sure that we make all of the flooring in the wider widths 8" face and wider.  In closing I hope you find this to be fair solution for both sides.
  

  Peter,
  
  Your e-mail was greatly appreciated for just taking the time to express how Carlisle does business and the people that make up the company. This is why we went with you guys in the first place above anyone else. Commitment to excellence is what I strive for in anything and felt all of that when I was dealing with you, personally.  So please understand this.
  
  As far as the floors, while they are not exactly what we had in mind, it is clear that the wood is a quality product.  Cannot understand why there is no tongue and groove on the ends.  Don spoke to this by stating
  that they should have been glued down but this prohibits a felt vapor barrier from being used which is standard from what we are being told. Anyway, in the end, they will look great and I will send pictures if you want.
  
  As far as the shortage goes, I am hard-pressed to think that any wood was taken from the site.  And my builder has measured the area twice to ensure that this was accurate as well.  And I DO believe you when you say that you shipped what you said you did.  I just want to understand
  how we fell short in the first place.  Could it be from the issue over the final face widths as opposed to the original/starting size of the material - in that 4600 sq ft of material was used from the start but after milling, it ended up in the neighborhood of 500 sq ft short of actual coverage? 
  
  Anyway, my wife and I very much appreciate yours and Carlisle's offer to get the remaining material and will graciously accept it.  Please let me know how you want it paid for and we will be glad to make it happen.
  
  Clearly, this project has been difficult (if you only knew) given the extend and nature of my letter.  We haven't been met with the greatest degree of honesty by many we have had to deal with. We were afraid, (as
  obviously intimated in my letter) that Carlisle was yet another.  We hope there is no ill will for there is none on this end.  We would certainly recommend Carlisle for their superior wood products and customer service, because, in reality, despite the variance, the service has been great.
  
  Thank you again for your time and provision in rectifying this matter. 
  
  Sincerely,
  Jim Caputo
  

  Posted on September 16, 2008 at 11:31 AM in (1) Comments

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