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.

A Sierra cabin gets an Antique Milled Barnwood floor

Posted by Christine Halvorson

Jason Wolfe, an account manager in our L. A. office, sent along these photos of a Carlisle Antique Milled Barnwood floor. The floor, in a Sierra cabin in Markleeville, California, was installed and finished by the customer, Mr. Ed McCormick. Thank you to Ed for sending along these photos!

Posted on February 27, 2009 at 03:19 PM in DIY • (0) Comments
Don Carlisle offers some floor nailing tips

Posted by Christine Halvorson

Erik Paulson, a client, wrote to our Lauren Power about his pre-finished Eastern White Pine with Indian Summer stain, 8" to 12". The floor was installed in his house that was under construction.
Thanks for all your help. We love the floor, although I haven't yet put the antique nails in, partially because I don't want to ruin anything.-- Erik Paulson
Don Carlisle dropped in with this note to give Erik some confidence in putting in the nails:
Pre-drill the holes with a small pilot drill 1/8" to avoid splitting. Make sure the nail is parallel to the grain. In doing this, you'll get some little areas around some of the nail heads where there is bare wood from the nail going in. Trust me, I tried not to and you just can't help but get some. I took a little tiny sponge brush--you could even use a paintbrush--like the little ones you use for artistry. Just dabble a little stain in around the nail head and let it sit while you do the whole row. Then go back with a little rag and wipe off any excess that gets on the surface of the floor. You would also only want to put nails in every other joist. I'd only use three on the face every other, and two on the ends and every other. --Don Carlisle

Posted on February 20, 2009 at 01:11 PM in Customer Stories • DIY • (0) Comments
New White Pine floor in New York looks good even without finishing

Posted by Christine Halvorson

Bob and Melissa Meyer of Alden, New York saw a Carlisle ad in Country Living Magazine and, once they decided to build a new home, contacted us and worked with Shanon Sterrett to come up with a design. Shanon, in our Stoddard offices, helped them choose Wide Plank Eastern White pine, 8" to 12" wide, and had it finished in a Bradford Umber stain and Tung Oil-what we call our "Signature floor." Bob and his father, a builder/carpenter, installed the floor themselves, and they did the finishing of the stain and oil. Shanon said the Meyers "were probably one of the sweetest couples I've worked with."
The photo Bob and Melissa sent (below) shows the floor in its installed but unfinished state, and it still looks great!

Posted on February 16, 2009 at 12:29 PM in DIY • (0) Comments
DIY: Log Run Hickory Floors

Posted by Megan Sprague

Lauren Power of our New Hampshire design team received this photo and letter from her clients in Walpole, NH! The floor is unfinished… but GORGEOUS just the same. We hope to get some additional photos once the finish is applied!

Hi Lauren. Hope this email finds you and the baby in good health. Thought I would send you a small section of the floor. As of yesterday, it is all in. Moe and I are so pleased. It is absolutely beautiful!! Thank you so much for your time and your help through the process. We will never forget all you did. Are you all settled into your house?

Posted on November 12, 2008 at 03:27 PM in Customer Stories • DIY • Hardwood Flooring • Home Building & Contracting • Wood Grains & Styles • (0) Comments
DIY: New England Red Pine in Colorado!

Posted by Megan Sprague

Laura Leier of our Denver Sales team sent in these photos of her DIY project, prefinished wide plank Red Pine!

See her notes and photos below!

Here are some pictures of Our New England Red Pine prefinished with a cherry stain 8-12” wide. The install would go much faster if we did not have so much help but it fits together perfectly. The only trick with really long wood is when squaring the ends you have to really push down on the boards to keep it flat and flush with the fence on the saw. Additionally, we have not experienced any “regional contraction” in the wood. All of the boards have remained the same width and it has been in Colorado since May! This will be a huge selling tool for me when I am selling pre finished in more arid climates where this tends to occur more often!
Thank you to the mill and prefinsihing for making us such a beautiful floor that every neighbor has stopped in to covet!

Laura and family

Posted on October 21, 2008 at 11:40 AM in DIY • Home Building & Contracting • Home Decor • (0) Comments