Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

Surface Blog

• From Lofts to Luxury: A View into the History of Hardwood Flooring

  Posted by GuestBlogger

  By Todd Aalgaard

  Now that you've had your home beautifully appointed with the wide-plank hardwood floor of your dreams, you're probably thinking of showing it off. And, of course, you've done all the arrangements: you've chosen some matching plants, arranged all the furniture just so, and that long, ornate oak table blends in just perfectly. All you need are guests.
  
  We're not about to tell you what to cook, how to entertain, or where to place your guests' shoes when they come to visit; if you've consulted our blog, after all, you've probably already done your homework. There is, however, one final garnish to top off your hardwood piece de resistance, and you've already got it-it's that big, beautiful brain of yours.
  

  Hardwood flooring has a history you may not be familiar with, and what better topic to bring up when doing a little well-deserved showing off?
  

  In the 17th century, back when the idea of flooring was still pretty luxurious, Europeans settled for the most immediate surface available-the dirt, pounded to a hard, cement smoothness. This, of course, was an enormous hassle: when their guests came 'round, tracking dirt, dust or mud into the house was more than just a cosmetic no-no-as you can guess, it's even harder to get out of soil than linoleum. It was only the upstairs area of the home-sometimes a converted hayloft, if your budget permitted-that featured any surface not pre-designed by the hand of nature. On these floors, you'd find trunk-like joists and broad, heavy planks of solid oak or elm, normally over two feet wide.

  With a French influence during the Baroque period, wooden floors finally got their day. Artisans and craftspeople would cut intricate patterns out of contrasting wood tones, designing flowing, elaborate parquet patterns that, when stained and polished, were the paragon of elegance. While the resulting designs were typically seen only in the homes of European aristocracy, their increased use would eventually bring the style to the American colonies.

  The use of these patterns continued through the 19th century, but, even then, they typically appeared in only the wealthiest of homes. Unlike Europe, however, America had a vast wealth of timber and other natural resources, skyrocketing the availability of plank floors. With the ease of tongue-and-groove installation, America's new timber mills responded to the demand. By the early 20th century, tongue-and-groove was everywhere, praised for the stunning grace of its simplicity.

  Today, the hardwood surface is experiencing a Renaissance of its own. Environmentally-conscious lovers of good design need a simple, gorgeous, ecologically-responsible way to support themselves and their families. With the explosive availability of synthetic alternatives, homeowners turned to wide, glowing planks of reclaimed timber, discovering that the best choice is to go natural.

  Consider yourself part of the circle of history.

  Posted on August 6, 2008 at 10:00 AM in Hardwood Flooring • (0) Comments

• Remodeling Market-Including Hardwood Flooring Demand-Holds up During Housing Slump

  Posted by GuestBlogger

  By Matt Cardin

  By now it's evident to everybody with a pulse that America's current housing crisis is one for the history books. This is, to put it mildly, a serious situation that's severely impacting much more than just the housing industry.

  That's why it's reassuring that one segment of the industry is still holding up its economic head, namely, the $1.5 billion remodeling market. For obvious reason, this news is significant to readers of Surface with their interest in wide plank hardwood flooring, home remodeling, etc.

  Back in 2006, during the early innings of the housing crisis, Marcia Jedd reported for HGTV (in "Remodeling Market Adjusts to Housing Slump") that remodeling was not only surviving but quite possibly thriving. "Remodelers," she wrote, "take heart: In a housing downturn that is exceptional in many aspects, remodeling is holding its own. In fact, by some accounts, business is booming." She quoted Kermit Baker, Ph.D., director of the Remodeling Futures Program at Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies, as saying that while the remodeling market was definitely feeling the pinch, small remodeling projects of the home improvement sort, such as windows, roofs, flooring, decks, and small additions, would experience strong demand.

  That was two years ago. In hindsight it's apparent this projection was fairly accurate. The most recent information presented by the National Association of Home Builders in its Remodeling Market Index (RMI) shows that after declining only slightly in the fourth quarter of 2007, remodeling activity held steady during the first quarter of 2008, showing only minor weakness in tandem with the overall housing slump and appearing poised for a recovery in 2009-long before most economists are predicting anything similar for the overall housing market. And between then and now a slew of reports and articles, many of them easily obtainable by Googling combined search terms like "housing slump" + "remodeling," has indicated that while spending on remodeling projects has slowed, in many cases the wider housing bust is actually driving the remodeling market, which in any event shows strong growth prospects. Needless to say, we'd love to hear from readers about their own experiences and observations in this area.

  Posted on August 5, 2008 at 07:41 AM in Hardwood Flooring • Home Building & Contracting • (0) Comments

• Heat Your Feet without a Nasty Carbon Footprint: Radiant Heat and Hardwood Flooring:

  Posted by GuestBlogger

  By Matt Cardin

  It's no secret that radiant heat is one of the fastest growing green trends in the construction business. Its location underfoot means it transfers heat directly to the individual instead of dispersing it into the air. Radiant heat systems also reduce the amount of heat lost when external doors are opened. And as anybody who has walked on a heated floor can tell you, they're unbelievably wonderful in cold weather.

  Now it turns out that radiant heat combined with hardwood flooring results in an especially efficient heating situation that dramatically reduces a building's carbon footprint. We're not talking about some sort of special voodoo between the wood and the heat that makes them act differently. We're just talking about simple common sense. As documented and explained copiously by Carlisle and others, hardwood flooring is the only type that's 100 percent ecologically sustainable. The green benefits of radiant heat, for its part, are undisputed. So pairing them is a simple matter of 2 + 2 = 4.

  As described in an April 15 press release from the National Wood Flooring Association, "Eco-conscious consumers can reduce their carbon footprint even further by installing radiant heat under wood floors.  Because wood floors are sustainable and renewable, they increase radiant heat's benefits." Of particular interest to people thinking about going this direction is the fact that radiant heat can work with wide plank floors. A Google search combining them turns up many recommendations to use strip flooring, but these are a bit like the old saw that you can't install hardwood floors over concrete, when in fact you can. Using radiant heat effectively beneath wide plank flooring simply calls for an installation process involving a floating plywood subfloor.
  

  Note that Carlisle has an FAQ about wood flooring choices where the first question deals with this very issue. Readers who are interested in both hardwood floors and environmentally sound living could do worse than to consider Carlisle's emphatic assertion that radiant heat is "our favorite heat source with our floors!"

  Posted on August 4, 2008 at 02:33 PM in Green Building • Hardwood Flooring • Home Building & Contracting • (0) Comments

• DIY Wood Floor Cleaner

  Posted by Megan Sprague

  Believe it, or not, there’s a very simple way to make your own wood floor cleaning solution—right in your own kitchen!
  
  Next time you wash your wood floors (after you’ve vacuumed or swept them clean), try adding a few cap-fulls of white vinegar to your bucket of hot water. It’s that simple! There’s no need to add any soap or floor cleaners to the solution, simply the vinegar and water.
  
  I have even heard of some people adding 8-10 drops of an essential oil to the vinegar/water solution—this gives the room a nice, fragrant smell without adding any harsh chemicals like some of the store bought cleaners. Consider peppermint or lavender!
  
  Choosing to make your own wood floor cleaning solution is very cost effective, simple and great for the environment. Try it out the next time you are doing your weekly chores.
  
  

  Posted on July 23, 2008 at 10:27 AM in DIY • Hardwood Flooring • (5) Comments

• Wide Plank Birch Floors:  We visit the Casto Family Home of Wheaton, Illinois

  Posted by Megan Sprague

  Jani and Scott Casto first found Carlisle while they were building their family home in Wheaton, Illinois. They decided to give Carlisle a call for their flooring needs and met design consultant Jason Wolfe. After sharing multiple samples of our custom floors, Jani and Scott settled on our beautiful wide plank birch floors—in widths of 6”, 8” and 10”.  “Scott loved birch’s fire and Jani loved the watery flow of it’s grain”, as Jason thinks back to his wonderful talks with the Casto’s.
  
  When it came time for the floors to be installed, the Casto family decided to use Joe and Eric Boos of Country Hardwoods—a preferred wide plank installer of Carlisle. Eric recollects, “The overall experience on the jobsite was wonderful.  There were some tough aspects to the install, a couple of funny fireplaces with built-in cabinets that made things a little tough.  I would have to say my favorite part of crafting this floor was the freedom the Casto’s gave us to craft the floor the best way possible.”
  
  The Casto’s have since had a few years to live on their floors. Our marketing team just had the opportunity to visit them! During the third week of June, the marketing team and photographers took a trip to Wheaton and shot some beautiful photographs of their home (seen below). The Casto Family was very generous to welcome us into their stunning home—thank you!
  
  

  Posted on July 22, 2008 at 10:04 AM in Hardwood Flooring • (1) Comments

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