Surface Blog

Our friends at Classic Hardwood Floors

• Posted by
• Megan Sprague

We’ve been working with Classic Hardwood Floors for over ten years now. Here’s a nice letter from owner, Joe Boos.

Although it is my profession and can be challenging and stressful at times, I thoroughly enjoy being the owner/operator of Classic Hardwood Floors. In 1998 my brother Eric and I formed our business and had the best time of our life working together for 10 years. A person seriously could write a book about all of our experiences. We did have a few employees throughout the years, most notably our other two brothers and our father. Imagine a customers surprise after contracting us to work in their million dollar + houses based only on phone conversations and a written proposal; only to have a truckload of 18-24 year olds show up at their door on day one to install a beautiful, expensive wide plank floor. I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked how old I am, when my dad or boss was showing up, or where is the guy I talked to on the phone. Of course the outstanding results continue to be a testament to the beauty of Carlisle’s wood and our commitment to perfection. Eric has recently moved on to bigger and better things (design consultant for this company called Carlisle Wide Plank Floors), however I still enjoy installing floors with my employees Jeff and Eddie.

Originally our business was a general wood floor operation (strip flooring, sand and poly, refinishing, etc). Thanks to the expertise and knowledge of so many at Carlisle we transformed into specializing in the installation and finishing of wide plank floors. Many quickly conclude they are one and the same, and although wide plank flooring contains many of the same aspects of “wood flooring”, in my opinion it is in a league of its own. You could liken it to the difference between arithmetic and algebra. A mathematician cannot learn algebra before the groundwork or basics are laid (arithmetic,etc). I feel as if we went from being nailers and sanders to craftsmen and artists. We went from installing and finishing floors that looked good to creating timepieces that make a house.

The first floor we did with Carlisle was a face nailed, stained, and tung oiled eastern white pine  for John and Randee Malmberg.  Randee could not find the floor she had seen in a magazine picture. No one in the area could.   After extensive searching we stumbled upon Carlisle. Todd Waterman and Chris Sy were tireless in their efforts to insure we gave Randee the floor she wanted. Thank goodness they were! What a difference this floor was from what we were used to. No conventional sanding? No way! Face nail the face of the boards with antique square cut nails? No way! However, it turned out great and because of our commitment to quality and a number of referrals from Carlisle and the Malmbergs our wide plank career took off.

Since the Malmbergs we have installed and finished 111 wide plank floors for Carlisle. We have done many eastern white pine and heart pine, along with red and white oak, hickory, maple,  ash, walnut, cherry, antique woods, saw kerf surface, hand scraped surface, barnboard, and many others that I am likely forgetting.

Among my favorites are the antique woods. The warmth and character in antique wood cannot be beat. One of my all time favorites is probably the antique sweetgum (an extremely rare antique wood with grain and color being similar to a mix of hickory and cherry) we installed in Lakeside, MI. Beautiful!

We also, because of being specialists, have had the privilege of working a large territory and discovering so many great places to visit, restaurants, and wonderful people. Carlisle floors have brought us to downtown Chicago, many of the suburbs, on the lake in Michigan, and rural Wisconsin, and many other places.

Over the past 10 years we have worked with so many great people at Carlisle. I truly view it a privilege and honor to be a part of crafting your beautiful floors and working with you guys. Without your help and support we would never had made it, and we sincerely thank you for everything! The relationships formed through the years are far more than simple business ties. We view you all as friends and family. So here is to 111 or more outstanding works of art!

THANK YOU!

Here’s a few photos of floors that Classic Hardwood Floors’ has installed over the years!

Birch

Hand Scraped White Oak with Stain

Posted on Oct 27, 2008 AT 10:27 PM in Green Building • Hardwood Flooring • Home Building & Contracting • Restoration Projects • (3) Comments

A Visit from Warmboard at the Log and Timber Show!

• Posted by
• Megan Sprague

Bill from Warmboard stopped by for a visit during the Log and Timber Show! We have partnered with Warmboard in the past on events and email marketing as our products are a great fit together. Bill works with the girls from our DC office, Janel and Hannah.

Here’s a radiant heat panel that Warmboard let us borrow during the show!

This is Tim (left) from Carlisle’s home office in Stoddard, NH and Bill from Warmboard

Posted on Oct 27, 2008 AT 10:14 PM in Green Building • Home Building & Contracting • (0) Comments

Carlisle meets up with Washington SPACES Magazine

• Posted by
• Megan Sprague

I had the opportunity to meet with Angela from Washington SPACES magazine when at the Log and Timber show in Chantilly. In the Fall issue of SPACES, Carlisle was interviewed in the article "The Ground Game" about our FSC Certified Antique wood and pattern floors. Click here to read the full article and to see photos of our floors!

Here’s a photo of me and Angela at the show!

Posted on Oct 27, 2008 AT 10:06 PM in News & Events • (0) Comments

Customer Letter and Friendly Service

• Posted by
• Megan Sprague

This customer is in the process of having her FSC Antique Oak floors installed.

Here’s a nice letter she sent to Dana Tuscher of our New York sales team…

Thank you very much for the lovely picture - the wood is drop dead gorgeous!

I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me today.  Each time I have called your company I have been handled in a first class kind of way by each person I have spoken to - what a luxury.  Please tell your staff their
kindness goes a long way and makes a lasting impression.  It is a pleasure dealing with Carlisle.

Best….
Carol

Posted on Oct 21, 2008 AT 04:53 AM in Green Building • (0) Comments

Great Carlisle Service=Happy Builder

• Posted by
• Megan Sprague

Here’s a note from Lauren Power of our Midwest Sales team:

Thought you might like to take a look at this amazing PREFINISHED floor
we made for homeowners in PA.

It’s a mix of 4-8” ‘country’ White Oak and all 8” ‘country’ rift and
quarter sawn white oak with gingerbread stain!

The best news is that the builder is now needing about 2000 SF of
prefinished Cherry for another home he’s working on. This is a builder
who was VERY hesitant about our terms and didn’t want to pay for the
floor before he saw it. I guess we proved ourselves the first time
around- thank you to everyone involved in crafting this beauty!

Enjoy

LP

Posted on Oct 21, 2008 AT 04:35 AM in Green Building • Hardwood Flooring • Home Building & Contracting • (0) Comments