Pre-finished flooring has been out there a long time. But we waited until we could be sure of getting it right. Right, in terms of the lustrous traditional look for which Carlisle finishes are famous. And right, in terms of the environment.
Announcing Carlisle Custom Coat finishes.
For starters, virtually all other manufacturers leave the bottom of their boards unfinished. Which, because of moisture absorption, could mean mold and mildew problems as well as instability due to seasonal effects. But our new Custom Coat finishes are applied to the top, bottom and even the tongue and groove by our Custom Shop craftsmen so that the board will stay dry, flat and stable. Plus, they incorporate a special additive which effectively combats mold, mildew and other unhealthy airborne microbes. And because they are completely sealed and cured, they are ready for immediate installation. So customers don’t have to first stack them in the house to let them acclimatize. Or wait, wait, wait while each coat dries, which can be a real problem in humid climates. Which means any professional installation will now go faster and more economically. And do-it-yourselfers won’t have to live with smelly fumes, sticky floors and stacked furniture for days on end.
Pro-environment. Super-tough.
Our Custom Coat finishes are formulated to be environmentally friendly. For example, they contain no measurable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can pose a significant health hazard as they escape into the air when finishes are applied on site. Another big advantage is that these new finishes are three times more durable than typical site-applied polyurethane finishes –yet, unlike other pre-finished flooring options, can be easily be touched up when accidents happen. Or be totally refreshed after years of wear – a huge breakthrough. In addition to a clear top coat, our Custom Coat finishes are available in all thirteen of our Historic Stains or any individually-created custom colors. And in board widths up to 12 inches – something no one else offers. We can also pre-finish any and all of our custom surfaces, including foot-worn, hand-scraped and saw kerf. And we even offer a commercial version that stands up to the heaviest foot traffic in the busiest of places. Carlisle Custom Coat finishes – just the thing for the floors we – and our customers – have all come to love.
Check out our latest issue of Surface for more details.
-Don Carlisle
Author's Name: Don Carlisle
Posted Date: February 25, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Filed under: DIY - Do It Yourself, Don Carlisle, Home Flooring Choices
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... At Carlisle Wide Plank Floors in Hollywood, CA tonight, 02/21/08! Check it out if you're in the area and would like to hang out with some environmentally conscious friends on some environmentally sound wide plank wood flooring!
Author's Name: Jen Fox
Posted Date: February 21, 2008 at 3:52 PM
Filed under: Jen Fox, Regions
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Tags: environmental, green, green drinks, hard wood floors
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We've done a lot of work with an Interior Designer on Mercer Island, WA - who named her company Six Walls. She was visiting our Denver showroom a few years back and took the time to explain why she chose the company name. She said that most people think a room has only 4 walls - but including the ever important floor and ceiling - there are actually six walls. Clever, I thought.
Now, we are teetering on the edge of adding yet another wall - or surface - on which we can imprint our personal touch. In this case, we are talking about Green Roofs - roofs made of soil, grasses and other organic materials that are designed to promote improved stormwater runoff, protect buildings from the heat of the sun, and more. People have even taken this so far as to create a pasture for grazing animals on the roof of their building!
Here's a picture of a Green Roof in Tokyo from Dissonanc3 on Flickr via Ecogeek.org
It's a great idea and, while it may not be ideal in desert climates like in the Southwest, there is certainly something to be said about incoporating a little more color into one's exterior design.
Author's Name: Lindsay Barczuk
Posted Date: February 20, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Lindsay Barczuk
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Tags: green building, green design, green roofs, interior design, mercer island, six walls, solar energy, stormwater runoff
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EcoTimber, a fellow provider of Green Flooring, recently announced that they are expanding their offerings to include bamboo flooring. We've heard a lot about bamboo in recent years and I think there are definitely some advantages to using this material - mostly because of the quick regeneration cycle and reduced cost. For many consumers out there, this flooring option is a great one.
Carlisle has never considered offering bamboo. To begin, bamboo is a plant - not a wood. We sell only high quality wide plank wood floors. Bamboo is an imported product and, while the growth patterns and harvesting techniques are favorable, the transportation implications taint the overall "greenness" of the product. Another question that only time will answer is the long-term aesthetic appeal to the American public.
For now, Carlisle remains focused on the tried and true GREENness of our North American FSC certified Antique and Selectively Harvested Woods.
Author's Name: Lindsay Barczuk
Posted Date: February 19, 2008 at 2:48 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Lindsay Barczuk
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Tags: Antique Wood, bamboo, Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, domestic wood flooring, EcoTimber, FSC certified wood, green flooring, harvesting, regeneration
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Good morning everyone. I have attached some pictures of a building that we have secured some great Heart Pine from in New York City. This building is not being demoed, but they are taking the wooden frame work out of it and replacing it with steel to preserve the building. I did a quick google search, and there is a lot of info available on this building.
The Claremont Riding Academy, the last riding stable in Manhattan, was located at 175 West 89th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues in New York City. Built in 1892, and a National Historical Site that was designed by Frank A. Rooke [1], Claremont was the oldest continuously operated equestrian stable in New York City[2], and a regular attraction for horsey tourists.
Claremont was a very sophisticated yet homey environment. It was an unusual multistory barn, its floors connected by ramps, housed its horses in individual stalls in the basement and on the second floor. There was an indoor riding ring, but it was quite small and obstructed by posts.
Continue reading "Recycling History: The Claremont Riding Academy" »
Author's Name: Rich Marrila
Posted Date: February 12, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products
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Tags: antique wood, Heart Pine, New York City, reclaimed wood
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I recently read an amazing blog/article written by C.B. Whittemore called Luxury Marketing: It Surrounds Us! In her blog, ironically called Flooring the Consumer, Whittemore speaks about the Luxury Market and how it behooves anyone in the Luxury industry to take their customer service very seriously. I couldn't help but make a correlation between it and my position at Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, not to mention our general company philosophies. You see, at Carlisle, we responsibly procure and handcraft Wide Plank Wood Floors of only the highest quality. Every floor we make is handcrafted with each individual customer's wants, needs and desires in mind. Each plank that goes into a Carlisle Floor is meticulously inspected by dozens of skilled craftsmen to ensure the desired characteristics are met while also being carefully examined to meet Carlisle's stringent standards for excellence. These concepts are carried throughout every aspect of our organization. In many ways our wood receives the same type of individual attention that we strive to provide each customer with every time we are in contact with them. I'm sure by now you can see where my analogy is headed. In essence, from the moment a customer calls in for the first time, throughout every step of their decision making process, all the way until they place their order and beyond, it is the apex of our business to develop a relationship with each customer. Some of these relationships last weeks, yet most of them last years and even generations!
I work in Customer Service at Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, so I am at the front lines of this initiative. Proudly, I am often the first voice our customers hear when they call in. Each person on my team shares a common goal to create a memorable experience in every contact each customer has with us. We then take this concept and expand upon it by following up with our customers to check to see if they got our brochure they requested, received the samples our shop crafted for them, as well as answer any questions they may have. To top it off, we then contact each customer after their floors have become a part of their home or project to see how everything turned out. At this point, or at any point for that matter, we encourage them to let us know if there is anything we may be able to improve upon. We consider this feedback to be among the most important we receive, as it's truly what allows us to continue with our mission and evolve as a business.
Each string woven into the fabric of our company contributes to these philosophies. Whether you're a Finisher working in our Sample Shop handcrafting a sample to match a particular customers cabinets, a Craftsman in our Mill selecting the perfect plank of Old Growth White Oak because it has a beautiful knot that's going to fit right into the Country Kitchen it's being crafted for, or if you work right beside me in Sales/Customer Service; each member of the Carlisle Family shares this common goal: to provide superior customer service that leaves a footprint of memory behind; and much like a Carlisle Floor, will last generations and won't ever be replaced.
Author's Name: Stephanie Urquhart
Posted Date: February 8, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Filed under: Customer Service, Stephanie Urquhart
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Tags: carlisle wide plank floors, customer service, flooring the consumer, luxury marketing, superior customer service, wide plank flooring
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A few months back, I was interviewed by Green Living Idea's founder and Carlisle customer Sean Daily. We discussed a variety of topics from our selective harvesting techniques to reclamation of old wood to tung oil and more.
If you have a moment, check out this podcast - you can even download it to your iPod! Nothing will keep you moving at the gym quite like this discussion :)
Author's Name: Lindsay Barczuk
Posted Date: February 5, 2008 at 2:10 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Lindsay Barczuk
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Tags: Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, Green Living Ideas, lindsay barczuk, podcast, reclamation of old wood, selective harvesting, tung oil
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