Green Building and Eco Friendly Products Category Archive
Tender is the new steakhouse at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas! Carlisle worked with the designers on the project. Here's what Jason Wolfe, Carlisle sales person from the West Hollywood office, had to say about his participation in the project.
"We all decided that to complete the restaurant’s masculine look would be to use our 400 year old Original Gray Exterior Barn Siding, random widths of 5-12” wide and very long boards (nothing shorter than about 10’). The design team is based out here in Los Angeles (great ladies!) and my builder is located in Vegas. Pretty cool project… in a wicked cool setting."
Here's one of Tender's ads
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: November 5, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Regions, True Hardwood Story, Wood Grains & Styles
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Here's a nice letter and photos that we received from client's of ours. They purchased our FSC Antique Oak floors and beams.
Hello,
Wanted to let you know our room is done and came out really nice. Attached are some pictures of the room prior to the furniture coming in. I installed some puck lights in the beams so light is cast onto the ceiling when activated. One question my wife had is what do you recommend for general cleaning of the floors. Any product that you recommend would be appreciated. Thanks again for all your help in the entire process. We are very pleased.
Todd and Gina Neddermann
P.S...We recommend weekly vacuuming (or sweeping) and a capfull of white vinegar to warm water for damp mopping!
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: November 3, 2008 at 9:36 AM
Filed under: Customer Letters, Customer Service, Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Regions
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Carlisle's Denver Design Center has been participating in the sponsor festivities with Mountain Living at their Natural Dream Home in Cordillera, Colorado. Our FSC Certified Antique Ash floors (with a stain) were used throughout the first level of the home. The home is now open through November, for tours!
Here's a close up of the FSC Antique Ash with the brown stain, also check out the interview with sales person, Laura Leier! This article can be found in the November/December issue of
Mountain Living on page 70!
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: October 31, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Home Building and Contracting, True Hardwood Story, Wood Grains & Styles
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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
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: October 28, 2008 at 9:57 AM
Filed under: Customer Letters, Customer Service, Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Jen Fox, Regions, Restoration Projects, True Hardwood Story, Wood Grains & Styles
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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!
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: at 9:44 AM
Filed under: Customer Service, Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Home Building and Contracting, Home Decor, Megan Sprague, Regions
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Tags: chantilly show, relationships, subfloor radiant heat
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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
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: October 21, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Filed under: Customer Letters, Customer Service, Green Building and Eco Friendly Products
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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
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: at 4:05 PM
Filed under: Customer Service, Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Decor, Regions, Wood Grains & Styles
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Over the years, we've partnered with Deltec Homes of Asheville, NC on many projects. One of the largest was the sponsorship of an Extreme Makeover Home Edition Home in New Orleans last year!
We received this letter and photos from David Ide of Deltec Homes this week. Our floors are featured in their model home!
Glen,
I need some more Carlisle literature to put on display. We have handed out all that I had left over from my parade from last year. We have had so many people asking about the floors, they are truly the highlight of the house.
I have attached some photos for you. I can’t tell you how happy we are with how the floor came out.
David Ide
Director of Customer Relations
Deltec Homes, Inc.
69 Bingham Rd
Asheville, NC 28806
1-800-368-7401
www.deltechomes.com
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: October 17, 2008 at 9:58 AM
Filed under: Customer Service, Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Hardwood Flooring, Home Decor, Home Flooring Choices, Regions, Wood Grains & Styles
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Building Products magazine had their first annual Green Ribbon Product Awards and Carlisle won the flooring award for our FSC Certified Antique Reclaimed Wood!
Carlisle's FSC Certified Antique Reclaimed Hickory
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: October 2, 2008 at 1:31 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products
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It was an exciting event and drew sixty people to the seminar held in Palo Alto. The 30-minute presentation format allowed for each company’s educational snippet and a thorough question and answer session—where the audience was very enthusiastic and involved.
The speakers were: Amy Dryden from Build It Green (a LEED-like organization), Terry Alsberg of Warmboard, Paul Izenstark also of Warmboard (on the subject of solar heat) and Dan O’Neill from Carlisle Wide Plank Floors.
John Noble, also a member of the Warmboard group, gave me these details, “We diligently held to the speaker’s 30 minute allotment, as it became clear we’d blow past the time we had committed. We had two speakers go, then took a short bio break, and got right back to work. We decorated the walls with some plan sets that Jennifer (Build It Green) printed- a nice array of projects and I observed many people checking them out before the start and during the break. The room was extremely attentive and packed. Excellent questions were asked, the audience was clearly engaged in the material.”
“This was a very strong event. Because I spoke last, I had time to mingle and gauge the interest levels and subjects that people were in attendance to learn about. The group was very diverse with professionals, and different levels of knowledge on the various subjects. One of the most positive things was the amount of questions and interaction throughout,” shares Dan O’Neill Regional Manager of Carlisle’s West Hollywood location
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: August 21, 2008 at 9:06 AM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products
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By Albert Waitt
Carpenters often refer to salvaged materials as coming from "the industrial forest." This somewhat comical slang indicates a growing awareness in the building industry of the importance of recycling classic wood and lumber. The US Forest Service reported:
"The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the equivalent of 250, 000 single-family homes is disposed of each year in the United States. This represents nearly 1 billion board feet of salvageable structural lumber per year, equivalent to about 3% of the current US softwood harvest. Much of the lumber available for salvage through deconstruction is from decades of old-growth harvest and represents a resource largely unavailable from any other source. As a result, much of the wood is of higher structural and aesthetic quality (higher density, slower grown, fewer defects) than is the lumber produced today."
Hardwood used in wide plank flooring can be salvaged from a wide range of sources. It has come from turn-of-the-century homes, old hotels, dilapidated mills, and even a 120 year-old, decommissioned 15 story grain elevator containing "the equivalent of an entire forest of antique, old-growth white pine in its walls." Where once this wood might have been seen as junk and discarded or burned, it is now recognized for what it is: An extremely rare natural commodity.
The wood salvage industry has expanded to harvest this bounty. The 2005 Forest Service study identified approximately 1400 businesses involved in salvaging, restoring, and building with reclaimed wood. It is a number that has steadily climbed.
Demand for reclaimed antique wood has also grown as homeowners have become aware of the look and ambiance it can provide. A National Hardwood Floor Association survey found that 56% of decorators and designers noted an increase in the demand for antique wood flooring over the past two years.
To meet this need, the hardwood flooring industry looks to the industrial forest. It's there that they can glean materials that are nearly impossible to find anywhere else. The American chestnut tree is nearly extinct, but one can enjoy the warmth it offers a home through salvage and restoration. Old growth pine harvested from a turn-of-the century farmhouse will show a dense wood grain with a tight ring pattern that just doesn't appear in virgin lumber. The aesthetics offered in reclaimed antique flooring are inimitable.
Barns that were once left to fall and rot are now seen as a valuable resource. Old houses that may have crumbled in disrepair are mined for irreplaceable flooring and fixtures. If one wants to create a period feel to a room or home, the most effective way to do so is with the materials of that period. Thanks to the industrial forest, the floors of the past live on today-and look as beautiful as ever.
(Survey results are available from The National Hardwood Floor Association:
http://woodfloors.org/consumer/contact.aspx)
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: August 10, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Flooring Choices, Wood Grains & Styles
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Tags: Antique Lumber, Barn Deconstruction, Reclaimed Floor, Recycled Wood, Sustainable Building Materials, Wide Plank Hardwood Flooring
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By Albert Waitt
If a homeowner is environmentally conscious and chooses to install a wide plank hardwood floor, it's easy for them to remain consistent and "go green" when caring for that floor and keeping it looking its best. Whether one has chosen a responsibly forested white pine or an antique reclaimed hickory, a green approach to upkeep and cleaning will benefit the homeowner and their wood floor.
When considering how to maintain and clean hardwood floors,
The American Hardwood Information Center offers the following advice:
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Place floor mats and throw rugs at entrances to trap dirt.
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Sweep floors weekly with brooms that have fine, exploded ends.
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Weekly vacuuming will also keep hardwood floors clean.
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Wipe up spills, pet accidents, and other liquid mishaps as soon as possible.
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It is important to remember that water exposure can harm a hardwood floor.
Instead of relying on commercial floor cleaners that may have toxic ingredients, the consumer has green alternatives when choosing materials to keep a wood floor clean and lustrous. The first step is to determine what kind of finish is on the hardwood floor.
For hardwood floors finished with polyurethane, Greenerchoices.org, thedailygreen.com, and Martha Stewart recommend damp mopping with a solution of one cup of vinegar per gallon of water. The mop should be barely wet, just enough to pick up dust and dirt, but not enough to leave water streaking on the floor itself.
For wide plank hardwood floors and soft wood floors with a penetrating finish, such as Carlisle's Tung Oil Finish, water should be avoided during maintenance. In addition to sweeping, dry-mopping, and vacuuming, Care2.com's Live Green Producer
Melissa Breyer recommends a natural
Citrus Solvent be sprayed on the floor in a light film and then dry mopped off with a micro-fiber or regular dust mop.
New green cleaning products are being rolled out on a daily basis and there's no doubt that consumers will have more choices in green floor care in the coming years. But the tips offered here (and now) are safe and effective. Through these simple practices, a homeowner can preserve their floor and protect their planet at the same time.
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: August 9, 2008 at 8:05 AM
Filed under: Authors, DIY - Do It Yourself, Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Guest, Hardwood Flooring, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Carlisle Floor products, green cleaning, green floor cleaning, green flooring, green products, hardwood floor cleaning, hardwood floors, Tung Oil
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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!"
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: August 4, 2008 at 3:33 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Guest, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Energey Efficient, Green Wide Plank Hardwood Flooring, Home Heating, Radiant Heat, Sustainable Floors
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By Tarryn Guarino
For Peter Glidden, a long and busy work day begins at sunrise -- and he wouldn't have it any other way. For him, there is no typical "day at the office" -- he and his father Larry operate a small, family owned sawmill in rural Maine. And that means Peter's work days are as unique as each of the eastern white pine timber planks he mills alongside his dad.
"We sort of stumbled into this business about four years ago, and it's been nothing but busy ever since," he explains. "My dad, Larry, he came home with the first portable mill. He used to say he couldn't saw enough wood in a year to make a picnic table . . . but not anymore!"
So, what's the best part of owning and operating your own sawmill?
"I really [enjoy] going out to view and buy the wood," Peter says. When the big trees come down, local foresters contact the Gliddens to come out and take a look at the timber. The premium pine is chosen from trees that have fallen naturally, a process known as selective harvesting. This is an environmentally friendly practice that provides perfect timber, while remaining sensitive to the natural growth of the forest and avoiding deforestation. Peter has no problem scouting out choice timber from these fallen pines.
"I hand pick everything, based on the quality of the wood and what I know we need," Peter explains. To create the handcrafted wide planks for Carlisle, he personally selects the wood he knows will provide the perfect finished product. The Gliddens operate two small sawmills, and while the work can be a bit noisy, the job also allows for plenty of time outdoors in the natural wilderness.
"The actual sawmills are indoors, but we do a lot of our work outside," Peter explains. Whether heading out into the forest to survey some potential timber, or admiring the finished boards outside of the workshop, the Gliddens are truly connected to nature -- and their craft.
Peter's genuine love of the land and the wood is clear from the moment he starts talking. When asked about his favorite part of the job, he answers without any hesitation, "The craftsmanship, definitely. I take a lot of pride in the grading of our wood. It's all hand done. Eastern white wide planks are a great quality wood, and I take a lot of pride in the work that we do."
To see the Glidden family's sawmill firsthand and learn a bit more about their work, check out their video on the Carlisle Wide Plank Floors website.
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: July 16, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Eastern+White+Pine, Environmental Logging, Hardwood Flooring, Responsible Forestry, Selective Harvesting, Wide Plank Flooring
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By Nancy Shohet West
Until very recently, it was something of an oxymoron - two irreconcilable opposites - to look at cleaning products as environmentally friendly. Many of us are accustomed to thinking that clean equals germ-killing, and killing germs might not be compatible with preserving all other life forms. When you go into a hospital, you smell bleach; when you pick up clothes at the dry cleaner's, you smell...well, we're not sure what the smell is, but it definitely connotes a pristine wardrobe, even if it's not an aroma found in nature.
In other words, in the past it was almost taken for granted that in order to rid surfaces and substances of pollutants - whether the item to be cleaned was wood flooring, dishes, household appliances or clothing -- a certain amount of eradicating might be necessary. Sometimes you have to prioritize, we believed then, and let your ecological principles lapse a little if it meant getting your home germ-free.
Fortunately, that kind of thinking has changed. With more and more people feeling guilty about pouring chemicals into the groundwater every time they mop a floor or polish an antique, the demand grew for environmentally friendly cleaning products, as this article on green cleaning explains. So now, it really is possible to do both: preserve the environment and protect your home from germs and dirt.
Of course, the best way to keep things clean is not to let them get dirty in the first place. Your most environmentally correct choice when it comes to a cleaning substance is to avoid cleaning substances altogether. In the case of floors, there is a lot you can do to prevent the need for stringent cleaning. Bearing in mind that the three most powerful foes of wood flooring are dirt, sand and water, consider these very easy tips that promote "holistic" - i.e., non-chemical - cleaning:
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Encourage the removal of shoes as people enter your house by placing a mat or a durable runner made of indoor-outdoor carpeting just inside your front door. Even more generous is to have extra pairs of slippers handy in a basket by the door for visitors.
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Sweep your hardwood floors regularly, using a natural or nylon bristle broom with slightly frayed ends. Doing this every day if possible will make a huge difference in terms of the quantity of grit that gets ground into your wood floors on a regular basis.
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Clean up liquid spills right away, including water, which often comes into the house in the form of snow clumps.
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Dry-mop with a terry-cloth dust mop. Dry-mopping provides the benefits of buffing and polishing without the harshness of cleaners.
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If you have pets, keep their toenails short.
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Avoid dragging heavy objects across your wood floors.
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Place felt casters under furniture legs.
When you do need to go the extra mile and wet-mop or polish, there are several environmentally friendly products designed for use as wood floor cleaners. For example, Floor Kleener from Earth Friendly Products has been specially developed for cleaning a variety of flooring, including sealed hardwood floors. Another good example is Envirorite Hard Floor Cleaner, which uses soy in place of chemical substances and can also be used on sealed hardwood flooring surfaces. Envirorite boasts the added advantage of being safe for people with allergies, asthma, and chemical sensitivities, which is also important if you have babies or toddlers crawling on your floors. You can find these products and more at the Floor Cleaners and Kokopelli's Green Market websites.
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: July 15, 2008 at 3:22 PM
Filed under: DIY - Do It Yourself, Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Hardwood Flooring
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Tags: Eco-Friendly, Environment, Germ Removal, Green Cleaning, Hardwood Flooring, Wide Plank Floor
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By Tarryn Guarino
There is something really amazing about an antique floor. If the wood beneath your feet could tell a story, what would it have to say? Who has walked these boards before us?
To find out exactly how exactly these wide planks get from an old barn to our bedroom floor, I spoke with Rich Marilla at Old Dominion Antique Lumber. The company purchases materials that are salvaged from old barns or antique structures and repurposes the wood for use in new homes and buildings. This practice has the added bonus of being environmentally sustainable, which means Carlisle's antique timber floors are FSC 100% Chain-of-Custody certified. But before this antique wood can be resettled in a new home, it must first get a mini-makeover.
Continue reading "If These Hardwood Floors Could Talk: Secrets of Antique Lumber and Reclaimed Flooring" »
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: July 14, 2008 at 3:55 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Flooring Choices, Wood Grains & Styles
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Tags: Antique Hardwood Floor, Recycling, Sustainable Building, Wide Plank, Wood Floor Reclaim
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Being that we are members of the National Wood Flooring Association (or NWFA as the industry folk call it) we are privy to many intriguing conversations and debates pertaining to wood flooring products. Most recently bamboo flooring has been a hot topic for discussion among those in our industry and among consumers. More and more we're hearing about this rapidly growing grass that because it's renewable is therefore being considered a great green flooring option.
If it's a green floor you're looking for, you may think bamboo or recycled glass or one of the other quickly renewable or recycled options is the best choice. However, there are many things you need to consider before you know which choice is best in terms of "greenness."
First, just because they say it's green doesn't mean it is. Buyer beware. There are hundreds if not thousands of organizations that offer certifications for every consumer product imaginable, from paper products to granola bars, that certify them as all natural/organic/green/recycled etc. You need to know that not all of these so called certifications are legitimate and even more of them are not so strict in their certification requirements. In short, it doesn't take much effort to acquire many of these seals of approval. When you're considering a green product, whether it's a recycled building product for your new home, the hybrid car you're going to drive everyday, or the organic snack you're going to feed your children, make it your job to understand exactly what makes that product green and how it got it's green certification. Do your research.
Continue reading "Considering Green Flooring Options: Do your research." »
Author's Name: Kim Cassin
Posted Date: May 27, 2008 at 11:28 AM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products
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You know that phrase, "if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen"? Well, remodelers are heeding the opposite, making the kitchen the hottest place in the house for renovations, and it's not too hard to see why. The kitchen has become more than just a place where food is prepared. It's become the family and social gathering place. No matter how big or small the home, people always seem to end up in the kitchen. Sometimes it's to keep the cook company during a family get-together, or to lend a helping hand. Other times, it's to gather around a bowl of snacks or to do homework after school. When you think about it, the kitchen really is the life force of modern living, so it's only reasonable that during the recent housing dip, people are turning to renovate their own homes instead of purchase new ones. Kitchen renovations top the list of home improvements, according to Remodeling Online.
As a result of this kitchen craze, kitchen manufacturers are cranking out more and more high-quality, eco-friendly options for DIYers and contractors alike. The green movement seems to have hit at a perfect time, since buyers are now looking to not only save the environment, but save money and be able to feel that they're doing their part by working on home projects themselves. Now, instead of simply renovating the look and feel of a kitchen, owners are becoming more invested in the long-term affects of their kitchen renovations by carefully choosing environmentally friendly materials and appliances.
Recyclable materials like glass and quartz are becoming more common in kitchen countertops, and of course you knew we'd mention hardwood flooring! Wood is one of the best examples of nature's renewable resources! Many people often think that once a piece of wood has lost its lustre that it's destined for firewood, but this isn't the case. Reclaimed wood in particular adds character and beauty to kitchen cabinets, and you can also have the satisfaction in knowing you're using a natural, renewable resource for your home that will last for generations. With so many different finishing options available, you could turn virtually any wood surface into something to suit your lifestyle.
Not far behind kitchens on the renovation list are bathrooms. Ironically, kitchens and bathrooms are two rooms we've talked about on the blog that seem further from the front of people's minds when thinking about hardwood flooring, but they can actually be some of the most affordable hardwood flooring projects since their square footage is generally smaller than that of a living room or bedroom. Have you recently renovated your kitchen? What were your biggest priorities in reshaping and refreshing your decor?
Author's Name: Lesley Anderson
Posted Date: May 21, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Filed under: DIY - Do It Yourself, Green Building and Eco Friendly Products
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Tags: DIY kitchen remodeling, hardwood in the kitchen, home remodeling, home renovation, kitchen remodeling, kitchen renovation
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You may have heard of the hundred mile diet -- purchasing produce and other food items grown, raised or created within 100 miles of your home -- in order to make life a bit greener and preserve the livelihood of local farmers and other small businesses. But have you heard of hundred mile decorating? This article talks about the environmental and local business benefits of decorating your home with the same approach as the hundred mile diet.
Hundred mile decorating takes the concept of "green home decorating" to a new level. In addition to being cautious of the materials your furnishings and decorations are made out of, there is the added environmental benefit of buying locally. This means no jet fuel costs from shipping goods across states or countries, and less automotive fuel by reducing the amount of truck driving required for shipment. It also means a sustained livelihood of local artisans.
It can be hard to adjust to lifestyle changes like hundred mile decorating or the hundred mile diet, but the key is to approach them with an open mind and allow yourself to get used to the adjustment before giving up. For example, if you live in New England, think of how many miles an orange has to travel to get to your fruit bowl! If you're buying locally, you may have to sacrifice the fresh citrus fruits in the winter, or plan ahead by canning or freezing your local seasonal fruits and vegetables when they're in season so you can enjoy them all year long. You can start to adapt to the change even simply by changing your approach when you go to the grocery store, and being more careful to pick foods that have been harvested nearby.
The same goes for green home decorating. It can be incredibly convenient to pick up whatever you need for your home at a mega-store where the goods are shipped in from all over the place, but even small steps can make a difference. For example, head to local flea markets to find locally made baskets and candles. Purchase your furniture from a local reclaimed wood furniture company. Buy homemade runners, drapes or curtains from a craft fair. There are many ways to get started, it just might involve a bit of extra looking!
Have you adapted any green home decorating methods, or have you taken the plunge into local purchasing? Leave a comment and tell us about it!
Author's Name: Lesley Anderson
Posted Date: May 19, 2008 at 3:13 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products
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BLOGGING GADGETS
Tags: buying locally, green home decorating, green living, hundred mile decorating, hundred mile diet, reclaimed wood furniture, sustainability
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Green Talk Radio recently had Lindsay Barczuk as a guest. She spoke with Sean Daily about the environment considerations of Carlisle's Prefinished Flooring as well as our daily green practices.
Give it a listen and let us know what you think.
Author's Name: Chad Cassin
Posted Date: May 9, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products
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Reclaimed wood floors are a popular option for homeowners and for public buildings as well. The floors give a sense of history to any building. We understand the importance of maintaining that history. A good example of this is the flooring that we have reclaimed from the Guerrant Family Plantation and Algoma Apple Packing Farm.
Two hundred and fifty years ago the 3,000-acre plantation and farm was the site of 100 buildings. The apples grown on this land near Boones Mill, Va., were harvested and shipped to England and played a role in the nourishment of soldiers from the Civil War to the Second World War. Today only a few buildings made from the plantation trees almost three centuries ago remain, but the wood from these structures are still playing vital roles in today’s construction. It’s the story of the Many Lives of An Apple Farm Tree and the Green alternatives it provides for your home.
Their first lifetime was spent as majestic trees providing shelter and shade for forest animals as an integral part in the eco-system. They grew to great proportions and were likely more than 200 to 300 years old before being harvested.
Their second lifetime was spent as components of the Apple Farm’s many buildings: the large packing barn where apples were prepared for shipment to England was built of chestnut; the farmhand’s quarters were constructed of heart pine; and the main building was oak.
Continue reading "From Apple Farm to Reclaimed "Green" Flooring" »
Author's Name: Don Carlisle
Posted Date: April 21, 2008 at 2:06 PM
Filed under: Don Carlisle, Green Building and Eco Friendly Products
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BLOGGING GADGETS
Tags: Antique, Apple Farm, Commercial Pojects, FSC Certified, Green Flooring, Historical Building
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In the spirit of Earth Day, Carlisle has challenged its employees to commit to greening one aspect of their personal lives. We figure that, over the course of 365 days, our 150+ employees will reduce the drain on natural resources in over 55,000 ways!
Some of the suggestions we made are:
Bring in a coffee mug and stop using the paper/styrofoam cups Buy reusable bags instead of using paper or plastic at the store Switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs Walk or take public transportation instead of driving once a week Support local business to cut back on transportation demands Buy organic - you'll reduce the amount of pesticides in our food chain Step up your recycling If you are having a baby, consider cloth diapers Bank online - stop your paper statements Remove yourself from mailing listsDo any of you plan on participating in a similar commitment? Do you have any other suggestions of simple ways to make a difference?
Author's Name: Lindsay Barczuk
Posted Date: at 1:08 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Lindsay Barczuk
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BLOGGING GADGETS
Tags: Earth Day, green building, greener life, personal change, reduce waste, simple ways to live green
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Green Building Programs and Standards are emerging everywhere. While many are casually compiled and branded, there are a lot of strong programs out there. Two of the leading programs are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and EnergyStar.
The LEED Program is a product of the USGBC (United States Green Building Council). I think the LEED is strong for two reasons: 1) it takes into consideration different building types - there are different LEED programs for Homes, Schools, Retail, Healthcare, and more; and 2) it considers a broad scope of Green Building objectives - including Materials & Resources, Water Efficiency, Site Sustainability, and Indoor Environmental Quality. In contrast, the LEED program has been criticized for 1) having limited emphasis on lifecycle analysis; and 2) demanding a higher implementation cost.
Energy Star, on the other hand, is a residential program that focuses primarily on energy efficiency and indoor air quality. This program appeals to homeowners because it evaluates and makes recommendations on improving the heating, cooling, and water systems within a home - all of these improvements will translate into savings on the energy bill. This government program also offers tax benefits to subscribers - another popular and tangible enhancement. Unfortunately, this program does not consider other Green Building objectives, like Material or Site Selection.
