Home Flooring Choices Category Archive
Some times you need a really hard floor--like when wheelchairs are involved. For this home in Cumberland, Rhode Island, the design firm Inclusion by Design, used Carlisle's 8-inch Brown Maple boards, which were finished at the home site with a Gingerbread stain and tung oil. Inclusion by Design, based in Providence, Rhode Island, specializes in making homes and businesses accessible to people with disabilities and they take on some projects where renovations need to be made because of new, limited mobility. The Carlisle Mill in Swanzey, New Hampshire handled making this floor with the design work of Crystal Knowles in our Stoddard, New Hampshire offices. The Brown Maple is a great option for those who like the look of an older pine, but need to have a much harder floor.
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: June 15, 2009 at 8:00 AM
Filed under: Hardwood Flooring, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Carlisle, disabilities, hard wood floor, Inclusion by Design, maple floor, wheelchair accessible
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We completed another wonderful project in Palm Beach, Florida with the D.C. Twin Company doing the installation. The clients had us here at Carlisle working with their home design company to come up with a dark floor with a unique finish. After many samples produced by our sample shop in Stoddard, NH, everybody ultimatelly settled on 6-inch Select Grade Ash and a custom color that was a blend of Antique Farmhouse and Blacksmith. They were pre-finished, but got a topcoat after installation. We not only had floors installed, but this Carlisle wood was used for a few decorative touches to the ceiling as well. The clients kept wanting the wood to be in more and more places as the project continued, according to Kelly from D.C. Twin.
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: June 5, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Filed under: Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: ask, Carlisle, custom stain, Florida, Palm Beach
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A couple in Massachusetts is installing this Carlisle floor, an Antique Heart Pine model with 4 to 12" inch widths, in their historic home after falling in love with our showroom, our mill and our floors. They're waiting to hear if "This Old House' is going to be filming at their home soon. We'll let you know when we find out!
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: May 25, 2009 at 5:43 PM
Filed under: Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Antique Heart Pine, Carlisle, This Old House
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Cheryl Workman and her husband came by Carlisle's showroom and offices in Stoddard, New Hampshire last summer and fell in love with our Antique Oak floor. Six months later, they untook the renovation project--installing the Antique Oak in their small kitchen in Michigan. The floor shown here was prefinished with an Amber stain and is 7-inch widths. Cheryl writes...
"...(The kitchen project) was a lot of mess, but so worth every minute of it. Thank you so much. I could not be happier."
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: May 22, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Filed under: Customer Service, Events, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Antique oak, Carlisle, michigan, remodeling, wide plank floors
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Randy Harris came to our Atlanta Design Studio nearly a year ago, when his ultra-modern home in Atlanta was just in the conceptual phase of drawings. He wanted a very contemporary look and--well--he certainly achieved it! His home was featured this past weekend on the "Modern Atlanta Home Tour" and he dropped Carlisle a note to tell us about it. He wrote to Caitlin in our Atlanta offices:
Caitlin:
Hope you are well! I just wanted to tell you that our home was on the Modern Atlanta home tour this past weekend, and we got many compliments on our floors! ...Thanks again for all your help!
Randy Harris
Even while constucting this very contemporary house, Harris wanted to showcase the natural characteristics of Carlisle's wood floors and he chose our Old Growth Hickory, with an Antique Farmhouse stain. We think the contrast is quite awesome.
Photos by: TaC studios/architecture, Atlanta
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: May 20, 2009 at 3:38 PM
Filed under: Customer Letters, DIY - Do It Yourself, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Flooring Choices, Regions
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Tags: architecture, Atlanta, Atlanta Modern Home Tour, Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, Hickory
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An architectural consulting firm Carlisle works with, New England Architectural Consulting, LLC, sent along this photo of a recently completed kitchen floor project. It was done in 8 to 12-inch Select Red Oak, with a waterbased finish on it. The photo shows the kitchen not quite ready for occupation.
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: April 24, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Filed under: Home Flooring Choices
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We got these beautiful pictures sent to us by Lesley Vickers, who had Carlisle floors installed in her Wolfeboro, New Hampshire ski home, an 1800s home. Her primary home is in Rhode Island. The floors were installed by the homowner and are Carlisle's Antique Oak with tung oil finish. Lesley's sister-in-law had Carlisle floors installed in her home and that's how Lesley found out about us. Beautiful!
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: April 3, 2009 at 8:00 AM
Filed under: Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Antique Oak, Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, New Hampshire
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Adam, from our Stoddard sales offices, sent along these photos one of his clients had sent of their project to install pre-finished floors in their kitchen. The floor was all 8-inch nominal widths, with a 50/50 mixture of our Two Grades. It was finished with Residential Amber Coat, with no eased edge or end-matching applied. The clients were Rona and Steven Goldfarb of West Orange, New Jersey, who had begun talking with Carlisle about their kitchen renovation last February. Adam reports they first were interested in the Chestnut chevron pattern, but as they talked, the project evolved into what you see in these photos. (Adam points out the Goldfarbs were some of the nicest people he's ever worked with!) The floor was milled down at our mill in Swanzey, New Hampshire, and Adam sends a shout-out to them for doing such a great job.
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: March 20, 2009 at 8:29 AM
Filed under: Home Flooring Choices, Wood Grains & Styles
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Tags: hardwoods, lumber, wide plank floors, wood floors
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Earlier here on "Surface," we talked about how we partner with Crown Point Cabinetry, a company in our very own homestate of New Hampshire, in providing reclaimed woods they use to make some of their cabinets. You can see these antique woods in action in cabinets here. Talking with the Crown Point gang got us to thinking how cabinets and floors are inter-related, or not. Here's our design and sales consultant, Lynn Rafuse, on choosing cabinets to go with floors, and vice versa.
Q: In a major kitchen remodel or new construction, would you decide the floors or the cabinets first?
Lynne: When customers come to us, we always tell them that if it's at all possible, they want to choose their floors first. Of course, with some remodels or small projects, that's just not possible. Or, they may be totally in love with their cabinets, but need new floors. But when possible, it's best to go "floors first" because the floors are the largest "backdrop" in the space and the one most likely to remain longer than any other. It's one of the biggest surfaces in your home. Almost everything else is more "changeable."
Q: So, after that's decided, what are the other considerations when matching cabinets to floors and floors to cabinets?
Lynn: Of course, it's the style of their home. Is it a timberframe, an 1800s farmhouse in New England or a modern high rise in Chicago . This will somewhat narrow down the flooring choices (though these days, almost "anything goes" in décor; see below). Then there are considerations
Continue reading "Choosing a Carlisle floor to go with your cabinets" »
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: March 16, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Filed under: Green Building and Eco Friendly Products, Home Decor, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Crown Point, kitchen cabinets, New Hampshire
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We just got these photos sent to us from McCloskey Builders, who were working with one of our Carlisle customers down in Pennsylvania. The floor is our Premuim Cherry pre-finished with a Gingerbread stain. Our sales rep, Lauren Power here in the Stoddard offices, helped with this project. Doesn't it look gorgeous? We mean, the floor is fanastic, of course, but look at that house! (We just had to show you a glimpse of the exterior, even though we can't take credit for any of it.)
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: March 12, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Filed under: Home Decor, Home Flooring Choices
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We noticed the folks over at the Unique Glass Home Decor blog returned to our discussion about using wide plank flooring in small rooms. One's intuition may say smaller would be better, but in fact the opposite is true. The fewer seams in the floor, the more light and airy the room may feel.
Take a look at the other great advice for decorating a small room from these folks. Then, you might want to read further on the subject with this article, "Wider is Better," written by our own Lynne Rafuse. Lynne's article appears on page 7 of the newsletter.
Care to comment? Have you used wide planks in your small room? We'd love to hear from you or even see photos if you've got 'em! Just click onto "Comment(s)" just below.
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: March 6, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Filed under: Home Decor, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Carlisle, home decorating, reclaimed floors, wide plank, wood floors
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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!
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: February 27, 2009 at 4:19 PM
Filed under: DIY - Do It Yourself, Home Flooring Choices
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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!
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: February 16, 2009 at 1:29 PM
Filed under: DIY - Do It Yourself, Home Flooring Choices
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Sales Account Manager Peter Switzer, in our Stoddard offices, has been working with Linda Sypherd, a potential customer, and getting some samples sent to her, etc. He was tickled when Linda took the time to send along this note recently:
Last night, I ran into a friend that I haven't seen for years and she does designing for new construction, etc.
Told her I wished I had bumped into her a few months before, as planning my kitchen was somewhat overwhelming; but as we talked, she was asking about my house, and then she asked the big one: What kind of flooring are you looking for?
So I told her wide planking! And she immediately said, "Carlisle was the best!" She was even more surprised that I knew that!. )
Linda moved to Egg Harbor City in New Jersey about two years ago and lives in a 2-story farmhouse on the river. Her house dates back to the 1800s and she and her husband began talking to Peter about using hickory with a hand-planed surface or antique heart pine.
Going to try and do all the floors downstairs at one time to make it look complete - kitchen, dining room, hallway & then the living room. Never know what we might come across once we get started...but that is our goal...hope!!!--Linda
Peter has now sent her some samples of, not just the two she wanted to see, but two more he thought might work in this old house. He wrote:
I also sent some samples of heart pine and even antique ash. I have been doing this a long time, and there are so many ways to make "new" wood look old. At the same time there is just something about the look of say antique heart pine that just adds 200 years to the home!
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: February 13, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Filed under: Customer Letters, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: ash, Carlisle, heart pine, hickory, wide plank flooring
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One of our customers in Virginia completed the installation of an Eastern White Pine floor, pre-finished with Plymouth Pumpkin. The floor is 6" to 10" widths. We were a little late with the delivery of the floor because of a massive ice storm the state of New Hampshire had right around the holiday season. (You may have heard about it? Click here, if not). We're grateful that Mr. Young was incredibly nice about the whole thing and that he sent along this note and photo featuring his new floor. Thanks, Mr. Young!
The floor is beautiful, we cannot imagine a better color, and with all
those long boards it went down soooo fast....The folks living here clearly did NOT measure the floor but quoted the size from memory - and it is 15x16 not 18x16, so we have quite a pile left over. With luck, we might get a small bedroom re-floored.-- Russell Young
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: February 11, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Filed under: Customer Letters, Hardwood Flooring, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Carlisle Wide Plank Flooring, Eastern White Pine, Hardwood floors, New Hampshire, Virginia
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Dan O'Neill from our West Hollywood Design Center in California sent us these shots he got from one of his clients, Greg Stewart, up in Regina, SA, Canada. Greg had a random width floor installed in his cabin using 4" to 8" pre-finished CG Hickory with a BU stain. Dan says a random width floor can really have a special look and these photos show that off.
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: February 10, 2009 at 9:53 AM
Filed under: Hardwood Flooring, Home Flooring Choices
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Beautiful northern Minnesota just got a little more beauty added to it, with this floor that was installed in a small cabin there. Scott Ogden of our Midwest offices sent these photos along from his client, Richard Fursa, who had a 4" - 12" Hickory floor, pre-finished in our mill with Amber poly. Though Richard did a great job with the photos, Richard says-and Scott agrees-that the photos just don't do the floor justice. Here's what Richard had to say about his new floor:
We like the floor very much and are happy that we chose hickory. Its grain patterns are very striking. That coupled with the wide/long boards give the floor a look one will never see in the flooring sold at the various home improvement centers.
The photos, however, don't really do it justice. If you have ever been to the Grand Canyon and have taken photos, you will know what I mean.
Author's Name: Christine Halvorson
Posted Date: February 6, 2009 at 10:56 AM
Filed under: Customer Letters, Hardwood Flooring, Home Flooring Choices
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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?
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: November 12, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Filed under: Customer Letters, Customer Service, DIY - Do It Yourself, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Flooring Choices, Regions, Wood Grains & Styles
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Here's a nice letter and photos that Dan O'Neill of our West Hollywood Design Center received from his clients in Los Altos, California.
Hi Dan,
How are you doing? We moved into our place this past summer - the floor looks great and everyone that comes in admires how it looks.
Thanks,
Mike
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: November 7, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Filed under: Customer Letters, Hardwood Flooring, Home Flooring Choices, Regions, Wood Grains & Styles
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Tags: california, DIY, narrow widths, walnut
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Rick Menard's clients of Connecticut emailed these photos of our wide pine floors... 10” to 15” widths with our custom Hit or Miss surface, and our signature Gingerbread stain.
Here's a note from Rick: Gary Brennan installed and finished the floors. Great job Stoddard mill & everyone. They just ordered another 1500 sf for additional rooms!
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: November 3, 2008 at 9:50 AM
Filed under: Customer Service, Home Decor, Home Flooring Choices, Regions
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We exhibited at the Log and Timber show over the weekend in Chantilly, Virginia! It was a neat show and we had the chance to meet with many people.
Before the show started, one of our preferred installers, Aaron Penney installed our wide plank Eastern White Pine and Heart Pine floors.
Here's a photo of Aaron putting the Antique Cut nails into the Eastern White Pine floor.
Once the show started, visitors stopped by the booth to look at our beautiful solid wide plank floors. Here's a photo of Janel from our
DC Design Center chatting with one of our guests! They're talking about our
hand scraped hickory floors.
Here's a few close up shots of the booth in between visitors stopping by.
Here's a nice shot of our wide pine floor, this has our signature Gingerbread stain!
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: October 28, 2008 at 9:10 AM
Filed under: Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Decor, Home Flooring Choices, Megan Sprague, Regions, True Hardwood Story
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Tags: DC area, events, floors over radiant heat, timber frame homes
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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
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: October 21, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Filed under: DIY - Do It Yourself, Home Building and Contracting, Home Decor, Home Flooring Choices, Regions
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Tags: DIY, red pine, wide wood over concrete
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An email from Shanon of our New England Sales staff:
Good Morning -
Here are some amazing shots of our Hit or Miss Eastern White Pine wide plank floors
stained Gingerbread in a new home in Hollis, New Hampshire. This was a
customer that came to us loving the milled barnwood
and for budget reasons had to "compromise" - but I'd say this is far
from a compromise. Great job to the stoddard guys for another amazing
floor.
Enjoy!
Here's the nice letter and photos from her clients in Hollis, New Hampshire!
Hi Shanon,
We finally finished the last tung oil coats on the floor and it looks
BEAUTIFUL!!! So many people (including the town inspector!), have fallen in love with our Carlisle wide plank floor. I thought you might like to see a few pictures of the final product. I don't have the greatest camera -but you'll get the idea! We are moving in this week and will enjoy these floors for many years to come.
Thanks so much for all your help - you all have been wonderful to work with!
Fondly,
Wendy
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: October 20, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Filed under: Customer Service, Home Building and Contracting, Home Decor, Home Flooring Choices, Regions, Wood Grains & Styles
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Shanon received these photos from her client Norm of Black Mountain, North Carolina! He used our Heart Pine wide plank floors with signature Bradford Umber stain in his log home! The floors are over radiant heat, which makes a cozy combination!!
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: October 17, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Filed under: Home Flooring Choices, Regions
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Tags: black mountain, heart pine with stain, log home, north carolina mountains
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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: 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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Mark Nichols of our New England sales team, visited with his clients Elena and Lynn of Jewett Farms. We highlighted Jewett Farms last week on the blog with their newest studio in Newburyport, Massachusetts having Carlisle floors throughout. Lynn and Elena got the grand tour of Carlisle and nestled in at our design center and sample shop to talk about wood.
Here's Mark, Elena and Lynn chatting about the tight grain in this slice of Heart Pine.
This is the letter that Elena sent us following their visit:
Yesterday my colleague Lynn and I traveled from northern Massachusetts into the beautiful woods of New Hampshire – we lucked out and enjoyed a beautiful New England fall day. Our company, Jewett Farms, has become an exclusive partner with Carlisle and is distributing its wide plank floors from our new design studio in Newburyport, Massachusetts. It was very gratifying and educational to visit the Stoddard operation. We gained useful knowledge about the species, craft, and artistry of Carlisle flooring – so much of the language used to describe the work there resonated for us: it is the same language we use about the craft and art of our cabinetry. We were reminded each step along the way about the very special fit that seems to exist between Jewett Farms & Co. and Carlisle.
On a personal note, when I returned to my home in Massachusetts I realized I did not have my wallet and knew that I may have left it at Fiddleheads Cafe. I did not remember, in my panic, the full name of the Café so called Carlisle and explained my situation. Pat answered the phone – not only did she find me the contact information for the Café but offered, if my wallet was found there, to pick it up for me and send it back to me overnight. Previously I had remarked more than once about the friendly, courteous, and professional voices on the phone when I call Carlisle and Pat’s effort to ease my anxiety was above and beyond and much appreciated.
Author's Name: Megan Sprague
Posted Date: October 15, 2008 at 8:44 AM
Filed under: Customer Service, Hardwood Flooring, Home Decor, Home Flooring Choices, Megan Sprague, Regions, Wood Grains & Styles
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Tags: customer visit, jewett farms
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By Albert Waitt
Joshua Bodwell is a Maine writer and the Associate Editor of Maine HOME+DESIGN, a magazine dedicated to “capturing the interiors, exteriors, and heart of Maine homes.” From Revolutionary War-era farmhouses to rehabbed industrial lofts in downtown Portland, Josh Bodwell has seen and written about them all. The Surface caught up with the ever-busy Bodwell to get his thoughts on wide plank flooring.
You've seen a lot of great homes in your position as associate editor at Maine HOME + DESIGN, have you noticed the increased use of wide plank flooring?
Wood flooring is almost ubiquitous in great Maine homes. In a state that is so valued for its forests and connection to the outdoors, it is not surprising. Many Maine designers—whether they are architects or interior designers—use wood flooring to re-knit a home to the land beyond its walls.
Why do you think wide plank flooring is becoming so popular?
I think the rise in wide plank flooring’s popularity can be attributed to several factors.
First, I would note the obvious: it looks great. From a design standpoint, the long, continuous lines achievable with wide planks can be used as a room’s key design element.
Next, I would have to speculate that the power of nostalgia plays a big part when homeowners in Maine—whether they are year-round residents or second home owners—select this type of flooring for their project. This theory is based upon the dozens of conversations Maine HOME+DESIGN staff has had with countless people in the home building and design field. We hear time and again that there is just something so warm and memorable about wide plank flooring—I personally always relate it to the wide pine floors in my grandparent’s 150-year-old house.
Lastly, in a time when “sustainability” is on the tips of many tongues, using pine flooring that comes from forests that are being forested with sustainable practices is very appealing to consumers. Utilizing reclaimed wood for flooring is even better—this is not recycling, but upcycling, by which I mean, taking something that is already made and giving it a new, more valuable and sustainable life.
Statistics show that demand for antique flooring has doubled over the last ten years. Are you seeing more homes with reclaimed wood, antique floors, as well as more recycled or salvaged materials in general?
Yes, we see homes all the time with reclaimed wood, antique floors. In fact, two weeks ago I was visiting with the wildly talented furniture maker Eric Ritter of Ritter Furniture and we spent a long time talking about the reclaimed wood floors that he had laid in his 175-year-old colonial farmhouse.
Recycled and salvaged materials are constantly popping up in Maine homes. I think the state has a long history of this sort of smart frugality. These days, there are reasons beyond frugality to use such materials. Again, as I stated previously, consumers are becoming more savvy about where the components of their home come from, how they are manufactured, and how they impact the earth. Antique flooring scores high with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, or LEED, and many people give serious credence to their advice.
What kind of aesthetic do you find wide plank flooring giving homes on the coast? In the interior of the state?
As I said earlier, wide plank flooring seems to be a perfect fit for the Maine design vernacular—in the interior of the state, it offers echoes of old barns and farmhouses; along the coast, it epitomizes our ideals of the perfect beachside cottage.
The aesthetics possible with wood flooring are, as I also said earlier, limitless. A few examples of homes we’ve featured in Maine HOME+DESIGN come to mind:
Back in May, 2007 we featured a home in a piece entitled “Island Elegance.” In that home (which included Douglas fir walls and ceilings) the antique southern yellow pine floors gave the small island home an added level of sophistication.
In June of that same year we featured an early 1880s farmhouse in South Freeport where the homeowner (who is also an interior designer) picked old wide-pine-board floors and gave the space an almost French countryside aesthetic.
Lastly, a Goose Rocks Beach home featured in our new issue, “Land of Leisure” (August, 2008), has gorgeous wide pine floors throughout. While some could argue that pine isn’t “strong” enough to withstand the wear and tear of sand-covered feet, the homeowner and architect felt strongly that the natural aging of the wide pine would add beautifully to the beach cottage-meets-farmhouse aesthetic that they were aiming for.
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: August 13, 2008 at 2:35 PM
Filed under: Guest, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: antique wood, design magazines, home building, interior design, Maine homes, reclaimed wood, recycling, renovation, sustainability, wide plank flooring
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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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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 Phil Johnson
I'm not a big Do-It-Yourself guy. Generally, my DIY activities are limited to painting, wallpapering and unclogging the toilet. Other than that, my main handyman skill is writing a check. It's no surprise, then, that the thought of installing my own wide plank hardwood floors seems about as doable as building the space shuttle.
However, after a little research, I've come to think this is the kind of project that even I could handle. At the very least, it's less life threatening than other home improvement projects like:
Plumbing – Plumbers use blowtorches. Can you say, "burn unit"?
Electrical – They use electricity to execute convicts. No thanks.
Roofing – I'm not afraid of heights; I'm afraid of falling from heights.
So far as I can tell the odds of installing hardwood floors and living to tell about it seem relatively high!
If you're thinking of installing a hardwood floor yourself, there's lots of helpful information out there about it – even videos tutorials! After careful review, I get the feeling that, with a little patience and free time, I could actually handle it.
For starters, nowadays you can buy prefinished flooring – even for wide plank flooring – eliminating the need for sanding, staining and sealing. Since using a drum sander sounds about easy as operating a Zamboni, this reduces the project complexity – and potential medical co-payment costs - quite a bit.
Next, the tools involved aren't all that complicated. They include – among other things – a hammer, a crowbar, a floor nailer and a miter saw. Now, sure, a power saw sounds a little dicey, but I figure you can lose a digit or two and still maintain a high quality of life.
As for the actual hardwood floor installation, it sounds quite reasonable, and has been described as a weekend project. It involves some variation of the following basic steps:
Remove any existing baseboard – Heck, even I can take stuff apart.
Prepare the floor base – You can put hardwood flooring on top of a plywood sub-floor, an existing hardwood floor or even concrete! Usually, you put down a plastic or felt vapor barrier to keep the moisture out.
Install the floor - Start laying planks or boards from one wall, nail them in place using said floor nailer (try not to do this) and work your way across the room. Be sure to stagger the seams where the boards join!
Edge special room aspects - If the room has floor vents, fireplaces, or some such thing, make sure to edge them, which requires a few extra cuts, no biggie.
Replace baseboards, sweep up and enjoy your new floors! At this point you may want to enjoy a celebratory beverage of your choice (in my case that'd be beer).
The more I think about this, the surer I am that I'm going to have give this project a go! Now I just need to convince my wife that I won't maim myself doing it …
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: August 8, 2008 at 8:19 AM
Filed under: DIY - Do It Yourself, Guest, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Flooring Choices
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By Albert Waitt
Wise investment isn't limited to the trading floor of Wall Street. According to realtors and designers across North America, hardwood flooring adds to a home's value as well as its charm. Aesthetics and economics converge, and the homeowner reaps the benefits.
It's clear as to what a hardwood floor can bring to a space in terms of warmth and style. The Denver Business Journal reported that Colorado designers and homeowners are opting for more hardwood flooring than ever, as it is seen as "timeless," "classic," "elegant," and "adding style to any living area." The DBJ was also quick to note the accompanying increased resale value of a home with a hardwood floor. Home décor columnist Rose Bennett Gilbert of the San Diego Union-Tribune and RealEstate.com's renovation guide came to similar conclusions on the investment value found in hardwood flooring.
Agent Brain Madigan of Toronto, with over 5000 real estate transactions to his credit, believes that hardwood floors are "one of the few improvements that you can make to your house where the resale value may exceed the actual cost of the improvement. The return can easily amount to 150% to 200% or even more." Although Madigan's numbers represent a best case scenario, statistics from a 2006 National Wood Flooring Association survey of realtors further substantiate the value of hardwood floors.
The NWFA survey found:
99% of real estate professionals indicated that having hardwood floors either "greatly" or "somewhat" aided a home's salability.
90% of realtors suggested that homes with hardwood floors will sell for more money than homes with mostly carpet. (25% of the realtors stated that hardwood floors would add 6 to 10% to a home's resale value, while 12 % believed hardwood flooring would add more than 10% to the sale price.)
82% of realtors believed that homes with mostly hardwood floors will sell faster.
84% of home buyers who have lived in homes with hardwood floors are more likely to buy another home with hardwood floors.
By choosing hardwood flooring when building or renovating, homeowners can add to the attractiveness of their house, something they will be able to enjoy every day. They can also view their floor as an investment: When the home is sold, that hardwood flooring will pay real dividends.
(Survey results are available from The National Hardwood Floor Association: http://woodfloors.org/consumer/contact.aspx)
Continue reading "Investing in a Wide Plank Hardwood Floor" »
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: August 7, 2008 at 8:48 AM
Filed under: Authors, Guest, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: floor renovation, flooring, flooring choices, Hardwood floors, home buyers, home buying attributes, home sales, home value, increasing home value, real estate, resale value
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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.
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: August 6, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Filed under: Guest, Hardwood Flooring, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: 17th Century Flooring, Baroque Period, Natural Resources, Renaissance Floor, Timber Mills, Tongue and Groove Flooring, Wide Plank Hardwood Flooring History
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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.
Author's Name: Guest Blogger
Posted Date: August 5, 2008 at 8:41 AM
Filed under: Guest, Hardwood Flooring, Home Building and Contracting, Home Flooring Choices
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Tags: Hardwood and Market Value Increase, Home Value, Housing Crisis, Remodeling Market Index 2008, RMI, Wide Plank Hardwood Flooring
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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 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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A few weeks ago while browsing the Garden Web forums, I came across a concern we hear from time to time regarding durability.
Posted by mamadadapaige
Hi,
Please help me get to the bottom of this...
We are renovating our house and putting in hardwood floors which will run continuously through several rooms, including the kitchen and butt up against some existing vertical grain fir floors.
I want something that will work harmoniously with the fir but be much more durable since this will be in the kitchen and since we have young kids in the house.
I would like to go with old growth Cherry from Carlisle (www.wideplankflooring). They have assured me that because the cherry is old growth it will be hard enough to be durable in a kitchen. The architect (albeit a young architect) also assured me of the same thing (said that if it were cherry from anyone else he would say no, but that the Carlisle cherry is denser). The contractors are saying there is no way this is hard enough to be durable in a kitchen and are STRONGLY advising me against it.
I love the look of it and really want to go with it but I also trust the contractors and am afraid.
If we don't do this, we will go with quartersawn white oak and deal with the fact that where the oak meets up with the fir the contrast is great (and probably not very pleasing to the eye). Unfortunately where they meet is very visible as you enter the house so not an ideal situation.
Anyone with specific experience with Carlisle Cherry floors?? or even if not, any advise for me?
thanks!!!
I've grown up with traditional wood floors as my parents loved them and made this there passion to bring to others to enjoy. Now I am carrying on the tradition and would love to help share some thoughts on your decision.
Its very interesting to me to see what others have said about your desire for Cherry flooring, good quality cherry will last for generations and there definitely are not any durability concerns. Pine flooring still remains in good condition in many of the Early American architecture and is a highly sought after and beautiful floor. Cherry is much harder and every bit as durable. If you aesthetically love the look of Cherry you shouldn't change this direction. Cherry has been used in homes all over the country for a long time with fantastic results. Your children will add character to the cherry, the extent to which this happens will directly correlate to the finish that is used. I am a proponent for a softer finish that allows the normal aging process and doesn't look like plastic plus maintains the beauty of the Cherry. There is no issue regarding the floors durability, yes you can use Ash or Oak but make your decision based on the look you want. The difference in the wear and durability will be negligible to you and both floors will be there for another generation to enjoy!
-Don
Author's Name: Don Carlisle
Posted Date: April 7, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Filed under: Don Carlisle, Hardwood Flooring, Home Flooring Choices
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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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I've always known I have been allergic to dust because it would make me sneeze - a lot. I thought it was something I could live with and just one of those nuisances in life that some people have to deal with and others just don't. And so I trolled through most of my adolescent and teenage years just trying to stay away from dusty places ... that I could see. However, the real allergens that actually have caused me to develop allergic asthma can't even be seen by the naked eye! They are dust mites, pollens and pet dander. These are things you can't "see," but they infiltrate the environment in anything they can hang onto - mostly pillows, bedding, curtains and the main offender: CARPET.
As soon as I was educated to this fact, I promptly removed the carpet in my bedroom and revealed wood flooring that not only aided in ceasing my wheezing and coughing, but also incidentally looked much more handsome and welcoming than the carpet had. I ended up spending more time in my room than I ever could have before I had removed the carpet and vowed from that day forward there would be no carpet bigger than a throw-rug in my living space ever again! I'm really proud of this decision, as it has not only made me feel better physically, but I also have the peace of mind that I am not creating more non-biodegradable waste in the world from the chemicals used to maintain and produce carpet.
Another attribute I love about wood flooring is that it is so easy to keep clean; I can sweep it and damp-mop with an Earth-friendly mixture of a capful of vinegar and water and presto; good as new! Next time you're walking in your home and sneezing or wheezing, take a moment to look around you --- your worst enemy could be right under your feet!
Author's Name: Jen Fox
Posted Date: January 31, 2008 at 3:08 PM
Filed under: Home Flooring Choices, Jen Fox
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Tags: allergy, carpet, dust mites, Hardwood flooring, wood flooring
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