Hardwood Surface

Carlisle Helps New Orleans Rebuild

Fri, 09 May 2008 15:09:56 -0500

We have partnered with Deltec Homes of Ashville, N.C. in order to build a new home in New Orleans to replace those destroyed by Katrina.

Carlisle has donated 2,500 square feet of its traditional Southern Heart Pine flooring as part of a participating effort on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition". The popular TV show has asked builders and suppliers from all over the country to help out in New Orleans continuing road to recovery.

The program will air at 8/7c on ABC Sunday, May 18, 2008.

Deltec homes and buildings are of a classic round design, noted for their beautiful cathedral ceilings. So ironically, that is where Carlisle’s Heart Pine flooring will be featured.

“We say we craft our floors one board at a time, but in this case it was a ceiling,” says Don Carlisle. “We’ve known the folks at Deltec for quite a while and have partnered with them on other projects, but this one was really special. The whole Extreme Makeover: Home Edition effort to help Katrina victims is a very worthy cause and we’re proud to have contributed.”

Joseph Schlenk, Deltec’s Director Of Sales and Marketing adds: “To build a home in four days was an impossible task. We accomplished our mission because a lot of ordinary people exerted extraordinary efforts. It would have never been possible without the help of our builder coalition, the volunteers and our sponsors, especially Carlisle Wide Plank Floors. The heart pine Carlisle provided was stunning and anyone who entered the was amazed by its beauty. We thank them for their generous contribution.”

Podcast: Prefinishing Green Flooring with Carlisle

Fri, 09 May 2008 13:55:01 -0500

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 knwo what you think.

On the Road: DC Open House

Thu, 08 May 2008 11:57:49 -0500

I have just returned from our Georgetown design center and firstly, what a beautiful space—secondly our open house event was a great success!

We had a wonderful group of people stop in for the evening. I was able to speak with quite a few clients that our sales group is working with and help them locate some new samples, talk about the wood species they are interested and overall talk about their projects.

Jane stopped in, she is one of Lynne Rafuse’s clients and she lives in Georgetown—a short jaunt from our center. I enjoyed my chat with her about Heart Pine and how she’s really looking forward to it in the complete renovation project of her home. I also had the pleasure to speak with Sue and Jay of Maryland. They bought our Eastern White Pine from Gary Ryer a few years ago and installed the floor themselves. In their upcoming project, they want to use the Eastern White Pine again, but they want wider boards, up to 15” this time!

Throughout the night, it got the chance to meet many other Carlisle friends. The girls from Washington SPACES stopped over too! We’ve chosen to advertise in SPACES, it’s such an awesome publication—check it out.

Clare, Hannah, Janel and I had so much fun visiting with all of our guests! We thank those of you that were able to make it!

Join us for Green Drinks DC—June 10th from 6:30-9:30.

On the Road: Carlisle Design Center Open House in Chicagoland!

Thu, 08 May 2008 11:14:35 -0500

I’m just returning home from another Carlisle open house! Last Thursday, May 1st we opened our doors for friends, neighbors, architects, designers and the media. We were very pleased with our attendance. A few friends of mine stopped by: Melodie Bishop from Chicago Public Radio. I enjoyed showing her our “Recycling History” DVD which is all about our FSC Certified Antique wood.

Jan Parr, Editor of Chicago Home + Garden also stopped over for some goodies and a nice chat. She’s got a blog of her own. Our friendly neighbor, Doug Van Tress from The Golden Triangle also stopped by. A very nice Dean Batogowski, Publisher of Luxe Magazine’s Chicago edition was also kind to visit. The Chicago team: Brian, Eric, Erin, Kate and Katelyn had a lot of fun mingling with their clients and meeting new ones. Erin and I both enjoyed meeting the folks from the local ASID chapter, James and Elizabeth who we spoke at length with.

The event was a great success and we are very pleased to be members of the River North neighborhood.

See us at the Showcase River North, May 13th at the Holiday Inn-Mart Plaza from 4-7 pm.

True Hardwood Story - Hardwood Flooring Design That Rocks!

Tue, 06 May 2008 16:00:05 -0500

Take one look at the guys at Balash and Greene, and you might mistake them for rock stars.

They definitely don't fit the mold of what typically comes to mind when you think "hardwood flooring contractor", and they like it that way. Come to think of it, they probably have more in common with a rock band than you might think-they work together in a small group, they "tour", traveling around the country to different venues they're working at, and they live to get people pumped about the awesome work that they do. Balash and Greene bring a mix of master craftsmanship with a refreshing approach to floor design that pushes the limits of what was previously thought possible with hardwood flooring, and I got a VIP pass to go behind the scenes and find out what makes their wood floors rock.

DIY: Walnut Bathroom Renovation

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:54:08 -0500

As a proud member of Carlisle’s marketing team, I wanted to share my most recent do-it-yourself project—the installation of my very first Carlisle floor! I chose Walnut because of its beautiful brown tones with highlights of golden honey and the nice figuring in the grain patterns.

I began my project in September 2007 when my boyfriend Dan and I first decided to embark on the demolition of our current bathroom. We knew straight off that it was going to be a fairly large undertaking, but we also knew it had to be done. After two days of destroying, hauling pieces of old sheetrock, insulation and tile out by the truckload we were finally down to the rafters.

As we have delicately built the bathroom back up we decided to make our project as custom as we could afford. Firstly, we’ve done the entire project ourselves: plumbing, electrical, everything! (We did have the extra hands of our dads helping out, which is great.) Dan invented his own radiant heat system—it’s a built-in subfloor unit with PEX tubing (which we purchased on EBay inexpensively). We were able to install our Carlisle floor directly on top of our radiant heat system. We also did a tile inlay underneath our toilet and in front of our bathtub, and it was really easy to make both the tile and the walnut work nicely together during the installation—we had zero hiccups.

One of the best parts during our renovation was applying the tung oil to our floor. We thought the wood was stunning before we started the finishing process, but as we added the coats of tung oil we were amazed at how it heightens the swirling grains and warm chocolaty tones.

A few holidays, snowmobile season and a litter of Weimaraner puppies later and we are still working on our bathroom! We are hand making our vanity and that’s our current stage of the process. Stay tuned for the vanity and completion of my bathroom

From Apple Farm to Reclaimed "Green" Flooring

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:06:55 -0500

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.

55,000 Ways To Live Greener

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:08:22 -0500

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 lists

Do any of you plan on participating in a similar commitment? Do you have any other suggestions of simple ways to make a difference?

True Hardwood Story - Bringing New England to Lake Keowee, SC

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:25:00 -0500

It's a warm, sunny day in Seneca, South Carolina. The gentle breeze is wafting off of Lake Keowee and the air is thick with the sound of birds, the rustling leaves, and...the landscapers? Are they cutting down that tree over the walkway?! Ronda Ringo just finished a conference call when I gave her a call, and amidst the hustle and bustle of her daily life as a Solutions Principal for EMC Software, she now feared that her yard was going to be treeless. Thankfully, everything was under control, and I got to learn of the fateful way that Ronda and Carlisle Wide Plank Floors were united.

Outside of her day job, Ronda loves interior design. Over the years, she's assembled an extensive portfolio of things that have caught her eye - carpet samples, paint colors, design ideas, and supply companies. A long-time subscriber of Coastal Living magazine, Ronda had seen an advertisement for Carlisle Wide Plank Floors years ago, and knew that was what she wanted to have in her home someday. She tucked the clipping into her portfolio without too much thought at the time. When it came time for her to design her own home from scratch years later, the light went on and she remembered that little clipping as she discussed her flooring options with her contractor.

LEED vs. Energy Star Ratings

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:42:32 -0500

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.

Have any of you been a part of one of these or another Green Building program? What was your experience like?

Introducing: "True Hardwood Story" - Carlisle Customer Interviews!

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:00:00 -0500

We're excited to introduce a new type of blog post that we'll be offering to you regularly here on Surface - "True Hardwood Stories" - real stories and feedback from actual Carlisle customers!

Flipping through our books full of heartfelt, handmade customer letters and photographs, we thought it would be a shame to keep that to ourselves and not let others see what wonderful and different ways Carlisle has been impacting the lives of our customers over the years. We'll be conducting interviews and featuring customers on the blog to help tell their story and hopefully inspire you to do the same.

As always, feel free to share your questions and concerns. Are you a previous or current customer with your own story to tell? We'd love to feature you! Just leave us a comment expressing your interest and we'll be in touch with you right away. Maybe you'll get to feel like a celebrity and see your story on the blog someday! What's your True Hardwood Story?

The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Chicago--what a great show!

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:38:43 -0500

I just returned from the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Chicago—what a great show! The venue is in such a beautiful place, bordering Lake Michigan and large enough to fill three exhibit halls worth of kitchen and bathroom products/services. Carlisle’s booth was in the Lakeside Center. Our 200 square foot booth had two of our signature wood floors: 12-16” Eastern White Pine with Plymouth Pumpkin stain and 7-10” Hickory with our Tung Oil finish. Both floors and sample panels were show stoppers and attracted DIY homeowners and architects/designers alike. Our sales staff had a nice time chatting with clients and really enjoyed the high number of people walking KBIS this year. Gary and Erin especially liked answering questions and educating booth visitors about our new Custom Coat™ Pre-Finished floors—our latest product to launch. Brian and Eric, members of our sales staff from our new Chicago design center commented that dispelling common myths about wood floors was one of their favorite topics to speak about.

As I walked the show, I did see some neat products. The latest kitchen and bathroom counters that peaked my interest are of recycled glass and I saw some neat handmade pullware for kitchen or bathroom cabinets, designed to match any style or decor. Lastly, radiant heat—which has become a popular heating source, is a luxury underfoot in bathrooms. Before the show ended I was able to listen to Home Magazine Live, a radio program hosted by Alan Taylor—he interviewed our very own Gary Ryer for a short segment on our wide plank floors.

Sara Fritz

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:58:54 -0500

Hi everyone. I’m Sara Fritz and I am the Human Resources Manager here at Carlisle Wide Plank Floors. It’s hard for me to believe but I have been part of the Carlisle family for just over 7 years now and what a great time it has been. As a Carlisle customer myself, I’m ready to share my take on the installation process, four-legged animal distressing (I have two dogs) and the overall experience of living on a Carlisle floor. As the HR Manager I don’t get to spend much time educating our customers so this may be my chance, but other than that I’m hoping that my blog additions will help you to get the inside scoop on what makes Carlisle tick.

One thing I will share with you is an intimate look into the Carlisle employee culture. I’m proud to say that we have a unique bunch of people working here and by sharing some of our experiences you may see just how special our company is. Be it though different volunteer projects we participate in, how we celebrate each other’s personal/professional successes or the companies charitable giving initiatives you will have a unique window into what makes Carlisle, well, Carlisle.

On a personal note, my passions include cooking/baking, softball and the Boston Red Sox. I absolutely love to bake and decorate birthday cakes for fellow employees (and their families) and I hope to one day make it a more formal business for myself. And yes, I do share recipes. I have also been a Boston Red Sox fan for over 35 years now, so I guess you could call me gluten for punishment who finally knows the sweet taste of success. Yes, I survived the Bucky Dent home run of 1978 and the Bill Buckner event in 1986 but lady luck has been shining on us as of late. Two World Series wins in 3 years is pretty cool, I must say. I actually attended Opening Day at Fenway Park on April 8th and to see the team receive their World Series rings was a personal dream come true. Not to mention the public display of forgiveness for Bill Buckner as he threw out the first pitch. So if any of you ever want to talk Boston baseball, I’m your gal.

Well, I look forward to chatting with you and I’m sure we will share lots of thoughts, ideas and passions. Until then!

Sara

All about wood: Longleaf Yellow Heart Pine Flooring

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:14:45 -0500

Longleaf Yellow Pine used to be the dominate species in Southeastern United States. It was the Driving force behind the South’s post Civil War industrial revolution Established the social status of hard wood floors Primary wood used in early 1900s Southern homes, mills, and factories. Not to be confused with Shortleaf Yellow Pine, a fast growing timber that is used today for plywood, pulp and pressure treated lumber.

What makes Longleaf Heart Pine so special and prized by our customers is the deep amber-colored patina which darkens and becomes more beautiful as the wood ages. If a floor rich in history, family tradition, and color is your idea of the perfect surface for your home, ask for a sample of Carlisle's Old Growth Heart Pine today. It will be a floor that grows with your family for generations.

John Crosby and Don Carlisle on the Crosby Alabama plantation.

For more than 40 years, Carlisle Heart Pine has come from a 30,000-acre plantation in Alabama, owned and operated by the Crosby famliy.

This is the first in an on going video series we are calling All About Wood, highlighting the history, facts and thoughts about our most popular wide plank hard wood flooring.

Expressing Personal Style is the Latest Trend in Kitchen Design

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:22:15 -0500

Can’t buy a home with the kitchen of your dreams…then remodel your current home and express your personal style in every design element! According to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, business is booming for contractors and others in home improvement businesses. In fact, a recent study conducted by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies estimates Americans will spend $160 billion on repairs and home improvements in 2007, a 3.2 percent increase over the previous year. The five most popular remodeling projects will be kitchens and bathrooms, additions, and changing the paint, floor and wall coverings.