Rick Menard
Hi all, My name is Rick, and I am an account manager for Carlisle Wide Plank Floors. I have been here for many years and I will be helping with discussions ranging from quality of wood, installation, radiant heat, concrete slabs, builders time tables, customer service, and anything else you want to talk about. Installing and finishing my own floors, and many of my family and friends' floors also, gives me a great appreciation for the trades, as well as the do-it-yourselfer. I have been a woodworker since 1980, building furniture for family and friends. One of my favorite tv shows is New Yankee Workshop, and I had the pleasure of visiting their studio and watching an episode being taped. Having lunch with Norm Abram and Russ Morash was a thrill I will never forget. I love wood, anything to do with wood, including antique woodworking tools from the 30's to the 50's. I have built a DN ice boat, a sail powered vehicle that skates across ice, one of the hardest woodworking projects I have taken on.
My passions now include, (beside my wife and two seven-year-olds), building a 31' Ford Model A Streetrod, hiking and snowshoeing the New Hampshire woods, wildlife photography, and many other outdoor activities including coaching little league baseball, hunting and fishing. I have started a photo collection of very unique trees I come across in the woods with the goal of making a coffee table book some day. Working here at Carlisle gives me the chance to work one-on-one with customers, fulfilling my need for helping out people and interacting with some amazing flooring projects. One of the biggest kicks I get is seeing photos of homes people have remodeled or built, using wide plank flooring.
I look forward to hearing from everyone,
Rick Menard
Author's Name: Rick Menard
Posted Date: January 9, 2008 at 2:21 PM
Filed under: Rick Menard
View or post your comments here (6)
BLOGGING GADGETS
Tags: carlisle blog, carlisle wide plank floors, concrete slab installation, DIY, do it yourself, first post, flooring contractors, hiking, hunting and fishing, new hampshire, nh, radiant heat, streetrod, wildlife photography, wood floor installation, woodworking
Social Bookmarks: 
| 
| 
| 
TrackBack (0)
Comments
Are there some do's and don'ts regarding the use of radiant heat and Carlisle flooring? Are some woods better than others? Are some widths and/or lengths more desirable? Is a particular milling technique (tongue & groove, shiplap, etc.) better when contemplating radiant heat? What kind of "warranty" applies when flooring is installed over radiant?
Posted by Sandra Haase on January 25, 2008 4:24 PM
Hi Sandra,
Thank you for taking the time to ask these questions, as there is a lot of mis-information out there about wood floors over radiant heat, and I would like to help educate people on this subject. Let me briefly touch on this subject for now. I will be doing a much more in depth blog soon, so please keep an eye out for it.
There are do's and don'ts installing floors with ANY type of heat, radiant heat included. Understanding the type of radiant heat being used can clarify exactly what will be needed to be done.
Some woods do move more than others, and depending on the look you want to have, you may even want some of these woods in your home for an older look. The key here is using the best quality material to start with and working with people who understand the proper installation methods. We do floors up to and including 20" wide, over radiant heat, that are just as stable as flooring with any other types of heat. To view a video about the stability of our boards, click here:
Straight Talk on Stability - Video
http://www.wideplankflooring.com/video.aspx?cat=StraightTalk&Num=1
The width of your planks as well as the type of your radiant heat will determine weather you need to use a ship-lap or a tongue & groove installation method.
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors offers a Lifetime Assurance on all of our flooring. The key here is to install the flooring properly to begin with, and to set the proper expectations.
Our floors are now being installed over radiant heat in over 30% of our clients projects, especially here in the northeast. We are well versed in all types of heating systems, and we will work with you on your specific project.
Your are welcome to contact me directly to help in your specific installation. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
Rick
Posted by Rick Menard on January 28, 2008 11:52 AM
Hi Rick,
Great Web site and blog, thanks for sharing the link with me at your brother Doug's birthday party. Please contact me via email as I'd like to share some pictures with you and I don't know your email address.
Thanks,
Donna
Posted by Donna Cote on February 2, 2008 11:30 AM
Rick,
The old Texas boy here again. I read your bio and found other areas of interest in common. I have a 29 Model A Ford coupe in need of restoration. I am an antique purest when it comes to working on my 1898 house or 1929 A. I also have a 1959 TR3 Triumph. My problem is too many projects and too little time. I too work at a lumber business but ours is mostly SYP construction grade. We are wholesale brokers for the mills and volume customers. I am the Comptroller.
My dream is to go ocean kayaking and to build a wooden kayak.
Your snow shoe picture takes me back to some cross country skiing I did in Red Wing, Minnesota on the Mississippi.
If you know of a place to go ocean kayaking, let me know.
Ted Howard
Posted by TED HOWARD on April 3, 2008 3:25 PM
Hi Rick,
We are in the process of renovating our family homestead in Maine (cira 1840) and have installed a "Warmboard" subfloor for radiant heat. We would like to install a eastern pine random width (say 8-16"). specifically I was wondering about whether the planks should be butted or shiplaped? We realize that we will get spaces between the planks that will be changing with the seasons.
Thanks for your help.
Denham
Posted by Denham Ward on April 3, 2008 9:40 PM
Hi Denham,
Thank you for your interest in our traditional wide plank flooring. I would ship-lap your floors for a more traditional feel, and to hide the subfloor when you get a slight shrinking in the very dry time of year. Would you like me to craft any samples for you? Please e-mail me at rmenard@wideplankflooring.com
Have a great day,
Rick
Posted by Rick Menard on April 4, 2008 12:45 PM