Have any of you guys had experience with Carlisle wide plank floors? I have a log cabin in the Lake George area of upstate New York that I am replacing all of the carpet in. I really like the look of the Old Growth White Pine flooring installed with cut-nails.
I am just wondering how it ia going to hold up. I want “character,” but not a floor that is going to look awful after a couple of years.
I have one very energetic dog. The floor will be about 1200 sf, which is all of the first floor except for the kitchen and baths(tiled).
I am also interested in how you finish these floors. The brochure says just Tung Oil and stain, but is that enough?
Thanks for any info. Their website is: www.wideplankflooring.com ;
Replies
We used their lumber, stain, and tung oil on a floor recently. +-5000sf of it.
It was one of our other crews so I haven't seen it myself, but the floor guy, who's very good, had a hard time not leaving lap marks with the finish. He ended up having to finish each plank separately. Said it came out beautifully though.
Carlisle is OK, but if you have an energetic dog on white pine, he will do a fine job of "antique-ing" it for you quickly- that 'distressed' look is all the rage though
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Do you know of any other wide plank flooring producers who are better than "okay?" I know that white pine will get distressed quickly, especially with the dog. As long as it doesn't go from distressed to ruined.
Thanks.
maybe I did not word that well. Carlisle is fine. i was just trying to educate you that white pine is a very soft wood.Tung oil will penetrate and harden it slightly, but it is still not a good choice where dogs abound
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I helped install Carlisle's wide pine in my parents' house, in '98. They were a great company to work with, and the quality of the wood was excellent. The tung oil was fussy.
It looks lovely, but it does not hold up like you might want it to. It does scratch and dent, particularly with dog nails, and some high-traffic areas have worn and chipped. Fortunately my parents like patina. :^)
I think it's the nature of the white-pine beast -- perhaps you might want to check into a different (harder) species.
Good luck,
soj
Edited 11/18/2007 7:19 pm ET by Sojourner
So what color is the Carlise flooring when it's finished? The old pine in houses in my neck of the woods is very red. When I have to patch in new wood I have to stain the new pine almost to a cherry red color, with some brown mixed in to come anywhere near the color of the old pine, and I am never really very happy with the results.It would be great if I could find a source where I could just order some old wood that was closer in color to start with. As is I go begging from a couple of guys I know around here who salvage houses, but it's pretty hit or miss when I need to do a room sized area.StevePS: I really like Waterlox on pine floors, new or old. It's a catalyzed tung-oil that is very durable and has a nice amber color and pleasant but not overwhelming sheen.
"So what color is the Carlise flooring when it's finished?"It's really a question of the stain color, and my parents' house is that dark cherryish red; I don't recall the stain right off, but I can probably find out if you're interested. I am thinking it was a blend from Carlisle. With the tung oil, it has a nice soft sheen. I have a friend who installed Carlisle as well and stained it a golden amber color; that too looks really nice."The old pine in houses in my neck of the woods is very red. When I have to patch in new wood I have to stain the new pine almost to a cherry red color, with some brown mixed in to come anywhere near the color of the old pine, and I am never really very happy with the results."I'm wondering if using a dye as an undertone might simulate the darkening of age . . .? (Haven't tried it myself.) Stain as necessary on top? Or maybe just take it to a tanning salon . . .;^)soj
It i sthe UV rays darkening the wood over a hundred years. No way to match that with a stain
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That's what I always figured, but I've sanded maybe close to half an inch off some of this stuff sometimes, and it still comes up red after I put the (largely) clear finish on. Can the UV really darken it all the way through like that?Also, isn't the Carlise stuff old? I thought it was reclaimed wood. I guess I'll just send for a sample.Steve
Steve, as I recall, the heartwood of white pine is quite red and much darker than the sapwood. And it deepens in color as it is exposed to UV (is there also a chemical reaction to gases in the air?).
Perhaps those wide, red boards are 100 percent heartwood ... from 300 year old trees. If so, the only modern source would be salvaged lumber as you've been doing.
A friend once showed me an example of "fuming" pine to give it an aged look. I think he used ammonia fumes. The resulting pine (sapwood) was deeper and richer in color, but not reddish. I think the fuming technique was often used by Arts & Crafts craftsman to deepen the color of oak.
Allen
"Also, isn't the Carlise stuff old? I thought it was reclaimed wood. I guess I'll just send for a sample."Last I checked, Carlisle offers both reclaimed and newly sawn, as well as a range of other species. We installed the new stuff. soj
"It is the UV rays darkening the wood over a hundred years. No way to match that with a stain."No argument there! Guess we have to get crackin' on depleting that ozone layer. ;^)soj
Thanks for the info. I think I may like the patina and aged look of the pine, even if it gets a little beat up.If I decide to go in that direction, I will try to post some pics.
Here you go - http://www.heartpine.com/ - finish with Waterlox http://www.waterlox.com/
Jeff
Edited 11/20/2007 9:28 pm ET by Jeff_Clarke