Carlisle Wide Plank Floors Buyers Guide

WOOD FLOORS

A Smart Buyer’s Guide to Choosing the Right Floor

TO FIND LASTING BEAUTY, LOOK BELOW THE SURFACE

Choosing wood flooring can be very exciting but also a bit daunting. After all, a beautiful new wood floor can add value to your home and provide the foundation for style for every room. But at the same time, there are so many options in styles, species, designs, finishes, quality, costs and more that it can be hard to make a decision.

Fortunately, this guide can help you narrow the choices and find exactly the right wood flooring. The key is to look below the surface of those lovely samples in the dealer showroom and closely examine each one in terms of style, durability, environmental factors, stability, room type and value. This is where the inherent beauty of your wood floor is to be found.

Table of Contents

LayitDownRighttoStandtheTestofTime

Comparing Hardwood Flooring Types

Know What’s Underfoot Before Taking the Next Step

While all types of flooring have their own advantages and disadvantages, real wood holds a strong comparative edge in virtually every case.

Compared to carpet, vinyl or laminate - which may be cheaper to buy and install - sustainable wood delivers more long-term value through superior strength, exceptional durability and natural beauty. Plus, unlike carpet, it doesn’t harbor dust or other allergens, so people with allergies or respiratory problems can breathe more easily.

Carlisle Engineered flooring offers a Refinishing Warranty which guarantees you can sand your floor up to 3 times of the life of the floor.

Whencomparedtostoneortile,woodcomesoutontop becauseithasmoreflex,soit’smorecomfortabletostand onforlongperiods.Also,it’swarmer-bothliterallyand figuratively-thanstoneortile.

Finally,relativetootherflooringtypes,woodcanbe refinishedtorestoreitsnaturalbeautyandremovenormal signsofwearandtear.Otherflooringtypestypicallymust bereplaced,asthey’redifficulttorepairandcan’tbe refinished.

Asyoucansee,whenyoulookclosely,theonlyreal decisiontomakeinflooringistochoosebetweensolid woodandengineeredwood.Here’saquickoverviewofthe prosandconsofeach:

SOLIDWOOD

Pros:Wear-resistant;long-lasting;addswarmthtoany room;canberefinishedmultipletimes;naturaland sustainable.

Cons: Fluctuationsinmoisturecontentwithinthehomewillresult inseasonalshrinkageandexpansionoftheplanks;situationsthat couldleadtopoolingwatermustbeavoided.

ENGINEEREDWOOD

Pros:Naturalwoodlayeredforincreasedstability(generally shrinksandexpandslessthansolidwood);some“clickable” versionsmaybeeasierforDIYinstallationthansolidwood.

Cons: Typicallycanonlyberefinishedonceortwice;susceptibleto issuesinverydryconditions;fewcompaniescraftengineered floorsthatequaltheappearanceofsolid;needtoavoidpooling water

AstudyconductedbytheNationalWoodFlooringAssociation (NWFA)revealedthat99percentofU.S.realestateagentsasserted thathomeswithhardwoodflooringareeasiertosell;90percent saidthathomeswithhardwoodflooringsellformoremoney—up to10percentmoreinfact.Inadditiontoincreasingthevalueof yourhome,awoodflooroffersnaturalenvironmentalbenefits.

Environmentally Smart

The Natural Value of Solid Wood

In addition to increasing the value of your home, a wood floor offers natural environmental benefits.

According to the NWFA:

■ Theaverageannualnetgrowthforhardwoodtreesisgreaterthanthe averageannualremoval

Source:USDepartmentofAgricultureForestService

■ Woodisacarbon-neutralproductthatproducesoxygenduringits growthcycleandstorescarbonduringitsservicelife(35to75+years)

Source:UniversityofWisconsinWoodProductsProgramSolidWoodFlooringLifeCycle Analysis

■ Woodfloorsuselesswaterandenergytoproducethanotherflooring options

Source:UniversityofWisconsinWoodProductsProgramSolidWoodFlooringLifeCycle Analysis

■ Woodfloorslasthundredsofyears,sowon’tneedtobereplacedas oftenasotherflooringoptions

Source:NationalAssociationofHomeBuilders

■ Whileittakesmosthardwoodtrees40-60yearstomature,the inventoryplantedtodaywon’tbeneededfor100-plusyears.

Source:NationalWoodFlooringAssociation

Whilemanycompaniesstopatbasicsustainabilitypractices,fewtake environmentalstewardshipasseriouslyasCarlisle.Undertheleadershipof PresidentChrisSy,thecompanyisrecognizedforitsdeepcommitmentto responsibleforestryandlong-lastingcraftsmanship.

“We’rededicatedtocreatingbeautifulfloorsthatendureforgenerations— withoutcompromisingthehealthofourforests,”saysSy.“Weneverwork withclear-cutters.Instead,wepartnerwithasmall,carefullychosengroup oftimbergrowerswhoshareourvaluesandupholdthehighest sustainabilitystandards.Becauseofourstrictselectionprocess,onlyone treeineveryfiveacresmeetsourcriteria,ensuringwepreserveentiretree standsandallowyoungertreestothrive.”

Choosing a wood floor offers natural environmental benefits

AccordingtoarecentForest Servicestudyoflifecycleanalysis, usingwoodyieldedlowerair emissions,includinggreenhouse gases,thantheprocessesofusing othertraditionalbuilding materials.

–www.fs.fed.us

Beautiful,durableandsustainable…it’seasytoseethenaturalvalueofwoodfloors.

Not All Wood is Alike

TheHardFactsonSolidWoodFlooring

YOUHAVETOKNOWITSROOTS

Allsolidwoodflooringcomesfromtrees,butthat’swhere thesimilaritiesendanddifferencesbegin.Whilemanytree speciesarewidelydistributedthroughoutthecountry, certaingeographicareasofferoptimumgrowing conditions.Forexample,thebestHickorygrowsinthe upperregionsoftheAppalachianforests,whereshorter summersandacoolclimateresultinsubstantial heartwoodcontent.

Undersuchconditions,treesageandreacharicherlevelof maturity,whichleadstowoodwithtighter,toughergrain lines.“Thismakesthewoodmoredurablethanothersof thesamespecies,”saysCarlisle’sChrisSy.“That’swhywe selectonlymaturetreesfromtheoptimumgrowingareas foreachspecies.”

THEBESTWOODCOMESFROMTHEHEART

Earlier,wementionedatree’sheartwoodcontent. Heartwoodistheolder,harder,nonlivingcentralportionof trees.Usuallydarkerincolor,moredense,lesspermeable andmoredurablethanthesurroundingsapwood,itis reveredforitssuperiorbeauty,strengthandlong-term stability.

TheearlyNewEnglandsettlers,forinstance,cutboards fromthecenter,orheart,ofthetreebecausetheywould belesslikelytowarporshrink.Floorsmadefromthese boardswouldalsobeharderandmoredurabletostand uptoheavyusewithlarge,busyfamiliesofthatera. Veryfewfloorstodayarecomprisedofheartwood.Carlisle, however,isan exception.InhisBloxBlog,contractorTodd VendituolinotedonBobVilaNation,“Justastheearly settlersusedtheheartofthetreefortheirflooring,sotoo doesCarlisle.Asaresult,theboardsarelesslikelytocurl andwarpandwillstanduptoyearsofconstantuse.”

“Floors made with a substantial heartwood content will display more of the rich color and unique character of the species while lasting longer than other floors,” adds Carlisle’s Sy. “They become works of art that can be passed from one generation to the next.”

IT’SNOTREADYIFIT’SWETBEHINDTHEEARS...OR ANYWHEREELSE

Naturalwoodisorganic.Itbreathesandcanabsorborshed moistureinconcertwiththeenvironment.Asitreachesits equilibriummoisturecontent,woodwithahigherinitial moisturecontentwilltendtoshrink,whichmayalsoleadto splitting,crackingandwarping.That’swhywoodthat’s greenorimproperlydriedshouldbeavoided,especially wheninstallingflooringoverradiantheatsystemsor concretesurfaces.

Not all Wood is Alike

Whileeveryflooringmanufacturerhasitsownapproachtoeliminatingmoistureissues,therearefew,ifany,thatcomecloseto Carlisle’sthree-prongedapproach.First,Carlisleusesheartwoodfrommaturetreestocreateitswideplankflooring.Thedensity andstabilityofold-growthheartwoodinawideplankminimizesexpansionandcontraction.Second,Carlisleair-driesallofits woodforuptooneyear. Thisslow,long-termdryinghelpsavoidsplittingandcrackingwhilefurtherenhancingstability.Third,as afinalstep,thewoodisthenkiln-driedinsmallbatchestomaximizestrengthandstability.

TheCarlisleprocessissothoroughandtime-testedthatthey’vebeenabletosuccessfullyinstalltheirsolidandhighquality engineeredwoodflooringovereverytypeofradiantheatsystemandconcretesurfaceforoverfiftyyears.

THEREARENOSHORTCUTSTOLASTINGBEAUTY

Inaworldofdigitalcommunications,fast-pacedassemblylinesand“Iwantedityesterday!”demands,somethingsarestill bestwhennotrushed.Takeyourflooring,forinstance:You’llwalkonit,lookatitandlivewithitforalongtime,soyou wantittobeasbeautifulaspossible—nowandforyearstocome.Itshouldbeaworkofart,witheachboardchosenand craftedtocometogetherinauniquelycaptivatingmasterpiecethatwillendurethetestoftime.Thatdoesn’thappenby takingshortcuts.

AccordingtoChrisSyatCarlisle,that’swhytheyhandcrafteachboard.“Welookateachplankindividuallytoensurethatit achievesitsfullpotential,whileatthesametimeconsideringhowitfitsinthetotallookofthefloorwe’retryingtocreate.”

AtCarlisle,artisanwoodworkersscrutinizeeveryboardtodeterminewhichfacerepresentsitsfullestpotentialandcarefully shepherditthroughthemillingandotherprocesses.Alongtheway,it’sreviewedateachsteptoensurethatit’snothing lessthanthebest,becauseyourhomedeservesafloorwithlastingbeauty.

TheCarlisleprocessissothoroughandtime-testedthatthey’vebeenabletoinstalltheirsolidandhighquality engineeredwoodflooringovereverytypeofradiantheatsystemandconcretesurfaceforoverfiftyyears.

Wide Plank Floors

AddingaDifferentDimensiontoFlooringDesign

FORSTRENGTHANDSTABILITY,STRIPSDON’T MEASUREUP

Intheearlydaysofthiscountry,folksbuiltthings tolast.Astarterhomewasaddedtoasthefamily grew—theydidn’ttradeup.Andtheydidn’thave thetimeormoneytoinvestinconstantlyrepairing theirhomes.

That’swhyearlyNewEnglandsettlerstargeted thelongest,widestboardsfortheirfloors.Sawn fromtheheartofold-growthtrees,theseboards werefarlesslikelytowarporshrinkthan narrowerandshorterboards.

Today,Carlisleisrecognizedforusingwideplanks cutwithmaximumheartwoodfromcarefully selected,maturetreestoensurethestrengthand stabilityinherenttoadensegrainpattern.Thenthe planksundergoaproprietary,extendeddrying processtominimizeanychancesofcupping, splitting,shrinkingorwarping.Theresultisafloor thatstandsthetestforstrengthanyway youmeasureit.

“Wideplankflooringoffersa fewdistinctadvantages.For one,therearefewerseams, soCarlisle’swideplanks haveastrikinglookwhen comparedtothecommon3" varietyofflooringplanks.”

IT’SSIMPLEMATH:FEWERSEAMS EQUALMOREBEAUTY

Becausethehumaneyeisdrawnto continuity,theseamsbetweenplanks willtendtointerrupttheflowofyour floor,detracting

fromitsbeauty.Smooth,unbrokenlinesaremore aestheticallyappealing.Wider,longerplanks,like thosefromCarlisle,resultinfewerseamsandput thefocusonthegrainandcharacterofthefloor.In fact,withCarlislewideplanksyoucanreducethe numberofseamsinyourfloorbyupto80%, creatingasenseofclean,openspace,whichhelps anyroomfeelbigger.

“[Wideplankfloors]offeramorenatural appearanceandhaveamuchclearerstyleacross thefloor,whichalsomakesroomslookbigger.”

–NewsAlloyarticle NORESTRICTIONS-WIDEPLANKHAS AWIDERANGEOFUSES

Thekeytoversatilityisstrengthunderavarietyof conditions.And,again,thatgoesbacktodense grainpattern,carefuldryingandhandcrafted attention.It’snowonderCarlislefloorshaveproven thattheyarethemostadaptivefloorsonthe markettoday.

Madefromold-growthheartwoodorreclaimed flooringtoassureatight,densegrainpatternfor

Carlislewideplankfloorscombinea proprietaryextendeddryingprocess,along

withstrictattentiontodetailfromartisan woodworkers.Thisproprietarydrying processassurestheirflooringis theidealchoiceforeveryapplication —radiantheat,installingovera concreteslabandmore.

Wide Plank Floors

CONTINUITY—LETTHESTYLEFLOW

Asmentionedearlier,whenitcomestofloors,theeye preferscontinuityinlinesandgrainpatterns.Wideplank floors,likethosefromCarlisle,createanaturalflowfromone roomtothenextwiththeirlackofseamsduetothelong andwideplanks.Thisflowisespeciallyimportantinhomes withalotofopenlivingspace.

MarkT.White,ofKitchenEncountersinAnnapolis (MD),chosewoodflooringforakitchenremodel wherethefloorflowedintoaformaldiningroomand casualfamilyroom.AccordingtoWhite,“Ifwe’d switchedtotileorsomeothersurface,thefloor would’vebecomeanawkwardinterruption.And peoplepreferhardwoodtotileorotherkitchen flooringmaterials.”

– TrendRelease,AmericanHardwoodInformationCenter

AREARUGSOVERWOOD—ASMARTCOVER-UP

Arearugsareanexcellentwaytoexpandyourdecorating optionswithwoodfloors.Togetherwithstrategicfurniture placement,arearugsletyoucreatedefinedlivingand entertainingareaswithinlargeropenroomswithwide plankwoodfloors.Thewideplankstiealltheareas together,whilethecolorandtextureofthearearugsmake themdistinctive.

And,whilethewideplankfloorsaremadeforlasting beauty,arearugsareeasilychangeablewhenyouwanta freshdécorstyle.However,itisvitallyimportanttousea properpadundertherugtoprotectthefloor.

“Arearugsofferunlimitedcombinations ofcolor, texture,pattern,andplacement.”

–WorldFloorCoveringAssociation(wfca.org)

Theadditionofarearugsandrugpadsforhardwoodfloors servebothanornamentalandpracticalpurpose.Arearugs makearoomcozier,theylooknice,andtheyhelpprotectthe floorincertainsituations.”

–how-to-hardwood-floors.com

Wood Species

FromAshtoWhiteOak,theBeauty’sIngrained

RUSTIC.MODERN.ELEGANT.EVERYWOOD HASAUNIQUESTYLE.

Withsomanyspeciestochoosefrom,woodfloorsofferan endlesscombinationofgrainpatterns,color,andhardness tosuityourtastes.Darkerwoodswithtightergrainpatterns tendtocreateanelegant,moreformalatmosphere,while lighterwoodswithmoreopengrainspacingprovideamore casuallook.Atthesametime,alightercolorwoodwitha tightgrainpatternmayblendwellinacontemporarysetting.

Anotheraspecttoconsideristhewayafloorwearsover time.Forexample,whileEasternWhitePinemakesa strong,durablefloor,itwillacquiredentsandother characteristicsofwearandagethatgiveitauniqueappeal whichreflectsitssurroundings.It’salmostlikeapieceof folkart.Conversely,speciessuchasHickoryaremore resilienttothiswearduetotheirhardness.Theymaintain thesameconsistentbeautyfromstarttofinish.

Finally,reclaimedwoodbringshomeauniquecharacter withrichwarmthbehinditsimperfections.There’sa uniquecharminknowingthatyourfloorispartofhistory.

Ofcourse,asinmanyaspectsofdecoratinganddesign, yoursenseofstyleshouldbethedecidingfactorin choosingtheflooringforyourhome.

WHITEOAK

HardtoBeat

Hardandresilient,WhiteOakisalight,nuttybrownwood withdramaticgrainfeaturesthatrangefromsimpleand sleektointricateswirls.Thedensefibersofthispopular woodmakeforadurablefloorwithaversatilelook— casual,formal,orcontemporary.

RIFT&QUARTERSAWNWHITEOAK

ACutAbove

Radiatingeleganceandtraditionalbeauty,Rift& QuartersawnWhiteOakiscutata90-degreeanglefromthe log’sgrowthrings.Thiscutcreatesauniformvertical patternoftight,straightparallellinesrunningthelengthof theplank.

HICKORY

Tough,butHandsome

Thinkofhickoryasthemoviehero—toughasnails,yet incrediblyhandsome.Withatensilestrengthrivalingsteel, Hickorymakesoneofthemostdurablefloorsavailable. CarlislesourcesitsHickoryexclusivelyfromtheupper reachesoftheAppalachianForestforitssubstantial heartwoodcontent.It’sveryinterestingpatternsmakeit versatileenoughforthemostmodernCaliforniahomes andthemostrusticlake-sideretreats.

WALNUT

AbsolutelySumptuous

ThereisnootherwoodquitelikeWalnut.Withrich, chocolatehues,surprisingauburnundertones,and complexgrainpatterns,itcreatesaspectacularfloorwith orwithoutstain. It’salsooneofthemostattractiveyet resilientwoodsavailable.Carlisle’shandcraftedplanksare particularlystrikingduetotheirexceptionallengths,widths andheartwoodcontent-theresultofidealMidwestern growingconditionsforWalnut.

EASTERNWHITEPINE

APieceofAmericana

Regarded as America’s most time-honored wood for wide plank floors, Eastern White Pine turns up everywhere, from early American colonial homes to contemporary urban lofts. Hand-selected from the

Wood Species

heartoftheregion’smostmaturepines,eachboardhasa dense,signaturegrainwithsubtleknots.Whilestrongand durable,EasternWhitePinewearsinovertime,enhancing theuniquecharacterofahome.AtruepieceofAmericana.

HEARTPINE

ReturnofaClassic

HeraldedforitsuseduringtheAmericanIndustrial Revolution,LongleafHeartPineiscutfromtheheartofthe timber.Hardasoak,withawarmpatinaandrichcolors rangingfrompumpkinandambertodarker,moremodern hues,it’savailableinavarietyofgrades.Fromtheformal Heirloomwithitstightknotsandverticalgrainstotherustic Originalwithwiderlines,extravagantknots,andcathedral woodpatterns,it’sperfectlyathomeinanysetting.

ASH

SimplyStriking

Amazinglydenseanddurablewithuniqueelasticity, AmericanAshisprizedforitsinterestinggrainpatternsand strikinghues,fromverylightblondetocream-coloredtoa richnuttybrown.Youcanchoosegradeswithconsistently lightertonesormorevariation.Itcanalsobestainedfor dramaticresultsinarangeofsettings…traditionalhomes …beachsidecottages…refurbishedurbanloftsandmore.

BIRCH

DramaticBeauty

Birchmakesaunique,captivatingfloorinwhicheachboard hasanintriguingcombinationofblondeouteredgesand warmamberportions.Itsvaryinggrainpatternsrangefrom subtleswirlstohighlyfiguredflame.BirchfromCarlisle containsmoredramaticheartwoodasit'ssawnfromfully maturetreesgrownandsustainablyharvestedinnorthern NewEngland.

CHERRY

Rich,InvitingWarmth

Nothingcomparestothedeep,glowingredcolorof polishedCherryflooring.It’salsouniqueinthatitslustrous hueswilldarkenabitmorethanotherhardwoodsasit ages.Ultimately,abeautifulCherrywoodfloorwillmature toarich,burnishedauburncolor.Togetherwiththesubtle butdistinctiveflowinggrainpatternsanduniquelyinviting warmth,thishashelpedmakeCherryoneofthemost popularfloors.

WHITE&BROWNMAPLE

FromGymsToGrandMansions

Dense,withclear,hardflowinggrainandoccasionalswirls, WhiteMapleisinhighdemandasafashionableflooring choiceinavarietyoftraditionalandcontemporarysettings. CutfromthesametreeasWhiteMaple,BrownMaplehas beentappedformaplesyrup,sotheinsideofthetree developsrich,brownstreaksandheartwood,whichcan createstrikingvariationsincolorandcharacter.

RECLAIMEDHEARTPINE

ReclaimingAmerica

AstapleinthehistoryofAmericanarchitecture,Carlisle ReclaimedHeartPinecomesfrombeamsandfloorjoistsof old,soon-to-be-demolishedmillsandfactoriesaroundNew England,builtduringtheIndustrialRevolution.Thisantique flooringcanaddaclassiclooktoanyenvironmentwithits richpatinaofdeepamberandpumpkinhues,stronggrain, andtheabilitytocustomizethegradetoachievethe desiredrusticappeal.

RECLAIMEDOAK

NewWorldHistory,OldWorldStyle

Discoverabrightfutureinthepast.Withitsremarkable color,whichrangesfromgoldtoambertorich,nutty browns,plusastrong,prominentgrainandeclecticfiguring, ReclaimedOakcreatesadistinguishedOldWorldlookfrom NewWorlduse.InitsquesttofindthebestReclaimedOak, Carlislereclaimstheirsfromavarietyofoldbuildingsalong theOhioRiverValleyandwesternPennsylvania.

Wood Species

RECLAIMEDCHESTNUT

ARareBeauty

ReclaimedChestnutisoneofthemostspecialreclaimed woodsavailablefromCarlisle.TheprominentChestnutgrain andothermarkingscomplementtherichlightbrownand darkercocoacolors.ArenownedAmericanhardwood,this forestgiantwasnearlylosttoadevastatingblightintheearly 1900s.Thereclaimedwood,however,tellsaremarkablestory withitssurfacemarkedbydistinctivewormholesleftby insectsthatinhabitedthetreesastheyfaded,creatingaoneof-a-kindcharacterrichwithhistory.

MILLEDBARNWOOD

RusticCharm

Unlikemanyothermaterials,timeaddsasenseofcharacter andwarmthtothewood.Carlislehelpsyoubringithomewith rusticMilledBarnwoodreclaimedfloors.Amixofseveral differentkindsofwood,includingRedandWhitePine, HemlockandSpruce,itoffersarich,warmcomfortinits varyinghues—rich,nuttybrownstoauburnandyellows—and imperfections.Everynailhole,stain,knot,andsplitreflectsan enduringmemorythatcommandsgenuineadmiration.

GRANDPA’SFLOOR

WoodReborn

Forsomethinguniquewithdecidedlyrusticcharm,Carlisle offersa“reborn”floorwhoseoriginalprimitivebeautywas coveredupbydirt,debrisandyearsofabuse.Theseold floorboardsorstructuralfloorjoistsarecarefullycleaned, inspected,andpreservedwithminimalmilling.Theresultis Grandpa’sFloor--theagedblendofrichpumpkinanddeep charcoalcolortonesamplifiedbytheoriginalstains, watermarksandsawkerfs.

Grades, Textures, Stains & Finishes

TheTopOptionsfortheBestLookingFloor

Onceyou’veselectedtheperfectspeciesofwoodforyourfloor,youneedtochoosethe rightgrade,texture,stain,andfinishtocompletethelookyouwant.Thesedecisions reallycanmeanthedifferencebetweenafloorthat’salastingworkofart,which enhancesthebeautyofyourhome,orjustsomeboardsunderyourfeet.

Withsomanyoptionstochoosefrom,it’salsoveryimportanttodealwithaflooring companythatlistenstoyourneeds,understandshowtobringoutthebestattributesof eachwoodspeciesandnevercompromisesonitscommitment.Andfew,ifany,can matchthereputationofCarlislewhenitcomestohelpingcustomersachievetheexact looktheywant.

GRADES—IT’SALLABOUTSTYLESOEVERYGRADEPASSES

Inadditiontothecharacteristicsofeachspecies,woodflooringisalsodividedinto grades,reflectingtheaestheticsorlookofthewood,notthequality.InCarlisle’sunique artisticgradingprocess,theystartandendwithonlythefinestqualitywood,whichis availableintwodistinctgrades—HeirloomandOriginal.

Withitscleaner,morerefinedappearance,Heirloomhasaformalappeal.Ontheother hand,Originaloffersanaturallookthatmaintainsmoreofthetruecharacterfromthe originaltimber.

TheWorldFloorCovering AssociationcitesinitsTop10 FlooringTrendsthat “authenticityisbehinda desireforfloorsthattake inspirationfromthepast, charmsus,orhelpuslivelives moreattunedtonature.”This trendforauthenticityis showingupinflooring showroomsintheformof “wideplank,hand-scraped, distressedfloors.These replicatehistoricalflooring, goingbacktoearlyAmerica.”

– WorldFloorCoveringAssociation (wfca.org)

Grades, Textures, Stains & Finishes

Textures—An Edge In Style From Hand-Scraped To Footworn

Oneofthebigkeystoanysuccessfuldesignprojectisthe relationshipbetweencolor,pattern,andtexture.Withwood flooring,numeroustextureoptionscanbecombinedwith thedifferentspecies,patternsandstaincolorstocreateany lookyouwant.Generally,thetexturingcreatesadistressed lookthatreflectsasenseofheritageandcraftsmanship.It’s alsooneofthemostpopularflooringtrendstoday.

Ofcourse,aswithanyaspectofchoosinganewfloor,you needtounderstandthatcapabilitiesandresultswillvary amongflooringcompanies.ChrisSy,PresidentofCarlisle, explainsthat“howtexturesarecreatedvaryfrom manufacturertomanufacturer.”

“Everyoneofourfloorsisindividuallycraftedbyhandinour CustomShop,”saysSy,“manyarelookingtorecreatethe authentic,centuries-olddistressedappearancesthatsome oftoday’spopulardesigntrendscallfor.”Hegoesontosay thatCarlisleofferssixhand-craftingoptionstogiveyour flooritsuniquepersonality.Somearewidespreadamong flooringcompanies,whileseveralareuniquetoCarlisle.

HAND-SCRAPEDEDGES

Toachievethislook,Carlisle’scraftsmengentlyhand-sculpt theedgesofeachboard,apracticestartedover200years agowiththefirstpinefloorsinAmerica,tostraightenthe boardswhenmachinerywasnotavailabletodoso.The scrapededgeisthemostaffordablewaytogiveeachboarda perfectlyagedfeel.Thisdistressingtechniqueispopularfor restorationprojectsortotonedowntheformallookofmore refinedfloors.

HIT OR MISS

More deliberate than it sounds, this treatment is reserved only for Eastern White Pine floors. Boards from early sawmills contained saw swirl marking or kerfs, which have become the most sought after distressing technique used to recreate an antique-looking floor at a fraction of the cost.

BRUSHED

Unique to Carlisle, this is a very subtle surface treatment which can have a dramatic impact on the look of a floor. Their craftsmen use brushes specifically designed for Carlisle, to subtly soften and contour boards in order give them a gently worn appearance with very fine brush markings. This brushing technique accentuates the most desirable characteristics of the wood and is often combined with any of the other surface treatment for stunning results.

FOOTWORN

As floors are walked on, each board wears differently and begins to develop distinctive undulating patterns, which vary due to the wood type, heartwood and softwood from board to board. Machine-scraped floors that are on the market today can’t come anywhere close to duplicating this look authentically. That’s why Carlisle craftsmen use specialized tools to hand-sculpt each board in recreating these subtle patterns one board at a time.

Grades, Textures, Stains & Finishes

PREFINISHEDORON-SITEFINISHING—THEADVANTAGE IS

YOURS

Whereyouchoosetohaveyourfloorsfinishedcanmakea bigdifferenceintotalcost,installationtime,andyourstress level.It’simportanttounderstandthebenefitsand drawbacksofbothprefinishingandon-sitefinishing.It’s alsocriticaltounderstandthatthechoiceofflooring companymakesahugeimpact.

Ingeneral,prefinishedflooringisexactlywhatitimplies.As definedbytheWorldFloorCoveringAssociation, “prefinishedhardwoodfloorscomealreadysanded, screenedandstainedfromhighlyefficientmanufacturing plants.”On-siteor“finishinplace”astheWFCAlistsit, “referstohavingunfinishedhardwoodinstalled,sanded, stainedandthenfinishedwith2-3coatsofurethaneright thereinyourhome.”

Traditionally,prefinishedfloorsmakeeveryprojecteasierto completeandlessexpensivebyavoidingthe labor-intensive,time-consuming,andextremelymessy processofsandingandapplyingstainsandfinishes. However,prefinishedissometimesassociatedwithacheaplookingfloor.Andtherehavebeenpeoplewhohavehadthe unfortunateexperienceofnotbeingabletotouchupa prefinishedfloororrefinishthem,sotheyfeellikethefloors donotlastaslong.

Fortunately,thereisatleastonekeyexceptiontothese generalperceptions.Carlislehasdevelopedaunique prefinishingprocessdesignedtobringoutthebeautyofthe woodandavoidaplasticlook.Theirprefinishedfloorscan becleanedandtouchedupwitheaseovertheyears. Thesecretistwodifferentyetequallyremarkable prefinishingsolutions—CarlisleCustomCoatstainsand finishes,andCarlisleNaturalfinishes.ChrisSy,President, saystheyare“totally unlikeanythingelseinprefinished

flooring,fromthewaytheyareformulatedtotheway they’reapplied.”

Combiningtime-honoredtechniqueswithmodern technology,Carlislehascreatedasuperiorprefinishing process. Eachboarddisplaysadeephand-rubbed appearanceratherthanonethatlookspaintedon. Ifyouwanttheready-to-installeaseofano-mess prefinishedfloorplusthesuperiorbeautyofanon-site, hand-finishedfloor,aCarlisleprefinishedfloorgivesyouall oftheadvantagesofbothwithoutanyofthedrawbacks.

TRADITIONALSTAINS—INTHEEND,IT’SALLABOUT COMPLEMENTINGTHEWOOD

Thereisanalmostinfinitenumberofpossibilitieswhenit comestopickingthebeststainforyourwoodfloor.And,it seemslikeeveryflooringcompanyhasadifferentline-upof choices.

Sincethere’snowaywecouldcoveralltheoptionsinthis guide,wechosetousetheofferingsfromCarlisle,inpart becauseoftheirreputation,butalsobecauseoftheir approachtostains.

ToquoteCarlisle’swebsite,“Welovethenaturalbeautyofa freshlysawnwideplankboard,andfindnothingmore offensivethanastainunbecomingtoaparticularpieceof wood,oronethatobscuresthesubtledetailsanddelicate grainpatternsofthewoodunderlayersofpaint.”It’shardto arguewiththatkindofattitude. Thekeyisacommitmenttomatchingeachpieceofwood withtheproperstainfortheparticularspecies,whilealso takingintoaccountyourspecificdesignscheme.That’swhy it’simportanttoworkcloselywithaflooringcompanythat understandshowtocreatetheperfectsolution,including one-of-a-kindcustomstaincolors.

Grades, Textures, Stains & Finishes

CUSTOMCOATFINISHES—THEFINALTOUCHFORLASTINGBEAUTY

Tobringoutthetruebeautyofthewoodandprotectit,CarlisleCustomCoat™usesahigh quality,UV-curedurethanetoprefinishthefloors.Exceptionallydurable,thefinishesareeasyto cleanandeasytotouchup.

Amber

Specificallydesignedtoreplicatethehand-rubbedoilsandwaxesthatwereusedon thefirstfloorsinAmerica,thisfinishisdesignedtobefarmorescuffresistant,easyto cleanandtouchupovertheyears.Availableinavarietyofsheens—Satin,ExtraMatteor SuperMatte—andrecommendedforWhiteOak,Hickory,Walnut,LongleafHeartPine, Ash,Birch,Cherry,andMaplefloors.

Clear

Clearer,andmoreflexiblethanmostwater-basedpolyurethanesthatcreatebuildup andgivetheflooraplasticfeel,theseClearfinishesarejustasdurableastheAmber finishes,andjustaseasytotouchup.CarlisleClearFinishescomeinavarietyof sheens—Satin,ExtraMatteorSuperMatte.

NATURALFINISHES—THERE’SNOSUBSTITUTEFORTHENATURAL BEAUTYOFWOOD

CarlisleNaturalsrepresentarevolutionaryadvanceinwoodfloorfinishes.All-natural, plant-basedoilfinishes,theyaretheultimate“green”choiceforbringingouttheinherent beautyofthegrainandpatinaofeachofCarlisle’swideplankfloorspecies.Theyalsoadd organiccolorvariationsthatfurtherindividualizeyourfloorasauniqueandstrikingworkofart. And,whiledesigntrendschange,thenaturalenvironmentalpaletteofCarlisleNaturalFinishes isalwaysfreshbecausethere’snosubstituteforthenaturalbeautyofthewood.Grainpattern andcolorvariationareenhancedwhenCarlisleNaturalFinishesareappliedtothewood surfaceandbringoutthetruebeautyofthewooditself,creatingatrulyuniquefloorforyour home.

AccordingtoChrisSyfromCarlisle,“Thenon-plastic,naturaloilshidelife’slittle accidentsandthespecialbondingactionalsomakestouch-upsandspotrepairseasy andvirtuallyundetectablesincetheoilwillonlybondwiththedamagedareas.Apply thenaturalfinish,wait10minutesthenwipeupwhatisn’tabsorbed.It’sthatsimple.”

Pattern Floors

LookatFlooringDesignfromaDifferentAngle

ACUSTOMAPPROACHTOAUNIQUEFLOORDESIGN

Areyoutiredofstraightlines?Carlisleunderstands.That’swhythey’vetakenanewangleonwoodflooringwiththeir customparquetfloors.Anexerciseintailoredluxury,thesefloorsarebuilttospecificationsinCarlisle’sCustomShop.

Availablepre-assembledinsectionsorasindividualpieces,thesefloorsareofferedina varietyofwoodsandpatterns,includingChevron,Herringbone,andVersailles.Youcanalso createyourcustomdesigns.

Installation

LayitDownRighttoStandtheTestofTime

Installingawoodfloorisasignificantinvestmentwithalong-termimpacton yourhome’svalue.Itshouldbeapproachedcarefullyatallstages,especially installation.Unlessyouhaveextensiveexperience,alltherighttoolsandlotsof freetime,itisstronglyrecommendedthatyouhaveyourwoodfloors professionallyinstalled.

Ifyouarestillseriouslyconsideringinstallingyourwoodflooryourself, Carlisle’sChrisSywarns,“mostperformanceissuesaredrivenbyenvironmental factorsandimproperinstallation.”

Typically,floorcompaniessuchasCarlislehaveanetworkofqualified, independentinstallersinvirtuallyeveryareaofthecountrythatyoucancontract withforaprofessionalinstallation.Theseinstallersareexperiencedinthe nuancesofwhatittakestoachieveasuccessfulinstallation,frommoisture acclimationtoproperspacingofgaps,toassurethatyournewfloorwilllook goodnowandforyearstocome.

“Installinghardwoodfloorsisanart.Whyhireanyonetoinstall yoursbutaseasonedartistwithskillsdevelopedthroughyears ofexperience?Gowithaprofessionalwhocanguaranteea beautiful,efficient,andcorrectinstallation. You’llbegladyoudid.”

Solid Or Engineered Floors

It’sAboutOptions,NotRestrictions

ATTHECOREOFTHEDEBATE

TheNationalWoodFlooringAssociationguidelines recommendagainstusingsolidwoodflooring incertainapplications,wherehighmoisturemaybean issue,suchasinstallingbelowgradeoroveraconcrete slab.Thisrecommendationmakessenseformost traditionalwoodflooring,wherenarrowstrips,high moistureabsorption,andotherissuescanleadtowarping andshrinkage.That’swhyengineeredwoodflooringis usuallyrecommendedintheseapplications.Thecrosslayeringinengineeredwoodissupposedtoimprove dimensionalstabilitysignificantly.

CARLISLEOFFERSSOLIDADVANTAGES

Unlikemosttraditionalsolidwoodflooring,Carlisleoffers severaladvantagesthatmakeitsuitableforall applications.It’smadefromold-growthheartwoodto assureatight,densegrainpatternforstrength.Plus,it undergoesaproprietary,extendeddryingprocess.Also, unlikemostflooring,they’vebeenabletoinstalltheirsolid woodflooringovereverytypeofradiantheatsystemand concretesurfaceforoverfiftyyears.

TAKINGTHERIGHTSTAND

Withalloftheirsuccessusingsolidwoodwideplank flooringinnon-standardapplications,somemightquestion thedecisiontointroduceCarlislepremiumengineered woodflooring.First,theyrecognizedthatsomeinstallersare justmorecomfortablewithengineeredflooringincertain applications.And,second,theywantedtomakeapremium engineeredfloorthatwasworthyoftheCarlislename…and customertrust.

UNLIMITEDOPTIONSBYDESIGN

Carlislepremiumengineeredwoodfloorsarenotlimitedto afewpatternsorspecies,andtheyaremadetoorderjust liketheirsolidwoodfloors.Thiscapabilityenablesyouto focusontherightlookforyouroveralldesignwithout worryingaboutanythingelse.Abovegrade…belowgrade …bathrooms…kitchens…itdoesn’tmatter—youfindthe rightlook,andthey’llprovideitintheflooryouneed—solid woodorpremiumengineeredwood.Thechoiceisyours. ThebeautyisCarlisle.

Solid Or Engineered Floors

ENGINEEREDWITHSTRONGCOREVALUES

Carlislehasbuiltalegendforcraftingbeautifulfloorsthat willlastforeverbynottakingshortcuts.That’swhythey useonlyheartwoodfromcarefullyselectedtrees.The densergrainpatterngiveseachsolidwoodwideplank superiorstrength,durability,andbeautythatcannotbe matched.Theybroughtthatsamecommitmenttocreating legendaryengineeredwoodfloors

LAYEREDWITHDEEPINNERSTRENGTH

ACarlisleengineeredwoodfloorconsistsof9-11layer plywoodsubstratewhiletypicalAmericanhardwood plywoodisusuallyonly7-plyorless.Theseextrapliesgive theirbackingasignificantadvantageinstrengthand stability.Also,thedimensionalstabilityisfurther compoundedbylayeringeachplysothatthegrainrunsat a90°angletothegrainpatternofthepreviousply.

CHOOSETOLOOKPRETTY…ANDSMART

Therearenotrade-offsinchoosingbetweenCarlislesolid andengineeredwoodfloors.Theirpremiumengineered floorsarehandcraftedandmadetoorderforthesame levelofcustomizationyouexpectfromCarlisle.And,unlike manyengineeredfloors,theirslookjustasbeautifulas theirsolidwoodfloors.

Intheend,yourflooringchoiceisamatterofwhatbestfits yourneedsandthoseofyourinstaller.Butaslongasyou chooseanattractiveCarlislesolidorpremiumengineered wideplankfloor,you’remakingasmartdecisionyoucan standonforyearstocome.

Request A Personalized Design Consultation

CallToday!800.595.9663

Carlislecraftscustomflooring,specifictotheneedsofourcustomers.Doyouwantsomeassistancewithmakinginformed designdecisions?Interestedinseeingwhatthefinestfloors,madefromthebestcutsofwoodcandototransformyour livingspace?

OurteamofwoodflooringprofessionalshavetheexperiencetoanswerallyourquestionsregardingCarlisleflooring options.