Below is our buyers guide for wide plank Eastern White Pine flooring. It contains the answers to some common questions about wide plank Pine flooring. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to give us a call!
Why does length matter?
To make your Pine floor the finest possible, minimizing the number of butt joints improves the look of the floor immensely. By starting with only the highest quality logs which produce little waste, we are able to maximize the length of each board. This results in a longer average length board than any other wide Pine manufacturer. A majority of our boards are 10-16′, and boards under 8′ are considered unacceptable here. ( Unless specifically wanted by the customer)
Why does moisture content matter?
Dryness is a key step in the process of crafting high quality Pine floors. This is also a high cost step when done correctly. By drying our Pine as well as we do, down to 6 – 8%, you will not experience cupping, warping, checking or any kind of deformation over the many years you will have your floor.
What does random widths mean?
Traditionally, Pine floors were made by using whole logs and maximizing the width on each cut, which meant that floor boards would vary in width. Today, we can replicate this look by using three or more widths. Installing mixed width floors is no more difficult than a single width, but does take some planning to decide what pattern of widths you will use. With your order, you will get a breakdown of exactly how much of each width you have.
Is your flooring prefinished?
All of our floors are sold unfinished. There are an endless number of options to choose from when finishing your floor, and the finish you choose should be based on your particular application. We recommend a few products, which you can read more about by clicking here. When you call, we can assist you in choosing the right finish for your project. One thing to note is that a prefinished floor has to be milled with a radius on the edges so that it will fit together correctly. By finishing the flooring in your home, you get a higher quality finished product, with no visible lines between the boards.
Can your floors be laid over radiant heat?
Our wide Pine boards have been used over radiant heat frequently over the last 25 years. When Pine is dried properly, it is an extremely stable wood and will not cup, shrink, or expand from a radiant heating system, provided it is installed properly, even with our 20″ wide boards.
How much additional footage should I order?
The amount of extra flooring needed is different for each project. The standard when laying a floor of any type is to add an extra 10%. This accounts for trimming boards to fit your particular room. If you spend some time planning how you want to orient your floor for your project, the amount of additional material you need can be minimized. You will not get any waste from grading the flooring.
Can I blind nail a wide Pine floor?
Typically the rule of thumb is for boards under 12″, either blind nailing or face-nailing work great. For wider boards, face nailing would be a better option. We have however, had customers blind nail even our 20″ wide boards without any problems whatsoever. Face nailing using cut nails is a great option if you are looking to create the look of a classic Pine floor.
Do you end match your boards?
End matching is a feature that was designed mostly as a marketing tool, but can be useful with some hardwood floors, as it can help to greatly speed up installation. With our extremely stable wide Pine boards, and end match is not needed to make the floor stay flat, and with an average of 12′ lengths, you would likely have to cut most of the ends during installation removing the end match.
Do you put relief cuts on your boards?
Relief cuts are a feature of hardwood flooring that are supposed to give the floor added stability. Seeing as how stability is not a problem to consider with our wide Pine, relief is not necessary. If you see other companies offering relief in wide Pine, your next question should be about their drying specifications, because normally they are doing this to give the boards stability they would have had from proper kiln drying. One situation where relief can be a benefit, is if your installation technique involves gluing. If you plan on using glue (which we don’t recommend), we will gladly add relief cuts to your floor to help the glue better adhere to the flooring.
Why do you recommend no acclimation before installation?
Acclimation is something that should be done with just about any other type of wood flooring, including Pine flooring that is not dried to 6 – 8% moisture content. Pine is like a sponge and wants to take on moisture, which causes the boards to expand slightly. If you install our wide Pine immediately, the boards will go down incredibly easily and fit together perfectly, then expand ever so slightly, tightening the boards against each other. Do not worry, the boards will not have enough force to cause buckling. We are well aware of the fact that we are the only company that recommends skipping acclimation. Please trust us, we know what process works best with our flooring.
Do your floors come with a guarantee?
Our wide Pine boards come with a lifetime guarantee. If our product does not live up to your expectations due to a manufacturing defect, we will replace it free of charge.
Are you really mill direct?
You can’t get a Pine floor more direct than this. Your floor comes straight off the mill to your door. See our about us page for more information. If you would like to see the mill for yourself, give us a call and set up a time for a tour of our facility.
Where are you located?
We are located in the heart of Maine, the pine tree state. Visit our contact page for a map and all of our contact information.
How do I place an order?
Ordering is easy. Most people start with a quote, which you can request by clicking here, or you can give us a call and we can walk you through deciding exactly what you need. To learn more about placing an order and shipping, visit our how to order page.
How long will my order take?
Since the best way to manufacture a Pine floor requires it to be milled right before installation, we do not keep any inventory (of planed flooring) on hand. Typical lead time for us to plane your floor is just two weeks. Sometimes it only takes a couple of days, or it could also be longer if we are experiencing a large order volume. We will be able to give you a better idea of our current lead time when you request a quote or place an order.
How is my order shipped?
Your order will be packed in a custom built wooden crate to ensure it arrives in the same condition that it left our mill. See our how to order page for more details.
What does shipping cost?
Shipping can vary greatly for a number of reasons. Give us a call and we can get you a shipping quote in minutes. Most floors being shipped long distance travel in an 18 wheeler box truck which we will quote on a job by job basis. We also give you the option of having your floor personally delivered for $3.00 per mile ( one way ), or you can always pick it up yourself from our mill.
What methods of payment do you accept?
A 50% deposit is required before milling your floor, which can be paid by cash, check, or credit card. The balance is due upon receipt or before shipping.
What do you do with your waste products?