the guide to owning heart pine: a rare american treasure€¦ · when you install heart pine you...
TRANSCRIPT
The Guide to Owning Heart Pine:A Rare American Treasure
G NOODWIG NOODWIHeart Pine Company
Some Beginning Words
Theinformation
provided inthis booklet is
just the beginningof what you need to
know about finewood floors. Since we
do not know all of thespecial conditions in
your home, it is not pos-sible to meet all of yourinformation needs here.
Due to the vast amount oftechnical considerations forinstalling a wood floor, we recom-mend consulting a wood flooringprofessional. Goodwin Heart Pinewould be glad to help locate someone inyour area.
If we can help with additional information needs, we are glad to do so.Please tell us about your experiences so we can pass them along to future
Heart Pine owners. We truly appreciate your interest in Heart Pine andHeart Cypress.
Copyright © Goodwin Heart Pine Company, Inc,, 2001. All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTIONRetrieving the Past 1Listening to Mother Nature 2
Why choose wood floors?
HEART PINE HISTORYHeart Pine: A Rare American Treasure 3A Walk Through Time 5Growing-Oh-So-Great 6Planting for the Future 7
Restoring The Longleaf for future generations
INSTALLING AND FINISHINGThis Way to the Finish 10
Nine installation and finishing essentialsThe Inside Story on Site Conditions 12
Getting down the installation basicsFinishing Heart Pine has Never Been Easier 16
Our step-by-step suggestions for finishing Heart Pine
MAINTENANCE AND FLOOR RESTORATIONKeeping Your Floors Looking Beautiful 21
Simple steps to preventive maintenanceReviving Your Floors' Finish 22
When it's time to renew your finish
MANUFACTURING AND ORDERINGTime-tested Standards 24
How we manufacture your Heart PineOrdering is Simple 26
Your choice of grade and grain patternsThere's More Than the Floor 28
Mouldings, trim, and stair parts
FOR MORE INFORMATIONSquare Feet • Board Feet • Linear Feet 29
How to make sense of these measurementsSpecifications of Goodwin Heart Pine 31Mechanical Properties of Heart Pine and Heart Cypress 32References 33
his guide is written for everyone who loves beautifulwood, especially Heart Pine. Once you hear the storybehind Heart Pine, you will want to know more. It is not
only old and in limited supply, but Heart Pine is also one ofthe most beautiful and distinctive woods you will ever see.
Sadly, clear-cutting of Longleaf Pine forests in the late 1800shas made this magnificent wood quite rare. Today Heart Pineis available only in limited quantities - either by salvaging tim-bers from old buildings, cutting down the few old trees left, orlike we do it... by retrieving the logs, lost a century ago, fromriverbeds.
While we make our living recovering and preparing thisresource before it is lost forever, we are also actively workingwith Heart Pine specialists throughout the country to encour-age the reforestation of Longleaf Pine. This slow growing treetakes several hundred years to mature, so now is the time forus to plant for future generations.
Everything we do at Goodwin Heart Pine is concerned withmaking sure you enjoy your experience with our products.Please do not hesitate to call me or any of my staff at (800)336-3118 if we can be of assistance.
Enjoy!
George GoodwinOwner
Retrieving The PastTT
Retrieving The Past
George Goodwin is involved inevery stage of our business. Hemay not pull every log out, but hedoes personally saw, dry andinspect every board milled atGoodwin Heart Pine Company.
Why choose wood floorsMother Nature is truly our greatest artist. Itcould be argued that wood is her mostpractical, yet beautiful, building material.Wood has an infinite variety of grain, tex-ture and color that is warm and adaptableto decorating trends. Wood floors providethe perfect background for your cherishedpossessions, both antique and contempo-rary. Each board is a natural work of art.
More important are the practical benefitswood floors offer:
1. Wood floors will last the life of yourhome. Carpet and vinyl must be replacedfrom time to time, and stone or tile showwear more readily than wood. When yourwood floor's finish finally shows wear youcan easily recoat the finish to restore itsoriginal beauty, or you can give the floor acompletely different look with another typeof finish.
2. An intelligent investment, the purchaseand maintenance of a wood floor is normal-ly one-half the cost of lifetime carpet careand replacement.
3. Wood is a natural insulator composedof microscopic hollow cells that createthousands of tiny air pockets. Just oneinch of wood equals the insulating quali-ties of fifteen inches of concrete, so yourhouse stays warmer in winter and coolerin summer.
4. Wood flooring is a healthier alternative.It is the choice floor covering for those whosuffer from allergies. The flexibility of woodmakes it one of the best choices for yourspine and legs, particularly when comparedto tile or stone.
In summary, wood flooring provides:• A wise investment• Long-lasting elegance• Comfortable living• Adaptation to new decor• Natural insulation• Easy maintenance• The best choice for your health!
2Listening To Mother Nature
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Southern rivers are wide and slow moving. Raftsmade of logs were the surest method of transport.Sometimes a serious bend in the river could requireusing ropes to snub off the trees and avoid a collisionwith the river banks.
Characteristics of Heart Pine (Longleaf Pine or Pinus Palustris)Red tones: light rose to deep burgundy in colorDurability: heartwood lasts for centuriesBeauty: famous for variety of grain patternsHardness: comparable to Red or White OakRarity: a greater percentage loss than the wetlands
Everywhere you look in the Southeast youwill see pine trees. As you observe thesetrees more closely, one tree begins to sep-arate itself from the others. You have tolook closely because these trees are rare.
Its needlesare long,flowing andemeraldgreen. Thecones itbears havea rich, cof-fee-beancolor. As thetree
matures, itstall, slenderelegancegives it a
majestic look suggesting an aura of royalty.This tree is known as the Longleaf Pine, orto those who know its wood, Heart Pine.
Of the original 85-95 million acres ofLongleaf Pine forest, less than 10,000acres of original growth forests remaintoday. These trees once dominated theentire landscape of the Southeasterncoastal United States.
Because of its beauty and durability, HeartPine was declared the "King's wood" forshipbuilding when America was first colo-nized. Heart Pine was steadily logged assettlers moved southward into the Floridapeninsula.
After the Civil War, logging reached itsheight as large tracts of land were clearedto the Suwannee and other Southeasternrivers. Prior to 1900, rivers were the pri-mary means of transporting logs. Treeswere hand-felled by axe and thendragged to the river by oxen. There theywere fashioned into rafts and floateddownstream to sawmills. The heaviest,most dense logs often came loose andsank to the river bottom.
Precious Heart Pine was extremely popu-lar in the 1800s and was used in the con-struction of fine Victorian homes, hotelsand palaces throughout the world.Factories and warehouses were almostalways framed with thick Heart Pine tim-bers because of their virtually indestructiblestrength. Many still stand today.
When forest management finally beganaround 1915, it was too late to save origi-nal growth Heart Pine. Already, more than200 billion board feet had been timberedleaving less than one percent of the greatvirgin forests spread out over small, isolat-ed stands. It takes up to 500 years forHeart Pine to mature and the forest envi-ronment had changed so drastically thatreforestation was not considered feasible.
River-recovered Heart Pine is not onlyantique and original growth, it has neverbeen used before and does not have thenail holes found in salvage lumber.
Heart Pine: A Rare American Treasure Goodwin Heart Pine Company3
Log rafts on the Apalachicola River, 1895.Probably a few hundred yards downstreamthere are rapids and shallow areas withrocks protruding or just under the surface.
Today, Heart Pine is available in limitedquantities, either through salvaging timbersfrom old buildings or reclamation from south-ern riverbeds. Since the River-Recoveredlogs have never been used before, they ren-der the most pristine wood available. Ouraesthetically inclined customers appreciatethe history of Heart Pine as well as its rarityand beauty. Discriminating buyers increas-ingly choose Heart Pine for their projects.Following are a few reasons:
Heart Pine provides a lifetime investment
When you install Heart Pine you are mak-ing an investment that will endure through-out time. You can find Heart Pine floors ingood condition in homes of 100 years orolder. Heart Pine increases the resalevalue of your home, an important consider-ation for a mobile society.
River-Recovered Heart Pine helps to recycle and
preserve the Earth's resourcesIf you want fine lumber, but can not bearthe thought of sacrific-ing trees, take heart.Goodwin Heart Pine issupplying lumber cutat least 100 yearsago--without cuttingdown a single tree.Replacing loggers' out-fits with wet suits, theGoodwin Heart Pineteam combs riverbedsof the south, recover-ing logs of LongleafPine that are perfectlypreserved by the coolwaters and lack ofoxygen. Because the
logs are retrieved by hand instead ofdredged by machinery, river bottoms andthe aquatic life remain undisturbed.
Heart Pine is famous for its beauty and rarity
Heart Pine is among the world's richest andmost beautiful wood. Once used as struc-tural lumber as well as in all other facets ofconstruction for its hardness and strength,Heart Pine is quite limited in availabilitytoday. Cherished throughout American his-tory for its gorgeous red color, Heart Pineboasts three distinct grain patterns:
• Select: a blend of quartersawn and plainsawn, no two boards are alike.
• Vertical: quartersawn, a pin-striped grain pattern, with more consistency.
• Curly: highly figured, only one log out of a 100 displays this grain
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Bagdad Land Lumber, Pensacola, Florida, circa 1917. Bagdad was one of the largestHeart Pine lumber companies in existence during its heyday.
The Endangered Longleaf Pine Forests
Considerable research has gone intouncovering the history of the Longleaf Pinetree and its Heart Pine wood. Much of theinformation here comes from Tall TimbersResearch Station, a non-profit ecologicalorganization.
The old-growth Longleaf Pine found by thesettlers made an excellent all-purpose tim-ber. The tall, straight trunks made superbmasts for sailing ships and structural tim-bers that were rot and bug resistant and, fortheir weight, as strong as steel. Four-fifthsof the houses in Florida, Georgia, Alabama,and the Carolinas were made of LongleafPine. Later in the 19th century, as industrialAmerica began to flex its muscles, it wasLongleaf that provided joists for the newfactories and timber for bridges, warehous-es, railroad cars, and wharves.
Longleaf was also valuable for anotherreason. It was heavily saturated with agummy resin which was the raw materialused in the making of naval stores: tar,pitch, spirits of turpentine, and rosin.Turpentine was used to thin paintsand coat children's cuts. Farmersmade medicines for their
Domestic animals with it. Rosin,the residue of the turpentineprocess, was used in soap making,weatherproofing, and shoe polish.You could not go anywhere in thepiney woods of 150 years ago with-out running into naval stores activity.
By the early 1890s, turpentiningand logging had laid waste to mas-sive portions of the Longleaf forests.
Gifford Pinchot, Theodore Roosevelt'schief forester, said that the solution was "acomplete protection from fires." Thoughwell-intentioned, this prescription doomedthe remaining Longleaf forests. Longleafhad developed natural protection from fire,and it was frequent fire, occurring naturallyin the Longleaf belt, that had beaten backthe Loblolly Pines and kept the ScrubOaks at bay.
In later years, the timber industry activelypreferred the fast-growing Loblollies--trans-forming the eastern landscape forever. Theforests were still green, still coniferous inmany places, but this was a replacementforest with a lower quality timber that boreno resemblance to what had grown before.
The best known "virgin" Longleaf forestgrows near Tallahassee, Florida. TallTimbers Research Station control-burns the250 acres of forest every two or threeyears, and as a result the rolling landscapeis kept open and airy. Ecologists throughoutthe Southeast make pilgrimages to the for-est to glimpse one of only two or threeLongleaf stands in pre-settlement condition.
A Walk Through TimeGoodwin Heart Pine Company5
This special shipment at the Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company inCentury, Fla., featured beams averaging 48 lineal feet and 570
board feet per piece. The timbers were 12'x12' to 16'x16'.
Before the Europeans arrived in the NewWorld, Longleaf Pine was the principal treespecies found on upland soils of theSoutheastern Coastal Plain. At least 75 mil-lion acres of Longleaf forests were report-ed. Longleaf covered 41 percent of theentire land mass of the deep South East.
Longleaf dominated the landscape morethan any other tree. Instead of growingupward right away as most saplings do,Longleaf seedlings "sit" flat on the groundin what is termed the grass stage for peri-ods of three to fifteen years. During thistime the young tree grows a long, heavytaproot to store food and help it shoot rap-idly upward when it does grow. When itdoes decide to race skyward, the treedelays putting out branches. This "jumpingupward" is a strategy for surviving in anarea of frequent summer lightning firesbecause it minimizes the time the tree'sgrowing tip is vulnerable.
John and William Bartram, early botanists,described Longleaf in its grass stage. Sosunny and open were the Longleaf foreststhat he often compared them with parksand meadows. In 1791, Bartram wrote,"We find ourselves on the entrance of avast plain... mostly a forest of the greatlong-leaved pine, the earth covered withgrass, interspersed with an infinite varietyof herbaceous plants, and embellished withextensive savannas, always green,sparkling with ponds of water...."
A century later John Muir wrote, "Theseedlings, five or six years old, are verystriking objects to one from the North, con-sisting, as they do, of the straight, leaflessstem, arching and spreading like a palm.Children fancy that they resemble brooms"
Fire is a necessary cohort to the Longleaf.The low burning flames caused by the fre-quent lightning storms in the south burnback the young hardwoods that would oth-erwise dominate. The fires also prepare theground so the Longleaf seeds can grow.The Longleaf times its seed production bythe fire cycle, and the seeds time theirgrowth to fire. In pre-settlement times theonly barriers to these natural fires werewetlands. In those days, broad Longleafforests stretched out for thousands ofmiles. Fires in these areas are reported tohave burned for weeks, slowly moving overmost of the pinelands in their paths.
Longleaf is one of the few southern pinesthat masts, which means that in certainyears all the trees in an area producecones and seeds in much greater quanti-ties than in average years. If seed produc-tion is low in most years, the population ofseed predators would be low. Then, whenthe mast year comes, the trees produce farmore seeds than the animals can eat. If thetree masts during years of high fire proba-bility, the chance is also greater that seedswill fall on a fire-prepared seedbed.
6Growing Oh-So-Great
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A letter to everyone who loves beautiful wood:
"Longleaf Pine Management," first writtenin 1983 by USDA foresters RogerDennington and Robert Farrar, Jr., beginswith, "Many foresters have the misconcep-tion that longleaf cannot be planted suc-cessfully." Today, in 2001, forestry manage-ment groups encourage landowners toplant Longleaf.
Timber companies, such as T. R. Miller ofBrewton, Alabama, cite the economics ofgrowing Longleaf as the reason they havereplaced Slash Pine with Longleaf in recentyears. Longleaf is more resistant to dis-eases and pests than any other pine, andalthough it takes longer to mature, its woodproducts are higher quality and bringgreater prices.
According to Dantz Frazer of F & WForestry Services: "Longleaf stands pro-duce excellent wood products and alsooffer a diverse wildlife habitat utilized bymany mammals, birds, and reptiles. Alongwith the wood products and wildlife habitat,mature longleaf stands are the most aes-thetically pleasing of the pine species.Landowners must be shown that manage-ment for longleaf can be economically ben-eficial and that this type of forest can offermuch more than just money."
Preservation of the few remaining frag-ments of the Longleaf forest and itsecosystem is much less certain than thetree's future. Once the dominant forest sys-tem in the South, the Longleaf Pine wasdescribed in the Natural Areas Journal,October 1989, by conservation biologistReed Noss as, "One of the most endan-gered ecosystems in the world."
Last year, Roger Dennington told us, "Theremaining Longleaf forest is in trouble. Weare still losing 140,000 acres a year. It'stime for increased action in both the politi-cal and educational arenas. We shouldexplore organizing to preserve the remain-ing natural Longleaf areas. A forest is morethan the trees."
What Roger Dennington was referring tois the biodiversity supported by the combi-nation of Longleaf Pine and a wiregrassunderstory. Together these two plantspecies foster one of the most
Herbaceous floras on earth, and 191 rareplants have been identified in the longleaf-wiregrass forest ecosystem. This forest alsopromotes a rich fauna, an abundance ofwildlife distinctive to the region. Sherman'sfox squirrel, the endangered red-cockadedwoodpecker, and the gopher tortoise areamong the vanishing longleaf animal spe-cialists, all of which need at least 90 year-old trees to make their home. The red-cock-aded woodpecker excavates nests only inaging longleaf pines. The gopher tortoise, akeystone animal species of longleaf pine-wiregrass communities, has been docu-mented to house some 362 other species ofcommensal invertebrates and vertebrates inits burrows. These are compelling reasonsto consider the preservation of the longleafforest ecosystem as a whole.
Longleaf is more dependent upon thewiregrass than vice versa. Longleaf pinesconvert local lightning strikes into groundfires, but it is the dense wiregrass groundcover that lets forest fires move steadilyover whole landscapes. The fire burnsaway the invading hardwoods while leavingthe longleaf trees unharmed. Longleaf's
Restoring the Longleaf for Future GenerationsGoodwin Heart Pine Company7
thick bark flakes during and after a fire pro-tecting the tree. The terminal bud of ayoung longleaf in the "grass stage" is pro-tected from fire by its long needles. Theburned forest understory exposes rich min-eral soil, which is required for Longleafseeds to germinate. The wiregrass itself willbegin to turn green again in just a fewdays, but if artificially disturbed as happenswith mechanical tilling, it grows back veryslowly if at all.
In order to reverse the negative trends forthe Longleaf forests we must:- first, establish biodiversity as the land
management paradigm where its is still possible to preserve the remaining native
longleaf forests,- and perpetuate native forest conditions
with Summer controlled burns.- Then we can integrate the harvesting of
timber products into the new forest management perspective and manage the forest as a whole ecosystem.
The Association for the Restoration ofLongleaf Pine is founded with these goals inmind and is "dedicated to the conservationand restoration of one of America's greatnatural resources." Foresters, land owners,conservationists, plant ecologists, biologists,and preservationists alike want to see thetrends reversed for the Longleaf pine. Theinterests of one group can create opposing
8www.heartpine.com
Mr. John Loughridge, his son Earl and their families sit beside the logging operation ofthe Weaver Loughridge Lumber Company in Florida, 1910.
views of how Longleaf should be managed.Some of the current conflicts include:• Should we leave "standing snags" or
standing dead trees? Research by Dr. Sharon Hermann, Tall Timbers Plant Ecologist, suggests that they may aid in the protection of juvenile longleaf trees in the path of fire and therefore increase regeneration. Some want them removed, however, to improve the appearance of the forest.
• What happens to Longleaf regeneration when wiregrass is removed? This was sometimes done by tilling the soil instead of burning prior to planting longleaf. It may also be thought to improve hunting.
• Are the nutrients lost to Longleaf pine straw baling being replaced? Unfortunately, the forest floor in some areas has been raked to resemble a dirt parking lot, with no attempt made to leave any straw or replace the lost nitrogen and minerals.
Because its operation is independent fromthe profit of managing forests, theAssociation can promote cooperative solu-tions to these and other issues amongthose whose livelihood depends directly onLongleaf Pine.
A long-term research project of theAssociation is data collection and analysisof information from river-recovered logs.The growth ring patterns in these old-growthlogs tell how Longleaf responded to weatherchanges and conditions over hundreds ofyears in the area where the logs wererecovered from the river. This is a source ofdata that is not available any other way. Theinformation may be particularly meaningfulsince those who plant Longleaf today willnot be alive to see the mature forests thatmay flourish once again.
Sincerely,
Carol Goodwin,President
Goodwin Heart Pine Company9
The Association sponsors a quarterly newsletter featuring all segments of the Heart Pine industry:demonstration growing projects, the latest in forestry research and conservation efforts for Longleaf,as well as how Heart Pine manufacturers are trying to conserve supplies of original growth wood. Youcan even "Adopt a Baby Longleaf." For more information about how you can participate in the preser-vation of Longleaf forests and help restore Longleaf Pine for future generations contact:
The Association for the Restoration of Longleaf Pine, Inc.106 SW 109th PlaceMicanopy, FL 32667(352) 466-0090
kay, so you have made the decisionto install Heart Pine and you are
ready to go. Some suggestions we feelmight come in handy throughout theprocess are included in the remainder ofthis section of the guide. The following nineessential steps will help you prepare:
1. Relative humidity establishedRelative humidity in the dwelling should bestabilized at 40-60 percent. Be sure thedrywall and sub-floor of the house are dryprior to installation. If the newly installedfloor absorbs moisturefrom its surroundings itwill expand and com-press, but it will notdecompress to the fulldimension once the sitedries.
2. Constructionsite readyAll concrete, plasterand mortar projectsshould be seasoned atleast 60 days beforedelivery of flooringmaterials. Always testconcrete for moistureregardless of how longit has been poured.Check basements andcrawl spaces to be surethey have good cross-ventilation. Woodfloors require 1 1/2 square feet of ventila-tion per 100 square feet of floor. Surfacedrainage should direct rainfall or exces-sive moisture away from the structure.Keep sprinklers from spraying on thehouse around wood floors.
3. Acclimation time allowedAcclimate flooring to the site before it isinstalled by stacking it with good ventilationbetween the boards. Ideal acclimation timeis two to four weeks, with a seven to tenday minimum. Air temperature and humidityconditions that will exist throughout the lifeof the structure should be established wellbefore the flooring arrives and left on dur-ing the entire acclimation time.
4. Moisture content monitoredCheck moisture content with a high quality,
accurate moisture meter. The floor shouldmeasure 8 to 14 percent in most conditionsand the floor and subfloor should be nomore than 4 percent difference at installa-
10This Way to the Finish
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This circa 1900 photo tells of a well-organized, hard workingbunch of loggers. Special thanks to the Florida archives forthe use of the photos in this manual.
tion. However, the moisture content of thefloor should match the relative humidity ofthe environment in which it will be installed.If your indoor living areas are outside therange of 8 to 14 percent, you may want toconsider special measures: additional accli-mation time, a vapor barrier, or perhaps ahumidifier or dehumidifier.
5. Subfloor is sound and dryIf flooring is to be installed over a joist sys-tem, 3/4" exterior grade plywood makes agood subfloor (be sure it is dry). Or you canuse 6" or wider planks for a subfloor. Whenflooring is installed over concrete, check forwetness by taping down a square yard ofplastic for 72 hours to see if condensationforms. Once dry, you can install a joist sys-tem or just a grid of pressure-treated lum-ber (screed system) over the concrete. Asound subfloor is the crux of a sturdy floor.
6. Plan the layout before you installMaintain a 3/4" gap around the edge of theroom. Never "zero-fit" the floor boards tothe room. The floor must be able to expandin all directions without any pressure. Planthe layout before you begin to allow for out-of-square rooms.
7. Sand: first level, then smoothThe first "cut" (sanding) is to level the floor.Use a drum sander with coarse-grit (20-36)paper. Fill any nail or peg holes and sandagain using medium-grit (50 to 80). Check
for any more blemishes and fill them beforethe final sanding with fine-grit (100-120)paper. Scrap the corners and hard to reachplaces, then hand sand them to blend withthe rest of the floor. Sweep and vacuumthe floor, walls, ceiling, shelves, and sillsthoroughly. Finally, wipe the floor clean ofany remaining dust with tack rags.
8. Finish recommendationsThe preferred floor finish for Heart Pine is awater-based urethane. New water-basedfinishes are better for the environment,durable, fast drying, and easy to clean-up.This finish is particularly easy to recoatonce the floor receives some wear. Simplyremove all the shine from the floor with aused 100-grit screen and reapply one ortwo coats. Drying time is often listed as fourhours, but experienced floor finishers rec-ommend at least 24 hours (or more)between each coat.
9. MaintenanceCaring for a water-based urethane floorfinish is easy. Simply damp (not wet) mopor vacuum frequently and use the finishmanufacturer's recommended urethanecleaner for regular cleaning. Of course,the best way to care for your wood floor isto exercise preventive maintenance. Usedirt-trapping mats at exterior doors andfabric-faced glides on furniture legs, andavoid high heels and sharp objects asmuch as possible.
Goodwin Heart Pine Company11
Edited from the original titled "The Heart of the Matter" by Goodwin Heart Pine in the Southeastern Homebuilder and Remodeler.
e understand that the necessarysite conditions for wood flooring
installation are sometimes tough toenforce. Construction may still be underway and doorways may be propped openas workers go in and out. This is furthercomplicated by the fact that floor installa-tion is one of the last steps, just wheneveryone is most anxious to be done.
Here's the rest of the story on site conditions and
how to avoid future problems:First of all, Heart Pine, like any wood, is anatural product. It is made up of tiny cellswhich take on or give off water with mois-ture in the air, and will therefore shrink orexpand somewhat with changes in relativehumidity. The humidity levels inside a build-ing will vary with heating or air conditioningseasons. As the humidity varies the dimen-sions of floor boards and any wood prod-ucts will also change slightly. Here's how tobest preserve your floor and all fine wood.
Turn the thermostat to your typical settingabout three weeks before the flooring isdue to arrive with all outside doors and win-dows in place. This will help to stabilizehumidity levels between 40% and 60%,and establish an ambient temperature ofbetween 50 degrees and 90 degrees
Fahrenheit. It's ideal to maintain thesehumidity and temperature conditions asmuch of the time as possible throughoutthe life of the building.
During the heating season, however,some buildings may need a humidifier tomaintain a healthy humidity level and pre-vent excess shrinking of the building mate-rials. Here's an example of how insidehumidity is affected by the seasons. Say itis 20 degrees outside with an outside rela-tive humidity of 60% and an inside temper-ature of 72 degrees. When the outside airis exchanged into the inside of the houseand warmed to 72 degrees, the relativehumidity inside drops to 20%! If the amountof heating causes unusually dry conditions,use a humidifier in conjunction with theheating device. Too much moisture cancause problems too. Beware of leaving ahouse closed up with the air conditioningoff during summer months when excesshumidity may get trapped inside the house.
Season all concrete, mortar, and plasterareas a minimum of 60 days. You cancheck if concrete is dry by using a fewdrops of phenylthalene (available at most
The Inside Story on Site Conditions
To ensure a lifetime of beautiful wood flooring,plan ahead for the time to:
1. prepare site conditions before floor delivery
2. acclimate the floor inside the site conditions.
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Franklin County Lumber Company was one of 14 sawmillsowned by Florida's Governor and President of the Trade ExportCommission, George Drew.
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There are many, many solutions to mois-ture intrusion depending on the type of con-struction and area of the country.
For example, some of the oldest housesin southern Florida were built without anysubfloor to provide maximum circulation forthe floor. This is an extreme example andrequires the best drainage and planning.We do not recommend it, but it serves todemonstrate the diversity of options thatare available if you investigate the naturalconstruction techniques for your location.
The subfloor: your floor's foundation
Nearly all squeaks and cracks can bedirectly traced to an inadequate subfloor. Aplank subfloor should be at least 6" wideboards installed diagonally to the joists.When installing a plywood subfloor, 3/4"exterior grade is recommended if your fin-ished flooring is 3/4" thick. Align the edgeswith the joists for strength and staggeradjacent rows four feet. You can even cutthe plywood into 4' squares to create asmaller area over which each panel canmove. Nail every six inches along eachjoist with 8D or larger nails. You can useadhesive before nailing to further reducemovement and possible squeaks.
If you choose to put in a sleeper (orscreed) system over a concrete slab, drypressure treated 2x4s are preferred. Theseshould be 18" to 4' in length and staggeredon centers with an air gap on all overlapjoints. Lay them perpendicular to the direc-
13 Goodwin Heart Pine Company
drugstores). Or you can use a vapor barri-er test. Tape a 3' x 3' piece of 6 millimeterpoly-film securely to the slab. Allow thisbarrier to remain secured for 72 hours,then remove and check for moisture underthe film.
Check that crawl spaces are dry and wellcross-ventilated. Even an old house canhave moisture in the slab or water underthe house. All that is required for theseconditions to occur is for dirt to be piled uparound the slab for landscaping or for theground under the house to be lower thanthe ground around the house.
Remember to direct rainfall or excessivemoisture away from the structure with sur-face drainage. Good drainage is a 3" orgreater slope per every 10 feet. Build upthe ground level under the house so that itis higher than ground level around the out-side of the foundation.
If you do have the potential for moistureintrusion from underneath the flooring, thetreatment may be as simple as a layer ofplastic taped under the building or betweenthe slab and subfloor. Tape the plastic any-where there are seams. Be sure not topierce this vapor barrier with nails or sta-ples when installing the floor.
Logs on the Wekiva River Florida, circa 1890. Thegentleman rowing the canoe was likely the supervisorof this loading dock to the sawmill. The Wekiva hasmany winding bends.
tion of the finished flooring and securethem with T-nails staggered side-to-side 4"to 6" apart.
Leave expansion joints of at least 1/8 inchbetween each panel, section, or board ofthe subfloor. Research has shown that twoor three years after the floor is installed thesubfloor will measure 2-3% higher moisturecontent than the floor. The subfloor hasless access to heating and air conditioningthan the floor, and will expand slightly fromthe additional moisture.
Use a 6' to 10' straightedge to check thesubfloor for high areas, and sand any highspot so the subfloor is as flat as possible.Next put down 30 pound felt paper carefullybutt-edged, not overlapped. The feltreduces the chance of squeaks and helpscirculation around the floor boards.
When delivering wood flooring to the site,do not unload in the rain, drizzle, snow, orextremely moist weather. Once inside, it isbest to acclimate the flooring for a mini-mum of 7 to 10 days, but it could takemuch longer depending on the site.
While the wood is acclimating, it shouldbe stacked so that air can circulate aroundeach board. Use a good quality moisturemeter to check your floor. Be sure the floorand subfloor are within 4% of each other atinstallation. If there is a variation of morethan 3-4% in the moisture content of themore dense boards from the lighter boards,this is one sign that the floor may not befully acclimated.
Take time to plan the layout of your floorso that the last few boards don't have toaccommodate all of the difference for an
out of square room. You can often hide anydifferences in dimensions around the roomby allowing for them in the expansion airgaps around the edges of the room. Or youmay be able to hide a tapered floor boardunder a counter or along a wall that is notimmediately noticeable when you first walkinto the room.
Consider any special treatments such as"framing" doorways, fireplaces, masonry, orother protrusions into the room with widerboards and decorative effects. You can turndecorative boards perpendicular to thefloor, screw and peg them, and join them atthe corners with a 45 degree angle insteadof a butt joint.
Select several straight boards for the firstand last few rows. Some boards are natu-rally more crooked than others, and youcan pull them into place easily when work-ing in the middle of the room. The simplestway to get a crooked board into placebefore nailing is to drive a screwdriver intothe subfloor for leverage. However, it's eas-ier to work with a straight board whileyou're pulling up near the wall.
Lay the floor perpendicular to the joists ifpossible. If you decide to lay it parallel tothe joists you'll need an especially strongsubfloor. Small marks at the base of thewall help locate the joists during installa-tion. Stagger flooring during installation sothat the end joints are at least 4" to 6", orfarther, apart in any direction.
It is not necessary to end-match HeartPine. Oak is often end-matched becausethe average board is only 2-4' long. A HeartPine floor usually averages 6-10' boards.There will be some shorter pieces, but
14www.heartpine.com
these can be mixed in or used at the walls.
Many professionals suggest that installa-tion begin in the middle of the room.Flooring expands in the direction of thetongue, so any movement as humidity lev-els change will be from the center outinstead of across the entire width of thefloor. Use a center spline between the twofacing grooves of the center boards. Otherssuggest that you install from one wall to theother, left to right if you are right handed.All agree that power nailers are faster anddiminish the chance of hammer marks onthe floor.
Always maintain a 1/2" to 3/4" air gaparound all walls or protrusions. The floormust be allowed to expand without anypressure. You can cover the gaps easily
with base and matching shoe molding.Base and shoe molding is usually nailed tothe wall instead of the floor. Leave room fora business card (a very slight air gap) toslide on top of the floor and under themolding. Undercut door jambs for flooringto slide under.
Finishing normally begins about 7-14 daysafter installation. This gives enough time forthe installed floor to react to the environ-ment. Slight cracks and any raised edgesthat are going to develop will have done soby then, and you can fill and sand them forthe best possible appearance. Longer peri-ods of exposure may subject the barewood to job-site abuse and moisture.
Now you can sit back and enjoy yourinvestment in wood flooring.
Goodwin Heart Pine Company15
E. Baird and Brothers Saw and Planing Mills is located 15 miles from Goodwin Heart Pine today. The county wasthe supply site for many of the largest Heart Pine mills throughout north central Florida.
or starters, Heart Pine is naturallyhard and dense, and the new
polyurethane finishes offers increased pro-tection wherever you install your woodfloor. But there is a lot of technical know-how needed for polyurethane or any otherhardwood floor finish. The finish industry isevolving rapidly to meet strict new regula-tions and the increase in demand for woodfloors. If you have further questions, tele-phone numbers, books, and articles arelisted in the back of this guide, all of whichprovide more detailed information.
Sanding Heart PineJust like site conditions are to installation,good sanding techniques are critical in fin-ishing. If the sander leaves swirls orgrooves these will become more noticeableonce the finish is applied.
The first step is to level the floor. HeartPine requires that you use a lower gritsandpaper than softer woods. Start with atleast #2 (50 grit) or even # 2 1/2 (36 grit)for the leveling step. Do not be timid aboutusing lots of sand paper.
Floor finishers are specialized, expensiveequipment, and the job takes at least acouple of different machines. A drumsander is used to level the floor, and a discsander to "screen" (or lightly sand) betweeneach coat. You might want an edger, asmall floor sander that lets you get close towalls, or you can sand these hard to reachareas by hand. A professional floor finisherwill have all of these machines, or you maybe able to rent them from your local hard-ware store.
Sanding creates a lot of dust. Wear a res-pirator, ear plugs, and shoes that do not
hold dust in the soles or leave scuff marks.
Seal off doorways, vents, and built-ins bytaping plastic over them. Just before sand-ing remember to check for loose boards orsqueaks and repair them with screws fromunderneath the subfloor or nail throughthe floor into the joists. Set any nails atleast 1/16" deep and fill the holes withwood putty.
Operating a drum sander takes somepractice. The machine is heavy but has tobe moved along with a relatively "light"touch. If held in place for even a few sec-onds it will leave a dent in the floor. Sandin rows in the direction that the floor runsfrom left to right across the room. Thedrum sander takes a slightly deeper cut onthe left side to allow you to feather theedge on the right side as you move over tothe next row.
Turn on the machine and move forward asyou lower the drum to the floor so it doesnot dent the starting spot. You do not haveto bear down at all. About one foot away
16Finishing Heart Pine has Never Been Easier
FFwww.heartpine.com
This sawmill on the Ocklawaha River, shown in the early 1900s,produced much of the Heart Pine used to build factories andhouses in surrounding towns.
from the wall lift up. Put the machine downagain as you begin to move it backwardover the same row. When you reach thespot where you started, lift up and moveover 2–4" for each succeeding row.
You will not be able to get close to thewall behind you, so plan to start a few feetaway from the back wall and sand to withina foot or so of the wall in front of you. Thenturn around and sand the few feet remain-ing to the other wall, again starting fromright to left. Take care to feather over theline where you reversed directions. Use anedger to get the area that the drum sandercould not reach at walls and under coun-ters. You may need to use a hand scraperand hand sanding block for some areas.
After the first sanding, sweep well andchange to medium grit (60-80) paper andsand again. You may choose to use a filler
between sandings, usually used whenrefinishing old floors. If you defects thatyou want to cover there are some goodlatex fillers available. Use fine grit (100-120) sand paper for the final sanding.
As soon as you have completely sandedthe floor to a level surface, vacuum thor-oughly and then wipe it with tack rags. Besure to get all the dust from not only thefloor and out of the corners, but also offwindow sills and mouldings. Remember toclean out any vents as well. This will pre-vent sawdust from falling into the finish andbecoming a permanent part of your floor.
"Wash" the floor with a rag or mop thathas been dampened with mineral spirits.This is an important step for Heart Pine. Itremoves any oils or resins from the surfaceof the wood that might prevent the finishfrom adhering properly. The mineral spiritswill dry within a few hours, unless appliedtoo generously.
How to Apply the FinishPeople generally prefer the natural look offinishes applied in the home over a factorybaked-on finish, and most fine wood floorsare sanded and finished on-site. For bestresults, finish the floor after the wall cover-ings are in place and painting is complete,except for a final touch-up coat of paint onyour base molding.
Some Supplies to Have On-handPenetrating oil-based sealers can beapplied by hand with a rag, a brush, or alambs wool applicator. Surface finishes areusually applied by applicator, or by brush insmall areas.
Between coats of surface finishes you will
Goodwin Heart Pine Company17
Fernandina, Florida, inthe late 1900s was thesecond largest HeartPine export port next toPensacola.
need an abrasive nylon screen, fiber buff-ing pad, or steel wool to lightly sand theprevious coat and help the next oneadhere. Do not use steel wool if you areusing a water-based finish. The steel fiberswill rust and discolor the finish. If you usebrushes, clean them only with water or min-eral spirits. The distillates in some brushcleaners can slow the drying process.
Use a vacuum cleaner after each sandingor screening. For large areas, clean vacu-um bags frequently to avoid returning anydust to the floor. You might even try wear-ing paper surgical booties over your shoesto avoid tracking dust.
Rags with mineral spirits or water are alsouseful to clean up sweat, dust, dirt, or oil ifany drips on the floor while you are apply-ing the finish.
A Penetrating Sealer for the First Coat
We recommend that the first coat be an oil-based sealer to help bring out the redtones for which Heart Pine is so famous.The oil-based sealer is a penetrating finishand soaks into the wood, unlike surface fin-ishes such as water-based or moisture-cured polyurethane. The real beauty of thewood can be brought out right away by onecoat of the sealer.
Heart Pine is renowned for its uniquecolor and beauty. Many Heart Pine loversmodel the late Frank Lloyd Wright whosaid, "I like wood left alone, for the sake ofwood." Stains may actually muddle thewood's strong grain patterns. However, ifyour project has special needs you can getthe sealers in wood stain colors.
The finish is applied in parallel stripsacross the room with the direction of theflooring. Always maintain a wet edge anduse a single gliding stoke along the lengthof your strip, "feathering" into the previouswet area. Work toward the light so that youcan see your work, but do not worry aboutretouching missed areas if the finish hasalready begun to skim over. The next coatwill fill in these areas.
Make sure your floor is completely drybefore you apply the second coat since thesealer soaks into the Heart Pine. We sug-gest thinning it with 1/4 to 1/3 MineralSpirits to give it maximum penetration. Ithas been our experience that this coat maytake longer to dry than the finish manufac-turer's directions. We often find that it takesat least 24 hours for this sealer coat to dry.One customer says, "We think the labelsshould read, 'dries in four hours unless youlive in Florida where it takes two days.'"
If you are in a hurry use a moisture meterto see if the floor has returned to its pre-fin-ish moisture content. Or, check for athumbprint by pressing your thumb firmly
18www.heartpine.com
Naval stores operation in West Florida during the late1920s. The turpentine is being extracted from an oldgrowth Longleaf Pine stand in what is now Eglin Fieldnear Fort Walton Beach.
against the floor (see Don Bolinger's book,Hardwood Floors, available through FineHomebuilding magazine).
Use A Surface Finish After the First Coat
You have lots of choices for the second coatof finish. Water-based is increasingly popu-lar. It offers quick-drying time, takes littlemaintenance, and is simple to recoat whenwear eventually begins to show. Moisture-cured and oil-modified finishes are still useda lot today, even in this low VOC (volatileorganic compound) age. For a simple butsoft finish just wax on top of the sealer.
We generally recommend water-based ure-thanes because they are safe, durable, fast-drying, and offer good protection for yourfloor. Water-based products are being con-tinually improved to decrease their VOC con-tents and increase their durability. A water-based urethane used on Heart Pine over anoil-based sealer applied in thin coats is avery pretty finish. It looks similar to an "oiled"or hand-rubbed finish. Some woodworkersmay hate to admit this, but many know it istrue and use this to their advantage.
After the first and between each succeed-ing coat of finish, use a floor buffer fittedwith a used 100-120 grit "screen" (rub twotogether if you do not have a used one) orhand sand small areas. You will have tohand sand corners and edges. Lightly sandthe "top" off the finish.
You do not want to sand into the finish,and one or two passes over the floor isusually enough. All that is necessary is totake the shine off the finish to help the nextcoat adhere to the one before it. If the fin-ish does not "powder" while you are sand-ing, it is probably not dry. Vacuum the floorand any sills and base boards. Tack thefloor again, then let it dry completely, andstart your next coat.
• Here is a hint for the best possible adherence from coat to coat. Manypolyurethanes are so hard that they donot even adhere well to themselves. Thehigh-gloss adheres best, so even if youwant a satin finish use high-gloss for allexcept the last coat. Then use satin asyour final coat and you will get the low-gloss (or semi-gloss) finish that you wantwith maximum adherence.
• Yes, you can apply as many coats of polyurethane as you want. Usually two orthree coats is enough,, but we have hadpeople ask if they can use several coats.Just remember to let each new coat drya little longer than the previous one.
• It is important not to wax a wood floor that has a surface finish (water-based ormoisture-cured). If wax is used on thesefinishes, it prevents the ability to simplyretouch the floor (screen or lightly sandto remove the shine and recoat it). If you
Goodwin Heart Pine Company19
A steam log skidder used to load railroad cars in EscambiaCounty, Florida 1910. The steam engine allowed the forest to
be clear cut much more quickly.
wax on top of a surface finish you mustsand the floor completely back to barewood before recoating.
Which Finish to Use?Water-based (or water-borne) urethaneis a good choice for the environmental-ist and is the easiest to apply. Water-basedis only slightly less hard than moisture-cure, and is less likely to leave drying linesduring application.
Moisture-cure urethane is the hardestand most protective finish, but it requiresthe most skill to apply. Generally, it is notsuggested for use by the non-professional.
Traditional oil-modified polyurethanefinishes are used today, though they willbe regulated out of use in the future. Waxis generally applied on top of this finish.
Use a penetrating oil sealer for a natu-ral but soft finish. Buff the floor with steelwool between each coat, and then waxover the sealer. This finish may be the cor-rect choice for some projects, but itrequires extra maintenance and offers lessprotection.
There are completely natural finishproducts available for people with chemi-cal sensitivities or for those who want touse totally non-toxic products.Organizations specializing in the mosthealthful and ecological building materialsare noted at the back of this booklet.
Special Floor Finishing NeedsIf you are restoring a historic building, youmay choose varnish to match an old finish.We discuss varnishes in the section on"Reviving the Finish." We can also provide
you with reprints of Old House Journal arti-cles about historic finishes.
You might want to know about finishes forporch or outdoor floors... or how to sand aparquet floor... or even how to "pickle" yourfloor. There are many topics, and we canonly mention the basics in this short book-let. Do not hesitate to call with questions.We will try to provide other references.
There are many companies that makeexcellent finish products, a few are listed inthe back of this guide. No matter which fin-ish manufacturer you choose, follow theirdirections carefully. These products areimproving rapidly as are the ecologicalstandards they are required to meet.
Let us know if we can provide reprints offlooring manufacturer's association guideson finishing to further assist you.
What is not here.We do not mention white floors nor do wediscuss finishes which contain formalde-hyde in this guide. These finishes are fre-quently used and many professionals havea great deal of experience with them. If youneed to know about them, we can recom-mend sources.
20www.heartpine.com
Timber rafts on the Ocklawaha in July of 1901
wood floor is one of the best invest-ments you have ever made. With
proper care, it will stay beautiful and last alifetime.
How do you keep your floors as beautifulas the day they were installed or refin-ished? Follow these easy steps and youwill have beautiful floors that always looktheir best. Here are some basic rules thatapply to all types of finishes.
With these simple steps your Heart Pinefloor will give you lasting beauty andenjoyment.
1. Keep out the dirt.Dirt and grit are any floor's enemy, whethercarpet, tile, or hardwoods.
• Use dirt-trapping mats outside all exterior doors.
• Throw rugs or small carpets just inside entrances are also helpful.
• Sweep, vacuum with a brush attachment, or mop regularly as needed.
• Do not use a household dust treatment. Your floor may become slick or it may dull the finish.
2. Prevent damage.Steps to avoid scratches or dents in the floor.
• Use felt or fabric-faced glides on the legs of your furniture.
• If you need casters, non-marking rubber is the best type.
• Keep high heels in good repair and replace protective shoe heel caps, exposed steel support rods in high heels will dent even concrete.
• Move area rugs occasionally and shade large west-facing windows.
3. When you clean.Cleaning is different depending on the fin-ish that you chose.
• Do not use wax over a surface finish (water-borne or moisture-cure).
• You can damp mop a surface finished floor with a minimum of water or cleaner.
• Finish manufacturers often have a cleaner that is made for their finish.
• Wipe up spills quickly. Standing liquidcan harm the wood and finish.
• Waxing too much is a common mistake. It can decrease luster. Buff your floor before you rewax and see if that returns the luster.
Keeping Your Floors Looking Beautiful
AAGoodwin Heart Pine Company21
Log rafts were the safest and least expensive method of transport until the end of the 19th century. They were usually15 to 20 logs wide and 20 sections long. Loggers lived on these rafts for weeks at a time on their way downstream.
here are many types of floor finishesand different finishes may have been
used in different rooms, so the type of careyou need may vary. Your builder, realtor, orflooring professional might be able to tellyou about your floor finish. Try to get thebrand names of the finishing products andthe name of the manufacturer if you can.Keep information about your finish in yourfiles to help you determine the proper floorcare products. Here are some things youneed to know about the restoring varioustypes of finishes.
Surface FinishesThis includes the polyurethane family. Thesefinishes require the least effort to maintain.
For general cleaning, use the manufactur-er's recommended product or just add 1/4cup of white vinegar to one quart of warmwater. Dip a clean cloth or sponge mop andwring nearly dry. Clean the floor and wipedry with a towel as you go.
Buff to restore luster. When luster doesnot return in traffic areas such as door-ways, kitchen sink, stove area, or hallways,the floor may require recoating. Consultyour wood floor contractor, or you may
attempt to extend the life of your finish byapplying a compatible aerosol finish toareas that show wear.
NEVER WAX a surface finish. In mostcases, wax will be slippery. Once waxed,the floor can not be merely recoated torejuvenate the finish, but will have to becompletely sanded down to raw woodbefore you can refinish.
Waxed FinishesNormally these include: oil-modified ure-
thane finishes, a sealer coat with wax overthe finish, or possibly a stain with wax.
When the floor looks dull, buff first to seeif that will restore the luster before re-wax-ing. When areas of heavy use no longerrespond to buffing, wax only those areas,and buff the floor to an even luster.
When the whole floor needs attention,clean and wax with a liquid wax and clean-er specifically for wood floors. If your woodis stained, select the type that also containsstain. You can be sure if the can says,'Contains Petroleum distillate' or 'Naphtha,'that it is specifically for wood floors. Followthe instructions on the label, being certain
Reviving Your Floors' Finish
TT
www.heartpine.com
Florida Railway used portable camp cars for lumber offices. Often railways were run into the forest and then pulled upwhen the forest was cut down.
22
to apply evenly and wipe up any excess asyou go. Let dry. Buff to the desired luster.Depending upon traffic, the floor shouldonly need complete rewaxing once a year.
Historic Floor FinishesIf your goals are to restore the floor to itsoriginal finish, or to use the products ofprior eras consider the following choices:
The historic floor finishes were all surfacefinishes that are rarely used today and donot have the moisture-resistant characteris-tics of modern surface finishes. You shouldnever damp mop a varnish, shellac, or lac-quer finish. Floors finished with varnish,shellac or lacquer should be cleaned peri-odically with mineral spirits.
Shellac was used prior to the 1850s, but itis much too soft for a finish and it spotseasily whenever a drop of water is spilled.Shellac was considered by many, however,to add to the beauty of a floor, primarilybecause of the warm orange color that itsimpurities gave to the finish.
Varnish came next, but it's also soft and ittakes a long time to dry. Varnish can takeweeks or even months to dry completely. Itis still used today, however, on some his-toric floors. Spar varnish gives a high-glossfinish, tung oil a semi-gloss, and satin tungoil a low-gloss finish.
Polyurethanes came next after varnishes.You can't really draw a line between var-nishes and polyurethanes. They are allproducts developed from resins. Early var-nish was made from natural oils, then cameman-made alkyd varnish, and finallypolyurethanes which are synthetic resinvarnishes with drying agents added.
If you want a natural looking finish andyou also need to provide protection for yourhistoric floor, take heart! Water-bornepolyurethane when used on Heart Pineover an oil-based sealer and applied in thincoats, can look similar to a natural oil orvarnish finish.
Restoring without refinishingWhen all else fails, or you acquire a disas-ter floor, you can work with a type of prod-uct called 'renovator.' Renovator is a spe-cial class of products made by several ofthe finish manufacturers to help restore oldfloors. They do not contain any waxes andcan clean off residue that may be left fromoil soaps and waxy dusting compounds.These products will rejuvenate and "leavethe wood with the natural glow of the origi-nal finish," according to one manufacturer.
Renovator is for floors finished with pene-trating floor products (not surface finishes).It is specially formulated to clean, restoreand reseal hardwood floors, terrazzo, con-crete or unglazed terra cotta tile withoutrequiring that they be sanded first.Renovator works by softening a thin layerof the finish coating and simultaneouslycleans the surface and replaces the soft-ened layer with additional sealer.
Paint thinner (careful - it is flammable)and fine steel wool may work to partlyrestore old floors. Do not use the steel wooldry - work in a puddle of the thinner andwipe the floor clean as you go. After thefloor is dry, apply paste wax - clear or witha stain, either liquid or solid. When usingsolid paste wax, wrap a 'wad' of wax in acloth and apply a thin even coat. Thewarmth of your hand and the rubbing fric-tion melts the wax. Buff to a luster.
Goodwin Heart Pine Company23
Our logs have been preserved by thecool water and lack of oxygen. Thismeans the heavy, dense heart is in perfectcondition, full of pizzazz and rich in color.Previously used wood doesn't have the"life" of riverbed wood.
Our wood is unspoiled by saws, nailsand the ravages of time and use. Manylogs still have the V-bottom where theywere cut by axe more than 100 years ago.
We are the only mill able to provideCurly Heart Pine (also known asRosemary Pine). The Curly consists of arare and distinctive grain pattern, similar toa burled grain. One out of approximatelyevery 100 heart pine logs contains somecurly grain.
Because we have the original log, wecan mill heart pine in custom dimen-sions for your restoration needs, as well asmatch existing patterns.
Our stair treads are solid plank to giveyou a more beautiful stair. Since we havethe original log we can get enough 12"wide by 5/4" thick material of clear grade tooffer you this benefit.
We exceed the strict grading standards forheart pine, last published by the SouthernPine Inspection Bureau (SPIB) in 1924.
Only natural defects exist in our logs andthese are removed as the lumber is sawnand milled. Our standards, from productionto delivery, are the highest possible A cus-tomer once told us that we act like everyboard is going in our own home. This com-
24Time-tested Standards
www.heartpine.com
WWWhile other companies provide resawn lumber from wood salvaged from oldbuildings, we put on our wet suits and retrieve, by hand, the logs that nevermade it to the downstream sawmills of the 1700s and 1800s. This wood isnot only antique, it is also one of the most beautiful, durable and distinctivehardwoods you will ever see. There are many advantages to our River-recov-ered Heart Pine. Among them:
Men from the Wilson Lumber Company, 1910, measure thegirth of a giant cypress tree. Notches will be cut 3 to 6 feet upthe tree and boards inserted in the notches to allow cuttingdown the tree.
mitment to excellence shows in the littlethings we do such as:
Our flooring fit is tight to help installa-tion and eliminate squeaks. We makesure the flooring edge under the tongueand groove is slightly eased to allow thefloor to "breathe" properly.
We use "flooring match", with thetongue and groove off center. We selectthe best face and give you more wood onthe top for nailing and for extra sandingsduring the floor's life of 100 plus years.
Your order is trimmed of all wastematerial. Unlike others, we do not markand leave defects in the floor boards foryou to cut out. We cut them out for you.
In the final grading step we trim oneend of each floor board in an effort toassist installation. The floor is also sepa-rated into lengths for packing and all hori-zontal "shake" is removed to ensure thatyou get no flooring splinters.
Our mouldings are architecturallydrawn and are designed to classic pro-portions to provide you with a variety ofchoices to complete the most beautifulsurroundings possible.
We stock stair parts: treads, risers andhand rails, as well as base, shoe, casingand chair mouldings. If you do not seethe pattern of your choice, please send usa sample or drawing. We can often matchyour pattern.
Goodwin Heart Pine Company25
“Ya see that ring
right there?...That
means this fella
survived a another
bad forest fire
that year.”
1. There are many grain patternsand grades from which you canchoose:
Select – a blend of quartersawn andplainsawn, like fingerprints, no twoboards are alike.Select Clear – if your project calls for noknots or only the occasional pin knot (½"or less).Vertical – quartersawn, a pin-stripedgrain pattern and more consistent inappearance.Curly–a figured, burl grain, the rarest of all.
2. Once you have selected yourgrain pattern, several "finish"(milling) options are available forvarious uses:
• Flooring Match:–more wood on the top face–allows air circulation between
each board • Center Match:
–the tongue and groove are in the center
–may be required in restoration projects.• Beading:
–adds interest on ceilings and paneling–wainscot, double/ single for an
older look • V-joint::
–a bevel above the tongue and groove–improves the appearance of paneling
• Natural edges (fletches):–most often for mantles or counter tops–available for paneling and siding
The supplies of this rich lumber are limit-ed and our production quality demandsthat we follow every step in the manufac-
turing process. We stock some of the mostpopular widths and may be able to fill yourorder within one to two weeks. The stan-dard production schedule, however, fromair-dried lumber to finished flooring is fourto five weeks.
After you confirm your order, your lumberis dried in our modern dehumidification drykiln. After at least 15 days in the kiln andthe moisture content is correct at 6 to 8percent, the lumber is allowed to readjustslowly from 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit tominimize shrinkage in the final product.Your Heart Pine lumber is again regradedas it is planed.
We have freight discounts, usually at least35%, available from several common carri-er’s that we pass along to you. We securethe least costly transportation, whereveryou are located.
Packaging is done with care by hand. Weband flooring bunks every 18" at no addi-tional charge and we wrap larger packagesentirely in cardboard. (Cardboard providesmore protection than plastic and is a betterchoice for the environment). We load theorders ourselves onto the front of the carri-ers' trucks to help ensure that your orderreaches you in excellent condition.
We are always willing to provide as muchinformation as we can to meet your needs.We will work closely with you, your archi-tect and designer, your contractor, or theflooring installer of your choice. The entirestaff at Goodwin Heart Pine is concernedwith helping ensure that your Heart Pinefloor is one of lasting beauty.
26Ordering is Simple
www.heartpine.com
Our mouldings are drawn to classic proportions. However, if you don't see what you needhere, just mail or fax the pattern of your choice. If we don't already have a knife to matchyour pattern, it may even be possible to have a knife ground especially for you.
27There's More Than the Floor
Goodwin Heart Pine Company
Your architect may have specifiedmolding and trim to match your floor. If thishas not already been done for you, just describe yourbuilding plans and we will gladly ask our designer consultant to suggest the perfect floor "complements."
28Square Feet • Board Feet • Linear Feet
How to Make Sense of These Measurements www.heartpine.com
Square Feet (SF)This is the amount of lumber required tocover one square foot of floor or wallspace, without any consideration for thethickness of the wood.
[Square feet = width x length of floor]
We use the "finished width" of your flooringor paneling to figure square feet. Woodwhich is 4" wide in rough form has a 3 1/8"finished face width. This allows 7/8" for thetongue & groove. Some of the other stan-dard flooring finished face widths are:6" rough yields a 5 1/8" face when finished,and 8" rough yields a 7" face when finished.
Board Feet (BF)A board foot is the volume of wood whichcovers 12" x 12" and is 1" thick. Usuallyonly lumber is sold in board feet, but amanufacturer must always use this meas-ure when computing the cost of producinga wood product.
[BF = rough width x rough thickness / 12"]
Board feet is conceptually the most diffi-cult of these measures, but it is the onlytrue measure for comparing one quantity oflumber with another quantity of lumber of adifferent dimension.
Linear Feet (LF)The simplest of measurements, this is just
the length of any given piece of flooring,paneling, lumber, or trim. This measurementdoes not take into consideration the "dimen-sions" (width or thickness) of the wood. Weuse this measurement when we pull fromour inventory to prepare your order.
[Linear feet = length]
An example requiring all of the measure-ments is computing the lumber required fora "pattern" floor. If you want a 4"/6"/8" pat-tern, you normally want equal linear feet ofall three widths. However, the square feetand board feet will be different for eachwidth. Here is how to figure this pattern fora 15' x 15' room.:
1. Compute the total square footage of the floor surface to be covered.
(15' x 15') = 225 SF
2. Compute the "pattern coverage factor" (PCF) by dividing the sum of the finished widths by the sum of the rough widths.
(3.125"+5.125"+7") / (4"+6"+8") = .847 PCF
3. Compute the total board feet for your entire floor (all widths) by dividing the square feet by the PFC.
You probably know by now that flooring, lumber, and trim is manufac-
tured and sold using any of several different measurements. Usually,
flooring is sold in square feet, lumber is sold in board feet, and trim
(molding and stair parts) is sold in linear feet.
225 SF / .847 PCF = 266 BF
4. Compute the board feet per "pattern width". This is the board feet contained in one linear foot of each of the three widths side-by-side.
4" + 6" + 8" / 12" = 1.5 BF per pattern width
5. Compute the linear feet required for eachwidth. Do this by dividing the total boardfeet by the board feet per pattern width.
266 BF / 1.5 BF = 177 LF of each width
Goodwin Heart Pine Company296. Figure the board feet for each
individual width.
177 LF of 1"x 4" = (177 x 4" / 12") = 59 BF177 LF of 1"x 6" = (177 x 6" / 12") = 88.5 BF177 LF of 1"x 8" = (177 x 8" / 12") = 118 BF
7. Figure the square feet for each individual width.
59 BF of 3 1/8"face = (59 x 3.125" / 4") =46SF88.5 BF of 5 1/8"face = (88.5 x 5.125" / 6") =76SF118 BF of 7"face = (118 x 7" / 8") =103SF
The best Heart Pine grew right next to the Cypress swamps alongside the rivers. Once this forest was cut log-gers had to go deeper into the forest and use wagons to drag out the cut logs.
That's it! Thank goodness we do all the figuring for you. We will work with you to deter-mine if any extra should be allowed to install around fireplaces, bay windows, or unusualangles. The end result of all our calculations is the shipment of 100% totally useable lum-ber to you.
30Specifications of Goodwin Heart Pine
www.heartpine.com
Abbreviations:BF = Board FeetCF = Coverage FactorLF = Linear FeetNET = Net, finished/surfaced dimensionNOM = Nominal, rough/original dimensionSF = Square FeetS2E = Surfaced two sides, one edgeS2S = Surfaced two sidesS4S = Surfaced four sidesT&G = Tongue and GrooveV-jt = Tongue and Groove plus a V-joint
for paneling
Standard Flooring/Paneling Dimensions:
NOM NET1 x 3 3/4 x 2 1/4"1 x 4 3/4 x 3 1/4"1 x 6 3/4 x 5 1/4"1 x 8 3/4 x 7"1 x 10 3/4 x 9"1 x 12 3/4 x 10 7/8"1 x 14 3/4 x 12 7/8"
Standard Lumber Dimensions:NOM NET1 x 3 3/4 x 2 1/2"1 x 4 3/4 x 3 1/2"1 x 6 3/4 x 5 1/2"1 x 8 3/4 x 7 1/4"1 x 10 3/4 x 9 1/4"1 x 12 3/4 x 11 1/8"1 x 14 3/4 x 13 1/8"
Standard Thickness:NOM NET4/4 3/4"5/4 4/4"6/4 5/4"8/4 1 1/2"10/4 2"12/4 2 1/2"14/4 3"
Conversion from Square Feet (SF)to Board Feet (BF):
Formulas: SF / CF = BF or BF x CF =SFCoverage Factors (CF):1x 3 .751x 4 .81251x 6 .8751x 8 .8751x10 .91x12 .90631x14 .9196
Conversion from Board Feet (BF)to Linear Feet (LF):
Formulas:BF / CF = LF or LF x CF =BFCoverage Factors:1x 3 .251x 4 .3331x 6 .51x 8 .6671x10 .8331x12 1.01x14 1.167
Heart Cypress Heart PineBald Cypress Longleaf Pine
(Taxodium distichum) (Pinus Palustris)
Specific gravity .42 to .46 .54 to .59
Modulus of Rupture 46,000 73,000 59,000 100,000(kilopascals)
Modulus of Elasticity 8,100 9,000 11,000 13,700(kilopascals)
Work to Maximum Load 46 57 61 81(kilojoules per cu. m.)
Impact Bending 640 610 890 860(height of drop causing complete failure [Mm.])
Compression Parallel to Grain 24,700 43,900 29,800 58,400(maximum crushing strength [kilopascals])
Compression Perpendicular to Grain 2,800 5,000 3,300 6,600(fiber stress at proportional limit [kilopascals])
Shear Parallel to Grain 5,600 6,900 7,200 10,400(maximum shearing strength [kilopascals])
Tension Perpendicular to Grain 2,100 1,900 2,300 3,200(maximum tensile strength [kilopascals])
Side Hardness 1,700 2,300 2,600 3,900(load perpendicular to grain [newtons])
Mechanical Properties of Heart Pine & Heart CypressGoodwin Heart Pine Company31
32References
(Associations, Articles, Books, and Finish Manufacturers) www.heartpine.com
There are many places to receive additional information, several of which arelisted on these two pages. Call us if you donot see what you need.
AssociationsNational Wood Flooring Association(NWFA)11046 Manchester RoadSt. Louis, MO 63122(800) 422-4556Consumer Awareness Program Question Line(900) 646-WOOD(9663)Provides training seminars and workshopsfor all segments of the wood flooring indus-try. Coordinates among manufacturers, dis-tributors, and installers for the benefit of theconsumer.
National Oak Flooring ManufacturersAssociation(NOFMA)P.O. Box 3009Memphis, TN 38173-0009(901) 526-5016Sets standards and promotes the hardwood flooring industry.
Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association(MFMA)60 Revere Drive, Suite 500Northbrook, IL 60062(708) 480-9138Provides technical information about maple floors and about finishes for all wood floors.
ArticlesCalls us for articles (like those listed here),or let us ask an expert your questions:
1. Fixing Hardwood Floors, How to remove and replace tongue & groove floorboards, Old-House Journal, (Interiors Conference Issue), 2/93
2. Floor Finish Options, Old-House Journal, (Interiors Conference Issue), 2/93
3. Hardwood: The Health Floor, Hardwood Floors, 8/90
4. Laying a Plank Floor, The Taunton Press (Fine Homebuilidng), 1/91
5. Q&A: Hardwood Solutions, Hardwood Floors, every issue, here's a sample:- restoring water-damaged floors- the greenhouse effect and hardwood - refinishing an existing wood floor
6. Repairing Antique Floors, Old-House Journal, (Interiors Conference Issue), 2/93
7. State of the Wood Flooring Industry, Hardwood Floors, 4/92
8. Strip Flooring Kinks, Repair Tips for Tongue-and-Groove Floors, Old-House Journal, 3/93
9. Structural Repair Under an Old Floor, Old-House Journal, 3/92
10. Those ?*X!!*?# Cracks, Old-House Journal, 11/90
11. Wood's a Natural in the Kitchen, Hardwood Floors, 6/91
12. Hitting on Porch Decks, Old-House Journal, 6/93
Books and PamphletsHere are a few of the helpful books onwood floors, stairs, and paneling. If theseare not in your library, call us for where topurchase them:
1. Bollinger Don. Hardwood Floors: Laying, sanding and finishing, The Taunton Press (a Fine Homebuilding Book) (1990)
2. Bollinger Don, Floors, Walls, and Stairs, The Taunton Press (a Fine Homebuilding Book (1990)
3. Installing Hardwood Floors and Finishing Hardwood Floors, NOFMA (2000)
Flooring Finish Manufacturers(these are just some, call for complete list)
Absolute Coatings38 Portman RoadNew Rochelle, NY 10801914/636-0700
Basic Coatings2124 Valley Drive PO Box 677Des Moines, IA 50303800/247-5471
BonaKemi USA14805 E. Moncrieff PlaceAurora, CO 80011-1207303/371-1411Fax: 303/371-6958
Dura Seal - Minwax Co.1704 Woodstock Blvd, #1201
Arlington, TX 76006817/226-1587
Glitsa American327 S. Kenyon StreetSeattle, WA 98108800/527-8111
Harco Chemical Coatings208 Dupont StreetBrooklyn, NY 11222800/445-3777
McGrevor Coatings1701 Utica AvenueBrooklyn, NY 11234800/922-9981
The Natural Choice1365 Ruffina CircleSanta Fe, NM 87501505/438-3448
Professional Coatings27010 Cabot, AR 72023800/962-0344
Waterlox Coatings9808 Meech AvenueCleveland, OH 44105800/321-0377
Goodwin Heart Pine Company33