Have you ever wondered the steps that go into something as small as a piece of your hardwood floor? I see trees ...that are fallen all the time, and I see fire wood, not hard wood flooring. What are the steps that we go through to make a hardwood floor, glad you asked. Buckle up, here we go.
The first step before you consider using your own wood is figuring how much lumber you will actually need. You will not be able to use the whole tree for just hardwood. I would say you would have 50-65% waste from each tree that you select to use. Once the trees have been sawn to the thickness (around one inch) they will air dry for a number of months, depending on the season that you decide to cut the wood, anywhere between 4-6 months outside to air-dry.
Once the wood has air-dried and the moisture content of the wood is around where desired for your home it goes in a kiln for anywhere form 10-21 days depending on the moisture content. Once the lumber is done kiln drying, it will be taken over to the mill where we cut them to your specifications.
The mill is where your customization can really come into play by selecting different sizes than just your standard cut of hardwood floors, maybe 4-6 inch planks, or longer than standard planks.
The overall process from start to finish to complete hardwood floors can be anywhere from 8-11 months. If you have further questions or would like an estimate for you own hardwood floors, please fill out the inquiry card on the website or call 301-414-0080 and we will be happy to walk you through the process.