River-recovered® wood

How can wood from under water get dry?

River-recovered® logs are actually drier than freshly cut trees. The wood fibers are more relaxed from their 150+ year rest (see Fine Woodworking, August 1997). The wood is filled with oleoresin and does not take on any water. Even so, we carefully saw, air dry, then slowly kiln dry your wood to ensure that it will easily acclimate into your project's interior.

Can anyone pull logs off the river bottom?

George Goodwin worked with the Florida Fish & Game Commission, EPA and Water Management groups for over 20 years to create a safe process for divers and the environment. The State of Florida requires divers to buy a permit that is for a particular section of the river. There are many logs on the river bottom, but only a few are original-growth, with no bark or limbs. The second growth logs that blew down from storms and have tops and root balls are left to provide habitat.

What is heartwood and what is sapwood?

The heartwood is the interior portion of the log while the sapwood is the outer layer that was still living when the tree was cut. Original-growth longleaf pine is mostly heartwood, the sapwood band being rarely wider than 2 or 3 inches. Sapwood has from 1 to 3 percent resin content compared with 10 to 25 percent resin in heartwood. It is the resin that gives heart pine its rich, red color and its hardness, thus the sap is softer and does not turn red. "All heart" material was once in great demand for its greater durability and strength. The last time 100 percent heart was specified was in the 1904 Lumbermen's Yellow Pine Grading Reference. 95 percent heart means you will see approximately five inches of yellow streaks in every 8 feet of your floor. 70 percent or even 50 percent products are also called heart pine. Some prefer the yellow and red color variation. Others require all heart's red color and hardness. You can contact the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) at www.woodfloors.org for a list of members who follow the NWFA's Standards for Professional Conduct to be sure you get what you specify.

What’s the difference between River-Recovered® & Legacy™?

River-Recovered ® wood is from river-recovered logs. It has no nail holes, typically has more life and richness, and you can get wider boards in 8” and 10” plank flooring.

Isn’t cypress too soft to use as flooring?

It is softer than many hardwood floors. It is not as soft as southern yellow pine that is often used for flooring. Heart cypress was the favorite flooring of Frank Lloyd Wright.

What species are harder than oak?

Our River Recovered® heart pine is. With respect to hardness once you get to the region of oak it is usually not of too much of a concern. Other species that are harder include ash, beech, brazilian cherry, mesquite, santos mahogany (not a true mahogany, by the way... the same as angelique teak is not teak), merbau, jarrah, purpleheart, hickory/pecan (most mills mix the two since they look similar), ipe, lapacho, masanduba, padauk, wenge and hard maple. Many of the tropical woods are considerably harder than oak. In most instances you should think of actually walking on the finish because the wood supports the finish.

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