Installations of our beautiful Antique Oak Highlands Plank
There are rustic floors and then there is our highlands plank. This floor is a perfect combination of all that makes reclaimed wood so amazing and beautiful. Highlands plank is culled from the oak beams and boards that were used to construct the long lasting barns and outbuildings from our agricultural past. You will see a mix of red oaks and white oaks that have all aged magnificently and taken on the warm hues of exposure to UV light over a century or more.
The darker color in these planks is hard earned. As we all know wood darkens over time due to exposure but this wood has had more time than most to develop this tan.
The wood color is further affected by a heavy amount of saw kerf or saw cut that remains on the plank face. When combined with an oil finish the saw kerf trends much darker thus giving the floor a far more varied tonality.
The method used in the mill to create this effect of some saw kerf and some flat sawn is known in the industry as skip sawn. The molder will be set high thus missing some of the plank face entirely. The result leaves a somewhat uneven surface but with a wonderful result.
Skip sawing this material creates high and low spots in the floor but don't worry it's not nearly enough to stub a toe! The high and low spots leave you with the look of a floor that has been walked on for a hundred years by a thousand folks.
To maximize the look on this floor you will want to choose a random width range. Most of our customers choose 3"-6" since it gets the look right but doesn't blow the budget up. Random widths will give the flooring a variance in grain pattern, knot and nail hole thus making the most visually of the highlands plank.
Notice in the above image the mixture of surface textures in this kitchen. Your flooring is perhaps the most powerful visual statement in the room and highlands plank sets the bar high in this regard. What works best is strong offsets in terms of how you decorate. Highlands plank looks best when the decor pushes back against it in terms of colors and textures.
Daily life will be absorbed by this reclaimed floor. The worries about the dings and scratches will now be considered adding character to the floor. The real question is how does it feel to walk on. Wonderful. The saw kerf is sanded perfectly to the point where your bare feet will feel great crusing around.
You can always opt for a water based finish to avoid the color change that oil finishes give off. Water based finishes are just as resilient as oil based and give a more "true to natural color" effect.
Get in touch today to get your free samples and quote!
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